We tested over 35 wireless bras — here are the best ones
Bye bye, underwire. Here’s everything you need to know about shopping for a wireless bra that fits well.
Honeylove Crossover
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$69.00
Experts recommend keeping the following factors in mind while shopping for wireless bras.
After consulting experts and researching wireless bras, I chose over 35 models for NBC Select staffers to test, which brands sent us as courtesy samples. We tested each bra for at least a month, evaluating factors like size, fit, comfort, adjustability, support and coverage. We also cleaned each bra at least twice according to the brand's directions to evaluate how well it held up after being washed and dried.The best wireless bras to shopUltimately, the right wireless bra for you comes down to personal preference, and finding one you love may take time. To kickstart your search, here are the best wireless bras based on our testing and experts' guidance.
Everyone who tested the Honeylove Crossover bra gave positive feedback about it, making it our most widely loved model across sizes. “I’ve never really found a wireless bra one that’s sturdy enough for me to feel supported, but this one provided a similar amount of support to my favorite wired bras,” says Rosalie Sparaco, NBC Select senior social media editor. “I was even comfortable wearing it out of the house on a day-to-day basis to run errands.”
The Crossover bra has a bonded underbust section that adds lift, wide wings that eliminate back bulges and convertible straps you can wear straight or criss-cross. It’s designed with mesh detailing on the top, which adds a little coverage and makes the bra more fashionable than others we tested. However, you may be able to see the mesh peeking out of low-cut tops, so be mindful of what you’re wearing it with.
Notably, Honeylove has a “find my size” feature on its website, which testers found helpful when deciding which one to order. “I don’t fall into the A to DD spectrum, so I’m always worried that bras won’t fit correctly,” says Sparaco. “The find my size feature worked really well for me and the bra I got actually fit.”
Adjustability: straps and band | Material: nylon, spandex | Closure: hook-and-eye | Cups: lined | Size range: XS to XXXL
Nikki Brown, NBC Select SEO editor, and I have worn Knix’s Revolution V-neck bra repeatedly since receiving it. Its 3D-printed fabric stabilizers add support, according to the brand, and Brown especially loves the fabric. “It’s stretchy yet resilient, and super smooth underneath clothes,” she says. Brown is equally fond of the straps — they lay flat without digging into her skin, plus, they’re neither too narrow nor wide, so she can wear it with a variety of shirts, including tank tops.
While the bra’s pads are removable, they’re essential if you’re wearing a tight or form-fitting top, according to Brown. “Without them, your breasts may look flattened,” she says. “But if your main priority is comfort, this bra feels just as amazing without them.”
Adjustability: straps and band | Material: nylon and lycra | Closure: hook-and-eye | Cups: removable pads | Size range: XS to XXXXL++
Knix iterated on its original Revolution wireless bra by designing this scoop-neck version you pull over your head instead of clasping in the back. According to Brown, the band is unforgiving when first worn, but gets less rigid with more wear and time. It has many of the same features we enjoy about the Revolution V-Neck bra, like smooth fabric, straps that lay flat and removable pads. But since it has a higher neckline, Brown says this bra is best for wearing with T-shirts or by itself around the house.
Adjustability: straps | Material: spandex and nylon | Closure: pullover | Cups: removable pads | Size range: XS to XXXXL++
Evelyn & Bobbie is known for its wireless bras, and so far, we’ve tested three of them. The Structured Scoop is our favorite due to its high level of support and stretchy fabric that helps it adjust to the body’s shape. Mili Godio, NBC Select updates editor, also appreciates its non-restrictive band. “I love how soft the band is, and it doesn’t squeeze my ribcage when I’m sitting or bending down,” she says. The Structured Scoop’s straps are on the narrower side, but they lifted my larger chest enough to eliminate sag. Also, while Godio felt that the scoop neck offered a bit too much coverage for her liking, I appreciated it since it made me feel more secure.
Adjustability: straps | Material: polyamide, elastane | Closure: pullover | Cups: removable pads | Size range: S to XXXL
“This bra gives me all the support of a wired bra without any of the annoying discomfort, and I never feel like I need to take it off at the end of the day,” says Godio. “Some days, I literally have to force myself to use other bras.” She finds taking Spanx’s wireless bra on and off easy thanks to its front closure, and says its stretchy back band hugs her curves without feeling restrictive. Plus, it gives her a light but noticeable lift.
