The Aerie Smoothez Unlined Bra was the star winner
Cai Cramer is a shopping writer at PEOPLE.com with 2 years’ experience in journalism and digital media. She regularly tests the best and buzziest products in the beauty and lifestyle spaces and has researched and written about moisturizers, blow dryers, clothing, and luggage, among many other popular products. Lace Bra
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If the words “comfortable” and “bra” feel oxymoronic to you — don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many of us on the PEOPLE team agree that finding a comfortable, soft, and supportive bra is a near-impossible feat — at least, we used to think it was. After conducting countless wear tests across the whole gamut of sizing, we’re ready to convince you that comfortable bras do exist — you just have to know where to look.
Comfortable bras can be soft, supportive, and beautiful — you shouldn’t have to settle for styles that don’t do anything for your shape or fall far outside your personal taste. The best comfortable bras should seamlessly contour your body and still provide enough shape and lift to allow you to move throughout your day feeling supported. Whether your bra has underwire, full coverage, is wireless, or has a deeper, sexy cut, there’s a comfortable bra out there for every person, no matter their bust size.
To find the best of the best, we at PEOPLE Tested slipped on over 40 of the best-selling bras that are marketed as being comfortable. In the end, we were left with 12 supportive and stylish bras that work for both large and small breasts, no nabbing or itching.
Keep reading to find the 12 best comfortable bras that are as cute as they are practical.
Silky fabric smooths the back and chest to create a flattering, lifted shape
Band and cup are so comfortable and cooling that we completely forgot we were wearing a bra at all
Provides great support on both A-cup and DD-cup chests
The best value for a bra that we’ve tried, with fabric and quality that stands up to (and trump) most of the expensive bras we’ve come across
It's only available in 5 colors, so if you’re looking for a specific color in your size, you might not find it
Soft, smooth, and comfortable — the three words we’d use to describe the Smoothez Unline Bra from Aerie. The cup and band material feels silky smooth against the skin, and the cups molded perfectly to our shape across a variety of test sizes. It molded our shape without gaps on both A-cup and DD-cup chests, thanks to the stretchy fabric and light removable padding. Underwire provides a gentle lift, and (unlike most underwire bras we’ve worn) we felt completely comfortable wearing this bra for 12+ hour days in the summer heat.
The Smoothez bra gives the full coverage of a supportive bra with the barely-there feel of a bralette (the best of both worlds, in our opinion). The bra is fully adjustable, with a four-row hook and eye closure and thick, slide-adjusting straps. True to its name, this bra looked so smooth under our T-shirt that it was basically undetectable on a variety of chest sizes. It doesn’t look bad without a T-shirt, either — the variety of neutral and pastel color options available can either disappear under clothing or provide a fun pop of color if desired. The pad inserts are removable, so you can choose to wear the bra however you please.
Just when we thought that we couldn’t be more impressed with the Aerie bra, we began our jogging tests — and oh boy, this bra delivers. Even running across bumpy cobblestones in the heat, our DD-sized tester felt totally secure and comfortable. Even better: the bra showed no signs of any of the copious amounts of sweat we were producing. This bra is attractive, comfortable, and supportive, and though we wish there were a few more color options available, we’re really reaching to find any fault with this bra because it’s just that good.
Size range: 32-40, A-DDD | Cut: Full-coverage | Materials: Nylon, elastane
Unique demi-padded lace cups are super soft and comfortable, and provide a great lift without too much fabric or padding
Mesh back panel is lightweight and smoothing without ever digging in
Lace design won’t show through even the thinnest T-shirts
Straps do pill slightly over time with machine-washing
PEOPLE commerce staff writer, Cai Cramer, says she has tried dozens of bras in her life, constantly searching for one that would provide enough support, feel comfortable all day, and look attractive. "Well, I’m glad to report that all the hours I spent scouring the bra racks at department stores have finally paid off — the Natori Flora Underwire Bra is the best bra I’ve ever owned."
The molded cups are padded in a demi-shape, but the lace extends higher up on the breast to provide a supportive lift without too much coverage. This unique cut feels featherlight on the skin and allows for lots of airflow, so it helps prevent chest sweat. Cramers says it also prevents any lines from showing under even her thinnest T-shirts and doesn’t peak out of low-cut tops. The back panel is made from a soft, smoothing mesh that never digs into skin — in fact, it’s so uniquely comfortable that Cramer always wears this bra on long flights.
