Brassiere designs
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, vintage bra, leather bra, belly dance bra
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, and others. There is no standardized system for categorizing bras or their design. Many bras fulfill more than one purpose, like a balconette bra made of sheer material. Manufacturers' bra styles constantly change.
Alphabetical list of brassiere designs
- Adhesive Sometimes described as backless/strapless bras or a stick-on bra. Usually made of silicone, polyurethane, or similar material, they are attached to the underside of the breasts using medical-grade adhesive. Some versions provide one piece for each breast. May be reused for a limited number of times and provides little support. Suitable for backless and strapless outerwear where a strapless bra is not possible or preferred, or as an alternative to going completely braless.
- Athletic See Sports braSports braA sports bra is a bra that provides additional support to female breasts during physical exercise. Sturdier than typical bras, they minimize breast movement, alleviate discomfort, and reduce potential damage to chest ligaments. Many women wear sports bras to reduce pain, and physical discomfort...
.
- BandeauBandeau- General Attire :A bandeau , is a strapless garment worn around a woman's breasts. It may be fastened in the front or back or be sufficiently elastic so as to have no fastener at all. In a strict sense a bandeau has but two edges, although it is sometimes manufactured with a detachable halter...
A simple band of material, usually stretchy, that is worn across the breasts. Suitable for small-busted women, they sometimes have built-in cups, but provide little support or shaping. A band of cloth can sometimes be used to bind the breasts in place.
- Balconette Sometimes known as a shelf bra. Lifts the woman's breasts to enhance their appearance, shape, and cleavage. More revealing version of a demi-bra, offering little to no coverage. The name is borrowed from the idea that when looking at the breasts from above, as from a balcony, the bra cannot be seen. First designed in the United States in about 1938, and came into mainstream fashion in the 1950s. Compare to full-cup and demi-cup bra.
- Bralette A lightweight, simple design, usually an unlined, soft-cup pullover style bra. The breasts are covered but the bra offers little, if any, real support and is suitable for small-breasted women or pubescentPubertyPuberty is the process of physical changes by which a child's body matures into an adult body capable of reproduction, as initiated by hormonal signals from the brain to the gonads; the ovaries in a girl, the testes in a boy...
girls early in puberty. Sometimes sold built-in to a camisole. This style is often used by preadolescent girls as a training bra. Similar to bandeau.
- Built-in Sometimes described as a shelf bra, although completely unlike the shelf bra described below. Contained within or as an integral part of an outer garment like a swimsuitSwimsuitA swimsuit, bathing suit, or swimming costume is an item of clothing designed to be worn by men, women or children while they are engaging in a water-based activity or water sports, such as swimming, water polo, diving, surfing, water skiing, or during activities in the sun, such as sun bathing.A...
or tank topTank topTank top may refer to:* a type of sleeveless shirt worn by men and women * a sleeveless sweater, also known as a sweater vest * the plating forming the inner bottom of a ship hull...
. Some built-in bras are detachable. They provide brassiere-like breast support utilizing a horizontal elastic strip like a bandeau, although some are shaped with cups and underwire.
- Bullet A full-support bra with cups in the shape of a paraboloidParaboloidIn mathematics, a paraboloid is a quadric surface of special kind. There are two kinds of paraboloids: elliptic and hyperbolic. The elliptic paraboloid is shaped like an oval cup and can have a maximum or minimum point....
of revolution with its axis perpendicular to the breast. The bullet bra usually features concentric circles of decorative stitching centered on the nipples. Invented in the late-1940s, they were still being sold well into the 1980s.
- Contour Sometimes referred to as a molded cup bra. Contour bras sometimes contain underwire. They have seamless, pre-formed cups containing a foam or other lining that help define and hold the cup's shape, even when not being worn. May be available as full-cup, demi-cup, push-up, or in other styles. Suitable for women with asymmetrical breasts—up to 25% of women's breasts are asymmetric —or with enlarged or differently shaped nipples who want to create a symmetrical silhouette. Also see T-shirt bra, below.
- Convertible The bra straps can be detached and rearranged in different ways depending on the outer garment. Alternatives strap arrangements include traditional over-the-shoulder, criss-cross, halter, strapless or one shoulder.
