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The easiest ways to stop your nipples from showing through a shirt
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Maybe you’re wearing a thin top or a strapless dress and don’t want your bra lines to show, or perhaps you just want to let your breasts be free. Either way, you’re looking for ways to conceal your nipples without necessarily using a bra—and you’ve come to the right place! We talked to wardrobe stylist Dina Scherer to bring you the best advice on how to hide your nipples easily and comfortably. Keep reading to learn the best DIY and bra-substitute methods.
Quick Fixes for Nipples Showing Through Your Shirt
Make an easy DIY nipple cover by stretching a cotton ball over your nipple and criss-crossing over it with bandages or surgical tape. You can also cut up panty liner and stick the small pieces to your nipples. Alternatively, purchase products made for hiding nipples, like silicone nipple covers or pasties.
Steps
Section 1 of 4:
Covering Your Nipples with Nipple Covers
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Cut a panty liner for a cheap DIY stick-on covering. Cut the panty liner in half, then cut out 2 circles large enough to cover your nipples, keeping the paper covering the adhesive in place. Stick them on over your nipples with small bandages or surgical tape . Throw your DIY nipple coverings away when you’re done using them, making sure to peel them off gently. [1] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
- Like pasties, this method might not conceal hard nipples well under a tight shirt. Try it at home before you wear it out.
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Tape cotton balls over your nipples for another DIY solution. For extra coverage, place a cotton ball underneath a bandage or surgical tape to help conceal hard nipples. Simply flatten out the cotton ball, place it on your nipple, and criss-cross tape or bandages over it in an “X” pattern. [2] X Research source
- Keep in mind that this method may not conceal everything, so try using it when you wear thick, dark-colored fabrics.
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Wear reusable silicone nipple covers under thin fabrics. Scherer recommends nipple covers to her clients because “they stay on, they’re washable, and they’re virtually invisible.” [3] X Expert Source Dina Scherer
Wardrobe Stylist & Personal Shopper Expert Interview. 24 August 2021. These small, circular, or flower-shaped adhesive coverings are meant to cover only your nipples, so they’re a great option for low-cut tops and thin or sheer fabrics that might make your nipples visible. Stick the adhesive side onto your nipple and press it down gently. [4] X Research source- Wash the covers with gentle soap and water after use and store them in their original packaging for reuse. The adhesive will wear out eventually, but many covers come with a 30 to 50-wear guarantee.
- Check the product’s packaging for specific wear and care instructions.
- As Scherer points out, while these covers are “awesome,” they don’t work with every piece of clothing or provide support for your breasts. [5]
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Expert Source
Dina Scherer
Wardrobe Stylist & Personal Shopper Expert Interview. 24 August 2021.
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Try disposable pasties for a cheap, one-time cover-up. Like silicone nipple covers, pasties are placed directly over your nipple and stay on using a sticky adhesive. They’re cheaper and come in packs of 4-6 because they’re meant to be for one-time use. Some people prefer pasties because they’re less noticeable under tight shirts than silicon covers, which are thick and might stand out under a tight fabric. On the flip side, pasties might not be as adept at concealing your nipples when they harden. [6] X Research source
- Try both nipple covers and pasties to see which works best at concealing your nipples .
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Section 2 of 4:
Wearing a Bra to Conceal Your Nipples
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Wear a T-shirt bra to cover your nipples through everyday tops. To ensure that your nipples don’t show through regular shirt material, look for bras with thick fabric cups, typically called either molded bras, contour bras, or T-shirt bras. They won’t have a lot of extra padding, but the fabric will be solid enough to prevent your nipples from being visible. [7] X Research source
- Padded bras provide extra nipple coverage.
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Wear a strapless bra for more support in a backless top. A backless or strapless bra has two cups that stick onto your breasts with adhesive, rather than strapping around your back and shoulders with fabric. It often has a clip in the middle, like a front-clasping bra, that allows you to connect the cups for more push-up action. [8] X Research source
- To put on a strapless bra , bend over and stick the cup on the outside of each breast, then clip them together to create some cleavage.
- Wash the adhesive side of your bra after use with soap and water. Let it dry and store it in its original packaging so you can reuse it.
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Place a pastie or nipple cover under a thin bra for extra coverage. If you prefer to wear lacy bras or ones made of thin fabric, stick on the pastie before you put it on. You can enjoy the look and feel of these thinner bras without worrying that your nipples will show through. [9] X Research source
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Wear a nipple concealing bralette . This type of bralette is wireless, unpadded, and has flexible concealing petals built into each cup for modesty. It's stretchy, a cross between a sports bra and a bralette, and can be worn with street clothes and athletic wear.
