Shopping InStyle Picks The 8 Best Bralettes of 2023, Tested and Reviewed Here to support you as you lounge. By Bianca Kratky Bianca Kratky Bianca Kratky is a fashion & beauty commerce writer at InStyle. InStyle's editorial guidelines Published on April 25, 2023 @ 10:49AM Pin Share Tweet Email In This Article Expand Jump to a Section Our top picks Reviews Our Testing Process What to Keep in Mind Your Questions, Answered Why Shop With Us We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. InStyle / Reese Herrington Bralettes are like the more relaxed, free-spirited, and easygoing sister to the standard bra. And although they come with less structure, wires, and padding, we found many of them to still be equally supportive. By wearing various bralettes over the course of two weeks, we were able to narrow down our initial list of 16 popular bralettes to the following best ones, based on comfort, support, and fit. Not only did we found bralettes that work perfectly for smaller chests, but we also went out of our way to find some that were so supportive they work on DDs as well. And there were even bralettes so comfortable that we could sleep in them. So forget the old narrative that they are just dainty little pieces of fabric, intended to just cover the nips. Bralettes have evolved to serve multiple purposes, cover various chest sizes, and still be the less-structured, more laid back sister to the wired bra. To find your bralette match, scroll through the list and read our first-hand reviews of the best bralettes. Our Top Picks Best overall: Commando Butter Soft Support Adjustable Bralette at Bergdorfgoodman.com Jump to Review Best Plus-Size: Harper Wilde Bliss Bralette at Harperwilde.com Jump to Review Best Full Coverage: Lively The Busty Bralette at Amazon Jump to Review Best Seamless: Bombas Ribbed Seamless Bralette at Bombas.com Jump to Review Best Supportive: Calvin Klein Invisibles Comfort Lightly Lined Triangle Bralette at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Small Breasts: Kalon Demi Padded Bralette at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Large Breasts: Wacoal Soft Sense Bralette at Amazon Jump to Review Best Wireless: Victoria's Secret Love Cloud Smooth Straight-Neck Lounge Bra at Victoriassecret.com Jump to Review Best overall Commando Butter Soft Support Adjustable Bralette 4.8 Commando View On Bergdorfgoodman.com View On Neiman Marcus View On Shopbop.com What We Love: The material is so soft and comfortable that we actually fell asleep in it. What We Don’t Love: The full coverage bra would sometimes peek out from under clothes when worn under low-cut shirts. For our best overall selection, we searched for something equal parts supportive, comfortable, and inclusive in size. The Commando Butter Soft-Support bralette lived up to its name, with a ridiculously soft fabric that had us falling asleep in it on more than one occasion. This isn’t your traditional bralette, though – it comes with removable pads, a back hook closure, and adjustable straps. The scoop-neck also offers more support than many triangle-shaped bralettes do, which is why we loved how it fit larger chest sizes (specifically E-F cups). The everyday bralette didn’t show any cleavage either because it didn’t scoop too low. But we did have difficulty wearing this under low cut shirts or spaghetti strapped tops, as the fabric of the bra would peek out. Thanks to the padding, which we kept inserted for the majority of the time we wore it, our nipples were always properly covered – something we found to be rather uncommon for bralettes. The thicker straps gave our chests a little lift without ever digging into our shoulders. The bra also layered under clothing very well, as our tops lay over the soft fabric perfectly. We felt as though this may be the only bralette with enough support to actually replace some of our standard bras. Price at time of publish: $78 Material: Modal, elastane | Size: XS-XL | Color: 4 | Coverage: Full Best Plus-Size Harper Wilde Bliss Bralette 4.8 Nordstrom View On Harperwilde.com What We Love: The bra provides ample amounts of support.What We Don’t Love: It runs a little snug, which becomes slightly uncomfortable after a few hours. There are two things this bra is great for: using it as a micro top to lounge around in, and getting great support during light exercises. Because whe wide band and straps held everything up nicely, it hugged our rather large chests into a reassuring embrace.We never worried about any accidental spillage or needing to adjust the bra midday. From lunges to stretching, we felt supported at all times in this sports-bra-esque bralette, thanks to the double-lined fabric. Not only did that cover our nipples up, but it offered medium compression and kept our chests packed in. While at home, the ridiculously soft material made it a dream to relax around in, and looked very cute as-is, sans top. We did find it a bit of a hassle to slip into, however, as it didn’t come with a back clasp like on the Commando piece. We had to pull it over our heads, and due to its tightness, made us