Adjustability: none | Material: nylon and elastane | Closure: front | Cups: lined | Size range: 30 to 38, C to DD
Wacoal's wireless T-shirt bra gives me a rounded shape and offers an impressive amount of lift to prevent sag, which makes me feel confident while wearing it underneath form-fitting tops.The cups are flexible, so they contour to my chest, and since they're gently compressive, they hold everything in place. Plus, there’s plenty of coverage on the tops and sides, yet the V-neckline is deep enough that I can wear the bra with lower cut shirts or dresses.
Adjustability: straps and band | Material: nylon and spandex | Closure: hook-and-eye | Cups: lined | Size range: 34 to 40, C to G
Huug’s Daily Embrace bra has rigid 3D molded cups that shape the chest, and it offers quite a bit of compression that I find to almost completely eliminate bounce. “This bra is surprisingly supportive and one of the most comfortable options I tested,” says Rebecca Rodriguez, NBC Select manager of editorial operations. “It’s material felt soft against my skin all day, so I barely noticed that I was wearing it.” This bra’s straps laid flat against my shoulders, and its scoop neck and back worked well with most of my T-shirts, dresses and long-sleeve shirts.
Huug recommends ordering your typical size in this bra for a snugger, more supportive fit, and sizing up for a looser fit that’s closer to what you get from a bralette. I agree with this — I ordered my typical size, and the snug fit contributes in part to the compressive feel.
Adjustability: none | Material: nylon, lycra | Closure: pullover | Cups: lined | Size range: XS to XXL
As someone with a larger bust, Sparaco says unsupportive bras often cause back pain. According to Lori Kaplan, professional bra fitter and founder/owner of Bra Tenders, this typically happens when the band rides up between the shoulder blades and unevenly distributes weight on the chest, or when overly tight straps put pressure on the shoulders, neck and back.
Thankfully, Sparaco doesn’t experience any discomfort while wearing Truekind’s wireless bra, thanks in part to convertible straps that can be worn in multiple different ways, like straight, cross-back or over one shoulder. Plus, the sweetheart neckline gives her a little cleavage.
Its longline style causes the band to extend a few inches down the ribcage, so I like to wear the bra with flowy shirts or oversized sweaters and high-waisted pants — it acts as a bra and undershirt of sorts.
Adjustability: straps and band | Material: nylon and spandex | Closure: hook-and-eye | Cups: lined | Size range: S to XXXXL
“This bra has plenty of support without being too full coverage, so there’s a nice amount of cleavage,” says Godio. Its support mainly comes from two features: a bonded underbust section that adds lift and a 3D-printed velvet pattern that helps shape the chest. Godio found the added texture to be a cute detail — she didn’t have a problem with it showing through tight tops. However, NBC Select associated reporter Bianca Alvarez says it limited what shirts she wore the bra with.
Honeylove’s Silhouette bra has narrow straps, which Godio and Alvarez say don’t dig into their skin and are easy to hide under tank tops. The straps are also convertible, so you can adjust them to be criss-cross or straight.
Adjustability: straps and band | Material: nylon and spandex | Closure: hook-and-eye | Cups: lined | Size range: XS to XXXL
Minimizer bras, according to Kaplan, push breast tissue down rather than up, and distribute weight across the chest rather than forward, reducing the projection of the bust.
Spanx’s wireless minimizer does exactly that when Sparaco and I wear it. It holds our busts in place and reduces bounce, plus makes our chests appear and feel flatter under shirts. The bra has cushioned straps that never move around, and the two small cutouts between the cups allow air to pass through them, making the undergarment breathable and particularly comfortable in warm weather. My favorite part of the bra is its thick, rigid band. It gives me a little lift and shape, and stays flush against my ribcage all day.
Adjustability: straps and band | Material: nylon and elastane | Closure: hook-and-eye | Cups: unlined | Size range: 32 to 42, C to G
Beyond its extensive size range — which even includes half cup sizes like A ½ and E ½ — the soft and smooth fabric of Third Love’s wireless bra won me over. If I’m spending time at home, running errands or casually hanging out with friends, I’ll throw this bra on and wear it for hours. It gives me a light lift, but since the cups don’t offer any compression, they very gently shape my chest. Because of that, I prefer more structured wireless bras when I’m wearing tight tops.
Adjustability: straps and band | Material: nylon, spandex and polyester | Closure: hook-and-eye | Cups: lined | Size range: 30 to 44, A to G (including half cup sizes)
A lace bra isn’t for everyone — you tend to see its textured fabric through fitted tops, which isn’t ideal if you prefer a seamless look underneath clothing. That said, lace is a lightweight, breathable fabric, so I gravitate toward bras like this one during the warmer months, as well as when I wear heavy sweaters during the winer. Bali’s wireless Breathe T-Shirt Bra has foam cups that shape my chest, a medium amount of coverage and convertible straps you can wear straight or criss-cross. The band is also pretty stretchy, so I never felt restricted by it.
