The 6 best strapless bras money can buy - trust me, these styles will actually stay put

I'm a lingerie expert, and I've found the 6 best strapless bras that work well under bandeau tops and special occasion dresses with tricky necklines. I've tried on multiway bras from every major label to find out which brand has the very best strapless styles that actually stay up and in place all day, support your boobs (regardless of your size) and look as good as they feel.

Finding a good strapless bra is one of the most difficult underwear purchases you can make, because while the bra can feel and look good when tried on in a shop, you often don't know whether it will actually stay up and feel comfy until you've worn it for the first time. After a whole day of feeling the annoying thing slowly slip down your rib cage or dig into your breast tissue, it's too late to return it.

It's important to get the right fit, especially if (like me) you need to wear the best bras for large busts. Not only does a strapless bra need to look great under clothes, but it should also stay firmly in place for the duration of the day and be practically invisible. Women looking for strapless bras for small chests benefit from the added structure too, since a good style will create a smooth line under lightweight tops.

As so many elements go into a quality strapless bra, we've rigorously tried and tested the best bras without straps on the market to help you find the six worth spending your money on. It turns out comfortable strapless bras do exist - hurrah!

The quick list: my top 6

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Best strapless bras: Tried and tested

I've been a fashion stylist for over 30 years and have dressed hundreds of women of all shapes and sizes for many different occasions. I'm also a trained bra fitter, which is useful because it's so important to get the foundations right. Not only will you feel more comfortable, but selecting the right bra can make or break a great outfit.

Some of the best wedding guest dresses in the shops this season have halter necklines or are completely off-the-shoulder, and here's where a great strapless bra will come in handy. If you have big boobs you'll appreciate the support and comfort one will give you, and women will a smaller bust often appreciate the extra boost to their natural size.

Lingerie stylist and bra expert Katie Weir has this advice: "Look out for technical details such as underwired cups, boning in the side seam and silicone grip to ensure the bra stays in place, especially if you have bigger boobs. A wide back band is really important too, as this provides the majority of the support."

I wear a size 34F, and I tested various different styles from a range of stockists. I enlisted the help of testers with smaller boobs who tried a selection more suitable for smaller cup sizes. We made note of how they fitted, how supportive and comfortable they felt, what they looked like under a variety of tops, and finally, how they looked after washing. Here's everything you need to know about the six bras we feel offer the best shape and support.

Best strapless bra overall

This bra has moulded, underwired cups and is designed to create a smooth line and be invisible under your clothes. It's made from smooth microfibre fabric with minimal seams, and the back panels are wide with a firm mesh lining. My boobs felt contained, the uppermost part of the breast felt a bit exposed, but this was ideal under the style of dress I was wearing as it didn't peep out from underneath.

Strapless bras should fit tightly around the band to provide the support you need, and this one is no exception. I could feel the band firmly against my ribcage at all times. The underwiring on this bra felt more rigid than usual, again playing a more important role than on a normal bra. I wore the bra for brunch with friends on a hot, sunny day, and it felt comfortable for 4-5 hours, without any digging or slipping out of place. This is a versatile and functional bra that provides lift and support while wearing strapless or tricky necklines. At under £30, and available in a wide range of cup sizes, this bra ticks all the right boxes and is my overall favourite.

You can find out more in my full Pour Moi Definitions Multiway Strapless Bra Review

Best strapless bra for large busts

If you're looking for strapless bras for big busts (size D+), you're going to find the Curvy Kate Luxe Strapless bra a joy to wear.

The cups are made from a foam-lined fabric and constructed from 3 parts with vertical seams to ensure the bra retains its shape. In addition to the underwiring, the cups feature an inner sling of firmer mesh fabric that lifts your boobs and projects them forwards. The elastic has a strip of silicone that helps to grip the bra in place and flexible strips of boning, which are encased in the side seams to give extra structure.

I asked bra expert Katie Weir, who styles the campaign images for Curvy Kate, for her views. "I love Luxe, it’s a solid strapless choice to go under the majority of summer outfits", she commented.

