Which Are Your Favorite Bras for Office Wear Right Now?
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Sure, we all know what wardrobe essentials for work professional women are supposed to have in their closets, but if you’re buying one for the first time or replacing one you’ve worn into the ground, it can be a pain to find exactly the right incarnation in stores. In “The Hunt,” we search the stores for a basic item that every woman should have.
A lot has changed over the past few years, so let’s discuss — what are your favorite bras for work outfits? Which ones are you wearing for comfort; which for every day? Do you wear a different bra (if at all) on days you work at home? If you’ve tried any of the tons of indie lingerie brands out there, which ones have been hits — and which are misses?
(Have your bra habits changed after kids? Speaking personally, I know I’ve worn underwires a lot less after having kids — and I also started wearing a sleep bra, both to be more comfortable walking around in front of my boys, as well as because nursing and aging haven’t been entirely kind to my chest… My gateway sleep bra was the Bravado cotton one while nursing; now I just like Coobies or these affordable bralettes from Amazon.)
For my $.02, these are general guidelines for the bras for work outfits:
The best bra for office wear is unobtrusive — I’ve always preferred simple t-shirt bras, with no seams or lace. (To be honest, seeing seams under my clothing bugs me more than the lace!) Some women would put light padding in the list of requirements for office lingerie, so as to hide any “headlights” — but you do you.
Fit is key! Regarding bras: at no point during the day should you have what I call “the quad boob look” — if your bra is cutting into you so it looks like you have four breasts, odds are good your bra is too tight. (I’ve also recently heard the term “bra hats” to describe bras that are way too big in the band for you, which — LOL — but it’s so true. Hit up a bra store with specialized expertise (I’ve always loved Bra Tenders in NYC), or check out the subreddit, r/ABraThatFits.
Get support from where it matters. Keep in mind that most of your support should be coming from the band, not the straps — know also that if your straps keep falling off your shoulders you can either get them tailored or even buy lingerie just for petite women.
(See more tips regarding fit in our post with style tips for busty women.)
(This is a different post, but regarding panties: yes, your panties can be too tight, and no, it isn’t a good look. Here’s our last discussion on the best no-show women’s underwear.)
Readers, let’s hear from you — what are your favorite bras for work outfits? What are your favorite bras in general these days?
The Hall of Famers: Best-Selling Reader Favorite Bras for Work Outfits
Looking for the best bras to make your work outfits look polished? As of 2024, readers love Natori, True & Co., Wacoal, and Chantelle. Some particular favorites:
Our Favorite Bras for Nursing and Pumping
We’ve done an entire post on this, but these were the Hall of Famers… also note that the hands down reader favorite regular bra now has a nursing bra, which is new to me.
As of 2024, readers love nursing bras from Bravado, Cake, Natori, Elomi, and Kindred Braverly!
A Few Notes on Special Categories of Bras
- Extremely comfortable bras: Natori, True & Co., Wacoal, Bravado, Soma
- Affordable bras – readers have recommended Warner’s and Calvin Klein! Soma also has ones on sale.
- Exercise bras (busty) – Freya, Panache, Athleta, Enell, Luluman (lower impact: Glamorise or Syrokan)
- Busty bras – Chantelle, Fantasie, Birdsong, Freya, Natori, Elomi, and Le Mystere — and everyone loves the British shop Bravissimo
- Best selection of petite bras – Pepper, Little Bra Co. — also (based on old reader threads) check Aerie!
- Best selection of extra-large bras – Her Room (up to 52J)
- Our favorite nursing bras – Bravado, Cake, Natori, Elomi, Kindred Braverly!
- How to wash your bras – Laundress or Woolite, shaped washing bag, air dry — see all of our tips on bra care!
{related: how to buy a bra}
The Best Bras for Work Outfits
This one is kind of the OG — a number of readers have noted how much they absolutely adore the Natori Feathers bra, both in terms of how they look in the bra as well as the comfort in wearing the bra. It looks fancy in the picture but it’s generally smooth under clothes, provided it fits properly. They also have a full cup version for larger breasts. It comes in a ton of colors and sizes 30A-42H (sizes 38DD+ are only in the full cup version).
