Arguably the most important pieces of clothing in a women’s wardrobe are undergarments. But I (along with most women) will agree that undergarments are the least exciting thing to shop for. It may seem like something that’s not that important, but ill-fitting undergarments can completely change the way clothing fits you. Plus, if the fit is off, you’ll be uncomfortable and fidgety all day. If you don’t already have undergarments you love and that fit you, you’ll find everything you need to know in this post! Including the best undergarments for women over 40, my favorite go-to brands, and even tips on determining your bra size!
First Things First…
Knowing your bra size is the first key step in finding the best undergarments! Did you know that 80% of women are wearing the wrong bra size? That really is a crazy statistic! And it’s not surprising considering that there are so many brands and no bra size standards. You know how a size 8 at one store fits you perfectly, but you need a size 10 at a different store? It’s called “vanity sizing.” The same thing happens with undergarments…just because you’re a 36C in one bra you love, doesn’t mean you’ll be a 36C in another brand. Plus, as little as a 5-pound weight change can alter your size!
Did I mention that bra and undergarment shopping is frustrating!? Ha!
The best thing you can do is go into a store you love and get fitted. Nordstrom has bra fit specialists that can measure you and help you find the perfect bra! Soma is another great option for getting fitted. They have a special bra called the SOMAINNOFIT to help you pick out the best size on their website. You can find out more about that in this post. I highly recommend using the resources available to you to help you with size and get the perfect fit.
What Undergarments You NEED
These are the very basic undergarments you need to have in your wardrobe. But there are definitely other specialty bras like racerback bras, bralettes, etc. Find my favorites for each piece below…
- Black & Nude Strapless Bras
- Black & Nude Smooth Bras – This is the bra you can wear every day…like a t-shirt bra!
- Black & Nude Skirt Slip – Make sure you choose one with tummy control (like Spanx or Commando)
- Nude Thigh Shaper
- Full-Body Shapewear
- Nippies, NuBra, or Plunge Bra
- Black & Nude Panties – When you find a pair you love, buy as many as you can…These undies are the only ones I wear now!
Shop more bras, panties, and shapewear.
Brands I Love
Soma
Natori
Chantelle
ThirdLove
True & Co.
Wacoal
For wireless, check out the affordable options at Jockey here.
My Top 5 Bras!
ThirdLove 24/7 Classic T-Shirt Bra
Natori Cherry Blossom Underwire Bra
Chantelle Plunge Lightweight Bra
Soma Perfect Coverage Bra
Wacoal Convertible Red Carpet Strapless Bra
Do you have the holy grail bra for a large bust?? Do NOT keep that to yourself… please share in the comments!
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[…] Don’t underestimate the power of good, well-fitting undergarments. Make sure you have a bra that’s supportive, smooth and won’t show any back bulge. You’ll also want to find some great no-show panties or thongs. I did an entire post breaking down the best undergarments for women over 40 here. […]
Elomi makes amazing bras for larger busts. They are my go-to!
Can I rely on the NuBra to not give way? I have a couple of backless tops I want to wear however, I’m afraid of wearing something like the NuBra and it popping loose!
That is a great question. It has good reviews online. If you like it, it would be a game-changer! Erin xo
Nordstrom’s sells a brand called Elomi that is great for those of us that are large-busted. My favorite Elomi bra is the Matilda because it is comfortable and convertible. The straps can be switched from a standard bra to a racerback in no time. Always available in nude, white, and black with other colors drifting in and out. While no-one will mistake it for La Perla, it is prettier than most – bonus!
What is the brand of the beautiful bra pictured with the lace band?
I’m not sure which brand, but here’s a similar one I found! https://rstyle.me/+7ADBtOMFZYBtOUByq7Zjsw
Here is my bra dilemma!! About 5 years ago, I had a breast reduction and lift. Best thing I ever did! HOWEVER! Prior to getting a reduction, I thought the surgery would solve all my bra-shopping problems. Boy, was I wrong!! What I am looking for is a soft-cup bra that is supportive, but with NO PADDING. I got a breast reduction for a reason! I find that padded underwire bras make my breasts look too big! But finding a supportive bra with a soft cup is hard. I have tried Third Love (harder to return because I am in Canada), Knix (these are good but over time they do lose their supportiveness), even Chantelle (which does have a beautiful soft cup) doesn’t fit me properly. In the meantime, I have finally settled on the Soma Perfect Coverage because it hides the back-fat a bit but the cups are still molded and make my breasts look larger than they are. I really find that you need to go to the store and try on 25 different bras in order to find the right one. Living in Canada, where more retailers are heading online (coupled with COVID restrictions) is not making the task easy. Anyway, I’m sorry for my rant, but bra shopping is truly a challenge!!!
Thank you for sharing your story…I’m so sorry to hear you are struggling! That sounds super frustrating. Maybe when you find a brand that works for you, you can comment and share the brand name to help others dealing with the same struggle. ~Erin xo
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Hey, Erin, that is a great blog post about undergarment for women. I am regular reading your all post about women. All of this post gives me lots of Information. Now I have some problem to my body. I think you are the better person who helps me to solve my problem. Day by day my waistline size increased, In this situation, What should I do? I am going some different type of blog about health and got some information about how to lose your waistline size? Can body Shapers help me to solve my waist problem? I’m collecting some information In this site here: https://waistlab.com/
Good morning, Erin!
Thank you so much for the undergarment info! I agree with your recommendation regarding THIRDLOVE. I personally am currently looking for recommendations regarding wireless bras and bralettes. With the on-set of perimenopause, I find that underwire bras are less comfortable than they used to be and I have begun my search for the best wireless bra that still has a decent amount of support. I’d be anxious to learn if you or any of your fellow bloggers have any suggestions. Best wishes and many blessings to you and your family as you make the big move to Telluride!
Hi Karen.. it looks like both Cathy and Heather like Coobies (wirefree) listed above. I also bought the wirefree bra from Thirdlove. It’s very well made and comfortable. I didn’t feature it because it’s not quite as supportive as I like… but you can check it out here http://rstyle.me/n/cpypsd58an
Love your blog. I didn’t really need undergarment recommedations. What I LOVED about this post was the blog recommedations. You are currently the only blogger I follow that is not in her early twenties. Love those blogs but so excited to find a few more bloggers that are my biological age. (In my heart, maturity, & budget I am closer to the twenty-somethings lol) Thanks for this post!
That’s awesome!! So glad you have some new people to follow!! Love all these ladies… Erin xo