perform the wiggle dance to get into. It is the tiniest bit too snug, if you follow their size guide. It wouldn’t hurt to size up as we found the straps and the band digging into our skin after over eight hours of wear. Price at time of publish: $45 Material: Nylon, elastane | Size: XS-4XL | Color: 11 | Coverage: Full The 14 Best Bras for Asymmetrical Breasts For an Even Lift Best Full Coverage Lively The Busty Bralette 4.2 Lively View On Amazon View On Target View On Wearlively.com What We Love: The bra allowed us to wear just about anything over it without peeking from underneath.What We Don’t Love: The sizing is limited and the band can feel a bit too snug. Finally, a triangle bra that also provides full coverage: the Lively Busty Bralette. Made specifically for women with larger breasts, the full cups prevent spillage, especially on our DD chests, thanks to its double-lined material that stretches over the entire breast and has an additional strap in the middle, connecting the two panels together. We felt comfortable pairing this with just about any top, never needing to worry about anything peeking through. The adjustable straps and three band lengths allowed us to adjust the snugness of the bra, too. We found the sizing to be a bit challenging to decipher, though, and wish it came in more than three choices. Size three, the biggest one, supposedly fit up to 40DD, but we thought the bras actually ran a bit small. Even though we followed the size guide, the band felt snug against our ribs, causing us to feel ever so slightly uncomfortable at times. Washing didn’t cause it to stretch, shrink, or pill, however, which we were grateful for. Knowing we can rely on this bralette to maintain its shape at all times felt like a huge relief. Price at time of publish: $38 Material: Nylon, spandex | Size: 1, 2, 3 | Color: 8 | Coverage: Full Best Seamless Bombas Women's Ribbed Seamless Bralette 4.2 Bombas View On Bombas.com What We Love: The material is extremely stretchy and comfortable, molding around the body.What We Don’t Love: It’s not extremely supportive. For lounging around the house, we recommend this seamless, full-coverage bralette from Bombas, which we consider a cousin to the sports bra — only with less padding, seams, and a scoop neck. The ribbed material (which by the way, never pilled in the wash) made it extra stretchy, molding around our bodies as we moved. It did make it harder to pair with going-out shirts, unless we were in some athleisure like hoodies and leggings, because it would easily show from underneath. It didn’t give superb support, but it did keep the ladies collected and fitted to run some errands around town. The sizing scales from XS/S to 2XL, and when we followed the size guide, we found the recommended option to be a bit too large. Considering how stretchy the material is, it’s better to size down. The smaller size still felt completely comfortable, never digging into our skin or feeling too constrictive. In fact, we completely forgot it was on once we slipped into the top. Since there are no seams, there’s no underwire either. The only support there is comes from the full coverage and the straps, which you can adjust in sizing and crisscross into a racerback. We appreciate that it fit all chest sizes, but the stretchy ribbed material that came with no padding, this bra left our girls bouncing around rather freely. Price at time of publish: $38 Material: Nylon modal blend | Size: XS/S-2XL| Color: 6 | Coverage: Full Best Supportive Calvin Klein Invisibles Comfort Lightly Lined Triangle Bralette Amazon View On Amazon View On Anthropologie View On Barenecessities.com What We Love: The bralette gave us enough support to wear to the office as well.What We Don’t Love: Throwing it in the dryer revealed some fraying around the stitchings. “Support” and “bralettes” are usually not two words you find pieced together in a sentence. Understandably so, as a bralette typically comes sans all the supportive elements, like underwires and padding, in order to maintain its slim and comfortable features. While a bralette might not fully replace a full-support bra, we did find that the Calvin Klein seamless triangle bralette was the next best thing. The two adjustable straps that meet in a racerback gave our girls a nice gentle lift. On the front, there are full coverage cups molded into a triangular-shaped sports bra-like appearance that feature removable pads. The microfiber felt super soft against the skin and molded around our natural shape. We never worried about slipping out over the top or any accidental sideboob action; the bralette kept everything nicely tucked in. While we often only ever wear our bralettes in the house, this one actually enabled us to wear it to the office, thanks to the all day comfort and support it provided. After a long day’s wear, we threw the bra into the washer and dryer, just to find the beginnings of some fraying around the stitchings. To elongate its life, we recommend sticking to hand washing. Price at time of publish: $23 Material: Nylon, elastane | Size: XS-XL | Color: 15 | Coverage: