Angela bra, $52, The Little Bra Company

A parcel made its way to me from The Little Bra Company containing the company’s best selling T-shirt bra, Angela.

As I tore open the box, my excitement mounted: Angela was presented in a neat package of pink tissue paper, surrounded by extras like pin badges (with jaunty messages like “Make Mountains out of Molehills”) and a pretty, branded notepad.

Details, little details. They make all the difference — and I felt sure that the bra would be brilliant if it were equally attentive to the minutiae. What I saw looked like it fit the bill. A quality bra with a no-fuss design and clever moulded cups.

I tried it on immediately — and this is what I found…

Angela bra, $52, The Little Bra Company
Seller's blurb: This is The Little Bra Company's bestselling T-shirt bra. It has a deep plunge shape, smooth cups and convertible straps, so that it can be worn with T-shirts and also racerback or halter tank tops.
LooksThe bra looks great. The sweet-heart neckline, nicely shaped cups and the high quality of the fabric are notable. The design, manufacture and even packaging all smack of care and attention.5/5
FitTLBC advises customers to round up one band size. For example, if you usually wear a 32A, a 34A should be right. It also says that its bras are made specifically for smaller proportions, so the cups are slightly smaller. For these reasons, though I am usually a 32AA, I tried the bra in 34A. I think this would have worked if my breast tissue were just fractionally fuller. However, I found that the cup gaped ever so slightly. The 34A, I imagine, would be ideal for 32A women (and some 32AA).3/5
ComfortApart from a very slight rub where the strap joins the cup, this bra is very comfortable to wear. The company provides clear instructions on how to get a comfortable fit on its website, by doing the "scoop", and the technique is spot on.4/5
UpliftUplift is very impressive with this bra, thanks to the moulded contour of the cups.5/5
VERDICTThis is a lovely bra, no doubt about it. A great design, well-crafted to deliver a curvier shape and a bit of "oomph". However, the fit was not perfect for me. TLBC says a lot of 32AA customers find that the bra fits them in 34A. So I'd say it's definitely worth trying it out if you are 32AA or 32A.17/20

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Leopard Couture Bra, $55, Itty Bitty Bra

With thanks to Jane Alden Hodgdon, President and CEO of IBB Designs (the makers of Itty Bitty Bra). Jane kindly shared some insights with me about the AA-cup bra market and her role as the designer and developer of the Itty Bitty Bra collection: a fashionable, comfortable bra range aimed at small-busted women who are “Itty Bitty and proud!”. 

What triggered your personal decision to launch IBB Designs?

It began as a personal need. After years of searching, I realised there simply wasn’t a bra on the market that fit me — or the millions of other women in my size range. I eventually decided I had to design and develop Itty Bitty Bra to give people like me a brand they can call their very own.

Why are AA-cup women so ignored by most lingerie manufacturers?

It seems to me that most large manufacturers think it’s more cost effective to serve the mid-range sizes, perhaps wrongly assuming that these are the majority. I was recently told that even the larger department stores are moving away from ordering AA, A, and some B-cups. Consequently these lower ranges are considered niche markets and their potential is largely ignored.

The manufacturers who do supply small-cup bras don’t generally invest in developing the right designs for small-busted women. They equate “small-busted” with “petite” and AA-cup and A-cup styles are often poorly scaled down versions of B and C-cup styles with shortened straps.

How did you develop the Itty Bitty Bra?

The development process took over a year – it was a very challenging, exciting and creatively fulfilling journey. I started with the cup design, which required a considerable amount of time to produce accurately. Because I was unable to find a suitable company in Los Angeles, I then had the mould made by a cup manufacturer in Canada. With the help of a patternmaker in New York, I created the very first sample. And that brought me to a manufacturer who helped me develop the line into a finished product. Today, we produce all the pieces in factories in China. I went there myself a year ago to see first-hand that the garments are made precisely and efficiently.

What new styles are coming soon?

The existing range includes the original Signature Bra, the Bralette, the Strapless Bra, the Removable Pad Bra, the Couture Bra, the Boy Short, the Thong and the Camisole.

New styles will be added this summer: Removable padded bras in three new patterns — houndstooth, gold paisley, and a navy geometric design — and matching boyshorts. We are also launching a workout bra very soon that has removable padding and matching boyshorts. And we’re developing a bra with no underwire, light padding with convertible straps.

What unique qualities does a small-cup bra need to have?

A small-cup bra needs to be comfortable — with no gapping, no puckering, and no slipping. The cup needs to be specifically designed for “true” AA, A, and B-cup bodies. Also, in my opinion, the design should be made from soft and pretty fabrics that can be worn every day.

To find out more about Itty Bitty Bras visit their website or that of their UK supplier, Perfectly Petite Lingerie.

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