- CuplessCupless braA cupless bra, sometimes known as a shelf, open tip, open nipple or open cup bra, is a brassiere design composed of a rigid, under-wired frame along the inframammary line, that supports or lifts a woman's breasts, without enclosing the breast in a bra cup....
See shelf bra below.
- Demi-cup Sometimes referred to as a half-bra or shelf bra. A partial-cup bra style that covers from half to three-quarters of the breast and creates cleavage and uplift. Most demi cup bras are designed with a slight tilt that pushes the breasts towards the center to display more cleavage. The straps usually attach at the outer edge of the cup. The lingerie industry generally defines a demi-cup bra as covering about 1 inches (2.5 cm) above the nipple. The underwire used is shorter and forms a shallower "U" shape under the cup. Suitable for low-cut outer garments. Compare to full-cup and balconnette bra.
- Front-closure Bras with a single, non-adjustable clasp positioned in the center front gore between the breasts.
- Full support Sometimes known as a full figure or plus-size bra. A practical design that offers maximum coverage and support for large-busted woman.
- Full cup Designed to offer maximum support and coverage for the entire breast. A practical design for large-busted woman. Compare to balconette and demi-cup bra.
- Jogging See Sports braSports braA sports bra is a bra that provides additional support to female breasts during physical exercise. Sturdier than typical bras, they minimize breast movement, alleviate discomfort, and reduce potential damage to chest ligaments. Many women wear sports bras to reduce pain, and physical discomfort...
.
- Leisure Sometimes referred to as a sleep bra. These are very soft, stretchy, comfortable easy-to wear bras that do not provide much support. They are an alternative to going braless and intended for wear at home when relaxing or asleep. Some full-figured women feel more comfortable sleeping in a bra. Small-busted women who don't need a lot of support may choose to wear a leisure bra for everyday wear.
- Long-line Extends from the bosom to the waist, offering additional abdominal control and smoothing of the woman's torso. Distributes support over the entire lower torso instead of just the shoulders.
- Mastectomy Designed to hold a breast prostheses that simulates a real breast. Suitable for women who have undergone a mastectomyMastectomyMastectomy is the medical term for the surgical removal of one or both breasts, partially or completely. Mastectomy is usually done to treat breast cancer; in some cases, women and some men believed to be at high risk of breast cancer have the operation prophylactically, that is, to prevent cancer...
or lost a breast to injury.
- MaleMale braMale bra – also known as a compression bra, compression vest, Gynecomastia vest, Manssiere or Bro – refers to brassieres that are worn by men...
Worn by men with enlarged breastsGynecomastiaGynecomastia or Gynaecomastia, , is the abnormal development of large mammary glands in males resulting in breast enlargement. The term comes from the Greek γυνή gyné meaning "woman" and μαστός mastós meaning "breast"...
. Usually designed to flatten and conceal the breasts rather than to lift and support them.
- Maternity A full-cup design with wider shoulder straps for maximum support and to reduce bounce. A practical design that uses comfortable fabrics to prevent irritation. May be adjustable to allow the woman to expand the cup size as her breasts grown during pregnancy. Sometimes known as a nursing braNursing braA nursing bra is a specialized brassiere that provides additional support to women's milk-filled breasts and permits comfortable breastfeeding without the need to remove the bra. This is accomplished by specially designed bra cups that include flaps which can be opened with one hand to expose the...
, but does not utilize removable panels or cups that facilitate nursing an infant.
- Minimizer Designed to de-emphasize the woman's bosom, it compresses and reshapes the breasts. A practical design usually worn by large-breasted woman.
- Novelty A fashion bra designed for appearance and sensuality. May include unusual materials, like leather or feathers. Includes unusual designs like the open-tip, peekaboo, or peephole bra that feature holes or slits in the fabric that reveal the woman's areola and nipples. Usually made of sensuous material like Lycra, nylonNylonNylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers known generically as polyamides, first produced on February 28, 1935, by Wallace Carothers at DuPont's research facility at the DuPont Experimental Station...
(nylon tricot), polyesterPolyesterPolyester is a category of polymers which contain the ester functional group in their main chain. Although there are many polyesters, the term "polyester" as a specific material most commonly refers to polyethylene terephthalate...
