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Best Bralette For Big Boobs: Les Girls Les Boys' Soft Bra Review


I’m the latest in a generations-old line of late bloomers. How late? Well, I didn’t wear a bra at all until I turned 16. And even then, it served a more or less decorative purpose.

Maybe it’s because I had been denied the privilege for what felt like forever, but I’ve had a love-hate with lingerie ever since. Love: the Natori Feathers, the ThirdLove 24/7 Classic Contour, the CUUP Balconette. Hate: most lace, all rhinestones, that one mean saleswoman at a boutique which shall remain nameless, and above all, bralettes.

For the better part of the last decade, I’ve refused to buy into the absolute scam that is the unlined, unwired “soft cup” bra. Oh, sure, all the cool, flat-chested girls wear them and extoll their virtues—“I don’t even feel it! It looks so chic!”—but I’m now a 32D in bras, and if I wanted an inanimate collection of atoms that offer no support to lift me up, I’d just go back to college.

The fact of the matter is: Most bralettes for D cups, in my experience, are bad—poorly made, shoddily designed, mostly purchased by women who don’t need to wear bras at all.

Let’s be clear, it’s not that I think an underwire is some incredible boon to women. But unlike a bralette, at least it’s honest. You know what you’re in for with an underwire. Smooth boobs. A modest lift. A mental countdown clock that calculates the seconds until you can come home and take it off. I had therefore all but written off bralettes. That is, until I found the logo soft bra from Les Girls, Les Boys.

Les Girls Les Boys Logo Soft Bra

Les Girls Les Boys

$60

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Les Girls, Les Boys is a new, simple, and achingly cool street-style brand from designer Serena Rees. Aesthetically, the label is a decided departure from Rees’s previous venture, Agent Provocateur. (She co-founded Agent Provocateur in 1994 and sold it in 2007.) Les Girls, Les Boys is as minimal, utilitarian, and understated as Agent Provocateur was extravagant. And its logo soft bra is good enough to make me come around an entire category of undergarments.

The logo soft bra—which is mercifully not called a bralette—doesn’t look like much more than a piece of perforated fabric, but its construction is full of delightful surprises. First, the elasticized band is a little thicker than most, which means it doesn’t buckle or twist, even over hours of wear. Second, the cups don’t offer quite sports-bra level coverage, but are fuller than most standard triangle bras, which means a snugger, more comfortable fit. And third, there’s not a trace of frill or lace in sight.

Since I got it a few months ago—and then stocked up on it, religiously—it’s become a wardrobe staple, and I’m genuinely crushed when I get dressed to put on some outfit that requires a real bra. Or worse! A strapless one.

Still not sold? When I came home last week after an endless slog at the office, it took me an entire episode of Southern Charm to realize I hadn’t taken it off yet.

Mattie Kahn is a senior editor at Glamour.



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Review: The Best Swimsuits for Big Boobs, According to a 34F


In complete disclosure, the fit was so spot-on because Mills was able to make small tweaks to the suit to fit my shape. “Often we meet gals like you who need the cup depth of the bigger band size and then we take in the back band,” she says, explaining that alterations like these are free of charge and done in the brand’s Brooklyn studio. More involved tailoring, like adjusting boning or moving straps, she adds, will start at $40.

The Best of the Best: Aerie’s Strappy-Back One-piece Swimsuit

American Eagle

Aerie Strappy-Back One-piece Swimsuit

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When I started this experiment, Aerie was one of the first names I had on my list to try. I’ve always appreciated the brand’s commitment to Photoshop-free ads and body positivity, but I never had much luck finding something in my bra size from it…or most mass brands, frankly. I was kind of shocked I found two options from the store that fit me well, my favorite of which was this classic one-piece.

The Aerie team told me the style is a best-seller for the brand. It has a stretchy-but-not-too-stretchy material that made me feel held in, and the adjustable crisscross straps along the back allowed for a more personalized fit. What I also like about this suit is its price, its range of color options, and its sizes (currently running from an XXS to XXL, with long torso options available too).

The Best of the Best: The Fold’s The Line Top

After I did about two laps around my apartment, this bikini top from Australian brand The Fold didn’t move. Not a bit. The material is very thick, so it holds your body firmly in place, which is ideal for someone like me, who can’t be sedentary for too long.

