scorecardThirdLove's cotton T-shirt bra is so comfortable you'll forget you're wearing it — here's how it's held up after one year of testing
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ThirdLove's cotton T-shirt bra is so comfortable you'll forget you're wearing it — here's how it's held up after one year of testing

Mara Leighton   

ThirdLove's cotton T-shirt bra is so comfortable you'll forget you're wearing it — here's how it's held up after one year of testing

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  • ThirdLove, a digitally native startup known for offering half-cup sizes, launched its first cotton collection in 2018.
  • Five women on the Insider Reviews team tested the 24/7 Cotton T-Shirt Bra ($68) to see how it stacks up, and shared how the bras have held up over one year of use.
  • In general, it's a great T-shirt bra: Soft, supportive, and comfortable enough to forget you have it on. Over time, it holds up pretty well — though we'd recommend the Cotton Plunge Bra ($68) for anyone who's concerned about the band below the keyhole detail rolling or creasing.
  • The 24/7 Cotton T-Shirt Bra is available in four colors, band sizes 30-48, and cup sizes A-I, and underwear is available in sizes XS - 3X (00 - 24).
  • Three classic shades are priced at $68, while five darker colors of the 24/7 Cotton T-Shirt Bra are currently on sale for $58.

ThirdLove — a women-led startup known for introducing half-cup sizes into the mainstream — has been one of the Insider Reviews team's go-to recommendation for lingerie since its inception. In an extensive testing process, we ranked it #1 in both our definitive buying guide to the best bras you can buy and the best strapless bra you can buy.

The reason why is simple: ThirdLove bras are a rare combination of affordability, comfort, style, and intuitive design that makes for a huge improvement on the standard options. Shopping here also includes the often invaluable perk of an energetic customer service team and a 100% fit guarantee. (If you take the company's Fit Finder and order the wrong size, ThirdLove will work to get you into the perfect fit at no further cost, donating the bras you don't keep to a women's shelter if necessary).

The company has also expanded to carry 70 sizes — well beyond the industry average of 30 — which racked up a waiting list of 1.3 million women upon its initial launch.

And finally, at the repeated request of customers, ThirdLove introduced its first-ever Cotton Collection in 2018 — made from super-soft, breathable Pima cotton that's perfect for all-day wear. Pima cotton, used to create underwear by other cult-favorite startups like Everlane, is a smoother, softer, and more durable variety of cotton thanks to 50% longer fibers. It retains its shape, doesn't pill, and feels light against the skin.

The Cotton Collection is narrow, including a few underwear styles and a cotton Wireless Bra ($68), 24/7 Plunge Bra ($68), and a 24/7 T-Shirt Bra ($68), but we were most excited by the versatility of the cotton T-shirt Bra.

As an online company, ThirdLove relies upon millions of data points from customer feedback to engineer its new products — and for the last four years, one request has been constant: A cotton bra that women can live in. For the last two years, ThirdLove has been designing its response.

The finished product has ultra-thin memory foam cups, two-way convertible straps (worn either straight or crisscrossed), gold alloy strap adjusters, and a keyhole detail. The band has a subtle sheen, and the foam-padded hook-and-eye closure is tagless for a comfortable, scratch-free wear all day.

To give you an idea of what the 24/7 Cotton T-Shirt Bra is like in real life, five women on the Insider Reviews team tested it out. Below, you can find our verdict. If you'd rather skip to shopping, the short version is this: It's breathable, soft to the touch, and you might even forget it's on. The design is basic, but that's fine with us for a T-shirt bra this comfortable.

The 24/7 Cotton T-Shirt Bra is available in four colors, band sizes 30-48, and cup sizes A-I, and underwear is available in sizes XS - 3X (00 - 24).

Five women on the Insider Reviews team tested ThirdLove's 24/7 Cotton T-Shirt Bra. Here's what we thought:Read the original article on Business Insider

Grace High, Insider Reviews senior analyst

Grace High, Insider Reviews senior analyst
Third Love

This is a super comfortable bra — and perfect for everyday wear. For the price, I wish it were a bit more attractive (for example, a decal or something in the center by the cutout). The cups run a bit large, so if you're in between cup sizes, I would recommend sizing down. However, the band size is perfect and there's a comfortable amount of stretch.

