The 8 Best Wireless Bras That Are Equal Parts Supportive and Comfortable, Tested and Reviewed
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No need to slingshot these comfy bras off after a long day.
InStyle / Alli Waataja
Sisters, we live in a hyper-personalized universe where there is a bra for absolutely everyone. Gone are the days when we were subjugated to one standard wired bra, that typically only fit a certain body type and cup size range. We’ve progressed so far to offer something for the petite, the plus size, the asymmetrical, and the wide-set breasts. And those that have been around long enough to witness the changes transform in real life? There’s even the best bras for older women. Now we definitely still love a good wired bra, for its structure, support, and aesthetic. But I can’t be the only one eager to fling them off after a long day and free my ribcage from all the poking and the strapped in feeling. When I want something that feels like second skin while simultaneously keeping the girls in check, I turn to wireless bras.
But not all wireless bras are created equal, as we found out during our two week wear-test. A little extra engineering needs to go into a wireless bra in order for it to have the same type of support as its wired counterpart. So, 30 of us women got together to try on a plethora of bras to see which provided the most comfort, support, and style. Some were ideal for all activities, while others were more for lounging. Some fit the smaller chests better, while others carried the weight of fuller breasts like it was nothing. Still, we found the best wireless bras for just about everyone, so read on to find your perfect fit.
Best Overall: Wacoal Comfort First Wire Free T-Shirt Bra
What We Love
Even after extensive wear and wash, the bra remained in perfect condition.
What We Don't Love
For women with small chest, the mid to full coverage cups might feel like too much fabric.
Japanese label Wacoal is well known for its high-quality undergarments, and we have to say, the brand lived up to its hype. While we know that finding wireless bras suitable for larger chests is no easy feat, Wacoal accepted the challenge, and they delivered. This baby carried our DD chest from New York to Abu Dhabi, a situation that is public facing but still in need of lounge-worthy comfort. We loved how it made us feel put together when running from gate to gate, but comfortable enough to drift into a gentle sleep in our seats.
While it doesn’t reach the level of support as a wired bra from Wacoal’s (which we frequently wear as well), this wireless bra came in as a close second. Impressive, considering the lack of caging. The soft bands never dug, the shoulder straps were stretchy yet sturdy, and the cups had a silky and foamy feel to them that our chests simply adored. After tons of wear during travels and frequently washing them, they maintained their condition immaculately.
This sentiment was shared on our smaller chests as well, who also happened to be traveling in them, although the full-coverage cups felt like a little more fabric than necessary. Still, thanks to its great stretch and comfort, it was tempting to continuously gravitate towards this over any other bra.
Price at time of publish: $68
Material: Nylon, spandex, polyester | Sizes: 32A–38DD | Colors: 6
Best Budget: Simply Perfect by Warner's Super Soft Wirefree Bra
What We Love: It’s so comfortable, we forgot we were even wearing it.
What We Don’t Love: The straps are a little thick and impossible to hide under a spaghetti-strapped top.
Prices for bras in the last decade grew legs and ran up the hills. Seriously, who wants to pay over $100 for a garment that only sees the back of your shirt? If you’re thinking “Not I” then allow us to introduce you to this ridiculously comfortable (and cute) wireless bra from Target’s Simply Perfect by Warner’s collection.
This bra held up the (fraternal) twins reasonably well, considering the lack of wires and structure. The thicker bridge between the cups helped in the support department and also kept everything flush against the chest. We often forgot it was even on, so it was easy to go from indoor to outdoor at any given time. That’s probably why it looked so good underneath a T-shirt (although we still recommend opting for a T-shirt bra if you really want that Brie Larson look). We did notice, however, that a tank top was no-good with this bra, because the straps were on the thicker side.
After a good wash, we noticed some creasing in the cups. This went away after a day’s wear, so do not be too alarmed. (Make sure you’re washing your bras correctly, too.) Aside from that, it maintained its shape surprisingly well, for something so affordable.
Price at time of publish: $22
Material: Polyester, elastane | Sizes: 34A–40C | Colors: 7
Best Plus-Size: Soma Embraceable Full Coverage Wireless Unlined Bra
What We Love: We noticed zero side or top spillage.
What We Don’t Love: The cups are on the thinner side, and can sometimes reveal the nipple from underneath.
We know: You’re very skeptical about a wireless bra working on your bigger frame. What if we told you that our DD-chested tester loved this bra so much, she went and bought two more for herself and friends? Not convincing enough? Okay, another minute of your time, please.
On a particularly low-hanging set of breasts, this bra lifted them in a natural manner, making them look flattering under a shirt. Not only that, but where other bras cause some boobage to spill out the sides and tops, this bra packed everything in neatly, upping the support factor a few notches. Add in that they felt ridiculously comfortable — we’re talking lounging all day and running errands with ease — it earned its best plus-size wireless bra title.
Soma offers one of the most inclusive size-ranges we’ve seen, giving you options up to 44H. This bra was engineered with fuller bodies in mind from the start, so it’s really no surprise it fits like a glove. We did notice, however, that the cups are a little thin, and underneath form fitting tops, the nipples can poke through when cold. Nothing that bothered us, but worth calling out.
Price at time of publish: $44
Material: Nylon, spandex | Sizes: 34C–44H | Colors: 4
InStyle/Chelsea Dinterman
Best for Large Breasts: Knix WingWoman Contour Bra
What We Love: This hit a trifecta for us: sexy, supportive, and comfortable.
What We Don’t Love: The size guide is very confusing and not particularly accurate.
One of our biggest pet peeves with bigger busted bras is that they hardly ever look flattering, especially if they’re wireless. Not this Knix Contour Bra, though. Let us begin by saying: wow. Not only did this bra hold up our chests with impressive amounts of support, but they flattered the shape of our breasts proudly. Yes, expect some cleavage to come out of these shaping bras. We found our girls to look very plump and well-carried underneath a V-neck shirt. For this reason, it wasn’t our favorite for lounging around the house. It’s a little contradictory to popular wireless bras, but this was perfect for a night out on the town and upping that sexiness factor. We can’t believe we’re saying that about a wireless bra either. We would even go as far as to say it provided more support with less coverage than a traditional bra (yes you can quote us). While most wireless bras tend to press down and conceal bigger chests, this one almost created a push-up effect, with great side support and a plunging neckline.
The surprisingly sturdy straps boosted the support. It does make it slightly less comfortable, but very useful for heavy breasts. The band is also on the thicker side, and has five hook columns for you to adjust around your body — something we found extra necessary considering how confusing the size guide was. Knix for some reason felt the need to throw out traditional bra sizing, and scales their sizes from 0 to 8++. We found that the conversion actually gave us an inaccurate size, typically offering something smaller than necessary, and we needed to exchange it for a different one.
Price at time of publish: $62
Material: Nylon, spandex | Sizes: 0–8++ | Colors: 15
Related: The 10 Best Sports Bras for Any Workout
Best for Small Breasts: Pepper Limitless Wirefree Scoop Bra
What We Love: The padding is removable.
What We Don’t Love: It began to pill after some wear and wash.
It’s less challenging to find a wireless bra for the itty bitty titty committee. Still, we wanted to make sure we could find a bra that didn’t gape, or make us look flatter than we already are. We turned to Pepper, as small chests are kind of their thing.
This bra has a little more support than the typical wireless and unpadded bras we’re used to. That’s because the cups are slightly thicker and the tiny mesh window in the bridge helps give it some extra coverage and breathability. We also noticed that the padding was removable. We could easily get away with just the double-lining on the cups without the pads, but simply liked the additional cushioning from them.
We traveled with it throughout Asia for two weeks and sometimes found it more supportive and comfortable for hikes (and sprinting for buses) than a sports bra. It remained comfortable and stretchy through it all, but we were a little disappointed to find some pilling beginning to appear around the straps and clasps after the two week testing period.
Price at time of publish: $50
Material: Elastane, polyamide | Sizes: XXS–XL | Colors: 7
InStyle/Anna Popp
Related: How to Properly Hand Wash Bras
Most Comfortable: Chantelle C Magnifique Full Bust Wirefree Bra
What We Love: The fabric was buttery soft and it was easy to forget it was even there.
What We Don’t Love: It may be too much fabric for small chested women.
When you’re wearing a bra you want to be able to throw it on and not think about it again until it’s lights out. Well, friends, this one will let you do that. Chantelle bras have this magical capability of looking seemingly standard, but then blowing us away once on, thanks to their superior comfort and fit. We would know, as our team tried on over ten of their T-shirt bras in the past. Their wireless bra was no exception.
After years of going to professional bra fittings, we’ve learned what makes a good-fitting bra, and this one fits everything to a T: great coverage, soft fabrics, and a lining that’s flat against the chest. No bulging or hanging out could be found here. With the amount of support it gave, it rivaled its wired counterparts.