The Best of the Best: Panache’s Elle Tie-Dye Balcony Bikini Top

Figleaves

Panache Elle Tie-dye Balcony Bikini Top

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This style fit just like one of my bras. And it was true to size, a factor that simply makes it easier for me (or anyone) to find what they’re looking for. What really won me over, though, was how, despite having a substantial amount of cleavage, the cups in the top stayed in place even when I was moving around. As Mills suggested in my search, a bra top should provide the majority of support in the band, not the straps—that’s what I found in this style, and why I’d happily wear it again.

The Best of the Best: PrimaDonna’s Myla Dalbesio Bikini Top

PrimaDonna

PrimaDonna Myla Dalbesio Bikini Top

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I initially reached out to model Myla Dalbesio because she’s outspoken on topics of body positivity and her own challenges with dressing her busty frame. As timing would have it, she was in the middle of launching her own swim collaboration collection with PrimaDonna, hoping to address those very issues.

“When we discussed what we wanted for the suits in my collection, I was always stressing sexy but comfortable,” Dalbesio tells me over email. “I think that with larger busts, we’re not able to wear a lot of the cute trendy styles, because we can’t fit into the brands that are making them.”

While Dalbesio suggested a couple bra-silhouette styles, I liked this triangle-shape top from the line best of all. Typically, this silhouette can call for a lot of adjusting to get the desired shape and avoid side-boob. However, when I tried it on, it was obvious it was made for a bustier frame in mind. While the top is one-size-fits-all, it’s easily adjustable—I could wrap it tighter for a more snug fit but also found there was room to adjust for someone a couple sizes larger than me, as well.

The Best of the Best: Mikoh’s Portugal One-piece

Mikoh

Mikoh Portugal One-piece

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As mentioned before, finding a well-fitting suit is only partially about size. Ultimately, I want a suit I feel fits me and makes me feel comfortable, confident, and like myself. In trying each suit, I realized “fit” wasn’t based solely on the number on the tag, but also in how confident I’d feel wearing it beyond the walls of my apartment. Did I feel supported but not constrained? Was my shape defined but not exposed beyond my comfort? Did it complement my personal style? The best options did all these as well as physically fit as far as measurements go. So while this Mikoh style was cut smaller on me than other one-piece options, it feels amazing and easily qualifies as a favorite. Mikoh’s fabrics are some of the softest I’ve tried in swimwear, but they’re still stretchy enough that they emphasize my natural shape in a way that makes me feel good. And though I wouldn’t normally choose a very flimsy strap, these delicate ones somehow don’t dig or fall.

The Best of the Best: Malia Mills’ Rose Swim Top

Malia Mills

Malia Mills Rose Swim Top

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I enjoy dressing my frame much more now than I did as a teen, but I’m admittedly still self-conscious about showing a lot of cleavage. Not in this swimsuit: It offers what a good bra should—an underwire that doesn’t cut into you and a secure hold so you can enjoy cleavage without fear that it’s out of your control. I also like that the straps adjust to a crisscross in the back to provide a slight extra lift, but that’s more a personal preference.

The Best of the Best: Land of Women’s Neva Cross Back One-piece

Land of Women

Land of Women Neva Cross-Back One-piece

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If you don’t need or want a ton of lift and prefer a more natural breast shape, this swimsuit is a must-try. It’s comfortable, soft, and refreshingly easy to wear. Also, with its wide straps that curve slightly along the side of the body, there’s a subtle bit of extra support along the side of the bust too.

The Best of the Best: Lonely’s Connie Bikini Top

As previously mentioned, narrow, shelf-bra swim tops have not often been my friend, but I love that this style from Lonely cuts a bit more generously. Here was no potential underboob or spilling out the top—which is, personally, ideal. And it’s available from XS to XL.

The Best of the Best: Parfait’s Farah High Apex Unlined Bikini Swim Top

HerRoom

Parfait Farah High Apex Unlined Bikini Swim Top

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Ruffles on swimwear aren’t typically my thing, but at the recommendation of Grace Baker, Parfait’s director of technical design and fit, I made an exception. “We like to use fabric with more spandex content, use inside special lining fabric to help support the bust along with the underwire and even molded foam cups to give shape,” she says of this suit’s key features. As soon as I tried on this top—with its underwire, crisscross straps, bra clasp, and tiny X-shaped detail just at the cleavage—I felt ready for anything. A swim, a jet ski ride, or a Baywatch sprint along the sand.

