Lauren LeBlanc
Lauren LeBlanc
Lauren LeBlanc

Bratabase

Elevating how we size and purchase bras with a unique measuring tool

Bratabase

Elevating how we size and purchase bras with a unique measuring tool

Bratabase

Elevating how we size and purchase bras with a unique measuring tool

The logo I designed for Bratabase. It's the sillouette of a bra on a bright yellow background.

Duration

2021

Role

Lead Designer

Category

Product Design, User Research

Context

Bra shopping is a confusing mess of sizing systems and often doesn’t account for the shape of the wearer’s body. Bratabase.com is one resource that aims to make this process less confusing, but it's a free tool that can really only be found by using the bra fitting subreddit.

Problem

What's the highest priority trait for a bra to have: fit, material, or affordable price? Could the process of finding good bras that fit be easier, especially if you have special considerations?

Research

I found that proper fit was the most important part of bra shopping, while a low price and material quality were not as important. Even with thousands of options online people were split on using online resources to help them shop. I also found resources for specific fit cases, i.e. how to buy bras when you have a physical disability.

Doing an audit of the market, specifically Venus Clothing and AdoreMe, showed me where online sizing tools fall short.

  • A pie chart summarizing the research findings on bra shopping. 57% of respondants said a good fit was the most important feature for a bra to have. 28% said comfortable material was most important. 14% said cost was most important. On the left, the pie chart illustrates that 57% of respondants have not used an online bra fitting tool.
  • Three persona profiles. Uzomaka reads: "Lives in Boston, Struggles to find a bra comfortable for her larger breast size, Conducts research before making a purchase, Prefers to shop in-person, Often seeks out international brands with wider size ranges, Wants bras to be stylish and comfortable." Max reads: "Lives in Virginia, Identifies as non-binary, Purchases bras online, Would like to wear a binder but they are expensive, Settles for bras in their price range, Has never been measured by a professional." Natalie reads: "Lives in Ontario, Prefers to buy inexpensive bras in bulk from a brand she likes, Has only been measured once before, Doesn't do research before purchasing, Wants to look cute on a budget."
  • Some screenshots of the sizing charts for bras on Bratabase.com, on Venus' website, and AdoreMe's website.
  • A pie chart summarizing the research findings on bra shopping. 57% of respondants said a good fit was the most important feature for a bra to have. 28% said comfortable material was most important. 14% said cost was most important. On the left, the pie chart illustrates that 57% of respondants have not used an online bra fitting tool.
  • Three persona profiles. Uzomaka reads: "Lives in Boston, Struggles to find a bra comfortable for her larger breast size, Conducts research before making a purchase, Prefers to shop in-person, Often seeks out international brands with wider size ranges, Wants bras to be stylish and comfortable." Max reads: "Lives in Virginia, Identifies as non-binary, Purchases bras online, Would like to wear a binder but they are expensive, Settles for bras in their price range, Has never been measured by a professional." Natalie reads: "Lives in Ontario, Prefers to buy inexpensive bras in bulk from a brand she likes, Has only been measured once before, Doesn't do research before purchasing, Wants to look cute on a budget."
  • Some screenshots of the sizing charts for bras on Bratabase.com, on Venus' website, and AdoreMe's website.
Wireframes

I brainstormed how best to allow a customer to save their bra shape as well as preferred size; all the fit advice I saw emphasized how important shape was for a good fit, but brands didn't have a way to filter by shape. I designed a brand agnostic e-commerce experience—factoring in size, shape, and special considerations like disability or nursing—and ran a Chalkmark test to make things clearer.

My sketches and wireframes for Bratabase.
Design System

For the brand I wanted Bratabase to be "gender neutral, not gender boring" so that everyone felt excited to use this tool to shop.

Color palatte for the Bratabase app.

Francois One

& Roboto

Francois One

& Roboto

Screens & Prototype

Here's a link to the Figma prototype.

I'm proud of the sizing quiz, which includes all of the useful measurements a shopper could need but also allows for sizing to be in UK, US, EUR, or JPN. Good bras come from all over the world and it's helpful to know what works for you wherever the bra brand originates.

Plus it includes shoulder sizing and preferences for fit!

Three Bratabase screens: the reviews, the shopping page, and the purchase map.
Three Bratabase screens: the reviews, the shopping page, and the purchase map.
Concluding Thoughts

I've grown in my UI skills since 2021 and can imagine growing this concept with even more customization possibilities. Plus a more clear review section and refined branding would help adoption. It's a personal project so maybe someday I'll come back and rework…

Case Studies

Gayborhood

Top Pot

Nike

Bratabase

Product Splash

Sogang

Made by a human in Framer

Case Studies

Gayborhood

Top Pot

Nike

Bratabase

Product Splash

Sogang

Made by a human in Framer

Case Studies

Gayborhood

Top Pot

Nike

Bratabase

Product Splash

Sogang

Made by a human in Framer