Curvy Kate Women Victory Balcony Everyday Bra

Product Information

We always take the opinion of our customers into consideration because we believe that you who use our product can give us a good insight into its daily functioning and how it can be improved. We washed this bra five times in the Lab and noticed minimal changes in appearance, though the brand recommends hand washing this style for best results over time. In our stretch recovery tests, the bottom band of this bra did stretch out a bit. This style earned the top spot in our tests and our panel, including those with both small and large cup sizes, rated it the most comfortable bra of the bunch. On top of that, it proved to be durable in our Lab testing; it washed well and retained its shape even after we stretched it out. In fact, it's the bra our own experts have preferred to wear for years, even after trying dozens of styles on the market.

Washability: Each bra is repeatedly laundered according to its care label and assessed for aspects like shrinkage and appearance after washing. This bra proves you don’t have to sacrifice support to go strapless. In fact, it had higher scores from our testers than many of the non-strapless styles we analyzed. It uses silicone strips along the top of the cup and on the band that help it stay in place as you move, and it features wide side panels with boning for more stability and smoothing benefits. Our testers said the bra was comfortable, but a few online reviewers noted that although the bra stayed put, the silicone strips and boning dug in. You can start by measuring your bra size at home or with a consultant in a store. Even then, you should still try on a few different sizes to see what fits and feels best. Freno urges you to focus on what feels good instead of getting caught up on a specific size, especially because fit varies between brands. It may help to go up and down a few band or cup sizes if the fit doesn’t feel right. Just like with clothing, each brand will fit you differently.Luciani adds, "Obvious signs of wear and tear such as crushed cups, bent underwire, stretched out straps, broken or bent clasps and when the material loses its elasticity — all good signs it’s time to toss. Other signs that are maybe not so obvious are if it suddenly seems big or it’s not holding you up the way it should be! That may mean it’s time to replace." Hanes makes our list again, this time for its wireless bra that's lightweight yet surprisingly supportive. Whether you're wearing it in the summer or just want a barely-there feel, it fits like a second skin, so you won't be poked or weighed down. Not to mention, it’s one of the least expensive bras we tested. This brand designs its bras specifically for AA, A and B cup wearers, unlike other bras that may just be scaled down to fit smaller cup sizes. This bra is specifically designed to prevent gaping for a smooth fit under clothes — and testers reported that the brand succeeds, praising its great fit on smaller chests. The cups are lightly lined for modest coverage and shape without excess material. You should fill out the cups without any gaping (which means the cup is too big) or overflow (a sign the cup is too small).

Everything in this cotton bra, from the elastic, tencel sewing thread and custom-made hook and eye pieces is botanically circular, plastic-free, and designed to break down in nature at end-of-life and leave no trace. Finding a good bra can be especially difficult if you have a larger cup size, but this fashionable yet functional style may end your shopping struggles. It goes up to a size HH (which is the UK equivalent of a US cup size L) and it performed exceptionally well in our tests. It was durable in our Lab’s evaluations without any issues to report, and our tester panel loved wearing it.Wear tests: Users with a range of band and cup sizes try the bras and fill out thorough surveys, scoring factors like the ease of putting it on and taking it off, fit, comfort, support, stay-in-place capabilities, visibility under clothes and overall appearance. Testers also have the opportunity to share comments about specific things they liked and disliked about each bra. In our latest test, our testers wore sizes that ranged from AA to H cups and 30 to 48 bands. Everything in this plastic-free bra, from the elastic, tencel sewing thread and custom-made hook and eye pieces is botanically circular, designed to break down in nature at end-of-life and leave no trace. It held up well in our Lab tests without shrinking or stretching out. It also comes with removable straps so you can wear it as a traditional bra, halter, criss-cross or one-shoulder style. Plus, it comes in a variety of colors and a wide range of band and cup sizes. In fact, this style was especially loved by people with full figures and larger busts. While many bralettes we tested stretched out substantially in our Lab testing, this bralette proved to be durable. It received a perfect score in our stretch recovery test, returning to its original shape. It also barely shrunk after being machine washed on the gentle cycle and hung up to dry.

