Let's be real: for many women, there is nothing scarier in life than wearing a strapless bra.
No matter your size, strapless bras are stressful. But at some point in our lives — hello, bridesmaids dresses — there's no more avoiding it. We have to come face to face with the dread bra.
But strapless bras don't have to be The Worst. I tested five different strapless bras for a week to see which was the best. Let the games begin — and may my boobs survive this experiment.
5. Curvy Kate, $75
Curvy Kate is the leading body positive brand for bras in the UK. The "Bra Whisperer" measured me via pictures and told me that I was wearing the wrong size. She sent over a 38E. I usually wear a 46C.
Cons:
– The band was too small and painful. After only a few hours it left welts on my skin.
– The cup seemed too small creating an extra boob under my arms
– There was no selection of colors to select from — just beige.
I also spent most of my day pushing my boobs into the bra.
Unfortunately, compared to the other bras I tried, there were no pros to this strapless. Perhaps it was the size, but it just did not work on my body. That's why it's at the end of this list.
4. Brayola, $36
I gasped at the idea of a strapless and backless bra. I had a million questions and only one day to try it on. The actual cup was sticky and it came with two little flaps that held on to the side of your boob to help keep them up. The trick to this bra is to hold your boob up then tape the side while still holding your boob up. I was having flashbacks of the old Kim Kardashian tape trick.
Pros:
– Surprisingly the sticky flaps on the side stuck to my boobs for an entire work day.
– The bra had a deep plunge allowing you to wear your deepest V neckline.
– For $36 it did its job well and kept my boobs elevated.
Cons:
– I sized up, knowing that the cup was the only protection I had. It was still too small.
– The corners of the cups poked out and my boobs were ready to play peek-a-boob.
– The bra held on to my skin, but sagged as the day went on.
– The only color options were black and "nude."
Even though the Brayola stuck onto my boobs, I was still scared that they were going to fall out. If I'd have gone another size up, it would have been a lot better.
Buy it here.
3. Dominique, $40
I was nervous looking at this bra — it looked like a weird bandeau top! But it turned out to be surprisingly decent.
Pros:
– The bra had a thick back strap, giving it a smoother look and feel.
– The nude tone fit perfectly under a naked top.
– The rims of the bra cups were covered with silicone, which made it feel extremely soft on my skin.
Cons:
– Even though you can feel an underwire it was as helpful as the letter "P" in pneumonia. Please read: NO support.
– The cup sizing only goes from a B – DD.
– The rim that held the underwire was too thin for my comfort. A couple of weeks of wear, and it would poke my skin.
– There is no color diversity available.
The biggest issue — no pun intended — was the lack of boob support.
If you're smaller in the breastal region, it may work better for you. Buy it here.
2. Hips and Curves, $29.95
Pros:
– The size range is pretty big; from a 38B to a 44DD.
– The cups had a firm and supportive feel.
– The back straps gave a great smoothing effect.
Cons:
– The sizing seems off. I ordered a 44 D from my usual 46 C and I felt like I had to size down a couple of cups.
– The bra also had a silicone rim around the cup of the bra for comfort, but it caused a squeaking sound as I moved from side to side.
– There are limited colors available.
I actually wore this bra on a date, and squeaked all night long.
But it did make my boobs look good. Buy it here.
1. Cacique, $46.50
Pros:
– The cup has great lifting feel.
– The bands on the back gave a perfect smoothing effect on the sides and on the back.
– Very, very comfortable.
– The cup doesn't dig into the top of my breasts.
Cons:
– Not many colors available in the strapless bra selection.
This strapless bra is my go-to for my every day wear.
I'm ride or die for Cacique, and have been for years — so while I was really hoping I'd find another bra that I liked even better, I'm not surprised that this came out on top. This remains my pick for the best every day strapless bra… yup! I wear it everyday. Buy it here.
