Daughter hates "traditional" bras. Suggestions please.
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Anonymous
| DD is athletic and dresses the same for practice as she does to school: running shorts, sweats, leggings, oversized hoodies and tees. She is 14 years old. But she has started to delve into more "fashionable" items. She recently purchased a dress (which honestly I don't think she'll ever wear) and more form-fitting tops that she pairs with denim shorts when she meets friends over the weekend. She has been wearing her sports bras and recently asked me for real bras. I had her measured and bought some bras from aerie and a bunch of tshirt bras (demi, lightly lined, comfy, invisible under shirts) online. She tried them all on this weekend and said she hated them all because they made her boobs stick out. But any lightly lined bra will do this. She does not want the unlined ones. I'm perfectly fine if she wants to keep on wearing sports bras, whatever makes her happy, but she still wants some "normal" bras that won't show with some of the new tops/dress she is interested in. Is there a happy medium bra that is between a bulky sports bra and a seamless type normal bra? The bra must be lightly lined and not too high so that it shows with square neckline dresses/tops. |
Anonymous
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If she's not busty she can try bralettes - a sports bra shape/feel but less bulk and not as much lift as an underwire bra.
If she's busty and hates regular bras, then she should stick with sports bras. |
Anonymous
| Take her shopping in an actual store so you can find something that you both agree will work. This is a necessary but painful part of growing up. Take the dress with you so she can see if it will work with that. |
Anonymous
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She might want to try the Gap Everyday Smooth bra: https://www.gap.com/browse/category.do?cid=34524&style=1114195
I think I have similar complaints about most bras as your DD, and these are the best option I've found assuming that what she's really looking for is smoothing under clothes and not compression. For compression, she pretty much has to stick with sports bras...that's what they are designed for and you need that much coverage to achieve compression. There are some sports bras with thinner straps, but they usually have racerbacks so don't work with a lot of clothes. Separately, you might gently try to talk to your DD about being comfortable with having breasts (since it sounds like she might be self-conscious about them). No one ever did that for me, and it's led to a lot of body issues over my life. |
Anonymous
34B. The bralettes I saw looked flimsy, do you have an example of a good one? |
Anonymous
Thirdlove has them, so does Parade. I think you'd be able to find a variety to try on at Target. They are flimsy, that's why they only work for smaller chests. But they don't have enough support to make her boobs "stick out" and will have a similar feel to a sports bra. |
Anonymous
| Fwiw I am pushing 40 and I feel the same way. |
Anonymous
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After trying on and buying a bunch of expensive bras, this is the one my 12 year old likes.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M62H20T/ |
Anonymous
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Bralettes. You can buy ones with removable cups, or bras made of stretchy material like the material sports bras are made from.
Like: https://www.barenecessities.com/jockey-cotton-seamfree-bralette-3042_product.htm?pf_id=Jockey3042&rrec=true I am a 36 C and I love jockey bralettes or wirefree bras. https://www.barenecessities.com/product.aspx?pfid=Wacoal835275&cm_mmc=GLPA_NonBrand-_-Bra-_-Wacoal11-_-Wacoal835275 https://www.target.com/p/women-s-reversible-seamless-bralette-colsie/-/A-81448486?preselect=82248266#lnk=sametab https://www.target.com/p/true-co-true-everybody-women-s-adjustable-strap-triangle-bra/-/A-79655096?preselect=78141517#lnk=sametab |
Anonymous
| Sounds like she needs to become more comfortable with her changing body and how it looks in clothes. Have her wear them around the house to get used to the different feeling because anything beyond a sports bra will make her stick out some that’s just what breasts naturally do at that age. |
Anonymous
| Has she tried a t-shirt bra (I think that is the name). It has a foam cup. Or you could look at a minimizer, although I don't know if they really make them in her size. |
Anonymous
| I mean, this is a daughter issue and not a bra issue. Regular bras are made shape and separate breasts. Sports bras are made to support and compact them down and restrict them. Two opposing goals. You can’t get the look of a sports bra in a regular bra which s essentially what she wants |
Anonymous
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try the Calvin Klein bras -- not the typical ones with cups but the bralette ones. I find they are supportive enough, very comfortable, and are not noticeable under shirts.
https://www.barenecessities.com/product.aspx?pfid=CalvinKleinF3785&cm_mmc=GLPA_NonBrand-_-Bra-_-CalvinKlein38-_-CalvinKleinF3785&BillboardPopupEnabled=false&BorderfreeEnabled=False&color=River&amsk=w9a4hfr3k4&kclid=_kenshoo_clickid_&gclid=CjwKCAjwo8-SBhAlEiwAopc9W8_Z09qaifeDhNz-6FoA5GqItZYlpYnCDNHqhc81LtABWcL_t063MBoCk5MQAvD_BwE |
Anonymous
I disagree. Some of the more stretchy light bralettes posted above give a similar feeling to sports bras and don't push breasts out so far. They are similar to the starter bras girls used to wear back in the day and much more comfortable than regular bras. It's a good way to start bra wearing and being comfortable at the same time. Of course Op's dd is going to be uncomfortable with boys and grown men staring at her breasts that seem to have just popped out, so best to go for something less enhancing. |
Anonymous
| What about a minimizer bra? I love those. It’s traditional bra that flattens you out a little bit. |