We’re now several weeks into lockdown and it’s hard to find an aspect of life that hasn’t been affected by our ‘new normal’, from the way we work and shop to how we socialise and dress.
That latter is particularly on our minds right now. As most office workers are currently in a WFH situation Monday to Friday and we spend an increasing amount of time at home on the weekends, getting dressed poses a whole new set of dilemmas. Do we bother at all if no one will see us? Or do we go the whole nine yards regardless, in the name of self care? Somewhere in the middle seems to be a safe bet – an outfit that says ‘I made an effort today’ while still being comfortable enough for both your DIY home office set up and lounging on the sofa for hours.

Whatever you go for, comfort is key. And that goes for your underwear too, particularly your bra. With everything going on right now, no one needs the discomfort of underwire on top of it all, so you may be tempted to do yourself a favour and ditch it altogether. However, it can be uncomfortable and even painful for many women to go completely braless for extended periods of time (WhatsApp conversations between female friends are full of revelations that bras are in fact a necessary evil after attempting days of going bra-free). But there is a win-win solution. Enter: soft bras.
Soft bras negate the need for underwire while still supporting your bust, and unlike sports bras, they don’t just push down to hold everything in place, meaning they provide the ultimate level of comfort for days in isolation.

And comfy doesn’t have to mean boring. There are hundreds of stylish options out there, from halternecks to crop tops, lacy to jersey, tie-dye to shimmery, velvet to silky and everything in between. Mesh inserts, silky microfibres and stylish cut outs are all options in the world of soft bras. Go for a classic with Clavin Klein’s iconic crop top style, or try the bralette from Kim Kardashian’s line of ‘shape enhancing undergarments’, SKIMS, made from cotton enhanced with high-tech Powermesh support. And don’t forget the high street – there are plenty of cute and simple designs at affordable prices there, too.
Not sure where to start? We took on the arduous task of tracking down the best performing, most stylish options out there for all shapes, sizes and levels of support so you don’t have to. Comfort here we come.
29 stylish and comfy soft bras

Silky Non-Wire Bra 2.0, £53.22, Negative Underwear

Ginger Seamless Crop Plunge Bra, £12, Topshop

Ophelia Soft Bra, £12, Weekday

Cotton plunge bralette, £29.47, SKIMS

Covent Garden Bra Top, £110, Myla

Triangle microfibre bra, £17, COS

Calvin Klein Calvin Logo Bralette, £23, House of Fraser

Palm Lace Plunge Padded Bralette, £19.63, Aerie


Smooth longline soft bra lilac, £38, les girls les boys

sloggi Go All Round Bralette, £18, John Lewis

Breathe Mesh-Insert Bralette, £18.95, Gap


Mia Remembering Soft Cup Bra, £70, Stella McCartney


Mesh triangle bra, £15, Monki

Lunya Siro modal-blend bralette, £38, Matches Fashion

Relax Airism Wireless Bra, £19.90, Uniqlo

Champion Printed Bralette, £26, Next


Orange Textured Sporty Crop Top, £12, Topshop

Mississippi Bra, £47.49, Baserange

Skin Opaline cotton-blend tulle soft-cup bra, £85, Matches Fashion

Jenna Tie Dye Bra, £16, Weekday

ABOUT Vasara cotton-blend scoop-neck bra, £35, Matches Fashion

Seamless Ribbed Bralette, £24.95, Gap

Tommy Bodywear Tommy Original Cotton Bralettes, £20, House of Fraser

Cellular Cotton Bralette In Black, £36, Sunspel
