We Tried the Viral T-Shirt Bra Brand That Brie Larson Wore on Set, and It Exceeded Expectations
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Five editors tested 10 Chantelle bras and found the best styles.
InStyle / Bianca Kratky / Mary Honkus / Chloe Anello
Remember when Brie Larson wore a bra under a white tank while filming on set, and the internet went crazy? Somehow, the bra looked virtually undetectable underneath the tight tank — no lines, straps, or bumps peeked through. Everything looked smooth and rounded. And it left us all wondering, “How?”
Because Larson would never leave us hanging, she revealed that she wore this Chantelle Invisible Bra, which we coincidentally also named our best T-shirt bra, underneath. While we already know Chantelle works wonders for the gals, we took it upon ourselves to specifically put these T-shirt bras to the test, trying almost all the options the brand offers to see if they worked just as well on our chests as they did for Larson — or if it was just cinematic magic that blessed her.
Across the board, one thing stood out to us all the most: the top lining of every single one of Chantelle’s T-shirt bras sat flat against the chest, never revealing any lining from underneath the shirt. We never had to worry about any gaping, which is a key element to a good T-shirt bra. For more details, keep reading.
Related: The 14 Best T-Shirt Bras of 2023
Best Full Coverage: Chantelle Comfort Chic Full Coverage Custom Fit Bra
What We Love: There are hooks in the back for you to criss cross the straps. What We Don’t Love: The cups poke out from under low-cut shirts.
First thing is first: the stretch, feel, and structure of this bra felt substantial right out of the packaging. For Senior Commerce Editor Chloe Anello, finding a T-shirt bra on her 32DD chest is a hassle, to say the least. “As someone with a larger chest, I care a lot about support, more so than appearance. I've had back problems before because I have relatively heavy breasts, and this bra felt the most supportive.” The cups are like perfect pockets for breasts, fully covering the upper chest, thus maximizing support. If you want to recreate Brie Larson's look to the T with perfectly rounded breasts, then we definitely recommend this one because Anello happened to have a nearly identical top, and this bra looked invisible underneath it. Thanks to the hooks in the back, she was able to connect the straps to each other and have them completely hidden. After 24 hours of wear, they never dug or felt uncomfortable.
But we felt this bra was less successful on smaller cup sizes. Commerce writer Bianca Kratky has to agree on the comfort the bra provides. However, on her 34B chest, they felt like a bit too much fabric and support that she needed. Although they cupped her chest perfectly, lying flat against the chest and looking invisible under a T-shirt, the sheer amount of fabric made them poke out from underneath a low-cut tank top. For this reason, it’s probably not the ideal bra for slinky tops. But we think you’ll be impressed with the fit and appearance underneath crew neck T-shirts and high-neck tanks, especially if you have larger breasts.
Price at time of publish: $78
Best for: Larger chests | Sizes: 34B–40H | Colors: 4 | Materials: Polyamide, elastane
InStyle / Chloe Anello / Bianca Kratky
Best Racerback: Chantelle C Jolie Custom Fit T-Shirt Bra
What We Love: For a medium coverage bra, this option provides tons of support. What We Don’t Love: The hooks are difficult to clasp from the back.
For Senior Commerce Editor Shannon Bauer, this bra exceeded expectations and became her most worn bra. For Anello? Not so much. The difference between the two however was a matter of preference. Those that love full-coverage bras should resort to option one on this list because this bra gives 3/4 coverage, which typically works better for those in the B to C cup range and adore that second-skin feel. Bauer, who tried on a 34C, says that this “has become my go-to bra for the work day because the straps sit nicely on my shoulders, the cups fit well and are invisible under all tops I have tried, and it has support without being too structured.”
