An SBBH reader asks, “I’m looking for pretty non-padded bra, something lacy and lovely. All AA bras seem to be heavily padded or filled with liquid. I don’t want my bust to look big.”
Say what? You’re happy being small-busted? This seems incomprehensible to a lot of folks — among them, some lingerie manufacturers. But I totally see where this reader is coming from. Not all small-busted women aspire to be more voluptuous. Some are happy with their bodies as they are and feel no urge to “hoist em up” or boost their cup size with padding or gel.
Which leaves lingerie with only one role: to make its wearer feel like a squillion dollars. So, off I trotted to put my reader’s question to some of my favourite champions of small-cup lingerie. And here are their recommendations for unpadded, gel-free, beautiful bras-for-bras-sakes:
Marks and Spencer: “Our Limited Collection bras are very pretty. They are lightly padded, but this is more about giving the bra some shape, rather than giving the wearer a bigger bust.”
Perfectly Petite Lingerie: “Bralettes are great for the petite bust — a cross between a bra and a bikini top. They’re unwired and made from stretch fabric, so they are very comfortable. I recommend the very pretty lace-trimmed Itty Bitty Bralette.”
Palm Print bra, Limited Collection, M&S
Itty Bitty Bralette, Perfectly Petite Lingerie
A Little Something Fit: “Our favorite non-padded bra is Timpa’s Duet Lace underwire demi bra. It’s a beautiful style with cups made from sheer mesh with a scalloped lace trim. The A-cup fits most AA-cups.”
Eve’s Apples: “I recommend the Eberjey India bralette: it’s lacy, elegant, comfortable and versatile. It looks good on all body and breast shapes, including shallow breasts and petites.”
Timpa Duet Lace demi bra, A Little Something Fit
Eberjey India Bralette, Eve's Apples
Lailides: “I recommend our Serenade bra, which is non-padded, made from really beautiful lace and just lovely. It’s very comfortable and gives the bust a totally natural shape, which is not pushed-up or enhanced.”
Dainty Lady: “We make a great range of natural looking, lightly padded bras, with no gel. Our Fleur bra, Passion Flower bra and Magnolia bra all fit the bill. All the bras we make (by hand) have a soft, very comfortable 5mm foam lining, with small pockets and soft pads.”
Serenade bra, Lailides
Fleur bra, Dainty Lady