, satinSatinSatin is a weave that typically has a glossy surface and a dull back. It is a warp-dominated weaving technique that forms a minimum number of interlacings in a fabric. If a fabric is formed with a satin weave using filament fibres such as silk, nylon, or polyester, the corresponding fabric is...
, laceLaceLace is an openwork fabric, patterned with open holes in the work, made by machine or by hand. The holes can be formed via removal of threads or cloth from a previously woven fabric, but more often open spaces are created as part of the lace fabric. Lace-making is an ancient craft. True lace was...
and/or silkSilkSilk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
. Suitable for erotic situations.
- NursingNursing braA nursing bra is a specialized brassiere that provides additional support to women's milk-filled breasts and permits comfortable breastfeeding without the need to remove the bra. This is accomplished by specially designed bra cups that include flaps which can be opened with one hand to expose the...
Like its sister the maternity bra, this is a practical bra designed with fuller cups, comfortable fabrics, and wider shoulder straps for increased comfort. Designed to support a woman's increased breast size during lactation. Aids breastfeedingBreastfeedingBreastfeeding is the feeding of an infant or young child with breast milk directly from female human breasts rather than from a baby bottle or other container. Babies have a sucking reflex that enables them to suck and swallow milk. It is recommended that mothers breastfeed for six months or...
by providing flaps or panels that can be unclipped and folded down or to the side, exposing the nipple. Underwire is not recommended for nursing bras because they can restrict the flow of milk and cause mastitisMastitisMastitis is the inflammation of breast tissue. S. aureus is the most common etiological organism responsible, but S. epidermidis and streptococci are occasionally isolated as well.-Terminology:...
. Some designs utilize stretchable fabric allowing the woman to pull the entire bra to one side to facilitate nursing.
- Padded Designed to enhance a woman's perceived bust size and cleavage. The lining of the cups are thickened and enhanced with shape-enhancing inserts or foam padding inside the entire lining of cup. Padded bras support the woman's breasts but, unlike push-up bras (see below), are not intended to significantly increase cleavage. Also see water bras below.
- Plunge Sometimes known as U-plunge. Allows for lower and increased cleavageDécolletageDécolletage is the upper part of a woman's torso, between her waist and neck, comprising her neck, shoulders, back and chest, that is exposed by the style of her clothing. However, the term is most commonly applied to a neckline which reveals or emphasizes cleavage...
. Designed with angled cups and an open and lowered center gore. The shoulder straps are usually set widely apart. Suitable for dresses or outfits with a deep décolletéCleavage (breasts)Cleavage, anatomically known as the intramammary cleft, is the space between a woman's breasts lying over the sternum. Cleavage is exposed by a garment with a low neckline, such as ball gowns, evening gowns, swimwear, casual tops and other garments....
or plunging neckline, like a blouseBlouseA blouse is a loose-fitting upper garment that was formerly worn by workmen, peasants, artists, women and children. It is typically gathered at the waist so that it hangs loosely over the wearer's body. Today, the word most commonly refers to a woman's shirt but can also refer to a man's shirt if...
or dress. Unlike push-up bras, are not generally as heavily padded.
- Posture Reinforce correct spinal posture and alignmentVertebral columnIn human anatomy, the vertebral column is a column usually consisting of 24 articulating vertebrae, and 9 fused vertebrae in the sacrum and the coccyx. It is situated in the dorsal aspect of the torso, separated by intervertebral discs...
.
- Push-up A fashion bra that creates the appearance of increased cleavage. Use angled cups containing padding that push the breasts inwards and upwards, towards the center of the woman's chest. A push-up bra is usually a demi-cup bra. The WonderbraWonderbraThe Wonderbra is a type of push-up underwire brassiere that gained worldwide prominence in the 1990s. Although the Wonderbra name was first trademarked in the U.S. in 1935, the brand was developed in Canada. Moses Nadler, founder and majority owner of the Canadian Lady Corset Company, licensed the...
was the first push-up bra made.
- Racerback Designed with shoulder straps that form a "V" or "T" pattern between the shoulder blades. Suitable for outerwear like tank tops that would expose traditional over-the-shoulder straps. Provides extra support. Many sports braSports braA sports bra is a bra that provides additional support to female breasts during physical exercise. Sturdier than typical bras, they minimize breast movement, alleviate discomfort, and reduce potential damage to chest ligaments. Many women wear sports bras to reduce pain, and physical discomfort...
s use racerback design to improve support and reduce bounce.
