Writer Molly Lamoureux previously told us the Feathers is “the unicorn of undergarments.” Lori Kaplan, owner of Bra Tenders, says, “It’s a very lightweight, deep-plunge bra with a little lace trim, so it’s good for T-shirts but it still has some feminine effects.” Parsons fashion-marketing student Tammy Lee seconds the plunge point, describing how “its low cut is flattering for A cups because you can see cleavage,” but “your boobs also look natural while being held up, even though it’s not a push-up.” Dale, Harrington, and Sapna Palep, CEO of luxury lingerie retailer Journelle, name-checked the Feathers as well. If you’re an eagle-eyed Strategist reader, you might have noticed the Feathers topping our overall list of the best bras.

It would be wrong to call the Feathers bra a cult favorite - it’s just popular, period. Sizes: 30A–38DD | Underwire: Yes | Cup style and coverage: T-shirt-style cups with a light lining and molded mesh “ makes my boobs look equal and perky without overly drawing attention to them,” she says. Corsillo was initially doubtful of ThirdLove’s promise of a perfect fit but became a convert, even breaking her “no underwire” rule. Although it’s a T-shirt-style bra (which is designed to create a smooth silhouette even under - you guessed it - T-shirts), the memory-foam cups are cut a little lower, making it more of a “fashion-y demi bra.” Adelson, a strap-slippage sufferer, says the pleated strap design keeps this bra in place while Ro isn’t particularly fond of the pleats - she believes they don’t make a big difference - she agrees that the bra fits and wears really well. In Adelson’s guide to the best DTC bra brands, it won high marks for invisibility and comfort. This bra earned a stamp of approval from three former and current discerning Strategist writers: Karen Iorio Adelson, Lauren Ro, and Liza Corsillo. The brand offers half-cup sizes for in-betweeners. What makes this ThirdLove T-shirt bra stand out from the rest of the contenders we considered is the number of sizes to choose from. Sizes: 32A–44H with half-cups (like A½) | Underwire: Yes | Cup style and coverage: T-shirt-style with memory foam cups for a light lining So a bra in a size 36AA is the equivalent cup size of 34A, 32B, and 30C bras, which theoretically gives you a few more options to try within a given brand’s size range. That means as you go down a size in a band, you go up a cup size, and as you go down a cup size, you go up a band. And a note about cup sizing in general: “The actual cup changes in size as you move across bra-band sizes,” Dale says. Although not all three brands are name-checked below, we did focus on retailers offering a range of sizes and noted the sizes each of our bra picks comes in (including if a company uses its own system instead of a traditional band number and cup letter). A similar sentiment was shared by undergarments educator Kimmay Caldwell and Elisabeth Dale, author of The Breast Life Guide to the Bra Zone, both of whom mentioned shopping at start-ups like Pepper, Lively, and ThirdLove.

If you’re a AAA or AA cup, which are oftentimes rare to spot off the rack, your best bet is to look for brands that specifically design for smaller chests, says Cora Harrington of The Lingerie Addict. But if you wear a bigger band (like a 48A), it’s usually slim pickings. If you’re in the A to B cup range, there are ostensibly more options, from lacy lingerie and padded push-ups to barely there bralettes. While the intimates industry has become more size inclusive, the default range tends to fall between 30A and 40D. And if you’re looking for (wireless) bras for bigger breasts, we’ve got a guide for that, too. Scroll onward for all those recommendations or click on one of the bolded links below to skip ahead. To make the guide as comprehensive as possible, I also searched through our archives for highly praised styles. So to put together this guide on the best bras for small breasts, I spoke with stylish small-chested women and with professionals who fit bras for a living. Bra shopping is notoriously stressful, but word of mouth is a good starting point. It does its job of supporting, sculpting, or just defending against unwelcome nip slips without a single pinch. After all the uncomfortable underwire, skintight straps, and cups that floweth over that I’ve suffered through in the process, here’s my theory: A great bra is one you don’t have to think about. It has taken me years (and a few dressing-room meltdowns) to find a bra that makes me feel okay about my chest - and a couple more tries to find the ever-elusive perfect one.

Arq wide strap