Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links. I recently came across this Jessica Simpson bra on sale in a 34C, and bought it with high hopes it might fit me. I love the print, and it's a balconette style like the previous one I reviewed, only with light push-up padding in the cups. So I thought I'd give it a try, given that sometimes padded cups fit smaller. Unfortunately, my 34B-ish chest doesn't fill it out. Good news for those who really do wear a 34C, because this bra seems to run true to size. I can't return it, so I'm putting it up for sale on Mercari shortly. Not your size either? 40% off at Unique Vintage. If you happen to like cherry prints, Unique Vintage  has a similar dress available , as well as the two-piece swimsuit linked at right, currently on sale. If the Jessica Simpson push-up balconette is your size, or you'd like to give it as a gift, what follows is the information in a bra review that you'll need in order to decide whether it's a good choice. This can be worn as a strapless bra, or with the straps crossed in back if you prefer, which gives you plenty of flexibility in what outfit you choose to wear it with. The material is 90% nylon and 10% spandex. The cups have an underwire, with light cushioning. It's quite soft to the touch inside the cups and along the elastic top and bottom bands, although its mesh sides and back might be slightly uncomfortable on very sensitive skin. A sweet, lighthearted design like this is perfect for spring and summer 2026. Something about it says Y2K for me, with the cherries and cherry blossoms along with the lace trim and pink background.

Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links. What do you do when you're having a bad bra day? You just can't seem to find the right bra. Nothing feels good. Your bras aren't fitting right. You put one on, you take it off. You want to go back to bed. Maybe you have your period. Maybe you didn't get enough sleep, or you're stressed, or you're coming down with something. Whatever the case, you aren't feeling up to facing the usual getting-dressed thing. It happens to all of us. Give yourself a break and consider the alternatives. Here are some options. A sleek, comfortable cami. This is a great solution if you need a first layer but can't bring yourself to deal with an underwire or wireless band. Slip it over your head and you're done. Spoil yourself with one in very soft fabric, like the Talco from Cosabella  (my top pick, below). And while you're over there, Cosabella is having a 25% off sale on bralettes right now too. Just saying. Or if you need more support and mild compression, you can opt for a gentle shaping cami like the Daily Shaping Cami from CURVEEZ . Shapewear with mild to moderate compression is great for support without having to wear a bra, or for when you're feeling a little swollen on period days. A cotton undershirt like kids wear. If you're having trouble with pain or or not wanting any pressure against your skin, look for one that is 100% cotton, thin and lightweight with no stretch. Nipple covers. I like the silicone kind because they don't show under clothes, and in my experience they stay on all day and are comfortable to wear. However, if you have very sensitive skin you might do better with cloth. Nothing at all. Yes, this is entirely acceptable. Depending on your work or school environment, you may need to expect some backlash if you wear a uniform in which people will notice that you are not wearing a bra. However, worse things have happened. If your boss gives you trouble, tell them that last I checked, being a woman was allowed.

