Bras for Conical Breasts

How to recognise it

• From the side, the breast has a fairly straight slope from the chest to the nipple, top and bottom.
• Moulded T-shirt bras gape at the top edge, and sometimes at the sides, in a size that fits at the wire.
• Soft, unlined bras and bralettes fit you without trouble.

Cups that fit a conical shape

Unlined, seamed cups

Fabric cups take your shape. A two-part or three-part cup with a seam running to the apex follows a taper naturally. This is the most reliable choice.

Stretch lace and mesh

A cup with stretch in it will lie against the breast wherever it is not filled. Look for stretch lace over the whole cup or in the upper section.

Soft triangle bras and bralettes

A triangle is close to a cone to begin with. These fit a conical shape well, particularly at smaller cup sizes. Look for cup-sized versions if you want more support.

Thin, flexible foam

If you want a smooth cup, choose spacer fabric or a thin, soft foam over a stiff moulded one. It will bend to you instead of holding its own dome.

If you would like a rounder outline

Some people are happy with the natural line. If you prefer a rounded look under clothes:

• Padded or push-up bras with graduated padding fill the lower and outer cup with the pad, so the foam shell is filled and the outline is round.
• Removable inserts let you add filling where a cup would otherwise be empty.
• Half-cup and demi shapes have less upper cup to stand away.
• A plunge T-shirt bra is cut lower at the top and centre than a full-coverage one, and often gapes less.

What to be wary of

• Full-coverage moulded cups. The largest area of rigid dome, and the most likely to gape.
• Sizing down to close the gap. It makes the wire too narrow and compresses the base of the breast.
• Stiff, deep, rounded cups in general.

Check the size before blaming the shape

Gaping also happens when the band is too loose, so that the cups fall away from the chest, and when tissue has not been brought into the cup. Before deciding it is your shape, fasten on the loosest hook, scoop and swoop, and check the band is level. The four causes of gaping are set out in why your bra cups are gaping.

Frequently asked questions

What is a conical breast shape?

A breast that is more cone-shaped than rounded: it tapers from the base towards the nipple, with a straighter slope and less fullness around the sides and top. It is a normal variation, often seen with smaller cup sizes.

Why do T-shirt bras gape on me?

A moulded cup is a rounded dome. A conical breast does not fill the rounded parts of the dome, particularly at the top and sides, so the foam stands away from the body.

Do I need a smaller cup size?

Usually not. If the cup fits at the wire and the gap is at the top or sides, the size is right and the shape is wrong. A smaller cup would be too tight at the base.