The Truth About T-Shirt Bras

T-shirt bras seem to invite extreme reactions. Those who love them are often devoted, while those who hate them wouldn’t touch one with a ten-foot pole. But what about the undecided? If you’re not sure if t-shirt bras are for you — or if you’re not sure what they are — read on to find out.

What’s a t-shirt bra?

Freya Idol, in a glorious cobalt blue.

A t-shirt bra is a bra with smooth, foam cups, named for how great they look under t-shirts. There are no seams or lace to show through clothing, and these bras typically give a very rounded shape.

Foam? They’re padded??

Some t-shirt bras are padded, either to add volume or for a push-up effect, but most are not. And while t-shirt bras often look intimidating on the hanger, that’s just because the moulded cups stand up by themselves! Un-padded t-shirt bras don’t make your boobs look bigger.

Moulded foam is used because it allows the cups to be completely smooth, yet structured. Remember that other bras shape your boobs by using seams to “direct traffic” — a vertical seam tells breast tissue to go up, for example. There are smooth bras that don’t have foam cups, but without the structure of moulded foam or seams, they typically give a flattened, minimized shape. Perfect for folks who prefer that look! Less so for folks who want a more lifted and round silhouette.

Isn’t foam kind of hot?

Fantasie Rebecca is made with light-weight spacer foam.

This totally depends on the person! Plenty of people are comfortable in t-shirt bras on even the hottest days, but if you’re prone to overheating, try a spacer foam t-shirt bra. Spacer foam is lighter weight and may be more comfortable. The trade-off is that this thinner foam doesn’t offer as much nipple coverage as regular foam cups. (Thank heavens for nipple covers!)

T-shirt bras sound great! What’s the catch?

T-shirt bras are made by taking a sheet of foam and heat-forming over a mould of what the manufacturers decide a breast is shaped like. Since there’s no universal breast shape, there’s problem number one. Problem number two: foam cups are generally not super flexible. They basically sit there and demand that your body conform to them — which isn’t how boobs work. If your breasts aren’t quite the same shape or size as the cups, it’s going to be a lot more noticeable in a t-shirt bra. The edge will cut in or you’ll wind up with too much space. A seamed cup with a little stretch to the material is much more flexible and forgiving in terms of fit, especially when your boobs aren’t symmetrical.

So, are t-shirt bras good or bad?

Neither! Just like any other kind of bra, the “goodness” is subjective. What do you want from your bra? It’s all down to what you wear and what you like. If you wear a lot of t-shirts or thinner fabrics, prefer your bra to be invisible, like nipple coverage, and feel best with a round shape, try a t-shirt bra! It might be just what your bra wardrobe is missing.