Full Best for Small Breasts Kalon Women’s 4-Pack Demi Padded Bralette Wireless Comfortable Bra 4.2 Amazon View On Amazon What We Love: They’re low cut, which made them easy to wear underneath all kinds of tops.What We Don’t Love: The band portion begins to slide up after a few hours of wear. Considering bralettes are the less supportive sister to the traditional bra, it makes sense that smaller breasts gravitate to them more. We found the Kalon padded bralette to be quite minimal, both in coverage and in shape, which made them quite comfortable for our smaller girls. We felt like the bralette was doing the most with as little material as possible, which simply worked on small breasts because it fit out busts correctly (no gaping or excess fabric hanging around). Unlike the last few bralette options, this one has a deeper cut at the front, which made it much easier to pair with low-cut shirts and dresses. We wore them to the office without a problem and continued to wear them at home thanks to their comfort. We also appreciated that this one comes with clasps in the back with three different adjustable sizes, as well as adjustable straps as well, to help customize the fit. That being said, though, no matter how fitting we made the band, it started to slide up our chests after some hours. Nothing that bothered us at home, but in public, we constantly had to readjust it. The fabric also stretched along our bodies, and whipped back into its original shape after tossing it into the dryer. Price at time of publish: $35 Material: Nylon, spandex | Size: XS-XXL | Color: 15 | Coverage: Mid The 16 Best Pieces of Shapewear of 2023, Tested and Reviewed Best for Large Breasts Wacoal Soft Sense Bralette 4.4 Wacoal View On Amazon View On Nordstrom View On Bloomingdales What We Love: The double-lined mesh in the cups gave our girls a good amount of coverage.What We Don’t Love: The lace tends to show from underneath your clothes. Yes, supportive and cute bralettes exist for bigger busts as well. Sapna Palep, CEO of luxury lingerie brand Journelle, explains that the “key is to make sure you are in the proper size, as the support comes from the band, rather than the wires.” This bralette from Wacoal, made with larger breasts in mind, starts from a size small, which according to their size guide, reflects a bra size of a 32D/DD. After trying it out, we think the size guide is accurate because it fit like a glove. Decked out in lace from the band to the straps, the bra looks as beautiful as it is functional. It covers the chest in a traditional bra shape (rather than a sports bra). And while it is still a bralette and doesn’t keep the chest together like a wired bra, we did find the double mesh lining in the cups to create a supportive fit unlike the others we’ve tried. The thicker lace straps frame the decolletage well and turn into a traditional strap that can be adjusted in the back.. On our large bust and small rib-caged body, the bra sizing fit miraculously well. Nothing ever dug, itched, or felt uncomfortable in any way while wearing this. The only thing we noticed was that the lace was not easy to hide. On any shirt with an open front, the lace poked out from the sides – something we found to look quite good, but we know that isn’t always a desired effect. On form-fitting tops, you could see the texture of the lace from underneath as well. Perhaps it’s more for a special occasions top, where you intentionally want to show the lace from underneath. Price at time of publish: $46 Material: Nylon, spandex | Size: S-2XL | Color: 5 | Coverage: Full Best Wireless Victoria's Secret Love Cloud Smooth Straight-Neck Lounge Bra 4.2 Victoria's Secret View On Victoriassecret.com What We Love: There’s padding across the entire front of the bra, giving us extra support.What We Don’t Love: The top slightly gapped on occasion. Forget the wires with this bralette, which features a bandeau-style straight neck, lightly lined cups, and thin straps for additional support. The whole experience of wearing it felt smooth and seamless. There’s padding across the entirety of the front, which felt quite unique, but it gave the support we lusted after. Aside from the occasional gaping at the front, it hugged the chest quite well and kept our busts under control during bigger movements. The straight neck was also unlike traditional bralettes, but it made it possible to wear with a plethora of tops without any problems — maybe just not deep V-neck shirts, though. However, both casual wear and more professional garments were layered on top of this bra and created a seamless silhouette. Not to mention, we felt very supported to go about the entire day. The sizing guide is a little unique here as well. For every size, be it “small” or “medium”, there’s a “DD” version. In other words, there is a “small” and a “small DD”. This made it much easier to match sizing online and was a bonus perk missing in all other brands. Price at time of publish: $40 Material: Polyamide, elastane | Size: XS-XL, DD versions | Color: 4 | Coverage: Full The 12 Best Affordable (And Sexy!) Lingerie