Bras

[Shahlalala]

This might sound ridiculous, but can anyone suggest a bra which is actually designed with the female body in mind?!
I don’t want underwire, I don’t want frills, I don’t want them up to my chin... just something comfortable and supportive. After feeding two children they aren’t very comfy just hanging lose and would get in the way a tad to be honest (serious dangling) and we are quite active out and about.
I know it might seem odd to ask here but most googling leads me to frilly push up bras and that’s just not what I am after. Are there any bras designed by women?

Off a suggestion on the thread about learning from older women in S&B, I bought the "doreen" by triumph. It's perfect. No underwire, definitely secure, it's like a comfortable sports bra (i always find those to be too tight and constraining).

I have just bought a Bravissimo 'Cici'. It is not underwired and gives me a good shape and loads of support. I'm going to buy another in a different colour.

Molke do work for bigger boobs

They are effective, and their level 3 firmness is fine for moderate sport...all day climbing, mountaineering, and no worse than a conventional bra for higher impact exercise

They don't ever slide off your shoulders
They have a fair amount of tolerance to hormonal boob size fluxuations which means I don't get bulges or rash caused by movement

And you feel like it's a vest not a bra which is great

The Molke bras are hideous. Unless you were wearing something loose and baggy on top that vast swathes of material will look awful.

Each to their own with what you think looks good, personally I am no fan of frills and lace and love the space bra with orange trim in particular

But no they are not bulky, they don't add weight ( I was complemented on none existence weight loss when I first started wearing them ) and you look totally normal

There is no more fabric than a decent vest ( less than my thermals ) and you avoid the matron's shelf look and wobble that some of the soft top bras give

Haven't tried it yet, but I'm eyeing up the Ava.

I've seen some comfy looking ones on Miss Mary of Sweden, wide bands and straps, no lace, cotton etc. Bit expensive but i may invest next time i buy a new bra.

I have non underwire ones from tesco, they're really comfy.

Triumph Amourette were my go to for years. Pretty (but no pointless frills) and comfortable. However they recently changed cut/sizing so I’ve abandoned them. I now buy Felina bras from my local lingerie shop for “best” and Sainsbury’s all cotton non wired plunge bras for everyday/casual wear - they’re immensely comfy and supportive and at 2 for £14 an amazing bargain.

Doreen fit well but they seem to be made out of nylon sandpaper.

Actually, Royce are good. Again, I wish there was cotton version though.

And given bow hard it is to find and how long I wear them for I would pay hundreds of pounds for a lovely supportive comfy cotton bra. Anybody?!

Oh the nuisance of it all! I finally found a bra from Bravissimo that doesn't hurt me _ of course it's discontinued now. If anyone knows a good one for 32H I'd be very pleased to know!

If you don't find underwired bras comfy, that's your preference, but it is very odd to imply that it's somehow antifeminist to find an underwired bra more comfortable...Never quite understood the concept of bra burning, my underwired bra isn't some shackle imposed by the patriarchy, it's a garment that allows me to run/climb/etc. without pain and discomfort.

To answer your question re. female-designed underwear, check out Kiss Me Deadly, which is an independent lingerie brand entirely designed/run by a bunch of bad-ass women. I suspect you may not be into all their designs, but their non-wired Van Doren bras are gorgeous, as well as being supportive and comfy!
www.kissmedeadly.co.uk/search?q=van+doren+bra

Never quite understood the concept of bra burning

That's because it wasn't really a thing - more of a joke.

www.snopes.com/fact-check/feminist-bra-burning/

If you’re looking for a budget option, the Sainsburys non-wired padded bralets are my go to. You can take the padding out and they work fine. I’m a G cup w small band size and wear a small. Whenever they’re on 25% off I restock.

@Forgottenagainst

@DidoLamenting I mostly wear them with wrap dresses and they’re absolutely fine.

@rbe78 I don’t have an issue with anyone else wearing underwire and don’t think it makes them anti feminist, it’s just not something I like wearing.

The feeling of bras not being designed by women stems from my nursing experience I think. Feeding children has really hammered home that the primary function of breasts. I want to be so kind to them now, whereas I have previously often worn bras which are slightly uncomfortable to make them look ‘better’. The whole thing made me realise how taken in I was by how my breast should look and how bothered I should be about it.

Have just ordered a Molke thanks to the recommendations thanks

Sloggi do a zero feel bralette which is comfortable. I recently bought some underwrites bread from Next which are much more comfortable than anything from m & S or Debenhams. That was an E cup.

I do agree though that bra technology has not moved on. I can't believe someone can't do better for these things we have to strap ourselves in to every day.

Underwired bras

I wore underwires from my teens until I discovered these from the US: cacique.lanebryant.com/cotton-unlined-no-wire-bra/prd-63596#color/0000005210 They are a nice soft fabric and while not as supportive as my old underwires, the only time I notice the difference is if I have to run for a bus. I never realised how uncomfy my old bras were (despite getting them fitted at Bravissimo) until I tried these; I was always taking them off under my clothes at home in the evening but these stay on all day. Only slight difficulty is US sizes totally different to the UK-- I'm a UK 36J but 40DDD in these.

My facebook keeps trying to flog me a bra "designed by women" because bra design hasn't changed for years and they cause cancer
Unfortunately its strapless with a lace up front to boost the cleavage and a charming hand shaped booster pad in each cup so I doubt it has been designed by women

OP I don't know about their feminist credentials, but I'm currently a Freya devotee. Underwired though.
One of my friends tells me Flexifit by M&S are the business