The Defy Bra Review: A True Bralette for Larger Breasts

Stonehenge. The Great Wall of China. The Parthenon. The Taj Mahal.

These are just some of the so-called man-made wonders of the world. Add to the list the Evelyn Bobbie Defy Bra, a wireless, woman-made bralette specifically designed for larger breasts. In my experience, it represents a phenomenal feat of undergarment engineering.

That may sound like a ridiculously over-the-top claim to make about a bra that’s this deceptively simple. Not only is it wire-free; it’s also without hooks, boning, metal clasps, adjustable straps, or stiff underbands. Other than fabric, it includes virtually none of the architectural components that typically make up a bra.

Yet somehow, the Defy Bra, with sizes that fit C to K cups, offers my admittedly hefty set of hooters a terrific amount of support; hours upon hours of truly pinch-free, pain-free wear; and a natural, lifted-yet-relaxed silhouette. Again, that’s all despite the fact that it’s just two pieces of stretchy material sewn together.

It’s also despite the fact that, thanks to my dense DDs, I have never in my whole life been able to comfortably wear a true bralette (any bra without a lot of, or any, structure). Absent all the bells and whistles usually built into a plus-size bra to keep things corralled and situated, my boobs inevitably just spill out of them.

The Defy Bra makes it look like I’m wearing a proper bra but feels like I’m wearing no bra at all. If that reads like science fiction, if not an outright scam, I promise you it’s not — and it’s not just me saying so. As one of our picks in our guide to the best, most comfortable bras, it’s also been thoroughly tested and vetted by our style team.

Best for…

This smooth, stretchy bralette achieves something bordering on the miraculous: It comfortably supports large breasts without the use of metal parts, such as wires, clasps, sliders, you name it. Just be aware that pulling it on over your head isn’t the easiest undertaking.

For research purposes, I recently wore the Defy Bra for about 40 hours straight. On day one, I put it on, went to the gym and lifted weights in it (on chest-and-triceps day, no less). Then I came home and changed into shabby clothes to clean the house before changing again into nicer clothes to join friends at a barbecue. (I didn’t have time to shower, but I did reapply deodorant in between.) I slept in it that night and continued to wear it throughout the following day. No part of it ever dug into my skin, and at no point did I feel like my boobs were sagging or out of place.

Honestly, except for hygiene purposes, why take this thing off at all? The Defy Bra works as multiple bras in one. It can be a sleep bra, a low-impact workout bra, an everyday bra, or a true lounging bralette. On Reddit, I’ve also seen people recommend it as a post-radiation bra when undergoing cancer treatment.

How is all of this possible? According to the brand, it’s thanks to Evelyn Bobbie’s patented EB Core technology, described as a “seamless lamination design that lifts three-dimensionally” and uses “biomimicry to defy gravity with weightless lift and support.”

Maybe it’s because of the bra’s 70% polyamide 30% elastane blend, which doesn’t quit (and is basically just nylon and spandex). I’ve worn plenty of other bras that inevitably start to drop or feel a little grody after a long day. But from my experience, the Defy Bra doesn’t wilt or lose its shape — ever.

I spoke with writer Alex Aciman, one of our on-staff textile experts, about this. He told me, “Nylon is very durable and good at moisture management, but it doesn’t always have the same amount of stretch as spandex. Spandex is less durable but offers stretch and rebound.” So perhaps it’s the combination of the two (although it’s a rather common textile blend) that allows the garment to do so much.

To be sure, the Defy Bra is not perfect. It has a few shortcomings that I’ve had to navigate around.

For one, it comes with molded cups, which I just don’t do on principle. (In my opinion, they add unnecessary volume and can make my boobs look too inflated.) Fortunately, the molded cups are removable, so I took them out immediately, despite the fact that doing so reduces the bra’s nipple coverage.

Also, the first few times I wore the Defy Bra, actually putting it on my body proved to be a weird — bordering on challenging — experience. In our guide, we note, “Putting it on is similar to shimmying into shapewear,” which kind of goes against the whole chill, low-effort vibe of a bralette.

When I initially tried the Defy Bra, its compression registered as discomfort, and its constrictiveness had me convinced there was no way I was actually going to get it on over my head. (Alternatively, the brand says you can step into it like a pair of pants. That’s also weird, and depending on how hippy you are, potentially just as challenging. But after trying it that way, I can tell you that it is possible.)

After several wears, the bra now feels less restrictive. And once it’s in place, I’m always gobsmacked by how much it achieves with so little. My chest is lifted and separated just the way I like it: No side boob thanks to its tall wings, and no uniboob, although some Redditors have reported that it gives them a uniboob look. Plus, the material feels like buttah against my skin.

Another downside to the Defy Bra is that it’s made with extremely wide straps, which cut close to the neck and do not hide well under collars wider than a crew neck. Because of this — and because the Defy Bra is expensive, at about $98 — it will never fully replace my go-to underthing, the Soma Embraceable Wireless Unlined Full Coverage Bra (a former pick that was demoted in favor of the Defy Bra and is now a bra worth considering).

Worth considering

With sizes starting at 34C, this bra comes in larger options than any other wire-free bralette we tested, and its band and straps are adjustable for a customized fit. Because it’s so sturdy and structured, you may notice its pronounced seams under tighter clothing.

I’ve been a die-hard loyalist to the Soma Embraceable bra for years. Like the Defy Bra, it’s comfortably wire-free without sacrificing support, but it costs about half as much and its straps are about half as wide, so it works with a greater variety of tops. It’s not going to stop being my go-to bra. If you don’t want to shell out for the Defy Bra, the Soma Embraceable bra is something I still wholeheartedly recommend.

But after several months of wearing the Defy Bra on and off, I’ve happily made space for it in my lingerie drawer alongside my stack of Soma Embraceable bras. The Defy Bra is like a little reward to myself in appreciation for the decades I’ve spent dealing with the burden of bigger boobs. It lets me go about my day while enjoying the next-level comfort of a true bralette, the kind of coziness I was convinced could never be afforded to a larger chest like mine. And for me, that is truly a wonder.

This article was edited by Megan Beauchamp and Hannah Rimm.