Nippies, pasties, nipple clamps, chains, breast bars and body jewelry: what are they for, what are the differences and above all, how to choose the right piece?
What can really be worn on the breasts? Much more than we think.
The bra is no longer the only starting point. Today, the breasts can be covered, framed, adorned, connected, structured or transformed by accessories that draw as much from lingerie as from jewelry and BDSM.
The problem is that a photograph does not always allow us to understand what we are looking at.
A metal nipple cover and a jewelry clamp may seem to belong to the same universe, while the former rests on the skin and the latter exerts pressure. A chain connecting two clamps does not behave the same way as a rigid bar passing through the breasts. A body jewelry piece, finally, sometimes does not even attach to the nipples: it works directly on the lines of the cleavage.
Before choosing, it is therefore better to understand.
Nipple covers, clamps, bars, jewelry: let's start with the basics
Each family answers a different function.
The nipple cover, pastie or nippie is placed directly on the skin. It can simply cover the nipple or become a real fashion accessory.
The nipple clamp attaches mechanically to the nipple. It therefore adds a sensory dimension to the aesthetics.
The chain clamp connects the two sides of the breasts with a flexible element. The chain brings movement and sometimes weight.
The breast bar or nipple bar on the contrary connects the two nipples with a rigid or semi-rigid structure. The result is much more graphic.
The non-pierced nipple jewelry can use an adhesive or a clamp and gives the effect of an intimate piece of jewelry without requiring a piercing.
The breast jewelry or body jewelry works on a wider area. It follows the breasts, the cleavage, the ribs, the neck or sometimes the waist.
The first question is therefore very simple: do you want to cover, decorate, feel, structure or dress?
Nipple covers: covering without necessarily wanting to hide them
The term "nipple cover" is quite misleading.
Some models are indeed designed to provide coverage. But in contemporary erotic luxury, many are precisely made to be seen.
The simple nipple cover: an alternative to the bra
A classic nipple cover covers the nipple without creating the volume of a bra cup.
It can therefore be very practical under a transparent top, a mesh dress, a jacket worn on bare skin or open lingerie.
The BRIGADE MONDAINE Varnished Nipple Covers represent this first family well. In shiny vinyl with a reusable inner adhesive, they offer a simple solution while maintaining a real visual presence.
For those who want more details, the BRIGADE MONDAINE Black Ring Nipple Covers add a central ring. We already move from a simple covering surface to an accessory that can be integrated into a more constructed look.
Leather pasties: a more fetish aesthetic
Changing the material is enough to completely transform the result.
The RE:STRICT Leather Pasties fit into a much more fetishistic logic. Leather brings a texture, a depth and a presence very different from vinyl or polished metal.
They naturally find their place with a corset, a harness or leather lingerie. RE:STRICT moreover builds its entire universe around this idea: leather is not only decorative, it visually structures the body.
It is a good example of how a nipple cover can complete an outfit instead of simply answering a need for coverage.
BORDELLE: the nippie as an extension of lingerie
At BORDELLE, the nipple cover works almost like an additional piece of the collection.
The BORDELLE Signature Nipple Covers are made of 24-karat gold-plated metal. They therefore directly take up the emblematic finishes found on the Signature bras, harnesses and other creations.
The result is particularly interesting with open lingerie.
Rather than covering the breasts with a classic cup, we can leave the breast visible while creating a point of light in the center.
The BORDELLE Signature Nippies O go even further with their 24-karat gold-plated decorative ring and their enameled finish.
With BORDELLE, the nippie is therefore not an accessory added afterwards. It becomes part of the lingerie vocabulary.
IINFYNII: when the nipple cover becomes a couture accessory
The logic is different at IINFYNII.
The IINFYNII NOCTIA Nipple Covers are made of polished gold metal and claim an aesthetic closer to fashion jewelry.
They can be worn alone or complete an open lingerie, notably the pieces of the ARIA collection.
Here, it is no longer really the notion of "cover" that dominates. The metal attracts the light and transforms the center of the chest into a focal point.
