Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS Ultimate Push-Up Bra loved for its natural-looking lift and comfort is back in stock — now in fresh summer shades Our writers and editors independently determine what we cover and recommend. When you buy through our links, E! may earn a commission. Learn more Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS Ultimate Push-Up Bra is back in stock and better than ever now available in fresh summer shades that are sure to become your new favorites This bra is designed to do more than just lift—it enhances your natural bust shape it offers the perfect balance of support and comfort Customers rave about the all-day comfort it provides with many noting how it creates a natural lift that looks great under all types of clothing this bra is designed to shape and support without compromising on comfort And just in time for summer, SKIMS has released new summer loungewear, dresses, and more essentials to complete your wardrobe Elevate your shape with a push-up bra that offers natural lift perfect for all sizes and designed to stay seamless under any outfit Elevate your shape with a push-up bra that offers natural lift I have really small boobs and this push up is everything "New favorite bra for large chest." "When I discovered this new push-up bra I tried ordering it and I will never go back to Primadonna that I USED to buy from! It has already boosted my confidence so much." huge push up and overall a bigger appearance Will definitely be buying many more." it is the best bra I have ever bought and it is so worth the money Slip into all-day comfort with a buttery-soft T-shirt bra that molds to your shape and disappears under your clothes like a second skin Slip into all-day comfort with a buttery-soft T-shirt bra that molds to your shape Reach for a ribbed cotton tank that hugs your shape, layers like a dream, and feels just as good on its own or paired with the matching boxers Reach for a ribbed cotton tank that hugs your shape, layers like a dream, and feels just as good on its own or paired with the matching boxers Try a tee that hugs your curves, feels incredibly soft against your skin and comes in the cutest prints and can't-miss solids Try a tee that hugs your curves, feels incredibly soft against your skin and comes in the cutest prints and can't-miss solids Slide into this curve-hugging halter with built-in support and a sleek low-back design made for easy summer dressing Slide into this curve-hugging halter with built-in support and a sleek Throw it on and head out the door in this easy ribbed dress that works just as well for lounging as it does for going out Throw it on and head out the door in this easy ribbed dress that works just as well for lounging as it does for going out Button it up and wear it out in this striped poplin mini that doubles as a sleep dress but looks perfectly polished for daytime plans Button it up and wear it out in this striped poplin mini that doubles as a sleep dress but looks perfectly polished for daytime plans Slip into this slinky mini dress that’s soft and made to move with you from day to night Slip into this slinky mini dress that’s soft Rock this versatile, mid-thigh bodysuit on its own or layered for a sleek comfortable look that effortlessly fits into any outfit Rock this versatile, mid-thigh bodysuit on its own or layered for a sleek Slip into this curve-hugging midi skirt for a sleek versatile look that seamlessly transitions from day to night Slip into this curve-hugging midi skirt for a sleek Elevate your day-to-night look with this relaxed-fit, scoop neck long dress made from ultra-soft modal fabric that offers both comfort and style Elevate your day-to-night look with this relaxed-fit, scoop neck long dress made from ultra-soft modal fabric that offers both comfort and style Sculpt your shape with this bodysuit Sculpt your shape with this bodysuit Embrace sleek style with this body-hugging catsuit crafted from ultra-smooth modal fabric and designed with power mesh lining for added support and a flattering fit Embrace sleek style with this body-hugging catsuit Rock this curve-hugging midi dress with its plunging halter and low back for a flattering all-day-to-night look that feels as great as it looks Rock this curve-hugging midi dress with its plunging halter and low back for a flattering Embrace effortless comfort and a flattering fit with this soft, breathable bodysuit available in both solid colors and cute prints Embrace effortless comfort and a flattering fit with this soft, breathable bodysuit Relax in this ultra-soft sleep set that pairs a classic button-up top with cozy fitted shorts for the ultimate in comfort Relax in this ultra-soft sleep set that pairs a classic button-up top with cozy fitted shorts for the ultimate in comfort Pair this soft, breathable tank with anything in your closet for a flattering fit that’s perfect for all-day wear Pair this soft, breathable tank with anything in your closet for a flattering fit that’s perfect for all-day wear Throw on this cozy hoodie and matching shorts for an effortlessly comfortable look that’s perfect for lounging or running errands Throw on this cozy hoodie and matching shorts for an effortlessly comfortable look that’s perfect for lounging or running errands Relax in this ultra-soft bralette and matching briefs set for all-day comfort and support Relax in this ultra-soft bralette and matching briefs set for all-day comfort and support Elevate your comfort and confidence with this buttery-soft push-up bra and matching briefs set designed for a perfect fit in both prints and solid colors Elevate your comfort and confidence with this buttery-soft push-up bra and matching briefs set, designed for a perfect fit in both prints and solid colors. The E! Insider Shop editors and writers search the internet to find the best products out there. We interview expert sources, comb through customer reviews, and use our own personal experiences to make shopping easier for our readers. As an editorial team, we independently create content and determine coverage based on research, reporting and what we think our readers would like to read about. The goal of our content is to provide a service and inform readers who are on the hunt for the latest products to help make their life better. Items are sold by retailer, not E!. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time. Your source for entertainment news, celebrities, celeb news, and ​celebrity gossip. Check out the hottest fashion, photos, movies and TV shows! © 2025 E! Entertainment Television, LLC A Division of NBCUniversal. All rights reserved. basically every kind of undergarment imaginable — and that’s just this year alone veers a bit more delicate than her other recent launches Her accessories were kept to a minimum, wearing a simple choker necklace, ring, and a pair of earrings that didn’t draw much attention, along with a pair of black pointed stilettos. Keeping to the minimal theme, her voluminous hair looked effortlessly styled to give more of a slept-in vibe and her makeup was somewhat neutral-toned. Like most of the Grammy winner’s risqué co-ords, you can snag the whole ensemble for less than $100. The bra is $65 and the underwear is $25, bringing you to a grand total of $90. Though the bra is currently only available in black, you can get the panties in the same dark tone, as well as Purple Fleur (magenta), Green Lotus (seafoam), and Beachy Blue (sky). Olivia Cigliano is a News & Deals Editor at InStyle, where she covered the best deals and purchases across fashion, beauty, celebrity style, and more. Eiza González turned her bra top into a “going out” top last night But don’t expect to see the actor’s top lounging around poolside or near the city’s beaches—her studded garment was much more editorial than the typical string bikini González donned a full look from Ludovic de Saint Sernin’s fall 2025 collection to attend a David Yurman party The actor’s top was actually a cross between a traditional bra and a very cropped jacket almost armor-like bolero portion that connected to a plunging sweetheart bra with lacing González opted for a below-the-knee skirt which De Saint Sernin’s signature eyelet detailing lined both pieces Styling choices are a key aspect of any Miami look something which González delivered with confidence last night She wore her brunette hair in tousled waves and opted for sun-kissed skin and a nude lip Black pumps and layers of silver David Yurman jewelry tied in the metallic elements of her outfit The actor was joined by the likes of Nina Dobrev which celebrated the opening of David Yurman’s new flagship boutique in Miami’s Design District Like many in the fashion world, González frequently finds herself in Miami, which might explain her penchant for dressing to fit the city’s aesthetic. In December 2024, the actor sizzled in a fully sheer Gucci look during an evening out at Art Basel Miami Beach She wore a see-through bra top and matching underwear with a transparent cover-up placed over the top Whether she’s in head-to-toe sheer or an elevated lingerie look like last night González knows a thing or two about dressing for a night out in Miami Hailey Bieber wore a twist on pinstripe suiting en route to the Met Gala Bieber made it back to New York City in time for the May 5 Costume Institute benefit and at least two outfit changes Her second look of the evening, following the "Tailored for You" dress code, won't be revealed until she arrives on the Metropolitan Museum of Art steps this evening. (Here's how to watch her Met arrival by the way.) But she didn't mind showing off a twist on the pinstripes and blazers everyone will wear tonight a few hours in advance En route to her getting-ready suite on Monday afternoon Bieber chose a dress that was more sexy Severance than CEO ruched pinstripe mini unzipped at the top to reveal white lace cups—like she was caught mid-outfit change or the garment just wasn't completed at the design studio They all have released slingback heels in slick patent finishes and designers have universally styled them with ultra-mini hemlines like Bieber's for contrast She's unique in pairing hers with Saint Laurent's Suzanne bag The slingback heel trend is better known for being Hailey Bieber's emotional support shoe than a runway standout When the model isn't breaking in flip flops by The Row she's dressing up for a night out in slingback pumps with sharp pointed toes and even sleeker heels It's easy to see why see keeps coming back even in the final hours before the Met Gala: the back strap brings the comfort while the structured shape brings the boss energy By the time she walks the 2025 Met Gala red carpet, Hailey Bieber will likely have changed out of her exposed bra dress and into a higher heel. (And, hopefully, a vintage Met Gala look to rival the throwbacks she regularly Instagrams.) But if there's a shoe trend tailored for the star Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends Previously, Halie reported at Glamour, Morning Brew, and Harper’s Bazaar She has been cited as a fashion and beauty expert in The Cut she earned the Hearst Spotlight Award for excellence and innovation in fashion journalism She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Harvard College Shows Off Lacy Bra Under Sheer Top During Boyfriend Akeem Morris' 29th Birthday Party: PhotosSource: @madonna/InstagramMadonna celebrated boyfriend Akeem Morris’ 29th birthday in a sheer top Madonna made a statement for boyfriend Akeem Morris’ birthday bash The 66-year-old music icon stepped out in style to celebrate Morris' 29th, wearing a silky champagne-colored outfit that included a sheer belted top, revealing a lacy bra underneath The Queen of Pop looked every bit the glam legend as she paired the look with her platinum blonde curls Madonna celebrated Akeem Morris’ 29th birthday in a sheer top and satin set Madonna posed with Morris and YG Marley at the event Another snap showed the couple making their way down a dimly lit staircase, with Morris — who’s Jamaican-born and works as a model, boxer and soccer player — close by her side. He kept things casual in a vintage Kareem Abdul-Jabbar jersey, dark shades and blue track pants. The two looked effortlessly cool as they exited together The singer posted a loving tribute calling Akeem Morris her 'favorite Taurus.' the "Hung Up" singer was seen cozying up on a couch with three of her kids — 19-year-old Mercy and 12-year-old twins Stella and Estere A sweet moment was captured mid-party when her boyfriend hugged the singer tightly. Madonna closed her eyes and returned the embrace. In another pic, she was sitting right on his lap. “Happy Birthday to my favorite Taurus,” she wrote in the caption of her Instagram post. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Madonna (@madonna) Madonna has 'has fully integrated Akeem [Morris] into her life and family,' a source said sharing a collection of photos and clips from the party He showed love to the singer and thanked her with a heartfelt shout-out “All I can say is thank you. Thank you wifey ❤️,” he wrote on May 4. He added, “Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate with me last night. Thank you to those who worked behind the scenes to create such an unforgettable vibe. It meant so much to have the people I love and respect all in one room. It was a special night, and the energy in the room was nothing but love.