Much like the previous option, this one comes with hooks to combine the straps together in the back as well. You can even adjust the location of the hook, pushing them up or down on the straps. Although Anello found the racerback to lift her breasts up uncomfortably in this form — and she thought the outline of the straps looked a bit too clear on the back — Bauer still thought it felt plenty comfortable on her smaller chest. She does warn, however, that it’s difficult to hook the racerback design behind your back. She recommends hooking it off your body, then pulling it over your head. Once it’s clipped on, you never have to worry about it accidentally popping off.
Price at time of publish: $78
Best for: Midsize chest | Sizes: 32B–36G | Colors: 7 | Materials: Polyamide, elastane
InStyle / Shannon Bauer
Related: The 13 Best Plus-Size Bras for All Day Comfort and Support
Best Medium Coverage: Chantelle Norah Chic EcoLight Flex T-Shirt Bra
What We Love: It’s very supportive on heavy breasts. What We Don’t Love: It’s difficult to hide the straps under a tank top.
We found something perfect for top-heavy, full breasts, and it’s this Norah Chic EcoLight Flex T-Shirt. The cups are much more rounded out and provide adequate medium coverage. Women with apple-shaped breasts will love how the cups pocket each boob in a supportive and uplifting manner (without a push up). “I liked how it looked under V-neck T-shirts the best because it lifted everything in a way that a V-neck tee needs,” says Anello. While the Comfort Chic Full Coverage Custom Fit Bra pokes out from underneath a low cut, this one stays hidden underneath the shirt.
Bauer also found that the underwire was very supportive and strong; she thinks they would be ideal for women with heavy chests, like Anello says she has. The thicker back band that seamlessly leads into the straps also provide additional support, taking some of the weight off your back. This does make it a little more difficult to hide under skimpier dresses and tanks. You also can’t create a racerback with the straps like with the previous two options. This is truly more for T-shirts, rather than tank tops (unless you have thick strap tanks like Bauer).
Price at time of publish: $84
Best for: Round, heavy breasts | Sizes: 34B–38G | Colors: 2 | Materials: Polyamide, elastane
InStyle / Chloe Anello
Best Everyday: Chantelle Basic Invisible Smooth Custom Fit Bra
What We Love: They’re comfortable, full coverage, and don’t show under shirts, hitting a bra-trifecta. What We Don’t Love: For wider set chests, the bridge between the cups may dig a little.
Now here’s a great full-coverage bra, for smaller breasts. For Commerce Editor Mary Honkus, who considers herself “less blessed in the chest”, this bra was the favorite out of all the ones she tried from Chantelle. “It was very comfortable. I liked wearing it and didn’t think about it while wearing it,” she says, which is why we awarded it the best everyday piece. Bauer echoes her sentiment, adding that “for full coverage, I was impressed how seamless this looked even under low scoop and v-neck tees.”
The cups go up to the upper curve of the breasts and don’t create any gaping. There’s a U-shaped back, which is more tank-top-friendly than the Norah Chic option we just discussed. Although, it still doesn’t have any clasps to hook the back straps together. Honkus also noticed that the bra dug in ever-so-slightly towards the middle of her chest, due to her having wider set breasts. It never caused any pain throughout the day, however.
Price at time of publish: $57
Best for: Small to mid sized chest | Sizes: 32B–34G | Colors: 6 | Materials: Polyamide, polyester, elastane
InStyle / Mary Honkus
Best for Low-cuts: Bare Essential Custom Fit T-Shirt Bra
What We Love: The almost balconette-style bra perfectly hides underneath a low-cut tank top. What We Don’t Love: You can’t clip the straps together to create a racerback.
Don’t be fooled by the seemingly large cups on this bra when you first pull it out of its packaging, as Senior Commerce Editor Kaitlin Clark was. While the mid-to-full coverage bra looked like it would be too much on her 36B chest, once on, she was very surprised to find it miraculously fit perfectly. The astonishments didn’t end there, however. When she pulled a low-cut tank top over it, the cups blended in seamlessly, going full-on camouflage. The bra takes a little inspiration from balconette bras, which notably scoop the breasts up, giving them a more lifted look. Because of the cut, you never have to worry about the top half poking out from under the shirt.
