bralette
bruh-LET
/brəˈlɛt/
An unlined, lightweight brassiere without underwires or molded cups, designed primarily for comfort and a natural shape.
A bralette emphasizes comfort, soft materials, and minimal structure, contrasting with traditional structured bras that prioritize lift, separation, and rigid support.
The story behind the word. The word brassiere originally referred to a child's harness or a soldier's arm guard in French. When it was adopted into English for women's bust support, it was eventually shortened to bra. The suffix -ette was added to denote a smaller, lighter, and less structured version of the standard bra.
Word relationships
- soft-cup bra: A soft-cup bra may still have structured bands and hooks, whereas a bralette is often a simple pull-over style with minimal hardware.
- underwire bra: An underwire bra uses rigid metal or plastic semi-circles to provide maximum lift and structure.
Commonly confused with
- sports bra: A sports bra is engineered to compress the bust to prevent movement during exercise, while a bralette is for light, everyday leisure wear.
Word family
- bra (noun): A standard brassiere.
Collocations
- lace bralette
- wireless bralette
- cotton bralette
- padded bralette
Example sentences
- "She wore a lace bralette under a sheer linen shirt, blending comfort with a touch of bohemian style." A fashion blog discussing casual summer trends.
- "During the remote work boom, sales of structured underwire bras plummeted while demand for the cozy bralette surged." A retail report on consumer preferences.
Memory hook
The suffix '-ette' means small or light (like a novelette or cigarette). A bralette is just a light, little bra. Bralette: A light, little bra for easy comfort.
When not to use
Do not use when referring to heavy-duty sports bras designed for high-impact exercise, or highly structured push-up bras.
Fun facts
- Bralettes became a major fashion force in the 2010s as youth culture shifted away from the highly padded, hyper-sexualized aesthetics of the early 2000s toward body positivity and comfort.
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