The Best of the Best: Andie’s The Tulum Ribbed

For starters, I spent a few extra minutes sitting around in this swimsuit just because the ribbed material is so comfortable.The shape is impressive too. While Baker suggests that low-back styles don’t offer the best support for a bustier frame, the crisscross detail on this one helps to remedy that while still creating a pretty, open silhouette.

As for the Others…

I’m glad to report there were no major disappointments in this experiment. In fact, there were plenty of other suits I ended up really liking. In no particular order, here are some honorable mentions—and what they got right.





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The Best Button-down Shirt for Big Boobs


Until recently, my lack of options for button-down tops was an accepted reality, established sometime in middle school, when I filled out a DD bra. As I became a bit more familiar with dressing for my shape—and my cup size went a few letters further into the alphabet—the only way to wear a shirt with a button front was to utilize a set of unspoken hacks: concealing safety pins behind and between the buttons to avoid gaping, styling it with camis so as to make a popped button seem intentional, buying it a couple sizes larger so I could have it professionally tailored to fit… Honestly, option three always seemed like too much work, but they’re all a lot of work for something many describe as a wardrobe staple. (Isn’t that supposed to be synonymous with “easy, effortless”?) So, when given the opportunity to test a new made-to-measure fashion brand that would, theoretically, solve this long-standing gripe, I couldn’t pass up the chance.

This past fall, Careste—a direct-to-consumer brand helmed by Celeste Markey, Elizabeth Rickard Shah, and Hilary Peterson—launched a line of shirts with the intention to provide an answer to ineffective sizing in the market. “When you look at Elizabeth, Hilary, and me, we all have such different bodies,” says Markey, Careste’s CEO. “How on earth could we ever think that a size 6 on one body is equivalent to a size 6 on another? When we tested our product and algorithm, we discovered that none of the women we measured had a body that fit within any one size on the typical size chart.”

PHOTO: Courtesy of Careste.

Careste’s Adela top, $325, available at Careste.

The algorithm Markey refers to is essentially what provides the fit for Careste products, one that’s more personalized than your typical 4, 12, or 20. In order to determine your size, the brand gathers eight measurements: shoulders, bust, bust point, sleeve length, waist, waist length, body length, and hips.

“The bust is actually the number one concern above any other measurement points,” says Shah, the brand’s creative director. “The majority of brands follow mass-produced standard sizing which does not take into consideration variations in body shapes and sizes and proportion differences from shoulders to bust to waist.”

My own experience determining fit was a bit different than the norm. I initially met with Markey and Shah to check out the debut collection, and Shah offered to measure me in person. However, it’s a task that’s easily completed solo with a measuring tape—one you own or one provided by Careste in a free-of-charge Fit Folio sent to your home. Still not confident? The brand can also schedule a fit consultation over Google Hangouts to make sure you’re getting the most accurate numbers.

PHOTO: Courtesy of Careste.

Careste’s Stingray, $395, and Adela, $325, tops.

It may seem a bit more arduous than your typical shopping experience, but it’s only done once (pending any significant weight loss or gain.) As Shah explains, that’s so Careste can make an individual pattern for every customer, allowing its factory to produce a shirt that’s couture-quality without a single in-person fitting. And the mild inconvenience early in the process can be worth it for a proper fit—at least, that’s what I concluded.

After collecting my measurements, I simply selected a style, which currently includes a small range of blouses, mostly button-down and in solid colors. (There are some limited edition prints.) I went for the Adela, a black button-down blouse with a subtle scalloped detail on the collar and cuffs—it’s classic, simple, and frankly, a piece I’ve never owned in the proper size.

PHOTO: Courtesy of Careste.

Careste’s Adela top, $325, available at Careste.

By the time I received my made-to-measure shirt (it typically takes about two weeks from order to delivery), I slipped it on right away to check for the most telltale sign of improper fit for someone with big boobs: gaping. There was none. In order to truly test it, I wore the top for an entire day to see what kind of adjusting it might need as hours passed, how comfortable it felt, how securely all the buttons stayed fastened, and if I liked the way it looked. The results were positive across the board.

Since the shirt was made to my specific measurements, I found the fit of the Adela to be a bit relaxed but still tailored. It had just the smallest bit of extra slack in the bust to make me feel secure. The waist fell at the perfect length to tuck into a pair of mid-rise jeans. Plus, the crepe de chine was a nice balance of light and soft but still opaque, and it didn’t wrinkle as quickly as other (admittedly, fast-fashion) silk tops I own. In all, it wasn’t a piece that required any fussing or extra thought on my part, which is ideal.

