The most common type of stick-on bra is made of silicone but there are ones that look almost the same as the silicone one pictured but are made of foam. You can also get fabric ones that look more like a normal strapless bra that has had the back cut off. They usually have adhesive on the side wings to hold them on. Read more

A balconette bra is a type of demi cup bra, which basically means the cups are low to allow you to wear fairly low cut clothing. A balconette bra usually has a more of a horizontal line along the top of the cups, which makes it quite different from a plunge bra, which goes very low between the breasts. Read more

A bandeau bra is shaped like a strip over your breasts, sometimes with ruching in the middle. They are kind of a cross between a strapless bra and a tube top. They are made of stretchy fabric so don’t normally have a fastening in the back, instead they go on over your head. Like many strapless bras they often come with detachable straps so you can wear them with or without. Read more

A contour or molded cup bra means the cups have been shaped by machine to fit the shape of your breasts. There is a slight difference between them but the terms are so often used interchangeably that its best if you understand the features you are looking for rather than getting hung up on what the manufacturer is calling it. Read more

Convertible (also called multi-way) bras are a must to own. The straps come off and have hooks so you can reattach them in different ways to wear with clothes where the straps of a standard bra would show. Read more

The cups on a full cup bra completely cover the breasts. They offer the most support of any type of bra so are a popular choice for women with large cup sizes. As they are designed for women who want more support and comfort, the shoulder straps are usually wider too. Sports bras should always have full cups. Read more

Ah, the sensual demi cup. This bra style covers roughly half of the breast, and lifts your girls’ front and center for added cleavage. ‘Demi’ describes a style of cup shape for a bra. It is quite low, it only just comes up over the nipple and usually plunges quite low to show cleavage. The shoulder straps are also set widely apart. Read more

Most of the time the terms ‘maternity bra’ and ‘nursing bra’ mean the same thing and are used interchangeably. Strictly speaking a maternity bra is for while you are pregnant and has the features you need for comfort and support during that time. A nursing bra will have some way to easily access your breasts for breastfeeding, normally this is done with drop down cups that have clips. Read more

Minimizer bras are designed for women with average to large breasts who want them to appear smaller. Depending on your size a minimizer bra could reduce your bust measurement by an inch or two. The cups offer full coverage and are made of elasticated fabric which helps to compress the breasts, whilst still giving a good silhouette. Read more

A padded bra has padding in the base of the cup to lift your breast and give the appearance of larger breasts. Padding can also refer to a light padding through the cup to hide any nipple shape, but usually when people talk about a padded bra they are meaning the type that makes your bust look larger. Read more

Plunge bras are designed so you can wear low cut clothes without your bra showing. The cups join together low between the breasts, with a thin center piece. Usually the shoulder straps are wide, so you can wear any necklines that are widely cut as well as low. Read more

Push-up bras do exactly what they say, they push your breasts up and together to give maximum cleavage. They are usually plunge bras as well, this means the cups join low between the breasts so you can wear something low to show them off. They are padded so your breasts can appear a couple of cup sizes larger than they are. They are great if your breasts are smaller and you want to draw attention to them and make them look bigger. Read more

Sports bras are designed to give you support during physical activity. There are different types that will work better for different activities. A sports bra for yoga should be really comfortable and offer greater movement, whereas one for jogging should be firm enough to remove bounce and also breathe well to reduce sweating. Read more

Strapless bras often come as convertible bras with detachable straps or you can also get bandeau bras. For most cases I would recommend a classic style strapless bra like the one pictured, bandeau bras don’t have under-wires to shape them so are tighter across the top of the bust and can cause bulging unless you have a perfect fit or small breasts. Read more

A T-shirt bra has seamless contour cups that are designed to give a smooth look under tight or lightweight fabric. The cups are lightly padded to stop the shape of your nipples showing through. Read more