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by AK (@akkmorris) The public outing comes as the couple’s romance continues to make waves — especially because of their nearly 40-year age gap Although reports surfaced that Madonna and Morris had quietly broken up in October "Madonna ran into the same issue with this boytoy as she has with all of her recent men. The age difference became an issue. They come from different time periods,” a source told Daily Mail at the time Madonna also took a photo with YG Marley at the event But things have taken a turn since then, as the couple reportedly rekindled their romance earlier this year The source added, “He’s very respectful of all her kids and doesn’t try to throw his weight around or ever tell them what to do. It might sound really awkward considering he’s the same age as Lourdes, but they’re all so used to their mom having a much younger boyfriend that it doesn’t faze any of them.” Link to XLink to InstagramOpt-out of personalized ads A DIVISION OF MYSTIFY ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK INC Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service People may receive compensation for some links to products and services Offers may be subject to change without notice Then Covid came along and suddenly I couldn’t bear any of it white cotton mesh with embroidered pink flowers It served no discernible purpose other than to make sure I wasn’t the last girl in my class to get one It was a non-negotiable step of getting dressed even if I was just lounging around the house which turned into long Covid; for three and a half years my life ground to a halt Among an ever-rotating inventory of symptoms one of the most persistent was an intense pain in my sternum it would make it even worse and I would start struggling to breathe So, like many women It felt like a luxury: a brief reprieve from intricate hooks and straps that were somehow too tight and too loose No wonder second-wave feminists burned them in bins To avoid becoming the ‘bra-less wonder’ in Seinfeld I needed a solutionWhen the time came to return to the office Any stress or mild discomfort would bring about a flare-up which would present itself as that sharp pain in the middle of my chest exactly in the spot where a bra band would sit This soon became a problem. As much as I agreed with the “free the nipple” movement in principle, I was not ready to put it into practice in the workplace. In order to avoid becoming known as the “bra-less wonder” as Elaine’s enemy in the comedy Seinfeld was called In what I thought would be a temporary measure “I look like a Barbie,” I complained to my unimpressed-looking husband when I first tried them on they stay put in all but the most extreme weather I am “lucky that my breasts are small and humble” and therefore not in need of serious support My health has much improved; I could probably go back to wearing bras if I wanted to But I’ve grown fond of my strange-looking pasties In addition to the physical freedom they afford they have also made me more comfortable in my body It is liberating to feel I no longer need to hide behind bulky structured cups: if there has been a loss of volume in my chest area Like a horse unshackled from its restrictive harness after a life on the ranch Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here Best Low SupportVuori AllTheFeels BraRead more Best Medium SupportNike Swoosh Medium SupportRead more Best for RunningLume Six Alta Medium Impact Sports BraRead more Best for Strength TrainingGymshark Ruched Sports BraRead more Women's sports bras were the bane of my teen existence Few things are as humbling as struggling to wriggle out of a sweaty one post-workout nearly dislocated a shoulder—and I once triggered what I can only describe as a sports bra-induced locked jaw gave me a decent dose of body image issues Somewhere between my fourth fitness renaissance and the realization that I hadn't worn a regular bra since pre-pandemic, I became a convert. After years of trial and error, I discovered the bra styles that worked (thank goodness for adjustable straps). Now I wear them to work, to work out and sometimes to do absolutely nothing at all After testing dozens over the past few months—during runs and flows—I found the best sports bras worth your attention Photograph: Klaus Vedfelt/Getty ImagesFor more activewear recommendations, check out our guides to the Best Leggings, Best Running Shoes, and Best Barefoot Shoes Materials: 75 percent recycled polyamide, 25 percent elastane. Nike’s move to sustainability is a bonus; they use recycled polyester sourced from plastic bottles to reduce waste and carbon emissions. It comes in a rainbow of colors, with regular seasonal drops, so you’re sure to find one you like. Materials: Body—72 percent polyester, 28 percent spandex; Mesh—81 percent polyester, 19 percent spandex; Back lining—72 percent polyester, 28 percent spandex; Pad back fabric—100 percent polyester; Pad—100 percent polyurethane. This is the lightest sports bra I’ve ever worn. This is the running bra that I wear in Mississippi or Virginia when the humidity goes over 93 percent during the day and it feels like there’s a chemical reaction between my skin and sunlight that instantly covers me in sweat. This is also the bra I will take this summer on a family trip to the Philippines, where any heavier sports bra will take forever to line-dry outside. Materials: Front—76 percent recycled polyester, 24 percent elastane; Back—74 percent recycled polyester, 26 percent elastane; Lining—61 percent polyester, 35 percent cotton, 4 percent spandex. Materials: 78 percent polyester, 22 percent elastane. Materials: 75 percent nylon, 25 percent lycra. Materials: 76 percent extra fine merino wool, 14 percent nylon, and 10 percent elastane Engineered by an orthopedic surgeon, the Forme Power Bra uses a blend of six tension fabrics and eight double-fabric panels to nudge your shoulders back, lift your chest, and train your upper body into better alignment. I wear it to Pilates. I wear it under my hoodies I wear it as a top when I’m running errands because it’s also cute Forme claims it helps with recovery and deeper breathing and while that may sound like wellness speak I found that wearing this bra for just a few hours made me more aware of my posture created specifically for those with musculoskeletal disorders or pain in the upper spine or shoulders—we’re in the process of testing it ourselves we’ve had our furry best friends try it all These dog accessories lead the pack.Julian ChokkattuWired CouponsWayfair Coupons10% Off Wayfair Promo Code with sign-up $50 Off In-Person Tax Prep When You Switch From Your Tax Current Provider Exclusive: Up To 50% Off 6 Boxes With Factor Promo Code It is the essential source of information and ideas that make sense of a world in constant transformation The WIRED conversation illuminates how technology is changing every aspect of our lives—from culture to business The breakthroughs and innovations that we uncover lead to new ways of thinking who’s gearing up for the next leg of her Miss Possessive tour just shared a striking new set of pics from a moody photo shoot that has fans buzzing Photographed by Los Angeles-based photographer Baeth sculpted figure and toned legs in a sultry black-and-brown lace bra from Honey Birdette The look nailed the Canadian musician’s signature blend of sporty edge and feminine allure a style that’s quickly become a hallmark of her visuals A post shared by TATE (@tatemcrae) The “you broke me first” singer’s fierce smolder and body language echo the same magnetic stage presence that leaves fans’ jaws on the floor during a concert and every post-show video going viral on TikTok beyond just phenomenal vocals and mesmerizing beauty McRae is a performer who moves with the precision and power of a trained athlete And, she’s not afraid to experiment with bold styling or to showcase the confidence she’s embraced over the past year. “I just wear whatever makes me feel like a badass on stage,” she shared of her evolving style—and this latest look is no exception A post shared by TATE (@tatemcrae) “Me cyz miss possessive tour starts next weeeeeek,” she captioned the trio of pics shared with her 6.6 million IG followers on May 1 “CAN’T WAIT 😻,” the official T8hq account commented “Tatiana coming to take over europe,” one fan declared “Frame these and hang them in my studio pls,” Analysse Hernandez begged “T-6 DAYS ‼️‼️,” the Miss Possessive Tour account added A post shared by MISS POSSESSIVE TOUR (@misspossessivetour) McRae will kick off the European leg of her tour on May 7 in Lisbon, with stops in Spain, England, France, Italy and more, before wrapping up in Zurich, Switzerland on June 18. She’ll take a well-deserved break before resuming in Vancouver on Aug. 5. Next. Tate McRae Is a Dance Practice Dream in Oversized Shirt and Shorts Combo on Instagram. Tate McRae Is a Dance Practice Dream in Oversized Shirt and Shorts Combo on Instagram. dark USE OF THIS SITE CONSTITUTES ACCEPTANCE OF OUR TERMS OF USE AND PRIVACY POLICY Powered by Minute Media MADONNA showed off her bra under a sheer top as she gyrated with her boyfriend Akeem Morris at his 29th birthday party left little to the imagination as she celebrated the occasion in true Material Girl fashion Showing off her nude lace bra underneath the see-through number The birthday bash wasn’t just about Madonna’s daring fashion statement In a video shared on former soccer player Akeem's Instagram the couple showed off some playful chemistry as they danced together She danced seductively by gyrating to her boyfriend in the clip YG Marley, grandson of reggae legend Bob Marley, also took to the stage for a performance. Madonna wrote in her Instagram caption, “Happy Birthday to my favorite Taurus @akkmorris. Thank you @ygmarley for joining us. It was a night to remember. One Love……..” Akeem reciprocated his love for Madonna in the comments, posting, “I LOVE YOU,” along with three heart emojis. expressing his gratitude for those who made the night special It meant so much to have the people I love and respect all in one room." her blonde curls bouncing as she accessorized with statement necklaces and oversized hoop earrings Her signature dark red lipstick and chic sunglasses completed the look while Akeem opted for a white and blue basketball jersey paired with a baby blue Yankees cap The evening wasn’t without its sentimental moments Madonna led the crowd in a lively rendition of Happy Birthday as Akeem blew out the candles on his cake made their relationship public in July 2024 “Madonna is happier than she has been in a long time "Her romance with Akeem has been a real whirlwind but they are so in love She’s not back from her trip yet but her pals wouldn’t be surprised if it really is an engagement ring.” but she’s also queen of her brood – proudly raising six kids over the years The Like A Prayer hitmaker first became a mom in 1996, welcoming daughter Lourdes Leon with ex Carlos Leon Four years later, she gave birth to son Rocco with director Guy Ritchie the superstar didn’t slow down — later adopting daughter Mercy and then twin girls Stella and Estere Madge has always been open about her devotion to her children the tight-knit clan has been showing up together more than ever In March, Madonna revealed her twin daughters made a heartfelt return to their roots in Malawi - the first time they’d been back in eight years The music icon who adopted twins Stella and Estere from the African nation in 2017 shared that the trip was a powerful moment for the girls who revisited the country they were born in given the pop legend’s deep connection to Malawi where she founded her charity Raising Malawi to support vulnerable children and improve healthcare and education She told People Magazine “The girls have a lot of empathy for vulnerable children in need of life-saving medical care and they are very grateful to be living in a country where medical care is readily available for people "We are so much closer because we have a common goal and that is making Malawi a better country for kids to grow up." Meanwhile, Madonna's daughter Lourdes Leon has taken a page out of her mother's book and shocked onlookers with a raunchy outfit in Paris Lourdes ditched her bra and slipped into a completely see-through catsuit for her Paris Fashion Week appearance The 28-year-old attempted to keep off the chill with a knee-length leather jacket and covered her modesty with a skimpy G-string she confidently posed for photographers at the Saint Laurent Homme Autumn 25/26 runway show This is not the first time Lourdes, who goes by the name Lola, has walked the red carpet in a very skimpy ensemble She has previously been snapped braless at fashion shows for both Victoria's Secret and Rihanna's beauty brand Fenty, and modelled at photo shoots in the nude. Dr. Jenn Mann, author of The A to Z Guide To Raising Happy Confident Kids, previously told The Sun that she is just taking cues from her mother Madonna "I suspect that Lourdes is carrying on the family tradition of boundary pushing with the blessing of her mother "Madonna has always recognized the power of the female body and known how to use it to garner media attention." Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/ A few things to consider before taking off your bra for good which fittingly included her single "Down the Drain." testing willpower and strength between pristine white kitchen drawers filled with cutlery and dog kibble “(My partner) Levi was looking at me with all sorts of faces,” the Chelsea and England defender tells The Athletic there’s zero movement!’ That was the first time I’ve worn one sports bra and had zero movement but a level of comfort where I’m not in pain.” she has had to wear two sports bras at once just a little annoyed that it has taken this long to discover she never had to in the first place now an investor in the sports bra brand MAAREE “The first training session with my (MAAREE) bra on I told all the girls straight away,” says Bright with uncontainable enthusiasm we can help people at the start of their careers rather than now because I played through tournaments wearing two bras with her recent defensive displays making her a candidate for player of the season as Chelsea pursues a quartet of silverware Drawing a line directly between Bright’s sports bra and her performances is dramatic but the sports bra’s influence in the calculation the British Olympic Association and the British military have worked with the University of Portsmouth’s Breast Biomechanics Research Institute (BBRI) to explore the effect of sports bras on performance and women’s health Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur are devoting resources to the field the global organization owned by Lyon and Washington Spirit owner Michele Kang Casall and SHEFIT are positioning themselves as bespoke alternatives to mainstream brands 80 percent of women are wearing the wrong size sports bra with wide-ranging consequences “We had a catchphrase in our original research group that a sports bra could win a gold medal,” says Joanna Wakefield-Scurr a professor of biomechanics and the founder of the BBRI known affectionately as the ‘Bra Professor’ Poorly fitted bras can lead runners to lose up to four centimeters from their stride length the upward and downward acceleration can lead breasts to move up to 19 centimeters when not supported a g-force equivalent to what Red Bull driver Max Verstappen experiences when taking Turn One at the Japanese Grand Prix at more than 260kmh (161mph) Further research says up to 46 percent of schoolgirls felt their breasts were a barrier to exercise Other consequences include debilitating pain “It’s one of the key innovations for women’s sport in the last 50 years,” Wakefield-Scurr says That’s the kind of attitude we should have.” innovations in this space have been largely limited in its short history The sports bra was invented in the mid-1970s lava lamps (1963) and mobile phones (1973) A man walked on the moon nearly a decade before a woman ran in a sports bra “The whole point of a sports bra is to support women,” says MAAREE founder Mari Thomas-Welland we haven’t supported the very things we’ve assigned the job.” “That’s when my phone starts ringing again,” says Lisa Lindahl one of the three women responsible for inventing the first general exercise bra 48 years ago during the height of America’s “jogging era” and the women’s liberation movement commiserated over the lack of supportive garments for their breasts over the telephone The premise was enough to send the sisters into fits of laughter it’s not such a silly idea,’” Lindahl tells The Athletic never anticipated the maelstrom that followed the phone call The self-proclaimed “non-jock” found jogging in her mid-twenties lingerie brand Glamorise launched the “Free Swing Tennis Bra” fragile straps and embellishments limited its use to small-chested women and offered limited support while running Lindahl and other women wore the same unyielding wired lingerie brassieres that they wore under their shirts and dresses every day Weight shifts from bouncing caused the straps to slip off their shoulders while chafing and soreness from hooks were almost guaranteed hazards Lindahl experimented with wearing a bra one size too small in the cups for compression to no avail Inspired by the conversation with her sister the then-graduate student at the University of Vermont seized loose pens and sheets of paper and wrote a list of all things a bra should do I kept thinking of this man I ran with in the summer how he could just take off his t-shirt and tuck it into the back of his shorts when he got hot Wouldn’t it be great if the bra was modest enough so I could do something similar?” Lindahl was in the costume shop of the University of Vermont’s Royall Tyler Theatre with Polly Smith enlisting her childhood friend who made costumes for the Champlain Shakespeare Festival to bring a once-hilarious idea to life They sewed two jockstraps together before Smith embarked into freestyle mode: two straps crossed in the back to keep them from sliding down and a sturdy elastic band beneath the breasts for support Hinda Schreiber Miller and Smith sewed two of them together Bras were designed “by men with engineering backgrounds” and had “very little to do with function,” says Lindahl Lindahl tested it out while Smith’s assistant Smith went to New York City to buy newfangled poly/cotton/Lycra fabric blends Miller implored her parents for a $5,000 startup fund Lindahl drafted a business plan for their “little mail order business,” recruiting a cut and sew operation in South Carolina to help produce their Jogbra “We should be putting them in sporting goods stores The only thing a woman needs when she runs is good shoes and a good bra,” Lindahl says After countless attempts to explain this to male-run sports department stores who regularly pointed them back to the lingerie aisles Lindahl and Miller finally put the first Jogbra on shelves in 1978 for $16 Its first advertisement appeared in running magazines that same year with Lindahl and Miller serving as models alongside the prescient tagline: “No man-made sporting bra can touch it.” Other advertisements highlighted the seams’ prevention of chafing how they cut away from nipples to avoid irritation and how the shoulder straps ensured there was “no more hunching your shoulders to hold up your sports bra,” issues that women knew intimately but rarely shared publicly The advertising was savvy in boasting its women-centric ethos. It was also efficient. By the end of the first year, Lindahl and Miller’s company, Jogbra Inc (JBI), amassed $500,000 in sales, according to the United States Patent and Trademark Office sales grew an average of 25 percent per annum It is no coincidence that the sports bra arrived at the climax of the second wave of feminism growing our hair long and burning our bras in the street,” says Lindahl The 1970s was also the era of women in sport. In 1971, England lifted its ban on women playing soccer Title IX (a landmark law in the United States that requires men and women to have equal opportunities to participate in sports at the collegiate level) was passed Women were soon permitted entry into marathons and swimming races having breasts hanging correctly and cleavage showing not about support or comfort or consideration of a woman’s needs,” Lindahl says “Title IX couldn’t address the self-consciousness and embarrassment that a young woman faces when she’s standing on the edge of that field and supposed to run up and down with bouncing boobs Lindahl and Miller became the first women-owned business in sporting goods stores in America and earned a patent for their invention in 1979 winning seven Emmys for her work with Muppets creator Jim Henson Their swift success opened the floodgates for more sports bra innovation women’s sports apparel boomed with companies Moving Comfort Reebok and Nike entering the competitive space the latter developing the first compression sports bra in 1999 Increased competition and an increasingly fraying relationship between Lindahl and Miller eventually saw JBI sold: first to Playtex in 1990 then the Sara Lee Corporation in 1991 and eventually becoming the Champion Jogbra Division the sports bra’s evolution as a black powder for the feminist movement and a flash appeal for female entrepreneurs in its aftermath The invention was meant to be a means of getting through graduate school before pursuing other goals the former senior vice president of the Epilepsy Foundation of America board “I was getting attention for this side hustle one of the original Jogbras is housed by the Smithsonian Institution and another by the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art Smith and Miller were inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame “That was a real wake-up call,” Lindahl says In-depth sports bra research has only really progressed in the past decade who began researching in 2005 due to her experience with breast pain Christine Haycock who were ridiculed in the 1970s and ’80s for their research Wakefield-Scurr’s discoveries have helped rupture the long-standing lassitude “It hits you in the face because you’re just like “Then you start considering other things you’ve gotten wrong ‘What if I’ve damaged my boobs to a degree I can’t actually change?’” Wakefield-Scurr has asked this question regularly “It goes hand in hand with a hugely generic lack of understanding about parts of our breasts,” she says sagging — most associated with poorly supportive bras — is not an ailment “Breasts were never meant to sit up high or be a nice round shape,” she says “Western culture has long preferred perky breasts to maintain youthful appearances.” But breast elasticity is influenced by hydration levels The skin and Cooper’s ligaments — a collection of fascia tissue surrounding the breasts that protect the milk globules — cannot support the breasts how we expect a bra to When they’re stretched beyond a limit (as can happen when exercising with minimal support) This premature sagging can cause breast pain or auxiliary pain in the back More research is required to understand the extent of harm from a health perspective It is agreed that limiting movement to the breasts is positive but no threshold exists for how much movement is OK creating schisms around how dangerous upward movement of the breasts is as opposed to downward (during running or if too much limitation on movement might be dangerous But in a game of marginal gains like soccer the sports bra represents an untapped frontier It is why Kang’s Kynisca led a $2 million investment in Ida Sports which designs cleats and shoes specifically for female players last year Yet, a 2019 survey Wakefield-Scurr conducted alongside the English Institute of Sport (EIS) revealed that 75 percent of 70 elite athletes had never been fitted for a sports bra while 26 percent said breast pain impacted their performance why not the same scientific renaissance around sports bras While MAAREE founder Thomas-Welland and Wakefield-Scurr point to money Lindahl argues the diagnosis is more systemic rooted in the bra’s historic association with fashion and compounded by barriers for entry into sports science engineering and product development for women Wakefield-Scurr also believes consumer culture bears consideration “My mum is a great example because she will wear the same bra for 40 years,” she says Brand loyalty makes the bra market a place of incremental change major brands don’t invest in big research and innovation projects as expenditure can vastly outweigh the return something Thomas-Welland learned during her time as an engineer working with Nike Shock Absorber and Adidas and while collaborating on a then-secret project with American tennis star Serena Williams Research from Women in Sport in 2022 found that one million teenage girls who once considered themselves “sporty” disengaged from sport following primary school But research from a 2016 study conducted by the BBRI found that 46 percent of 2,089 school girls between the ages of 11-18 reported breasts having some effect on participation most prevalent for girls aged 13-14 (51 percent) with larger breasts (63 percent) it’s almost like you’re not meant to have boobs,” says Bright who remembers girls in her school bullied for the size of their breasts you shouldn’t have boobs.’ That’s not the way it works.” It perpetuates a “vicious cycle,” says Thomas-Welland women and girls should undergo regular fittings for sports bras to accommodate natural physiology fluctuations whether due to hormones or changes in lifestyle the average bust circumference can increase by an average of one centimeter per decade Sports bras should also not celebrate multiple birthdays if worn multiple times per week as elastic wears and eventually loses its integrity to support Sizing should also take into account activity Requirements for support in a sports bra heavily depend on the torso’s direction and movement will require different qualities in a sports bra than a weight lifter or a dog walker It is why questions such as “What should a sports bra feel like?” are misleading The answer is “supportive,” in a way that feels unshackling when on and I learned more in my first conversation with (Thomas-Welland) than I have in my whole playing career Really in my whole life,” says Bright about her first conversation with the MAAREE founder “It’s been an absolute life changer for me particularly as breasts remain highly sexualised Thomas-Welland spends hours policing comments underneath MAAREE’s social media posts showcasing models in sports bras “People start whispering when they say the word ‘boob,’” Bright says People have boobs!’ It’s the same as periods I’m certainly not embarrassed to share my story I don’t want someone else to have to go through the journey I have.” That the sports bra continues to be “co-opted” as a fashion garment rather than a piece of equipment is part of the problem too The sports bra industry is estimated to be worth $10 billion worldwide The rise in “Athleisure” means sports bras have transcended from “things we slap on for a run,” as Thomas-Welland says there is a burgeoning movement against the high-streetification of sports bras as more research highlights their performance influence sports bras were deemed an “item of equipment” for British athletes rather than part of apparel sponsorship deals the vice president of sport governance and innovation at Kynisca’s ‘Innovation Hub’ dubs this a “gold standard” but recognizes not every league or governing body can strive for now “Our goal as the Innovation Hub is to provide a framework for organizations leagues and governing bodies to work from to do this but we can’t just mandate from the top,” she says is overwhelming when staff are literally putting out fires every single day So it’s not just about establishing standards but about removing the barriers so those standards can be implemented That’s why we can’t copy and paste governance from the men’s game.” Demand for better research and governance is growing in tandem with sport participation among women and girls paid higher salaries and more women breaking into traditionally male-dominated spheres there is hope women will provide where funding was previously starved “I’ve not only made the decision to invest for myself It is a thread that runs through the sports bra’s life cycle: an invention for women designed by women and invariably innovated by women we do have the answers,” says Thomas-Welland “We just weren’t given the platform we deserved.” Wakefield-Scurr helped fit Kelly for her sports bra worn at Euro 2022 she points out flaws that could be better addressed an energy-absorbing super polymer originally designed for NASA and now used by Adidas others who consider the image of Kelly see something else: freedom a call to arms to keep unleashing the sports bra to the world Top Illustration: Kelsea Petersen/ The Athletic; Millie Bright (courtesy); United States Patent and Trademark Office; National Museum of American History The Official Guide to Portland It was a simple yet unprecedented idea: a sports bar that featured only women’s sports. Portland chef Jenny Nguyen created The Sports Bra because it was a place she had wanted her entire life an inclusive space where women athletes are celebrated and all of the screens play live women’s sports events A 2021 study which has tracked mainstream sports for 30 years reported that just a mere 5% of television coverage focuses on women’s sports By making a few small changes — like flipping a couple of letters in “sports bar” and ensuring a schedule of live sports often ignored at other bars — Jenny and her team are making history with the first and only sports bar highlighting women’s sports in the U.S From celebrating Serena Williams’ last tennis match and hosting the WNBA commissioner to building community and giving back during the holidays Nguyen shares some of the most memorable moments since the 2022 opening of The Sports Bra Editor’s note: Jenny Nguyen’s comments