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The 10 Best Strapless Bras of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

Yes you can get a strapless bra that doesn’t slip, poke your sides, or look too bulky.

Collage of the Skims Ultra Fine Mesh Strapless Bra and a person wearing the Skims Ultra Fine Mesh Strapless bra on a brown background

InStyle / Reese Harrington

Finding a good strapless bra can be a challenge, to be sure. But once you find the perfect one that doesn’t slip, provides coverage, and looks invisible under clothes, there’s really nothing a strapless bra can’t do that a strapped one can. As a matter of fact, you’ll likely get even more wear out of strapless bras, considering they work with open-shoulder tops and typically come with convertible straps in case you do want the extra security. But to save you the trial and error, we set out to find the best ones ourselves.

In the span of two weeks, we sent 15 of the most popular strapless bras on the internet to our esteemed team of editors to see which bras held up, felt comfortable, looked good, and didn’t cause any irritation. We tested each product on two different people with varying bra sizes — in most cases, one small cup size and one large — to ensure the bra worked across all body types. Those that didn’t meet our standards were cut, and the remaining nine were compiled into this list as our winners.

Spanx Up For Anything Strapless Bra

Spanx

Our Ratings
  • Fit
    4.5/5
  • Support
    4.8/5
  • Quality
    5/5
  • Comfort
    5/5
  • Adjustability
    5/5

What We Love: The bra stays put, even on big chests, never requiring you to adjust it throughout the day.

What We Don’t Love: The padding enhances larger cup sizes a little too much.

We had high expectations for our strapless bras: it should fit like a glove, remain in place the entire day without leaving markings on the body, and feel comfortable enough for us to want to wear it. We found all those qualities — and then some — in this Spanx strapless bra.

We tried this bra on two different chest sizes — B and DD — and we were equally impressed with how it performed on both. It never slipped or required us to consistently pull it up as we wore it throughout the day. Spanx uses a trademarked rubber band, called the SmartGrip strap, around the edge of the bra, which helps keep the bra in place; however, it never rubbed or dug into the skin because combined with the soft nylon and memory foam cups, the bra truly felt like a breeze on. We forgot we were even wearing it.

We weren’t too surprised to see it perform well on a smaller chest, but we were delighted with how well it supported bigger chests. Just be aware that there is a light padding in the bra, which really enhances larger breasts. We appreciate how lifted our breasts looked, but we know not everyone wants the extra boost.

Material: Nylon, elastane | Size: 32A-40DD | Colors: 2 | Padding: Yes | Straps: Yes

Maidenform Ultimate Stay Put Strapless Underwire Bra

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Fit
    4/5
  • Support
    4/5
  • Quality
    5/5
  • Comfort
    3.3/5
  • Adjustability
    5/5

What We Love: It fits snugly under your chest and helps keep the bra in place for the entire day.

What We Don’t Love: For larger chests, the band and the boning on the sides can begin to feel uncomfortable after some time.

Quality bras have always been a bit of an expensive commodity, but we’re here to tell you that you don’t need to spend a fortune just to get a little support on your chest. Case and point: this Maidenform bra.

The smooth balconette-style bra fits just right, cupping what needs to be cupped and hugging the body in a secure grip without feeling constricting. We noticed the silhouette disappear underneath our clothes, giving away no signs of seams from underneath.

The band also comes with an intentionally tight grip, which keeps the piece from ever slipping down. We preferred the fit on smaller chests, rather than larger cup sizes, though, (unless it is worn for a very short period of time), because the band felt a little too tight. It dug into the skin and felt like a constant reminder of its existence. There is also a decent amount of padding in the cups, which held up the chest in a nice supportive way, without making them overwhelmingly large.

Material: Nylon, spandex | Size: 34A–40DD| Colors: 3 | Padding: Yes | Straps: Yes

Cosabella Never Say Never Plungie Strapless Bra

Cosabella

Our Ratings
  • Fit
    4.5/5
  • Support
    5/5
  • Quality
    4.5/5
  • Comfort
    4.5/5
  • Adjustability
    5/5

What We Love: The deep plunge of the bra makes it easy to wear with a wide variety of tops and dresses with low necklines.

