19 Different Types of Bras Explained: Ultimate Guide [2023]

Fortunately, the choice of bras on the market keeps getting richer and richer. There are now different types of bras for all kinds of purposes.

Bras can differ in the way they’re made (wired vs non-wired, padded vs non-padded), how much of your breasts they cover (demi vs full coverage), as well as what their function is (push up, t-shirt, sports, strapless, minimizer, bandeau bras).

An important thing to note is that there’s no such thing as the best type of bra. They all serve different purposes and are the ideal fit for different people. By reading through these 19 types of bra you’ll see which ones sounds like they’d be useful for you.

When considering the type of bra to wear, you can consider the size and shape of your breasts, the outfit you’ll be wearing, as well as your personal preferences.

Of course, you don’t have to own a pair of each of these types. Some of these bra styles may not be an ideal fit for you anyway. Owning just a few different types of bra will be enough for most purposes.

For example, if you’re not physically active, you probably won’t need a sports bra. Or, if you have larger breasts, most of the time you probably won’t need a push up bra.

Another thing to keep in mind that a bra won’t necessarily be categorized into just one of the discussed types. Bras can be divided up into one or more of these types.

In this article, we’ll explain 19 different types of bras, who should wear them, when to wear them, as well as what to wear them with.

Ultimate Guide to 19 Different Types of Bras and When To Wear Them

T-shirt Bra

A t-shirt bra is specifically designed to not be visible under your outfit, even if it’s very thin or tight. This is one of the simplest bra styles, without any seams or lace.

This type of bra is one of the most popular bra types out there, and is in essence the standard, “default” bra type.

T-shirt bras are supportive, comfortable, and great as an everyday option. In addition, they will give you a smooth silhouette under tight clothes.

What is a t-shirt bra
A T-shirt bra

When to wear (occasion): when you don’t want bra lines to show under your clothes, great option as an everyday wear.

What to wear with (outfit): any, but best option for thin and tight-fitting t-shirts, tops, blouses, or any other shirt.

Best for (what type of boobs): all women.

To learn more about this type of bra, check out our ultimate guide to t-shirt bras.

Demi Bra

A demi bra is a more revealing bra type with rounder and lower cups. As their name suggests (demi=half), they cover 50%-75% of your breasts.

This bra type offers good support, although not as good as compared to full-coverage bras. Demi bras are great both for women with smaller and larger breasts. Due to how revealing they are, they’re also great if you’re gonna be wearing a low-cut outfit.

Generally, this bra type is considered as very flattering, and one of the sexiest types of bra out there.

A Demi Bra
A Demi Bra

When to wear (occasion): when you want to impress, maybe not for everyday

What to wear with (outfit): very versatile, especially for low cut outfits

Best for (what types of boobs): most, especially for smaller breasts

To learn more about this type of bra, check out our ultimate guide to demi bras.

Balconette Bra

A balconette (or a balcony) bra is a more specific looking bra, with an almost horizontal cup cut. Like the demi bra, they’re another bra type that is considered visually appealing and attractive.

This bra type provides great support. Its cups are generally lower, so it’s another revealing and flattering look.

Balconette bras are great if you want to enhance your cleavage. However, they manage to do this in a more subtle way compared to some of the other bra types on this list.

A balconette bra
A balconette bra

When to wear (occasion): when you want to impress, parties, but also everyday

What to wear with (outfit): low cut outfits, wide neckline tops

Best for (what types of boobs): most breast types, especially smaller and medium sized breasts

To learn more about this type of bra, check out our ultimate guide to balconette bras.

Shelf Bra

A shelf bra is one of the bra types with the least coverage. They barely (or don’t) cover the nipples and the upper part of the breasts.

This bra type supports the breasts from the bottom. Despite the low coverage, they provide some support and lift. They’re comfortable and they make the breasts appear fuller.

What is a shelf bra
A shelf bra

When to wear (occasion):

Platform shelf bras: when you want to impress, probably not for everyday

Built-in shelf bra: everyday wear

What to wear with (outfit): mainly low cut outfits, but also tank tops, halter tops, off-the shoulder tops

Best for (what types of boobs): most

To learn more about this type of bra, check out our ultimate guide to shelf bras.

Plunge Bra

A plunge bra is a type of bra that has a deep v-line cut at the center. This bra pushes the breasts closer together. Due to the deep cut, this bra style is revealing and works great with low cut outfits.

This bra type is great if you want to enhance your cleavage. Plunge bras have less coverage than most of the other bras on this list, but they still provide great support and lift.

