I Tried The T-Shirt Bras My Audience Swears By & Found Three That I Loved
Bra haters, this one's for you...
Ever want to troll yourself so hard that you’re ready to Google the price of boob-lifting surgery? POSE FOR UNFLATTERING PHOTOS IN YOUR UNDERWEAR!! There is nothing quite like taking photos of yourself in your bra to share online (non sexy), and then pasting them next to photos of models to make your post-pregnancy, breast-pump-lengthened chest tissue look a little, well, deflated. I imagine this would all have been eradicated had I had the foresight to throw on a layer of fake tan the night before I shot this post, but alas (I just bought this* on Reva’s rec). Behold my pale cleavage, mottled with the odd patch of psoriasis all in the name of good bra research. We’re all friends here, right?
Spurred on by Ardas’ ‘Building Your ‘No Skips Underwear Drawer’ post, I realised that my underwear drawer as it was, was entirely skippable. Socks aside (LE BON SHOPPE FTW!), the majority of my underwear had been swimming around in my dresser for years, had lost all support and was sprouting random pieces of elastic from the seams. It was time.
Pants were easy. The Underdays Everyday Thong is my seam-free workout option, and the Hanky Panky Signature Lace Low-Rise Thongs* are my slightly sexier, yet still comfy choice. In the summer, when I’m wearing mini dresses, I wear the Negative Underwear Cotton Mini Boy Shorts* underneath. EASY.
And then, for bras, I stocked up on the Hanky Panky Signature Lace Bralettes* in the chai, black and white colourways. If I want something lacy, they are what I reach for - and I have done for years - so I replenished my collection. But I knew I needed something more substantial. A sort of T-shirt bra. This was my criteria:
Non-wired. I’m sorry, I just can’t do it. I know you forgo a lot of support when you lose the wire in bras, but it’s been years since I’ve worn a wired bra and I ain’t about to start that up again.
Preferably little to no padding. I’m just not big into padding. I quite lament my pre-baby smaller bust and don’t love to make it even bigger, you know?
Available in black and white. Bonus point for a clay colour, as I find it to be the best under white tees.
I asked in the chat for your top recommendations; you lot answered, and I spent a lot of money on bras. Here are my findings:
For size reference, I’m 5’7”, a U.K 12 and usually a medium in most clothing. I’ve been measured and tried on a ton of bras and usually come up as a 34 or 36 band with a B or C cup. For the purpose of this post, I ordered a handful of sizes to try on at home and see what felt best.
Triumph Soft Sensation Padded Bra*, £30. Overall, this bra was really comfortable, but sadly the straps were far too narrow, which I felt gave the cup a pointy, Madonna cone-bra appearance. Not exactly the look I was going for. I tried both a 36B and 36C and felt like the former gave the best fit.
Triumph Body Make-Up Soft Touch Padded Bra*, £44. Watch out when you’re ordering this bra as there’s an underwired version and a non-wired version. I got the non-underwired one, but I genuinely had to check it over because I didn’t understand how it provided the support it did without the wire. I also noted that the band felt tight, and I was wearing a 36C here. There’s a lot of moulding in the cups, but they got in the way as I moved around. It's a proper bra - a bit too much for me - but if you want a full-coverage, supportive option, it’s one to consider.
Negative Underwear Whipped Non-Wire Bra*, £69. Compared to the others, this is a slightly skimpier choice. I did initially want something more cup-like rather than a bralette, but so many of you recommended this, and now that I’ve tried it, I see why. I fell in love with the comfort of this one - it doesn’t feel like you’re wearing anything! I used the size charts on their website and ordered a 2, which was a snug yet still wearable fit. I would HAPPILY buy more of these, plus it comes with a matching underwear option*, which, as a gal who prefers to wear sets, earns a bonus point from me. It just made me feel good.
Negative Underwear Glacé Triangle Bra*, £74. The second-most-recommended style from Negative is more of a classic triangular shape, which I personally like. Basic, in the best kind of way. Again I ordered the 2, but this had such a tight fit on the band and cut into my boobs a tad, that if I were to reorder, I’d try a size up. It felt sexy, but simple. It’s not see-through either, so a good option for sheer tops; I wouldn’t mind this being out on show a little.
Intimissimi Emma Natural Cotton Triangle Bra* - £25. I’m wearing the 36C here, but don’t you just think it looks a little uninspired? Like, it’s fine. It’s got a high cotton content, so it’s nice and soft and extremely comfortable. Plus, it’s affordable - we love to see it. But I just don’t feel like it wowed me. The sizing is also extremely limited.
Intimissimi Laila Microfibres Bra Top* - £39. My notes for this bra were extensive - I had a lot to say!! The first thing I wrote was ‘my god, this is the most comfortable bra I’ve tried’. The wings are pretty hefty, which means you don’t get that awkward cutting in around the back of your armpits. I would gladly wear this all day. I tried both the medium and the large, and even though I could squeeze into the medium, it gave serious cleavage, which just isn’t very me, though the fit was more like how it looked on the model. The larger size does have a lot of coverage, so, annoyingly, I was a bit between sizes here; otherwise, I would have bought another five on the spot.
Stripe & Stare T-Shirt Bra*, £30. I can’t deny that this was comfortable, but I might as well have just been wearing a vest - there really is zero support here. I went true to size and found the medium to be the best fit, but compared to everything else that I tried on, it just didn’t really hold up (literally).
Boody Wireless T-Shirt Bamboo Bra*, £24.95. Ok, I love this one. It’s a little heftier than what I originally had in mind, but my word, I could sleep in this thing. There’s support, but it’s not suffocating, and there’s a lot of fabric in the back, which means there’s no digging in. There is padding, but I’ll experiment with how it looks when it’s removed. I’m wearing the medium here, but I’m wondering if a small would bring the old fellas together a little more - I’ll have to get back to you on that one. If the Negative Underwear Whipped Non-Wire Bra* is my summer T-shirt bra, this is my winter one, as there’s just more of it. It’s also worth noting that the size range is generous, and they offer three styles based on cup size.
…and for my final verdict:
If you want an everyday bralette that’s ridiculously comfortable - Boody Wireless T-Shirt Bamboo Bra*
If you want something that’s a little sexier and barely there - Negative Underwear Whipped Non-Wire Bra*
If you want a non-wired bra that really feels like a BRA - Intimissimi Laila Microfibres Bra Top*
I’ve personally kept the Boody Wireless T-Shirt Bamboo Bra* - although I will play around with the sizing a little to see if I can get a slightly more lifted fit. And I ripped the tags out of the Negative Underwear Whipped Non-Wire Bra* the minute I tried it on. As I’ve been writing this post, I’ve ordered two more for myself (one white, one buff). If I could pick a true winner, it would be that one, as it was exactly what I was looking for when I compare it to my original criteria. Non-wired, no padding and a good colour range. Bra haters, you’ll love it.
Now I’ve got a new problem. I’ve got myself a no-skips underwear drawer, but I just can’t fit it all in…
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Best bloody post ever! So incredibly helpful with real life, unposted photos to get a good feel for the bra. Also, I’m part of the no wire club🤓 can’t stand them! Have so far resorted to proper sportsbras but these seem so much nicer! 🥰
Thanks for doing the research for us non-bra lovers! I dislike the feeling so much that I hardly ever wear a bra at all, but I think I’ve gotten to the point where I’d like a bit more shape again after all 🙃