below have been edited for brevity and clarity The very first thing I did when I thought about opening The Sports Bra was I wrote the menu because that’s where I was most comfortable I felt it should look like a sports bar or pub menu but I wanted to highlight my Vietnamese upbringing The first two items on the menu are mom’s baby back ribs which is her thịt kho (Vietnamese caramelized braised pork) recipe word for word Having a culinary background, I knew that serving people with dietary restrictions was not as difficult as some places make it seem. We have gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan options We try to be inclusive in every aspect of our business The most high-profile event we’ve hosted at The Sports Bra was a panel set up by Senator Ron Wyden I received a voicemail from Senator Wyden asking if I’d be interested in helping with an event to amplify why Portland is the place for a WNBA expansion team he let me know the date and I agreed without even looking at our calendar The panel was full of basketball all-stars the most important people in girls’ and women’s basketball in Oregon and they were all at The Sports Bra along with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert It was amazing and felt like such a privilege to have them in our space …I’ve heard from a lot of people that when they step through that door they have an idea of what the place will feel like But I’ve heard from a lot of people that when they step through that door we had so many people here who have lived and breathed basketball their whole life — they were tearing up seeing their poster up on the wall we did an event I called “Gracegiving.” It was at this time that I was kind of going through a lot of things in my personal life I feel like most people are really good about giving grace to other people you’re just really hard on yourself all the time I feel like a lot of women I know are very forgiving of other people’s mistakes and then completely unforgiving of their own It was during this time where I suggested to my chef that we donate meals to the community for Thanksgiving as a way to show how when we give grace to ourselves We rallied with a few more organizations who brought hygiene kits and warm clothes for people to pick up along with their meal It was one of my most favorite events here at The Sports Bra The way everything came together was very grassroots and organic and just another way to show how we fit in in Portland During Serena Williams’ last match at the US Open in September 2022 it felt like a moment that was not happening anywhere else on the planet except here at The Bra People were cupping their hands on the windows to watch the TV inside the restaurant When there was intense volleying back and forth between Serena and Ajla Tomljanović you could have heard a pin drop because it was so quiet my eyes were rattling in my skull because everybody was cheering so loud our huge Thorns die-hard team of 300-plus people who flew to D.C we shared this instantaneous moment of the championship Portland loves its sports: discover local teams places to catch a game and opportunities to play both indoors and outdoors but it also is a reminder of the importance of our space in this community the overturning of Roe versus Wade and the shooting at Club Q that [were] just as important for us to mourn my initial reaction was just pure white-hot anger I absolutely hated myself for feeling so much hatred So I got on social media and announced that The Sports Bra was hosting a candlelight vigil It felt like the only thing that I could think of was to give us a space to grieve and be together we ended up having a spontaneous dance party all of us were depressed and sad at The Sports Bra the entire restaurant filled up and we stayed full all day It was people who wanted to be in community with like-minded people There were people who came to The Bra to eat and drink before and after a protest downtown The people brought that energy back to the bar I did not see The Sports Bra becoming this kind of place but it has just very organically grown into what it has It just goes to show that spaces like this are not only wanted but they’re needed can a yam and buy all the supplies you require to design a sustainable future It’s okay to admit that you occasionally get stressed or down Thankfully Portland’s self-care offerings are deep; walk in over 200 parks and health-conscious food to practice self-care like a Portlander with an abundance of top-notch vintage shops and thrift stores offering clothes visitorinfo@travelportland.com1-888-503-3291 (toll free)503-427-1372Monday–Sunday 1132 SW Harvey Milk St #104,Portland, OR 97205 Get the guide Local BusinessesMediaMeeting PlannersTravel Industry ProfessionalsEvent Organizers We are a promoter and steward of this evolving city and its progressive values, which have the power to transform the travelers who visit us. Owner Jennifer Hart offered bra fittings out of her home for 10 years before opening Shapely Hart Bra Fitting Studio. (Dacia Garcia/Community Impact) Dacia is a features reporter for northern markets in the Austin metro. She joined Community Impact in June 2024 shortly after graduating from The University of Texas with a degree in journalism. Dacia previously interned for Austin PBS and Voces Oral History Center. In her free time, she enjoys antique shopping, practicing yoga and trying new restaurants in the city. MENUFASHIONA Complete History of the Cone Bra TrendAs bullet bras see a resurgence in 2025 an exhaustive look at their controversial past While Prada has proved herself an expert in making what’s old feel new again (hello the bullet bra dates all the way back to the 1940s the design is commonly associated with Jean Paul Gaultier though his iconic silhouette was an avant-garde take on the bras his grandmother wore bustline shapes have shifted throughout history small breasts were en vogue per the decade’s popular gamine look slightly larger “champagne coupe” breasts were more desirable director and chief curator at The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology these trends are typically set by famous women a dominant style from the 1940s through the 1960s that meant movie stars like Monroe and Jayne Mansfield “People have modeled themselves after actresses since the 18th century,” Steele tells W “These actresses,” she says in reference to Lana Turner Rita Hayworth and other bombshells of the day “were known for having a particular sort of erotic femininity.” Coincidentally Stein & Company’s Perma-Lift and Maidenform’s Chansonette though Frederick’s of Hollywood—whose clientele included Monroe and Mansfield—has also been credited as one of the bullet bra’s earliest adopters With the style emerging during World War II it’s no surprise that the shape of its cups recalled warheads or full metal jacket rounds; some even referred to it as the torpedo bra Although bullet bras offered structure sans underwire they weren’t worn for utilitarian purposes women sought to imitate the buxom silhouettes they saw on screen likely because they also knew a way to a man’s heart was—at least partially—through sex appeal “Corsetry and brasseries have always been about aesthetics,” Steele explains “I think it’s this kind of self-fetishization for many women then and so you wanted to look like what men wanted you to look like The bullet bra emphasized size and uplift.” Many of the era’s popular sexpots began their careers as pin-up girls they continued posing for scantily-clad photos as a method of morale-boosting for the troops “You saw lots of voluptuous women painted on fighter pilot jets,” Steele says The winner of the Miss Sweater Girl Contest at Rockaway Beach in New York City The “sweater girl” phenomenon was also responsible for popularizing pointy breasts This look was used to describe women like Turner and Mansfield who flaunted their curves by layering bullet bras underneath form-fitting sweaters By the 1970s, bullet bras largely went out of style as women sought softer, more comfortable alternatives. Many stopped wearing bras altogether. It was Gaultier and Vivienne Westwood who completely reinvented the notion of lingerie a decade later, creating corsetry and bras meant to be seen beyond the boudoir—the underwear-as-outerwear trend a reference to the crescent-shaped Italian pastry Gaultier’s unconventional approach to design would become synonymous with his reputation as fashion’s enfant terrible: he put men in skirts long before A$AP Rocky and Pete Davidson wore them on the red carpet and cast models of all ages and sizes at a time when Supers populated most runways Holland during the Blond Ambition tour on July 24 She is wearing a Jean Paul Gaultier conical bra corset Madonna noticed a fellow disruptor when she saw one calling Gaultier herself to request that he design costumes for her Blond Ambition tour She would be promoting her album Like a Prayer which scandalized the Pope and cost her a Pepsi deal Gaultier and Madonna’s debut collaboration would bow on stage in Japan when she ripped off a slitted blazer to reveal a pink bodysuit with conical cups “Do you believe in love?” she asked the crowd before launching into her feminist power anthem “Express Yourself.” “Well This design evoked some of Gaultier’s earliest inspirations for the cone bra, incorporating motifs from the 1940s and 1950s. “I loved the flesh color, the salmon satin, the lace,” he once said of his initial exposure to corsetry Fashion critic Suzy Menkes would aptly associate Gaultier’s iconic silhouette with the feminist movement coming full circle: “The burgeoning sexual freedom of women culminated in Gaultier’s costume design for Madonna’s 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour,” she wrote in her introduction to 2011’s The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier The bullet bra’s peaks can certainly be correlated with major developments in women’s rights more women than ever entered the workforce challenging old-school feminists to rethink eroticism from an empowering perspective—a tenet that Madonna would embody Gaultier’s cone bra has been reinterpreted by countless designers including Daniel Roseberry of Schiaparelli and Dolce & Gabbana Gaultier has even invited other couturiers to reimagine the cone bra alongside him with Simone Rocha and Balmain’s Olivier Rousteing sending their own versions down the runway in collaboration with JPG A model walks the runway during the Jean-Paul Gaultier Haute Couture Fall 2023 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on July 6 After years of speculation, Gaultier has finally found his successor in Duran Lantink who himself has a history of experimenting with three-dimensional breasts The Georgian designer will show his first Gaultier collection as creative director in September Celebrities have also been driving factors in the current cone-bra craze: Kylie Jenner and Charli xcx donned bullet-bra gowns at last year’s Met Gala while Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion wore metallic cone bras to perform “WAP” at the 2021 Grammys a song that generated as much controversy as Madonna’s own work have recently modeled Gaultier’s original “cornetti” cone bra design A model walks the runway during the Miu Miu fall 2025 show during Paris Fashion Week at Palais d’Iena on March 11 As for what this says about feminism in the current decade Steele believes that the idea of bodily exposure—at least in the spheres of fashion and pop culture—has gone from taboo to commonplace “It’s become a kind of aestheticized eroticism,” she notes “A lot of women want to have something that’s sexy in their wardrobe and the cone bra is an easy way to inject sexuality into fashion.” Prada would certainly agree that a healthy dose of girl power is needed right now she said “the collection was about the idea of [using] femininity in this difficult moment to lift us up.” Be one of the first to try our new activity feed More than 40 years after two jockstraps were stitched together researchers are finally starting to understand how to build a better sports bra In the archives of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History tucked in between a collection of items documenting the discovery of modern orthodontia and original scripts from the television show M*A*S*H is a simple garment made of white cloth with an elastic band underneath this particular design would be recognized as athleisure or maybe under a billowy tank top for a brunch date it was an innovation that changed running forever The invention of the sports bra is a quintessentially American story Shortly after the 1972 Title IX legislation mandated equal opportunity for girls and women in sports a new fitness craze called jogging took the United States by storm with an estimated 25 million Americans taking to their streets A full industry sprung up to cater to the needs of these joggers from Bill Bowerman’s iconic waffle-machine running shoes to the mass production of polyester running shorts and terry-cloth headbands But almost all of these innovations were created by men Despite the surge in female athletic participation in the 1970s no one was really thinking about the needs of women in sport—specifically the need for a supportive garment to help reduce breast movement as women ran Brassieres were mostly regarded as a fashion item designed to enhance cleavage not a functional one for anatomical support was well-established as an essential piece of equipment for men to reduce bouncing of their genitalia during sports yet no one had ever thought to make a female equivalent for athletic women New runner Lisa Lindhal was lamenting this very fact to her sister when her husband cracked a joke: “Why not wear a jockstrap he slipped his own jockstrap over his head wiggling and writhing until the garment awkwardly covered one side of his chest The antics made Lindhal double over with laughter Lindhal looked at her husband with a raised eyebrow: Wait a second especially after Lindahl took it from her husband and pulled the pouch down over her own breast like the cup of a brassiere Though Lindhal didn’t know much about garment construction two of her running friends did: Hinda Miller and Polly Smith they excitedly developed a prototype from two jockstraps stitched together to provide breast support They tested their invention with a jog around the block: Lindhal wearing the bra Miller running backwards a few feet in front of her to see if there was any change to the motion of