Cosabella

Helena Christensen famously stated in an article for the London Evening Standard that her “personal obsession is lingerie,” and you certainly can’t fault her taste in lingerie designers. The Danish supermodel has been photographed with a Cosabella shopping bag hanging off her wrist, and by the looks of the hot-pink tissue paper peeking out, it seems this mother-of-one picked up some goodies from the fun and flirty Italian brand. Christensen is also no stranger to Victoria’s Secret, having formerly been a Victoria’s Secret Angel.

Another celeb fan is Triangle star Melissa George who has also been spotted with the iconic black Cosabella bag in hand, complete with the same pink tissue paper peeking out the top. The Australian-born actress is known for having fun with fashion and experimenting with style, so it’s little wonder she is drawn to Cosabella’s bold and bright patterns and colors.

Wacoal

The most well-known advocate of Wacoal’s beautiful yet practical bra designs is Oprah Winfrey; the all-American lingerie brand has been featured countless times on The Oprah Show. As for the global TV personality’s personal Wacoal bra of choice, it’s said to be the Slimline Seamless Minimizer. Oprah is certainly not alone in loving this bra. With its ability to minimize any figure by one full cup size, it’s a worldwide favorite. Meanwhile, Hollywood actress Whoopi Goldberg favors Wacoal's Everyday Soft Cup Bra, which she was already championing on The View as far back as 2007.

Among the younger generation of Wacoal lovers is the hit girl group Pussycat Dolls, showing that the classic and timeless designs of Wacoal Intimates appeal to all ages and tastes.

Betsey Johnson

Britney Spears has long been a fan of the Betsey Johnson Intimates range. The pop superstar has been wearing the legendary designer’s stunningly intricate bras on red carpets around the world for years. At the 2001 VMAs, the "Baby One More Time" singer memorably wore Betsey Johnson's black Eyelet Lace Demi Bra underneath an amazing Dolce & Gabbana lace mini-dress. The dramatically dark opaqueness of the bra was the perfect counterpoint to the daring sheerness of the dress.

Calvin Klein

Isn’t it annoying when you put on your favorite backless vest top and forget that everyone will see your bra band the moment you turn around? It’s even more irritating when you happen to be a world-famous film star and there’s always a paparazzo nearby just waiting to snap a photo of you. Luckily when this happened to Megan Fox, she was wearing Calvin Klein's Perfectly Fit Push Up Bra with Lace. When you have such good taste in bras, forgetting to keep them covered up isn’t such a big deal after all.

Bras are notoriously difficult to buy for other people, regardless of whether the buyer is a man or a woman. The secret to doing so successfully is to plan ahead. If you just go online or wander into a store without at least knowing what you’re browsing for, you’ll run into trouble. So how do you buy a bra that the recipient will be thanking you for? Start by taking these factors into account:

SIZE

The most important thing is to find a bra in the right size. You might already know the would-be recipient’s bra size. If not, find out.

Depending on your relationship, it may be entirely acceptable for you to look in her lingerie drawer to see what size her bras are. Maybe you root around in one another’s stuff all the time! If not, the safest bet is to just come out and ask her. Explain that you’d like to treat her to some lingerie, so you need to know her bra size. Don’t worry about "ruining the surprise"—she may know you’re buying a bra for her, but she won’t know which one. (Plus, a surprise is pointless when it doesn't fit.)

BRAND

Do you know what the recipient’s favorite brand is? Even if you don’t know all the different lingerie designers by name, you should hopefully have an idea of the lady’s favored fashion styles. Compare and contrast a few of our favorite brands to see which ones are best suited to her style.

Calvin Klein:  You can’t go wrong with a classic and world-renowned designer like Calvin Klein. CK's lingerie collections are particularly notable for their clean designs and no-nonsense fit. Calvin Klein is ideal for the woman who wants classy and stylish underwear of the highest quality.

Cosabella:  Fun and flirty, this Italian designer is loved worldwide by people who like to experiment with bright colors and bold patterns. Cosabella is for those who like to have fun with their fashion, but who also appreciate the best in European craftsmanship.

Goddess: If you’re buying for someone with a bigger bust, this English designer is certainly worth a look. Goddess understands that full-figured women want to feel sophisticated and glamorous, and the brand's supportive yet elegant designs reflect this.

STYLE

Bras come in several different styles. The two main factors that dictate the style of bra we wear are our body shape and the outfit we’re wearing. Here’s a rundown of the different styles, who wears them, and why.

Full Coverage:  Full-cup bras are the most popular with fuller-figured women because of the support they provide. They’re best worn under less revealing outfits so that they’re less likely to become accidentally visible.

Demi-Cup: If the woman in your life loves wearing V-neck tops, she probably loves  half-cup bras. A demi-cup covers less of the breast than other styles, allowing the bra to be teamed with low necklines without the risk of the cup peeking out.

Plunge: If her favorite tops are too low-cut for even a demi-cup bra, then she'll love getting a plunge bra for a gift. As the name suggests, the plunge bra is especially designed to be worn under plunging necklines. The angled cups eliminate all risk of peek-out.

Convertible: This is the bra for the lady who likes wearing all kinds of outfits. She can adjust the straps to suit whatever clothing she’s wearing. And if she’s going strapless, she can remove the bra’s straps completely.

Racerback: Is the gift recipient always running around? If so, it’s more than likely she can’t enough of the racerback.  This type of bra is popular with physically active women, because it’s a convenient cross between a sports bra and a regular bra.

If all of this makes bra shopping for someone else sound like too much hard work, don’t sweat it—you can always ask the recipient to pick out the bra she wants herself. Yes, this completely takes away the element of surprise, but at least she’s guaranteed to get exactly what she wants.  And, after all, isn’t that what you want for her?

How to determine your (U.S.) bra size:

1.  Put on your most comfortable bra.
2.  Circle a tape measure around your rib cage, just below the breasts. To get the most accurate measurement, make sure that there is no breast tissue in the way of the tape and that the tape is parallel to the floor.
3.  If your measurement is less than 33 inches, add 5 inches; if it is greater than 33 inches, add 3 inches.
4.  If you end up with an odd number after Step 3, add one additional inch. This is your band size.
5.  Next, wrap the tape measure around the fullest part of your bust, again ensuring that the tape is parallel to the floor. This is your bust measurement.
6.  Finally, subtract your band size from your bust measurement. The number that remains is used to determine your cup size. See the following chart:

Once you've completed this (or had a bra fit specialist do it for you), you now know your bra size. Of course, the problem with this method is that it doesn't account for several things like:

• Small (and sometimes large) variations in how bra manufacturers size their bras.
• Your unique shape.
• Various bra styles and how they fit.

The secret to finding a bra that fits well:

Instead of accepting your band and cup size as set in stone, use it as a guide. It's a good idea to try on at least three different bra sizes for every style you're interested in. For example, if you're a 40D, try on a 40D, a 38DD, and a 42C. You may even want to try a 40DD and 40C, as well. Why? One thing that never gets explained is that as band sizes increase, cup sizes decrease. So in the above example, a 40D, 38DD, and 42C all share the exact same cup size. You'll want to keep this in mind if, say, the 40 band fits just right but your breasts are actually larger or smaller than the D cup. Another possibility is that you are in fact a perfect 40D, but the bra style you selected runs large/small or has a shape that doesn't quite fit you.

In short, never accept that your bra size will always be the same for every bra. Always try a bra in a few sizes to get the absolute best fit--or to determine that a particular style probably isn't right for your unique shape.

Tips for selecting an appropriate style for your shape:

• If you have wider breasts that protrude from the chest less, try a soft-cup style.
• If you have narrower breasts that protrude from the chest more, try a minimizer or full coverage bra.
• If your breasts don't fill the cups completely (the fabric buckles or the bra doesn't hold the breasts against the chest when bending over), try a soft cup, a non-molded cup, a padded or push-up bra, or go down a cup size.
• If your breasts are too large for the cups (they spill out the top/bottom, or the bra's center gore doesn't lie flat on your chest), try either a full-coverage, soft-cup, or minimizer style, or move up a cup size.
• If you find that your bra strap is digging into your shoulders, find a bra with a wider band and wider or padded straps. This will help take some of the weight off your shoulders and reduce the pain that develops when your bra straps dig in.
• If the bra band digs into your back, go up a band size (and down a cup size), or find a bra with a wider band.