A plunge bra has more angled cups compared to other bra types, with a steep slope at the center. Also, its bra straps sit wider on your shoulders.

What is a plunge bra
A plunge bra

When to wear (occasion): ideally for parties, date nights, nights out and so on, but they’re also an option for every day

What to wear with (outfit): low cut outfits and plunging necklines

Best for (what types of boobs): most, both for larger and smaller breasts

To learn more about this type of bra, check out our ultimate guide to plunge bras.

Push up Bra

A push up bra is a very popular type of bra that is known for lifting your boobs up and bringing them together. It can make your breasts appear larger by 1-3 cups.

This type of bra comes with extra padding in its bottom and at the sides to lift the breasts. It’s also very comfortable and offers great support. Finally, this is one of the sexiest and most flattering bra types you can wear.  

Push up bras are generally popular with smaller-chested women who want to make their breasts appear larger, but they can work for women with larger breasts as well. This is because a push up bra will make the boobs appear rounder, perkier, and fuller, in addition to making them appear larger.

What is a Push up Bra
A push up bra

When to wear (occasion): universal, everyday option, parties, date nights, nights out and so on

What to wear with (outfit): low cut outfits, plunging necklines, and pretty much any outfit

Best for (what types of boobs): most, but usually for smaller breasts.

To learn more about this type of bra, check out our ultimate guide to push up bras.

Minimizer Bra

Contrary to a push up bra, a minimizer bra makes your breasts appear smaller by 1-2 cup sizes. This type of bra works by redistributing the breast tissue from the front to the sides. For women who often experience shirts unbuttoning, this bra can be a good idea to try.

Minimizer bras are comfortable and simple. What’s even more important, wearing a minimizer bra is safe. However, a minimizer bra won’t resolve your back pain if you have any. That’s because it only makes the breasts appear smaller, while their weight is still the same.

One thing to keep in mind is that a minimizer bra won’t make your breasts appear smaller if you have breast implants.

What is a Minimizer Bra
A minimizer bra

When to wear (occasion): whenever you want your breasts to appear smaller

What to wear with (outfit): any outfit, button-up shirts

Best for (what types of boobs): generally for women with larger breasts, although not necessary

To learn more about this type of bra, check out our ultimate guide to minimizer bras.

Bralette

If you find regular bras uncomfortable, then a bralette might be for you. This is the most comfortable type of bra, since it has no padding or wires inside it. Due to this, a bralette is soft, lightweight, and breathable.

Apart from being comfortable, a bralette is also very stylish. In fact, you can look at it as something in between a bra and a top. You can wear it with a bunch of different clothing combinations, as well as on its own.

A bralette will follow the natural shape of your breasts. But, keep in mind that if you have larger breasts a regular bralette might not be supportive enough. There are, however, bralettes made with more layers of fabric, which are ideal for larger breasts.

A bralette

When to wear (occasion): whenever you prefer comfort or style over support, it can even be worn when relaxing or sleeping

What to wear with (outfit): on its own, under a loose top, under an open shirt, under a transparent shirt, under leather or denim jackets, many other styles

Best for (what types of boobs): most women, even for women with larger breasts

To learn more about this type of bra, check out our ultimate guide to bralettes.

Strapless Bra

When you want to wear a strapless dress or top, it’s best to wear a strapless bra underneath it. As its name suggests, this bra type has no straps that will peek under a strapless top.

Despite having no straps, this bra style will still provide support through its underwired cups. And you don’t need to worry, a strapless bra is designed in a way that it won’t slip even though it has no straps.

When to wear (occasion): when you don’t want bra straps to be visible under your clothes

What to wear with (outfit): strapless dresses and tops, one-shoulder dresses and tops, tube tobs, on its own as a crop top

Best for (what types of boobs): most women, especially for women with smaller breasts. There are strapless bra for larger breasts too.

Sports Bra

Sports bras are a type of bra specifically made for physical exercise. They’re designed to minimize the bounce and to provide support to the breasts when you’re most active.

Wearing a sports bra when you’re physically active is important since it will prevent permanent stretching of the breasts’ connective tissue.

When to wear (occasion): when you’re exercising and you’re physically active. This may include going to the gym, exercising at home, running, hiking, yoga, pilates and so on

What to wear with (outfit): on its own

Best for (what types of boobs): all women

Spacer Bra

Another comfortable type of bra is a spacer bra. This bra style is made of a special kind of fabric (Spacer fabric). It’s made to be breathable, lightweight, and soft.