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Section 3 of 4:
Using Clothing to Hide Your Nipples
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Wear a top that’s made of thick or loose fabric to prevent clinging. Thin, tight shirts can make your nipples more obvious. But, as Scherer advises, a loose T-shirt or a top or dress made of thick fabric can help conceal them without any extra accessories necessary. [10] X Expert Source Dina Scherer
Wardrobe Stylist & Personal Shopper Expert Interview. 24 August 2021.- You can also look for a double-layered top or dress, such as one with a slip attached or with a layer of lace over the chest area.
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Look for a darker shirt with a print to distract from your nipples. Light colors like white and pale pink will make your nipples more noticeable than darker ones, such as black, purple, and dark blue. Similarly, aim for small prints and floral patterns to camouflage your nipples, per Scherer’s expert advice. [11] X Expert Source Dina Scherer
Wardrobe Stylist & Personal Shopper Expert Interview. 24 August 2021.- Avoid tops that draw attention to nipples with darts or other structured elements.
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Wear an undershirt under a loose shirt. If your shirt is loose and flowy but sheer enough to show your nipples, try wearing a thin cami or undershirt beneath. Look for a color that will blend in with the shirt or your skin tone. You could also choose a color that complements your top and pull it out a bit at the bottom to layer your outfit colorfully.
- You can also try this method with tighter shirts, but the lines of your undershirt will likely be visible beneath.
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionAre nipple covers comfortable?Dina Scherer is an Image and Wardrobe Stylist and the Founder of Modnitsa Styling, based in Sarasota, FL. With over a decade of experience, Dina specializes in color analysis, style development, closet editing, and personal shopping. She helps her clients elevate their personal style and curate a wardrobe aligned with their lifestyle. Modnitsa Styling has been featured in Business Insider, the New York Times, The Strategist, Bloomberg, and more. Dina holds degrees in Advertising and Marketing, Fashion Merchandising, and a Certificate in Image Consulting from the Fashion Institute of Technology.They're pretty comfortable, especially compared to stick-on bras. They provide plenty of coverage without weighing you down.
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QuestionCan I wear silicone nipple covers everyday?Dina Scherer is an Image and Wardrobe Stylist and the Founder of Modnitsa Styling, based in Sarasota, FL. With over a decade of experience, Dina specializes in color analysis, style development, closet editing, and personal shopping. She helps her clients elevate their personal style and curate a wardrobe aligned with their lifestyle. Modnitsa Styling has been featured in Business Insider, the New York Times, The Strategist, Bloomberg, and more. Dina holds degrees in Advertising and Marketing, Fashion Merchandising, and a Certificate in Image Consulting from the Fashion Institute of Technology.Nipple covers are washable, so you definitely can. However, nipple covers might not be the best option for certain outfits, like dresses lacking chest support.
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QuestionI'm going swimming at school, and I'm afraid my nipples will show through my suit. It has a hole in the back so I can't wear a bra. Because the suit is body-tight, you can see the pasties. What can I do?Community AnswerTry sewing bra pads into the bathing suit; it will help with the nipple problem.
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Tips
- Pull off pasties and adhesive cups slowly. It shouldn’t hurt, but it might feel a little strange the first few times you wear or remove them.Thanks
- To give your breasts some lift without a bra, tape a strip of boob tape to the side of your breast and over your shoulder, like a bra strap. Peel it off slowly and carefully when you’re done.Thanks
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References
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22130-nipple-shield
- ↑ https://www.thewomens.org.au/images/uploads/fact-sheets/Nipple-shields-2018.pdf
- ↑ Dina Scherer. Wardrobe Stylist & Personal Shopper. Expert Interview. 24 August 2021.
- ↑ https://www.childrensmn.org/educationmaterials/childrensmn/article/17144/nipple-shields/
- ↑ Dina Scherer. Wardrobe Stylist & Personal Shopper. Expert Interview. 24 August 2021.
- ↑ https://www.aarp.org/entertainment/style-trends/info-2021/underwear-bra-every-woman-should-own.html
- ↑ https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/resources/bra-fit-guide/
- ↑ https://www.npr.org/2023/11/14/1196978231/find-a-bra-that-actually-fits
- ↑ https://www.thetechedvocate.org/how-to-clean-an-adhesive-bra-12-steps/
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