the breasts and Smith thought they had developed a clever solution to a personal problem would soon become a revolution in athletic wear They had no idea they would enable widespread female participation in sports They didn’t see their product evolving into a retail market amounting to approximately 14 billion dollars worldwide each year And they certainly didn’t think their invention would ever be enshrined in the world’s largest museum and widely regarded as one of the most important inventions in athletics “The invention of the Jogbra changed the game forever,” says Laura Havel of the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation “[It] represented a revolution in ready-to-wear clothing enabled women’s participation in athletic activities and advanced women’s health and well-being.” If you hold up a sports bra made in the year 2020 it will have much of the same basic architecture of the original Jogbra: an elastic band around the ribcage straps that cross in the back (known as a “racerback” style) and a compressive design that guides both breasts toward the center of the ribcage and construction styles have been made more efficient for mass production like a young child who bears a striking resemblance to her great-grandmother Is it a testament to the thoughtfulness and intelligence of the inventors the sports bra was quickly in demand by active women including Vanity Fair and Olga by Warner’s Most simply copied the design of the Jogbra to meet consumer demand; as a novel concept the sports bra was already better than the alternative (a flimsy fashion bra nothing at all) so there wasn’t much demand for improvement But there was also a lack of science to suggest a better way which quickly got an infusion of cash for research and development scientific studies of sports bras didn’t begin until 1984 when Utah State University student LaJean Lawson used a movie camera rented from Hollywood to record and analyze the breast movement of 60 different women while running Lawson was able to ascertain how sports bras performed across various bra cup sizes Her research was the first to discover that a one-size-fits-all approach to the garment doesn’t work The way sports bras are usually designed—for competitive athletes who typically have smaller chests—are less effective at controlling the breast movement of the average woman Despite breaking into a new realm of research Lawson’s study was widely panned by government watchdogs—not because of shoddy methodology but because it was considered a waste of taxpayer dollars to study breasts Puritanical politics got in the way of progress the sports bra market exploded as women sought out support for their active pursuits it’s not difficult to find a sports bra these days; in fact thanks to an athleisure trend which makes sportswear high fashion But finding a good sports bra is an entirely different story Although sports bras are supposed to support and protect the breasts during vigorous activity most selections on the market today do neither and the topic of sports bras will likely elicit a cacophony of frustrated groans about shoulder pain Some might even show you scars on their ribcage or underarm accumulated from years of wearing sports bras that rub some of their most delicate skin areas raw wearing a bad sports bra is only marginally better than not wearing one at all Lawson’s study was only the tip of the iceberg in understanding just how important sports bras can be for female athletes It took almost 20 years for the science of sports bras to return to the laboratory more than 40 years after two jockstraps were stitched together Almost every woman is familiar with “The Bounce Test,” a wholly unscientific method for finding a sports bra involving a series of awkward hops and running in place while in the confines of a dressing room to see if the bra really does control motion but not so vigorously it draws the notice of the retail clerk (who probably knows exactly what’s happening behind the curtain) It’s the same eyeball test the inventors of the Jogbra used, and the scientific method Lawton used, but with video cameras. For years, observation was the only method used to test sports bras. But within the confines of the University of Portsmouth Exercise Science Lab the tests have become exponentially more high tech a video camera points at the chest of a woman running on a nearby treadmill A grid of silver dots adorn the outside of her sports bra allowing for 3D motion tracking of the breast; stick-on sensors also affix to the skin inside of the bra for the same purpose Electromyography sensors are placed on the chest and shoulders to measure changes in muscle activity in response to the sports bra A force platform measures ground reaction forces while running while a 3D scanner produces a high-resolution image of breast volume and shape A thermal imaging camera tracks the transfer of heat from the body through the bra—an especially handy tool in the lab’s extreme environment setup which allows for the creation of any environmental condition be it New Orleans humidity or dry Death Valley heat This is the Research Group in Breast Health where a team of 12 researchers have conducted and published more than half of all scientific studies on breast biomechanics worldwide It’s the first research group to devote itself solely to the structure and motion of the breast—an area of the body that despite being present on half of the world’s population was grossly underrepresented in scientific literature for years Joanna Wakefield-Scurr discovered this lack of information in 2005 when she visited her medical professional to diagnose her breast pain and tenderness her doctor assumed it was linked to her menstrual cycle—hormone fluctuations can cause a woman’s breasts to feel swollen and painful—but when Wakefield-Scurr tracked her symptoms and her cycle to test this theory her breast pain was directly linked to the days she went running The advice Wakefield-Scurr was given was to “go and find yourself a good bra.” When she went to a department store and tried on a few brands she read the claims of support and motion control each bra made on its packaging The scientist in her started wondering—was there any evidence behind this stuff a PhD researcher studying the biomechanics of hockey players couldn’t recall ever seeing a study on breast movement in sports her suspicions were confirmed—aside from Lawson’s 1984 research and a smattering of other small studies when you looked at something like footwear or trainers there’s absolutely thousands of published papers in that area,” says Wakefield-Scurr I knew I couldn’t be the only one having exercise-related breast pain or wanting to know what makes a good bra.” establishing the Research Group in Breast Health with some basic equipment she published the first-ever paper on the biomechanics of the breast in three dimensions which made a discovery that ran counter to what many assumed about breast movement “In the earliest papers that were written and published breast motion was measured only in the up-and-down direction because that was the only motion considered,” says research associate Brogan Horler “It wasn’t until our research that we confirmed the breast moves in three dimensions: up and down We also found the movement of the breast almost mimics a figure-eight formation That information had huge implications for the sports bra industry who had been designing for the wrong kind of motion control instead of trying to account for up-and-down movement they also needed to consider side-to-side and in-and-out As Wakefield-Scurr pressed on with her research The research group found that different breast sizes and shapes move differently and different types of exercise—even different intensities of the same exercise—cause the breasts to move in different ways it became more clear that a blanket approach to sports bra design simply didn’t work Breast support needed to be customized for a range of breast sizes and activities Manufacturers weren’t really sure how to do this Sports bras had been constructed from the same general template for years despite that template being pieced together from guesswork the Research Group in Breast Health opened their testing protocols to designers and brands in 2013 They also created a one-day workshop for bra manufacturers titled “The Science Behind Breasts and Bras.” In this program designers could develop their knowledge of breast anatomy Portsmouth is the premier destination for independent sports bra testing where prototypes and products are run through a series of tests to determine not only individual effectiveness of their sports bra the group has tested thousands of sports bras and prototypes from brands around the world collecting unbiased data on the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of each product the Portsmouth researchers have created a massive database of products and prototypes which allows them to tease out the variables for what makes an effective sports bra Not all sports bras go through such rigorous testing the majority of sports bras on the market today lack any sort of independent biomechanical testing especially those marketing a wide range of clothing for a wide range of clients Their products follow the same general pattern each year with different fabric colors or design elements to match the trends of the season Other brands see testing as overkill—surely a sports bra can’t affect athletic performance the same way as seemingly more important gear No champion has ever credited a win to her undergarments But maybe they should. In recent years, Wakefield-Scurr and her team have expanded their horizons to examine how breast biomechanics impact the whole body. What they’ve found has proven the value of a good sports bra. One study found that unsupportive sports bras are linked to slower marathon times and this slowdown is increased exponentially with cup size: a woman with a 36DD cup size would finish a marathon over 34 minutes behind a woman wearing a 36A even if they had similar fitness levels and a similar training experience Another found an unsupportive sports bra shortens a woman’s stride by an average of four centimeters—over the course of a marathon Sports bras are also proving to be an essential injury-prevention tool Excessively bouncing breasts take their toll on the body causing the muscles and shoulders to tense this can cause fatigue and a breakdown in proper form but a Portsmouth study found the body also compensates for excess movement from the bottom up “When we had women run across our force plate in low-support sports bra we found they were putting more force through their feet,” explains Horgan “When there is lower support of the breasts women are cushioning themselves to reduce the breast bounce that’s going on a good bra is essential for athletic performance and some are even sold in large quantities Searching for sports bras online unveils thousands of options from thick garments resembling Kevlar vests to pastel-colored crop tops with a dizzying array of delicate straps intersecting across the back “The difficulty is that there’s not a standard to make something a sports bra,” Horgan says “I could cut off the bottom of my shirt and say Here’s a sports bra!’ There’s no rules to say you need to reduce this much breast movement during running to say that it’s suitable for running “Nipples and breasts were flying everywhere” is not the typical way people describe the start of their career path While working as a sports physio in Australia in the mid-2000s McGhee found herself wincing almost every time she worked with female athletes and their breasts would be bouncing up and down we’ve got to get your breasts more supported.’” McGhee was stunned by how many female athletes were wearing an inadequate sports bra while others chose their bras based on the recommendation of a friend or teammate They believed that one bra could work for everyone she would take field trips with her athletes for individualized recommendations: “I’d point to specific bras and say you can buy this one And they’d pick one they liked and come to me in the fitting room Every time she fitted an athlete with the correct garment Not only did athletes perform better because they were comfortable Both translated to better sport performance Wearing a better sports bra was a literal game changer Studies show that eight out of ten women don’t know their correct bra size trying on various garments in the dressing room until one seems about right dispensing frank and accurate advice in the fitting room of a bra store “I was thinking we really needed to improve the way we educated women about this,” says McGhee “I wanted brands to make better sports bras and I wanted women to wear better sports bras I work to figure out what my patient’s needs are McGhee took her ideas to Julie Steele, a biomechanics professor at Australia’s University of Wollongong, who shared her passion for women’s health. Together, they formed a research group to understand the science of breast support: Breast Research Australia, or BRA BRA researchers study breast biomechanics in relation to sports bra design and bra fit with a specific slant on how sports bras improve enjoyment of sport and overall quality of life They’re interested in developing solutions for all women from elite athletes to large-breasted women to women who have undergone treatment for breast cancer Finding the right sports bra is not just about telling someone their cup size; it’s about taking into consideration all the factors of the wearer’s body and what she’s doing while wearing it In one hour of running at a pace of 10 minutes per mile a woman’s breasts will bounce 10,000 times Faster runners will have an even higher bounce rate and larger breasts will have more velocity than smaller ones the majority of women fall on one of two ends of a belief spectrum: either they try to stop the bounce altogether “The problem is that these brands keep saying they stop the breasts from bouncing “When bras are trying to stop breast movement or when they’re trying to say they’re the best bra because it limits breast bounce by 80% BRA’s research confirms this—the most restrictive bras are often the most uncomfortable ones but makes sure the mass of the breast is supported as it moves up and down This usually takes one of three forms: compressing the breast against the chest wall lifting them from below (done with a seam or underwire) or completely encapsulating the surface of the