It is a particularly interesting solution for those who like very graphic silhouettes, with few elements but a strong visual presence.
INCARNEM: the nipple as the starting point of jewelry
With INCARNEM, we change another level of reading.
The INCARNEM Skin Silver Nipple Covers are not designed as simple pasties.
Made by hand from prints and worked according to the lost-wax casting technique, they reproduce the reliefs of the skin before transposing them into bronze then plated metal.
The result is clearly between body jewelry, miniature sculpture and intimate accessory.
Each piece has an irregular surface that directly recalls the skin. The metal therefore does not hide the body: it takes up its vocabulary.
The Skin Gold and silver versions then allow to choose a different visual temperature according to the jewelry, the lingerie or simply personal preferences.
With this type of creation, the nipple cover can perfectly be worn alone, under an open jacket or with a bralette.
QRUCIFIX: crystals, metal and movement
QRUCIFIX brings yet another answer: transforming the nipple cover into a real ornament.
The AURELIA QRUCIFIX Nipple Covers combine 18-karat gold-plated elements with a crystal pendant.
The difference is important: the jewelry no longer remains immobile against the breast. The suspended elements follow the movements of the body.
The SAFFIRA QRUCIFIX offer a more refined approach, in 18-karat gold-plated copper.
Two models can therefore have exactly the same function while producing a totally different effect: one approaches the mobile and precious jewelry, the other a more minimalist metal piece.
How to wear nipple covers and nippies?
It all depends on the outfit.
Under a transparent material
A nippie allows to keep all the transparency of a mousseline, a mesh or a tulle without adding an opaque cup.
A discreet model visually limits nudity. A metal or adorned model on the contrary fully assumes its visibility.
With an open bra
It is probably one of the most interesting combinations.
The bra keeps its structure around the breast, while the nippie occupies the center. BORDELLE works particularly well in this configuration, since the gold-plated elements of the different pieces can dialogue with each other.
With a harness
The harness draws the periphery of the chest. The nipple cover allows to add a point of interest in the center without weighing down the silhouette.
Under a jacket
A sufficiently worked nipple jewelry can become the only piece worn under an open or slightly open jacket.
INCARNEM, QRUCIFIX or IINFYNII take all their meaning here.
Nipple clamps: another family, another logic
With the clamps, we leave the accessory simply placed on the skin.
A clamp exerts a pressure. The mechanism therefore becomes as important as the aesthetics.
Two visually close models can have very different sensations according to the shape of their jaws, the contact surface, the adjustment, the weight or the presence of a chain.
Adjustable clamps: the best way to start
When discovering nipple clamps, the adjustment is probably the most important criterion.
The LIEBE SEELE nipple clamps exist in several interpretations, from relatively simple models to versions adorned with thorns, pearls or chains.
The LIEBE SEELE Heart Nipple Clamps, for example, have an adjustable mechanism allowing to gradually change the pressure.
It is much more interesting than a clamp whose tension is completely fixed, especially when we do not yet know precisely our sensitivity.
The principle to remember is simple: we never choose a clamp solely because it is beautiful.
The jewelry clamp: when the sensory accessory becomes adornment
LIEBE SEELE and BRIGADE MONDAINE also offer pieces in which the visual aspect becomes almost as important as the sensation.
The models with pearls, chains, bells or other suspended elements work a bit like earrings for the chest.
The BRIGADE MONDAINE Pearl & Chain Nipple Clamps perfectly illustrate this family.
The jewelry extends under the breast, follows the movements and attracts the gaze well beyond the only fixation point.
The interest is double: maintaining the sensory dimension of a clamp while obtaining a result that really accompanies a lingerie or an outfit.
What is the chain between two clamps for?
The chain is not only decorative.
It visually connects the two breasts, adds weight and accompanies the movements.
When the person moves, the chain also moves. Depending on its length and weight, this can slightly change the traction exerted on each clamp.
A very light chain will be mainly aesthetic. A heavier chain will have a more perceptible physical presence.
