The BEST strapless bra for A cup or B cup gals (and it's NOT Victoria's Secret!)

I can't really speak for the C-cup-and-above women out there, but I can tell you that I just spent the best $10.99 I've ever spent in my life. The Gilligan & O'Malley Strapless Plunge Padded Bra at Target. I might have caught a sale when I bought it because it shows up online as $14.99.



Here are the specs for those of you who are interested:

• Sizing and Fit: Women Sizing
• Material: 82 % Nylon, 18 % Spandex
• Care and Cleaning: Line Dry, Machine Wash Cold
• Underwire Type: Underwire
• Cup Style: Padded
• Closure Style: Hook Back Closure(s)
• Garment Detail: Removable Straps

Let me preface this by saying that I have been a Victoria's Secret bra addict for years. Personally, and especially after finding this bra, I think a lot of my brand loyalty has to do with the hype. From the Victoria's Secret fashion show to the gorgeous celebrity models to the ubiquitous mailers, they advertise REALLY well. Which is why, for years, I've been buying $40+ bras that I knew, deep inside, were way too expensive for the quality I was getting.

I've bought a total of three mediocre Victoria's Secret strapless bras. The worst bra I have ever bought from VS is the Very Sexy 100-way Bra. Do not buy this bra. It's $50 of uncomfortable, flimsy ugliness that if you don't see it right when you buy it, you'll feel it a year later. The top edge of the cups showed in almost every top I wore. The band stretched out and lost its elasticity way sooner than I anticipated. And worst of all, the cups actually got lumpy. I don't know why since I usually air-dried the bra after the wash. (Though I'll admit, I didn't do this *every* time.)

The only thing I liked about this bra was the clear plastic plunge in the center. I could wear really low cut tops with this thing, even ones that plunged past the center of this bra. Since the center piece is clear, it's almost invisible. That was a really smart idea. Until, of course, the piece of plastic tore - now I have two separate cups.

Hence the need to go shopping for another strapless bra. I decided to try Target, since the online reviews of some of the Target bras were not bad. When I tried the Gilligan & O'Malley Strapless Bra, I fell in love. The cups felt absolutely perfect. The bra itself was incredibly stiffly constructed which felt a little too hard at first, but when I put it on, it was virtually invisible. It conformed to my body so well I hardly felt it. When I put my top over it, I couldn't see the top edge at all. Plus it's plunge AND padded? What more could I want?

Now, there are caveats to this find. First of all, I can already tell that eventually, the wires may poke out of the bra over time. I'll have to wait to see what the long-term wear on this bra is. Secondly, the cups are a little more of the "full coverage" style, rather than the "demi" style, which, I think, we smaller-busted women prefer.

But really, the best part of this find is the fact that I'm getting much more than I paid for. I would wear this bra as a normal everyday bra, let alone for special strapless occasions. $10.99? I almost bought two! But I stopped myself, because that would have just been unreasonable.

I know y'all have a Target near you. Do yourselves a favor and go to one and just TRY one on. Before they stop making them! And those with C+ cups, if you find this works for you too, let me know :)