Comfort Choice Microfiber Wireless Tshirt bra

Comfort Choice is a brand that's been around for decades and has really upped its game in the past 5 years or so, with a large range of different styles and patterns. I bought this right at the start of quarantine - before I realized that I'd never be leaving the house, or that there would only be 3 sunny days this summer.

Beauty

Yep, that is one wacky pattern. It's called 'Pink Confetti'. Ummm, okay. It just serves to demonstrate how much I hate white bras that I opted for this instead. The pattern continues across the band and straps, a touch that's always appreciated. But fear not: there are much prettier patterns that, at the time, weren't available in my size, but are now. For e.g.



 

 

 

 

 

 

                 

 

 

 

Comfort & Fit

Band.  Soft microfiber - no crappy, harsh mesh in sight. Four hooks, but the band is not too tall, so it is not constrictive and doesn't roll. It does, however, provide significant support; I'd even say on par with an underwire. There are side stays, which I am on record as despising. They add nothing in the way of support, but do add serious discomfort. So I simply snipped a tiny slit near the band elastic and slid them right out.

Cups & Profile Shape.  Formed of medium thickness foam, the cups are generous and give a rounded, but not flattened, shape as expected in a Tshirt bra. They are also moderately low cut and with a nice sweetheart neckline that will work under scoop neck and V-neck shirts, giving you the option to show a little cleavage if desired.



There are no wires, yet I'm getting the same support and lift I do from an underwire, which is pretty impressive. The cup is meant for a balanced boob shape, but it is accommodating my very full-on-top shape and I think a full-on-bottom shape would do fine, though you might get more of a tear drop shape that follows your natural shape.

The cups mold well to my shape, and for me, that's a huge plus: I prefer a bra to conform to my own shape and enhance it. I do find them comfy. I forgot to take a pic under clothing, but the shape is very good. Comparable to an underwired foam Tshirt bra.



Straps.  Foam-padded, but not bulky. And you want that in a wire-free bra, as the straps will be taking on a bit more weight. They are very comfy and they extend enough for a tall person.

When Do I Wear It?

Any time I want underwire-level lift and shaping, and nip coverage, but don't want to wear wires. Normally I'd be happily wearing this to work under thin, clingy T's on warm summer days. But since I've been quarantining and working from home for 4 months, and our summer has consisted of endless weeks of 55F and pouring rain...

Since I can't test it under very hot & humid conditions, I don't know how well this bra will work for you in that type of climate - certainly not any worse than a traditional foam-lined Tshirt bra. But it is not spacer foam, which does work in that climate. Indoors with A/C, it'll be fine. You also get complete nippie coverage, if that's important to you.

Sizing.  42F. US, which means generous in the cups and snuggish in the band. This fits me like a 40G UK, or 40H Euro.

Price point. Full price is around $40. I bought on Amazon when it hit $25. The quality of construction is fairly high, so the price is very reasonable.

Review: Comfort Choice Wireless Lace Bra(lette)

Nutshell:  a bralette with the actual structure for big boobs.

 Beauty

Cotton fabric with a sheer lace overlay and deeply pretty lace from the neckline all the way up the front of the straps.

The straps really look good peeking out, which they will often do because they are very center-pull.

It's harder to see the lace on this deep green colorway, in one band size larger.

Also, the fabric is thick enough to minimize show-through about on par with spacer foam. 

Comfort & Fit

Cups.   Plenty of capacity. They are soft, heavy-weight cotton knit, and have just a moderate amount of stretch. Though V-shaped, they do not cut into my upper boob. They are meant for a balanced shape, though.

Straps.   Flawless! How often do you hear me say that? They really got these right. The straps are obviously expecting big boobs, so they are wide, flat, well-centered, with some stretch. And they are extremely pretty. When they peek out, it looks like you're wearing a camisole with a gorgeous V-neck.

Band.  Not impressed. It consists of a 1" strip of elastic. That's it. The same kind you find in the waistband of some brands of men's boxer-briefs. But just....bare elastic; without even that softish flocking on the inside. WTW? My husband won't buy men's brands with this feature; he dislikes it for the same reason I do. Why they did not cover this in fabric, for both comfort and looks, I have no clue. It's really out of place with the rest of the design, which has great detailing with the straps & lace overlay. 