Conclusion:

Finding the perfect bra is as easy as taking a few extra minutes to try a few different sizes for every style you're considering. The time spent will pay off when you find a bra that actually fits well, and makes you feel good inside and out—all while being comfortable, supportive, and looking great under your clothes.

Correct bra size

The majority of women are actually walking around in the wrong size bra. If your straps are digging into your flesh or slipping down your shoulders and your cups are crinkling or riding up on you, you’re one of these women. It can be tricky to measure yourself accurately at home, so it’s worth getting a professional to do it. In fact, many department stores now offer free bra-fitting services. Once you start wearing the right size bra, you'll not only notice a major improvement in your overall appearance, you'll feel much more comfortable.

Getting enough support

Even if a bra is technically the right size for you, it might not be giving you all the support you need. Depending on the size and shape of your breasts, you may feel more comfortable in a sturdier bra with underwires (that don't dig in) and fuller cups. If you’re a fan of pretty, stylish bras, it’s not impossible to find one that’s also practical and supportive. Nowadays, there are so many options that you should be able to find pieces that look and feel the way you want them to.

Quality

Just like with shoes, the better the quality the more comfortable the bra will be. For this reason alone it’s worth spending a few extra dollars on good-quality bras for everyday wear. We’re not saying you necessarily have to spend a fortune—there are plenty of brands that offer good quality for a good value. These include Figleaves, Victoria’s Secret, and Playtex.

Strap style

With such a wide variety of strap styles available (classic, halterneck, racerback, etc.) there is truly something out there for everyone. Experiment with a few different styles to find out which one is most comfortable for you. You may also want to consider investing in a convertible bra that allows you to alter the strap styles. Or, depending on how much support you need, you may find that you actually prefer a strapless bra.

Fabric

Most people forget this one, but it's a biggie as fabric affects comfort, shape, and support. The good news is that whether you're looking for something that breathes or something that's as soft as it is supportive (or all of the above), it's out there. People tend to think that cotton is the most comfortable option, but that's not necessarily true—nylon, polyester, satin, lace, spandex, and various light microfibers can be just as smooth and even more supportive (though some lace can be a bit itchy). Typically, your best bet is a fabric blend.

So there you have it—once you know what to look for, the task of finding a comfortable bra will become much easier. And once you do find one, bra-wearing will never be the same!

Stretch vs. Non-stretch

The center gore can be made from either stretch or non-stretch material. Non-stretch center gores offer significantly more support than stretch center gores, so bras specifically designed to provide extra support will always feature non-stretch gores.

Width

Center gores also vary in width. The widest can go right up to the nipple line and are designed to provide the most support, while the thinnest are ideal for plunging neck lines and tend to look less bulky under clothes. Sports bras typically have much larger center gores in order to provide maximum support and keep breasts in place during exercise. One thing to keep in mind is that if your center gore is too wide across, your cups will be too far apart. This will result in a poor fit even if the bra is the right size. The good news is you can always alter a center gore that is too wide by pinching it together and sewing it up. If you want a less visible center gore and a good deal of support, you can also try an underwire bra with a deep gore. For the most revealing necklines, try either a deep-plunge bra or a bra with a clear center gore.

Lying Flat

The center gore should lie flat on your chest so that your breasts remain separated by it. This is extremely important. If the center gore sticks out and there’s a gap in between it and your body, your breasts may come together. This can cause discomfort such as rubbing. Your breasts may also spill out of the bra’s cups. If your center gore lies flat on your skin and you're still nervous about your breasts spilling over, try a bra with a higher center gore.

Design

Ribbon bow accents are a common decoration for center gores, as are ruching, brocade, and lace detail. If the gore is big enough, it may have the same pattern as the rest of the bra, such as polka dots or tartan. Center gores can also have cut-out patterns or metal charms, and some bra designers use this opportunity to put their logos on the center gore.

It's funny how such a tiny area of the bra can hold so much style and provide so much support! Just remember to make sure that the center gore lies flat on your skin, and don't forget to have fun trying different designs and decorations.