Aside from the shape of the cups, we noticed the straps aren’t parallel to each other, which impacted the fit. They sit closer together in the back, going outwards toward your shoulder, almost in a V-shape. This allows the straps to hide in the back. “After I put my tank on, I had to actively look for the straps, thinking I must have gotten them tangled. But no!” exclaimed Clark. The way the straps are sewn together also helped to give her chest a gentle lift that looked natural. You can’t, however, clip them together to create a racerback.
The bra doesn’t disappoint in the support department either. “I have implants, so I need a sturdy bra, and this one was nice; I didn't feel achy at the end of the day. It had just the right level of support for me,” says Clark. The material is thick and substantial, adequately covering the nipple as well. That didn’t stop it from being airy, however, as Clark found them to be quite comfortable even through some sweat.
Price at time of publish: $74
Best for: Mid to large chests | Sizes: 32B–36F | Colors: 2 | Materials: Nylon, elastane
InStyle / Kaitlin Clark
Best for Smaller Chests: Chantelle Lucie Lace Comfort Smooth Custom Fit Bra
What We Love: The mid coverage and the lace makes this one of the more sexier options. What We Don’t Love: It makes your chest look a little flat.
Out of all the bras she tested from Chantelle, this one was Kratky’s favorite. Maybe because the smaller cups appealed to her small (but proud) chest more. She gravitated towards this one the most initially and continued to enjoy wearing it as the day progressed. Thanks to the double-lined band — with the skin-side featuring a very soft mesh band and the second layer showcasing a lace band — it felt stretchy and never dug into her sides.
While many of the bras she tested had fantastic support and comfort, Kratky felt that they lacked cuteness, which is an important quality for her. But the Lucie Lace bra, however, stood out for its appearance because once she put it on, she thought it looked equal parts sexy and supportive. Similar to the Bare Essential T-Shirt bra we just talked about, this one comes with a mid-coverage and lower-cut cups, making it ideal for low-cut tank tops. You can’t spot any gaping or lines from under the shirt, and you’re left with a smooth silhouette (despite the lace). The cup laid flat against the chest, which is ideal as a T-shirt bra because it looked smooth underneath garments, but that also caused our (already small) chests to look a bit flat.
Price at time of publish: $84
Best for: Small chests | Sizes: 32B–36G | Colors: 2 | Materials: Polyamide, elastane
InStyle / Bianca Kratky
Best Lace: Chantelle Day to Night Smooth Custom Fit Bra
What We Love: The cups feel very smooth and soft. What We Don’t Love: The straps are not as stretchy.
Here’s what we loved about this bra: the cups are buttery soft and felt angelic on the skin. Even for Kratky, who doesn’t necessarily love full-coverage bras on her small chest, found them to be just right. Clark also echoes that “it felt really soft against my body and I liked the way it looked. It felt supportive but still flexible.” It’s full coverage, but not nearly as full as the Comfort Chic Full Coverage Custom Fit Bra, which was impossible to hide under a low-cut tank top. This one remained concealed for both Kratky and Clark.
What we didn’t love, however, was how the texture of the lace showed from underneath white tank tops. Not just the lace but the copper Chantelle button on the side, Clark found out. Kratky also felt that while the cups were soft and comfortable, the straps were less so. Finding the right strap length felt a bit awkward, as too short would cause them to slide down the arm but too tight and they began to dig into the skin. And because you can’t create a racerback with them, they tend to poke out from under tank tops as well. We recommend this one mainly for T-shirts that are a little looser because you won’t see the lines underneath; however, it will still give a rounded, lifted appearance every woman wants under her tees.
