Bras

There’s a little secret why most women feel beautiful underneath those clothes. The use of bra dates as far back as 2000 BC when leather corset was extensively used to outline and support women’s breasts.

Bras have changed a lot since then. When these were developed around the 1920’s, these were no more than undergarments which offered breast support to prevent backaches and sagging breasts. But right now, bras are designed to give women a wide range of choices that would fit their lifestyles and needs.

The training bra is designed for use by preteens or girls whose breasts are just starting to develop, and who don’t qualify to wear standard bra sizes yet. This type of bra is smaller compared to the standard sizes and has cups that do not feature underwire support. Training bras are meant for girls who are in the early phases of breast development. Therefore, young girls whose breast size calls for a full-fitting bra should not use training bras.

Full support or full cup bras feature underwire support and are mostly designed to cover almost the entire breasts, although they usually have shapely cuts that make them look like bikini tops instead of underwear. They are appropriate for all women regardless of breast sizes and are highly recommended for those whose breasts require bigger cup sizes. A full cup bra may also come as padded or unpadded and is capable of complementing any type of figure.

Demi cup bras are designed to cover half of each breast, with cups covering only up to the area slightly above the nipples. A demi cup bra offers enough support and breast exposure, and is most ideal with clothes featuring plunging necklines.

Sports bra is perhaps the least famous among all types but is one of the most crucial bras that growing girls need to have. A sports bra provides more than just full breast support. It is designed to keep the breasts in place during physical activities. Young girls who participate in sports or various athletic activities should have own a sports bra even if they have small breasts.

Nursing bras are designed to make breastfeeding more convenient. These come with flaps which may be unfastened, pushed sideways, or unclasped, during breastfeeding while maintaining breast support.

Minimizer bras are those which are designed to make large breasts appear one or two cup sizes smaller. Maximizer bras on the other hand, are those which push the breasts up to emphasize the cleavage. These are generally padded to provide a fuller breast appearance.

Built-in bras are those that are attached to the clothing, not necessitating the use of a separate bra. These are mostly found sewn-in tube tops, tank tops, and swimsuits. Most of these are mere elastic fabric, although a few others come with padded and underwired cups.

Mastectomy bras are specifically made for women who have undergone mastectomy or whose breast has been removed. These bras feature cups with pockets where external breast prosthesis can be placed.

Strapless bras are those designed without shoulder straps or straps that are removable. These are essential for women who are wearing tube tops, halter tops, and dresses with bare shoulders.

T-shirt bras do not have raised seams and are designed as such so that they will seem invisible when used underneath a sheer top or a body-hugging one.

Shelf bra is specially designed for sexual purposes and does not provide breast support. This are made to cover only the breasts’ lower parts, exposing the nipples and the breasts’ upper parts.

Shopping for a bra can be more confusing than most women imagine it to be. But if you know your breast size and what each type is for, then it shouldn’t be a tedious task at all.