Minimizer bras don’t get written about much. They’re not ‘cool.’ But they can be useful. Minimizers do precisely what the name suggests—they make your breasts look smaller.

Why might you want to wear minimizer bras? Have you ever struggled to find shirts and button-through dresses that didn’t gape? A minimizer can fix that by flattening your bust. Clothes that once pulled across your chest will lie more smoothly. If you’ve always had to buy a size up and get the waist tailored in, you can save yourself that hassle.

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Other people wear minimizer bras just for the aesthetic. They like the way their bust looks when it’s smaller. Or they want to downsize to reduce unwanted attention. It’s important to note, though, that you can’t expect miracles. Typically, a minimizer bra will shave an inch, maybe two, off your overbust measurement. It all depends on how soft and easy-to-compress your breasts are.

Minimizer bras also don’t remove any of the weight associated with a large bust. Your breasts only look smaller, but there’s still the same amount of tissue there! So they’re not the solution for breast-induced back and shoulder pain.

How They Work

So, how do minimizer bras manage to reduce your bust line? There are two ways that they can function. One is compression. The bra squishes everything down. Minimizer bras always have full (tall) cups and are made from fabric with little to no stretch. It allows the bra to encase your breast tissue fully, and hold it firmly against your chest.

The other method is to redistribute the breast tissue. The cups are shaped to channel it to the side, towards your underarm. Sometimes also in towards the center. Since they spread the breasts out more, they'll stick out less. Many minimizer bras use both compression and tissue redistribution to achieve the desired effect.

Where to Buy

Interested in buying a minimizer bra? You won’t find one on the racks of Victoria’s Secret! Generally speaking, this is not a bra style produced by fashion-focused brands. You’re better off looking in department stores and mid-priced boutiques.

However, that’s not to say that you can’t find a fashionable minimizer bra. As Elisabeth mentioned in her recent post, they do get a bad rep. But it’s 2019, and brands have cottoned on to the fact that all women want to feel stylish whether they’re shopping for a push-up plunge or a minimizer!

So you’re no longer limited to bulky, beige contraptions. I’ve tried to include a wide range of styles in this blog post. I think they show that even minimizer bras can be rather pretty.

Do you own any minimizer bras? Which of the twelve here would you wear?