The Amazing Underwire-Free Bra That Bra-Haters Swear By
The Vibrant Body Company bra is transforming. (Photo: Vibrant Body Company)
Raise your hand if you hate wearing a bra!
You’re not alone. And while the reasons for that are numerous, a likely top problem is this: You’re wearing the wrong size, and it’s damn uncomfortable.
It’s why a few of us at Yahoo Style couldn’t resist when Heidi Lehmann, Vibrant Body Company technical designer, offered us fittings as part of a recent tour to promote Vibrant bras — which come with a seductive promise: “never wires, never toxins.”
Why wireless? Because while there is no conclusive scientific evidence that wearing underwire bras is harmful to your health, experience shows that they’re uncomfortable. And, as Vibrant literature explains, “What we do know is that a wired bra is often restrictive. It restricts breast tissue as well as lymph nodes. We believe that restricting your body, any part of your body, for a prolonged or consistent period, is not healthy. We believe that freedom of movement and the flow of internal systems is important and the healthier, more comfortable option.”
And regarding toxins, “Many of the most recognized intimates brands use nasty chemicals in their fabrics,” Vibrant notes, “including phthalates and carcinogenic amines. Irritants that your body can easily absorb.”
So after seven years, 132 designs, and 211 prototypes, Vibrant Body Company — developed by media entrepreneur Michael Drescher and designer Roslyn Harte — came up with a new kind of bra. The result is a breathable, nontoxic, OEKO-TEX certified, wireless creation that the company claims is “comfortable” and “naturally sexy,” with wide straps that don’t dig in or fall down, and sideways cup support that “creates natural curves.”
The bras come in two styles — full coverage and semi-demi ($89 each); three colors — pearl, caramel, and black; and sizes ranging from 34B to 42D. After receiving our personalized fittings from Lehmann and our accurately-sized full coverage bras, we test drove them for a week. Below are our reviews (but suffice it to say that some of us have not taken them off yet).
I’ve got an internal debate simmering over the hunt for a perfect bra vs. the desire to shed mine altogether (which I do daily and immediately as soon as I get home from work). Still, the last bra I got truly excited about remains the first one I ever wore — two flimsy peach triangles purchased reluctantly by my mom when I was about 10 years old, and worn by me faithfully even though I was nowhere near needing it, just because I thought it made me seem grown-up. But now I’m excited all over again. For starters, the Vibrant feels great to the touch — it’s silky smooth — and almost as good while I’m wearing it, thanks to the absence of underwires and the soft, wider-than-usual straps that honestly don’t dig in or fall down. I still rip it off as soon as I walk through the door at the end of the day, but with none of the usual disdain. —B.G.
The Vibrant bra is honestly the best I have ever had the pleasure of wearing. Through the years, I have had a hard time picking out just the right size. After being fitted, I learned that I was wearing the wrong size, and I hadn’t been adjusting my straps properly. The Vibrant bra wasn’t too tight and didn’t have any hard underwires harshly leaning up against my underboob. I wear it at least a few times a week now, and even work out in it because it’s so darn comfy that I sometimes forget I have it on. Plus, while my breasts naturally have an interesting cone shape, this bra creates a rounder look, which I love, and it looks great under most of my blouses. I’m obsessed with this bra and barely want to wear anything else now. —J.Y.
Historically, I tend to avoid bras as much as possible. I rarely buy tops that require them, and dread wearing them to work. Usually, I stick with bralettes or my go-to unlined underwire bra, especially because my size fluctuates. But despite choosing what I thought were the comfiest bras in the past, they always wound up being the first thing to come off when I got home, even before my shoes. The Vibrant bra has certainly changed my outlook. Its extended cup fits snugly without digging in, and its lack of underwire is right up my alley. It is much less visible under my clothes than any of my other bras, and it’s actually comfortable. I’m still not completely converted and continue to avoid wearing bras, but having one that doesn’t dig in throughout the day to remind me that I’m wearing it reopens a section of my wardrobe that I’ve been avoiding. —D.K.
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