Bra Glossary

From anatomy to fabrics, here's everything you need to know about bra terminology.

Bra Styles

T-Shirt Bra: Smooth, seamless cups, usually molded, that disappear under fitted clothing.
Best for: Everyday wear, Fitted tops, Work
Plunge Bra: A deep V between the cups with a low center gore, so it stays hidden under a low-cut top.
Best for: V-necks, Low-cut dresses, Going out
Balconette: Cups cut straight across with wider-set straps. Lifts from underneath and leaves the top open.
Best for: Square necklines, Off-shoulder tops, Special occasions
Demi Cup: Cups that cover about half the breast, cut lower than full coverage. Works under a V-neck.
Best for: V-necks, Everyday wear
Full Coverage: Cups that enclose the breast completely. The most containment and usually the most support.
Best for: Fuller busts, All-day comfort, Maximum support
Push-Up: Padded at the bottom and the sides, so the shape sits higher and closer together.
Best for: Low-cut outfits, Special occasions
Sports Bra: Built to hold everything still during activity, either by compressing or by holding each side separately.
Best for: Exercise, Running, High-impact activity
Bralette: Soft and unstructured, with no underwire and no molded cups. Often lace or cotton.
Best for: Lounging, Light support, Layering
Strapless: No shoulder straps. It stays up on the band and a grip lining, so the band has to be snug.
Best for: Strapless dresses, Off-shoulder tops, Formal wear
Convertible: Straps that come off or reconfigure, so one bra covers cross-back, halter and one-shoulder.
Best for: Tricky necklines, Travelling light
Minimizer: Redistributes tissue to sit flatter against the chest, so the bust projects less under a shirt.
Best for: Button-down shirts, Fuller busts
Nursing Bra: Cups that unclip or drop down so you can feed or pump without taking the bra off.
Best for: Breastfeeding, Pumping, Postpartum
Front-Close: The clasp sits at the front between the cups instead of at the back. Much easier to get on.
Best for: Limited shoulder movement, Convenience
Wireless: No underwire. The support comes from the fabric, the band and the way it is cut.
Best for: Comfort first, Sensitive skin, Everyday wear

Bra Anatomy

Band: The part that goes around your ribcage, and the number in your size. It does roughly 80 to 90 percent of the support work, which is why almost every fit problem starts here.
Snug on the loosest hook, so there is somewhere to go as it stretches
Two fingers should just fit underneath
It should sit level all the way around, not ride up at the back
Cup: The part that holds and shapes the breast, and the letter in your size. The letter comes from the difference between your bust and your band, so it means nothing on its own.
It should hold everything, with nothing over the top or out the side
No gaping and no wrinkling in the fabric
A different band number changes what the same letter holds
Straps: They hold the cups in position over your shoulders. They are not what carries most of the weight, so straps that dig in usually mean the band is too loose rather than the straps too tight.
They should stay put without digging
Adjust them for position, not for lift
Red marks on your shoulders usually mean the band is not carrying enough of the weight
Gore: The center piece between the cups, sometimes called the bridge. It should lie flat against your breastbone.
Flat against your chest is called tacking, and it is a good sign
If it floats away, the cup is usually too small, or the wire is the wrong width for your root
How high it sits changes with the style
Underwire: The semi-circular wire that follows the edge of your breast and holds the shape of the cup.
It should sit on your ribcage, following your breast root
It should never rest on breast tissue
Poking or digging means the shape or the size is wrong, not that wires hurt
Wing: The side panels joining the cups to the back of the band. Wider wings spread the load and stop the band digging.
Wider wings usually mean a smoother line under clothes