Price at time of publish: $66
Best for: All | Sizes: 34B–34G | Colors: 3 | Materials: Polyamide, elastane
InStyle / Bianca Kratky
InStyle / Kaitlin Clark
Related: The 9 Best Strapless Bras of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
Our Testing Process
Before we began to test, we researched the highest-rated T-shirt bras offered by Chantelle. We then picked which bras we thought we would enjoy most, equally splitting up the best-sellers between our five person team whose sizes range from 34B to 32DD. The bras, which were all kindly sent to us by the Chantelle team, were worn by multiple team members of different cup sizes to get a more well-rounded idea of how they perform on each chest. Once we adequately tested each, we wrote our honest and unbiased reviews, evaluating details like fit, comfort, lift, appearance under T-shirts, and details, like if the straps could hook into a racerback style. Only the bras we loved made it into this article.
What To Keep In Mind
Coverage
T-shirt bras typically range between medium and full coverage, in order to avoid the gaping between the chest and the bra. If you are hoping to wear a low cut or V-neck shirt, opt for the medium coverage bras, like the Norah Chic EcoLight Flex T-Shirt Bra or the Lucie Lace Comfort Smooth Custom Fit Bra. However, if you’re hoping to recreate Brie Larson’s Marvel look, with a high-neck racerback tank, then opt for a full-coverage bra like the Comfort Chic Full Coverage Custom Fit Bra. Not only is this one full coverage, but also you can convert the straps into a racerback, making it the best bra for such tank tops. For the sake of this story, the team at InStyle exclusively tested Chantelle’s T-shirt bras, but the brand also has a large catalog of demi-bras and plunge bras, should you want something with less coverage.
Strap Convertibility
We paid close attention to whether or not we could convert the straps into racerbacks for this story. Those that can have a little hook and eye closure that can be clasped in order to hide the straps from showing. The Comfort Chic Full Coverage Custom Fit Bra and the C Jolie Custom Fit T-Shirt Bra are the only two that allow you to do this from this list. We did find that the Bare Essential Custom Fit T-Shirt Bra, while not convertible, has straps that are closer together in the back, creating a bit of a V-shape and making them easier to hide under tank tops as well.
Support
Of course, what’s a bra without support? The number one deed of a bra is to uphold and carry the weight of the girls through the day. The Chantelle bras did not disappoint in this matter, all functioning as perfect pockets for our breasts. We looked not only at the cups, but the band and the straps as well. Chantelle bras are all very well structured, with caging around the sides and thick bands to hold the body. While it might feel like a lot of fabric (especially the full coverage Comfort Chic bra), it serves its purpose in supporting the chest and its surrounding areas.
Your Questions, Answered
What is a T-shirt bra?
A T-shirt bra is a bra you can wear underneath a fitted shirt, and doesn’t cause any linings or straps to show. This means that the cups need to sit flat against the chest, so that it can look near-invisible underneath a form-fitting shirt. The key is to avoid any bumps, ridges, textures, or linings to disrupt a smooth silhouette.
What Bra was Brie Larson Wearing in The Marvels?
During a Twitter exchange that has since gone viral, Brie Larson revealed what kind of sorcery allowed her chest to look so good in a fitted tank top. It was a Chantelle T-shirt bra, although she did not specify which one. After some digging, speculations are that she used either the Basic Invisible Smooth Custom Fit Bra or the Lucie Lace Comfort Smooth Custom Fit Bra. She did mention that the straps needed to be stitched in, so we assume that it wasn’t one of the bras that already have a hook and eye closure on the straps to create a racerback. The Comfort Chic Full Coverage Custom Fit Bra already has this, however.
Why Shop With Us
Bianca Kratky is a commerce writer at InStyle with over two years of experience covering fashion and beauty stories. In order to write this story, the team at InStyle, consisting of Mary Honkus, Kaitlin Clark, Chloe Anello, Shannon Bauer, and herself tried on over ten different Chantelle T-Shirt bras, and gathered their insights together. Kratky then took those insights and wrote out everyone’s experiences in this story.
Related: Brie Larson Finally Revealed the Bra She’s Wearing in That Viral Photo
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