I'm Fussy When It Comes to Bras—Here Are 11 Brands That Look as Good as They Feel

Finding lingerie and shapewear that fits so well that you barely feel like you're wearing anything is something we all wish for. For those moments, we turn to a selection of the best bra brands—those that make underwear you're excited to put on. From independent labels like Fruity Booty, who make sustainable intimates from deadstock materials and with a designer eye, to more established powerhouses like Skims, these names are doing the heavy lifting to create pieces that support and lift in style.

But much like finding the perfect-fit jeans, the search for a great bra can be a tricky task when you don't know what you're looking for. With so many gorgeous styles out there now, though, we no longer have to just rely on basic one-size-fits-all underwire pieces that constrict, tighten and leave red marks across your shoulders and rib cage after a few hours. And don't even get us started on the brands that think having larger breasts means you have to hide them away in plain-looking and full-coverage styles once you pass a certain cup size.

Instead, there are so many amazing brands creating comfy and pretty bras for everybody. And we wanted to tell you about the ones we go to for certain styles. "Underwear is really personal, and each woman will want something different according to what her day looks like," explains Amy Wigmore, a garment technician at Dorina*, a London-based lingerie brand.

Founded in 1968, Dorina* has been helping dress women for over 50 years, and Wigmore, who has worked in the industry for 15 years herself, explains, "a common misconception of finding the right bra is that women think a fitting is a one-and-done experience". "We often hear women say they have taken one particular bra and have stuck with it for years," she continues.

If you think you're someone who does this, consider this an invitation to throw out old habits and invest in a bra that's right for you. If you love a joyful, colourful style to uplift your mood, then Dora Larsen is the destination. When it comes to the high street, of course, M&S is a forever favourite for everyday lingerie drawer additions, and Boux Avenue is the place to go for backless bras.

Keep scrolling to find out the 11 best bra brands that look as good as they feel.

The 11 Best Bra Brands of 2025

• Best Bra Brand for Matching Your Skin Tone: Skims
• Best High Street Bra Brand: M&S
• Best Luxury Bra Brand: Eres
• Best Bra Brand for Bigger Cup Sizes: Bravissimo
• Best Bra Brand for Joyful Colours: Dora Larsen

1. Dora Larsen

Style Notes: Proof that bras don't have to be basic, Dora Larsen is known for its sheer bras that are worn to be seen. The brand was founded in 2016 by Georgia Larsen, a former buyer who worked in Topshop's lingerie department. After seeing firsthand how practical bra styles can be, Larsen founded her own company with the mission of designing fashion staples that were contemporary, feminine and incredibly elevated. The brand prioritises producing responsibly, with the highest grade of fit and durability and is revered for delicate shapes made with high-octane hues.

2. Skims

Style Notes: Kim Kardashian's juggernaut brand Skims might have begun as a way to revolutionise the shapewear industry. But in less than a decade in operation, it's expanded its reach far beyond compression solutions, becoming one of the best bra brands in the process. Offering upwards of 20 different styles—including the beloved 'Fits Everybody' range, made up of best-selling, buttery fabrics—across ten different shades, Skims truly has something for everyone. (Yes, even a bra with a built-in nipple piercing!)

3. Dorina*

Style Notes: With half a century under its belt, Dorina* has carved a niche as one of the best bra brands designing styles with a trend-forward lens. Fabric like satin and lace harkens back to the brand's rich heritage, with these materials allowing Dorina* to create styles that are equally romantic and functional. "Dorina* has something for every woman, at all stages of her adult life, while keeping consistency in the bra sizes on offer," Wigmore adds.

4. Fruity Booty

Style Notes: For underwear with a purpose, look no further than female-founded and slow fashion bra brand, Fruity Booty. Of course, if you're one of the English-Australian label's acolytes, you'll know there's more to this brand than vintage-inspired shapes crafted with contemporary prints. From swimwear inspired by the awnings littering the Italian seaside to tops emblazoned with recipes for clams in white wine sauce—which are co-designed with Melbourne-based chef and cookbook author Ellie Bouhadana—everything the brand produces is a future heirloom in the making. Naturally, this aesthetic is also derived from the use of sustainable fabrics, including recycled and ethically sourced materials.

5. Spanx

Style Notes: Worn by Bridget Jones and Addison Rae alike, Spanx is the original pioneer of high-performing and cutting-edge underwear. What began as a prototype using shredded pantyhose has blossomed into a globally-renowned and incredibly lucrative business selling supportive, secure and intelligently-designed bras for all occasions.

6. Eres

Style Notes: Eres is a French fashion brand specialising in underwear, athletic garments and swimwear rooted in Parisian tastes. Never dictated by trends, the pieces are imbued with a sense of bliss and occasion, making them a constant presence on European Summer hotspots like the Côte d'Azur, all the way from Cannes down to Saint-Tropez.

7. Coco Der Mer

Style Notes: Bras were once something to hide, rather than show off. And when they were seen, it was often the case that the designs pandered to the male gaze, rather than uplifting the woman wearing it. Coco De Mar rejects this altogether, putting female desires and interests at the forefront. "Since 2001, Coco de Mer has been creating and curating a unique collection of luxury lingerie and erotica," the brand explains. Styles are unabashedly sexy, meaning Coco De Mar's shapes are something you can proudly wear both in and out of the boudoir.

8. M&S

Style Notes: I'd wager that there isn't a woman in Britain who doesn't have an M&S bra currently sitting in the top drawer of her dresser. A true high-street staple, the beloved brand "develops lingerie and shapewear for different body types and style preferences, helping customers to look and feel their best for everyday wear and special occasions," as Soozie Jenkinson, head of M&S lingerie design, explains.

