Bralettes shopsmart

These Are the Best Bralettes Out There

From Parade to Savage X Fenty, we put that wire-free life to the test

The big WFH joke was that the underwire bra wasn’t going to make it back from the mass casualization and comfortication (yes, that’s a made-up word) that lockdowns brought on. When popping two metal rods around your ribcage to fight the forces of gravity suddenly seemed like an affront, the bralette was there to catch many of us with moderate support, natural shape and wear-all-day (sometimes overnight!) comfort.

I hopped on the wirefree train years ago after buying a single modal bralette on deep sale from the Gap for an extra-long-haul flight, which blew my mind because it felt like wearing nothing, like a cottony cloud has simply descended to envelop me softly yet somehow hold everything aloft. Not as firmly as a structured bra, of course, which still has its place for formal occasions and for those who need support that spandex just can’t provide, but certainly enough for everyday. I went back and bought two in every colour. That particular modal bralette has since been discontinued, and I’ve been wearing my stash to shreds and making frequent suggestions to bring it back in Gap’s review sections.

So my hand was up like a shot to take on this category for the Shop Smart awards, and I tested bralette after bralette under various tops and dresses, in varying weather and for various levels of activity, from wrangling my 4-year-old in a sweaty circus tent to doing my daily after-work yoga. Here are the ones that I liked the best.

 

Winner: Everlane

Bralettes shopsmart Everlane The Cotton Bralette
Everlane The Cotton Bralette, $42, everlane.com. Photo: Everlane
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The cost

$42

The sizes

XXS to XXL

The review

I find myself reaching for this dependable, simple cotton bralette most mornings—it can’t be denied that Everlane knows its way around a basic. It’s soft and very comfy with the perfect amount of stretch (92 per cent cotton, 8 per cent elastane to be exact), and it’s made of double-layered supima cotton, which means it can offer coverage, smoothness and support without the need for much seaming, structure or bulk. The fabric gets softer with each wash (I’ll be curious to see how it holds up after a year or two of constant wear). It’s cut low enough at the front and under the arms to work under almost every top, and I love the cut—not quite a triangle, not quite a scoop neck. It gives great shape, and the bra clasp means the band is adjustable. My only quibble is the two short seams in the lower centre of each cup are sometimes visible under a thin, clingy tank. It’s a decent price, comes in interesting neutrals (I have the taupe-y Heathered Brown Sugar colour which works great under a white T) and comes in a good range of sizes, which is not a given in the bralette space.

 

Best mesh bralette: Mary Young

Bralettes shopsmart Mary Young Kendi Bra
Mary Young Kendi Bra, $76, maryyoung.com. Photo: Mary Young
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The cost

$76

The sizes

XS to L

The review

Think of this as your best evening-out bra that happens to have no underwire and be extremely comfy. Made in Canada by the wonderful lingerie and loungewear designer Mary Young, this bralette is sophisticated and sultry, but also very well-structured with seaming that helps to keep everything lifted and secure. The mesh, which is entirely sheer and made up of 80 per cent nylon and 20 per cent spandex, is soft and doesn’t irritate the skin or leave an imprint (that’s a thing!). The straps and band are very delicate, framing the upper back beautifully, but don’t feel like they’ll give way. I find the sides sit fairly high under the arms, which makes for alluring glimpses of mesh beneath a slouchy dress or muscle tank, say.

 

Best bralette size range: Parade

Bralettes shopsmart Parade New:Cotton Scoop Bralette
Parade New:Cotton Scoop Bralette, $44, yourparade.com. Photo: Parade
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The price

$44

The sizes

XS to 3XL, plus 1+ to 3+

The review

This is a scoop neck style and feels so secure but not bulky at all. The soft fabric is a complex blend of Tencel (made from sustainably grown trees), recycled cotton scraps and elastane, and feels like soft, matte cotton as opposed to activewear fabric. There’s a concealed stretchy band that really helps everything stay put without feeling tight, though you pull it on over your head, so the back width isn’t adjustable. You can detach the straps and turn it into a cross-back style, which not many bralettes allow for. I love that this comes in no less than 10 sizes; larger sizes have clever design tweaks like wider straps for more support. Bralettes for all! It also comes in 10 colours, including various neutrals as well as sunny yellow and a bumblebee print.

 

Sweetest cotton bralette: Kit Undergarments

Bralettes shopsmart Kit Undergarments Organic Cotton Triangle Soft Bra
Kit Undergarments Organic Cotton Triangle Soft Bra, $50, thirdlove.com. Photo: Kit Undergarments
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The cost

$50

The sizes

XS-L

The review

This utterly charming bralette comes courtesy of Kit Undergarments, the brand started by fashion stylists Simone Harouche and Jamie Mizrahi—whom you may recognize as the famous friends of celebs like Kate Hudson, Kim Kardashian and Nicole Richie—which they sold to undies startup ThirdLove. Harouche and Mizrahi’s eye for style is apparent here—this bralette looks like it belongs on the set of The Virgin Suicides with its beguiling edging and simple shape, though the hook and eye closure makes it feel more substantial than a pullover training bra. It’s comfortable and the fabric (95 per cent organic cotton, 5 per cent spandex) feels wonderful against the skin. The sizes do run large: I had to size down to a small, whereas all the other winning styles here were fine in a medium. It comes in white, black, a lovely dusky pink and a micro floral print for maximum sweetness.

