The Best Bras for Women Over 50 in 2024

2. Choose a bra that compensates for breast changes.

Women have always been very much in tune with their breasts’ sensitivity to bloating and weight gain or loss, so those 50-plus aren’t surprised to notice that their breasts look different. Diminished estrogen levels, thinning skin and gravity all cause breast shape, size and texture changes with age. They may appear softer, rounder, more pillowy or more shallow on top with all the fullness at the bottom. Your breasts may be saggy, and once-perky nipples may now point downward. The space between your breasts may be wider. It’s all normal. As long as your breasts are healthy, that’s truly the most important thing (get your mammograms on schedule). However, the right bra can help restore a shapelier duo and make all your clothes fit better. Here are four common breast shape situations and solutions:

Your breasts are wide set. They have a broad space between them and may even point outward, rather than front and center, making your bust and torso look wider. Look for bras with a small center bridge (known as the gore) between the cups. A front-closure bra with angled cups, like the Playtex Front Close No Poke Dreamwire Bra ($46, herroom.com), or a moderate plunge bra with a smaller bridge, like the Chantelle Norah Chic Plunge T-Shirt Bra ($84, zappos.com), can nudge breast tissue inward for a more centered look.

Your breasts are close set. They sit together with little or no space between them. Look for bras with a narrower gore, like the Elomi Lucie Underwire Plunge Bra ($72, zappos.com), so the center of the bra sits flat on your breastbone, not on top of the breast tissue or away from your body. If you wear a bralette or sports bra, opt for encapsulated cups that define and hold each breast separately, like the All in Motion Sculpt High Support Embossed Sports Bra ($30, target.com), to avoid a uni-boob look.

Your breasts are very large and full. They take up more torso space and leave very little room between your bust and waist. Choose a full-coverage bra that totally encompasses the breast, whether that’s a T-shirt style, like the Ambrielle Everyday Underwire Full Coverage Bra ($22, jcpenney.com), or an underwire bra, like the Wacoal Shape Revelation for Pendulous Breasts Underwire 855387 ($76, zappos.com). You want a bra that lifts your breasts up and off your midriff and provides a high, firm, rounded shape and separation without feeling like you’re wearing armor. To reduce the bust’s projection, try a minimizer bra, like the Bali Beautifully You Minimizer Underwire Bra ($20, walmart.com), which gently manipulates and rearranges breast tissue.

Your breasts are teardrop shaped. They’re full at the bottom but shallow at the top. Avoid a full-coverage bra and choose a T-shirt bra with a slightly lower cup, like the Calvin Klein Perfectly Fit Full Coverage T-Shirt Bra F3837 ($49, macys.com), or a balconette, like the Cacique Comfort Bliss Lightly Lined Balconette Bra ($49–$53, lanebryant.com), to gently nudge the breasts up for volume. You don’t want a push-up bra — too much oomph and display!

(Clockwise from left) Jockey Generation Seamfree Comfort Bralette in Black; Bali Lace Desire Wireless Bra DF6591 in Black; True & Co. True Everybody V-Neck Bra in Gray; Wacoal Comfort First Wire-Free T-Shirt Bra in Sand

Photo Collage: AARP; (Source: Target (2); Kohl’s; Nordstrom)

3. Wear a wireless bra fearlessly.

Many women who have worn underwire bras for years think about going wire-free. Some try bralettes around the house but are cautious about wearing them in public. OK, it’s truth-telling time. There’s no denying the value of an underwire bra, whether a classic underwire or a T-shirt bra with a wire. They provide the ultimate structure and lift. On the other hand, many wire-free bras, like the Wacoal Comfort First Wire-Free T-Shirt Bra ($68, nordstrom.com) and Bali Lace Desire Wireless Bra DF6591 ($44, kohls.com), and some bralettes, like the Jockey Generation Seamfree Comfort Bralette ($18, target.com), have contoured foam lining that shapes and supports the breasts.

Be selective when choosing a bralette. They are typically a soft, casual, comfy alternative that’s great for a Netflix binge. Look for a wide, smooth band at the back and under the breasts, so even those with larger chests get a feeling of structure and containment. Styles that come with removable pads, like the True & Co. True Everybody V-Neck Bra ($23, target.com), can help create a more balanced effect for those with slightly asymmetrical breasts or those who just want a boost.

(Clockwise from bottom left) Natori Comfort Evolution Full Fit T-Shirt Bra in Buff; Vanity Fair Beauty Back Everyday Full Figure Bra 76384 in Damask Neutral; ThirdLove Second Skin Unlined Bra in Mocha; Soma Sensuous Lace Unlined Bra in Earl Gray

Photo Collage: AARP; (Source: HerRoom; Bloomingdale’s; Thirdlove; Soma)

4. Choose a T-shirt bra or classic underwire for real support.

If you haven’t tried a T-shirt bra since the early 2000s and passed on it as too spongy or padded, look for a style like the Vanity Fair Beauty Back Everyday Full Figure Bra 76384 ($50, herroom.com) or Natori Comfort Evolution Full Fit T-Shirt Bra ($74, bloomingdales.com). The smooth seamless cups (a signature feature of many T-shirt bras) are now often lined with superlight memory foam that uses your body heat to mold to your curves for a natural look. Don’t worry: The foam-lined cups do not add volume, but they do give everything you wear — especially tees, knits, ribbed or form-fitting sweaters, and silky blouses — a more flattering fit, with no nipples showing through. Regular underwire bras are still thriving. They work for women who don’t want even the barest hint of foam and prefer smooth unlined cups with a sheer mesh or opaque stretch fabric, like the ThirdLove Second Skin Unlined Bra ($72, thirdlove.com), or lacier bras, like the Soma Sensuous Lace Unlined Bra ($29, soma.com), for a feminine look.

