The Best Bras For Busty Gals

Here's a shopping truth: Finding bras that are both supportive and stylish is trickier when your breasts are a DD cup or higher. Seeing that as a challenge rather than a sad fact of life, we went straight to the bra-fit experts at Panache, ThirdLove, Wacoal, and Eveden to find the most comfortable, flattering, and fashion-forward intimates in sizes starting at DD.

A successful search starts with fit. According to Wacoal's national consultant manager Dawn Kenney, "Bras should never be uncomfortable. However, many women — especially full-busted women — associate wearing a bra with pain." If you’re in this group, it's possible you've got the wrong size. Straps that slide, underwires that dig in, and anything else causing you discomfort "are indications that it may be time for a professional bra fitting," explains Kennedy. Be honest, when's the last time you had one of those?

You may be surprised to learn the only real difference between busty chests and A to D cups "is their need for a larger cup capacity," says Kenney — all of the regular fit rules still apply. So, go ahead and take a good, long look in the mirror. If your bra doesn't adhere to the rules below, helpfully outlined for us by Kenney and Freddy Zappe, Eveden's fit specialist — then you're not getting your best possible fit.

1. The center front of your bra (the gore) lies flat against your breastbone.
2. The underwire (if your bra has it) sits behind your breast tissue and not on top of it, ensuring full support.
3. There is no spillage over your cups whatsoever.
4. The bra's band lies level across your chest and back; it doesn't ride up.

Once you've crossed the fit hurdle, bra shopping won't feel nearly as cumbersome, but finding styles and silhouettes that aren't awfully boring or dowdy can still pose a bit of a challenge. Well, we're here to show that it's not an insurmountable one. We've pulled 17 gorgeous, functional bras made by brands that cater specifically to the DD-plus crowd. Keep reading if you're ready to bust a move.