There are many iconic English bra-makers that have been producing stunning yet comfortable bras for decades. What makes English bras great is their diversity. English lingerie designers are increasingly creating bras for all shapes and sizes—and they don’t compromise on style. In fact, English bras are often at the cutting edge of fashion with daring color combinations, unusual patterns, and creative use of top-quality fabrics. English designers are also masters at creating classic bras in timeless styles. Whatever you’re looking for in a bra, you’re sure to find it if you go English.
Popular English bra brands:
- Elomi—allowing the fuller-figured woman to enjoy lingerie that is both strikingly elegant and reassuringly comfortable.
- Fantasie—part of the same parent company as Elomi, Fantasie specializes in bras for women with larger busts.
- Freya—an Eveden brand along with Elomi and Fantasie, Freya is famous for its fun, flirty, and daring designs.
- Goddess—much like Elomi and Fantasie, Goddess is an expert in creating beautiful yet supportive bras for the fuller-figured woman.
- Panache—this award-winning brand produces bras in cup sizes ranging from AA to KK and has several sub-brands.
English Bra Sizing:
The English bra-sizing system varies only slightly from the US bra-sizing system. Both countries use the same numbers to identify band size. So if you wear a US bra with a band size 40, you’ll also wear a UK bra with a band size 40. Cup sizes are also the same until you get up to the larger sizes. The first difference occurs with the US cup size E, which is equivalent to an English cup size DD. Further, an American F, G, and H are respectively E, F, and G in England.
Conversely, English cup sizes are the same as French and Italian cup sizes, but the band sizes differ. UK band sizes 32 and 34 are both equivalent to the French band size 90; a UK 36 is a French 95; a UK 38 is a French 100; a UK 40 is a French 105; and a UK 42 is a French 110. For UK band sizes 32, 34, 36, 38, and 40, the corresponding Italian band sizes are 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
One thing that is important to note about English bras is that many women report that English sizes are a bit more flattering. In other words, the best fitting bra may have a larger cup size and smaller band size. If you wear a 36C in the US, you may want to try a 34D from an English brand. This isn't always necessarily true, but good to know, just in case!
As you can imagine, there’s a huge selection of different English bra styles, so we’ve picked out a few of the most popular ones to make the selection process as straightforward as possible for you:
Popular English Bras
Elomi Caitlyn Underwire Bra
Comfortable, discreetly concealed underwire gives women with larger chests great support and lift. But that doesn’t mean that style is lacking—the luxurious embroidery on the upper half of the cups adds more than a touch of femininity, while the bold amethyst color gives the bra a striking sense of fun.
Freya Fiesta Half Cup Padded Bra
With its bright and bold pattern, this bra really is the lingerie equivalent to a fiesta. The vibrant print includes cheerful, summery colors like pink, yellow, and sunset orange. The padding enhances your shape while the seductive, half-cup balcony style means you can wear it underneath the most daring of summer necklines.
Panache Harmony Lace Balcony Bra
This sexy, lacy black bra is the perfect representation of a woman’s seductive and sophisticated femininity. The swirled nature of the lace detail adds an element of elegance while the concealed underwire ensures that this bra isn’t just about looks but is amazingly supportive, too.
