5 Bras You Need to Pack for Your Next Vacation
For Love and Lemons Lucia Bra, $131.
[Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links.]
Thanks to airline credit cards, the flexible schedule of a freelancer, and generous friends with couches, I'm able to travel pretty frequently, but packing is always a struggle. Who knows what could happen on holiday! What if it's too cold for my sandals? Or I'm invited to a secret ball? Or my flight is rerouted abroad and I find true love and get married in Paris? Oh, what a conundrum. But vacation pipe dreams aside, I've gotten pretty good at packing light while still looking cute, and bras are no exception. Here is my list of the 5 bras you need to pack next time you take a trip. There are three picks for each: one in core sizes, one in fuller cup sizes, and one wireless or smaller-cup style, so there's an option for everyone.
1. A "travel day" bra. Sitting in a budget seat for 6 hours while soaring over the ocean isn't especially pleasant, but it's worse when your bra doesn't feel great. All the tiny little things I dislike about any given bra come out tenfold when traveling in it. So packing a "travel day" bra, something super comfortable that you don't have to think twice about, is a no-brainer. These three picks are pretty, simple, and most of all, seriously comfortable.
There's a reason why it's so popular. Natori Feathers contour plunge bra, $68 via Shopbop.
Panache "Clara", available in sizes 30D to 38GG. On sale for $43.55 via freshpair.com
Wacoal Embrace lace soft cup wireless bra, band sizes 32-38. $38 via Macy's.
2. A bikini that can double as a bra. There is literally nothing better than taking off all your clothes and running into the ocean, so skip the changing room and wear one of these bikinis all day. They're supportive enough to wear under a t-shirt but cute enough to walk down the boardwalk.
Kate Spade New York "Bolsa Chica" underwire bikini top, sizes XS through L. $94 via Shopbop
ASOS Fuller Bust Enchanted Floral Print Bikini Top, sizes 30DD to 36G. $35.59
Wildfox Couture Mermaid Shell Top, available in sizes S and XS. On sale for $110.
3. A bra that's flashier than your outfit. With wild details and unique shapes, a fashionable bra takes up less space than another piece of clothing. Wear it under an open-knit sweater, beneath a white t-shirt, or by itself with a pair of high-waisted shorts, and you have an additional outfit and a lighter piece of luggage.
Wolf & Whistle Emerald Longline Fuller Bust Bra, sizes 30DD to 36G. On sale for $15.37 via ASOS.
4. A trusted sports bra. Not that you have to work out on vacation or anything, but if the occasion arises to go for a mountain hike at sunrise, a rooftop yoga session with a friend, or a beach run with someone cute, it feels good to be prepared. And yes, sports bras can totally be cute.
Wacoal Soft Cup Sports Bra, $48 via Bloomingdales
The classic: Freya Sonic Sports Bra in air, 30DD to 36H. On sale for $69 at Bare Necessities.
5. A bra you would never wear to work. Whether it's because you can see right through it, it's too decorative to hide under a blouse, or both, pack it and embrace your temporary freedom from workplace norms.
Agent Provocateur "Bethanie" in peach/lilac, $175
Buttress and Snatch Curvy Emily bra, available in D through H cups. $133
One Teaspoon "Le Poison" bodice, sizes XXS through L. $70 via Dolls Kill.
You might not need one of each of these bras--but you don't need to go on vacation, either, so why not? Pack one and see where the trip takes you.