"Perhaps the best review I could give for the comfort of the Flora bra is that even after a long work day, I don’t feel the urge to take it off as soon as I walk through my front door," says Cramer. "Sometimes, I’ll even forget that I’m wearing a bra at all! Since falling in love with my Flora bra three years ago, I’ve found that it maintains its shape through the wash, though the straps have pilled slightly over the years." She says that she's gotten many family members and friends to fall in love with the bra as well and feels that it is definitely worth the price.
Size range: 30-36, B-G | Cut: Demi padded | Materials: Nylon, spandex, mesh
The smoothing back is super comfortable and looked nearly undetectable under a T-shirt
Cups are lightly padded with shaping underwire that gave us a flattering lift and perky shape
Straps are wide and soft, and didn’t dig into our shoulders at all
The straps aren’t adjustable (but still fit comfortably on us across the entire range of sizes)
The size range is more limited than some of the other bras we tested (but we found that the 38DD in this bra was equivalent to a 38 E or F in other bras)
We wouldn’t expect less than glowing results from the comfortable shapewear brand that Oprah loves, and the Spanx Bra-llelujah bra didn’t disappoint. The bra was designed with a smoothing front clasp, which allows the back panel to be made entirely from their super soft hosiery material. The effect is not only incredibly comfortable but also smoothing and flattering under T-shirts.
The bra’s cups are lightly padded and gave us a flattering shape and lift across a variety of sizes. The straps are wide and soft, which was a major relief from classic bra shoulder pain for our DDD-chested tester. We were initially concerned that the lack of shoulder adjustability wouldn’t work for the whole gamut of bra sizes, but we were delightfully surprised that the straps sat comfortably without gapping or digging on all of us, no matter how big or small the cup size.
A larger range of size options for the cups would make this bra our new best friend, but we found that the sizes may not correlate to traditional bra sizing (those of us who usually wear 36 to 38 E or F found the 38 DD in the Bra-llelujah to be a superb fit).
Size range: 32-40, A-DD | Cut: Full-coverage, front-clasp | Materials: Nylon, elastane, lycra
Smoothing back and underarms look great under a T-shirt, and V-neck cut allowed us to wear low-cut shirts without the bra showing
No underwire, which makes this bra so comfortable that we fell asleep in it
Despite the lack of underwire, we found it supportive enough for even 38DD chests
The material stretched slightly over a week of wear, but returned to its original shape after washing
The comfort of an under-wireless bra is not a luxury solely afforded to those with smaller chests, and this bra proved it. The V-neck cut looks great under any T-shirt, no matter how low the neck, and even the large-chested among us found the True & Co bra to be supportive enough to go about our day without worrying about slippage. Where it lacks in underwire support, this bra makes up for with straps that are slightly thicker than the average bra, which helps to lift without digging into the shoulders. The fabric is soft, smooth, and thin enough to contour to your shape and not the other way around (a.k.a., it didn’t leave uncomfortable marks or dents in the skin).
The wider back and underarms of the bra did a great job at creating a smooth shape that we felt flattered a variety of our chest sizes, with a T-shirt or without. Though it comes with padded cups, the inserts are removable so that you can go without them if you so prefer (but we really liked the way they covered any nipple exposure through T-shirts). Perhaps our most glowing review possible for the Form V Neck bra is that a tester accidentally fell asleep in it one night because they forgot that they were wearing it. Our only qualm with this super soft bra is that the fabric stretched out slightly over a week of wear, but it did bounce back to its original shape after washing.
Size range: XS-3x | Cut: V-neck | Materials: Nylon, elastane
Provides full, supportive coverage, even on our size 38DD chest
Light padding is smoothing and provides a nice shape without increasing bust size
Fabric pilled slightly after machine washing and drying
Finding a bra that fits well, fully supports larger chests, and feels comfortable enough to wear all day is a difficult feat, but we think that we might have struck gold with the Soma Intimates Perfect Coverage Bra. We had testers with 36DD and 38DD cup sizes test out the Perfect Coverage bra, and we couldn’t have been happier with the smooth and — most importantly — comfortable results.
The padding is light and smoothing, with underwire that didn’t poke us at all during the multiple 8+ hour days we spent testing it. The back panel is smooth and comfortable, made from a soft elastic with three rows of closure. The cups are lined with soft brushed microfiber, which feels smooth against the skin and also helps to keep the breasts safely tucked inside without slipping.
