What is a Padded Bra?

Padded Bras are one of the most essential bra styles that all women should have in their closet. They come in tons of different styles, colors, and prints. The possibilities are endless! Continue reading to hear all about why padded bras are an essential at Hourglass Lingerie.

All About Padded Bras

Unsurprisingly, Padded Bras get their name for the extra padding featured in the cup. This padding can be made of gel, foam, or synthentic form. It could also be sewed in or have a bulit-in removable “cookie” insert that is held by extra fabric. This means that you can adjust the level of padding to your own standards. What more could a girl ask for?

No matter what the padding actually is made out of- all of them have one goal in mind: to add volume and shape to the breasts. Padded bras will almost always make your breasts appear larger and fuller without making you feel bulky.

However, they can also help achieve a more rounded and better-looking shape. On top of all of that, the support, coverage and shape they provide is often unmatched.

How Can a Padded Bra Benefit You?

Padded bras are often recommended to women with smaller breasts; however, they really are made to be worn by anyone. This is a great everyday bra to help improve confidence and bust size in smaller-busted women.

Alternatively, padded bras can also give a smooth look while still keeping modest for full-busted women. They will also provide support and make breast tissue appear firm for anyone who wears. A great benefit of padded bras is their ability to mask the appearance of saggy boobs or uneven breasts.

Our favorites at Hourglass Lingerie are the Parfait Charlotte Padded Balconette Bra 6901 Rio Red and the Parfait Emma P5491 Bare Padded Wire Free Plunge Bra.

When Should I Not Wear a Padded Bra?

We reach for our padded bras daily because of how comfortable, practical, and stylish they are.

Padded Bras are the perfect solution for circumstances such as:

 

  • Form-fitting clothing
  • Low-cut tops and dresses
  • Women with asymmetrical breasts
  • Girls' night out
  • Date Night
  • Everyday errands

The slight enhancement of cleavage is the perfect confidence boost to your day.

When Should I Not Wear a Padded Bra?

There are only a handful of times we don’t recommend wearing padded bras as a first option.

Padded bras add volume, but not to that great of an extent. If you are looking for a dramatic increase (1-2 cup sizes) of breast volume, you are leaning more towards a Push-Up Bra than a padded bra. There is less than an inch difference in thickness between the two bra styles. Unlike a padded bra which contains padded lines in between cups, a push-up bra has padding at the bottom of the inside of the cup.

 

Other instances where we would recommend an alternative bra style include:

 

  • Women who are looking to take away attention from their breasts (A Full-Coverage Bra may be the best option for you)
  • Women post breast surgery (A Mastectomy Bra may be the best option for you)
  • Women who are looking for a bra without padding or underwire (A Bralette may be the best option for you)

 

Padded Bra Sizing

Finding the perfect size padded bra is relatively straightforward. There are no fancy tricks here, your typical bra size should translate straight into the perfect padded bra fit. Signs that your padded bra may be the wrong size are indentations or red marks left in the skin and cup gapping.

The easiest way to size yourself is to check out our Size Guide and read up on all of our tips and tricks. Or, if you would rather have the perfect fit without the hassle of research, call and schedule your free, personalized fitting with an Hourglass Lingerie fit specialist. We would love to help you and share our admiration for padded bras!

Bra Style Guide

Now that you've learned everything you could ever possibly want to know about Padded Bras, why not learn some more? Our Bra Style Guide is the perfect collection of guides to every bra style on the market. Try something new, explore an old favorite, or step out of your comfort zone!