VICTORIA’S Secret claims an international team of designers and engineers spent two years collaborating to create its new bra, the “IPEX.”
The people at Lily of France claim you don’t need to buy new clothes to transform your look. Simply “Adjust your rack – not your closet,” with its latest offering – the “Lightweight Lift X-Bra” – and enjoy a va-va-voom new you.
And just in time for spring’s plunging necklines, Wonderbra has unveiled its new model, the “Clear-Front Push-Up Bra,” which it claims can mold civilian breasts into the kind of voluptuous cleavage rarely seen off the red carpet.
It’s the battle of the superbras – and never have our breasts been so lusted after by the $4.7 billion intimate apparel industry.
High-tech bras that promise to improve the look of our figures by providing support and a sexy lift, have a receptive audience, says Jo Jefferson, spokeswoman for Figleaves.com, a popular online lingerie store.
“Size isn’t the issue anymore,” she says. “Women want a bra that will arrange their cleavage in a way that makes their figures more flattering. We’re seeing a customer, say a double-D, who traditionally wanted a minimizer now asking for a push-up bra. They’re not looking for padded bras. They’re looking for the bra they know can transform their silhouette.”
It’s clear that bras are big business, with the average woman spending $77 a year on them – and U.S. women collectively spending $95 million on cleavage-boosting models alone.
But are the purported powers of these new superbras a tease or do they really deliver?
We tested the three top entries in the space-age bra battle – from Wonderbra, Victoria’s Secret and Lily of France – and rated them on cleavage-enhancing capabilities, figure-flattering presentation and comfort.
Read on to find out which bra is letter-perfect.
32A
MODEL: Wonderbra
Love it! The padding is light and it gives good cleavage – noticeable even under a bland oxford shirt. One downside: The material is slightly scratchy.
MODEL: Lily of France
Hate it! So much padding, I looked lumpy.
MODEL: IPEX
Didn’t come in my size. Sigh.
34B
MODEL: Wonderbra
Horribly uncomfortable, with too little cleavage to show for the suffering. The cups are too hard and the stitching in the straps and along the back itches.
MODEL: Lily of France
Super-comfy and natural-looking under sweaters and low-cut tops, it gave me “woo-hoo!” cleavage.
MODEL: IPEX
Excellent coverage, extremely comfortable and seamless under clothes, but zero sex appeal.
ROADTESTER : 34C
MODEL: Wonderbra
The champagne of bras – probably too much for every day, but fantastic for special occasions. The fabric is stiff and scratchy, but the cleavage it created was so amazing, I couldn’t take my eyes off my breasts.
MODEL: Lily of France
My favorite by far. Unassuming under clothes, it gave me va-va-voom cleavage and plenty of support.
MODEL: Victoria’s Secret
This smushed my breasts so badly, it made me look flat-chested.
36C
MODEL: WonderBra
Fit like a glove, it was surprisingly comfortable and my cleavage was so impressive, I wasn’t able to see my toes. It’s like getting implants without the surgery.
MODEL: Lily of France
Comments: My cleavage definitely got a boost, but it is overly padded and uncomfortable.
MODEL: Victoria’s Secret IPEX
Comments: Looked really natural and gave me a perkier-than-usual cleavage. I felt less like the porn star I did in the Wonderbra, but still sexy.
ROADTESTER: 34D
MODEL: Wonderbra
Feather-light, with exceptional support, my cleavage was so strong, the buttons popped off my shirt.
MODEL: Lily of France
Comment: Not available in my size. Why not?
MODEL: Victoria’s Secret
Hideous. It looked like an old-fashioned bolder holder and I felt as if someone had smothered my breasts in concrete.
