THE BASIC BRA KIT – 5 EASY PIECES

The basic bra kit includes a smooth, t- shirt bra, which is an everyday bra for most women; a strapless/multiway convertible; sports bra; little black bra; and leisure bra.

T-shirt/Everyday Bra

T-shirt/everyday bra is the one you instinctively reach for upon dressing. It’s the one that disappears under your silk blouses and fitted t-shirts/tops and is completely invisible. Favorites at Bra Tenders include: Wacoal La Femme, a molded demi cup bra available from A-G in black and nude; Fantasie 4510 Smoothing demi for full busted gals; Natori Feathers, a plunge front, lace trimmed, lightly lined cup to a G; Chantelle 1241 Invisible Memory Foam, low coverage demi cup up to DD.

You should have 2 nude and 2 black of your basic everyday bra. If you find a style you absolutely love, consider buying 6 in whichever color you use most. That way, when the bra becomes discontinued (as is eventual with most bras over time) you will have a stash to keep you covered. I buy 6 nude and 6 black of my favorite bra, and keep 2 of each in rotation. When they are shot, I toss them without remorse knowing that I’ve got more to rotate. Yes, it’s an investment, but if we’re not worth investing in ourselves, who, or what is?  

Sports Bra

Sports bra with adequate support for the type of fitness regimen you have. High impact bra required for high impact sports and activities. Medium support for yoga, Pilates, or activities that don’t involve a lot of jumping, running, full body contact. If you are full busted, look for bras that encapsulate each breast individually and don’t give you Uniboob. The more times each week you work out, the more bras you will need in your rotation. You can wear your bra 1-3 times before washing. Obviously, if you’re drenched at the end of the workout, you’ll want to give your bra a bath.

Time Saving Tip:  

Fill the sink with water and a mild soap — we like Forever New for its elastic preserving polymers, but anything you’d wash baby clothes with is perfectly OK.  Rinse your bra during your shower, and then air dry.  

Bra Tenders top Sports Bras are Fantasie 4002 and 4004 for full busts, and Natori Zen and Fantasie Freestyle for yoga, pilates and stretching.

Strapless Bra and/or Strapless Low Back Bustier  

Find a strapless that defies gravity and holds your girls aloft. Once you put that bra on, just like your other bras, you should forget about it.  I can’t tell you how many events I’ve attended where the majority of the women wore strapless attire and spent the evening tugging at or adjusting their bras. This is across the board on sizes, but especially for fuller busted women.  This is an indication the bra is the wrong size, the wrong type, or both.

And don’t forget, strapless fashion is a great idea that does not work for everyone. Bra Tenders stocks 3-5 strapless bras up to a G cup that provide the lift, support and comfort of every great bra. However, because of a little thing called physics, backless bras beyond a G don’t exist. If you remove all the structures of support from the garment — sides, back — there is no way to boost the bust.   

The one thing you can do that will save hours of frustration and time is have a bra fitting before you shop for your seasonal wardrobe. Have your eye on a cute little strappy top?  See what’s available in your bra size that will enhance the look of the top. Unless your breasts are still firm, high and perky, without a bra, with boobs near your belly, the sex appeal of the top droops.

Best selling strapless from D-G: Fantasie 4530 Smoothing strapless which provides incredible lift and support; Wacoal Red carpet strapless; Freya Deco strapless; Prima Donna Divine strapless. For A- D cups, Le Mystere Sculptural strapless; Calvin Klein F3493.

Little Black Bra

Just as we should each have the ubiquitous Little Black Dress as part of wardrobe preparedness, so, too do we need a Little Black Bra.  Maybe you like to feel flirty and feminine all the time, and don’t mind the seams and texture of lace under your clothes, and wear lacy bras all the time. In my 40 years experience, I’ve met fewer than a dozen women who wear a “fancy” bra everyday. But there are times when we want to feel extra special or are heading straight from work to a date that could end with a little sudden exposure. It doesn’t require much to prepare when you have a sexy bra or two in your collection.

One of Bra Tenders’ best sellers is Simone Perele Wish Demi bra, a sheer and lace demi cup bra with a center seam for great lift. Options abound.

LEISURE BRA – Freya Fancies Full Busted Bralette

Bra manufacturers finally understood that women with larger breasts want to have the comfort of a non-wired bra,  without the requisite drooping or sagging that typically happens when the wires are removed. Wires contain and shape the breasts, and some wire free options mush the boobs to the east and west and into the armpits. Most bralettes pull over the head and are stretchier than their more constructed and supportive cousins. Frequently called a “weekend” bra, bralettes give you the confidence of light support when you’re hanging out with the kids at home, having a casual brunch with friends, or if you are just uncomfortable not wearing a bra. Our customers love Freya Fancies.