Other best selling bras at Nordstrom include a bunch from Wacoal: Wacoal Awareness, Wacoal Basic Beauty, and the Wacoal Retro Chic bra — each has more than 2000+ glowing reviews.
Another Natori favorite: readers love the Natori Bliss bra and have noted it’s incredibly comfortable. The pictured bralette, in particular, has been a reader favorite over the past few years; they also have an underwire version of it.
Some other options for comfortable bras: True & Co., Natori Pure Luxe, Wacoal, Bravado, Soma. (As a larger-chested woman, I own the last four and think they’re that unusual mix of supportive but comfortable… True & Co. rides up on me, unfortunately, but I keep buying different styles because readers love this thing. You can also get True & Co. at Target, for what it’s worth, sometimes with a “buy 2 for $X” kind of sale. I just bought the Harper Wilde Bliss bra that I’ve heard good things about, but haven’t tried it yet.)
Speaking of larger chest sizes — this Chantelle one has been a best-seller for years; it’s available in sizes 32C-42G. (This Chantelle minimizer is also a best seller, if you’re on the hunt for minimizers.)
Other great bras for larger chest sizes (speaking personally!) include Fantasie, Birdsong, Freya, and Natori. I have a lot of random styles from Elomi that I like a lot, but I don’t think I’ve tried their best-sellers, the Matilda and Cate. (Oh wow – I think they stopped selling it for a few years, but the Le Mystere bra that was Oprah’s favorite long ago is available again.) And of course, if we’re talking about styles for larger-chested women, we have to mention Bravissimo — they sell clothes, swimsuits, and undergarments.
{related: 10 things about dressing professionally if you’re busty}
Readers, let’s hear from you — what are your favorite bras for work outfits? How have your bra-wearing habits changed over the past few years, if at all?
Like this feature? Check out other recent installments!
Stock photo via Pexels / Nataliya Vaitkevich (black and white photo of woman perched on chair wearing pants and an open shirt, revealing her bra).
Hi! A while ago I had posted about getting an au pair (our elementary school has a schedule of like 9am-4pm and very limited before and aftercare options). I wanted to thank everyone on here for their input!
We’re going through the interview and matching process right now and it’s been so helpful to have identified some of the needs that we have as a family (a more mature au pair who wants more independence during her free time and has lived alone away from home before) as well as think about how we can set clear expectations. As somebody suggested on here, we also provided the au pair who we thought was a good fit with an email that had the same things we had talked about: what we were offering, what the working hours would be, what the house rules are, etc. I think it’s also just so nice to have that in writing to also help make sure that there is full understanding. I’m crossing my fingers that the person we’ve found ends up working out as a match.
Crosspost-
Disneyheads, help! I have some free time on my trip to California and am thinking about taking the kids to Disneyland. I haven’t planned or booked anything. We’re staying with family nearby, so don’t need hotels. Kids are 5 and 8. I haven’t even to Disney in about 20 years. It feels like there’s a lot of planning involved now. Help, give me the cliffs notes. Thank you!
I have and love the Chantelle bra. It’s pricey but really durable; does not stretch out. It is a little lumpy under clothes though. I also recently became a convert to the Prima Donna Satin Seamless Underwire Bra 016-1330, which is ridiculously expensive but also the one I want to wear every day (and invisible under clothes). I also like the Walcoal Retro Chic bra, which is also pretty smooth under clothes. I am a 32H but not remotely perky.
Pretty much straight Freya and only the unlined lace or mesh ones (their molded cups don’t fit me well). The lace expressions one is my favorite and most comfortable. At a 38J US or 38 GG UK, with a fairly wide-set bust and broad shoulders, my options are fairly limited. I used to love the Wacoal La Femme but sized out of it post-baby. For at home days, it’s cosabella curvy bralettes all the time.
Honestly these days I mostly just wear a bikini top because we go to the pool pretty much every day after work/school. My regular bras are Natori brand.
I got fitted at Nordstrom after having two kids and it was AMAZING. Turns out I was that typical woman wearing the complete wrong size. Now my bras are comfortable, supportive, and flattering. The Natori brand is what I liked best and bought.
I’ve been wearing the same Bali bra for a thousand years — maybe it’s time for an upgrade.