Sizing Terms

Band Size: The number in your size, for example the 34 in 34D. It comes from measuring snugly around your ribcage, rounded to the nearest even number, since bands are made in even sizes.
Cup Size: The letter in your size, for example the D in 34D. It comes from the difference between your bust and your band, so the same letter is a different volume on a different band.
Sister Size: A different band with the same cup volume. Go down a band and up a cup, or up a band and down a cup: 32DD, 34D and 36C all hold about the same amount.
True to Size: A brand whose sizing lands where the measurements say it should, with no adjusting up or down.
UK Sizing: The British system. Above DD it runs E, F, FF, G, GG, which is why a UK letter and a US letter stop matching after DD.
US Sizing: The American system. Above DD it stops being one ladder: some brands run DDD and DDDD, others jump to G and H, so the same body wears different letters in different brands. That is what the size translator is for.
EU Sizing: The European system, in centimeters, with its own cup progression. An EU band number is not a US band number.

Fit Terms

Quadboob: Tissue spilling over the top of the cup so it reads as four instead of two. Usually a cup that is too small or the wrong shape, and sometimes a loose band pushing everything up.
Gapping: The cup pulls away and leaves a space. It can mean the cup is too big, the shape is wrong for you, or the band is too loose.
Riding Up: The band creeps up your back instead of sitting level. Usually a band that is too loose, though worn-out elastic, over-tightened straps and the wrong style for your shape can all do it.
Digging: Any part of the bra pressing hard enough to mark you. It is a sign of poor fit, not something to put up with.
Orange in a Glass: A cup whose shape does not match how far you project, so nothing sits right even when the volume is correct. The answer is a different cup shape, not a bigger size.
Tacking: The gore lying flat against your breastbone. One of the quickest signs that a bra actually fits.

Fabrics & Materials

Cotton: Natural, breathable and soft. Kind to sensitive skin.
Breathable, Soft, Rarely irritates. Downsides: Holds its shape less well, Can stretch out.
Microfiber: A smooth synthetic. Seamless under clothes and moves sweat away.
Smooth under clothes, Hard-wearing, Dries quickly. Downsides: Less breathable, Can hold heat.
Lace: Openwork fabric, usually over a lining. Can be stretch or rigid.
Beautiful, Light. Downsides: Can itch, Shows under a fitted top.
Mesh: An open weave that is light and cool to wear.
Very breathable, Light, Dries quickly. Downsides: Sheer, Can show through.
Spacer Fabric: A knitted fabric with air pockets through it. Smooth like a molded cup but far cooler to wear.
Breathable, Light, Smooth line.
Memory Foam: Padding that softens to your shape with body heat.
Molded: Cups pre-formed into shape, usually from foam. Smooth under clothes and the same shape every time.
Unlined: A cup with no padding or foam, so the shape comes from the seams and the fabric.

Closures

Hook & Eye: The usual back closure, with rows of hooks. More rows means more adjustment as the band relaxes.
Front Closure: A clasp at the front between the cups. Much easier to reach.
Pull-Over: No closure at all, it stretches on over your head. Common on sports bras and bralettes.
Racerback Clip: A clip that pulls ordinary straps together into a racerback.

Care & Lifespan

Washing: How you wash a bra makes a real difference to how long it lasts.
Hand wash in cool water with a mild detergent
In the machine, use a lingerie bag on a delicate cycle
Never use fabric softener, it breaks down the elastic
Wash after two or three wears
Drying: Heat is what kills elastic, so nothing about drying should be hot or fast.
Air dry, never the dryer
Lay flat, or hang it by the center gore
Do not hang it by the straps, it stretches them
Reshape the cups while they are still damp
Storage: Molded cups keep their shape or lose it depending on how they are stored.
Nest the cups inside each other
Do not fold a molded cup
Give them room in the drawer
Rotate between three or four bras
Lifespan: Most bras last 6 to 12 months with regular wear, and rotating between a few makes each one last longer. How it fits and feels tells you more than the calendar.
Time to replace it: the band has stretched, the elastic is going, a wire is coming through
Sports bras worn hard wear out faster

Still Have Questions?

Our AI can explain any of these terms in context and help you apply them to your fitting.