Adjustability: straps and band | Material: cotton, modal, spandex | Closure: hook-and-eye | Cups: lined | Size range: S to XXXL
Eby’s wireless bra has wings on the cups that help prevent side spillage, which I appreciate as someone with a larger chest. It's made with SoftWire, a piece of proprietary “wireless-underwire” that shapes, supports and lifts the chest, as well as a layer of 3D fabric in the band that adds structure to the undergarment, according to the brand. The Only Bra reminds me a lot of Knix’s Revolution bra, except it’s less compressive, has a more relaxed fit and uses fabric with a silky finish.
Adjustability: straps and band | Material: nylon and spandex | Closure: hook-and-eye | Cups: lined | Size range: XS to XLDD
If you frequently wear clothing with low necklines, this bra — made by one of our favorite woman-owned businesses — is worth the investment, in our opinion. It has a plunge cut and shallow cups, which means you get less top coverage, but don’t have to worry about your bra peeking out of tops. The cups are sturdy and on the more rigid side, giving my chest a consistent rounded look under clothing. However, they’re not compressive, which I find makes my torso look wide. The bra’s band extends down my ribcage so I always feel lifted, and it stays anchored to my body all day.
Adjustability: straps and band | Material: nylon and spandex | Closure: hook-and-eye closure | Cups: lined | Size range: 30 to 40, AB to CD
This wireless bra borders bralette territory due to its soft, stretchy fit, but its knit fabric is surprisingly compressive, which I find helps stabilize my chest. Godio says the fabric is also lightweight and breathable. “I honestly forget I even have a bra on,” she says. True & Co’s wireless bra is designed with a wide band that stays secure to my ribcage so it never flips up, but it gives me a lighter lift and less shaping compared to some of the other wireless bras I tried. Because of this, I feel most comfortable wearing the bra around the house or under casual, loose tops.I tried the scoop neck option, while Godio tried the V-neck bra. Both styles offer plenty of coverage, in our experience.
Adjustability: straps | Material: nylon and elastane | Closure: pullover | Cups: removable pads | Size range: XS to XXXL
According to our experts, bra is an umbrella term used to describe undergarments that support the breasts. There are many bra subcategories, including wireless bras, which are made without underwire, a flexible metal that’s stitched under each cup to support and shape the breasts, says Sena. Wireless bras are designed to be a direct replacement for underwire bras. They’re structured to offer a supportive fit and tend to be made with some sort of lining (padding), experts say.
Bralettes are a type of wireless bra. But when people refer to wireless bras, they’re usually talking about structured, supportive options designed to be a direct replacement for wired bras. Bralettes, on the other hand, are commonly thought of as loose, stretchy undergarments that offer light support (if any) and create a very casual breast shape.
Underwire is a flexible metal that’s stitched under each of a bra’s cups. It has a semi-circle shape and goes around the bottom and sides of each cup.
One of the biggest misconceptions about underwire is that it helps make a bra supportive, holding and lifting breasts up. But it's actually a structural element of the undergarment. “The wire helps anchor the bra to your ribcage and keeps its cups from collapsing and folding like a hot dog,” says Sena. That’s the main challenge brands face when designing wireless bras — once they get rid of the underwire, they need to find some other way to keep the cups from collapsing. Sometimes they’ll use bonding (glue or adhesive), compressive fabric, thick bands or wide straps, according to our experts.
Underwire’s other main job is to shape breasts, making them two separate round mounds. “Think of it like a ponytail holder, which takes your hair and puts it into a really tight round shape at the base of your head,” says Tempesta. “That’s basically what underwire does. It sits at the root of the bra and compresses breasts into a really round shape.”
While wearing a wired bra, the underwire should be flush against your ribcage, which only happens when the undergarment fits perfectly, says Sena. If it doesn't, the underwire lifts off your ribcage and chest, creating a gap that makes most people uncomfortable. You don’t have this issue with wireless bras since there’s no wire that can lift the undergarment off your body. Thus, you can “fudge” the fit of your wireless bra a bit, says Sena. For example, if you’re between sizes, it’s not the end of the world. And you can often comfortably wear the bra even if your breasts swell, like during menstruation.