Shape.   Surprisingly minimized. The cotton fabric is not super-stretchy, so you do get quite a bit of rounded flattening.

40DDD

 

42DDD

 

Minimized!

Compromises

Side Seams.  I did not except these unwelcome seams -but not as much as I did not expect that bizarre band. They are large and very raised. Not as horrific as the honkers in the Target Curvy Studio Bralette but they are the same type, and in 2nd place. The sides are quite tall and after 4-6 hours, this seam is starting to annoy me. Before that, I'm aware of it. This is the biggest issue for me, far more so than the poorly designed bare elastic band.

Band.  The design is just silly. Not really supportive, just annoying. There are 3 hooks, at least.

Uniboob.  It might look like I'm getting a little separation here. Uh, no. There is zero. Less than the other wireless bras I've mentioned, though separation is quite minimal in any wirefree bra. But this is definitely more bralette than bra. Your boobs will be in very close company. And the bralette kinda creeps down over time, so there will be a whole lot more cleavage then. The shape you get is not really wide, though, as the cups are thick. And oddly, the shape you see under clothing is not at all a boob loaf. So it won't look like you have a uniboob - but it will definitely feel like it.

When Do I Wear It?

I'm more likely to wear this to work than for lounging at home. The minimized shape is really useful for tops with structure and limited boob room. It is not my holy grail for bralette comfort, but it is certainly one you can wear out of the house because it gives a very acceptable shape. The irritating side seams keep this from being a truly comfy bra/lette for me. If you don't have sensitive skin, or are not bothered by thick, raised seams, this is a great choice for some actual support and comfort during travel. 

Sizing. 40DDD(F)  Sizing runs very large (even for the brand) in both band and cup, but especially band. 

I first tried a 42DDD because that is usually my size in Comfort Choice. Since their bands run tight (even when you allow for their +4 system of adding 4" to your own measurement) this size fits me like a 38GG. However, in this style the band runs very, very large. I dropped one band size, which gave me the correct cup size, but the band is still quite loose, even on the middle hook. It really doesn't affect support, which demonstrates how silly that flimsy bare elastic band is; clearly, most of your support is coming from the thicker cup fabric and those beautifully designed straps. 

It's difficult to give sizing advice that is not confusing, so the simplest way: Take your US/Euro size, in my case, 40H, and then drop 2 cup sizes, e.g. to a 40DDD/F which will give you a looser, comfy bralette fit. For a more supportive bra-type fit, try dropping 1 band size & 1 cup size, e.g from a 40H to a 38G.

In UK sizing:  Keep your band and drop a cup. (Straight across; don't try to convert back and forth between US/UK or use 1/2 cups). E.g. From 40G to 38G.

Review: Comfort Choice Wireless Lace Bra(lette)

Nutshell:  a bralette with the actual structure for big boobs.

 Beauty

Cotton fabric with a sheer lace overlay and deeply pretty lace from the neckline all the way up the front of the straps.

The straps really look good peeking out, which they will often do because they are very center-pull.

It's harder to see the lace on this deep green colorway, in one band size larger.

Also, the fabric is thick enough to minimize show-through about on par with spacer foam. 

Comfort & Fit

Cups.   Plenty of capacity. They are soft, heavy-weight cotton knit, and have just a moderate amount of stretch. Though V-shaped, they do not cut into my upper boob. They are meant for a balanced shape, though.

Straps.   Flawless! How often do you hear me say that? They really got these right. The straps are obviously expecting big boobs, so they are wide, flat, well-centered, with some stretch. And they are extremely pretty. When they peek out, it looks like you're wearing a camisole with a gorgeous V-neck.

Band.  Not impressed. It consists of a 1" strip of elastic. That's it. The same kind you find in the waistband of some brands of men's boxer-briefs. But just....bare elastic; without even that softish flocking on the inside. WTW? My husband won't buy men's brands with this feature; he dislikes it for the same reason I do. Why they did not cover this in fabric, for both comfort and looks, I have no clue. It's really out of place with the rest of the design, which has great detailing with the straps & lace overlay. 

