5 Alternatives to Wearing a Bra
Alternatives to a Bra that are Way More Comfortable
At the end of a long workday, you can’t deny that one of the best feelings is coming home, immediately slinging off that bra and jumping into your favorite comfy loungewear. It’s no secret that wearing a bra is one of the most uncomfortable parts of an outfit. The hard underwire, the thick padding, the straps digging into your shoulders and torso, and everything else in between. It’s no wonder that more and more women are opting to go braless. We know that not everyone is comfortable with just transitioning into that step, but are looking for some alternatives that might be just as good. While there’s nothing quite like the support of a bra at the end of the day, there are, however, plenty of bra alternatives you can substitute into your outfit. Let’s take a look at some alternatives to wearing a bra that will best suit your need for everyday wear or on special occasions.
Bralettes
Don’t be fooled by the word “bra” found in bralette. If anything, the bralette is the younger, more carefree little sister of the bra - totally not rigid and a little more free-spirited. While a bralette might act as a bra, in the way it looks and supports your bust, it’s also wildly different when it comes to comfort. They may or may not have some padding, though usually, their padding is less intense and a little more natural, often removable through a little slit. A bralette typically does not have any underwire built into it, thereby eliminating the most uncomfortable aspect of wearing a bra. This bra alternative still works and acts like a regular bra in the sense that it has supportive straps and usually a clasp at the back to adjust and secure (although some do come in the form of a racerback or simply a pullover). Bralettes do come in several forms but they all act in the same way at the end of the day. Base on all the options of a bra alternative, we’d say a bralette comes the closest to a bra and would recommend it to those that need a little more support that other options mentioned might not be able to do. Find a bralette that best suits your need!
An example of a bralette can be seen here from our Musubi Triangle Cropped Bralette. This type of bralette can be worn underneath as an undergarment or can double as a basic top as the fabric is concealing and thick enough for regular day-to-day wear. It is made to be pulled over and offers good support through the security of the band. It features an adjustable strap so you can get the best fit.
Pasties
Going the complete opposite direction here, we’re moving into the nearly braless territory and introducing to you the magic of pasties. Pasties are great bra alternatives but might not be the best when it comes to braless support. They do their job and they do it well, which is to conceal any unwanted bumps when going braless, this is especially so when you are wearing a lighter colored top that might give away a little more. Pasties are easy, lightweight, and comfortable. It’s a great bra alternative to deep V tops that might expose your bra and work fantastic with giving you a seamless finish without all the bumps and clasp showing from a fitted top.
Pasties do come in a variety of options luckily! You can find them in colors that also best suit your skin when you opt for a lighter (often white) top that might give away the differences in color. Some pasties are one and done and can be disposed of after a single use, while others can be reused and are made a little more high-quality, such as the Silicone Nipple Cover Stickers. They offer slight padding for the most natural finish. Alternatively, some pasties also come in a lace-like finish for those see-through lace tops that you want to blend out. Pasties are a great alternative to wearing a bra for these occasions.
Bandeaus
Too often we run into the issue of wanting to wear a cute tube top all day, only to dread having to put up with the pain of a strapless bra. We all agree that if there’s one thing more uncomfortable than a bra, it’s a strapless bra since they’re built to stay up and tug even tighter around your torso. Don’t get us started on how many times we find ourselves pulling up the strapless bra throughout the day as it slowly finds its way slipping down and disfiguring our proportion. Well, why not opt for a bandeau instead? These are often pulled over the head without the use of any tight uncomfortable silicone or clasp. They are held in place a little better because they don’t weigh nearly as much as a bra. In terms of bra support, they might not do your girls justice as much as a bra would, but we argue that it’s likely not that noticeable in exchange for a pain-free day. In most cases, you could even find bandeaus that come with their own removable padding, allowing you to have a little more volume to work around while gaining that braless support.
Adhesive Bra
For those that really don’t want to lose that extra push-up you get from a good bra, but are looking for way more comfort, the adhesive bra is for you as an alternative bra. Much like pasties, they stick onto you with an adhesive found on the entirety of one side of the cup. Often, they have a clasp in the center for you to adjust and clip into place. They’re great for strapless tops that don’t want anything distracting showing through your clothes. For example, in our post on the Best Going Out Outfits, an adhesive bra would be one of the best choices to pair with our recommended outfit choices. They’re often reusable and can be worn with many tops without fail. The only concern you might have to look out for is wearing it on a hotter day, as your sweat may cause the adhesive to slightly lose its grip.
Boob Tape
You might have first heard about the famous boob tape technique from Kim Kardashian. But it is no gimmick! Boob tape is a great alternative to bras as they not only lift, support, and hold everything in one place but also work wonderfully for dresses or tops that have a very low cut back or plunging neckline. It essentially gives you that braless support without revealing that you have anything underneath.
And there you have it, our top five picks for the best alternatives to wearing a bra. These can all be worked into everyday wear or for special events as they’re all versatile based on your neckline and clothing of choice. Remember, what you choose needs to be suited and comfortable for you, and it’s okay to give them all a little try to see what works best. For some of the products listed above, be sure to check out our New Arrivals and keep updated on the latest goodies or check out our recommendation for sites with similar types on our list of the Top 7 Asian and Korean Clothing Stores Online!
