Balconette is a
cut or
style of
brassiere, referred to as the
ultimate bra or
the best bra ever by many
women I have spoken to. The apparent
draw of the balconette is the steady
support inherent in the
bras
design, the less
constricting
straps and the
ability to increase
cleavage, not unlike a
Wonderbra. Contrary to what I would have thought, most girls were more than willing to sell me on the
benefits of the balconette, which I found odd seeing as I have little use for one
myself. Balconettes are also referred to as
demi cup or
shelf bras.
As a
demi cup style, a
contoured underwire supports the breasts, and a large portion of the upper half of the
cup found on more traditional bras is
removed, exposing the upper part of the
breasts. This is a more horizontal cut than is found in most bras. The
shoulder straps, which connect lower on the sides of the bra, are
set farther apart. This forms a kind of
shelf that supports the breast without pressing it
back against the
chest. The wider set straps can be easily
lifted and padding is often added to enhance
bust size and
cleavage. Balconettes are often referred to as being
d'collet‚ and are usually
worn when the top of a garment is
cut low, wide or square.
As is so often the case, the
large breasted girl can have some
difficulty with the balconette. The cups of a balconette support only the lower half of the
breast, and can be
overfilled in a sense. Larger chests can
mound up, creating the "
dreaded quadruple breast effect", which has the breast spilling over the bra. Not exactly a desired look. There is also the
hazard of slipping
completely out of the bra. Obviously not the bra to take to the
gym.
The term balconette also
refers to a
Victorian-
style iron window treatment, which is essentially a shelf hung on the
exterior of windows in a
flower box fashion. They normally
resemble ironwork fencing, and provide an
accent to the window. They are also often used to
support creeping vines like
ivy.
Thanks to Chiisuta for some extra logistic info