9. Boux Avenue

Style Notes: Launched in 2011, Boux Avenue is another British high-street favourite making affordable underwear, loungewear, nightwear and swimwear. As for the brand's bras, however, Boux Avenue can be relied upon for a mix of racier lace styles and classic microfibre fits across a wide range of sizes.

10. Understatement

Style Notes: Liberating, unrestrictive and unapologetic are the guiding principles of Understatement. The bra brand doesn't shy away from the female form by creating designs that cater to the tastes of all women. Irrespective of your definition of sexy, you can feel empowered in Understatement's design thanks to the incredible representation in their campaign and brand imagery, whip-smart copywriting and flattering silhouettes.

11. Bravissimo

Style Notes: Sick of bras that are just scaled up to fit larger chest sizes and not designed with those body types in mind? Bravissimo's designs are specifically catered to those with bigger breasts, prioritising support and coverage without the dowdy designs that were typically associated with anything bigger than a D cup size.

How to Find the Right Bra Size?

Despite bras being the first item we dress ourselves in every day, the fact it gets hidden away underneath other layers means we don’t often prioritise fit and form. Staying true to the phrase ‘out of sight, out of mind’, the concealment of our underwear often enables us to wear bras that are well past their prime for much longer than we could any other item of clothing. (You know, the ones that you still wear despite them being purchased in high school?) Resolving this is as simple as using our handy bra size calculator. “Women’s bodies change and fluctuate due to their cycles, time of life and many other factors,” Wigmore explains. “The best practice is to get refitted every six months to truly make sure the bras always fit correctly, she adds.

Georgia Larsen, founder and designer of Dora Larsen, also recommends fitting yourself in person to find the right bra size. “You can measure yourself with a tape measure, but this doesn’t always provide the most accurate result. I’d recommend trying a few similar sizes from a brand and wearing each on to see which fits the most comfortably,” she suggests. Going to a department store or online multi-retailer is best for this as you can sample a whole host of designs and shapes at once. “When you understand how a bra should really fit, it means you can look out for the signs of when to reach for a different size,” says Wigmore.

How to Tell if Your Bra Fits Correctly?

So, how to tell if your bra is fitting correctly? There are several tell-tale signs. Namely, the band, the clasp and the cups. "The underband of the bra should sit firmly on the body if it is fitting correctly. It should not be too tight or too loose," Wigmore explains. "If the underband is lifting and riding up her back, the bra is the wrong size and the breasts are not supported as they should be."

"Your band should feel firm, but not uncomfortably tight," Larsen adds. "Remember, the band will always loosen over time, so it’s best to start on the last hook, tightening the claps as the bra ages and as the elastic becomes less firm with time."

As for the cups, remember that the breast needs to sit neatly inside the bra without any spilling. "If you can’t fit all the breast in the cup, this means it is too small," Wigmore says. "The entire breast tissue needs to fit in the cup to be the right size. You don’t want the edge to dig into the breasts as it means they are unsupported, will be painful and also will have a visible ‘double boob’ look." Wigmore also advises that bras with underwire need to sit on the ribcage rather than the breast tissue. "This breast tissue needs to be fully in the cup for the correct fit. Therefore, if the wire is not sitting flush on the body and is lifting away, the cup is most probably too small."

How to Tell if Your Bra is Good Quality?

"For me, a good bra is one that is comfortable enough that I forget I’m wearing it, enhances my silhouette under clothes, uses high-quality materials, and is cut and designed in a way that not only boosts my mood, but makes me feel confident to take on the day," Larsen explains.

More practically, Wigmore adds that the qualities of a good bra mean it has a comfortable fit and supportive structure". As for fabrics, "they should be breathable fabrics that move with your body, and hold their shape and elasticity over time and wear."

How Many Bras Should a Person Own?

If you grew up in the early 2000s, you would've heard of the "three bra rule". For the uninitiated, this directive suggests that you need to own three bras: one for you to wear, a spare to have in your drawer and one that's in the wash. (More on that later.) After speaking to both Larsen and Wigmore, I've come to learn that the experts no longer follow this guideline, but with a few caveats.

"The three bra rule is still a practical rule to follow; however, the advice now leans towards owning between five and seven bras. This allows more breaks between wears to prolong the lifespan of each bra," Wigmore advises. Both experts agree that having multiple bras allows for more styling flexibility. "There’s a risk in owning too many – they can get lost in your lingerie drawer and just never see the light of day," Larsen admits.

"Personally, I choose bras based on how easy they are to wear with outfits. So I’ll always make sure I have a basic black one, some colourful options that can cheer me up, a strapless bra, a padded bra, a style that’s good for low-cut tops and a comfy bra for wearing around the house," she says. Wigmore echoes this sentiment: "Owning five to seven bras means a woman can have dedicated bras for everyday, sports, and special occasions."

How to Properly Take Care of a Bra?

"Looking after your bras effectively is the best way to maintain a bra," Wigmore says. To properly take care of your bras, there are several cardinal rules to follow. Wigmore advises that you should hand wash as opposed to machine wash, use a gentle detergent, avoid any fabric softeners—"as these can break down the elastic fibres"—leaving bras to air dry and ensuring to rotate your bras through so you're not wearing one specific style for multiple days at a time. Larsen also recommends washing your bra in a laundry bag to avoid snagging the fabric.

What Lingerie Styles are Trending in 2025?

Interestingly, Larsen tells me that bras with underwire are trending in 2025. "We have seen our customers gravitating more towards underwired bras more than bralettes, especially styles with sweetheart or balconette necklines," she explains. Both Larsen and Wigmore have noticed an uptick in vintage styles, too, with lace, embroidery, satin and tulle on the rise, along with '50s-style high leg knickers and '90s-esque thongs.

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