Best Bras for Close-Set Breasts

What goes wrong in the wrong bra

• The centre panel rests on breast tissue and cannot lie flat on your breastbone.
• The wire tips at the centre press into the inner breast and become sore.
• Wires overlap or rub against each other.
• You are told your cups are too small, go up, and the centre still will not sit flat.

First, rule out cup size

A centre panel that floats is most often a sign of cups that are too small, so check that before deciding it is spacing. After a scoop and swoop, look for a ridge at the top of the cup or wires on tissue at the outer side. If you see those, go up a cup. If the cups contain you everywhere else and only the centre is wrong, it is your spacing. More in bra gore not sitting flat.

What to look for

Plunge bras

The centre of a plunge is short and narrow, sometimes little more than the width of the two wire channels. It sits low on the breastbone, beneath the point where close-set breasts meet. For many people with this shape, plunges are the only wired bras that are comfortable.

Low centre panels in other styles

Some balconettes and T-shirt bras are made with a lower centre than usual. Compare product photos: you are looking for a centre panel that finishes well below the top of the cups.

Overlapping or very narrow wire channels

In some bras the two wires meet or cross at the centre, leaving almost no panel between them. These are designed for exactly this shape.

Non-wired bras

With no wire at the centre there is nothing to dig in. Well-constructed non-wired bras with a supportive band are a comfortable alternative at most cup sizes.

What to be wary of

• Full-cup and high-centre balconette styles with a tall panel between the cups.
• Wide centre panels, which place the cups further apart than your breasts are and push tissue towards your arms.
• Front-fastening bras, where the clasp takes up space at the centre.

Larger cup sizes

Close-set breasts are common with fuller busts, simply because more tissue takes up more of the chest. At these sizes, also look for:

• Seamed plunges with side support, which contain the outer breast while keeping the centre low.
• Enough cup depth. If the cups are too shallow, the breasts are pressed together at the centre and spill there. See shallow vs projected breasts.

Comfort between the breasts

Where skin rests against skin, warmth and moisture can cause irritation. A bra that separates the breasts, even slightly, helps. So do breathable fabrics and cotton or bamboo liners made for the purpose. If you get a persistent rash in the fold, see a pharmacist or GP.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if my breasts are close set?

If your breasts touch at the centre, or less than one finger fits flat between them on your breastbone, you are close set.

Why does the centre of my bra sit on my breasts?

The centre panel is wider or taller than the space between your breasts. First check the cups are big enough, since small cups cause the same thing. If they are, you need a lower, narrower centre.

Are plunge bras good for close-set breasts?

Yes. A plunge has the lowest and narrowest centre panel of any wired style, so it sits below the point where the breasts meet.