What Kind of Bra to Buy?

A first bra used to be called a "training bra" — it was for girls who didn't yet fit into the cups of standard-size bras, but needed basic support and comfort. These days, many girls' first bra is a sports bra, a type of bra worn by active women of any age. Sports bras prevent fully grown breasts from jiggling around when a woman is playing sports. Because they're flatter in the cup area, sports bras also make really good first bras for many girls. In fact, because of sports bras, and dresses and tops that have built-in bras, a girl might not need a training bra or a more traditional bra early on. Not all sports bras are alike, so a girl should try on a few to figure out which ones she prefers.

In addition to sports bras, there are a lot of other types of bras. The most natural-looking bra is a soft-cup bra and doesn't do much to change the shape of a girl's breasts. Soft-cup bras come in different fabrics and thicknesses and some may have underwires. Underwire is a U-shaped wire inside the fabric that goes under the breasts to help support them. If a girl's breasts are larger than a C cup, an underwire bra is a good choice.

Other bras may have more structured cups and some come with padding inside. Minimizer bras are also available for girls who want their breasts to appear smaller. These bras are usually made of relatively thick fabric and often have substantial backs and straps.