We also love that the Perfect Coverage bra is available in a large-band size range, plus a variety of neutral and fun colors. One negative that we’d like to note is that the bra fabric did pill slightly after machine washing, though the shape and fit remained as good as the very first wear.
Size range: 32-42, B-DDD | Cut: Full coverage | Materials: Nylon, spandex
Fuller cups provide great coverage and a smooth shape that looks undetectable under T-shirts
Looks as good as new after multiple wears and washes
Available in one of the most expansive size ranges for both cup size and band of any bra we’ve tested
We found it harder to find the right fit for large chests, so this bra might be best suited for small to moderate-sized chests
Kim Kardashian’s intimates line is known for delivering comfortable undergarments, and the Fits Everybody T-Shirt Bra absolutely lives up to the hype. We were surprised at just how comfortable the full-coverage cups are, even on our testers with smaller chests. The band is wide and has a soft smoothing effect that looks seamless under clothes. The bra cups are soft to the touch, and the underwire gives the bra a supportive structure. Plus, the Everybody bra is available in an impressive size range, from A to H in the cup and 30 to 46 in the band, which is one of the most comprehensive size ranges of any of the bras we tested.
Our favorite part about this bra across the board is how good it looked under shirts. We didn’t get any pesky bra lines or obvious cup gapping through the thin T-shirt fabric. It also washed very well and looked practically as good as new, even after a rough hand scrubbing. The one downside is that there was a non-gaping, comfortable fit on smaller and mid-size chests, but it was harder to find the right size to comfortably fit and perfectly conform to larger chests in our testing.
Size range: A-H, 30-46 | Cut: Full-coverage | Materials: Polyamide, elastane
Designed specifically for smaller chests, and fit a 34A cup comfortably without any gapping
Only available in cup sizes from AA to B
Bras that were designed for people with larger cup sizes are often ill-fitting for smaller sizes, with cups that are too narrow or form gaps between the fabric and the breast. Well, good news for small-busted women: the Pepper Classic All You Bra was designed specifically for small breasts. In fact, it’s not even available in a cup size above B, although it’s available in a band size range from 30 to 40.
No more gapping cups or wonky-fitting bands for us — the Classic All You Bra fit our size 34 A tester in all the right places. The cut has a moderate plunge, with a sleek mesh overlay on top of soft cups that provides just the right amount of coverage for small chests. We could barely feel the bra’s underwire, but appreciate the lifted shape and support it provided. At the end of a long day of testing out this bra, we forgot we were wearing a supportive underwire bra and not a cotton bralette.
Size range: AA-B, 30-40 | Cut: Plunge | Materials: Polyamide, elastane, mesh
Silky-soft material feels lightweight on the skin and didn’t cause us to sweat or overheat
Lightly padding does not add extra bulk to the chest area
Features one of the best size ranges compared to most bras we tested
Scoop-neck cut provides medium coverage without causing spillage
Padding is so light that it did not provide great nipple coverage if you are conscious of this
Who says that comfortable bras need to be full-coverage or out-of-style? Not the CUUP Scoop Bra, that’s for sure. It has just the right amount of plunge to make us feel sexy without creating any spillage. Our medium and large-breasted testers agreed: this is one of the most comfortable bras they've ever tried. Did we mention that it has one of the largest size ranges out of all the bras we’ve tested?
Not only is the fabric super soft and supple against the skin — the straps are slightly thicker than normal bra straps so that they don’t dig into the shoulder at all, even on a size E chest. It boasts light padding and comfortable underwire support that provides a great lift without any discomfort. It also looks great under a T-shirt or dress, and the silky material feels so lightweight against the skin that we’d be likely to reach for this bra on a hot summer day without worrying about sweating through it. One of the downsides to the lightweight cups is that we could slightly see the shape of the nipples poking through, which is something to keep in mind.
Size range: 30-44, A-H | Cut: Scoop | Materials: Polyamide, elastane
Belgian power micromesh is more supportive than any mesh bra we’ve tried and smoothes to create a lifted shape
Mesh is so comfortable to wear and soft on the skin that we forgot we were wearing a bra at all
Sheer mesh design looks sleek and sexy yet simple
Fabric is sheer with no lining, so nipples are visible through the mesh
Who knew a mesh bra could provide so much support? We truly didn’t — until we tried the Negative Sieve Demi Bra. Our expectations were blown out of the water with the bra’s soft, shaping support that gave us a flattering lift without any padding. Even on size 36C and 32D chests, the Negative bra provided ample support and was undetectable under even the flimsiest of T-shirts (and the size range goes up to a G!).