Shape.   Surprisingly minimized. The cotton fabric is not super-stretchy, so you do get quite a bit of rounded flattening.

40DDD

 

42DDD

 

Minimized!

Compromises

Side Seams.  I did not except these unwelcome seams -but not as much as I did not expect that bizarre band. They are large and very raised. Not as horrific as the honkers in the Target Curvy Studio Bralette but they are the same type, and in 2nd place. The sides are quite tall and after 4-6 hours, this seam is starting to annoy me. Before that, I'm aware of it. This is the biggest issue for me, far more so than the poorly designed bare elastic band.

Band.  The design is just silly. Not really supportive, just annoying. There are 3 hooks, at least.

Uniboob.  It might look like I'm getting a little separation here. Uh, no. There is zero. Less than the other wireless bras I've mentioned, though separation is quite minimal in any wirefree bra. But this is definitely more bralette than bra. Your boobs will be in very close company. And the bralette kinda creeps down over time, so there will be a whole lot more cleavage then. The shape you get is not really wide, though, as the cups are thick. And oddly, the shape you see under clothing is not at all a boob loaf. So it won't look like you have a uniboob - but it will definitely feel like it.

When Do I Wear It?

I'm more likely to wear this to work than for lounging at home. The minimized shape is really useful for tops with structure and limited boob room. It is not my holy grail for bralette comfort, but it is certainly one you can wear out of the house because it gives a very acceptable shape. The irritating side seams keep this from being a truly comfy bra/lette for me. If you don't have sensitive skin, or are not bothered by thick, raised seams, this is a great choice for some actual support and comfort during travel. 

Sizing. 40DDD(F)  Sizing runs very large (even for the brand) in both band and cup, but especially band. 

I first tried a 42DDD because that is usually my size in Comfort Choice. Since their bands run tight (even when you allow for their +4 system of adding 4" to your own measurement) this size fits me like a 38GG. However, in this style the band runs very, very large. I dropped one band size, which gave me the correct cup size, but the band is still quite loose, even on the middle hook. It really doesn't affect support, which demonstrates how silly that flimsy bare elastic band is; clearly, most of your support is coming from the thicker cup fabric and those beautifully designed straps. 

It's difficult to give sizing advice that is not confusing, so the simplest way: Take your US/Euro size, in my case, 40H, and then drop 2 cup sizes, e.g. to a 40DDD/F which will give you a looser, comfy bralette fit. For a more supportive bra-type fit, try dropping 1 band size & 1 cup size, e.g from a 40H to a 38G.

In UK sizing:  Keep your band and drop a cup. (Straight across; don't try to convert back and forth between US/UK or use 1/2 cups). E.g. From 40G to 38G.

Review: Comfort Choice Cotton Everyday Wireless Full-Coverage Bra

Nutshell: A good, if unlikely, contender for a cotton, wire-free, wear it out of the house, option. And a bargain at $15.
 
I was familiar with this bra from years back. It's the much better designed cousin of this bra.

 Beauty

Not beauty, so much as fun. Loads of colors and prints. I opted for Violet Blossom.

Comfort

Fabric.  100% cotton. That's it. No spandex, no polyester, no nylon. Just a substantial cotton knit that is soft against the skin and very breathable. The only slight irritation I experience is from the seams beneath the piping running along the upper cup, but the seams across the boobs cause no irritation.

Band.   Quite deep and stable. Three-hooks, widely spaced. 

Straps.  On the thin side, they are center-pull, made of reinforced cotton in front, and connect to a regular stretchy bra strap in the back; no evil ring connectors. A wider design would be a nice upgrade.

Fit & Shape

Cups.  The whole design is very retro. The cups have full-on horizontal seams - something I normally avoid like the plague - but this bra is an exception. 

The shape is surprisingly good! 

I'm not quite sure why the seams work in this case, but they do. 

The shape is very rounded, and is not causing the usual pointy horribleness that happens when full-on-top boobs meet horizontal seams. 