"One of its unique selling points is that it's cartwheel-proof, I can confirm that I have seen many women of all different shapes and sizes successfully cartwheel without a single nip slip!" High praise indeed.

You can find out more in my full Curvy Kate Luxe Strapless Multiway Bra Review

Best strapless bra for small busts

This bra has moulded, underwired cups that are made from thin microfibre fabric with minimal seams, and the back panels are smooth and stretchy.

Our tester tried the bra in her regular size 34C, and it fitted well, without any gaping along the top edge of the cups. "I fastened the back on the tightest hooks to make it tighter," she reports. "This made it feel more secure, and I felt it was less likely to fall down. I wore the bra for a whole day, and it gave me a great shape under my top - I think it made me look a little bigger and more curvy.

"Unlike other strapless bras I've tried, this one doesn't have boning in the side seams or sticky silicone grips, so it felt more comfortable to wear."

You can find out more in my full M&S Collection Flexifit Wired Multiway Bra

Best strapless bra on Amazon

From the outside, this bra has the appearance of a non-wired bandeau as the outer layer of silky fabric is totally seam-free. However, hidden inside are underwired cups that are edged with strips of silicone to help the bra stay in place. Flexible strips of boning are encased in the side seams to give extra structure.

When wearing this bra it felt like my boobs were being compressed and slightly squashed into place, which had a minimising effect on the size of my bust. It felt firm but comfortable to wear for about 4 hours, after which it started to slightly dig in under my arms, which cost it a star.

This is a great bra for wearing under tight tops if you want your boobs to appear smaller - and it can arrive at your door tomorrow!

You can find out more in my full Meleneca Strapless Minimiser Bra Review

Best strapless push-up plunge bra

This bra created an impressive cleavage and is great for wearing with low-cut necklines. Similar to a T-shirt bra, this style has moulded cups made from a lightweight polyamide fibre chosen for its strength, flexibility, and moisture-wicking properties. The outside is smooth and seam-free. Inside the cups, bonded within the layers of fabric, are areas of denser padding on the outer and upper edges. The underwires are also bonded within the structure of the bra and are soft and flexible.

The elastic along the bottom edge of the cups and the top edge of the back has tiny silicone dots to help grip the bra in place. Flexible strips of boning are encased in the side seams and back panels to add extra structure.

I tested this bra in a size 32F, and it struggled to contain and support my bust. However, our testers with smaller boobs were seriously impressed with the uplift and extra volume it created - if you are a D cup or smaller, you will find it supportive and more comfortable. One customer review stated, "It gives me a really nice shape, especially at 45 when my breasts are no longer where I'd like them to be!"

You can find out more in my full John Lewis Cassie Super Push Up Strapless Bra Review

Best value for money strapless bra

Reviewed by: Matilda Stanley

"This simple yet chic multiway bra is brilliantly versatile and offers plenty of support while being comfortable to wear all day. The wider band makes it smoothing under even very tight tops, and it has a very flattering look and feel – it was way more comfy than I expected and surprisingly smoothing which makes it a great choice for anybody shopping for the best bras for back fat, This bra stayed put, without any ouch moments.

Most bras should be hand-washed to avoid damage or the cups becoming misshapen, but this one is very handily machine washable. I put it on a gentle rinse, and I was impressed with how well it kept its shape and hold the next time that I wore it. I can't believe it’s only £12, and I'm impressed with the range of sizes it covers. Not bad for a bra that you can pick up with your weekly shop!"

You can find out more in our full Tu at Sainsbury's Multiway Soft Cup Balcony Bra Review

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Ones that just missed the list

How we tested to find the best strapless bras

We spent weeks wearing bras of all styles without straps, from a variety of brands, to find the most flattering, supportive, comfortable and very best strapless bras for any occasion and outfit

To find out which brand has the best strapless bras worthy of adding to your underwear drawer, we tested over twenty different bras and judged them against the following criteria:

• Fit - One of the most important elements – if not the most important part - of any bra purchase is how comfortable it feels whilst wearing it. We all know how good it feels to take off your bra at the end of the day, but no underwear is worth buying if it feels uncomfortable from the moment you put it on. With strapless bras, a key part of this is also how well the bra stays in place whilst wearing it, as there's nothing more annoying than constantly pulling the bra up and manoeuvring it back into place all the time.
• Support – We tested each bra for how well it supported us and how secure we felt while wearing the bra. It's one thing for a strapless bra to stay up and in place all day and another for it to feel supportive enough that you're not worrying about how you move throughout the day.
• Look under clothes – How flattering was the bra on? Did the bra look smooth and seamless under our outfits and have a natural appearance, or did the style of the bra enhance or minimise our natural silhouette? We considered these points and tried the bras on under multiple different outfits to test how they looked under everything from t-shirts to party dresses.
• Quality of materials - A better quality fabric will keep its shape for a lot longer than a cheap or weaker fabric and will have less chance of riding down. Plus, as with any piece of underwear or lingerie, we want to ensure the materials used don't irritate our skin and only add to the comfort of the bra.
• Design elements - The best strapless bras are designed to support, lift and stay up all day. We judged not only the design elements and technical details that help the bra achieve these three important factors, but all aspects of the bra's design that made it look good, both on its own and under clothes.

Learn more about how we test bras at woman&home in this detailed guide.

How to choose the right strapless bra for you

How do you pick the best strapless bra for you? Use this guide to help narrow down your selection of the best strapless bras and then consider the following:

• Choose a high-quality product - With bras, you often get what you pay for. Strapless bras are more of an occasional (rather than everyday) item, so you can afford to buy fewer products but spend a little more getting the best quality. This includes choosing a strapless bra with foam or moulded cups with good coverage to fully encase the bust and a firm, supportive underband, as all the support is coming from there.
• Pick the right size - It's always helpful to be fitted by a professional when buying a strapless bra, as anything too big will be more likely to ride dow,n but too small and you will never feel comfortable in the bra when wearing it for any length of time.
• Look for rubber or silicone support - Good strapless bras will usually feature a layer of rubber or silicone around the band to help keep it secure against the skin while wearing. The wider the elastic on the underband with a silicone trim, the better the support will be, so fewer adjustments will be needed when wearing it.
• Pick the right bra for your bust size - Don't select a bandeau if you have bigger boobs or opt for heavy underwiring if you have a smaller bra size. For bigger busts, look for a firm wire and strong, supportive fabrics for maximum support.
• Think about the neckline of the clothes you will wear the strapless bra under - Most strapless bras are lower at the centre front to avoid showing under plunging necklines, but bandeau designs go straight across and are more likely to show under certain outfits, such as strapless occasionwear. So make sure to try the bra on under your actual outfit, to ensure it won't show at the front or the back.

FAQs

Should you go down a back size when buying a strapless bra?

You may want to experiment with a different size, as we hear from some bra fitters that women like to go for a size smaller in the back and up one cup to keep it feeling super secure, but the most important thing is that the bra feels comfortable. When wearing a strapless bra, you want to make sure the backband fits tightly (but not too tight!). As there aren’t any straps to keep you in place, the backband needs to be firm enough to keep you lifted, so you feel confident and look amazing.

Katie Weir

Katie is a renowned bra expert and lingerie stylist with over 16 years of experience in the lingerie and swimwear industry. With a specialist focus on fuller bust fittings, she has worked alongside leading brands such as Curvy Kate, Freya and Panache, shaping the conversation around support, body confidence and inclusive sizing. Her expertise has been featured in top publications including Stylist, Grazia and The Telegraph, where she's recognised for her ability to combine technical fit knowledge with a warm, uplifting approach. Through her virtual bra fitting sessions she empowers women to rediscover comfort and confidence in their own skin.

Matilda Stanley

Matilda Stanley is a freelance style editor covering all things fashion, beauty and interiors. She writes and styles for both print and online and covers everything from the latest catwalk trends to bargain skincare buys. With over fifteen years of experience in the industry, Matilda has worked on TV shows including 'Gok's Fashion Fix' and written and styled for publications including Closer, Heat, Bella, Look, Woman, Good Housekeeping, Now, and The Daily Mail.