breast in cups Each style must walk the fine line between discomfort from the breast moving and discomfort from the breast being overly constricted which can cause chafing and make it difficult to breathe “I’m not looking for breast movements to stop I’m looking for them to move well,” says McGhee Once athletes renounce the search for a motion-stopping bra (which doesn’t exist) and instead focus on support finding a comfortable—and effective—sports bra becomes much easier McGhee has become the Pied Piper of sports bras in Australia carrying the message of proper fit to physical therapists She educates Olympians and elite athletes at the Australian Institute of Sport and other large sporting organizations at hospitals treating breast cancer patients Every time she talks with athletes about sports bras she listens to the issues they’re having and tries to find solutions When working with a large group of female endurance athletes she noticed a common complaint was friction—not in the typical areas under the breasts Further research exposed a large gap in the knowledge of bra design “Most sports bra design and research is just looking at the bra by itself If you’re a straight designer or an engineer you’re looking at that narrow field,” says McGhee she’s actually running with this little vest on and she’s got two water bottles sitting here and they’re going to move up and down on her breast So we have to look at how that affects breast movement and what’s happening with her skin you’ve got to look at what the woman is wearing on top of the bra you’ve got to look at the athlete’s experience and take all of that into account in bra design.” User experience is the central theme of research at BRA McGhee and her team discovered that as the skin becomes drier women report an increase in frictional injuries caused by sports bras McGhee found they laugh at the sizing options offered by the sports bra industry hardly any sports bras are designed for women with large breasts What [sports bra manufacturers] call large is not what we call large and discovered women who have 3.1 liters of breast tissue We wouldn’t call you large unless your breasts were over 1,500 milliliters of volume.” 1,500 milliliters is roughly three pounds of breast tissue Many mainstream bra manufacturers stop at a D cup despite the average bra size in America clocking in at 34DD (cup sizes go up to I) it’s not unusual to see their DD-cup bra is the same model as their B cup—hardly the support needed for the velocity and weight of the larger breast McGhee’s research shows this is a major barrier to exercise: the larger the breast size the less likely women are to engage in physical activity or embarrassment about excessive breast movement it becomes ever more important to remove barriers to exercise A supportive sports bra may change the game for elite athletes but it may be even more important for the everyday woman wanting to run her first 5K or sprint triathlon Perhaps sports bra shopping would be easier if the process were automated A woman could enter a scanner—something similar to the devices we walk through at airport checkpoints—and get a 3D rendering of her body A printer would spit out recommendations of bra styles and sizes for ease in shopping it would print out a bespoke bra that fits every curve of the wearer’s body perfectly The idea sounds like something out of a futuristic movie 3D scanning has moved into the fashion industry in recent years with retailers and smartphone apps using 3D scanners to help customers find their perfect fit shoppers can navigate online or brick-and-mortar stores with ease feeling confident the clothes they pick will fit and flatter their particular body type The application of such technology is a bit trickier for sports bras a sports bra must fit the contours of the wearer’s particular anatomy A woman who wears a size 36C bra is not going to have an identical breast shape or distribution as another woman with 36C breasts will fill out a sports bra in a different way If the breasts bulge out of the top (colloquially described as “quad boob”) The bra also has to be easy to put on and take off which can be a tall order for something that’s supposed to be skintight Fabric panels should be placed in strategic areas aligned with the body’s sweat maps to transfer heat and moisture away from the body It should be lined with a fabric that doesn’t irritate the sensitive skin of the breasts and nipples it would also be stylish—this is a fashion item Dr. Adriana Gorea is a researcher in fashion and apparel studies at the University of Delaware who studies new technologies for sports bra design Gorea learned the ropes of the sports bra industry at Adidas where she worked in the development of seamless knitted sports bras with embedded textile sensors She became knowledgeable in how to make a sports bra—but was frustrated that there was not much “why” behind the bra design process “I learned by being firsthand into design and development that there’s not much science,” says Gorea “There’s so much technology—you have all these amazing knitting machines that will have 2 million stitches in a sports bra But how each stitch is engineered is pretty much trial and error Most of the innovation in sports bra design to date hasn’t really been innovation but the application of pre-existing solutions “The reason why many sports bras are so thick and tight is because many companies make sports bras using existing templates They just use fabrics that are already available,” says Gorea “Then they look at consumer feedback on their previous model bra where they learn the main complaint is that the straps keep coming off They keep making a new product with the same materials but keep adding features: we add on padding because we keep adding on features using current elements.” Gorea’s research suggests a better way—set aside the current template and start over Her research on sports bras focuses on the fibers used to make the fabrics that eventually become the garment Instead of the thick customary nylon or polyester blend with spandex Gorea has identified ways to engineer fabrics that maximize the potential of seamless knitting technology building a thin—yet effective—multifiber engineered fabric that could create an adaptable sports bra Her approach is to engineer fabric changes in response to sweat it compresses and thickens to give support This allows for the creation of a garment that is light but not flimsy It can stretch to easily slide on and off the body it will eliminate the need to buy five different bras for five different sports—a responsive bra will be both soft and comfortable during yoga class and tighter and more supportive when running The responsive fibers and fabrics sound high-tech but they’re actually the oldest trick in the book Flowers wilt when they lack moisture and lift after you fill the vase Pine cones open their scales when dry and seal up when wet Your hair is flat in dry climates and frizzy in humidity Using nanoscience to re-engineer natural fibers and using knitting technologies to amplify those properties at the fabric level creates a structure that is responsive The next major change in building a better sports bra is to rethink the way bras are built many designers use patterns to cut out pieces of fabric to be stitched together as seams create friction points on the bra that constantly rub on the skin (any woman who has experienced “bra burn” can attest to the searing pain of such an affliction) as cutting bra elements from a sheet of fabric creates scraps which become part of the 57 billion tons of textile waste the global fashion industry generates each year Knitwear technologies can eliminate all of those problems scientists have created flexible yarn from human skin cells which can be knitted into unique patterns for tissue grafts and organ repair Gorea says such manufacturing technologies can take the responsive fibers and create skin-like fabrics sculpted into a seamless sports bra that fits the body of the person wearing it 3D body-scanning technology could be used to confirm this fit or perhaps even one day create a bespoke bra because you really should just be able to put a layer on and the fibers will be activated by your own body,” says Gorea “It will hug and support you when you start moving It will deal with your own heat sweat maps and your own shape and anatomy and sensitivity.” In other words: It might finally be the perfect sports bra It costs even more money to develop new textiles or formulate new solutions It’s also costly for brands to offer an expanded range of sizes and the manufacturer’s ultimate goal is to turn a profit The easiest way to do that is to offer a familiar product to a customer base who has long established they’ll buy it “It’s scary for a company to completely change what they’ve done,” says Gorea There also might be a lack of awareness that a better design even exists Science has long had a public relations problem publishing their discoveries in journals using academic language that is often out of touch with the general public This can make it hard to bridge the gap between research and application “Universities and research in general can sometimes be quite guilty of producing and finding out lots of information but not getting it out there into the world we were finding out lots and lots and lots about breast biomechanics but companies weren’t using that information.” as consumers are more likely to buy a $20 sports bra than one that costs $300 but innovation is also an unknown—many female runners know the frustration of dropping a large sum on a much-hyped brand or style only to discover it isn’t much different from the other bras in their drawer That may be because they bought the wrong size or it may simply be that the bra just isn’t right for her body type or sport trying new sports bras can be an expensive pursuit Almost every endurance sports forum on the internet has a sports bra thread Some also offer hacks for making their bras more effective On one such thread within a Facebook group for female runners a runner writes of buying low-cost bras from a discount department store and “double bagging,” or wearing two at a time Another fortifies her bras with kinesiology tape on the breasts before long runs Someone else chimes in to say she also uses tape but to cover the clasp on the back of her bra to prevent chafing It’s not unusual to see a specific bra recommendation prefaced with “It’s not perfect “I think people need to come together and say and I’m not going to wear it.’” says McGhee “I would love to spend time with the designers and go I have admiration for those designers—there are some really lovely designers out there But I think they need to have that science behind it Texas A&M doctoral student Andrea Porter’s research explores a better fit for women in body armor Andrea Porter has developed body armor designed for women Her work aims to reshape the design — and the conversation — around female body armor What do bra fitting and body armor testing have in common When Porter took a sabbatical from her career to earn her Ph.D she never imagined she would become a professional bra fitter But her ergonomics research took her to both—optimizing armor comfort and investigating armor protection for women helped secure funding and resources to support her research Porter’s journey into this field began long before she stepped onto the range Porter mentored teenaged girls at the high school where her husband taught Several of her mentees joined the military and one entered law enforcement after graduation Porter kept in touch with them and was surprised to hear a consistent thread in the girls’ experiences “They each shared that their body armor made tasks difficult and caused extreme discomfort and pain,” Porter said I had assumed that armor was optimized by gender.” One soldier described how her armor’s long torso caused it to ride up when she hit the ground tipping her helmet forward and obstructing her vision A police officer showed Porter scars under her chin from armor that had rubbed her skin raw during patrols Running presented its own challenges — women had to either hold their vests in place or tighten them so much that it restricted breathing “Women face a no-win situation: They can either hold the vest with at least one arm while running Porter recognized that while she lacks the courage to serve in these roles she could contribute by improving the tools these professionals rely on “Professionals across work sectors must understand how to optimize environment-necessary equipment and tools for different types of human bodies,” Benden said He also understood the inherent problems of traditional body armor due to his eight years’ experience serving in the Texas Army National Guard and United States Army Reserve “Andrea’s research will make great strides in balancing the fit and comfort of body armor for women and strengthen the protection those devices are supposed to provide,” he said Porter has been interested in ergonomics — the science of optimizing equipment and environments to better fit workers — since working at a retirement home she hadn’t expected her work to intersect with body armor until she connected with Benden What started as a broad study of women’s armor design quickly zeroed in on a surprising factor: the bra “A female officer’s bra choice affects how her armor fits and even how effectively she can move,” Porter said In a survey of almost 1,000 female law enforcement officers Porter found that the type of bra they wore under their armor significantly influenced comfort and mobility officers who didn’t wear bras often reported feeling more comfortable in their armor across various activities “These numbers told us something important: Armor isn’t just a sizing issue — it’s an interaction issue,” Porter explains and how much equipment is attached to the outside of the armor greatly affects a female officer’s comfort.” Another challenge is that most armor fitters are men making discussions about the bra and body armor interaction awkward “It can be a difficult conversation for both sides so I’m working on guidance to help both male armor fitters and female law enforcement officers navigate these fitting issues,” Porter said Another key aspect of Porter’s research involved how air gaps between the armor and the body affect protection This investigation introduced her to a new place — the shooting range “I grew up in a family where guns were a ‘man thing,’ so I never went with them nor was I interested in shooting,” she said I was standing on a range with some guys teaching me about different guns I certainly did not plan to learn that in my Ph.D.” Porter conducted testing in their lab on a clay dummy wearing silicone breasts She also tested the effect of the shots to the dummy using different breast sizes which changed the depth of the gaps between the armor and the dummy under the cup The larger the air gap created by the breasts “We found shots to the areas with gaps between the body and the armor experienced less harm than a shot to an area where the armor was in direct contact,” Porter said “This benefit may also extend to male law enforcement officers who have gaps in their armor fit.” Current armor certification tests armor in complete contact with a clay block which doesn’t account for how it actually fits a person—especially a woman These findings add to the body of knowledge about armor performance in the field Porter’s research is gaining attention from law enforcement agencies across the country breast size and armor gaps influence performance she hopes to educate officers on optimizing their armor fit and comfort “This research recognizes that women’s armor fit requires a broader scope than just the armor itself which has been the focus in the past,” she said this research has been both challenging and rewarding “The hardest part has been the bra aspect,” she said “It’s a loaded topic because breasts are sexualized and joked about My priority has been to maintain the dignity of this topic.” she considered shifting her focus away from bras entirely but Benden encouraged her to stay the course Sometimes you learn things you didn’t expect or want to deal with but you have to keep going to add to the body of knowledge so things can improve Science is science.’ That perspective has helped me stay focused on the bigger picture and been my most valuable lesson in this Ph.D Texas A&M University School of Public Health Andrea Porter will represent Texas A&M in the Regional 3MT® Research Presentation Competition with her design for ballistic vests for women in the military Texas A&M researchers are part of a team that has found that adding silicon to a material used to make body armor can make it more resilient to firearms Department of Chemistry doctoral student Evan Fox is pioneering research on sustainable battery materials that could reduce reliance on traditional resources and power the future of energy storage watch videos and discover how Texas A&M University is shaping an innovative more secure future for the citizens of Texas and the world Home / Health & Wellness / Health & Wellness Shopping Guide a viral posture-correcting bra designed by an orthopedic surgeon (If it’s good enough for Taylor Swift to wear while training for her Eras Tour Let’s talk about Forme for a sec–they’re not just another athleisure brand jumping on the wellness bandwagon the company emerged from his experience treating patients with chronic pain and poor posture Each product is basically engineered to be like having a really gentle physical therapist constantly tapping your shoulder saying “sit up straight!” in a very non-judgmental tone the keyhole detail at the back adds some fun visual interest it extends up around that little armpit bulge that always seems to crop up with typical exercise tops The length is a bit longer than your typical bra but it’s also a great under any kind of top I’ve not worn it for running since that’s only something I’ll do if I’m about to miss an airplane Since it arrived a few months ago I’ve worn it for countless Pilates and HIIT classes and find it definitely helps keep me more mindful of my posture while I’m working out The first time I wore it to a Pilates class the instructor (who sees me at least three times a week) noted that my shoulders looked more relaxed It’s also one of few workout tops that I don’t have to strip off the second I get home to prevent a tension headache but I can’t wear any Y-back bras or halter tops for longer than an hour or two before I’m very grumpy and in pain.) But where I truly find it most helpful is wearing it while I’m working at my computer it recently improved discomfort I woke up with in my neck and back almost immediately While I suspected it would help with my posture long-term I hadn’t put much stock in expecting it to spot treat pain I’d already caused myself while sleeping funny it does align with research on posture training devices which shows they can effectively retrain muscle memory and strengthen the supporting muscles needed for proper alignment The gentle compression and strategic tension points work together to create lasting change in how you carry yourself–and a bit of assistance in the short term which sits firmly in the investment category of workout wear as a FDA-registered device it qualifies for HSA or FSA funds with insurance approval When weighed against the cost of ongoing bodywork or physical therapy sessions the price becomes easier to justify in my opinion the compression remains consistent and the fabric looks new For anyone dealing with the physical effects of modern life–endless screen time long workdays–this bra offers meaningful support without compromise It’s rare to find a product that delivers on both function and comfort but the Forme Power Bra manages to do exactly that While it won’t solve every posture challenge wearable support that has made a genuine difference in my daily comfort and alignment maybe you’ll even gain back some of that height you lost from years of slouching Published: Invalid Date LILY Allen rang in her 40th birthday with a wholesome garden party surrounded by friends The Smile singer shared her milestone birthday with some of her closest friends and thanked them for helping her through "tricky circumstances." Lily recently split from Stranger Things actor David Harbour Her cake was decorated with white icing on top and pink frosting that read "Lily 40." The beautiful looking cake was covered with berries Lily shared photos of her big day to her Instagram and wrote:  "Thank you to all my beauty friends and family who showed up for me and made my birthday a special one under some tricky circumstances fashion designers Kim Jones OBE and Katie Hillier shared a series of selfies in a stylish sheer bra after she opened up about getting breast augmentation  "Happy Birthday to me," the mum-of-two captioned the post The Sun revealed recently how Lily opened up about her boob job during an episode of her Miss Me podcast, with her friend Miquita Oliver, 40. and the singer admitted she'd very recently had some work done Lily told Miquita: "I've just got some new additions to the family I don't know if you've noticed!" Lily added: "They look really incredible when I take my top off and my bra off (laughing) but there is definitely a contrast in age to my face!" Miquita asked Lily how she felt about her implants and she replied: "It's really fun I'm buying fancy lingerie that my boobs can fit in haven't sent them to any one yet but it will hopefully get there at some point!" Lily wed Stranger Things star David in Las Vegas in 2020 in December friends confirmed they had split after living “separate lives” for months The singer allegedly found his "secret profile" on a dating app Following the couple's break up, David has been spotted on a date with aspiring model Ellie Fallon Dana Donofree has always been a clothing designer spending weekends making hemp necklaces and friendship bracelets to sell at school the next week.  she went to art school at Savannah College of Art and Design and started a career in fashion in New York City as soon as she graduated “I got catapulted into this world that was designed for a much more mature woman than I was and just didn’t understand why there weren’t beautiful and pretty things available for us,” Donofree told Technical.ly “It felt like the world was telling me I was broken and I didn’t want to feel like that.”  She took her experience in fashion design and created AnaOno in 2014 a startup that makes bras designed for multiple breast cancer surgery outcomes The name is a play on her own — it’s Dana Donofree Patients diagnosed with breast cancer have two surgical choices One choice is to amputate and remove one or both breasts the other is to have a breast tissue-preserving surgery where the lump is removed “Something that we pride ourselves on is what we call chest inclusivity — two boobs if a patient decides after a single breast amputation not to reconstruct and for patients with asymmetrical breasts after a lumpectomy There are bras for patients with no breasts because even after a double breast amputation without reconstruction patients still seek out beautiful bras that fit “When I launched the line in 2014 and I brought all my friends over to try on the first line of bras and it’s because there is so much choice.”  While aesthetics are an important part of the AnaOno brand post-operation bras are still a kind of medical device and are designed with everything from surgical wound recovery to skin sensitivity due to radiation treatment in mind as well as being free of the underwires used to support the breasts in traditional bras it’s not just about being underwire free,” Donofree said put the seams in different parts of the bra so the support sits around the rib cage rather than under the breast fold With so many outcomes and new breast cancer procedures being developed all the time a big part of what Donofree does is listening to her customers “We love our community and we love our customers and they tell us everything — the good in addition to its own online retail space AnaOno bras are carried by the large intimates retailers Soma and Victoria’s Secret It’s sold in about 100 specialty boutiques throughout the US and internationally A new line of AnaOno Plus bras is also available through five hospitals so far servicing operating rooms directly and eligible to be covered by the patient’s insurance Donofree had to invest in the business idea she had started conceptualizing in 2011 herself “Women did not have as much access or opportunity to get funding as today,” she said She was told more than once by advisors that she was wasting her time and would never get funding but I’m one of those people that also has the curse that when you say no AnoOno got its first funding round in 2018 the company has raised $2.37M at an undisclosed valuation “My ultimate goal for AnaOno is that wherever you shop for your intimates before breast cancer you should have an option to shop there for your intimates after breast cancer,” Donofree said “This is my whole-hearted push to make sure that 4 million plus women with breast cancer aren’t ignored in the fashion industry.” Join 5,000 tech professionals and entrepreneurs in our community Slack today Your support powers our independent journalism we count on your personal and organizational contributions Pardon our dust while we build a better museum! We are open with a series of special exhibitions. During construction, select permanent collection galleries in the Main Building will reopen on a rolling basis See full details at tomorrowtheater.org The Portland Art Museum recognizes and honors the Indigenous peoples of this region on whose ancestral lands the museum now stands Multnomah and Watlala Chinook Peoples and the Tualatin Kalapuya who today are part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and many other Native communities who made their homes along the Columbia River We also want to recognize that Portland today is a community of many diverse Native peoples who continue to live and work here We respectfully acknowledge and honor all Indigenous communities—past future—and are grateful for their ongoing and vibrant presence The Portland Art Museum and Center for an Untold Tomorrow are pleased to offer accommodations to ensure that our programs are accessible and inclusive We’ll do our best to accommodate your needs when you arrive — please give us 2-3 weeks advance notice for specific requests Email requests to access@pam.org, or call 503-226-2811. 2025Brigitt EarleyAll products featured on Glamour are independently selected by our editors we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links Until I set out to find the best strapless bra a few months ago, I’d been wearing the same one for more than five years. And it didn’t even fit me right. It gaped at the top of the cups, the band was constantly slipping and sliding, and by the end of its run, the lace was starting to tear. While my situation may have been particularly dire, my friends are all constantly groaning about their lingerie too Sena notes that you should avoid wearing lotions or oils under your strapless bra The best strapless bras are about as low-maintenance as any of your other bras most strapless bras can be washed by hand and hung or laid out to dry Softer bras like bandeaus are often machine washable with cold water (preferably in a net bag) We researched the market for the most popular and well-reviewed strapless bras from brands both big and small plus asked stylists which ones they recommend to their clients and even use themselves Then I tried the most widely recommended styles plus tapped other editors with different body types to weigh in on the ones they love and rely on I also considered other features like molded cups and padding or was it better suited for more standard garments like tube tops and tanks with spaghetti straps it’s just not cute to constantly be hiking up your bra while you’re trying to tear up the dance floor at a wedding—who’s with me We’re confident the final list contains only the best strapless bras on the market These are the bras that not only feel like a second skin (read “don’t dig in”) sit seamlessly under clothing (no awkward shelf) and won’t require constant tugging (phew!) Should you go down a size in a strapless bra To measure your bra size, use a soft, flexible measuring tape (often called tailor’s tape), following these steps: Of course, all breasts are different, so finding the right bra will likely require some trial and error, says Delince. Spanx may not be my favorite brand of shapewear but I was seriously impressed with the strapless bra The material is really smooth and doesn’t cinch the soft fabric sits flush to create a naturally beautiful shape nor were there any lines in sight—even while wearing thin The fabric is also breathable and quick-drying Get some good grip and full coverage with