"You’re having a near-perfect morning—the sun is shining, the weather is a breezy 70, you got enough sleep, and you have your favorite latte in hand ready to start the day. Nothing can ruin it, right? Wrong. Nothing can ruin it quicker than your ill-fitting bra that’s gaping at the cups, too tight on your ribs, and stabbing you because the underwire poked through six months ago and you haven’t parted with it yet.
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This was the game I’d been playing for as long as I can remember. For as important as bras are—both in comfort and fit—considering that you wear them every single day, I’d just never come around to prioritizing buying them. The ones I wore were worn-out, didn’t fit right, and made me feel frumpy far too often. So finally, in a years-overdue moment, I decided to invest in a few bras that I actually wanted to put on.
I’m a 34D, so I’m while I’m not the chestiest person in the world, I’m relatively chesty, and I am concerned about keeping the ladies contained and secure. If they aren’t, I feel uncomfortable, frumpy, and like it’s impossible to look put-together—you know the feeling.
After some research, I found three with the highest ratings I could find; people swore that they were all comfortable, flattering, and wear-everyday worthy. And thus began my experiment into finding the perfect bra—and that I did.
Bra 1: The Knix Evolution Bra
This was the first bra I ordered—I’d been seeing it online for months, and it couldn’t look more comfortable and supportive. Online, this bra looked like it would be my clear winner; it’s reversible, wire-free, and is described as having “comfort you’ve never experienced before.”
When I took this out of the package, I couldn’t have been more shocked. The material wasn’t at all what I expected—the only thing I can think to compare it to is a thin scuba suit. To put it lightly, it’s unlike any bra material I’ve ever experienced.
This bra has a few distinct pros and cons. First off, it’s unpadded and wire-free—so if you’re planning on wearing it with anything tight, be prepared to reveal a little more than you would with a padded bra. But because of the material, it’s shockingly supportive and didn’t leave me feeling naked or like I was just wearing a bralette. This bra really is in a league of its own—in terms of a bra to wear with T-shirts and sweatshirts during my work-from-home days, this was the winner by a mile. It can’t be compared to anything I’ve personally tried before, and if I were to invest in any more bras, they’d be more from the wire-free Knix line—it’s the closest to a “no bra” bra that you’ll ever come.
BEST: Of all that I’ve tried, this is hands-down the most comfortable.
WORST: If it’s cold, you’ll likely be nippin’ through it
PERFECT FOR
Anyone who wants a super comfortable, everyday bra
Bra 2: True&Co. Lifting Seamless Wire-Free Bra
I got this bra after the Evolution Bra out of the need for one that’s comfortable but still has padding. This one looked like it was still comfortable, but provided more coverage for when I needed it.
I’d describe this bra almost as a sports bra/ regular bra hybrid. The material and fit are very reminiscent of a sports bra but in a wearable, put-together way that makes it perfect for day-to-day life. It provides a ton of support, and the amount of padding is just right—not too little, not too much. Another perk of this one is that it definitely has a lifting element to it, but not in a way that feels uncomfortable; it just gives you a little extra oomph than the Evolution bra. It’s also completely seamless and is totally undetectable underneath clothes.
Overall, I find myself reaching for this bra and the Evolution bra pretty interchangeably—unless I’m leaving the house and don’t feel like bearing my nipples to the world, in which case I’d reach for this one.
BEST: This is the best option for both comfort and coverage
WORST: This one is a little bulkier than its competition
PERFECT FOR
Anyone who wants to upgrade from wearing a sports bra every day
Bra 3: Lively The Mesh Trim No-Wire Bra
I bought this on a whim when I saw it on sale on Nordstrom’s website one day. It looked comfortable and flattering, and I loved that it was deeper cut for days when I need that in a bra.
Out the gate, this fit me perfectly but was a little stiffer than the other two I’d tried. This bra is ribbed, and it needed a few wears of “breaking in” before it felt totally comfortable; but now that it is, I love it too.
This bra is your run-of-the-mill, regular bra, just with no uncomfortable underwire, which was something I was missing in my new collection. If we were in the office working every day, of the three I’d tried, I could see myself reaching for this one the most; it feels the most appropriate for out-of-the-house life and wearing real clothes. It also is amazing because it comes in four different shades of nude, so many skin tones could find one that fits their skin tone and can become invisible underneath clothes.
This bra is very, very supportive and can also turn into a racerback, which I’ve already taken advantage of. Even though this has standard straps, it’s never dug into my shoulders or felt noticeable; it’s comfortable enough to forget you have it on.
BEST: This is a more comfortable upgrade of your run-of-the-mill, everyday bra
WORST: It takes a few wears to break it in
PERFECT FOR
Anyone sick of an underwire making their go-to, everyday bra uncomfortable
Source: Knix
I’ve found that all three of these bras have their own, unique uses:
- The Knix Evolution Bra: For the ultimate comfort on work-from-home days
- The True&Co. Lifting Seamless Wire-Free Bra: For days that I need a little more coverage
- The Lively Mesh Trim No-Wire Bra: For days I’m actually going out or leaving the house
Between the three of them, I’ve been able to throw away all—yes, all!—of my old, worn-out bras and exchanged them for days of comfort and bras that actually fit.