This video explains a bunch of reasons why bras are broken . Almost the entire industry -- less a few small, expensive, women-owned bra shops -- abuses women* by design . * Everyone who wears a bra, which can be any sex/gender, but most bra consumers are women. Well, fuck that. This is why I spent several years arguing with my mother about bras. I didn't want to wear something that hurt all day long, and after a few attempts revealed that nobody really made a bra for fairly big boobs on a tiny ribcage, I concluded the problem was unsolvable with available resources and refused to wear them any more. "Your breasts will sag." "Yes, Mom, that's what breasts do at the bottom of a gravity well." Even as a tween, I knew I wasn't going to have Luney boobs forever. Trying to defy gravity didn't seem like a good reason to be in pain all day long. It's that simple. You can REFUSE to hurt yourself. It will sometimes enrage people, but most people will just scream at you; they're unlikely to hit you all day long like the bra does. If more women refused to hurt themselves with bras, then either the industry would evolve or it would die, as capitalism says bad businesses should. There are many reasons not to wear bras . Now, if YOU WANT to wear a bra, because it's more comfortable or whatever, that's fine. Do that. If it's not perfectly comfortable, then you could visit a high-end bra shop for a fitting and examine some of the features available. Frex, there are seamless bras if seams irritate you, and there are wide padded straps if narrow ones dig in, and there are natural fabrics if you hate synthetics (or vice versa). If you choose to wear bras, a professional fitting is a good idea. Better yet, get several and compare them , trying on bras in each store. Given the wide variation in results of even the professional fittings, and the downright extreme variation of fit in different bras that are allegedly the same, empirical evidence demonstrates that bra sizing is bullshit. By the way, if you were told your breast size never changes after puberty, that's bullshit too. It can change due to weight changes, pregnancy, health conditions, menopause, and oh yes, gravity. Measure periodically for best comfort. So the best way to get a decent fit is to get several professional opinions and spend at least a day trying on 20 or so bras. O_O For fucksake, people. The only breast support I have found reasonably comfy, and it actually is all-day comfy, is a bodice. (I wouldn't want to wear one all the time, but I have known folks who do.) You can find these at Renaissance faires or kink shops, and I know people who wear them for comfort. There are also (usually strapless) bodice-bras, and that was the closest I came to off-the-shelf bras that worked, although they left most of my boobs hanging out the top. If you have big boobs or just want yours to stay the fuck put, investigate bodices. Most vendors will be happy to help you explore your options. How tight you lace it is entirely up to you based on how much shaping you want (and whether you prefer to breathe horizontally or vertically). You can also make your own by drafting a pattern , you'll just need to tweak that until it fits like you want. Buying a good bodice pattern will also make it easier. A corset is a similar concept. Typically a bodice has strap-sleeves and a corset has boning, but there are variations so it's more a spectrum than pigeonholes. Like a lot of things. EDIT 1/29/21: snippy recommends A Bra That Fits . It has a fairly detailed bra sizing calculator and a wiki about bras . Bra alternatives for extra breast/nipple coverage: * Pockets! Safari and guayabera shirts have pleated pockets for maximum coverage and cargo capacity. Some coveralls do too. Great choices for butchy folks with boobs. * Ruffles -- for the girly girls who don't want to show off their girls. * Nursing tops . These often have overlaps to help conceal leakage for breastfeeding/chestfeeding people. If you don't need the hole(s) you can just sew that shut. * Binders -- for when you have boobs but wish you didn't. * Loose cardigans , shawls / travel wraps , jackets , etc. A second layer provides moderate to strong concealment. * Convertible travel clothes can be worn many different ways and often conceal the chest under loose folds. Another issue is the cost. Bras aren't cheap. Good bras can be ruinously expensive. The average is about $50/bra with a range of $30-300 . If you want a fresh, non-sweaty bra every day and you do laundry once a week, then you need 8 bras (one to wear while you wash the rest). If you have dresses or tops that require different bras and/or you want different colors/patterns to choose from, you may need a lot more. How long does a bra last? The recommended lifespan is only one year, because they take a beating which causes them to lose their stretch and shape. So the average bra wearer would spend $400/year minimum, with a range of $240-$2400. Remember, if you need or want variety, it costs a lot more. Do you really want to spend that kind of money, every year, for something that usually hurts and does a shitty job? I don't. Fuck it. Not to mention the challenge of trying to find a nude bra if you are darker than a natural tan. (Nude means clothing or accessories that match your skin tone, so they seem to disappear; it does not mean peach-colored.) Again, there are a few companies, mostly owned by women of color, that offer a really wide range of nude tones and/or custom dye work, but they are harder to find and more expensive. Just an extra addition of insult to injury for boob owners of color. There is a huge opportunity here for someone -- preferably a breast owner -- to develop better bras, better sizing, and better service. Given that 80% of women are wearing the wrong size bra, that bar is lying in a pretty deep ditch. >_<