(Clockwise from bottom left) Glamorise Full Figure Plus Size Wonderwire Front-Closure Posture Back Underwire Bra 9265 in Cafe; Bali One Smooth U Posture Boost Bra DF3450 in Black; Warners No Side Effects Underarm and Back-Smoothing Comfort Wireless Lift T-Shirt Bra RN2231A in Blush; Harper Wilde Base T-Shirt Bra in Black

Photo Collage: AARP; (Source: Kohl’s; Macy’s; JCPenney; Harper Wilde)

5. Check out the back and sides of a bra as much as the front.

For many women, the front of a bra is the selling point. But how about the back and the area under your arm, where overflow is often a problem? As we age, back tissue sometimes gets softer or flabbier, and some women are prone to back fat or underarm flab (let’s just call it what it is — no judgment). Here’s what helps immediately: contemporary-looking bras with front closures, like the Bali One Smooth U Posture Boost Bra DF3450 ($48, kohls.com) and Glamorise Full Figure Plus Size Wonderwire Front-Closure Posture Back Underwire Bra 9265 ($59, macys.com), and sleek backs to keep your own bulge-free. Try a bra with side control panels, like the Warners No Side Effects Underarm and Back-Smoothing Comfort Wireless Lift T-Shirt Bra RN2231A ($46, barenecessities.com), to eliminate underarm spillage.

In addition, know that many bras in every style have a U-shaped back, referred to as a ballet back or leotard back, along with wide over-the-shoulder straps that meet more closely at the rear, giving your back a smoother line, reducing shoulder strain and improving your posture. Some bras, like the Harper Wilde Base T-Shirt Bra ($45, harperwilde.com), feature front-adjusting straps, which make last-minute alterations easier and keep the backs of your tees, bodysuits and fitted sweaters unmarked by clasps.

6. Pick out colors that make sense, fabrics that feel good.

No one needs a white bra. Instead, choose nude-toned bras that virtually disappear under white and other pale-colored tops, while black bras are always ideal under black, other dark neutrals and brights. If you’re looking for a bra that matches your skin tone, you can find a wider range of hues at Skims, which offers 10 nude shades from sand to onyx; Nubian Skin, which has four tones designed specifically for darker complexions; and Savage x Fenty by Rihanna. Examples include the Skims Fits Everybody T-Shirt Bra in Bronze ($54, skims.com), Nubian Skin Fuller Bust Bra in Café au Lait ($81, nubianskin.com) and Savage x Fenty by Rihanna Soft n’ Savage Unlined Demi Bra in Brown Sugar Nude ($50, savagex.com). ​Or take a playful approach and sub light shades of pink, blue, lavender or gray for nude and darker grays, navy, greens or purples for black, like the Warner’s Signature Support Satin Bra in Evening Blue ($28, barenecessities.com). Pairing colorful bras with matching or toned undies certainly adds a pulled-together feeling, but if the only person seeing this is you, don’t overthink it. Wear a pink or gray bra with your usual underwear and let the party be on top.

And material matters in bras. Some bras can feel scratchy or itchy after a few hours of wear, especially if you have sensitive skin. Look for buttery brushed microfiber and cool, silky stretch fabrics made from blends of modal, elastane and nylon, not cotton. To test the fabric, slide a bra against your face and neck to judge the feel before removing the tags.

Fashion editor super tip: To keep bras in the best shape, never wear the same bra two days in a row and keep at least three in rotation — the one you’ll wear next, the one you’re about to wash (you can get two wearings out of a bra, three max before washing) and a spare in the drawer. Hand-wash only in sudsy water with a mild soap (I use fragrance-free bubble bath or sulfate-free shampoo). Let it soak five minutes, rinse well (roll in a towel to remove excess moisture, but no wringing or twisting) and lay flat on a clean towel to dry.

7. Know if your bra is the right fit.

Sometimes women fall in love with the look of a bra or a fancy brand name and overlook everything else. Often, they order several bras online and stand in front of the mirror trying to figure out which to keep and which to return. Here’s how to tell if you’re wearing the wrong bra.

The band is the wrong size if the bra feels too loose or too tight, or rides up in the back. Always wear a new bra on the loosest hook (not the tightest) so you can adjust it over time as the band stretches from wear and laundering.

The cups are the wrong size if your breasts spill over the top of the bra, creating a double-boob effect. Either the cups are too small or are cut too low for the size of your breasts. Try going up a cup size or choose a style with more fabric and coverage. If the cups pucker or gape at the top, your breasts are too shallow on top for the cups (see tip number 2). If your breasts are bulging at the sides of the bra, try a bra with higher sides or one that maneuvers the breast tissue to the front and center. If the underwire is sitting on the top of your breast tissue, rather than beneath the breast to cup it, pass!

The straps are wrong if they slip off your shoulders, feel uncomfortable or need constant adjustment. A bra should stay up and in place even if you slide the straps off your shoulders. Straps should be comfortably snug, not dig in. If they do, the band may be too big — try going down a band size. However, if you go down a band size, you’ll want to go up a cup size — for example if you’re a 36C, your new bra will be a 34D.

The center of the bra is wrong if it doesn’t lie flat between your breasts but floats above your breastbone. Whether you call it the center of the bra, the bridge between the cups or the gore, the higher that area is, the more support you’ll get for larger breasts. Front closure and plunge bras always have lower, smaller gores.