We’ve tried many mesh bras before, but never any with this much support. That’s probably thanks to the “Belgian power micromesh,” which shapes and smoothes without any padding necessary. Because this is a sheer bra, nipples are visible through the cup fabric — though the fabric is smoothing enough that we couldn’t see the shape of the nipple while wearing a T-shirt over the bra.
Size range: 32-40 A-G | Cut: Demi | Materials: Belgian mesh, nylon, elastane
Super soft, silky material feels lightweight and is easy to throw in the washer/dryer
No padding in the cups, but still provides a nice shape with underwire and is nearly invisible under clothes
Underwire might leave marks on the rib
No padding means that nipples may show through
If you’re searching for a bra with a soft, silky material that wraps around you like a luxurious hug — well, this is it. With no padding and light shaping support, the Thirdlove 24/7 Second Skin Unlined Bra is a full-coverage bra that’s nearly invisible under clothes.
One of our favorite things about the ThirdLove bra is just how easy it is to take care of — even after a trip through the washer and dryer, the Second Skin bra looked good as new. Though this bra doesn’t have padding in the cups (which means the shape of your nipple might show through), it does have an underwire, which can be either a pro or a con. The underwire provides a little bit of lift and support, which is great if that’s what you’re looking for, but we also found it to be slightly uncomfortable and left a red mark on the rib after a 5-hour day of wear (which is also pretty standard with underwire).
Overall, this bra has an amazing size range and provides great shape to the breast, so if you’re looking for something with underwire but no padding, this one is a great choice.
Size range: 32-44, A-H | Cut: Full coverage | Materials: Microfiber, nylon, spandex
Front-adjusting straps can be worn in standard or racerback shapes with convenient J-hook
Made from soft microfiber fabric, with cups that mold to the shape of your breast
Band may dig into your back after a day of wear
Whether you prefer to wear tank tops or racerbacks, the Harper Wilde Base T-Shirt Bra has you covered with adjustable straps and a convenient j-hook that easily transforms the straps into a racerback. Another smartly designed feature that we loved about the Base bra is the front-adjusting straps, which make it much easier to fit the bra to us than the standard back-adjust method, which can strain the shoulders and often requires you to take the bra off to adjust.
The bra itself is made with soft microfiber fabric, with lightly lined cups that mold to the shape of your breast for a comfortable fit. At the end of the day, the one thing that held us back from giving this bra top marks was the band, which seems to run small (and dug into our backs after a few hours of wear). All in all, this bra would be a solid choice for someone looking for an easily convertible bra that looks great under a T-shirt or tank top but probably not the best if comfort is your #1 priority. But, because it’s so affordable in comparison to other bras we tested, we’d consider buying this bra just for the occasions when we wear racerback tops.
Size range: 32-42, A-DDD | Cut: Full coverage | Materials: Microfiber
Smooth bands, straps, and cups are nearly invisible under a T-shirt
Band stayed put throughout the day and feels extra secure with three hook-eye closures
Cups may cause slight overspill of cleavage
Bra lines that show through T-shirts can make your outfit feel frumpier. So, when it came to finding the best T-shirt bra, we wanted to make sure that our selection showed no lines under even thin tees. The T-Shirt Bra from Lively beat our expectations. The band fit snugly and comfortably without sliding and was clasped with a triple hook-eye closure that helped us feel more secure. The fabric feels soft and high-quality, despite the low price tag.
We especially like the lacy fabric on the back of the straps, which looked completely smooth under clothes, felt soft against the skin, and adds a cute touch to an otherwise standard bra. The coverage is medium-to-full, with soft, opaque padding. Our DD-sized tester did notice that some of their breast spilled over the top of the cup, so if you have a fuller upper bust, we recommend going up a cup size.
Size range: 32-38, A-DDD | Cut: Full coverage | Materials: Nylon, spandex
When it comes to the most comfortable material that a bra can be made from, you’ll find that most of the softest bras are made from blends of nylon, elastane, or spandex. The material that’s right for you is ultimately up to your preference, whether it's a softer, cozy brushed microfiber or a silky-smooth, stretchier material that can help you keep cooler. The Senior Design Director at online lingerie brand Ruby Ribbon, Cami Raymond, tells PEOPLE that she recommends opting for fabrics that are "sweat-wicking" to help you stay dry throughout the day. To ensure that your chosen bra is comfortable, another important thing to look out for is any tags that may be hanging on the bra that can rub against your back or side uncomfortably.
