Depends on quality and fit..no hard and fast rule...I live in India and use local brands like DasiyDee, lovable etc. as long as it fits and is comfy I use it..sometimes the elastic wears off , or elastic part becomes too rough and irritates the skin, or hooks wear off, or the fit becomes loose and uncomfortable or the fabric itself looks slightly worn out..in such case I will dispose and replace..it really depends, some last for 6 months only while some for a year or more..I don’t usually go for very expensive brand, and have lot of weight fluctuations as per my body nature so I go for reasonably priced good quality ones.
The "like in India" used to be my search string for all apparel for so long. : ) Hanes and Fruit of the Loom come closest to the "like India ones, wire free, unpadded." They sometimes have a removeable pad which can simply be not used. Or, as I did many year ago, slip on the pad when collecting the car keys, purse and jacket on the way out to preschool, school or grocery. : ) Just one more thing to remember to take when going out.: ) : ) https://www.walmart.com/ip/Womens-Light-Lined-Wirefree-Bra-2-pack-Style-FT799PK/481276666 They match the criteria but don't provide much support.
Thanks for this link. So, do you all prefer padded or unpadded ones? Which one fits better and gives a good coverage?
Another question on this topic. @nuss ,@MalStrom and others. Do you wear bra at night? I wasn't wearing it. Thought of trying a cotton bra at night and used it for few days. It was so uncomfortable and stopped using it. Is there any recommended brand for night time bra? Is it advisable to sleep with or w/o bra?
Unless, I fell asleep in my daytime clothes...no, no bra at night. I used to wear soft cotton braletts while nursing. Those days are long gone!
I initially was having a tough time on what bra to buy when I moved to N.America. Didn't have any close friends to tip me on that though. I am smaller built and get overwhelmed by the choices in the departmental stores. Now I go straight to costco and pickup their calvin klein or maidenform ones with underwire and the recently found a carol hochman wireless bra which is super comfortable. All the bras get replaced whenever they wear out. I wash them in the mesh bags. and dry them in an Ikea clothes dryer stand I keep in my bedroom [I don't have a separate laundry room, so..]. They will dry pretty quick because the washer squeezes' out the water effectively.