The fit of the bra is where this set stands out. Somehow, the construction of the cups works to emphasize a very lifted and rounded shape, something I’ve never experienced in a bra that isn’t a molded-cup push-up bra. As I vastly prefer an unlined cup to a molded cup, this was a pleasant surprise! Though it’s not a shape I would seek out every day, I like having the option. Everything in this soft-cup bra, from the elastic, tencel sewing thread, pad-print labelling and custom-made hook and eye pieces, is designed to break down in nature at end-of-life and leave no trace as only the best wireless bras can! A truly great cotton bra for everyday. I tend to associate UK brand Curvy Kate with bright, playful, and ultimately feminine aesthetics. Their bras, of which I own a good few, tend to use cheery colors, embroidered mesh, and plenty of ribbons and bows. The Victory Bra feels like a slight, but not unwelcome, departure from their signature looks. Given all theVictoria's Secret lingerie they wear, the Angelsmust have a favorite bra from the brand, I thought to myself before prepping for my interview with Victoria's Secret Angel Josephine Skriver. Celebrating the launch of the new Body by Victoria collection, Josephine was made readily available to chat about all things related to the new collection, from the pieces she loved, her take on some of the lingerie trends incorporated into the collection. I dropped my aforementioned question about her all-time favorite Victoria's Secret bra, and without hesitation, she replied with the below… In our Lab testing, Pepper bras stayed in great condition after stretch recovery tests and after laundering five times, but some testers reported durability issues with their Pepper bras, noticing some fraying and even torn straps. We also tested the brand's wire-free bra and T-shirt bra: and both were popular among testers with smaller chests too.

In our Lab, we assess each bra for properties like stretch recovery, construction and how well they hold up to repeated laundering. We also send them out to our consumer testers — hundreds of people ranging from small cup sizes to larger busts— who share their thoughts on fit, comfort, appearance and more. Underwire, removable convertible straps, hook-eye closure, light padding, non-slip binding around band Emma Seymour has been a senior textiles product analyst in the Good Housekeeping Textiles Lab for over four years, overseeing Lab and consumer tests for all different types of bras, including wireless bras, bralettes and sports bras. She studied Fiber Science and Apparel Design at Cornell University with research experience in product quality assessment. She updated the most recent version of this article with new testing data. Hazel is a great nude bra for those with a tan skin tone. If you're after a light brown bra or a blush bra to wear under a pale colour, this is the organic cotton bra for you. The body of this comfy bra is our regular organic cotton, but with a front V wire which offers separation in larger cup sizes, and more bulk in smaller cups. A no underwire bra with a little front wire you can't even feel, but that makes all the difference, truly a Victory Bra! The hazel bra has a woven organic cotton liner in the band that sits next to the body and anchors it in place, preventing it stretching over time. Because there is no spandex in this soft bra, it can run a little smaller in size than your regular bra as it has less stretch.

Because many people with smaller chests are forced to wear bras not properly designed for them, many testers were unsure of their proper size and had to try a few to find their best fit. We appreciated its super smooth nylon/polyester fabric. This bra maintained its shape after being stretched in our Lab, acing our stretch recovery tests. Just be sure to hand-wash this bra carefully for best results, as it shrunk a bit when we machine laundered it. Same fit as our Victory bra! With side support and Upfront Technology, designed to uplift and shape your bust Our designers have worked hard to create the perfect fit for Lacy Bra that will provide support and comfort at the same time. Your suggestions regarding laces are valuable to us and be sure that I will pass them on to the responsible team to further improve this product in the future.Main: 87% Polyamide, 13% Elastane Mesh: 100% Polyester, Lining: 100% Polyamide Wing Mesh: 70% Polyamide, 30% Elastane Excluding Trims It offers medium coverage to show off a bit of cleavage while still feeling secure and covered. It performed well in our Lab tests, with minimal changes in appearance or shrinkage after laundering. We appreciate this brand's inclusive size offerings up to a 54 band size and H cup size. Other than some slight wrinkling in the lower cups, I feel this fit works well with the size and shape of my breasts. The band feels firm, and the lower bridge doesn’t dig in, something I was worried about given the shape. After a few wears, this bra is comfortable enough for all-day wear. Final Thoughts Lexie Sachsis the Executive Director of the Textiles, Paper & Apparel Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Fiber Science from Cornell University and more than 15 years of experience in the textiles industry, including merchandising and product development fields. Lexie led a massive bra test in 2017 and wrote the shopping guide for this story. Unlike most bras where you shop by the band and cup size, this one ranges from small to 3X and has a size guide to follow when you buy. It's designed for band sizes 34 through 46 — which is a wider range than most styles, though it only specifies cup sizes B to DD in its size chart. And while it offers great shaping benefits with some built-in padding, it doesn't separate as well as underwire bras.