At LIEBE SEELE, some compositions also combine the clamps with a necklace. The ROSE GOLD Necklace with LIEBE SEELE nipple clamps thus creates a vertical line between the neck and the chest.
We no longer dress only the breasts: we start to structure the entire upper body.
Pressure and traction: it is not the same sensation
A clamp mainly exerts a pressure on the nipple.
A heavy chain, a weight or a traction system adds a force in another direction.
The UPKO Mystic Bond Nipple Clamps with Traction Chain are interesting precisely for this reason.
They don't just add more pressure. They introduce tension that changes with movement and how the chain is used.
This category is aimed more at people who are already familiar with classic clamps and want to explore a more technical accessory.
Breast bars: when a bar crosses the chest
Breast bars are probably the least understood accessories when discovering this product family.
A breast bar, also called a nipple bar or chest bar, connects the two nipples with a rigid or semi-rigid structure.
And this rigidity changes everything.
Chain or bar: what's the difference?
A chain remains flexible. It naturally forms a curve and follows movement.
A bar, on the contrary, maintains its line.
Visually, it therefore crosses the chest in a much cleaner way and creates a real horizontal axis between the two breasts.
It gives the bust a more architectural aesthetic, almost constructed.
Why does the sensation feel different?
With two independent clamps, each breast can move separately.
With a flexible chain, part of the movement is absorbed by the chain itself.
With a rigid bar, the two fixation points are more linked. A movement on one side can therefore be transmitted more directly to the other.
This is why a breast bar should not be considered a simple pair of clamps connected by a decorative element.
UPKO: the breast bar becomes a technical system
The UPKO Double Bar Nipple Clamps system goes even further.
The piece combines a double bar, adjustable tightening elements, and a complementary chain. The device also incorporates a vibrating function.
It is therefore very far from a classic decorative clamp.
This construction perfectly illustrates the difference between the families: the clamp acts on a point, the chain connects, the bar structures, and an UPKO system can combine several of these principles in a single piece.
Do you need to be pierced to wear a nipple jewelry?
No.
It is a very common confusion.
A piercing jewelry goes through a healed piercing. A nipple pad generally uses adhesive. A jewelry clamp attaches directly to the nipple thanks to its mechanism.
The INCARNEM, IINFYNII, QRUCIFIX and BORDELLE nipple covers therefore allow you to achieve a real jewelry effect on the chest without a piercing.
The LIEBE SEELE or BRIGADE MONDAINE jewelry clamps simply add a sensory dimension that adhesive does not produce.
And chest jewelry? Here, we change scale completely
Until now, we have mainly stayed around the nipple.
Chest jewelry works the breast or the bust as a whole.
It can go down between the breasts, frame the neckline, go under the chest, or connect it to the neck, shoulders, and sometimes the waist.
This is where we truly enter the world of body jewelry.
FUNGI Elica D'Oro: the chest becomes a jewelry support
The FUNGI Elica D'Oro creations perfectly illustrate this category.
24-karat gold plating, Swarovski crystals, mother-of-pearl, agate, jade, and other stones come to rest directly on the lines of the bust.
Creations like Forte, Queen Stone, Cross, Magic Green, Agate, or Stay Wild do not seek to reproduce the role of a bra.
They frame the chest and use the skin as the background of the jewelry.
This is an essential distinction: bust jewelry is not intended to support or cover. It builds a silhouette.
How to wear a bust jewelry?
On bare skin, it naturally becomes the main piece.
With very simple black lingerie, it immediately brings light and structure.
Under a jacket, it can visually replace a top.
With a very low-cut dress, it fills the space left free by the garment.
And layered over more complex lingerie, it can create a much more editorial silhouette.
IINFYNII and the body chain: drawing the body without covering it
IINFYNII also allows you to approach another family: chains and constructions that follow the body.
The logic is almost the opposite of that of the classic bra.
We add lines, metal, and sometimes leather, while keeping a large part of the skin visible.
The IINFYNII creations, which mix couture spirit, gold chains, and bondage-inspired constructions, thus allow you to work the chest as part of a more global silhouette.
The gaze no longer stops at the breasts. It follows the lines created on the whole body.