Bra-strap styles:

• Classic - Most bras have a strap on each side that runs from the cup in the front to the band in the back, resembling the straps of a slip or camisole. This style of strap is typically adjustable and available in varying thicknesses.
• Halterneck - Halterneck bras have a single strap that wraps around the back of the wearer's neck and attaches to the cups at the front. This eliminates the appearance of bra straps on the upper back and is perfectly suited to wear with halterneck tops or dresses.
• Low-back - Available in both classic and halterneck styles, a low-back bra uses a variation of the standard band—often employing additional straps that wrap around the wearer's lower back—that makes it invisible under a backless dress.
• Racerback - Common in sports bras, this style of strap forms a "V" pattern on the wearer's upper back and features a center panel of fabric that connects to the band, thus leaving the shoulders and shoulder blades exposed.
• Clear - An alternative to going strapless, clear straps provide the security of a strap but in a more camouflaged style.
• Convertible - Convertible bras come with straps you can detach and convert into several of the above styles. These often come with clear and opaque strap options.
• Strapless - Sometimes you just need to go strapless. A good strapless bra will rely on other parts of the bra (band, fabric, underwire, boning, silicone strips, etc.) to stay in place. A longline bra is another strapless (and low-back) option.

Bra-strap myths: DEBUNKED!

• MYTH: Bra straps support your chest. It is a common misbelief that bra straps provide all the support. In fact, straps are meant to be stabilizers and provide just 10% of a bra's overall support; it is the bra band that actually provides the majority of the support. Therefore, the assumption that wider straps are necessary in order to get more support is also false.
• MYTH: Plus-sized women can’t wear strapless bras. Related to the last myth is the myth that you need straps if you have a big chest. Because the support is actually coming from the band not the straps, women with large breasts can wear strapless bras. There are plenty of high-quality strapless bras out there with additional features like boning in the cups that will give women of all shapes and sizes the support they need.
• MYTH: You should never show your bra straps. Sorry, mom. Of course there are situations in which you shouldn’t let your bra straps show, such as at a business meeting or formal event, but now that straps come in all different colors and patterns and with various trims and embellishments, there is nothing wrong with having some fun matching your straps to the rest of your outfit. (Just make sure they're clean!)
• MYTH: It’s normal for bra straps to slip down sometimes or dig into your shoulders. This is probably the biggest misconception of all. Your bra straps should never cause you any discomfort. If they do, it’s probably because you’re wearing the wrong size bra as we’ll explain below.

Knowing your size:

Avoiding bra-strap problems is one of the many reasons why you need to know your correct bra size. If you wear a bra in the wrong band or cup size, your straps may:

• Slide off your shoulders.
• Be too tight and dig into your skin.
• Ride up and cause excess rolls of skin to appear.

Adjusting your straps:

Sometimes your straps slide off your shoulders even if you’re wearing the right size bra. This is because strap elastic stretches over time through normal wear and tear. Most bra straps are adjustable, so this problem can be resolved by simply tightening the straps. However, if you’ve already tightened them as far as they can go, try cutting a little bit off the strap and then sewing it back together. It also might be time to buy a new bra.

So while bra straps may not be as important as you'd thought in the way of support, they are a big part of achieving the look you're going for. Not only can you customize them to your outfits, you can have fun with colors, patterns, embellishments, and designs.

Bra Closures and Their Features

A bra closure is what fastens and unfastens a bra. It usually consists of a series of hooks and eyes with the hooks on one side of the closure and the eyes on the other, but it can also consist of an interlocking clasp in the case of many front-closure bras. Bras with a back closure often have more than one column of eyes, allowing the wearer to adjust the tightness of the bra as she sees fit.

Front vs. Back

Bras can have a back closure, a front closure, or, as with some sports bras, no closure at all. Back closures are the most common. This is partially because it’s not necessary to have a front closure in order to fasten a bra from the front—since bras are elastic, you can always put one on with the closure in front, fasten it, and then reverse it. Of course, many women can fasten back closures without needing to reverse the bra first, but many still find it cumbersome. There are also some women who can't fasten back closures at all; for example, women with an inflammatory condition such as arthritis.

