Types of Bra to Wear With Backless Dresses and Tops

Do you love parties?  How about backless dresses to wear to these parties? We often receive questions about backless tops and dresses and the bra that should go with it.

Question (Ashley of Florida):  Hi there.  When it’s not cold, I love wearing backless tops and dresses to some special occasions and formal parties.  For me, backless tops look extremely feminine and sexy.  My question is what type of bra should I wear with this dress style, so that the straps and the back clasps will not show.  I certainly do not want to injure the beauty of my dress. Please help.

Our Answer:  

The best bra type for you to buy is a backless bra, which is designed for backless dresses and tops specifically. It has straps that you put around your shoulders, so your back is left completely exposed.   You can also pick bras with cups that naturally stick to your breasts, and these are also called adhesive bras. The material used in these cups mold adheres to your skin, while at the same time giving you the necessary lift and support.  You just clip them at the front together and  adjust according  to your comfort and the cleavage that you want to show off.

Another great bra to wear with a backless dress or top is a convertible bra, which is available from specialty stores and shops.  But use of this type bra will depend on how low your back will be, because the straps should be wound around your stomach for bust support.  The best thing to do is to bring your backless top or dress to the shop and try it with a convertible bra.

Some women may recommend that you wear transparent straps which you can attach to any of your support bras with removable straps.  But we don’t suggest you use these with your backless dress.  While the straps are barely visible, they can still be seen when people get close to you, and for sure the straps will look so tacky.  It is still best when no strap shows at all.  You might be able to find a bra with very low back straps that you can wind around the lower part of your waist.  This will expose your back and still give you the support and lift of your favorite push in push up bra.

All the above suggestions should work well for your need. If they don’t, however, there is still an alternative, and that is to sew your bra cups to your backless dress.  You can alter one of your supportive bras by taking off the straps.  You sew the cups to the inner front lining of your dress.  If you don’t know how to sew or do the task accurately, it is better to bring the bra and your dress to a professional seamstress to prevent your garments from being damaged.  When you slip on your backless dress with sewn cups, you can still get the support that you get normally from your everyday bras.