What We Don’t Love: Due to the lace portion, you’re required to hand wash the bra which can become tedious.

If you’re anything like us, then you’re probably buying a new bra, say, every one to two years. In that case, it makes sense to put a good coin into your purchase. The Cosabella Never Say Never Plungie bra not only functions perfectly – with its mid-width band, silicone band to prevent slipping, and padded cups for a fuller bust – but looks appealing as well, thanks to the lace underlining.

The band comes with four different lengths with hooks, which is one more than most bras, to give us a little more freedom to customize the length to our bodies. And while it never felt too tight or painful, we did notice some markings on the skin from where the band and boning were as well — though we have to say, that’s not that uncommon with strapless bras that rely on tight, supportive bands to hold everything up.

While wearing this, we never had to tug and adjust the bra into place. It remained put without ever feeling uncomfortable or painful. We particularly loved how the plunge cut allowed us to wear it underneath V-cuts and dresses with low necklines, something we noticed to be rather difficult with standard strapless bras. Even underneath simple tops, you couldn’t see the smooth cups beneath it at all. The lace, on the other hand, was sometimes noticeable if the fabric of the shirt was extra thin. Please read the directions that tell us not to machine wash this. We made the mistake of throwing it in the washer and dryer, only to find some fraying on the seams. We snipped off the loose threads with a small scissor, though, which took only a few minutes, but you can avoid this mishap altogether by just hand washing it.

Material: Polyamide, elastane | Size: 34B–36F | Colors: 3 | Padding: Yes | Straps: Yes

Aerie Real Sunnie Strapless Lightly Lined Bra

Aerie

Our Ratings
  • Fit
    5/5
  • Support
    5/5
  • Quality
    5/5
  • Comfort
    5/5
  • Adjustability
    5/5

What We Love: The full-coverage and lack of boning is extraordinarily comfortable, allowing us to wear it for hours without any discomfort.

What We Don’t Love: The top lining of the cup slightly curves outward.

Everything we’ve mentioned so far has padding for an additional lift. But this one, however, does not. Instead, it offers a smooth layer over the bust and keeps things as minimal and sleek as possible. While there is an underwire that keeps the material in place, there is no boning on the sides, making this piece extra comfortable.

Putting this on made us feel like it was the first time we could wear a strapless bra for an extended period of time without it being intolerable. The band is tight enough to stay in place, along with the silicone along the cups, but is hardly noticeable on the body thanks to the lack of caging digging into the sides.

We appreciated how on our bigger busts, the full-coverage cups gave us a little more security On top of that, the material almost felt wicking. After a night of dancing, the bra didn’t absorb the sweat or feel like it might slip down as we began to heat up. And it held up in the washer, coming out in the exact same condition as when we first purchased it.

We did notice that the top began to curve outward ever so slightly after some wear, almost seeming like it stretched out. When on, we didn’t notice how it protruded when under a shirt, but we could predict that this may become more prominent after some wear.

Material: Recycled nylon, spandex | Size: 32A–36DDD | Colors: 5 | Padding: No | Straps: Yes

Pepper MVP Multiway Strapless Bra

Pepper

Our Ratings
  • Fit
    4/5
  • Support
    4.5/5
  • Quality
    5/5
  • Comfort
    4.5/5
  • Adjustability
    4/5

What We Love: The bra sits flat against the chest, leaving no space between the skin and the material.

What We Don’t Love: The thicker band makes it a little difficult to pair with cropped shirts.

Any initiated member of the itty bitty committee will fully understand the struggle of wearing a strapless bra that doesn’t lay flat against the skin. That’s where Pepper comes in. This strapless bra, designed specifically with small bust sizes in mind, gives you the slight support needed, yet doesn’t overwhelm the bust with too much extra fabric or gap at the top because of a too big cup.

