Trying On The Best Strapless Bras with Ruth Crilly
Next in my ‘Trying On’ series I am reviewing the best strapless bras – both for comfort and for a good shape beneath clothes. It’s actually very hard to find good strapless bras; most tend to slip downwards over the course of the day (or night) and if they don’t then it’s because they’re so tight around the ribcage that you can barely breathe. Some strapless bras stay up but mould your boobs into one long “boob sausage” (official technical term), others give great shape and lift but drop dramatically halfway down your torso every time you speak.
Just for you, the viewer, I’ve jumped and jogged my way through testing to find the best strapless bras. This is incredibly important work. A tough gig but someone has got to do it! You’re welcome. I hope it’s useful. Watch the video, and read the reviews and links below:
Strapless bra shopping: possibly the worst that bra shopping can be. Thankfully strapless bras are not a lingerie item I’d typically wear every day – I usually employ the “services” of a strapless bra because I’m wearing something tricky – sleeveless, or low-necklined or some other heinously complicated thing.
And I’m usually only wearing aforementioned heinously complicated thing because it’s a special occasion – wedding, party or whatever. Why do we do it to ourselves? The one time you want to feel your best yet you also know you’ll be standing about for long periods or dancing very badly, after having eaten half of the wedding feast… And you think
I know
.
What’s a party without some extreme physical discomfort? Let’s find the tallest heels and the most restrictive bra
!
Anyway, here’s my low-down of the best I tried. The key things you want from your strapless bra: longevity and comfort. ie, you don’t want it to slip down over time and you don’t want it to dig in. Oh, it’s also nice if there’s a bit of subtle moulding to the cups of the strapless bra to give a smooth shape underneath clothes so I’ve mainly chosen smooth versions for this very reason. I’ve tried to also look for brands who cater for a wide range of sizes (harder than you’d think and I did throw a few wildcards in) and also those who make their bras in more than one “nude” shade – Wonderbra and Boux Avenue come out tops here…
Wonderbra Ultimate Strapless Bra
This
Wonderbra*
strapless bra has a great shape. It feels really well engineered and it is made specifically to be a strapless bra rather than a multiway. You don’t always get a good uplift with a strapless bra but this one has and it is surprisingly comfortable. After a lot of dancing there’s a tiny bit of slippage but overall it’s incredibly impressive. This would be great for a night out – great uplift and relatively comfy.
Buy for £32 at
John Lewis*
or
ASOS*
and about a million other places online! Sizes – 30-38 A-G cup.
Boux Avenue Strapless Bra
There’s a little bit of uplift with this but more slippage than the Wonderbra. It is more like a t-shirt bra, definitely less engineering to it than the
Wonderbra*
. I can see me having to hoist it up repeatedly. It’s very soft and comfy though and comes in quite a few different shades.
Buy the
Boux Avenue Straless Bra*
in sizes 30-40, A-G cup.
Freya Deco Strapless Bra
The Freya strapless bra has a T-shirt shape and like the
Boux*
one it is also multiway, whereas the
Wonderbra
*
is designed just as a strapless bra. It does stay on really well and is pretty comfy – I would say it’s a bit sturdier than the
Boux
one.
Buy from
Freya
in sizes 28-38 B-GG cup.
Wacoal Halo Strapless Bra
The Wacoal Halo is a lovely soft, lacy bandeaux top rather than your standard strapless bra. It isn’t as structured as the other bras and wont give you as much uplift however it is beautifully made and the prettiest of the lot. I’m not sure where I would wear it though?
Buy the
Wacoal Halo Strapless Bra*
in sizes 32-38 B-E cup.
M&S Lace Trim Push-Up Strapless Bra
M&S’s Lace Trim Push-Up is a really well structured strapless bra with a wide band at the back for support. The mesh and lace design is so pretty.
Buy the
M&S Lace Push-Up Strapless Bra*
in sizes 32-40 A-E cup.
See also:
M&S Lace Bandeau Strapless Bra
The Bandeau strapless from M&S is very pretty but I bought it a size too small and can’t get it on! If you fancy it for yourself, in the right size, then you can buy it
here*
.
I also wear:
Roland top from Reformation
Buy
here*.
My overall strapless bra verdict:
My personal favourites were the
Wonderbra Ultimate Strapless Bra*
and the
M&S Lace Trim Push-Up Strapless Bra*
but overall bra brand winners have to be
Wonderbra
and
Boux Avenue
for their range of sizes and colours. They both have a selection of nude tones – four and three options, respectively.
I think I’ve found strapless bra perfection – or near-perfection, at least. The
Wonderbra Ultimate Strapless Bra*
does gives an incredible shape, doesn’t fall down and also allows you to breathe in and out.
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Watch my Trying on: Me+Em Clothing video