So, what to choose? The simple comparison
I only want to cover the nipples
Choose classic nipple covers.
The BRIGADE MONDAINE Vernis models fulfill this function while maintaining an unapologetic fetish aesthetic.
I am wearing a transparent dress or top
You can choose between discretion and jewelry effect.
A simple pastie covers without too much modification to the outfit. A BORDELLE, IINFYNII, INCARNEM or QRUCIFIX nipple pad on the contrary becomes deliberately visible under the transparency.
I am wearing an open bra
The nipple jewelry are probably the most coherent solution.
BORDELLE works particularly well when you want to maintain unity between the bra and the metal finishes.
I want a leather and fetish aesthetic
Look at the RE:STRICT Pasties.
They naturally work with a corset, a harness, or leather lingerie and bring a texture that metal cannot reproduce.
I want a real jewelry placed on the skin
INCARNEM, QRUCIFIX or IINFYNII are the most obvious leads.
INCARNEM works relief and sculpture. QRUCIFIX adds crystal and movement. IINFYNII offers a more graphic and couture reading.
I want to discover nipple clamps
Favor an adjustable model, especially at LIEBE SEELE.
You will be able to gradually adjust the pressure instead of starting with an imposed tension.
I want clamps that look like jewelry
Choose clamps with beads, chains or suspended elements.
LIEBE SEELE and BRIGADE MONDAINE offer several models that are precisely between BDSM accessory and intimate jewelry.
I want movement
The chain is particularly interesting.
It moves with the body and creates a flexible visual connection between the two breasts.
I want a graphic line that crosses the whole chest
Choose a breast bar.
The rigid structure connects the two nipples and creates a much stronger horizontal line than a chain.
I want something more technical
UPKO is the direction to look.
Double bar, traction systems, adjustments, and complementary mechanisms allow you to go much further than the traditional clamp.
I want to dress the whole bust
You are then looking for a chest jewelry or bust jewelry.
FUNGI Elica D'Oro and certain IINFYNII constructions allow you to work the whole silhouette, and no longer just the nipple.
Some tips before choosing
For adhesive nipple covers
The skin must be clean and perfectly dry before application.
Avoid applying oil or cream to the area just before, as this can reduce adhesion.
The systems vary by brand: reusable adhesive, replaceable strips, or specific fixation. You must therefore always consult the recommendations of the product sheet.
For clamps: do not immediately seek intensity
Sensitivity varies greatly from one person to another.
Start with moderate pressure and observe the sensations before increasing the setting.
Unusual pain, significant numbness, or an abnormal color change are sufficient reasons to remove the accessory.
For chains and weights
Do not forget that movement changes the sensation.
A chain almost imperceptible at rest can become much more present when the body moves.
For breast bars
Rigidity implies that both sides of the chest work more together.
The first movements must therefore be measured to understand how the bar reacts on the body.
For bust jewelry
Think about the outfit as a whole.
A very complex jewelry does not necessarily need very complex lingerie. A FUNGI piece on bare skin or with a minimalist bra can sometimes be much stronger than an accumulation of elements.
The chest no longer needs to be simply covered
This is probably the most interesting conclusion.
The vocabulary around the chest has considerably enriched.
It can be covered without a bra with a simple pastie. The nipple can become the center of a jewelry. A clamp can introduce a sensory dimension. A chain can create movement. A bar can build a rigid line between the two breasts. A bust jewelry can finally transform the whole chest into a support of creation.
These accessories are therefore not interchangeable.
The right choice depends on what we want to show, what we want to feel, and how the piece must dialogue with the rest of the silhouette.
See and compare the pieces at Brigade Mondaine
BRIGADE MONDAINE selects nipple covers, nipple pads, nipple clamps, breast bars, intimate jewelry, chest jewelry, and BDSM accessories from French and international creators.
The collections are available on our E-shop with sales and delivery in France, Europe, and internationally.
But this subject is also one of those for which seeing the pieces can really help.