The spacer bra has no underwire and no seams. Just like a t-shirt bra, it should be invisible under a t-shirt or tighter clothing. Given this, a spacer bra can be worn as an everyday option instead of the t-shirt bra. Compared to the t-shirt bra, a spacer bra is more comfortable and breathable.

Another advantage of the spacer bra is that absorbs sweat and relays it in, making this bra type great for hot summer days.

What is a spacer bra featured image
A spacer bra

When to wear (occasion): whenever you want to feel most comfortable, when you don’t want bra lines to show under your clothes, great option as an everyday wear

What to wear with (outfit): any, but best option for thin and tight-fitting t-shirts, tops, blouses, or any other shirt

Best for (what types of boobs): most women

To learn more about this type of bra, check out our ultimate guide to spacer bras.

Water Bra

Like the push up bra, a water bra is another type of bra designed to make the breasts appear larger. This type of bra has padding filled with a mixture of water and oil, which gives your breasts a natural shape.

A water bra is nowadays not as popular as it used to be. But, if you’re looking for an alternative to the push up bra, this one’s worth looking into. Both of them have the same purpose, after all.

However, while a push up bra uses foam in the padding, a water bra contains water and oil. In addition, a water bra is pretty comfortable.

What is a water bra featured image
A water bra

When to wear (occasion): parties, date nights, nights out and so on

What to wear with (outfit): low cut outfits, plunging necklines

Best for (what types of boobs): most, but usually for smaller breasts.

To learn more about this type of bra, check out our ultimate guide to water bras.

Longline Bra

If you want a bra whose band will extend down your torso, instead of ending below the breasts as most bras do, you can opt for a longline bra.

This is another comfortable bra style, especially for women with larger breasts. Apart from the comfort, a longline bra will offer more support, and can even reduce back pain.

Function isn’t the only thing making a longline bra desirable. It’s also a very flattering bra style that can be worn both under your clothes (especially under low cut or strapless dresses) or even as an outerwear.

Longline bra

When to wear (occasion): very universal, can be worn when you want to look your best (parties, date nights, nights out), but also as an everyday option (due to their comfort)

What to wear with (outfit): universal so any outfit, can be great for low cut and deep v dresses, but is also a great option to wear by itself

Best for (what types of boobs): most women

To learn more about this type of bra, check out our ultimate guide to longline bras.

Unlined bra

We already discussed bralettes, but we didn’t mention that a lot of bralettes are what’s called unlined bras. In essence, this is a bra that’s made of one piece of fabric and without padding or foam in the cups.

Given this, unlined bras are more comfortable and lighter than lined bras, highlighting the natural shape of your breasts. However, they won’t lift your breasts up or bring them closer together.

When talking about unlined bras, many women imagine a sheer type of bra through which your nipples will show. While this is something that you can opt for if you wish so, it definitely doesn’t have to be the case. Unlined bras come in many different materials, and you can choose whatever works best for you.

What is an unlined bra

When to wear (occasion): whenever you value comfort, lightness, and the natural shape of breasts

What to wear with (outfit): any

Best for (what types of boobs): most women, even women with larger breasts

To learn more about this type of bra, check out our ultimate guide to unlined bras.

Convertible bra

Convertible (also called multiway) bras are a must to own. The straps come off and have hooks so you can reattach them in different ways to wear with clothes where the straps of a standard bra would show.

What strap configurations it can do will depend on which one you get, so check before you buy. The straps will have hooks at each end and there will be lots of slots that they can hook into on the bra. Sometimes they won’t say all of the possible options on the tag so look for where the slots are to figure out which ones it can do.

To learn more about this type of bra, check out our ultimate guide to convertible bras.

Racerback bra

Most bras have straps in the back parallel one to another. On the other hand, there’s the racerback bra, whose straps create an x-shape (or y-shape, or a –shape) at the back.

A racerback bra will prevent your bra straps from slipping from your shoulders. In addition, they provide great support and are comfortable. Also, a racerback bra won’t be visible under racerback tops.

The good thing is that you don’t have to buy a racerback bra. Instead, you can turn a regular bra you own into a racerback one. You can simply use a bra clip (or even a paper clip) to clip the bra straps of a regular bra together.

What is a Racerback Bra
A racerback bra

When to wear (occasion): whenever you want extra support, comfort, and uplift. Also a great choice as a racerback sports bra, since they will provide extra back support for high-intensity workouts

What to wear with (outfit): many different outfits, including racerback tops and maybe tank tops, a great idea for the summer too

Best for (what types of boobs): most women, especially for women with larger breasts

To learn more about this type of bra, check out our ultimate guide to racerback bras.