 

    

It actually makes my boobs 
look like they are a balanced shape. 

The top of the cup is a single layer of cotton knit, with the bottom being a double layer. 

The wrinkling is not due to any looseness, but is just the result of what 100% cotton does, when not infused with spandex. 

The sides are nice & low, too.

The shape under clothing is pretty decent, certainly an acceptable shape to wear out of the house, & much better than the Natori Glance.
 

This is a thin cotton T-shirt & I really did not expect the Everyday bra to give this shape.

I'm very pleasantly surprised.

As a wirefree style, it can't give real separation, but it does not actively smoosh the boobs together as many styles do.

I am fine wearing this out & about. I also didn't think it would work under a low-V neckline like this since the gore is pretty tall....

.........but it does.

When Do I Wear It?

Pretty much anytime I want. This bra feels substantial on the body. It is not a lightweight, airy, super stretchy fit like the Glance. It is comfy, but in a different way. It's rare to find a bra that is 100%cotton-knit. And does not come in just frumpy white. It is definitely supportive enough for work. It's not as comfy as a Bali bralette, but it works well as a hybrid weekend bra: when I'm wearing jeans & T's, and alternately puttering in the garden and running errands.

Size: 42DDD (US)

Sizing notes: The cups run generous and the bands quite tight. This sister-sizes to a 38G (UK) or a 38H (US), but actually fits me like a 38GG (UK) or a 38I (US). The size range is huge, from 38-54, B-G. In reality, it's more like 34-50, C-J.
 

Review: Comfort Choice Cotton Everyday Wireless Full-Coverage Bra

Nutshell: A good, if unlikely, contender for a cotton, wire-free, wear it out of the house, option. And a bargain at $15.
 
I was familiar with this bra from years back. It's the much better designed cousin of this bra.

 Beauty

Not beauty, so much as fun. Loads of colors and prints. I opted for Violet Blossom.

Comfort

Fabric.  100% cotton. That's it. No spandex, no polyester, no nylon. Just a substantial cotton knit that is soft against the skin and very breathable. The only slight irritation I experience is from the seams beneath the piping running along the upper cup, but the seams across the boobs cause no irritation.

Band.   Quite deep and stable. Three-hooks, widely spaced. 

Straps.  On the thin side, they are center-pull, made of reinforced cotton in front, and connect to a regular stretchy bra strap in the back; no evil ring connectors. A wider design would be a nice upgrade.

Fit & Shape

Cups.  The whole design is very retro. The cups have full-on horizontal seams - something I normally avoid like the plague - but this bra is an exception. 

The shape is surprisingly good! 

I'm not quite sure why the seams work in this case, but they do. 

The shape is very rounded, and is not causing the usual pointy horribleness that happens when full-on-top boobs meet horizontal seams. 

 

    

It actually makes my boobs 
look like they are a balanced shape. 

The top of the cup is a single layer of cotton knit, with the bottom being a double layer. 

The wrinkling is not due to any looseness, but is just the result of what 100% cotton does, when not infused with spandex. 

The sides are nice & low, too.

The shape under clothing is pretty decent, certainly an acceptable shape to wear out of the house, & much better than the Natori Glance.
 

This is a thin cotton T-shirt & I really did not expect the Everyday bra to give this shape.

I'm very pleasantly surprised.

As a wirefree style, it can't give real separation, but it does not actively smoosh the boobs together as many styles do.

I am fine wearing this out & about. I also didn't think it would work under a low-V neckline like this since the gore is pretty tall....

.........but it does.

When Do I Wear It?

Pretty much anytime I want. This bra feels substantial on the body. It is not a lightweight, airy, super stretchy fit like the Glance. It is comfy, but in a different way. It's rare to find a bra that is 100%cotton-knit. And does not come in just frumpy white. It is definitely supportive enough for work. It's not as comfy as a Bali bralette, but it works well as a hybrid weekend bra: when I'm wearing jeans & T's, and alternately puttering in the garden and running errands.

Size: 42DDD (US)

Sizing notes: The cups run generous and the bands quite tight. This sister-sizes to a 38G (UK) or a 38H (US), but actually fits me like a 38GG (UK) or a 38I (US). The size range is huge, from 38-54, B-G. In reality, it's more like 34-50, C-J.
 