The shape of a bra is integral to its comfort, and the right shape for you comes down to preference. While full-coverage bras like the Soma Intimates Perfect Coverage Bra often offer the most support, which can be beneficial for larger chests, some people might find that they prefer to have a less coverage cup, such as a demi or V-neck bra, which won’t be visible in lower cut tops. Fit expert at Nordstrom, Nati Rodriguez, advises shoppers to look for a bra that they won’t spill out of — a.k.a. the top of the breast isn’t squeezed over the top edge of the bra — which can lead to discomfort.
One of the most important aspects of a bra (especially for those with larger breasts) is the support. Underwire, which is a small piece of wire that sits underneath the cup of the bra, is meant to help lift the breasts and help create a rounder shape without putting more strain on the shoulders. Rodriguez shares that many shoppers looking for a comfortable bra feel hesitant about choosing one with an underwire because they can sometimes dig into the ribs uncomfortably, often preferring wireless bras. However, an underwire bra can be very comfortable, Rodrigues shares, as long as it’s well-fitting, with the underwire tucked under the breasts and curving into the armpits. If you’re still not sold on underwire, there are a few supportive bra options without underwire available, including the True & Co. Soft Form V Neck Adjustable Strap Bra.
The bra straps and material are also important factors in potential support. Thicker straps can help to distribute the weight of the breast across a larger area, which ultimately means less weight on your shoulders.
In order to find the 12 most comfortable bras, we tested the best-selling comfortable bras on the market, allocating them to women with bra sizes that ranged from 32A to 38F and everything in between, who put the bras to the test in the real world.
We started by ensuring that every tester had a properly fitting bra according to the size charts included on each bra manufacturer’s website. We noted what type of clasp, closure, and straps each bra came with before wearing. We then wore each bra every day for a week for a minimum of four hours a day. During our wear tests, we tried on a variety of T-shirts over the bras to test whether the outline of the bra could be seen under clothing. Finally, we washed each bra to test how well they held up through the cleaning process. Each bra was rated on a scale of 1 to 5 for fit, support, comfort, adjustability, and quality. In the end, we were left with the 12 best comfortable bras that are functional and attractive.
There are a lot of factors that go into how comfortable a bra can be, including fabric type, padding, underwire, and overall support. But “comfort” is ultimately subjective and depends on your own needs and priorities. If you tend to find bras with underwire to be uncomfortable, then we suggest trying the ultra-comfortable True & Co. Soft Form V Neck Adjustable Strap Bra, which provides plenty of support despite the absence of an underwire. If silky-smooth material is your priority, then check out The Scoop Bra from CUUP.
While underwire can provide great support, it’s also not a necessary component of a supportive bra — even for people with larger breasts. "No, people with larger chests do not necessarily need an underwire for support," says Cami Raymond, Senior Design Director and bra-fit expert at Ruby Ribbon. "You should look for and expect the same fit and support in a wireless bra as you would in an underwire bra." If you’re concerned with the support level in your bra but don’t want an underwire, there are a few other things that you can look for in a bra, like thicker straps that can distribute the weight of breasts more evenly and help to lift.
Bras are one of those everyday essentials that tend to be worth the expense — after all, you’ll likely wear it more often than most clothing items in your closet. "It’s important to take into consideration that the construction of a bra is complex, and there are many different parts that need to come together to provide functional support as well as comfort, which means they’ll need to use more expensive materials than other garments," Raymond says. But that doesn’t mean you have to break the bank to find a cute, comfortable, and supportive bra. Usually, you can expect to pay anywhere between $40 to $75 for a high-quality bra.
Cai Cramer is a staff writer on the Commerce team at PEOPLE, covering the best and buzziest products across the beauty, fashion, health, and lifestyle spaces. To inform this story, Cai spoke with bra fit expert at Nordstrom, Nati Rodriguez, to learn more about how to find a correctly fitting bra. Cai used insights from the PEOPLE Tested labs to compile a heavily-researched list of the best comfortable bras for women to help shoppers find well-priced, comfortable, and beautifully designed bras.
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