Tales From the BRABAR Studio: How To Find the Perfect Strapless Bra For Dances?

Finding the perfect comfortable bra is difficult.  Finding the perfect strapless bra is even more of a challenge.  The strapless bra hugs your ribcage and covers your bust with no threat of falling.  Occasionally, depending on the brand, you may want to size down in the band.  There are many types of strapless bras as there are many outfits that need specific types of strapless bras. 

Bandeaus bras for tube tops, longline strapless bras, and plunge strapless bras are just a few styles available on the market for strapless options.  Naturally, there is also the sticky strapless bra and body tapes as an alternative.

But the best strapless bra is an all-around use for anyone’s wardrobe and a good strapless bra is one that you will not have to replace for a few years depending on how much you wear it.

As typical in the BRABAR Studio during the springtime, teens, and tweens come in with their mothers, aunts, or older sisters to be fitted for a strapless bra for their school dance dresses.  One such instance was a mother bringing her teenage daughter and her tween daughter into the studio for strapless bras for their dresses.  The mother wanted them to be measured for the correct bra size before anything else.

I brought them back into the fitting area and I measured the older teen first so her younger sister wouldn’t feel as nervous.  The older teen measured a 32-inch rib cage measurement. Therefore, she had a 32-bra band size.  Her overbust measurement was a 38-inch bust size.  To get your bra size, you subtract your bra band size from your bust size.  The difference between her two measurements was a 6-inch difference.  Each inch is a cup size, so 1 inch is an A-cup, 2-inch is a B-cup, 3-inch is a C-cup, 4-inch is a D-Cup, 5-inch is a DD-cup/E-cup, and 6-inch is a DDD-cup/F-cup.  Since a 6-inch difference is a DDD-cup/F-cup, the first teen girl was a 32DDD bra size.  She had a petite ribcage but a full bust.

Then, it was the tween girl’s turn to be measured.  She was a little nervous as it was her first time being measured but since her sister had been measured so easily, she allowed me to measure her.  The tween measured a 27-inch rib cage measurement.  Therefore, she had a 28 bra band size.  Her overbust measurement was a 31-inch bust size.  To get your bra size, you subtract your bra band size from your bust size.  The difference between her two measurements of 28 and 31 was a 3-inch difference.  Each inch is a cup size, so 1 inch is an A-cup, 2-inch is a B-cup, 3-inch is a C-cup, 4-inch is a D-Cup, 5-inch is a DD-cup/E-cup, and 6-inch is a DDD-cup/F-cup.  Since the difference is 3 inches, the tween girl was a 28C bra size.  She was both petite in the ribcage and a petite overbust.

Once the teenager and tween were both measured, it was time to pick out options to try on for their dresses.  The older teen girl also needed an everyday bra.

For both, I suggested:  

• The classic Everyday Bra is a versatile, all-day supportive bra with a back closure featuring a smooth design and removable cups for comfort and style. This bra comes in three everyday colors: Black, Mushroom, and Natural Gray. Natural Gray and Mushroom are good neutrals to use under white and light-colored tops. Black is a great all-around bra. The everyday bra has adjustable straps.
• The best-selling Soft Day Bra with back closure combines the everyday ease of a bralette with a surprisingly supportive bra. The Soft Day Bra comes in three everyday colors: Black, White, and Ballet Pink. The Black Soft Day Bra is a great all-around, everyday bra. The Ballet Pink is a fun, yet neutral color to go under those white shirts and it won’t show. After all, white under white shows. The White Bra is good for when you need specifically a white bra.  It can also be used under dark shirts.
• The BRABAR Soft Strapless Bra is ultra-versatile and comfortable. Our Soft Strapless Bra top offers endless styling options. This strapless bra top is ideal for off-shoulder, one-shoulder, and halter styles, providing both support and style. The strapless bra is a bra for tube tops as well. It’s a practical choice for everyday use in spring or summer but for all year.  The strapless bra comes in two colors:  Black and Mushroom, both great basic colors for under any outfit.

In addition to the BRABAR Soft Strapless Bra as an option, I suggested these alternatives:

• The Strappy Halter Bralette is a strappy halter bra that blends a seamless design with all-day comfort. The Strappy Halter Bralette can double as a medium-impact sports teen bralette. It can also be used as a halter bra top, with a leather or jean jacket over top, or on its own.  This multipurpose option is a great addition to a wardrobe.
• The Lace Halter Bralette is a beautiful lace halter bralette that combines feminine details with everyday comfort and support. The Lace Halter Bralette is ideal for a teen girl's daily activities or as a medium-impact sports bra. It can also be used as a halter bra top, with a leather or jean jacket over top, or on its own.  This multipurpose option is a great addition to a wardrobe.
• The Open-Back Backless Halter Bralette is a great option for backless and open-back outfits. It provides style and support.  It can also be used as a halter bra top, with a leather or jean jacket over top, or on its own.  This multipurpose option is a great addition to a wardrobe.
• The Soft Crop Multiway Convertible Bra Top is ultra-versatile and comfortable, our soft multiway convertible bra offers endless styling options. Wear it as a backless halter bra, create a criss-cross style, or use the fully adjustable cami straps to achieve your perfect fit. It's the ideal bra or top for any outfit. The Soft Crop Multiway Convertible Bra Top is a great multipurpose bralette for teens option where you can change the straps to become a thin halter bralette, a criss-cross back teen bralette, or a one-shoulder bralette. With some adjustment, it would also make for a casual strapless bra.

The outcome was positive.

The sisters tried on the Strapless Bra, Everyday Bra, Soft Day Cra, and Soft Crop Bralette.  Both teen daughter and tween daughter loved the Strapless Bra.  The older teen girl got the Strapless Bra in a 32-34.  The young tween got the Strapless Bra in 28-30.  In addition, the older teen girl got the Everyday Bra in 32-34.

The mother thanked me for the time and patience to help her daughters pick out the best strapless bra for their use and a good everyday bra for her older daughter.  Finding a place with a variety of bralettes for teens and tweens.

They left satisfied and happy.

Here’s the cheat sheet on how to find the correct band and how to measure bust sizes:

• Measure Underbust: Wrap a soft measuring tape around your body, right below your breasts. The number you read on the tape is your band size. Round to the nearest even whole number. 
• Measure Overbust: Wrap a soft measuring tape around your body, over the fullest part of your breasts. The number you read on the tape is your bust size; round to the nearest whole number. 
• Calculate Cup Size: Subtract your band size from your bust size. This number is your cup size or the volume of your breast tissue. Your cup size in inches is represented by an alphabet (sizes AAA to DDD/F). 1 inch = A cup, 2 inches = B cup, 3 inches = C cup, etc.
• Your bra size is your band size + your cup size alphabet. BUST - BAND = Cup Size in inches
• This is converted to bra size as Band Size and Cup Size