The following quotes are fictional representations of actual women I have spoken with about their experiences with bras. These women are quite different from each other in many ways, but one thing they do have in common is that their struggles with bra size, fit, and comfort reflect deeper issues. As you read each quote, think about if there's anything she is saying that you can relate to, and how it makes you feel. Please reach out in a comment or via the contact page afterwards if you'd like to share your reaction. Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links. Women in photo are models. "All of my bras are uncomfortable. The first thing I do when I get home from work is take them off. I know they probably aren't the right size, but they make me look the way I want to. I hate the way I look when I don't wear them. My boobs are saggy and I wish they were bigger, even though I know a C-cup is average. The only way I can get cleavage is to wear push-up bras with tons of padding and a tight underwire to keep everything pushed into place." Katie Even though Katie likes the way she looks in her bras and feels confident at work when she wears them, she suffers physical discomfort and is trapped in a very narrow ideal of beauty that doesn't include her natural figure. She doesn't want to have an "average" C-cup; she thinks she needs to look like she has more than that. But when she gets home from work, she can finally relax and literally allow herself to breathe. My guess is that this is linked to how Katie feels about work and the way she presents herself there. An ambitious and accomplished woman, she dresses the way she thinks she should in order to succeed. But what is this costing her? My pick for Katie: Cosabella's Never Say Never Balconette ( right). This elegant lightly lined bra has nice structure and lift, making it ideal for an office setting. Most important, it would give Katie's body a much-needed break from her usual padded push-ups. "I like to wear bras, but my size is not easy to find. When I do find it, they are in styles like something my young daughter would wear. I don't have any place in American lingerie shops, even though I am second-generation Chinese-American. I don't even speak Chinese. The adult brands that make my size are too expensive." Mei Li Mei Li's body is normal and healthy, but she is living in a culture that caters to a different body type than hers. Chinese women tend to be built smaller, and even by that standard, Mei Li is very petite. She resists wearing anything she thinks is made for a child, but also won't let herself spend the money for a higher quality bra in her size made for adults. Her bras are plain white bralettes in girls' sizes. This reflects her discomfort with her place in the world: she is not a child, yet feels like she is not treated like an adult. She is not Chinese, but feels like she is not treated like an American. In both senses, she is caught between worlds. My pick for Mei Li: Another balconette, the gorgeous Calypso from Little Women Lingerie (above) . This comes in AAA cups, and there is no question that it is designed for adult women. "I usually don't wear a bra. I wear heavyweight shirts so that my nipples won't show. Bras are uncomfortable and I've never found one I liked. Plus, I know I'm fat, so I'd have to lose weight before I could even fit into most of them anyway. I only own one, a nursing bra from the last time I was pregnant, and I look like a cow in it. Women in my culture are not supposed to focus on looks too much, which I agree with because I'm not a vain person." Sanaz Sanaz is not wrong to pride herself on her lack of vanity or her strong identification with her cultural values. But she tends to shame her body when she feels discouraged about her weight gain from pregnancy. She can certainly choose not to wear a bra, but there are options available for her that she may not be aware of. Plus-size bras have become much more widely available and improved in quality since she had her last child. I like Sanaz's straightforward personality and can imagine her being very effective at getting what she wanted from a bra fitter! She refused to get measured or measure herself, but told me she was wearing a 2XL in clothing. My pick for Sanaz (at left), because she didn't give me many options for bras to suggest and it's a top-quality cami anyway. Sometimes that's all you really want to wear. CURVEEZ Daily Shaping Cami "I'm very sensitive to itchy fabrics and anything uncomfortable. People think I'm just being picky, but it drives me crazy to wear anything that isn't soft enough or has seams in the wrong place. Underwires were torture so I gave up on that a long time ago. I'd scratch forever. The only type of bra I can wear are very thin bralettes made of bamboo fabric. They don't have much support, and I'm not sure it's even worth wearing them, but they're better than nothing." Nia I wondered if Nia could have skin allergies or some other type of medical problem. I asked her this, and she said she thought she might, but she was worried about what her friends and family would think if she went to get tested. She didn't want them to see her as a "Karen," someone who thought she was too special to wear what other people wore. To me, Nia wasn't a Karen. Her main concern, other than her distress over the itching, was what others thought of her and the possibility of losing her connection with them. I decided that bras were the least of Nia's problems, and that sticking with bamboo bralettes was probably the best thing she could be doing for the moment, along with getting her health checked out. My pick for Nia: Boody Organic Bamboo Bralette . I want to let readers come to their own conclusions about all of this, and take whatever they find valuable in it to reflect on. I did my best to preserve the women's voices as I can recall them, but I'm sure they all sound too much like me, because it's been a while since the conversations we had. If anyone is wondering whether the models in the pic look anything like the actual women, well, no. Not really. But there are four of them, and the ethnic representation is fairly accurate visually. Whatever that even means. As always, if you have questions about any of the bras featured, feel free to ask.

You'll find it linked in the header above. You can use the group page to talk to each other about anything you want that is relevant to the blog's content, and to follow some of my activity in selling bras and lingerie. I have a lot of pieces, both new and previously owned, most in very good or brand new shape. The bras and bralettes are in a range of sizes, from 30B to 38D, and I have several that I consider to be in-between. I know how all of these bras fit, so I can advise you on how they are likely to work on your body if you're willing to give me some information about your measurements and shape. None of your personal details will be shared with anyone else, of course. This method isn't foolproof and it's not meant to be a substitute for a true in-person bra fitting. That's why I don't charge full price for any of them, including the brand new ones. I sell on Mercari, so if you don't already have an account, you'll need to sign up for one to shop my listings. If you sign up through my link, you can get $10 in credit to spend there. Listings will show up periodically and I'll add them to the Community page when they are live on Mercari. They will stay there until they sell, and they aren't auction sales so there's no rush about buying right away. You can feel free to ask me questions in the group about any that are of interest. I don't want the blog to be full of my sales listings, which is why I want them on a separate page. I also thought it would be awesome to have somewhere interactive where we could all reach out to each other in a give-and-take, mutual conversation kind of way. In the spirit of inclusivity, my voice shouldn't be the only one that gets heard. So, I hope I'm not the only one running my mouth over there all the time. Jump right in with anything you want. Burning questions, deep thoughts, not so deep thoughts. How you actually hate bras and you don't understand any of this. It's all good. I look forward to seeing you there!