PHOTO: Courtesy of Gina Marinelli/@ginaalilbit.

Careste does offer one complimentary adjustment on any made-to-measure garment, which means I could have sent it back to nip in the waist or shorten the sleeves. I didn’t need that, but I still appreciate the option because, as one might expect with a practically couture piece of clothing, a Careste shirt does sell for a bit more than your average off-the-rack top: Prices range between $255 to $395 (mine was $325), placing it slightly higher than other popular button-down brands, like Equipment and Theory. Which ultimately raises the question: Is it worth it?

The answer, much like the fit of the pieces themselves, is very individual. For myself, this button-down is the best fitting one I’ve owned to date—and if we’re talking price per wear, for a timeless article of clothing, the small investment (in money and in time) seems worthwhile. If button-down tops aren’t your thing, Careste plans to eventually expand its business and algorithm to dresses, trousers, and more in the future.

PHOTO: Courtesy of Careste.

Careste’s Holloway top, $345, available at Careste.

As Markey describes it, the made-to-measure fashion business—which also includes brands like Fame and Partners for occasion wear and Margaux for shoes—is a new take on luxury: “We believe we are on the very leading edge of a massive shift in fashion.”

For myself, someone who’s accepted a reality of mediocre-fitting tops for way too long, it’s a change in perspective as well.

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The Most Comfortable Bra in the World Is Incredibly Plain—but I Love It Anyway



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Chrissy Teigen Just Got Real About Her 'Milky' Breastfeeding Boobs


We’ve heard a lot about from Chrissy Teigen about the after-effects of giving birth, along with mom life, generally. She’s talked candidly about stretch marks, and she’s opened up to Glamour about postpartum depression following the birth of daughter Luna in 2016. Mostly, she’s managed to share the humorous aspects of becoming (and being) a mother: There were her post-breastfeeding, seemingly lopsided boobs, and the chic mesh hospital underwear she wore after Miles was born on May 17. And this weekend, she was back at it on her Instagram Stories, sharing just what “milky boobs” really look like.

In the Instagram Stories she posted Saturday, she took a self-shot video showing her décolletage and cleavage, saying, “Please look at my veins going to my milky boobs. What is this?”

“Veiny” boobs are pretty common among breastfeeding women, according to VeryWell. But for any new, breastfeeding moms who might find themselves in a Google-search spiral after they put their kid to bed, well, Chrissy Teigen has your boobs back.

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6 Tips for Bra Shopping When You Have Big Boobs


Anyone who’s had to shop for DDD+ bras can attest: If your cups runneth over, so to speak, it’s can be harder to find a style that fits your needs—whether that means having support, wanting to show off cleavage, or simply feeling comfortable. Many brands don’t accommodate cup sizes in the E, F, G, and H range; and variety is lacking when it comes to fashion-forward styles. (Let’s see some variety with lace, color, and design value, yeah?) Rather than accept defeat, you deserve a good—no, great!—bra that can meet all of your demands.

You already know the importance of a professional fitting, of building a bra wardrobe of a few key styles, and of being open to investing a little bit more in your underwear drawer to get what you need out of it. But what about the little construction details in your bra that make all the difference, or recognizing the tell-tale signs of when your band has been overworn? Glamour went to the lingerie experts for more detailed advice to aid large-breasted shoppers with their bra shopping endeavors. Check out what the experts—Margaret Quinn, Marketing Manager for Addition Elle; Ra’el Cohen, Head of Design at ThirdLove; Jessica Pfister, Vice President of Le Mystère; Lyn Lewis, CEO of Journelle; Dawn Kenney, National Consultant Manager for Wacoal; Helene Morris, designer of Lonely; and Willy Mrasek, Creative Director of the Felina Group—had to say.

Accept that you’re likely wearing the wrong size. It’s incredibly common for folks to be buying and wearing the wrong bra size—and, if you have large breasts, experts say it’s usually because you’re trying to squeeze into a bra that’s too small or not supportive enough. (Kenney and Lewis both say that the majority of busty shoppers buy a bra in too big of a band size and too small of a cup size.) A few of the tell-tale signs: bra straps that are constantly falling, underwires that dig into your boob, cups that gape… If any or all of those feel all too familiar, Lewis suggests finding a “sister size” to the one you’ve already been wearing—you’ll come across many guides to landing on that magic number online.

