Why on earth are so many teen bras padded?

[WilburIsSomePig]

Really?

DD is 11 and very tall and slim - developing overnight it seems and she needs a bra. They all seem to either be padded or underwired and I want to get her something soft without it making her bust look any bigger than it is. She's getting a bit self conscious as it is.

Any recommendations?

To stop nipples being visible through thin school shirts or in cold weather.

I wore a padded bra when I was a teen because I was completely flat chested, and those of us without boobs got teased in the PE changing rooms. A padded bra allowed me to fake it.

Every few months there is a shocked mum going first bra shopping for the daughter and there is always reassurance that it is fine and no big deal

Yep, that's me! I think buying DD's first bra and DS having his first shave all in the same week has sent me over the edge!

Wilburls DD has those Angel teen bras in your second link. They are really nice first bras as the straps are thin and delicate and the fabric is super soft.

I think it’s to help with self conscious worries about shape and nipples. Most teen girls prefer them apparently.

They are listed and advertised as padded but it's usually just a bit of thin foam that acts as a slightly moulded cup. It doesn't add any size. I much prefer them.

Have you never come across a moulded cup when buying your own bras?

Matalan and New Look do some nice ones.

My dd also has the ones in the second link. The nude one is good under white school shirts. She has the 30D ones

M&Co did some nice non-padded ones when my daughter needed her first bra.

The worst teen bras, design-wise, were in Intermarché in France, which bore the English language slogan "Love Not For Sale"! Not quite as bad as the "Madame so Dim" hosiery ads though.

She's in adult sizes now and it's more difficult to find non padded ones. I don't want to go online because her size keeps changing and she needs to be measured.

Old nipples can chafe too

https://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod107011100011520102419433-1

I get my teenage girls bras from John Lewis, they have a good range of non wired bras, they aren't padded but thicker material just to stop nipple showing.