Erica : I have two things I'm dealing with when it comes to bras. First, I am an African-American woman with very dark skin, so the so-called "nude" color of whatever bra I might be interested in is usually not going to be anywhere near my natural color. And second is my hard-to-find size of 34AA. Bras Outside the Box : Given this double challenge you're facing, how have you not just given up on bra shopping? E : I did give up, more or less. Except there are situations where you need to have something to go under a certain dress and then you have to come to terms. You try to get creative and come up with something that works. You settle for something that doesn't look too weird, but you don't ever get exactly the right thing. BOTB : Have you ever found a bra that did match your skin tone exactly? E : Not yet. One that I would love to try is the Nubian Skin push-up bra in Berry, because it looks like it could be at least somewhere close to my actual skin tone, though it could still be too light. And I like push-up bras. But I would have to order it and would not be able to try it on first. There is no way for me to tell ahead of time if it blends with my skin under a white top, or whether it fits right. Since there is no 34AA size there, I would have to get the 34A and hope that it fit well enough. I found out about Nubian Skin online and I was very glad to know that there is something made just for black women. If they did have my size I would have probably ordered one already. BOTB : How did you figure out that you needed a 34AA, and have you found a bra in that size that fits well? E : Yes, I have three 34AAs that fit well and that is how I learned that it's the right size for me (by trying them on). I was visiting family in another state and needed something to go under a strapless dress for a formal event. I went to an Aerie store there and got the Aerie Audrey bra in a 32A. The fit was acceptable, but it was very uncomfortable by the end of the night, and when I took it off I had marks around my ribs where it was digging in. But I liked how there was no extra space between me and the bra up at the top of the cups. I ordered another Audrey from the Aerie website in a 34AA and that is the best fit I've had so far. I then ordered two more when they were buy one, get one free. They have these sales regularly and I plan to take advantage of that again at some time in the future. BOTB : Do you feel like it sends you a negative message about your body and/or skin tone when there isn't anything available on the market to meet your needs? E : I don't take it personally at all. But nobody can relate much to me when it comes to bras, because my black friends all have bigger breasts and almost all of them are also lighter-skinned than I am. But they do comprehend the nude bra issue, so at least they understand me on that level. As far as the market not having the bra I need, yes it would be better if there was something available, and hopefully there will be in my lifetime. I will probably order from Nubian Skin if only to support what they are doing, because I think it's so important. Black women need bras that match us. With skin like mine, you can't wear a white or light-colored bra under a white top and have it not show. You end up having to accept that and either not wear white, or wear a camisole or something that you don't mind showing underneath. (Editor's note: Erica has agreed to follow up on this blog if she does end up ordering the Nubian Skin bra in Berry, so we'll be able to find out how it works for her.) #34AA #32A #NubianSkin #Aerie #AAcup #nudebras #smallbusted #AfricanAmerican #personalstories

When shopping online for the ideal bra, no matter what our gender, age, culture, or body type, we all need to know what makes us feel comfortable in ourselves. I go beyond the basics and offer extra tips on size, shape, material, and support. Let's talk about what we all really want: a bra that actually feels good to wear. Something we put on and think: "ahhh, yes. This makes me want to start my day." Okay, it actually does exist (I promise, it's out there!), but what this looks like for each of us can be completely different depending on our bodies, our preferences, and our sense of personal style. So you need to know what this means for you and your body. Start with your measurements . Measure around your ribs just underneath your breasts to get your underbust measurement. Then, measure around the fullest part of your breasts to get your your bust measurement. Subtract the underbust from the fullest bust to get your cup size. Usually, a difference of less than one inch = AA cup, one inch = A, two inches = B, three inches = C, four inches = D, five inches = DD/E, and up from there in brands that carry larger sizes. However, it's important to note that individual brands can size differently. So if you're shopping at a large department store that carries many different labels, find a sizing chart for the brand of the bra that you want to purchase. Know where and how to shop for your bra size range. Many online stores specialize in small or large cup sizes. This is because breasts that are outside the average size range need a bra that is scaled correctly and shaped to complement and support them. Often you can find information about how a bra fits and what body type it is ideal for in its description where it is listed for sale online. If this is not available, contact a customer service representative and ask. Some stores specialize in smaller or larger cup sizes, which may be helpful if you fall outside the standard range. But keep in mind that you will have a more limited choice in brands at these specialty shops, and the product lines will be more expensive, although often higher in quality. Go to a department store and try on some bras in person. This is a reasonable thing to do, even if you hate real-life shopping and don't plan on buying anything. If nothing else, you'll get familiar with some of the major brands and how they fit. Pick whatever looks like something you might possibly wear, in the size you measured at or the one you are currently wearing, and put your boobs in it. Then do that again with another bra, in a different brand. And so forth. Choose several different sizes and styles in each brand if you aren't certain which will work best. If never setting foot in a dressing room is the hill you will die on, you can always contact me. I love talking to readers, and I'll do my best to help you out.

