Back to Basics, Pt. 2: Gathered Bras

Happy Friday girls! We’re back with part two of back to basics series and we’re going to talk to about.. well, your girls. It’s bra talk fashionistas, and it’s a key foundational element to a gathered look. There is pretty much nothing more ruinous to a cute bodice, blouse, or top, then to have erratic, lumpy, floppy, or - excuse the made up expression - nipply lines created by a bad bra choice (or no bra at all). As I said in Back to Basics, Pt. 1, “to put it simply, your underwear supports your outerwear. The wrong undergarments will ruin an outfit.”  Applying excellent knowledge of the basics makes the line and flow of your clothes a cinch to perfect, and that’s all there is to it. Let’s get started, shall we?

The pic above shows just a glimpse of the diversity within the category of the brassiere. (For more basic and helpful walkthrough of bra styles click here.) I’ve heard lots of jokes about taking a swing at the evil man who invented them, but they actually date back to ancient Greece or even farther, so they’ve been with us a long time. Currently, statistics show that 75 - 90% of women wear bras daily. It’s important to get this right! Here are some helpful tips to pair bras with clothes perfectly every time. You’ll be so delightfully gathered!

Step 1: Consider your boobs.

 Here is where we stop to take a look at ourselves. All nakey. In the mirror. (Hopefully you do this all the time. I do. It’s good for your self-esteem and self-acceptance. And you will be hotter because of it.) Now.... look at your boobs. What kind of bra will suppport, lift, and separate your girls? Are you small and round? Large and ripe? Medium-sized and conical? Your bras should fit your breasts themselves, and not every bra style is a win for every breast type. In other words, a smaller less round breast might benefit from a plunge or demi-cup style with padding (which will shape the breast and add a bit of volume while creating cleavage) , whereas a larger, fuller breast would benefit from a full coverage bra with less padding and fuller straps (which will support the breast and not add volume and not overflow the bra because larger breasts tend to need no cleavage help).

Note: if looking at your breasts fills you with confusion about what styles to buy and what looks good, seek professional help at your nearest quality boutique that sells a variety of brands and styles and does bra fittings. It’s not something easily explained in this format, and experts are experts for a reason.

Now that you have good bras styles that work well with your breasts and your closet is stocked with the right things...

Step 2: Consider your bodice

A bodice is the upper part of a woman’s dress, but for our purposes this will stand in for whatever clothing you’ve decided to wear to cover your top half, whether a tee, halter, blouse, button down, crop top, etc. You must look at this piece of clothing every day and decide which bra will work well underneath to support and enable that bodice to get its best look. That means paying attention to these factors :

• Neckline. (i.e. is it scooped, vee, boatneck) 

  • Pair any neckline with a bra that a) does not show above the neckline, b) does not show above the rise in the back, and c) does not created too much cleavage or bulging. This also applies to when sitting down and leaning over. Test this to be sure. Nothing worse than giving the pimply-face barista at starbucks a cheap thrill when leaning over to sign your receipt (<--- real life example!)

• Straps or Sleeves. (i.e. is it cap sleeved, off the shoulder, tank top, racerback, strapless)

  • This is the most common and easily identifiable issue with a bad bra choice. Visible, distracting bra straps. Endeavor to hide your bra straps completely by choosing a bra with the same strap configuration as your top. There are many bras that have changeable strap configurations for this reason. If all else fails, wear a strapless bra.

• Fabric type. (i.e. heavy cotton, drapey jersey, transparent chiffon)

  • When your bodice lays against you, can the impression of the bra or your nipples be seen? Take action against this! Try seamless bras or t-shirt bras to calm this effect under most generic tops. Use a camisole underneath a transparent top unless you are intentionally baring your bra. Don’t wear a textured lace pattern underneath a clingy fabric - it will show through.

• Color

  • There's nothing worse than getting everything else right and then the bra color or pattern shows through your clothes. Try again if this happens. It never looks good!

 

Use these tips to ensure that you’re always supported, lifted and separated under those lovely gathered clothes ladies!