The balconette bra is an extremely popular style that soared into public limelight in the 1950s thanks to Marilyn Monroe. It has remained one of the UK’s favourite styles of bra ever since, holding a prime position in lingerie drawers across the country. But what is a balconette bra and who should be wearing this style of bra?
In this article, we’ll explain exactly what a balconette bra is, as well as who it is suitable for. We’ll also discuss how this style of bra should fit and show you some of our favourite styles of balconette bra.
Balconette Bras Explained
Before we get started with explaining exactly what a balconette bra is, let’s have a quick French lesson: the French word for balcony is balconette. That’s where the name for this bra came from.
In the 1930s, the balconette bra was created to act as a balcony, or a shelf, for your breasts - somewhere for them to rest while you go about your day. It took a while for this style to take off, but when it was modelled by Marilyn Monroe in the 1950s, this marked the debut of the balconette bra in the public limelight.
We’re glad that Marilyn Monroe brought this bra to everyone’s attention, as it’s now one of the most popular styles of bra on the market. Let’s take a look at some of the most impressive features of the balconette bra, that make it loved by so many people.
Enhance Your Assets
Balconette bras offer impressive uplift combined with fantastic forward projection. This helps to enhance your breasts, giving you a perfect rounded shape and a seamless silhouette.
All Day Comfort
The support of the balconette bra comes primarily from its underband, providing that balcony for your breasts to sit upon. The wide-set straps complement this supportive underband, providing additional support to keep you feeling comfortable all day long.
Low, Straight Neckline
The balconette bra features a low, straight neckline, thanks to its semi-circled shaped cups. This provides moderate coverage whilst making the balconette bra suitable for wear underneath lower cut clothing such as vest tops and strappy summer dresses.
Take a look at our range of balconette bras here
Is A Balcony Bra The Same As A Balconette?
If you’ve ever spent any time browsing a lingerie website or walking around a lingerie store, you’ve probably noticed both balcony and balconette bras. They look the same and sound very similar, but are they the same thing or is there a difference between these two styles of bra?
The fact is, the balcony bra and the balconette are two different names for the same thing. After all, we already know that balconette is the French word for a balcony. The name balconette is still commonly used to describe a balcony bra as a result of the strong historical influence of France on the lingerie industry.
What Are Balconette Bras Good For?
Bras come in all different styles and sizes. It's important to find a bra that fits properly, provides comfort and support, and looks good under your clothing. Below we'll look at what balconette bras are good for and when you should choose this style of bra.
We'd recommend a balconette bra for women who want a little extra coverage and support but don't want to wear something that starts too high up on their chest. Even though the style tends to provide more support, it can still be worn when wearing tank tops or other clothing with low necklines.
This is because the balconette bra has a low neckline whilst still providing good coverage. This enables the balconette bra to disappear seamlessly underneath your clothing, even if it has a low cut. For this reason, the balconette style is a great choice for people who typically wear blouses, t-shirts, and dresses with crew necks or lower scoop necks. You’ll find that the balconette bra gives you a flattering shape, creating a flawless silhouette.
Discover our full range of balconette bras here
Who Should Wear A Balconette Bra?
The balconette bra is a classic style that is admired by many. But who should choose a balconette bra, and who should steer clear of this style?
The truth is, the balconette bra is suitable for almost every size and shape of breast. This means that most people can enjoy the benefits that a balconette bra offers.
If you have smaller breasts, you’ll find that the balconette style provides excellent uplift and forward projection, really enhancing your natural breast shape. This will help to give the appearance of a full and rounded bust, even for the smallest of breasts.
However, the balconette bra is also a great option for larger breasts, as it provides a high level of support, offering all-day comfort. This is thanks to the style’s wide-set straps and supportive underband.
Many people worry about sagging breasts, which is a natural part of aging. The balconette bra is an ideal solution, as it helps to lift your breasts and create a full and rounded shape. This makes balconette bras perfect for sagging breasts, helping you to defy the signs of aging.
Are Balconette Bras Supportive?
One of the most common reasons that people choose to wear a bra is for the support that it provides. This can help you to stay comfortable all day long, especially if you have larger breasts or lead an active lifestyle. But how supportive is the balconette bra and how does it compare to other styles of bra?
The good news is that the balconette bra is a highly supportive bra thanks to its wide-set straps and supportive underband. You can further increase the support offered by opting for a moulded style with underwired support.
There are also balconette bras on the market which offer side support or feature internal wings to provide additional support where it’s needed the most. These styles are ideal for those with larger breasts who require maximum support.
Our Top Picks
It can be hard to know where to start when you’re choosing a balconette bra. In this section, we’ll show you some of the best balconette bras on the market today, from some of the world’s leading brands.
Freya Idol
If you’re looking for a bra that will give your breasts a natural rounded appearance whilst disappearing seamlessly beneath your clothes, the Freya Idol seam free balcony bra is ideal. This bra features underwired moulded cups for ultimate support and comfort, whilst providing excellent uplift and shape.
This bra is perfect for wearing under t-shirts and dresses alike, thanks to its seamless design. This makes the Freya Idol virtually invisible under clothes, so that you can focus on what’s really important in life.
The Freya Idol moulded balcony bra is available in sizes 30D – 38G, with colours including black, nude, white and red.
Discover the Freya Idol balconette bra here
Fantasie Helena
If delicate lace is your thing, you’ll love the Fantasie Helena balconette bra. This best-selling balcony bra offers fantastic support combined with extreme comfort, for all day wear. Adorned with delicate lace to add a touch of luxury, it doesn’t compromise on style either, so you’ll feel confident and gorgeous all day long.
The Fantasie Helena balcony bra is available in sizes ranging from 30D up to 38GG, with colours including black, white and nude.
Find out more about the Fantasie Helena balconette bra here
Panache Tango
With an elegant design and incredible comfort, there’s no wonder that the Panache Tango is one of our most popular bras. Our customers love this balconette bra thanks to its perfect fit, timeless design and beautiful style.
Featuring gorgeous Austrian lace embroidery and a delicate centre bow, you’re bound to feel like a princess when you slip into this bra. But it isn’t just appearances where the Panache Tango excels, as it also provides excellent uplift and forward projection, for a flawless silhouette.
The Panache Tango balconette bra is available in sizes ranging from 28D to 44FF, along with the colours black, chai and white. Whether you’re looking for an everyday bra or something for a special