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As women, we all know the struggle of finding a bra that fits comfortably, provides support, and still looks cute.
For such a tiny piece of clothing, bras are easily the most difficult product to buy -- and there is nothing more frustrating than coming home with one that either causes chafing or makes your boob pop out. We're not out here trying to look like some overhyped Victoria's Secret model, but you'd think we could find one that works for us.
On a quest to find the ultimate bra, our editors set out to find a brand that offers it all; a wide size range, different styles and colors, high-quality materials, and a reasonable price.
After some searching, we narrowed our findings down to three trending brands; CUUP, ThirdLove, and Skims. Here's everything you need to know:
Key Similarities
- All offer bras designed to fit all shapes and sizes
- All provide customer support to help you find the perfect fit
- All are affordable
Key Differences
- CUUP is a bra expert, offering lingerie and swimwear only – ThirdLove and Skims offer a broader range of clothing, including loungewear, activewear, and shapewear
- CUUP and ThirdLove offer a Fit Quiz – Skims provides a sizing guide only
- CUUP bras are constructed to enhance a woman's natural shape while providing maximum comfort and support – ThirdLove and Skims bras aren’t as thoughtfully engineered
CUUP Overview
CUUP's mission is to redefine the way women look and feel in their underwear. Their bras are designed with stretchy, thin, light materials that support a woman's natural shape - no foam and no bump pads, just unlined simplicity. And yet, they still provide that effortlessly sexy look.
Available in sizes A to H, there are 6 different styles and various materials to choose from. The Balconette, for example, is perfect for an open neckline, and The Plunge with its deep V silhouette works best when styled with a silk blouse or an open cardigan. CUUP even offers a FIT Quiz on their website to ensure you find your precise size.
By working with a development and manufacturing partner who's been producing bras worldwide for over 30 years and running a series of bra washes and wear tests, CUUP’s quality is truly next-level.
CUUP leverages technology and even invented a flexiwire - a flexible underwire - that moves with you without poking or pinching -- they even reconstructed straps, gores, and cup proportions to achieve a perfect fit, even for bigger boob sizes.
For only $68 for premium materials and the flattering design, CUUP bras are super affordable.
Fit: 10/10, Material: 10/10, Design: 10/10, Support: 9.5/10, Price: 9/10
ThirdLove Overview
ThirdLove's main claim is to offer a wider-than-most size range, with band sizes ranging from 30 to 48 and cup sizes from A to I. But only a few combinations are available in their full-size range, which made their claim a little questionable...
There are 11 different bra styles to choose from; classic styles such as strapless bras and T-shirt bras and more unique styles like their uplift plunge bra that comes with padding and a sheer mesh overlay.
While a ThirdLove bra is definitely comfortable, we weren't a big fan of the overall look and fit. What we did appreciate about ThirdLove is their 60-day return policy that includes worn and washed bras, which go to charity.
Fit: 8/10, Material: 7/10, Design: 8/10, Support: 9/10, Price: 7/10
Skims Overview
Skims launched with undergarments and loungewear but became most famous for their shapewear. The brand offers 6 different bra styles in skin-matching shades with both non-padded and lightly padded options.
Looking at Skims’ bra design, they're definitely on the simpler side. We took a closer look at their molded cotton underwire bra with no padding and customers reported that it wasn't as comfortable as they had hoped and that the underwire was digging into their chest.
Skims mastered shapewear, so their bras feel less engineered and less focused on support, comfort, and style. It’s such a viral brand and while we usually love Kim K, we just don’t think the bras live up to the hype. They not only lack quality, but they're also practically impossible to get with sizes and styles constantly being sold out.
Fit: 7/10, Material: 8/10, Design: 7/10, Support: 7/10, Price: 7/10
Final Thoughts
In terms of fit, materials, design, and support, CUUP is our top pick. Their bras feel luxurious and soft on the skin, and most importantly, they are affordable! Plus, we look damn sexy in them.
We could tell right away that Skims and ThirdLove focus more on other clothing categories than bras. Yes, they sell them but theirs are not nearly as thoughtfully designed or engineered as CUUP's -- especially when looking at material choice, comfort, and design.
CUUP has us all embracing our bodies as they are. No over-lifted padding, no push-ups, and no hiding what we're working with.