Wireless bras are also great for those with sore or sensitive breasts since underwire compresses breast tissue, which can cause pain for some. With this in mind, experts specifically recommend wireless bras during pregnancy, postpartum and during menopause. Those who have breast surgery or other medical procedures may be required to wear a wireless bra while recovering.
Underwire bras can also be a pain to properly clean and maintain. Underwire can get bent in the washing machine or start poking out the side of the bra — once either of those things happen, the bra isn't suitable to wear anymore.
Wireless bras shine in the comfort category, but they aren't hailed for their ability to shape breasts like wired bras are. That’s mostly due to their lack of underwire, which goes up the sides and around the bottom of each cup, compressing breasts into round mounds and causing them to project forward. Without the underwire, however, breast tissue can spread out more toward the arms, creating a wider looking torso, says Kaplan. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s not often the look people prefer, especially if they’re going for a more polished appearance at the office, for example. Wireless bras became very popular during the pandemic when people stayed home and dressed casually almost every day. Now, however, some choose to reserve their wireless bras for hanging out at home and opt for wired bras outside the home.
Additionally, wired bras are built with a bridge between the cups that forces separation between the breasts to create two distinct, individual mounds. The bridge prevents what many refer to as “uni-boob,” meaning when breasts are compressed together and appear as one mass instead of two. Since wireless bras don’t have this bridge, you’re more likely to get uni-boob, which, again, there’s nothing wrong with. It’s just a look some people aim to avoid.
Anyone can wear a wireless bra, but those with smaller chests tend to have an easier time finding comfortable, supportive options available in their size, says Tempesta. Smaller busted shoppers can usually compromise on a couple features, too. For example, if a wireless bra has thin, non-adjustable straps but a wide, adjustable band, those with a smaller chest will likely still find it suitable to wear.
However, for those with heavier, larger chests, finding a great wireless bra is like looking for a needle in a haystack, although they do exist, says Tempesta. She told us that the best wireless bras for those with larger chests need to have a combination of wide, stiff, adjustable straps, a wide adjustable underband, non-stretch fabric and molded cups — comprising on one of these features often means the wireless bra isn't super supportive or comfortable for all day wear.
While shopping for wireless bras, you’ll see two types of sizing: alpha sizing, meaning extra small to extra large, for example, and bra sizing, which is based on band and cup size. Bra-sized wireless bras tend to fit more accurately since they’re made to accommodate specific measurements rather than a range. Alpha-sized bralettes, on the other hand, accommodate a range of band and cup sizes, and brands usually have a size conversion chart to help guide you. Using this conversion chart is crucial because you should never assume your alpha bra size is the same as your T-shirt size, says Tempesta. You may wear small shirts, but if you have a large bust, you won’t wear a small wireless bra.
Regardless of what type of sizing a wireless bra comes in, knowing your bust measurement is key. And while you can figure this out at home with online instructions and a measuring tape, getting professionally fit in-person is the only fool-proof way to determine your bra size, says Kaplan.
It’s best to hand-wash bras with cold water and a gentle, lingerie-specific laundry detergent, if possible, says Kaplan. If you have to put a bra in the washing machine, make sure to place it in a garment bag, use a gentle setting and lingerie-specific laundry detergent, she says. And never put a bra in the dryer. Experts told us the dryer’s heat degrades a bra’s elasticity, ruining its fit.
Also keep in mind that you don’t need to wash your bra after every use, says Kaplan. She recommends cleaning it after every two or three wears, unless you get sweaty while wearing it or it gets visibly dirty.
The average lifespan of a bra is six months to a year, says Kaplan. But the more bras you have to rotate through, the longer each one will last — swapping them out gives each undergarment a break between wears.
With that being said, all bras wear down after a while. The fibers they’re made from interact with body chemicals, as well as lotions and soaps you use, all of which break down elastic over time. If you start thinking about poor fit while wearing a bra that previously hugged you in all the right places, notice fraying fabric or have to keep making the band and straps tighter because of how much they’ve stretched out, it’s time to get rid of that bra.
No, wireless bras are not “better” than wired bras, or vice versa, experts say. The type of bra you wear comes down to personal preference. Ultimately, the undergarment that offers a proper fit and makes you feel comfortable and confident is the best option. With that being said, a wireless bra can serve as your everyday bra, so long as you like the way your chest looks in it.
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure that all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and with no undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
I'm an associate updates editor at NBC Select who writes about apparel and footwear like sports bras, bralettes, slippers, walking shoes and running sneakers. For this article, I interviewed three experts about wireless bras and how to shop for them. I also coordinated wireless bra testing among the NBC Select staff so we could recommend the best options on the market based on our personal experience.
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