 

Best minimal bralette: Fleur du Mal

Bralettes shopsmart Fleur du Mal Organic Cotton Luxe Triangle Bra
Fleur du Mal Organic Cotton Luxe Triangle Bra, $95, fleurdumal.com. Photo: Fleur du Mal
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The cost

$95

The sizes

XS to L

The review

You know how the Haim sisters seem to dress exclusively in the coolest, most minimal black bralettes? (Who needs shirts!) From my extensive research, I think theirs might be custom made to withstand all that jumping around on stage, possibly by luxury lingerie brand Kiki de Montparnasse, but this one by the equally chic Fleur du Mal (founded by Jennifer Zuccarini, who was a Kiki co-founder) is the closest thing I could find to replicate the look—and it is fire. Minimal and elegant, it looks amazing under a strappy black dress—it would also work beautifully if you were brave enough to do the bralette and blazer trend (I wasn’t). It’s made of the softest cotton fabric (there’s a satin version as well), and has the slimmest, most luxe-feeling satin straps that are adjustable. The band is interesting—it has a single clasp and a stretchy band covered with fabric, which has give but means you can’t adjust the band like with a three-hook bra closure. Those who require full-cup support will likely have stopped reading this review at the mention of “minimal” and it’s true, there isn’t a huge amount of support—think a string bikini, which gives great lift and looks so good on but does leave you with a slight element of will they won’t they fall out? I say channel a rock star and live a little!

 

Best bralette under a white T-shirt: Gap

Bralettes shopsmart Gap No-Show Bralette
Gap No-Show Bralette, $46, gapcanada.ca. Photo: Gap
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The cost

$46

The sizes

XXS to XXL

The review

I wear a lot of white T-shirts, ranging from sheer to opaque, fitted to boxy, so this is a key category for me. I hate it when seams on cups are visible through the T, and this one has seamless cups, as well as a great shape and structure, offering separation and lift more than a triangle shape does, and it never feels tight on the ribcage. The fabric is very thin and feels a bit plasticky for my liking (it’s 71 per cent nylon, 29 per cent elastane), but on a boiling hot day I still didn’t notice I was wearing it. It comes in a range of neutral shades—a medium beige is pictured—I have a pale peach colour that’s not trying to be a Caucasian “nude” but blends well under a white T.

 

Best lace bralette: Savage X Fenty

Bralettes shopsmart Savage x Fenty Floral Lace & Mesh Bralette
Savage X Fenty Floral Lace & Mesh Bralette, $45, savagex.com. Photo: Savage x Fenty
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The cost

$45

The sizes

XS to 3X

The review

It’s right there at the top of the product page on the Savage X Fenty site: “Rihanna’s pick.” And I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a touch influenced by Rihanna’s general spectacularness in wanting to try this bralette. I didn’t love all the Savage X Fenty bralette styles I tried, actually, because the fabrics didn’t feel that nice or there was metal hardware that’s made to be seen, not worn comfortably, but this one really nails the lace bralette brief. It’s a beautiful floral lace pattern that’s placed in such a way as to make it seem like goth flowers are gently growing up around your decolletage and across your back, with hits of mesh to break things up. It’s made of a nylon/spandex blend, with 40 per cent recycled nylon fibres, and feels stretchy and not particularly soft, though the band is cleverly covered in a satiny fabric that feels great. The straps are thin and prime for coyly showing on your shoulders a little, and the coverage is generous, so you won’t fall out when you bend over. True to Savage X Fenty form, there’s a great range of sizes. The reviews say to size down—I felt fine in my regular size, but one size smaller probably would result in a bit more lift and cleavage (and potential to fall out, oh well! It is Rihanna after all).

 

Best supportive bralette: Frank and Oak

Bralettes shopsmart Frank & Oak The Organic Cotton Bralette
Frank and Oak The Organic Cotton Bralette, $50, frankandoak.com. Photo: Frank and Oak
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The cost

$50 (some colours on sale for $20)

The sizes

XS to XL

The review

Some bralettes leave you feeling like you’re bouncing around when you cross the street—not this one. It’s made to support, with stretchy yet firm fabric (95 per cent organic cotton, 5 per cent spandex), a wide, soft band at the ribcage and great coverage—nothing is falling out if you do a few downward dogs in it. While doing so, it pulls off the trick of managing to feel a little revealing, with a strategic cutout in the centre that doesn’t compromise the shape. It’s so substantial that it did feel a little warm on one of those 35-degree days, so I save it for more reasonable weather.

 

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