Only offered in sizes AA, A, and B with band sizes up to 40, the lightly lined bra features some mild caging around the sides, which combined with the thick band, helped keep the item in place. Despite wrapping tight around our body, we could never feel the tags or the silicone rubbing painfully against our skin.

A quick round in the washer made no difference in the quality of the bra either. We were pleased to pull out a piece that maintained the exact same shape as it originally came in. While it continued to provide ample support, we were slightly displeased with the inability to wear the bra with certain shirts like crop tops, as the band is rather thick.

Material: Polyester, elastane | Size: 30AA–40B | Colors: 6 | Padding: No | Straps: Yes

ThirdLove 24/7 Classic Strapless Bra

ThirdLove

Our Ratings
  • Fit
    4.7/5
  • Support
    4/5
  • Quality
    5/5
  • Comfort
    3.7/5
  • Adjustability
    4.5/5

What We Love: The bra provides full coverage and support, which looks great under clothes.

What We Don’t Love: After several hours, the band begins to feel a little uncomfortable.

We know, finding a strapless bra as a plus-sized woman can feel like a tricky dance, but Thirdlove’s Classic Strapless Bra made our girls feel supported. The number one aspect we paid attention to here was whether or not this piece provided ample coverage and comfort, which this bra from ThirdLove definitely did. With soft foam fabric and ever-so-gentle padding, the bra provided us with support and lift, yet not enough to be considered a push-up. Bra fitting expert Sabrina Oxford from Empreinte explains that those with voluptuous bodies should look for thicker bands, such as this one, for more support. The underwire present here will also “offer a better shape and create invisibility underneath your clothes,” she continues.

The band portion is smooth and lined with silicone to keep everything from sliding down. While this functioned quite well at the beginning, we did find ourselves pulling the piece up every now and then after a few hours of wear. Perhaps that’s because there are no side panels to provide more stability, which on the other hand did make it more comfortable.

We also noticed that the bra runs slightly small. We had to re-order our bras in a wider band after taking a closer look at their size guide, which we highly recommend you do as well. Once the right order arrived, we found solace in the three hook and eye positions, to further adjust around our body.

Material: Nylon, spandex | Size: 32A–44H | Colors: 2 | Padding: Yes | Straps: Yes

Natori Feathers Strapless Bra

Natori

Our Ratings
  • Fit
    4.3/5
  • Support
    4/5
  • Quality
    5/5
  • Comfort
    4.1/5
  • Adjustability
    5/5

What We Love: We could wear our deepest v-cut shirts and the bra would remain camouflaged underneath it.

What We Don’t Love: The lace portion can begin to feel a little itchy around the band.

Those deep V-neck shirts or plunging going-out-tops finally have a bra to go with it: this Natori Feathers Strapless Bra. We have to admit, for something with such a low cut, this bra gave us a pleasant amount of coverage, never causing us to worry about an unwanted nip-slip. Even on a larger chest, we felt comfortable wearing it with a cut-out top thanks to the full coverage. When we wore it underneath our favorite somewhat risqué shirts, it camouflaged exceptionally well, sitting flat against the chest and hiding its existence. We appreciate the sophisticated lace details around the band, which when we washed, still looked good as new. We have to admit that it can feel a little bit itchy at times, but we adjusted to it quickly, and it does soften after it’s washed.

As we went on with our day, the bra never slipped down on our smaller chests or gapped around the top of the cups. On our bigger chest, however, we did notice some slippage after a few hours of regular wear and from any dramatic movements, which we credit to there being no silicone band around the bottom of the bra, only the top. While we don’t think it was too distracting or annoying in any way, we think it’s still worth a mention.

Material: Nylon, lycra, spandex, polyester | Size: 32B–36DDD | Colors: 2 | Padding: No  | Straps: Yes

Soma Enbliss Wireless Stay Put Multi-Way Strapless Bra

Soma

Our Ratings
  • Fit
    4.3/5
  • Support
    3.5/5
  • Quality
    5/5
  • Comfort
    4.5/5
  • Adjustability
    4/5

What We Love: The wide band and exposed spandex lining keep the bra from sliding down from bigger chests.

What We Don’t Love: The four hooks are a bit of a hassle to get on and off.

We know you’re thinking: there is no way a wireless strapless bra will adequately hold up anything, but after testing it for several weeks, we learned it’s just as good as its underwire counterparts.

Smooth, seamless, and stunning, the Soma wireless and strapless bra is exactly what we needed to wear under skin-tight clothing, including shapewear. Thanks to the lack of caging or underwires, nothing dug into our skin, allowing us to feel comfortable for the entire duration of wearing the piece. Instead of wires, the bra stays in place by a few key components: sticky spandex material on the interior of the cups, which adhered to our breasts without leaving any sticky residue on our skin and the thicker bandeau-esque band, featuring a row of four hooks that securely embraced our bodies. We thought the amount of hooks made it a bit difficult to snap in and out of, especially since the sticky interior kept us from performing the classic hook-in-front-and-turn-to-the-back procedure. Some fiddling in front of a mirror or asking a very (very) kind friend to help, and we eventually got the piece on, where it remained for the rest of the day.

Material: Nylon, spandex, polyester | Size: 32A–42G | Colors: 5 | Padding: No | Straps: Yes

Best for Heavy Breasts

Wacoal Red Carpet Strapless Bra

Wacoal Red Carpet Strapless Underwire Bra

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Fit
    4.7/5
  • Support
    4/5
  • Quality
    5/5
  • Comfort
    3.3/5
  • Adjustability
    4.7/5

What We Love: The larger bridge between the cups helps make your chest look more lifted and separated, avoiding the look of a uniboob.

What We Don’t Love: The boning on the sides and back can start to feel uncomfortable.

Those with heavy breasts are in need of some additional support to take the weight off your, well, chest, back, and shoulders. The Wacoal Red Carpet Strapless Bra comes with boning around the sides and the back, a wide band, an underwire, and outlined cups. There is also a non-slip rubber binding around the edges. As far as strapless bras for big breasts go, this is the maximum amount of support it can provide, and we found it successfully holding our heavy cargo up with ease.

When trying this bra on our DD chest, we were pleased to find the wider bridge between the cups separating yet lifting our breasts, allowing us to easily avoid a potential uni-boob. The cushioned band around the ribs kept the bra from giving us any marks on our skin as well. We were pleased to find that the bra gave us full coverage, causing no spillage that might be detectable from underneath a shirt. Instead, it smoothed over our chest delicately. We found it to be ideal for more form-fitting tops, like tank tops and tight white tees.

But all that support and caging does come with a small downside: it feels significantly tighter than others on this list and we found that the boning can leave marks on our skin. However, because heavy breasts need as much support as possible, we think it’s still a worthy purchase. We definitely recommend shopping for your true size, as that seemed to be what molded the best around our bodies, but one band size too small and you’ll feel all the jabbings of the boning digging into your skin.

Material: Polyamide, spandex | Size: 36B - 38I | Colors: 5 | Padding: No | Straps: Yes

Wacoal Red Carpet Strapless Underwire Bra displayed on a couch

InStyle / Abigail Wetzler

Cosabella Forte Convertible Strapless Bra

Cosabella

Our Ratings
  • Fit
    4.3/5
  • Support
    4.3/5
  • Quality
    4.5/5
  • Comfort
    4.5/5
  • Adjustability
    5/5

What We Love: Despite the lack of padding, this bra gave us ample amounts of support.

What We Don’t Love: The texture and form show from underneath your clothes.

