Bras vs. Bralettes: Why Your Tween Will Prefer A Bralette

Shopping for your tween girl is hard, but shopping with your tween girl can be even more challenging – especially when it's for her first bra.

Whether she's developing breast buds (fatty nodules under her areola) and asking questions about it or trying to hide inside bulky sweatshirts, she just wants to feel comfortable with herself. But there aren't many age-appropriate, comfortable options between the training bra phase and the "holy heck! when did you become a women" phase. Most are too thin, too lacy, or have annoying removable padding, and most don't feel comfortable.

And that's precisely why we developed the Elli Bralette.

Why a Bralette is Better Than a Bra for Your Tween

Bras don't feel natural to wear; for us females, they're something you just have to get used to. And when you're already insecure about breast buds and trying to hide your changing body, the last thing you want is to have to get used to yet another change.

Bralettes are about comfort, style, and coverage more than anything else. It's one of the few pieces of clothing that isn't designed to shape your body. There are no molded cups or bulky padding. 

Instead, bralettes move with you and fit snugly, eliminating the worry over gaping cups. The bands are stretchy rather than constricting. Moreover, bralettes are known to be so comfortable you could sleep in them – in fact, many of our customers do!

The Elli Bralette is an especially great bra for preteens and teenagers because of the nipple concealing petals. Unlike other thin bralettes that provide no coverage, the Elli won't cling to their nipples, revealing the very thing they're insecure about. The petals create the right amount of coverage to lay smooth under their favorite t-shirt without adding any padding. The slender straps also look more like a cami so your tween can feel comfortable and cute while wearing it.

How To Guess The Right Size Bralette for Your Teen or Tween

Finding the right size can feel like a struggle when your tween communicates in shrugs, pouts, and sighs. The great thing about bralettes is you can guess the correct size much more accurately than a bra. Our bralette sizing is measured in much simpler terms: Jr, S, M & L.

They're designed with stretch and movement in mind, so if you think your daughter (or sister, niece, or granddaughter) is in-between say, a Junior and a Small, she can likely get away with wearing both sizes.

To better determine her size without embarrassing her, you can always try one of two things:

• Reference her current sizing in other clothes. Our Jr size is the equivalent of a Girls 8/10 and our Small fits a 12/14.
• Or, measure the bust of her favorite close-fitting cami in two places: from armpit to armpit for the upper bust, then multiply by two. Next, measure about 1 – 2 inches lower for the under bust measurement and multiply by two again.

While these methods aren't accurate, they at least provide a place to start. We also understand how picky tweens can be about everything, which is why our returns and exchanges process is so easy. You can also contact us with questions at any time!

It's All About Building Confidence

This is the bralette I wish I had as a developing tween. It conceals new developments without hiding their bodies, helping girls feel confident - at least about this part of navigating puberty. From playing sports to riding bikes to movie marathon nights, the Elli Bralette is built to support our girls through it all.

For more info on training bra shopping, check out our Our Guide to Bra Shopping for Teens.