- Sheer A fashion bra made of translucent material that displays the woman's nipples and breasts.
- Shelf Sometimes referred to as a open-cup, half-bra, or even quarter-cup bra. An underwire fashion design that offers minimal breast coverage, supporting only the lower half of the breast, pushing the breast upwards, and leaving the nipple and aerola uncovered. Suitable for erotic purposes or when a woman does not want to go completely braless, a shelf bra is an alternative to going braless. The exposed nipples may be visible beneath an outer garment. "Built-in bras" (see above) are sometimes referred to as a shelf bra.
- Soft cup A practical design that does not use underwire for support. Traditionally regarded as offering less support than underwire models, soft cup bras now offer competitive support and shaping. This is accomplished by using crisscross frames, inner under-cup slings that rise no more than half the height of the cup itself, and padding or lining the bra cup with 2-ply, molded, lined, or seamed material.
- SportsSports braA sports bra is a bra that provides additional support to female breasts during physical exercise. Sturdier than typical bras, they minimize breast movement, alleviate discomfort, and reduce potential damage to chest ligaments. Many women wear sports bras to reduce pain, and physical discomfort...
Designed for athletic activities to provide firm support and minimize breast movement during exercise. Various designs are suitable for a range of exercise, ranging from yoga to running. Usually made of stretchable, adsorbent fabric like Lycra, and designed to wick perspiration from the skin to reduce irritation. (For bras worn by girls during puberty, see training bra.)
- Strapless A fashion design that relies on an extra wide band for breast support. Achieve their strength through longer underwire that encompass more of the breast, and cups with added padding, boning, and shaping panels. Suitable for bare-shoulder outer garments like a strapless evening gownEvening gownAn evening gown is a long flowing women's dress usually worn to a formal affair. It ranges from tea and ballerina to full-length. Evening gowns are often made of a luxury fabric such as chiffon, velvet, satin, or silk...
that exposes the woman's shoulders and chest, as low as the tops of the areolaAreolaThis article is about the breast tissue. For the entomology term, see the glossary of Lepidopteran terms. For an artistic cloud motif, see aureola. For the cactus feature, see Areole....
. Some convertible bras (see above) allow women to remove the straps, making a strapless bra. It may have rubberized or silicone beading inside the top edge of the cup to help keep the bra attached to the breast. An alternative for women who choose not to go braless.
- T-shirt Designed without raised seams, hooks, or other construction that can be seen under an outer garment. A contoured style that fits the woman's breasts smoothly under tightly fitting T-shirtT-shirtA T-shirt is a style of shirt. A T-shirt is buttonless and collarless, with short sleeves and frequently a round neck line....
s, sweaterSweaterA sweater, jumper, pullover, sweatshirt, jersey or guernsey is a garment intended to cover the torso and arms. It is often worn over a shirt, blouse, T-shirt, or other top, but may also be worn alone as a top...
s, lightweight knitted fabric, or clingy tops with minimal visibility. The cups may be lined with foam or lightly padded with polyfill to help conceal the nipples. Also see contour bra, above.
- Training Designed for adolescent girls who have begun to develop breasts to help conceal the girl's emerging breast buds and nipples. As a girl's breasts grow larger, these include regular bras in smaller styles, from 30AAA to 32B. Some are padded to help hide a girl's emerging breast buds. Most styles are soft-cup bras. Also see bralette, above. For athletic-type bras, see sports braSports braA sports bra is a bra that provides additional support to female breasts during physical exercise. Sturdier than typical bras, they minimize breast movement, alleviate discomfort, and reduce potential damage to chest ligaments. Many women wear sports bras to reduce pain, and physical discomfort...
.
- UnderwireUnderwire braAn underwire bra is a brassiere with a wire built into the underside of the cup intended to lift, separate, shape, and provide additional support for a woman's breasts...
Many bra designs may utilize an underwire built into the bra cup. A "U"-shaped wire, either metal or plastic, is sewn under each cup to help support the breast. The wire is usually encased in soft fabric to make them comfortable to wear.
- Water Sometimes known as a liquid or gel bra. Contains water- or silicone gel-filled cups that enhance the size of the breasts. Air bras were a similar concept.