Bandeau bra

Another type of bra that has no straps is the bandeau bra (also called tube bra). Unlike a strapless bra, the bandeau bra doesn’t even have clasps at the back. Instead, you simply put it on like a tube top.

The bandeau bra is made of a stretchy type of fabric. It has thick bands on its top and on its bottom, keeping the bra in place.

This bra style can be combined with a bunch of different outfits, or it can be worn on its own. And don’t worry, a tube bra won’t compress your breasts nor make them appear smaller.

A bandeau bra
A bandeau bra

When to wear (occasion): when you don’t want bra straps to be visible under your clothes

What to wear with (outfit): strapless dresses and tops, one-shoulder dresses and tops, tube tobs, on its own as a crop top

Best for (what types of boobs): most women, especially for women with smaller breasts, but some bandeau bras (those with additional support) are great for women with larger breasts as well.

To learn more about this type of bra, check out our ultimate guide to bandeau bras.

Underwire bra

One of the most important aspects of a bra is whether it comes with or without an underwire. If it does, that type of bra is called an underwire bra, and it contains a rigid wire (usually metal or plastic) under its cups.

An underwire bra provides great support, and can also improve your appearance. This is because it can lift your breasts up, separate them, and give them the often desired rounded shape.

Generally though, an underwire bra is considered not as comfortable as a wireless bra. However, if you’re wearing the right bra size, there’s no reason that the underwire bra will be uncomfortable.

Basic Beauty Full Figure Seamless Underwire Bra by Wacoal

When to wear (occasion): when you want support and when you want to shape your breasts

What to wear with (outfit): any

Best for (what types of boobs): most women

To learn more about this type of bra, check out our ultimate guide to underwire bras.

Wireless bra

As mentioned previously, a wireless bra is considered more comfortable compared to an underwire bra. This is a type of bra that’s made entirely of fabric, without wires or any rigid materials.

This bra style is comfortable enough to relax, lounge around the house, and even sleep in it. Other of its advantages are that they usually last longer than underwire bras (since there’s no wire to break or bend), and that they’re easier to get the right fit.

On the other hand, a wireless bra won’t provide the same level of support that the underwire bra will. It also won’t lift your breasts up or separate them. Instead, it will highlight the natural shape of your breasts.

A wireless bra
A wireless bra

When to wear (occasion): when you want comfort and the natural shape of your breasts, great for relaxing and sleeping, but is also great as an everyday option

What to wear with (outfit): any

Best for (what types of boobs): most women, but especially those with smaller breasts who don’t need that much support.

To learn more about this type of bra, check out our ultimate guide to wireless bras.

Conclusion

With the number of different types of bras getting larger and larger, there are now countless bra styles for all purposes. Still, you don’t have to own all, or even most of these bras. A few different types of bras will be enough for most situations you’ll find yourself into.

FAQ

Which Type of Bra Is Best for Daily Use?

A type of bra that’s great for daily use is the t-shirt bra. This is a popular and simple bra style without lace or embroidery, which will provide great support. Apart from this, it’s also comfortable and won’t be visible under a t-shirt or even tight-fitting clothes. A t-shirt bra is generally not considered as the sexiest bra type, but it’s one of the most common choices for everyday wear.

Which Type of Bra Is Most Comfortable?

There are many comfortable types of bras, but some of the most comfortable types of bras are the wireless bras. These bras are made fully of fabric, without any rigid materials such as wires. Due to this, they’re a very comfortable option for everyday wear, relaxing, and even sleeping.

What Is the Most Common Type of Bra?

The most common type of bra is the t-shirt bra. This is a simple type of bra that’s so popular that it can essentially be considered as the “default” type of bra. A t-shirt bra is comfortable, supportive, and very versatile. It’s a good fit for most women regardless of the size and type of their breasts, and it can be combined with a bunch of different clothing combinations.

What Are the Different Types of Bras?

There are many different types of bras, which can be divided by what their function is (sports bra, push up bra, strapless bra), whether they have wires (underwire vs wireless bras) and padding (padded vs non-padded bras), or how much of the breasts they cover (demi vs full coverage bras).

What Type of Bra Should I Wear?

What type of bra you should wear will depend on many factors, such as your breast size, breast type, your activity, the outfit you want to wear, as well as your personal preferences. For everyday wear, you can opt for a t-shirt bra. For relaxing or lounging around the house, a bralette is a good option. And when you want to look your best, you can opt for a demi, balconette, or a push up bra.