Clothing manufacturers have recognized this problem for ages. In past eras revealing styles came with sophisticated corsets built in. Somewhere in the last half-century, however, women decided that they prized intangibles like comfort and breathing above stiff, well-boned support. Thus the development of the shelf bra. Composed of an extra layer of stretchy fabric with a band of elastic at the bottom, the shelf bra rests behind the outer garment and extends to just below the bust line. As the name of the apparatus suggests, it acts as a shelf upon which the wearer's bosom rests. It has some major drawbacks, however. It provides no side support and, if I may be indelicate, it gives no cover for the old headlights either. There are still plenty of garments that feature no support at all, but even those endowed with a shelf bra may prove less-than-comfortable for many women, your intrepid correspondent included.

So what other alternatives are available for shoulder- and back-baring styles? I began my investigations with a relatively new development in brassiere technology, the five-in-one convertible bra. With detachable straps, this bra can be worn five different ways depending on your clothing choices: traditional over the shoulder; strapless; halter; diagonal for single-shoulder or asymmetric tops; and crossed for cut-away or racer back styles. The version I tested is essentially built to be strapless. The meager straps are largely ornamental, although they provide some psychological support. The cups feature a strip of stay material to hold the bra in place. An unfortunate side effect of this is that the stay material tends to bind a bit, creating an unseemly quadribreasted appearance under light-weight fabrics.
Next Page