5 "Difficult" Dress Types and The Best Bras for Each

Have you ever found a bridesmaid dress, prom dress, or just a little black dress for a night out that was almost perfect? On the rack and in all the pictures, it looked amazing, but when you looked at it up close, you noticed a gap in the back or a low neckline that exposed right where your bra should be? If you’re a B cup, maybe, it’s easy enough to go without for the night, but but for those of us who are a D or larger, these dresses can be problematic at best. If you don’t know the solution, you often walk away disappointed and settle for a dress you like less, but at least it keeps your bra from peeking through.

There are solutions, however. These dresses have existed for decades, and eventually lingerie designers realized that they would need to create lingerie to keep up. For any of those tricky dress types you’ve come across, there’s an hourglass woman who has wanted to make that dress work, and therefore, there’s a bra out there that can help. Here are some of our suggestions for five of the most difficult dress types:

If you’re a curvy girl who’s proud of her cleavage, a plunging neckline dress can be sexy and fun. Seeing the tips of your bra in that plunging neckline...not so much. Fortunately, there’s a type of bra just for this issue: the plunge bra. These bra cups plunge a little lower to fit right into plunging necklines, whatever they might be. We recommend something like Panache’s Tango Plunge bra, perfectly designed to give you all the support you need while hiding beneath your favorite V-neck dress.

Halter tops have remained a popular style since the 70s and for good reason. They’re fun, flirty...you can’t help but feel a little more poised and confident in a good halter top dress. But if you’re a woman with large cup breasts, it can be hard to join in on that style without your bra straps sticking out. In this case, we’d recommend going without the straps. Parfait Jeanie’s Moulded Strapless Contour Bra makes up for the lack of straps with a sturdy underwire to lift you up and silicone grippers to keep the bra in place. If you need them, this bra comes with removable straps. If you don’t, just throw on your favorite halter top dress and get out there.

Criss-cross backs on dresses might have a nice aesthetic, but how can you possibly fit your bra under that without being obvious about it? The answer is convertible bra straps. These bra straps are designed to unhook and be rehooked in whatever way suits your dress. If you have a dress with a criss-cross back, simply readjust them into a criss-cross fashion. If the straps are too much of a hassle, you can even go strapless. The Elomi Maria Convertible Strapless Bra offers plenty of support with underwire, foam lined cups, and mesh wings. However, it’s adjustable straps make it the perfect fit for most backs, including a criss-cross back.

Strapless dresses have long been a conundrum for hourglass women. Not only do you not want your bra straps to show, but you don’t want to spend the day constantly readjusting your strapless bra. Most of Hourglass Lingerie’s strapless bras are built for large cup women and offer matchless support, but if you need extra support, try a bustier like the Freya Pin Up. Detach the straps for a strapless bustier that’s perfect for any strapless dress and soft boning that holds you up without making things too uncomfortable.

Low back dresses like cowl backs can be classy, alluring, and a bit of a nightmare if you need a bra with heavy duty support. In this case, you’re looking for something that has a low back band but offers full coverage and support in the front. For that low back dress you’ve been eyeing, we recommend a Goddess Adelaide Basque. This white full body basque is perfect for brides to be, but it can be a great solution to all of your low back dress needs. The back band falls just below the shoulder blades. This basque also comes with detachable straps if you need them, but for those low back dresses, it’s best to go strapless.

Maybe there’s another style of dress that’s giving you trouble when it comes to your lingerie. Whatever the problem, at Hourglass Lingerie, we have the solution. Call us today at 443-869-5324 to speak with Dawn about the best bra for your difficult dress, or come by the store to try something on.