ThirdLove’s classic bra. Glamour reviewer Emily Rodriguez praises this bra’s comfort. “I wore this strapless bra all day, and (a) it stayed in place, but (b) it didn’t make me feel like I was constricted by intense underwire,” she says. Another standout feature of this strapless bra is its convertible design. With its adjustable and removable straps, you have the flexibility to wear it in multiple ways, including strapless, halter, crisscross, or one-shoulder. Whether you’re attending a special event or simply want to make wearing your everyday tops easier, this bra delivers an unparalleled fit, though we don't recommend it for extended wear, since the padding doesn’t feel natural. For a bra that doesn’t feel bulky or excessively padded, Maidenform’s Dreamwire Strapless Multiway Underwire Bra added a fair amount of volume. Not quite as much as Victoria Secret’s push-up, but a close second with less bulk to the actual bra. It also has concealed underwire that doesn’t dig in at all for a more comfortable fit. TBH, there wasn’t much I didn’t love about the Skims Fits Everybody Strapless Bra. The fabric is very soft, but most importantly, it stays up without digging in or creating awkward lines under a shirt or dress. Not to mention, in classic Skims fashion, it comes in eight colors to suit more skin tones and extended bra sizes up to 46H. I also appreciate that it’s a convertible strapless bra—it comes with matching straps that can be worn any which way. I wore this strapless bra with a racerback-style shirt for more than 12 hours straight on a busy day of errands and rarely had to make adjustments. I did, however, think there was something to be desired in the shape department. I felt like my boobs looked a little flatter than they did in other styles. If you’re searching for a true second-skin feel that slips right on, Aerie’s Smoothez Bandeau Bralette is a solid wireless strapless bra. I found the buttery soft fabric to be extremely comfortable, and I liked that it has removable pads. I actually preferred the bra without the cups, since I found they were moving around a bit inside the bra and didn’t do much to help with shape. And because of the wireless bandeau style, I also recommend sizing down for a more snug, stay-up-all-day fit. This bra really stands out for its seamless design and so-soft fabric. It’s made from a blend of nylon and elastane that makes it exceptionally soft and breathable, and therefore more comfortable for extended wear. It’s also a very stretchy option, so it doesn’t dig in the way some other strapless bras do but still conforms to the body’s shape for adequate support and a more custom fit. There is one downside to this design: The overlying material is thin and not super tight to the mold inside, so I found it tended to wrinkle a bit under certain shirts, which wasn’t the best look. I also noticed a slight shelf forming at the top of the cups, especially after prolonged wear. It’s not convertible, either, but if you’re someone who really prioritizes comfort—even over small drawbacks in functionality—this is the bra for you. Made from soft, smooth materials, this strapless bra sits nicely on the skin without digging in and features lightly padded cups that lend a natural shape that doesn’t add excessive bulk. The cups are slightly more full-coverage than some other options on our list, which means it offers great support, plus helps prevent spillage around the top, side, and back, especially for those with larger busts. Just note: It’s not quite as size-inclusive as a few others, especially the Skims bra. Even though I would not consider myself especially large-chested, I really liked the shape I got from this lightly lined bra. The overall look was one of the more seamless and smooth. And I appreciated the silicone on the band to help it stay up. Another big plus for this bra? There’s no boning, which I find can be the most painful spot on a strapless bra. It’s also convertible, thanks to matching straps. 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about race—and Life Kit offers practical advice on things in life no one prepared you for Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX Reveal is public radio’s first one-hour radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting A weekly program presented by the New Yorker magazine’s editor killer beats and the edgiest new talent in storytelling come together for a weekly show that straps audiences into an audio rollercoaster Radiolab is known for its deep-dive journalism and innovative sound design Created in 2002 by former host Jad Abumrad the program began as an exploration of scientific inquiry Over the years it has evolved to become a platform for long-form journalism and storytelling Radiolab is hosted by Lulu Miller and Latif Nasser She retired several months ago and has told me a couple of times since then that she has stopped wearing bras Erin is generously endowed and has “headlights.” In warmer weather so the lack of a bra or anything else to preserve a bit of modesty other than wearing her shirts in a larger size is starting to bother me I don’t normally care what other women wear But I cringe having Erin around my husband and other friends and I no longer want to go out and about with her DEAR CAN’T UNSEE: If your longtime friend is unaware of how much of her “assets” are on display If she asks why you have distanced yourself expect her to stop doing what she’s been doing Erin has the right to go braless if she wishes Only you can decide whether her lack of attire is grounds for ending a long friendship I developed psychosis with a personality change leaving my 13-year-old daughter with my ex-husband I snapped out of it 15 years ago with the help of a good psychiatrist and excellent medication and I have made every effort to change things my relationship with my daughter has never recovered in spite of my apologies Fast-forward: My daughter got married recently and invited her father but not me I have been trying so hard for so many years to reestablish trust and show her I love her but banning me from her wedding brings me to tears every time I think of it I have a therapist and I’m working hard to recover from my bout of insanity all those years ago Can you think of anything I can do to heal our relationship or must I just bump along unless and until she forgives me DEAR IN A STATE: I know neither you nor your daughter other than what you have described to me Continue talking with your therapist for guidance This individual is most familiar with your history and how hard you have tried to repair the damage you caused Your therapist is the most qualified to help you traverse the “bumpy” path ahead Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O To receive a collection of Abby’s most memorable — and most frequently requested — poems and essays (Shipping and handling are included in the price.) Terms of Use • Privacy Notice • Cookie Policy • Terms of Sale Christina Shepherd McGuire is a shopping writer for Real Simple She has been writing and editing for over 10 years Here’s why so many running bras have those removable pads that you lose in the laundry plus 10 of our favorite bras that don't have them As I was gathering a bunch of running bras I was frustrated that I had to take the time to put them back together Who thought removable pads were a good idea? Usually I take those pads right out after buying a new bra They pile up in the closet and I lament the waste Do I toss them in the trash so they can live forever in a landfill And I quickly realized I was not the only one who had so many questions (and opinions) about padded running bras It seemed like everybody had something to say—even men I’ve never understood why they are removable So many questions…” replied Jonathan Kisch I decided to call my friends at Brooks to find out why on earth the entire athletic industry has conspired against all people who wear bras senior manager of apparel/run bra product line management gave me an education on all the reasons why running bras with removable pads exist It turns out there are four very good reasons manufacturers still include removable pads in their bras My anecdotal evidence doesn’t hold up to the focus groups and other evidence that the industry relies on to create product lines go figure—we shouldn’t rely on Twitter to give us the complete picture Different size women (who run different mileage) want different features when it comes to their bras—different band widths “There are so many parts of a bra that are preference driven,” Ruckman said “We have 10 different bras in our product line—out of those 10 we have two that have removable cups…when you think about 20 percent of our line having removable cups but it’s also very aligned to the women’s preference on removable cups.” The biggest reason women choose to use the pad or not They go back in the bra to cover the nipples (we recognize the “free the nipple” movement “We have lovely triggers in our bodies and hormones that change; nips showing when it’s cooler out or after you’re sitting in your sweat after a run,” Ruckman said “Most women who wanted coverage talked about not wanting padding or extra bulk but a reduction of attention by not having their nipples showing.” Most of us grew up thinking of “padded bras” as devices to make our boobs look bigger but that’s not actually why sports apparel makers started producing padded running bras a lot of women related padding to a sense of safety and less attention being drawn to them,” Ruckman said The makers of these bras know that the design isn’t flawless “Women ultimately highly dislike removable cups because they fold up they can’t keep track of one—it’s like the ‘Lost Sock Monster,’” Ruckman said depending on the size and tissue makeup of your breasts the removable pad creates other uncomfortable seam lines showing through the women who hate them also say getting the cups in and out is a high point of frustration,” she said if you’re purchasing a bra with removable pads look for one that has a big enough opening to make it easier to assemble but also designed to keep them in place during the wash has started manufacturing a foldover opening and tested the washing process to see how it holds up but the tests revealed it worked better than most and what cycle you’re using will all change the outcome,” Ruckman said RELATED: 20 Sports Bras Runners Swear By A lot of people have two different sized breasts and having the option to pad one side might make a runner more comfortable “We haven’t ever met a woman whose boobs are perfectly aligned,” she said “Some women want to smooth out their shape so they’ll use them on one side.” our breast size often changes depending on the time of the month “Removing that cup can give you added capacity when your natural volume is increasing,” Ruckman said Those removable pads serve a purpose in the running world after all And if you don’t find use for them as part of your gear lineup you can use them to wash windows or dishes but has inevitably lost half of hers in the laundry If you’d rather just buy a running bra with no removable pads are baffled by something that seems to be more trouble than its worth shop these 10 running bras that boast no removable bra pads and no extra stress on laundry day Starting at $48 This unpadded underwire option is great for cups sized D above It’s constructed with a moisture-wicking two-ply fabric that will hold you in place plus an inner sling and thick straps set closer together in the back that lend more support $80, Nordstrom Using the brand’s iconic Flyknit technology this style has molded cups providing high stretch and compression for a secure and minimal bounce will keep your eyes focused on the road ahead and not on your chest $58, REI quick-drying material that is smooth to the touch this racerback has the ideal amount of compression and a supportive length A moisture-absorbing elastic under the bust is another feature that will keep your boobs dry and comfortable for the duration of your activity with nylon made from recycled fishing nets and a process that uses less water will make you feel good about this purchase $28, Under Armour This classic pullover racerback style allows your arms to have a full range of motion Multiple features will keep your body cool and dry: the “heat gear” technology that pulls sweat away from the skin the lightweight material that helps regulate your body temp $70, REI Finding a sports bra when you’re a runner with anything larger than a C cup can be tricky the molded cups on this underwire were biomechanically tested and made to encapsulate each breast Perforation is strategically placed to keep you cool and dry while adjustable straps allow for a personalized fit that will hold you in $40, Sweaty Betty This removable bra pad–less pick is unstructured yet completely supportive thanks to compression fabric and a seamless design that will hug your body without causing chafing It’s also moisture-wicking and has a four-way stretch to keep you comfortable there is a band for support and perforated mesh holes to help with the airflow The beloved style comes in a range of colors so you can express whatever statement you’d like $65, Reebok has a second-skin feel and a minimalist design A molded panel along the front helps to lift without adding volume Smooth seaming will lie flat and won’t be bulky under tops The fabric is treated with Motion Sense technology that firms up during high-intensity activities $32, Yvette Uniboob strikes often with some sports bras The Power Back bra has more of a feminine cut and the style is actually cute and stylish and the molded cups will keep your breast tissues supported and in place Double straps will apply less stress on the shoulders and look flattering across your back while lifting you Mesh along the middle with Coolmax technology helps to keep you dry and cool $65, Tracksmith Looking for a new compression style without removable cups The Run Bra from Tracksmith holds the breasts tightly against the body thanks to a robust fabric with a wide elastic wool band along the bottom Sleek-feeling Italian silk is double layered to provide some coverage Effortless feel and look whether you wear under a tank or all by itself $75, Knix Molded cups won’t add bulk and help maintain a more natural appearance It also provides individual breast support and drastically reduces any bouncing Thanks to a normal bra design (not pullover) this is easy to take on and off and won’t be a struggle once you are sweaty