disclosure: thank you to American Eagle for partnering on today’s post.
It’s a trend that a lot of us are afraid to try, but yet when it’s pulled off it can be the most comfortable [and freeing] feeling on the planet. I’m talking about the bralette – the beholder to all of our bra dreams. Here’s why I love bralettes – first of all, they are beyond comfortable. No underwires to worry about, no straps falling all over the place and truly just a restful place for those girls to land. Second, they can turn any average outfit into a cuter, dare I say edgier, maybe a little bit of sexier look, all while feeling like you aren’t trying too hard at all. Third, unlike you may think, bralettes can offer support and padding [we have American Eagle to thank for that] for chests of all sizes. That’s right you well endowed friends, you too can rock the bralette.
We get a lot of questions about “bralette etiquette” – how to wear them, what to wear them with, what the age cutoff is for bralettes and so on. Let’s start with that last point – ladies, I say one thing..if you feel good in something, rock it. Age is just a number, right? Last time I checked our clothes don’t ask us if we’re young or old enough to wear them, maybe we should stop asking them the same 😉 Now – how to wear them and what to wear them with. I get it, I was confused about it all too up until last year. The good news is that I’ve since discovered that you can wear a bralette with almost anything [talk about options, the world is your oyster people]. Today I thought I’d share a few different ways I wear a bralette and as you’ll see, it’s nothing complicated at all. I love showing off sneak peeks of these cute lace straps or back detail. One more thing before we dive in, you’ll notice all of the bralettes featured today are from Aerie [by American Eagle] as they are truly the only ones that I have found that I really love [plus, you can’t beat their prices…just like my thoughts on their jeans, they have the best!] I have found that the sizing is pretty accurate [use their size guide to see which works best with which standard bra size] as I wear medium in all of their bralettes. Okay, now let’s get this bralette fashion show underway…
First up, my favorite way to wear a bralette – under an off the shoulder top or slouchy sweater/sweatshirt. When choosing a bralette for these types of tops, I would look for something with a thicker strap to stand out a little more [and not confuse people as to just you have a regular bra strap showing]. I love the lace detail on this particular bralette [more colors here] and will never stop wearing pieces that show a little shoulder action.
Aerie Knit Bonfire Sweater // Aerie Lace Cross-Back Bralette // AE Ne(X)t Level Midi Short
Next up, how about with a good ole basic tee? If you have a tee that has a little bit wider of a v-neck, you can keep the look super casual yet cute with a halter style bralette which again, accentuates the straps and gives a little more detail and excitement to your everyday look.
AE Soft and Sexy V-Neck T-Shirt // Aerie Crochet Lace Halter Bralette
Of course, sweaters and tops shouldn’t have all of the fun when it comes to bralettes. Next up I’m bringing you overalls [gosh, I’m obsessed] and a dress that you can easily pull off sans regular bra. With the overalls, I simply paired them with a basic tank and then this bralette that I am currently loving oh so much [available in so many colors here]! I think the bralette in this outfit adds a nice feminine touch – all of this prove that when in doubt if you can wear a bralette with something, error on the side of YES.
AE Mended Tomgirl Overall Short [true to size, wearing in small] // Aerie Lace Cross-Back Bralette // Similar Tank Top
Last but certainly not least, don’t forget about tops or dresses with open backs. This is another favorite way of mine to wear bralettes. For this particular purpose, I would try and have a bralette in your selection that is either a racerback or cross back style which will pack a punch from the back. It’s such a fun and easy way to jazz up a standard outfit, all while being able to be at your prime when it comes to comfort.
AE Knit Double V Dress // Aerie Lace Cross-Back Bralette
Founder and creator of LIY, Erin turned her dream of a hobby blog into a full-time career which she now runs alongside the LIY team! When not in front of her computer screen [with a La Croix or wine in hand] or in front of a mirror taking mirror selfies, you can find Erin spending time on the water, cuddled up with her two pups and husband most likely watching the latest Shark Tank episode, or getting lost in an easy beach read.