The coverage is definitely full, which added to its comfort. It felt like our boobs were hanging out in the hammock and chilling there all day. Naturally, on smaller chests this could be a little too much fabric. But for our bigger girls that need a little more caressing, we couldn’t get enough of the ridiculously smooth material.
Price at time of publish: $68
Material: Nylon, elastane | Sizes: 34C–40H | Colors: 10
Most Supportive: Honeylove CrossOver Wireless Bra
What We Love: We felt it gave almost the same amount of support as a wired bra.
What We Don’t Love: The sizing can be difficult to get right.
Looks like you don’t have to play eenie meenie miney mo when choosing between support, comfort, and cuteness with this wireless bra. The brand, infamous for its sexy shapewear, knows how to lift, define, and prop up the chest, in a cozy manner.
We found that the CrossOver Bra provided about a similar amount of coverage as a traditional bra, but with much more support than most underwire bras. The cups are formed with crisscrossing bandaging, which we found to be lifting and kept everything in its rightful place. We particularly appreciated the thicker bands on the sides for our bigger chests — this was a significant help in feeling secure. It was also made of really soft fabrics, so it never irritated the skin in any way.
The only major con was the sizing. We don’t know why some brands ditch the traditional cup measurements and opt for an XS-3XL scale. We have specific band widths that don’t necessarily correlate with the cup size, so where the cup size might feel too big, the band size feels too snug. If you have a standard sizing that’s more or less one-to-one between cup and width, we don’t see there being a big issue.
Price at time of publish: $69
Material: Nylon, spandex | Sizes: XS–3XL | Colors: 7
Best Push-Up: Aerie Real Sunnie Wireless Push Up Bra
What We Love: The push up looks lifted and natural, instead of bombastic.
What We Don’t Love: There are two strings per strap, which is a little difficult to conceal with tank tops.
Yes, you absolutely can get some push-up action going on in a wireless bra. This Aerie push-up bra proved it to us. We tested this on a DD+ chest and a C chest, and it looked equally good on both. We had all but given up on push-up bras for big breasts, but the rather gentle push-up padding simply created a natural lift, rather than an over-the-top cleavage. It reversed any signs of sagging and held the chest up in an honorable manner.
A quick bend-over test revealed that the band stayed perfectly in place, almost earning it as much support as a traditional wired bra. Despite its firm grip on the body, the band was buttery soft and never left any markings on our skin. The minimalist design makes it a great summertime option as well. The straps can be easily hidden underneath a tank top (although we don’t love that there are two bands per strap), and the chest looks elevated under a low-cut shirt. All in all, we simply loved how this looked and felt, both on its own and underneath clothing.
Price at time of publish: $33
Material: Nylon, spandex | Sizes: 30A–38DD | Colors: 4
Other Options You Might Like
We found this bra to be the perfect lounge bra. It’s comfortable, stretchy, non-restrictive, and has decent support. It’s not unlike a sports bra in that sense but with infinitely more comfort and less coverage. There’s pretty much zero padding, however, so we didn’t feel comfortable wearing it out — we would have preferred something with a little more nipple coverage. For prancing around the house, though, we found the thick straps and the form-hugging band to provide just the right amount of support. After a good amount of wear and wash, the material didn’t begin to pill or stretch either, which was a pleasant surprise.
We wanted to include another affordable option, so here is this $20 lace bralette. This bra provided great coverage and kept everything concealed without having bits of boobage slip or spill. Thanks to its lace detail, it made lounging around the house a more sexy past-time — almost like wearing a sports bra with added elegance. We didn’t find it all that supportive on larger busts, however. It was fine for a few hours, but the lack of an underwire definitely made itself known, as we felt our chest was not held up as nicely. The sizing is also rather limited. If you have a small frame and big bust combo, the small to extra large scale doesn’t offer a sizing option fit for you.
This bra was quite fantastic for mid to large breasts. For women with extra large breasts (we’re talking larger than a DD), the support begins to falter and is less effective. Wacoal’s signature materials feel soft and friendly on the skin, and the full cups kept everything concealed comfortably. The straps are also on the thicker side, which we found quite helpful in adding some support. They don’t lift and push up in any way, but simply keep everything in place nicely. On extra large chests, however, we did end up swimming around in the bra a little. The band was on the tighter side, to make up for the lack of wiring, but didn’t succeed in supporting extra heavy breasts.
