Bra Styles Guide: How to Choose the Right Bra

Ok, so you know your bra size. That’s great, but we’re only halfway there on our journey to finding the perfect bra fit. Size is incredibly important when choosing the right bra, but not paying enough attention to shape and style can undo all that good work. When you’re shopping for a bra that fits just right, it’s important to consider your breast shape to find the right type and style of bra and ultimately the perfect fit.

Different Bra Types: How to Choose the Right Bra Type

Here are a few bra styles you might consider and the breast shapes that they’re often the best fit for. Remember, finding a bra that makes you feel great is about a combination of factors. Of course, this includes size and shape, but it must also look good and give you the confidence you need to feel empowered.

What Are Push Up Bras?

A push up bra is a favourite of women with many different breast shapes. The ability of the bra to push the bust up towards the centre of the chest can help to create great cleavage. These bras can offer support for full chested women making them a good bra for big breasts and help give shape and cleavage for women with a smaller bust.

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What are Plunge Bras?

Plunge bras offer all the cleavage of a push up bra without any additional uplift. This means that the breasts sit lower and are pushed together to create a cleavage. A plunge bra is ideal if you have larger breasts that sit lower or are more side set (naturally sit to the side).

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What are Balcony Bras?

The Balcony Bra has cups that separate the cleavage for a more rounded shape, whilst the underwired cups offer added lift and support. If you have been wondering ‘which bra should I wear daily?’ – the balcony bra offers plenty of support and comfort whilst also being a modest option for daily wear, to the office, for example.

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What are Non-Padded Bras?

Non-Padded Bras are underwired and sculpts the bust for shape and support.This style of bra is great for comfort due to their flexible shape and fit and are the perfect option for everyday wear.

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What are Fuller Bust Bras?

The Fuller Bust bra is for those blessed with a bigger bust. This full cup bra is structured by underwire that sculpts the bust for a great shape, whilst the wider shoulder straps offer further support. Many women with a fuller bust are surprised to discover they have been wearing the wrong size bra so if you have a fuller bust and you’re not sure what size you are, why not use our bra fitting service? Simply find an Ann Summers near you using our store locator and book an appointment, our friendly and knowledgeable bra fitting experts will be glad to help.

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What are Multiway Bras?

Multiway bras allow you to wear the bra in different ways to get the right look and support for your outfit. The versatility of the multiway straps means this is the perfect bra for all occasions, straps or no straps, halterneck or racerback. The possibilities are almost endless, so they are a practical choice for special occasions.

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What are Underwire Bras?

An underwire bra will help to lift, shape, and separate your breasts, providing plenty of support. Women with smaller breasts can probably wear a bra that isn’t underwired, but it’s a must for women with a fuller bust. It can boost your cleavage and leave you looking and feeling great – all day, every day! If you arelooking for supportive bras, an underwired bra will give that curved shape and holds the girls in place, giving you a great look and good support.

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What are Peephole Bras?

Peephole bras are the ultimate tease, So you’re probably not considering a peephole bra for everyday use, but a peephole bra is a great option to have in every lingerie drawer for those raunchy nights in. Even though they’re mainly for fun, you still need to make sure the fit is right. Quick and easy access to your nipples – what more could you want…

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What are Strapless Bras?

Strapless bras are essential for any woman's wardrobe, finding one that offers both comfort and support is the tricky part. Without the support of straps, the bra must be far more structured in order to give you a desirable shape and hold your breasts comfortably in place. A good quality strapless bra will feel comfortable and offer support without digging in or creating unsightly lumps and bumps that you don’t normally see with your day-to-day bras, so it is worth investing in quality when it comes to strapless bras.

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How to Choose the Right Bra

There are several common questions that people may ask when trying to find a bra and these are often based around size. For instance, “what type of bra is best for large breasts?” or “what’s the best style of bra for small breasts?” However, the answer to these questions doesn’t always relate totally to size but more so the shape of your breasts.

Of course, choosing the right type and style of bra relies on several factors. One of the most important factors is the shape of your breasts. We all have different shaped breasts and there’s no good or bad, right or wrong; they’re all beautiful. We’ve grouped all those different shapes into a few similar areas, pairing them with the right type of bra for the best support.

Round Breast Shape

If you’re a round breast lady, this means your breasts are equally full at both the top and bottom. Finding something to shape and support round breasts isn’t as important, meaning you’re pretty much free to choose any style of bra. We’d suggest something without much padding or an underwire as you won’t need these features.

East West Breast Shape

This breast shape means that your breasts point towards the outside of your chest – hence the name East West. This fact will likely mean that there is a gap between your breasts. If you’re not a fan of this look and want to bring your breast together to create a cleavage, this can easily be achieved by wearing a t-shirt bra.

Side Set Breasts

Not to be confused with East West, Side Set breasts are often a little fuller with a larger gap between the breasts. For this breast shape, a plunge bra can do a great job of pushing your breasts together to create an amazing cleavage.

Teardrop Breast Shape

Teardrop shaped breasts tend to be much fuller at the bottom and slenderer at the top, creating a classic teardrop shape. Much like round breasts, you can wear most types of bra with this breast shape. A balcony bra will really help show your teardrop breasts off though!

Slender Breast Shape

Slender breasts are often a slightly smaller sized breast that are longer than they are wide and go from thin at the top to fuller at the bottom. The nipples will usually be pointing downwards. A padded plunge bra is a great option for slender breasts.

Bell-Shaped

Bell-Shaped breasts are similar to slender breasts but slightly larger. They still go from slender to fuller further down the breast and, as a result, will require a supportive bra. An underwire bra would be a good choice here to guarantee the support you need for this shape.

Asymmetrical Breasts

Most women will have one breast bigger than the other, but for some the difference is more prominent than others. If the difference is less than a cup size, it’s unlikely that anyone will notice, and you should find a bra that fits the larger breast. Whether push up, or any other style depending on your shape, a stretchy lace could be a good choice.

Finding the Right Bra Size for the Perfect Fit

Finding the right bra for you takes a little more effort than just picking something you like off the rail. However, putting in that extra time to work out which bra is right for you can have so many benefits. A bra that fits your size and shape properly can make you feel good, not just because you’ll have the right support but it’ll help give you the confidence to be at your best!

When you’re buying a new bra, try and remember the following equation to help you ensure you get it right:

Measure Your Size

+

Work Out Your Breast Shape

+

Find the Right Style

=

A Great Fitting Bra

We know that every woman’s shape and size is unique. And as you could probably tell, we are perfectionists, so we’re on a mission to ensure that we provide the best fitting bras for you.

We know how important it is to have the best fitting bra, and that’s why we’re proud to have extended our size range to include FF and GG sizes. But we haven’t stopped there, in our strive for perfection we have also improved the comfort and shape of our bras with softer foam cups, better underwires and shoulder straps.

How Do I Measure my Bra Size?

If you’re still unsure of what size bra you should be choosing, you can use our True Fit feature on our bra product pages to help you choose the perfect size, and our expert Bra Fitting Guide will help you understand how your bra should look and feel when it’s on. You may find that your size differs slightly in different styles of bra, just make sure you’re always aware of the common fitting problems highlighted in our fitting guide and you can adjust accordingly. And if you are still unsure, take advantage of our bra measuring service, available in stores and done discretely by our bra fitting experts.

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