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When it’s time to buy intimate apparel, you may be wondering whether it’s worth investing in higher-priced bras. When some cost upwards of $100 but others can be had for $20, will you actually benefit from choosing the more expensive option, or would you simply be paying for the brand name and nothing more?
The answer is that you absolutely get more when you pay more! Cheap bras are cheap for a reason. Multiple reasons, in fact, and we’re going to list them out for you:
Cheap Bras are More Likely to be Uncomfortable
When you buy intimate apparel that costs more, often some of what you’re paying for is added comfort-enhancing features such as plush wire casing and plush-backed straps, soft linings behind scratchy embroideries, good-quality sliders that will keep the straps at the length you adjust them to (so they’re not constantly falling off your shoulders) and, in the case of sports bras, moisture-wicking performance fabrics to keep you cool and dry. These things are likely to get skipped in order to cut costs when producing cheap bras.
Cheap Bras are Less Likely to be Supportive
Other features that brands may forgo to save money are ones that enhance the support of the bra, such as a powermesh-lined band or ‘side slings’ inside the cup. Additionally, cup seams are there to help shape and support the bust, but it’s time-consuming (meaning more labour costs) to piece a cup together from multiple fabric segments. Cheap bras are more likely to have minimal/no seaming or be made from a single piece of foam, which is less supportive if you have a fuller bust.
Cheap Bras are Less Likely to Have Been Produced Ethically and Sustainably
If you buy intimate apparel from an ethical and sustainable brand, part of what you’re paying for is fair wages for the people involved in producing it. When bras are ultra-cheap, they’re much more likely to have been made in a sweatshop. Environmentally-friendly fabrics, such as organic cotton versus regular cotton, also add to the cost of the bra.
Cheap Bras are More Likely to Deteriorate Rapidly
Cheap bras are going to be made from lower-quality fabrics and elastics which may stretch out after very little use, and cheap lace bras can be quick to pill so they’ll start looking old and worn very quickly. They’ll probably also use quicker but less secure stitching techniques which shortens their lifespan. This means cheap bras need replacing more frequently, so over the long term you may end up spending just as much as if you’d bought one good-quality bra from the get-go – and all while being less comfortable and less supported!
So, how much should you expect to spend when you buy intimate apparel online or offline? Around $50 or so is the minimum for a good-quality bra. If you want an especially eye-catching design however, you might be looking more at $100+ since spending time developing unique designs and including things such as decorative embellishments or custom prints/embroideries all costs the brand additional money.
On a tight budget but still want quality? Your best bet is to be patient and buy intimate apparel from a higher-end brand when it goes on sale!
