Bra Problem #14: “I just need a good strapless bra that stays up and is relatively comfortable. Also, I would like a beautiful bra that I don’t spill out of (and doesn’t look completely unsexy).”

As I mentioned in Bra Problem #2, strapless bras are a pain to fit because they are often rigidly structured in order to perform their function. As a result, many of the complaints people have with bras in general are exaggerated in strapless styles. Don’t like an overly constrictive band? You don’t really have a lot of wiggle room, literally, if you want your strapless bra to stay up. Have issues with cups that don’t follow the contours of your chest and end up looking like they were designed for someone with a very different body shape? You’re not alone.

The cups on most strapless bras are foam-molded, similar to a seamless “T-shirt” bra, and all foam-molded bras are more shape-specific than their unlined counterparts. Again, though, the problem is more pronounced in strapless styles because, to some extent, the straps would at least keep the top of the cups from falling forward. Your ideal outcome with any bra is to find a style that is a good shape match for your body. This is especially true of strapless bras! Grail carries an assortment of different strapless options in the hope that at least one of them will work well for whoever we’re assisting.

Over time, I’ve found that two of our styles stand out as the most versatile, forgiving fit: the Goddess Multi-Way Strapless from Skarlett Blue (black) and Dana Strapless from Panache/ Sculptresse (beige), both pictured above. It isn’t that these are *better* bras per se, since our other strapless styles have their own features and advantages. What these two have in common is a softer construction and more flexible cups, allowing them to adapt to the shape of the wearer more effectively than a bra created from firmer material. The same softness that allows for a more form-hugging fit is also surprisingly comfortable for a strapless bra!

As for beautiful bras with sufficient cup room… your exact choices will vary depending on where you fall on the size spectrum, but I promise that you have a wide array of options! 😁 We actually wrote about this recently; the days of nothing but boring, ugly “plus-sized” bras are over, and we’re never going back.

Note: “Bra Problems” was originally a series of Facebooks posts written in response to follower queries during the Covid shutdown of spring 2020. Our inboxes are still open, though! If you have a Bra Problem you’d like us to troubleshoot here, email your issue to support@grailbras.com.