Shopping for bras as a small-breasted or a flat-chested woman is no easy feat. While you might find a bra that fits well around your ribcage, it seems like the cup is always too big and creates a weird gap between your boob and the actual bra.

Or, you find a padded bra that adds too much “bump,” making it look like you grew 2 cup sizes overnight. ​While not a full-proof solution, opting for a heavily padded bra for smaller busts can be a great option.

We’ve outlined 5 different padded bra styles to look into, and the top choice for each one.

Heavily padded bras for small busts

​Best Bras for a Small Chest
​Padded bras give flatter girls a little more up top. The pads naturally add more to fill out the cup, while also providing some nice shape.

​Historically, heavily padded bras can look a little dated and frumpy. The padding would get lumpy and bulge on one side or the other especially after multiple washes, leaving your boobs looking a little mis-shapen.

​Another drawback was that padded bras didn’t look natural. You’d go from being flat to busty overnight, which just looked downright weird and a bit off putting.Not so nowadays. Today’s heavily padded bras are stylish and natural, accentuating your form and figure. Here are our 5 favorite bra styles, and the best padded options for each. ​

​Best Padded Bra for Flat Chests

Push-up bras are made to lift your breasts, often making them look larger, pushing them together, and creating cleavage. This is why they are usually marketed mostly to women as a heavy padded bra for small busts.

Mainly, the purpose of push-up bras is to augment your breasts’ size and enhance their appearance in clothes. Take a look at our best reviewed push up bras for small breasts for specific recommendations.For everyday wear, some have regular padding that does the bare minimum of coverage and support. The more coveted feature, however, especially among flat-chested women, is the graduated padding found in push-up plunge bras.Some bras have pockets within them where you can “stuff” your bra, creating a extra padded bra for your flat chest. The effect is a thickened bottom for the cups, creating an illusion of bigger breasts underneath the shirt.

​Best Padded T Shirt Bra for Small ​Breasts

​​The defining feature of t-shirt bras is the seamless edges which show no awkward lines or marks underneath a t-shirt. They are made with functionality and the comfort of the wearer as top priorities.This makes t-shirt bras appropriate and comfortable enough for those casual events and places where you want to look a little more modest.Many t-shirt bras have molded cups and padding that enhance your breasts as a push-up bra does. It also improves on the shape as it accentuates the roundness of breasts, which your t-shirt molds itself to.

Best Bralette for ​​Small Breasts

Missing out on the bralette trend is seriously one mistake you wouldn’t want to make. It’s like they were originally made for women with small breasts and flat chests! One of the great things about bralettes is they come in countless styles and designs.This makes it relatively simple to find one you like that includes padding! Even though bralettes are generally thinner and smaller, they can provide the perfect amount of padding for small-breasted women.The padding gives more definition, so you don’t look as flat in the chest area. While these may not give as much padding as a push-up bra does, they can comfortably give you an additional half-cup size boost.They do so more subtly and naturally, by enhancing what you have instead of adding on to the bust through extra-thick pads. If you have a bralette you love but it doesn’t have any padding, try sewing padding into it!

Best Padded Sports Bra for ​Small Chest

Just because you’re on the smaller side upstairs doesn’t mean you need to skip a padded sports bra. While you might not feel like you need it, adding padding to your sports bra gives your breasts added support, which has been proven to be necessary when exercising. Beyond that, what better time is there to look your best than at the gym or out on a run? A padded sports bra gives your small boobs a little bit of boost.A good sports bra for flatter chests needs to give you support while also giving you shape a little perk. You don’t want the classic sports bra approach of giving you a uni-boob. Adding shape while adding support is the balance that needs to be struck.

Best Padded ​Bandeau Bra

​High on style, the bandeau bra was basically made for flatter girls, although you can find bandeau bras for large busts. Where you might lack in voluptuous, curvy breasts, you will gain by being able to wear this free flowing top.​In essence, the bandeau bra is nothing more than thin fabric with elastic bands above and below your boobs. Similar to the bralette, the bandeau is a summer top that can be paired with a variety of different outfit choices. ​Rather than opting for a push up bra, where you’re trying to give your girls some oomph, the bandeau goes the opposite direction. “Here I am – I’m not ​trying to hide anything. Instead, I’m proud to show you all I’ve got!” says the bandeau bra wearing girls.​However, if you’re just dipping your toe into the bandeau world, you could pick up one with padding. This gives you stylish benefits without some of the potentially risque drawbacks.

​In essence, the bandeau bra is nothing more than thin fabric with elastic bands above and below your boobs. Similar to the bralette, the bandeau is a summer top that can be paired with a variety of different outfit choices.​Rather than opting for a push up bra, where you’re trying to give your girls some oomph, the bandeau goes the opposite direction. “Here I am – I’m not ​trying to hide anything. Instead, I’m proud to show you all I’ve got!” says the bandeau bra wearing girls.