Our Testing Process
First, we began by scouring the internet for the best-rated wireless bras. By tapping into our rich source of fashion experts at InStyle, we further identified styles that could appeal to a wide range of women. We selected 16 wireless bras, which were then sent out to 30 women, who rated each piece on their comfort, support, fit, material, longevity, and general appeal. Each bra was worn by at least two women with different chest sizes, to get a more inclusive representation of how the bras performed. Based on their experiences, we narrowed down the list to the top eight wireless bras that outperformed the rest.
What to Keep in Mind
Support
We know you’re probably thinking: “There’s no way a wireless bra can be as supportive as a wired bra.” While there is some truth to that, modern bras have come a long way in providing good coverage, support, and comfort to the girls. And yes, we’re talking about all girls, meaning DD’s and beyond have a wireless bra that’s perfect for them as well (the Knix WingWoman Contour Bra for example was a dream). For body positive model Sophie Hughes, the wireless bra is actually her preferred style. “Wireless bras have come such a long way and are amazing for all shapes and sizes. I’m a 32G and have some really supportive uplifting wire-free bras that make me feel confident and comfy all at once,” she says. “Look for a wide back band and a thick strap and you’ll feel supported,” she adds. Senior design director at Rubi Ribbon, Cami Raymond, explains that “if you are wearing the right size, the wireless bra should be able to provide the support and coverage you need.” Many brands have become quite innovative in finding alternatives to wires in giving support. Take the Honeylove CrossOver Bra, for example. It utilizes a criss-cross pattern to uplift the girls.
Comfort
Above all, you most likely are turning to wireless bras for maximum comfort. CEO of lingerie brand Journelle, Sapna Palep, explains that “wireless bras were initially designed to be a comfortable, simple, light and somewhat freeing alternative to an underwire bra.” It’s true that the lack of wires digging into your sides and skin enhances the bra-wearing experience. If you factor in the kind of material you wear, you can really amp up the coziness on your chest. “Look for high-quality fabrics that stretch and have excellent recovery like nylon spandex,” recommend Raymond. The Aerie Real Sunnie Wireless Push Up Bra is a supreme option for that. Wacoal is also infamous for their extremely comfortable cut and materialsand known to last a very long time.
Occasion
So, can you wear a wireless bra on all occasions? Yes and no. There are definitely some bras more suitable for everyday wear than others. Bras with thick straps, such as the Hanes SmoothTec Wireless Bra with Scoopback, may be more difficult to conceal underneath certain tops. We did end up wearing many of the listed bras to the office or out and about and found that the Chantelle C Magnifique Wirefree Bra and the Aerie Real Sunnie Wireless Push Up Bra were equal parts comfortable, supportive, and well-hidden enough to wear just about anywhere. Hughes finds wireless bras especially great in the summer months. “They’re my go-to under floaty dresses and any time I’m working from home you’ll find me in a wireless bra.”
Your Questions, Answered
Why does my bra roll up under my breasts?
In traditional bras, the wire helps to add a sturdy structure and keep the bra flush against the body. It therefore can happen that wireless bras ride up the chest a little. If this happens, it is a sign that you have the wrong band size for your ribcage. Consider sizing down, or getting yourself refitted by a bra expert. If that’s not an option, this guide can help you find your own bra size.
Who can wear a wireless bra?
As Hughes already called out, anyone with any chest size can wear a wireless bra. Raymond adds in an extra point about them, though, saying that they are fantastic for people “experiencing fluctuations in breast size and shape. Wireless bras are usually easier to give more of a customized fit. They’re also great for when you’re recovering from surgery and wires are too uncomfortable.” Wireless bras offer more flexibility and comfort for women of all shapes and sizes. Undergarment Educator Kimmay Caldwell notes that “If you do have a fuller bust and are looking for a wire-free bra, make sure you look for some with adequate coverage. A triangle style bralette with no side coverage is not likely to fit well.”
Why Shop With Us
Bianca Kratky is a commerce writer at InStyle, with over two years of experience covering fashion and beauty products. In order to write this article, she dove deep into the first-hand experiences of the 30 testers who wore the bras over a two week period. She then looped in body positive model Sophie Hughes, Senior design director at Ruby Ribbon, Cami Raymond, CEO of lingerie brand Journelle, Sapna Palep, and Undergarment Educator Kimmay Caldwell, for their expertise on finding the right fit and feel of wireless bras.
Related: The 8 Best Bralettes of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
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