Really pay attention to the band. Lewis notes that eighty percent of support comes from the band to support the weight of the bust. It should fit evenly from front to back and not move or shift when you raise your arms, and should lay flat across your back without rising up (if it does, that means it’s too big, since the weight of the breasts is pulling it up). Wear your bra on the loosest hook, so that when the band stretches out over time you can get more wear out of it by simply tightening. (Per Cohen, you’ll know you’re wearing the right band size when you can slip two fingers underneath the back of it.)

Know what a proper fit feels like. The cups should always fit smoothly across the breasts, without gaping, overflow, or digging into the tissue. (If there is any bulging, “the cup is too small or your straps are too tight,” notes Pfister.) The gore—aka. the piece of material between the two cups—should lay flat on your chest, hitting at the center chest bone, while the underwire should follow the perimeter of the breast tissue and rest on the ribcage. The straps should never slip (you should only be able to fit two fingers under it, says Pfister) or dig into your shoulders (they’re not the ones providing the support, after all—that’s what the band is there for).

Swap out bras on a semi-regular basis. Experts agree that, on average, you should buy a new bra every six months. Like your favorite shoes, they wear out and stretch out with frequent use, explains Pfister, adding that clear signs a bra has run its course include slipping straps, a “double bubble” at the cup, frayed edges, exposed underwires, and, of course, not getting as much lift as you once did. To get the most use out of your bra, you’ll want to maintain a whole lingerie wardrobe: Because fibers need enough time to rest and pull back after every wear to maintain functionality, it’s recommended to alternate between bras. (Cohen recommends having at least three in regular rotation.)

Consider your breast shape. When shopping for a new bra, Lewis says it’s important to think about not only the size of your bust, but also the shape of your breasts. If your boobs are teardrop-shaped, for instance, a demi or balconette style might offer you a good fit; if they’re round, a plunge or triangular-shaped silhouette might feel more supportive, as it pulls the breast tissue in on the sides. If you have a full bust, unlined bras are typically the most comfortable as they “round out the shape of the breast and have a flattening effect,” according to Lewis. Here’s a helpful breakdown of some of the different breast types.

Think about fabrics. It’s a myth that heavy, industrial-feeling bras are the only supportive lingerie option when you have big boobs. Brands are finally (finally!) experimenting with a range of fabrics, like lace and mesh, that don’t sacrifice comfort or structure for larger busts. The secret is making sure that the bra, regardless of what it’s made of, provides good wing support—in other words, that the fabric panels on the sides of the bra (the ones that connect the cups to the clasp in the back) are strong and well-designed, so that they can hold up a larger bust. Other design considerations to look for include: underwire or padded cups to add shape and definition; side boning to stabilize the band; interior slings to help with projection and natural shaping; and padded straps to manage the volume of a larger cup and offer a comfortable lift.

Ahead, we lay out the expert’s tips on a range of bra types for various wants and needs.



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Chrissy Teigen Jokes About Her Post-Breastfeeding Boobs


Chrissy Teigen seems to love sharing her pregnancy and post-baby stories with her social media fans: in the past she’s revealed her stretch marks to help other women improve their body image, shared her journey through infertility, and the process of getting pregnant with both daughter Luna and her second child, on the way now, and she discussed her experience with postpartum depression. (Fans seem to love it too: her openness is refreshingly real and resonates with women pretty much everywhere.) And she just shared another example, talking about a post-breastfeeding reality for many moms: lopsided boobs.

“View from above. I really should have nursed out of both boobs (when I nursed),” Teigen wrote over a Snapchat image she shared with her followers (The post has since expired). In the image, shot from above, Teigen’s left breast looks slightly larger than her right (also, that dress is damn cute).

As Twitter user @Lides_MP, who shared the image on her account, and many other new moms know, a certain amount of breast unevenness is totally normal in new moms. While doctors and breastfeeding experts generally do suggest trying to breastfeed out of both sides when possible, some babies will naturally prefer one side, or one side might produce more milk than the other. The truth is, breastfeeding can be very difficult for many women so new moms often cling to anything—including feedings that focus only on one breast—that helps make the process feel easier. So if you too have one boob that is bigger than the other after breastfeeding, think of it as a badge of honor—and something you can tell people you have in common with a supermodel.

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