Wonderbra introduced a strapless bra designed to solve the one problem strapless bras are notorious for: staying up. The brand’s claim was that it would not slip even if the wearer jumped up and down.
The problem it addresses
Julia Nolan, a Wonderbra spokeswoman, described the complaint the design targets:
The things that always annoyed women about strapless bras is that they did not stay in place and slipped down and needed constant adjusting.
She added that many strapless bras had a second failing: they flattened the bust and gave poor cleavage. Both problems come from the same source. Without straps, a strapless bra grips by compressing the ribcage, and compression flattens.
How it works
The construction takes a different approach, described by Nolan as mimicking the action of holding and lifting the bust by hand.
- Hand-shaped polycarbonate structures, formed into four fingers and molded into the cups, which hold the bust in position.
- Silicone banding for additional grip against the skin.
- No underwiring, which removes the wire digging that makes many strapless bras uncomfortable.
The shift is from gripping the ribcage to supporting the bust directly. That is what allows the design to hold without either the compression or the wire that strapless bras normally rely on.
Availability
The bra was priced at £32 and available in black and nude, in sizes A to F.
The size range is the notable part. Strapless bras are hardest to make work at larger cup sizes, precisely because there is more weight and nothing above to carry it, so a range extending to an F cup is a meaningful claim rather than a cosmetic one.
Frequently asked questions
Why do strapless bras usually slip?
Because they rely on gripping the ribcage. If the band is not tight enough it slides, and if it is tight enough it is uncomfortable.
What replaces the underwire here?
Molded polycarbonate structures inside the cups, shaped into four fingers, plus silicone banding for grip.
What sizes was it made in?
A to F, in black and nude.
This report dates from 2009. See also racer-back and strapless bras.