I am partnered with Cosabella and this post contains affiliate links. Cosabella is a stylish Italian lingerie brand that carries bras and bralettes in a wide variety of sizes, but in particular it does well for a particular body type: those with large breasts and a small rib cage. This fit tends to be true across all of their collections, with some exceptions for individual styles. What Cosabella fans especially like about this brand: Their lingerie is sophisticated, sexy, and on-trend. It offers a good variety of styles, detailing, and colors. There are options available in band sizes 28 and 30. The fabrics are high-quality. A couple of common complaints I've heard about Cosabella: Their bra sizing can be inconsistent across different styles. Some people find it overpriced. Bras and bralettes in the Cosabella Curvy collection are designed for DD-I cup sizes, with only one bra going up to I. It's usually quite difficult to find bralettes made to fit breasts in this size range, so if you've had the experience of trying to squeeze yourself into one from another brand that's much too small, you're not alone. Being curvy doesn't mean you can't wear whisper-thin, barely-there lingerie, especially with this company. Their lace pieces are like a spider's web: silky but strong. Even I, a mere B cup, have a few of their bralettes. Unfortunately they aren't the best fit on me personally, because I'm not built right for the brand. But they make me wish I was. So for those of you who do have the body type for Cosabella, go on with your bad self and consider picking up one of these beauties (or asking for one from your significant other). You can explore the collection here . If you're shaped like me and you're feeling disappointed right now, I have something to show you. It's my favorite cami, and it's how I discovered Cosabella in the first place. The Talco Long Camisole , at left. There's a racerback version of it in the Curvy collection too, but this is the one I own three of. The fabric is incredibly, stupidly soft. It's lightweight and thin but not flimsy, with just the right amount of stretch and cling. It for sure isn't cheap, but if there's anyone in your life who likes to spend a lot of money on you, definitely hit them up. Shamelessly.

I was mostly just curious about the Jessica Simpson brand because I had heard good things, but never got around to trying these bras yet. So I found one discounted, and decided to give it a shot. This fit is okay on me. I don't hate it. The cups are a little bit deeper than others I have tried in this size (34B), especially in a balconette bra like this. But it does stretch and I do fill them out, without gaps. I like the fact that there is quite a bit of separation between the cups. This is what I tend to like best about the balconette style, no matter what the brand: it has a center panel between the cups that manages to separate them, supported by a band that can maintain this separation. I tend to prefer more shallow cups, and these are a bit too tall for me under the arms as well. But I think it would work great for women with wide-set breasts and a longer torso, i.e. probably not petites. If I let the straps out more so that the edges of the cups aren't coming up too high, then I do get a gap in the top of the bra. But I think this is more because of my lack of height, than it is because I'm not filling it out. In bras like this I tend to end up with my breasts stuck at the bottom, while the top of it is just hanging out not really doing anything. I have this for sale on Poshmark if anyone is interested. I would recommend it if you are on the fuller side of a size 34B. The band size does seem accurate to me. https://poshmark.com/listing/Jessica-Simpson-Bra-34B-622915fc284e994901618922

This is a really cute bra by Affinitas Intimates in size 32C. One of the reasons I like Affinitas is that their bras often fit well on petites. This one is very close to fitting me but it doesn't quite get there, because the lace at the top of the cups sits on top of my breasts and isn't stretched enough to prevent it wrinkling. Not surprising, since this often happens for me with bras that are designed this way. If I'm going to wear any bra with an unstructured top, it usually needs to be just a very small amount of trim, otherwise I end up filling out the bottom of it while the top is just chilling, doing nothing in particular. I would recommend this for anyone who wears 32C and has breasts that are either fuller or taller than mine. It's so adorable and comfy. Check out my Poshmark if you're interested in buying it.

