Bras by Outfit: Backless, Strapless, Sports and More
Some clothes take away the parts of a bra that do the work: a backless dress loses the band, a strapless one loses the straps, and sport doubles the load. These guides match each outfit to the bra styles and sizing changes that still hold up.
Bra styles
Types of Bras: Nine Styles and What Each One Is ForThe main types of bras are t-shirt, balconette, plunge, full-cup, bralette, sports, strapless, minimizer and push-up.
Bralette Size Chart: Bra Size to S, M, L and XLMost bralettes map to bra sizes by band: S fits about a 32–34 band, M a 34–36, L a 36–38 and XL a 38–40, usually for A to C or D cups.
Tops and necklines
What Bra to Wear With a Halter TopFor a halter top with a closed back, wear a multiway bra with its straps looped around your neck.
What Bra to Wear With Off-the-Shoulder and One-Shoulder TopsWith an off-the-shoulder top, wear a strapless bra with a firm band, side support and silicone grip, or adhesive cups if the top is light and fitted.
What Bra to Wear Under a White ShirtUnder a white shirt, wear a bra that matches your skin tone, not a white one: white shows through as a bright outline, while a skin-tone bra disappears.
Dresses and occasions
Sport
Sports Bra Size Chart: XS to XXL by Band and CupOn a typical sports bra size chart, XS fits a 30–32 band, S 32–34, M 34–36, L 36–38, XL 38–40 and XXL 40–42.
Types of Sports Bras: Compression, Encapsulation and MoreThere are three main types of sports bras: compression bras press the breasts against the chest, encapsulation bras hold each breast in its own cup, and combination bras do both.
Get the size in about a minute
Measure with a tape, read a bra tag, or start from a clothes size. You get the size in US, UK, AU and EU sizing, with sister sizes. Free, and nothing leaves your phone.
Open the bra size calculatorBuying a gift? Keep her sizes together on her size card.