We have to admit, this bra is so beautiful it’s almost a shame to cover it under a shirt. Whatever your “special occasion” entails – be it a formal night out or an intimate night in, the bra functions impressively as both a camouflaged, sexy detail and a show-stopping piece to be admired. As a special occasion bra, we probably wouldn’t want to wear this daily, but it’s definitely comfortable enough to spend a good six to eight hours in without any trouble.

The intricate lace pattern is present across the entire bra, and is held up by caging on the front, side, and back. After strapping the three hooks in place, we were pleasantly surprised with the full coverage it gave us. Albeit looking a little bit like Marilyn Monroe in a cone bra, there was definitely something appealing about the ‘50s style that stood out. But unlike the bras of that decade, this one actually gave ample amounts of support. We were very impressed with how secure our boobs felt, given that there was no padding present.

The band remained sturdy and present throughout the whole day. The bonings on the sides did not poke into our skin in any way either. That being said, the lace did show from underneath our clothes, so we did have to spend some time considering what to pair it with. A dainty slip, an intentional peek-a-book under a low-cut shirt, or a straight-up robe for a cozy evening would all be appropriate for this bra.

Material: Polyamide, elastane | Size: 32B - 36G | Colors: 8 | Padding: No | Straps: Yes

Other Options You Might Like

Curvy Kate Luxe Strapless Bra

As the name suggests, this strapless bra is intended for the more voluptuous figures. We loved how incredibly structured this bra was, almost like a solid fortress or a corset for just the girls. On our large busts, this caged everything in with full coverage and never caused any slippage. On top of that, the cushioning felt like a comfortable bed, without looking too thick or squishy. Overall, it was easy to forget that the straps weren’t even there, considering how well this held up. It comes with boning on the front and sides, and while the ones under our arms didn’t bother us, the underwire felt rather tight and uncomfortable in the middle chest area. While our selection for “Best Plus-Size” from Third Love offers band sizes up to 44, this one only goes up to 40. The band is also on the tighter side, which dug into the front of the chest a little. For people who have a big bust and small waist combination, this should fit perfectly.

Victoria's Secret Sexy Illusions Lightly-Lined Strapless Bra

The Victoria’s Secret strapless bra is offered at a mid-range price point, which is why we wanted to include this option as a solid everyday bra as well. The design of the cups and the band is very smooth and seamless, which looked almost invisible under our clothes. There is no extra boning other than the underwire, which goes all the way up under your armpits for support and keeps the girls nicely separated. We did notice some slippage, as the only silicone present was around the band, and not the cups. It might be worth sizing down around the band for a more sturdy grip because we also noticed that the band stretched a little after one wash (it didn’t alter any further after that, though).

Skims Ultra Fine Mesh Strapless Bra

There are certain items of clothing that never seem to work with any bra. While this is not the option for everyday full coverage and support, it is possibly the only sexy, sheer, and strapless bra that seems to fit under those elusive looks. Held together by an underwire and rubber strips along the top lining, this bra doesn’t slip easily. It fits tightly, which made us take a closer look at the size guide. It suggested sizes that were far too small on our bodies. It helped to just stick with our usual size, and even then, the bra felt very snug against our chest. If you’re in between sizes, we recommend opting for one band size higher. Once off, we did notice some indents left on the skin, which was rather uncomfortable in the making. While we wouldn’t wear it in our day-to-day lives, we loved the way it looked in the mirror and could easily see ourselves wearing this with a slip dress or other dainty little outfits.

Our Testing Process

After vetting the best strapless bras on the market based on reviews and popularity, we collected 15 of the best-rated strapless bras, and distributed them to our beauty experts and editors. Each bra was tested on two people with different bra sizes, in order to see how the product performed across various body types. We paid close attention to the comfort level, fit, support, and adjustability, as well as whether or not the bra slipped down throughout the day. In the span of two weeks, we wore each bra several times for at least eight hours, and put them through the wash to take note of any stretch or shrinkage. Only the best ten were then collected based on our experience and recommended in this article.