Taking a metal nipple pad in hand allows you to understand its weight. Observing a clamp allows you to see its mechanism. Comparing a chain with a rigid bar immediately makes the difference between the two evident. And associating a jewelry with lingerie is naturally simpler in front of a mirror.
The Private Boutique BRIGADE MONDAINE in Paris 5th, Left Bank allows you to discover the selection in a confidential setting and benefit from personalized support.
Each private appointment allows you to discover the pieces far from the hustle and bustle of a classic store and take the time to understand what really corresponds to your desire.
Discover luxury jewelry and accessories
Discover the BDSM & Bondage selection
Book a session at the Paris Left Bank Private Boutique
FAQ: nipple covers, clamps, breast bars, and chest jewelry
What's the difference between nipple covers, nipple pads, and pasties?
These three terms refer to the same broad family of accessories worn on the chest. “Nipple covers” is the general French term. “Pasties” and “nippies” are often used for more decorative styles designed to be visible.
Can nipple covers be worn under a sheer dress?
Yes. They maintain the fabric’s sheerness without the need for an opaque bra. A discreet style simply provides coverage, while a jeweled nipple cover is intentionally visible.
Can nipple covers be worn with an open bra?
Yes. This is one of the best combinations. The bra frames the chest, while the nipple covers become the focal point.
Which nipple cover should you choose with BORDELLE lingerie?
BORDELLE nipple covers are designed with the same aesthetic as the Signature collection, notably featuring 24-karat gold-plated metal elements. They create a particularly cohesive look.
What is the difference between leather pasties and metal nipple covers?
Their function may be similar, but the look is very different. Leather offers a more textured, fetish aesthetic, like RE:STRICT. Metal adds more shine and makes the nipple cover feel more like jewelry.
Can nipple jewelry be worn without a piercing?
Yes. Jeweled nipple covers generally use adhesive, while nipple clamps use a tightening mechanism. No piercing is required.
Which nipple clamps should you choose as a beginner?
An adjustable style is generally preferable. It allows you to start with light pressure and gradually adjust it to suit your sensitivity.
What is the difference between separate nipple clamps and clamps connected by a chain?
Two separate clamps work independently. A chain adds a visual connection, movement, and sometimes weight between the breasts.
What is a breast bar?
A breast bar, nipple bar, or chest bar is a system that connects the two nipples with a rigid or semi-rigid structure. It creates a horizontal line across the chest and transmits movement from one side to the other more than a simple chain.
What is the difference between a breast bar and a chain?
A chain is flexible and moves freely. A breast bar retains its structure and connects the two attachment points more directly.
Why do some breast bars use two bars?
A double bar creates a more stable structure and allows for different ways of adjusting position and tension. Some technical systems, notably from UPKO, also add other functions.
What is a tension chain on nipple clamps used for?
It adds a different kind of force than the simple pressure exerted by the clamp. The sensation can then vary with the applied tension and movement.
What is the difference between nipple jewelry and chest jewelry?
Nipple jewelry focuses on the nipple or its outline. Chest jewelry covers a wider area of the breast or décolletage.
What is a bust jewelry piece?
A bust jewelry piece is designed to follow the lines of the chest and sometimes the neck, ribs, or waist. FUNGI Elica D'Oro creations notably use 24-karat gold plating, crystals, and stones to turn the bust into a display for the jewelry.
Can a bust jewelry piece be worn with lingerie?
Yes. It can be worn directly on the skin, with a bra, bodysuit, harness, or layered over clothing.
How do you make adhesive nipple covers stay in place?
They must be applied to clean, dry skin free of oil or cream. The type of adhesive then depends on the style and brand.
Where can you see nipple covers, clamps, and chest jewelry in Paris?
The BRIGADE MONDAINE Private Boutique is located in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, on the Left Bank. It offers a selection of luxury erotic lingerie, nipple covers, clamps, chest jewelry, and BDSM accessories in a discreet setting.
Does Brigade Mondaine ship these accessories internationally?
Yes. BRIGADE MONDAINE offers its collections online, with sales and shipping in France, Europe, and internationally, subject to the terms available for each destination.