Comfort

So which style is the most comfortable? You may get a completely different answer depending on who you ask. Some women find front-closure bras more comfortable than back-closure bras because the back closures can dig into the small of the back. Front-closure bras also tend to have stronger bands, thus providing greater back support. On the other hand, some women find front-closure bras uncomfortable because the closure can dig into the chest and because they lack an adjustable band. Front-closure bras are also more likely to come undone accidentally, especially when you bend over or cross your arms. In relation to bust size, back-closure bras tend to give more overall support and are often preferred by women with larger busts. Front-closure bras are typically soft cup, and while they are available with underwires, you won't find them in larger sizes as often as you will back-closure bras.

Appearance

Back-closure bras tend to create a more streamlined silhouette. When you’re wearing a tight-fitting shirt, it’s preferable to wear back-closure bras in order to guarantee a smooth outline. Front-closure bras are better suited for plunging necklines and common on both T-back and push-up bras.

At the end of the day, it's really a matter of preference. Many women wear both back and front closure bras and notice very little difference between the two. If it's a good quality bra and the size is right, the closure should be comfortable in the front or the back. Try both for yourself and see if one type is more suitable for you.

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.

Freya dazzled us with Faye, a sexy, edgy range inspired by the brand’s famous Pollyanna collection. We particularly love the black Faye Underwire Balcony Bra, which features playful black-and-white print, sheer black lace, and black-and-white striped bow detail. Others to check out from Freya are the Nieve Padded Sapphire Longline Bra, a stunning floral-print creation that brilliantly combines vintage design with a bold pattern and cute rose ribbon trim, and the Erin Midnight Balcony Bra, which teams blue and white pinstripes with an elegant flower pattern and hot-pink bow adornments.

Betsey Johnson had some fantastic new arrivals on the scene this summer, as well. The Cotton Modal Lace Bralette contrasts a bright-pink rose pattern with a dramatic black background. Equally sweet is the Bubble Mesh Balconette Bra. Its design consists of large white polka dots against a pastel blue background, stylishly finished off with delicate pink bow detail. Making the loudest roar is the Slinky Knit Lightly Lined Demi. This bra combines an edgy blue leopard print with stretch black lace and ruche detail on the center gore.

Influenced by the past, present, and future, the latest Elle Macpherson Intimates collection made a statement with bold colors, elaborate lace designs, and sexy slinky knits. The Spree Bra comes in an eye-catching Superhero Blue, complemented by sophisticated stretch lace and bright yellow bow detail. Sun Stone is a bra that captures the current retro trend with its quilted satin and vintage cream color. The Bare and Bold T-shirt bra range is the ultimate in comfort and practicality with its smooth slinky knit and its basic black and American nude shades. This bra is available with and without stretch lace sides. Finally, satin and lace are both used to maximum effect with Fly Butterfly Fly, a stunning tropical green creation.

The best of La Perla’s latest collections include Glam, Romantica, and Timeless. The Glam Triangle Bra is available in the prettiest of pastel colors, but it's as sexy as it is sweet thanks to the daringly sheer cups. From the same collection, the Glam Push-up Bra features geometric multi-patterned lace, giving a modern edge to a classic style. In the Romantica range, stretch Lycra ensures the T-shirt bra is the ultimate in comfort, while Leavers lace sides give it a touch of class. The collection’s balconette bra also features Leavers lace, which complements its sheer cups perfectly. The Timeless collection includes a push-up bra and a triangle bra, both of which boast the lightest of stretch tulle.

Wacoal’s Bras of Summer range has every look covered, from sporty to strapless. If you love to get active, check out their selection of sports bras, all of which use the advanced moisture management fabric Naturexx to keep you cool, dry, and performing at your best. To keep it casual, try out seamless T-shirt bras such as the Embrace Lace Contour Bra, which packs a stylish punch while remaining invisible under even the tightest of shirts. Wear your strapless summer dresses while you still can with the Naturally Strapless Underwire Convertible Bra. This fantastic bra comes with clear convertible straps that you can adjust to achieve the exact neckline and strap style you’re looking for, and is great all year round.