What to Keep in Mind

Material

Almost every bra, including all the options mentioned above, have some percentage of elastane in them. This is what helps the bra stretch and mold into the body. The stretchy material (also sometimes referred to as spandex) is then combined with a soft fabric, like nylon, or polyester, to provide a sturdy and comfortable bra. Nylon, found in the SPANX Up For Anything Strapless™ Bra and Thirdlove 24/7 Classic Strapless Bra, is mildly more durable and stretchy than polyester, making it a great pick if you're looking for a strapless option for larger cup sizes. Polyester on the other hand dries faster and is less likely to pill, making it a great option for anyone prone to sweating and as a result, washing their bras often. Opt for the Pepper MVP Multiway Strapless Bra or the Soma Enbliss Multiway Stay-Put Wireless Strapless Bra if you fall into this category.

Boning

Boning, not to be mistaken with the underwire, is the caging found on the sides and the back of the bra. Some options come sans boning, like the Skims Ultra Fine Mesh Strapless Bra or the Aerie Real Sunnie Strapless Lightly Lined Bra. Typically, this extra bit of material helps to keep the strapless bra more in place. We paid attention to whether or not these bits dug into our skin or not, as that can get rather uncomfortable after some time. The Cosabella Never Say Never Plungie Strapless Bra, for example, does have caging on the sides, but never irritated our skin during wear.

Padding

Consider whether you want your bra to come with extra padding or not. Sometimes, the extra little push-up on strapless bras can give your girls the lift that you otherwise achieve with straps. It keeps them from looking drooped, and makes them perkier underneath your clothes. If you wish to achieve this, opt for bras like the Thirdlove 24/7 Classic Strapless Bra or the SPANX Up For Anything Strapless™ Bra. If you prefer a look more pressed to the skin, or have a larger chest that really doesn’t need any more push up, then opt for lightly lined bras like the Aerie Real Sunnie Strapless Lightly Lined Bra, Natori Feathers Strapless Bra, and Cosabella Forte Convertible Strapless Bra.

Your Questions, Answered

Do you size down for strapless bras?

Strapless bras are crafted to stay in place already, using bonings, silicone straps, and a lightly tightened band, so there is no need to size down. Iris Clarke, professional bra fitter and founder of Iris Lingerie Brooklyn, also explains that “strapless bras fit differently than a regular bra in the band size,” so there’s no need to go an extra size down. The wires within the bra also help keep the bra up, she continues. Bra fitting expert Margo Hall from the Bra Spa also recommends “starting with your usual bra size and adjust as needed.”

How do I find the right fit?

We understand that it can be frustrating to find the right strapless bra, considering that everything needs to fit perfectly in order to stay put. Body-positive model Sophie Hughes, who frequently models lingerie, explains that “the key to a strapless bra is the perfect fit, so make sure you know your size,” and shop accordingly. Most brands will offer a size guide – the Thirdlove 24/7 Classic Strapless Bra one is quite accurate, we found – that will help match the perfect bra for you. Oxford recommends opting for brands that offer “virtual fits or a direct line to professional fitters.” Another hack she found to be useful is looking into the return policy of each brand, which will allow you to order several sizes and return those that don’t fit.

When should you wear a strapless bra?

Strapless bras—and their alternatives—come in handy for a number of occasions and outfits. The most obvious case is for any shoulderless tops, like tube tops or off-the-shoulder sweaters. They’re also very useful under spaghetti straps, in order to avoid the look of having double straps. Hughes particularly loves them during any party season, be it the holiday or wedding season, where a sleek, camouflaged look is necessary.

Why Shop With Us

Bianca Kratky is a commerce writer at InStyle with over two years of experience covering fashion and beauty products. As someone who prefers strapless bras over strapped bras, she knew which details to pay attention to as she wrote out the collective experience of testing strapless bras. By diving into the reviews from our editorial team, and speaking to bra fitting experts as well as lingerie models (Sabrina Oxford, Margo Hall, Iris Clarke, Sophie Hughes) she brings forth a list of the best nine strapless bras.

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