Summer is coming which means it will soon be time to pull out our summer wardrobe of tank tops, strapless dresses and halter tops. The question remains:  What is the right bra to wear under all these great warm weather tops? Cindy Johnson, national lingerie expert and owner of SOL lingerie store, explains how to make your bra invisible and beat those warm weather woes. 

The key to making sure you and your clothes look their best is making sure you have the right bra for each type of top you love to wear.  It doesn’t mean you only have to wear these bras with these specific tops.  For each of the bras that I highlight, the bras can be converted to work with each of these specific tops, but they all make great everyday T-shirt bras as well—this way it’s like getting two bras in one. 

Tank top
The easy days of summer are upon us when we can throw on our favorite tank top and run out the door. Often times these tank tops have angled in straps so that regular bra straps hang out. Your entire outfit will look better and more put together if your bra straps are not showing.  It’s important to have a bra in your collection which has straps that can be criss-crossed. This way you’ll already have the right bra the next time you want to buy one of those fabulous tanks you love so much.

Bra: Touch by LZ, $55, www.lzsophieint.com 

Halter
The halter top is a flattering look on many women, but in order to look your best, it is critical that people are just seeing the top and not the bra you are wearing under it.  Often times a halter top also has a plunging neckline which means it needs a bra that can convert to a halter and is low in the front.  Buy yourself a bra that works great as a T-shirt bra, but then also has the added versatility of being low in the front and converting to a halter.  It becomes the perfect bra for lots of tops!  And if you want to add a little extra volume to your cleavage, Cleavage Cupcakes work great.

Bra: Greta by Marie Jo, $120 & Cleavage Cupcakes by HerLook, $44,  www.SOLlingerie.com

Strapless
There are so many cute strapless tops and dresses out there, but the problem most women have is they hate their strapless bra! The key to a good strapless is the band. It is critical that it be snug around because that is the only thing holding up the bra.  Not only that, it needs to be washed frequently and replaced often (the one you’ve had since high school won’t cut it) to ensure that it will stay up. 

A strapless bra I love is the Avero by Marie Jo.  The contoured cup creates a great shape, and there is a strip of silicone along the inside band which helps it stay up. 

Bra:  Avero by Marie Jo, $107, www.SOLlingerie.com

White T-shirts
There is really only one situation where it is absolutely essential to have a totally plain nude bra and it is when you are wearing a sheer white shirt.  We’ve all seen a woman walking down the street and the first thing we notice is the white bra she is wearing under her white t-shirt.  I know it doesn’t seem logical, but truly, white shows under white.   The trick is to choose a bra that matches your skin tone and viola! It will make your bra invisible under your white shirt. 

Bra:  Alfred by L’Aventure, $86, www.mariejo.com

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