Brands to Shop Now Our Testing Process First, we scoured the market to find the best-rated, most popular bralettes. We then sent 16 of them to our esteemed team of editors, who wore the bras consistently for two weeks. Each bra was tested on at least two people with different chest sizes. They recorded their experiences and rated the bras on their comfort, durability, fit, and support. The best eight were kept as the winning bralettes and then recommended in this article. What to Keep in Mind Material The number one material needed to make a bralette comfortable? Elastane, otherwise known as spandex. The stretch that these components provide is vital in molding around the breasts comfortably. You’ll find that every single one of the bralettes mentioned have this material sewn into the fabric. Combined with a softer material, like polyester or nylon, you’ll get a smooth and flexible bralette, fit to keep you snug during your lounging sessions. If you wish for something a little more sturdier, options with Nylon, like the Wacoal Soft Sense Bralette and Bombas Ribbed Seamless Bralettes are a great fit. Our best overall option, Commando Butter Soft-Support Adjustable Bralette, is made of a modal blend, which is butter soft, strong, and breathable. A sensation we found very pleasant while wearing the bralette. Padding Traditionally, bralettes come without padding. However, you’ll find a few options within this list where removable pads are pocketed inside the cups. These are there for added security, should you need them, but are optional pieces to be removed if you don’t. The Commando Butter Soft-Support Adjustable Bralette and the Calvin Klein Seamless Wireless Triangle Bralette are two of those examples. When we wanted a little more nipple coverage, or needed something more supportive on bigger chests, these removable pads truly came in handy. The Victoria's Secret Love Cloud Smooth Straight-Neck Lounge Bra has a unique padding across the entirety of the bralette, which almost makes it look like a bandeau. This is a great option for those in need of more comfortable support as well. Your Questions, Answered What are the benefits of a bralette? Bralettes are more versatile than you might think, says stylist and former InStyle fashion editor Samantha Sutton explains. “The main benefit of a bralette is to provide a decent amount of support while still being comfortable and easy to wear.” However, the garment goes beyond just a piece of lingerie, as “many can be worn on their own in place of a top,” she says. Kimmay Caldwell, undergarment educator at HurrayKimmay.com, chimes in that because “bralettes are traditionally less supportive than a regular bra, they tend to be more of a fashion-over-function choice.” However, in our test, we did find a number of supportive bralettes, like the Commando Butter Soft-Support Adjustable Bralette, Calvin Klein Seamless Wireless Triangle Bralette, and Wacoal Soft Sense Bralette. When should I wear a bralette over a traditional bra? Traditional bras are fantastic for adding some padded coverage, wired support, and all-day lift. But when you want something a little more lounge-worthy, Palep recommends bralettes for a more comfortable fit and feel. “Since bralettes do not have wires in the cups, they are less binding and constricting than underwire bras.” They also give you “the feeling of being supported and covered, but not squeezed.” While you might prefer something more structured to go to the office, Palep prefers bralettes for “traveling, yoga, sleeping, and hot summer weather.” Because of the stretch and wire-free style, they’re a great option for expecting moms as well, as the fabric adjusts with the wearer’s growing body, says Caldwell. On top of being more comfortable, they adapt to the changes that the body is experiencing. What kind of tops can I wear with a bralette? There’s truly no limitation of the kind of tops you can wear with bralettes. Sutton has paired them with T-shirts, button-downs, and sweaters. However, they become a particularly great solution “to wear underneath sheer and see-through designs. Layering a similar color bralette under a mesh top will give you the coverage you’re looking for, and come across as both intentional and subtle,” she explains. Caldwell agrees that they are “great for showing off as part of your outfit. You can showcase the funky style or beautiful lace of a bralette” by incorporating them into your look. The Wacoal Soft Sense Bralette, for example, paired beautifully with low V-cuts that allowed the lace to peek through from beneath the shirt. Why Shop With Us Bianca Kratky is a commerce writer with over two years of experience covering fashion and beauty products. In order to write this article, she dove into the reviews and experiences of our beauty experts who tried on every single pair of the mentioned products. She then consulted stylists and bra experts Samantha Fetch Sutton, Sapna Palep, and Kimmay Caldwell, to get a deeper understanding of what to look for when shopping for bralettes. The 9 Best Strapless Bras of 2023, Tested and Reviewed