Balconette Bras

What are balconette bras?

Balconette bras or balcony bras as they’re often known are designed to give support to a full bust where the breasts feature a fullness or heaviness all over. The cups on a balconette bra are usually made with a three-part cup that uses sections of fabric and seams to support and shape the bust into a desired rounded shape.

They are usually underwired as the wires contribute to the fabric being able to contain and hold the bust and hold the shape of the fabric and they will also have a deeper wire in the center than full cups and plunge style bras. These bras offer shaping, support, and a rounded, youthful appearance.

It is a style that is loved by women wanting an everyday bra that can support and contain a larger bust as it offers great uplift and a rounded shape that suits many shapes and sizes.

The straps on a balcony bra tend to be wide set and sit further out on the shoulders and are often connected to the edge of the cup nearest to the underarm with a straight connection between the strap and the fabric of the cup.
This doesn’t in any way affect the strength of the bra however as the straps should only be doing 10% of the work. 

As mentioned previously the cups on a balconette bra are often made of three or four pieces of fabric sewn together, these are often described as a three or four-part cup in bra descriptions. These individual pieces help to shape the bust giving a rounded, forward-facing appearance.

The underwires on a balconette bra are deep in the center thus giving good separation for those of us with big boobs.
The top of the cups on balconette bras can vary. The Tango Bra for example has a solid edge to the top of the cup. This solid edge is popular with ladies with top-heavy breasts as it can help to keep any movement of the boobs to a minimum.
However, some balconette bras are made with a lace edge. The lace upper cup is more flexible so it tends to suit ladies with a shallower bust (flatter on top) or those with asymmetric breasts, where one is slightly larger than the other. In this case the stretch in the fabric allows it to fit each breast individually without leaving any loose fabric.

How should a balcony bra fit?

As with all bras, there are certain things to look for when trying on balcony bras.
1. Is the band firm but comfortable? There should be little room for movement in the band of the bra.
2. Do the cups completely enclose your breasts? The underwires should sit flat against your ribcage and flat between your breasts. The fabric at the top of the cup should lie flush against the boobs without digging in or rippling. 

When should you wear a balcony bra?

As mentioned previously, balcony bras make a great everyday bra for those of us with bigger boobs however they’re equally as good for those with smaller breasts also.
The lower, horizontal shape of the top of the cups on a balcony bra makes it perfect for wearing with deeper, square, or round necklines and thanks to wider set straps they’re great for wearing with wider necklines. They also look great when wearing a roll neck or a high neckline. They are a great all rounder!