What is great about push up bras, aside from the fact that besides giving the bust line a feminine boost is this particular style of brassiere provides a great deal of support to the breasts. Formerly known as the padded bra, this bra style pushes the breasts up and toward the middle of the breastline to enhance the size of the breasts by up to two sizes.

How does a push up bra achieve this? Through the clever use of foam or gel padding, either angled in the bottom of the bra or more commonly angled in the sides of the bra to push the breasts inward and together.

Foam padding is often built directly into the brassiere and is the most well known and common of all push up enhancements. However, the past few years, new inovations in the lingerie and intimate apparel industry have seen different variations of cleavage enhancers such as insertable pads that are also called cookies. These inserts can be put into bras or removed whenever needed and of course depending on the particular outfit a woman decided to wear.

Water bras, and brassieres with gel padding are also gaining in popularity, as a lot of women feel they offer a more natural look that mimics the true bustline. These brassieres are a great alternative to traditional foam padding. And, if a woman wants to go really high tech, some innovative bra styles are now using silicone, though it is not as widely availa
ble as gel and foam padded bras. Again, silicone is meant to give a more natural appearance and movement to the breasts. These “newer” push up bra styles are of course more expensive that traditional padded bras, but offer women much better cleavage since that is what they are designed for.

In recent years push up bras have become the lingerie must have in terms of women's clothes and intimate apparel. Things to consider are of course getting the right bra size. That is key, because if a brassiere, be it a push up bra or even the other end of the spectrum, a minimizer bra does not fit properly, a woman's clothing will not look right. Choosing the right bra size also affects ones posture, so remember bra fit is key.

Another important consideration is choosing the right brassiere fabric. Pay close attention to the materials and make sure that you buy comfortable fabric, be it silk, satin, microfiber or lace. A great many women acutally opt for cotton bras for everyday because it is so soft against the skin. For the most part though, push up bras are usually lace, satin, or microfiber.

Avoid any fabrics that are rough or will chafe against your skin. Do not opt for the least expensive push up bra since it will probably be made of a coarse and cheap fabric that you will wear once and never wear again. It is better to invest a little more money in getting a decent push up bra that fits well and feels comfy cosy on your skin. Remember, lingerie is an investment and you are worth it!