Cup Shape
There are a couple of different shapes a cup can have, independent of the coverage level, in other words there are both half cup balconettes and full cup balconettes. In bras with seamed cups it is quite easy to identify the shape based on how the cup is constructed with different parts and seams, but in molded bras it can be more difficult as the shape is usually less obvious.
Balconette
There is some confusion around the balconette cut. What you can go by: A balconette's straps are attached at the very side of the cup, not leaving much space there for your breasts. Thereby it lifts your breasts forward as much as possible, creating a "balcony" of sorts, while still separating them which creates cleavage. A balconette might be molded, but has very often seamed cups. It then usually either has vertical seams, which is most common in half cup balconettes, or a three-piece cup construction with a big side panel.
Examples:
Push-Up
A push-up bra is a bra that is designed to make your breasts look bigger: It achieves this by pads, often sewn-in, sometimes made out of gel. It can be in any cut, though plunge bras are the most common. A lot of women who always or mostly wore push-up bras report similar or better effects on their breast shape by well-fitted bras. Removable pads can be used to even out asymmetry.Examples:
Further reading:
Minimizer
Minimizers work by compressing your breast tissue and pushing it to the sides and under your armpits. They’re designed to make your breasts look smaller, while the extra breast tissue under the arm makes the ribcage look wider. Very similarly to push-ups, they may distort your breast tissue when worn for extended periods of time.
To all women who think there are only minimizer bras in their size: Your size is totally normal! You don’t have to wear minimizer bras! There are lots of options for you. :)
Examples: