This is an ongoing quest of mine to find the best 'boosting' bra on the high street! I'm going to give each one a short review, and will rate the comfort, fit, support and quality on a five-point scale from 'poor' to 'outstanding'!
I've begun my search in my local Debenhams (Altrincham, Cheshire) which doesn't stock much in my size, to be honest. The number will therefore be added to, as and when.
Nevertheless, I found 4 bra's that were worth trying out, so here they are!
Wonderbra "Full Effect"
The Wonderbra "Full Effect" bra was a dream! The padding inside was fan shaped from every angle, and this gave an incredible boost!
The fit of this bra was excellent, though there was slight gaping where the cups join in the middle. This could just be my boobs though, as they're quite far apart (see my fitting room page).
Overall, it was incredibly comfortable, and the fit was great.
On the "shake test" (again, see my fitting room page) this bra held up well, with only a little spillage from the cup. This is understandable, as there is so much padding in the cup of the bra! The padding is a combination of air and liquid, so it feels substantial (unlike with air-only padding) yet still lightweight.
The bra also looks fantastic! You pay a little more (£1.50) for the lace design, as opposed to matt, block colour, yet its still smooth enough to wear as a t-shirt bra. The small 'W' feature between the cups is also kinda cute! ^-^
The lace design bra is £30.50, while the black, natural and white plain bra is £29.00.
The adverts don't lie either; it really does boost your boobs to around 2 cup sizes more than normal!
- Comfort: ****
- Fit: ***
- Support: ****
- Quality: ****
Wonderbra Gel Balconette
This was another comfortable bra, however it didn't feel quite as supportive as the "Full Effect", also by Wonderbra. This is undoubtedly due to the style of bra; this is a balconette bra.
The padding in the bra is at the bottom of the cup, to give your boobs a real uplift! The padding was a very light gel, which meant that the bra was neither heavy nor uncomfortable.
The bra fits reasonably well, though I did have to tighten the strap on the right hand side to stop the cup gaping (due to my being quite uneven).
Speaking of the straps, I found them to be a little thin, and I think perhaps that women with bigger boobs than me may find them a little uncomfortable.
On the "shake test", this bra did reasonably well, however slight 'spillage' did occur.
Despite the bra being plain black, the design was pretty, and it could easily be worn as a t-shirt bra.
For the price of £24.50, this bra is quite expensive, but worth the money. The padding is incredibly lightweight, and the spotted Jacquard fabric and lace detailing make this bra absolutely adorable! The boost that it gives you is around +1 cup size.
- Comfort: ****
- Fit: ***
- Support: ***
- Quality: ****
Ultimate Natural Boost
I've owned one of these bra's for a number of years, and it's been almost perfect for me!
It has excellent support, and I've been to the gym in it a few times, it's that good. Its also really comfortable, as the straps are a reasonable thickness, and the liquid padding is pretty lightweight. As the cups are underwired and padded, it holds you in really well.
With the padding at the bottom of the cup, your boobs are lifted up and outwards, giving you a boost of around +1 cup size.
There is a striped design on the cups and back, and on an otherwise plain bra, this makes it a perfect t-shirt bra, and perfect for everyday wear.
On the "shake test" this bra was an excellent - I was held in really well, and nothing left the cup!
So, this bra fits really well, and this makes it worth the money. Not that this bra was especially expensive, at just £18.00 (currently reduced to £13.00 - correct on 9th July 2011) at Debenhams.
The only thing I can find wrong with this bra is the elastic - in the time that I have owned one (about 2-3 years) the elastic has gone a little slack.
- Comfort: ****
- Fit: ****
- Support: ****
- Quality: ***
Ultimate Push-Up Balcony
I found this bra fantastic! The boost that it gives is great - between 1 and 2 cup sizes, while still keeping the natural rounded shape.
Neither of the cups gaped at all, and the band, straps and cups were very comfortable.
Despite this being a balcony bra, it survived the "shake test" really well, and I stayed firmly in place.
The padding is a lightweight liquid, giving you a gentle push up for killer cleavage!
The design of this bra means that it looks stunning by itself, with the lace trim and bow at the front. It also goes great under a t-shirt, as the decoration is smooth, and doesn't leave any lines under your clothes.
This is a very reasonably priced bra, at £20.00 (currently, as of 9th July 2011, it's in the sale at £15.00) and is well worth the money.
- Comfort: ****
- Fit: ***
- Support: ****
- Quality: ***