One-Year update: My ThirdLove has held up very nicely — I handwash all of my bras cold, including this one, so I find that holding up over a year plus is fairly standard. The band hasn't stretched too much either. A footnote is that I probably wear it once every two to three weeks, so it's not in my heavy rotation.

Connie Chen, Insider Reviews senior reporter

Connie Chen, Insider Reviews senior reporter
ThirdLove

The 24/7 name is no exaggeration: You really will want to wear this great everyday bra all the time because of how soft and comfortable it is. The memory foam cups fit closely to your chest and they're cut to an attractive shape that should work under most types of fabrics and clothing styles. Personally, I could do without the extra band because it tended to fold over onto itself whenever I wasn't standing or sitting completely straight; however, I do have a smaller chest and I assume it's there for support reasons. Either way, I still love this reliably comfortable bra.

Remi Rosmarin, Insider Reviews reporter

Remi Rosmarin, Insider Reviews reporter
ThirdLove

I think the sign of a good bra is that it's comfortable enough that you barely realize it's there and you're not itching to take it off the moment you get home. The 24/7 Cotton T-Shirt Bra from ThirdLove delivers on that, with a simple style and soft feel that you'll enjoy wearing every day. The thin cups are comfortable and also form-fitting, so you don't have to worry about any of those annoying outlines under your shirt. I sometimes opt for a larger band size, but I decided to stick to a 32, although I was a little skeptical. I was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable the band was and how smoothly it fit. I actually like the really simple design and I think the keyhole detail is a cute addition if you're looking for a little something extra. This has definitely earned a spot in my everyday rotation.

One-year update: My ThirdLove bra has held up well over time. The fabric is soft to the touch, even after multiple washes. This isn't my most-worn option, so that may have something to do with it, but, I wash it in the machine with the rest of my laundry and let it hang dry, so I think that's impressive.

Mara Leighton, Insider reviews senior reporter

Mara Leighton, Insider reviews senior reporter
ThirdLove

ThirdLove's 24/7 Cotton T-Shirt Bra is soft to the touch, supportive, and comfortable enough for all-day wear. It's also true to size. The main standout for me was that, at 32E, the 24/7 bra's support system was successful without feeling restrictive or creating unflattering rolls under a T-shirt — both of which are my standard complaints. I was also impressed by the design — typically, when the bridge between the two cups isn't separate, it refuses to lay flat against my skin despite the cup sizes being correct. However, single-piece constructions also make for a smoother, better shape under T-shirts, and ThirdLove's version managed to do both — a smooth silhouette and a perfect fit.

It's also a bra you may forget you're wearing. The ultra-thin memory foam cups form nicely to the body, and the material is breathable enough to auto-regulate for the most part. In terms of looks, the keyhole detail in front also creates some interest to break up an otherwise basic bra. However, I did notice the band below the keyhole starting to crease if I slouched all day at work — which makes it look a little cheaper in my lingerie drawer.

One-year update: ThirdLove's 24/7 Cotton T-Shirt Bra is still comfortable one year later, and it's held up well after less-than-gentle laundry cycles (I admit I don't often spoil my delicates with a separate cycle). The band hasn't stretched, but it is still creased, and considering that it's the materials and fit I love most, I'll likely try the Cotton Plunge Bra ($68) next time.

Malarie Gokey, Insider Reviews Deputy Editor

Malarie Gokey, Insider Reviews Deputy Editor
ThirdLove

I've loved nearly every ThirdLove bra I've tried, and the 24/7 Cotton T-Shirt Bra doesn't disappoint. It's so comfortable that I forgot I was wearing it, which is something I've only ever been able to say about ThirdLove's bras. The fit is absolutely perfect, so I don't need to constantly adjust falling straps or chafing underwire throughout the day. The new cotton fabric feels soft and natural against my skin and contrasts nicely with the more common lacy synthetic fabrics most bra makers use. True to its name, you can't see this bra under a T-shirt, thanks to its smooth, flat seams.

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