This minimiser bra really surprised me - it's supportive, comfortable and costs less than £20

I'm a wardrobe stylist and trained bra fitter with over 20 years of experience in dressing women to look great and feel confident. I've also got a big bust and understand how difficult it can be to find a supportive style that's comfortable and available in larger cup sizes.

I have researched the best bras for big busts, and I find that a full-cup bra gives me the level of support I need. Many of the best bras are designed to lift and project the breasts forward, a padded plunge bra, for example, will create a cleavage and make your bust look bigger. Some bras have the opposite effect. The best minimiser bras use clever construction and compression techniques to give the appearance of a smaller bust and, much like the best shapewear, will create a smoother silhouette.

The M&S Cool Comfort Cotton Rich Minimiser Bra initially caught my eye because of the price; I would normally expect to spend double the amount for a full-cup supportive bra. But after testing it over a period of five days, I have found that it has more to offer than just its affordability.

M&S is one of the best bra brands in the UK, and their bras rank highly in all of our lingerie features, so it was a great place to continue my research into minimiser bras. Having previously tried the M&S Flexifit Wired Minimiser Bra, I was keen to find a style that offered the same support and minimising effect at a more reasonable price.

I was intrigued to try out the Cool Comfort™ technology and see if wearing a cotton-rich bra would feel cooler to wear. I wore the bra for a week and considered the level of support and comfort it provided, along with the shape it gave me under my clothes, in particular, if it made my bust look smaller - here's what I thought.

M&S Cool Comfort Cotton Rich Minimiser Bra

M&S Cool Comfort Cotton Rich Minimiser Bra Review

Shape & Design

This non-padded T-shirt bra has smooth, seam-free cups that are generously cut to completely contain the entire breast, providing full coverage and revealing just a tiny amount of cleavage. The tops of the cups are trimmed with ric-rac edging, a pretty finish that wasn't visible under my clothes.

The metal underwires are encased within the lining and feel rigid and firm. The elastic straps are 1.5cm wide and are adjustable at the back. The bra has generous stretch-lace back panels, making it a great option if you are looking for bras to banish back fat. It fastens with hooks and eyes, and there are 3 rows to ensure a perfect fit as time passes.

The bra is made from 65% Supima® cotton, and the cups feel lighter but less stretchy than other T-shirt bras I own.

Support & Fit

I felt very secure and supported in this bra; it firmly held my boobs in place, squashing them slightly to redistribute the weight, which made them appear smaller. This bra provided me with a good level of support throughout the day, with no bouncing when walking around. I would suggest getting a professional fitting, as I found the sizing slightly bigger than average, and you may want to size down on the cups if you are between sizes. The band fitted firmly and didn't ride up during wear.

Comfort

Unlike the most comfortable bras you can buy, minimiser bras use compression to firmly hold your bust in place, resulting in a tighter fit. This didn't feel uncomfortable to wear, but I was certainly aware of the support it was giving me. The underwires lay flat and didn't cause any discomfort. However, after approximately 4-5 hours of wear, I did notice the straps start to dig in a little.

The straps are the one area that could be improved on this bra, as the elastic feels thinner than you find on more expensive designs. I loved the feel of the fabric, the high cotton content increased the breathability, and it felt cool to wear.

Function

I tested this bra over the course of five days under a variety of tops. The smooth cups were invisible, even under thin jersey fabrics. I wore the bra while working at my desk, going on a vigorous walk and while relaxing on my sofa. The bra provided firm support when moving about, but was a little too uncomfortable for lounging.

Unlike a moulded T-shirt bra made from a lightly padded fabric, this bra has no padding, which resulted in my nipples showing through at certain times. This wasn't a problem for me, but you may find this a negative factor. My bust appeared smaller and actually measured one inch less than when I was wearing the Fantasie Fusion Lace Padded Plunge Bra.

Care

The washing instructions on this bra state that it can be machine-washed at a gentle 40 degrees. For the purpose of this test, I machine-washed the bra once, and I didn't see any change in the size or quality.

However, from experience, I have learned it is best to hand-wash all wired bras to ensure they stay looking their best. I will continue to wash and wear this bra and report my findings over the coming months.

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Verdict

This bra gave me a great shape under a tight T-shirt. The cups fully supported my bust without any over spill or bulging. My bust appeared smaller and actually measured one inch less than when I was wearing a lightly padded plunge bra. For less than £20, it's great value for money.