I happen to have several of these, new with tags on Poshmark because some lady was just desperate to get rid of them. Turns out size 32AA doesn't sell very fast, who would have thought huh? But I wanted to make them available to my readers here, because this size is so hard to find. So, here is the review: What I have in this size is a push-up style, in black with brown floral embroidery on the wings. The cups are smooth with just a little bit of lace trim at the tops. I did try one of these on, with an extender knowing full well that it would not fit me and what I think is that, although it does not fit as tiny as a petite bra in this size, it also has cups that are farther apart than many petite or teen bras tend to have, which is a good thing if you have wide-set breasts. On me, it turned out I didn't need the extender for the band and it was not uncomfortable around my ribs. So I would say that since I usually prefer to wear a 34 band and find that more comfortable, this may run a little larger in the band than many size 32s might. This is probably also true for the cups. I don't know this from personal experience because I did not even try to get this over my breasts. But I heard from one girl that I sold one of this size and brand to, that the cups were a little large on her. Her size is between 32AA and 34AA, and I sold her several bras in 32AA and 32A. The petite bras that I sold her fit better than this one. So if you are between an AA and A cup, and can wear a 32 or 34 band, this may well be worth a try for you. The push-up padding is not a lot; I would say, medium level. And they are quite pretty, plus decent quality for the price. I'm selling two of them for $12. https://poshmark.com/listing/2-NWT-Bras-32AA-Auden-PushUp-61ddbcbb3a0db9008e9bacc6

Perhaps the one good thing about COVID is that we now have an excuse to wear pajamas all day and call it an outfit. I used to sleep in not much of anything, and I barely thought about it. Now, though, since I'm leaving the house less often anyway, I'm having some fun with trying new pajama sets like this one. Bare Necessities (http://barenecessities.com/ ) is a well-established online favorite for lingerie, bras, underwear, and sleepwear. This set is from their own brand, called Reveal. I had never tried anything from this brand before but I decided to treat myself, as the blush pink color was on sale and I liked the idea of hanging around in something pretty and satin, rather than just wearing my same old ripped up jeans or sweats at home. I'm very glad I made this decision. The pajama set is a very soft satin with traditional piping at the hems, collar, and down the front of the top. It's quite thin material, which I enjoy as I don't tend to get very cold when sleeping; and, in the morning I can always throw a sweatshirt over it. I ordered it in the size Medium because although I measure as a Small, I like pajamas to fit loose, and it was exactly as I expected: loose-fitting elastic waist on the pants, with the arm and leg length fitting only slightly longer than what I would normally wear as clothing. What it looks like on the model is accurate, and I would guess she is about 5'7" tall. So for me, at about 5'4", it isn't too much different. Now, let's get to what happens when you spill food on it. Yes, I have already done this. I was cooking marinara sauce while wearing these and they ended up spattered with little dots of it... lovely. I put stain remover on it, put them in the wash, and the spots came out with no trouble. They also did not shrink noticeably in the wash even though I used the Warm setting, which you are not supposed to do for satin. So I think it's safe to conclude that, while these do look delicate and perhaps the fabric appears fragile at first, the set holds up quite well to challenges like spaghetti sauce and my washing machine. Probably yours too, although if you really want to make sure they don't shrink, wash them on the cold setting. You can purchase this set here: https://www.barenecessities.com/reveal-washed-satin-long-pajama-set-rees33_product.htm The return policy is quite easy and has multiple options: exchange, return for cash, or get a store voucher. Return shipping is free. Bare Necessities is also a great place to pick up more of your favorite bras and panties.

Okay so, in the interest of really just profiting off of Victoria's Secret's ridiculously priced Bombshell push-up bra, I recently bought one in size 34A at a discount and plan to resell it. I paid $14 and this is gently used. It isn't going to fit me anyway as I am no longer a 34A, and it's too much padding for me, but if you want the appearance of two added cup sizes, I suppose this bra does do that. But let's take a look at what this is really about. VS, in marketing these bras, is contributing to small-breasted women feeling like their bodies are not enough the way they are. I'm very torn between wanting to make these available at a lower price, and trying to convince you that you really don't need it. Another thing, is that if the bra has gaps in the top of the cups on you (which styles like this often do for A cups), you're just going to have to wear something tight on top of it in order to squish it down against your breasts. What this means is that you're turning the add-2-cups bra into, effectively, a sports bra in appearance. Just something to think about. If you want to buy this from me once it's listed, go right ahead. I'm not judging you. I remember what it was like to be so thin that I could only wear a 32AA and really did want something that would give me curves. So I do understand, but I would really encourage you to first make sure 34A really is your size, and second, check out alternatives to Victoria's Secret that will probably fit you much better. Photo credit Amanda Lombardi.