Bullet Bras
Recreate the distinctive 1950s sweater-girl silhouette with our wire-free satin bullet bras, made in India. Choose classic unpadded Maitresse and Harlow styles, which shape your natural bust into a pointed profile, or our padded bullet bra for a more pronounced, consistent point. Our collection also includes longline and 1940s-inspired alternatives. For help choosing your size, visit our Bullet Bra Fitting Guide.
Our unpadded bullet bras use non-stretch satin cups, carefully placed seams and spiral stitching to support and shape the bust forwards. Your natural bust helps fill the cup and create the finished point, so the silhouette will vary from person to person.
Our Padded Bullet Bra has a thin layer of foam that helps the cups hold their conical shape. The padding creates a more pronounced point rather than a rounded outline, making this a particularly useful option for smaller or shallower busts, or anyone seeking a dramatic sweater-girl silhouette.
Both styles create a pointed vintage profile; the difference is how they achieve it.
Our Maitresse Bullet Bra in black and Harlow Bullet Bra in vintage peach use the same unpadded cup pattern. If one fits you well, the same size is generally a good starting point in the other.
Choose the colour that works best with your wardrobe and lingerie. Both coordinate with our suspender belts and high-waisted knickers, and our ranges are designed to mix and match.
The Kate Longline Bra combines a conical bust with shaping through the torso. Its longer body makes it an option when you want definition beneath the bust as well as a vintage cup shape. Check both the underbust and waist measurements before choosing your size.
Our CC09 1940s Bra offers a different historical silhouette, based on an original British CC41 pattern. It is not simply another version of the spiral-stitched 1950s bullet bra: choose it for its particular period shape, and read its individual fitting information carefully.
Fitted knitwear shows the pointed silhouette particularly clearly, but bullet bras also work beneath vintage dresses and reproduction clothing cut for a projected bust. The effect depends on both the bra and the garment worn over it.
If a fitted vintage bodice does not sit as expected over your usual bra, try it with the intended foundation before considering alterations. A different bust shape can change where the darts sit and how the fabric falls through the waist.
Bullet bras fit differently from moulded bras because their non-stretch cups need to be filled correctly to create a smooth shape. The bands also have limited stretch, so use the measurements for your chosen style rather than assuming every bra with the same size label will fit identically.
If the cup fits well but you need a little help filling its tip, bullet bra pads may help complete the shape. They are a fitting accessory rather than a substitute for the correct bra size.
Our Bullet Bra Fitting Guide explains how to choose your size, position your bust in the cups and assess the result. You can also contact our small team for advice or arrange a fitting at our Pangbourne headquarters.
Our Maitresse, Harlow and Padded Bullet Bras are made in India. We have worked with the factory producing our Maitresse bullet bra since 2003, and some of the machinists have been making our lingerie since those early days. Each product page includes its fabric composition, country of manufacture and fitting details.