Review: Comfort Choice Perfect Coverage Cotton Wireless Bra

Nutshell: a cotton bra flop - literally.

I've mentioned my Princess & the Pea skin before. It's a huge factor for me in bra comfort - and clothing comfort in general. Occasionally, I experience a flare-up of eczema which is an obnoxious form of dermatitis: patches of dry, flaky, irritated skin form. Did I mention they itch intensely? For me, I only get one spot at a time, and they rarely get larger than a quarter; they hang around a few weeks, then leave as mysteriously as they appeared. 

Assuming I do nothing to irritate them, which can be rather difficult, depending on where they are. This time, it was on my side, right at the spot an underwire would end; I tried a lower wire....but then the elastic along the upper sides of the band rubbed the spot. It was almost the same spot where my old pal eczema visited me a year ago, where the (highly padded) crutches rubbed after my knee surgery.

So I knew what that meant: a wire-free bra, either super-soft microfiber or cotton. I knew I could rely on my  Bali Women's Comfort Revolution Wirefree Bra   (the name seems to change slightly as they keep adding new styles) but I also knew that if I didn't switch between styles every couple of days, I would just exacerbate the irritation somewhere else.

So I decided to try the Comfort Choice Perfect Coverage:

 

Yeahhhh, you're probably getting an inkling that it didn't go well...

I've actually worn the original version of this bra, the Everyday Full Coverage Bra, and while comfy and actually supportive, that version takes up an incredible amount of chest real estate. I mean, the top of the cups is literally only an inch below my collar bone; it's more like a seamed crop top. So I thought that the lower cut version would be less supportive, but very similar.

Yeah, no.

Comfort

The cotton fabric is soft and substantial, which was my main goal. The seams lie fairly flat, so wouldn't prove an irritant for most. The straps are just regular old bra straps, not even restricted stretch, which is a silly choice for a wire-free construction where the straps are naturally going to take more weight. 

Fit & Sizing

Although the size range is technically not that large (38B-48DDD, I think), in reality, I know that like many US brands, the band runs quite small, and the cups very large. So the size range is really more like 34D-44H. I tried this in a 42DDD, which should be the sister size of a US 38H, or a UK 38G. 

In reality, it fit me like a US 38J, (UK 38HH). Good grief, the cups run huge.

It fit especially badly on my right - larger - side, where the cup was inexplicably looser and downright baggy. That is completely empty space all along where the seam is. 

Even a smaller size would not have worked. The boob shape the cups are expecting would be very unusual indeed: very high-set and full-on-top (but only the lower 1/3 of the top, after which it would have to sharply curve inward and become totally flat), with nipples located right below the collarbone.

The band is actually fairly snug on me, but the cotton material is oddly thin - not the substantial thickness of the cups - and bags strangely along the sides. It provides almost zero support.

When Do I Wear It?

Not at all, unfortunately. The construction was so awful, the fit was so poor, and the support so lacking, it actually would cause discomfort by allowing the boobs to shift all over the place. More than an hour or so of that, and abrasion and friction would have created the very eczema issue I was seeking to alleviate. 

I ended up relying on my workhorse Bali's, the Anita Twin, and the occasional assist from my old Natori Luxe, for the two weeks it took for my skin to heal. 

If I were to try again with this style, I would opt for the old breastplate style, with its built-up straps and structure, in a 42DD...maybe even a 42D; the band runs very snug, and the cup increases are huge.
Size: 42DDD

Any eczema sufferers out there, with any success stories in bras or products that helped? I get no relief from cortisone cream, which is all that's usually offered, and have tried omegas and many naturopathic creams (aloe, comfrey, meluca honey, coconut oil) to no effect.

Review: Comfort Choice Perfect Coverage Cotton Wireless Bra

Nutshell: a cotton bra flop - literally.

I've mentioned my Princess & the Pea skin before. It's a huge factor for me in bra comfort - and clothing comfort in general. Occasionally, I experience a flare-up of eczema which is an obnoxious form of dermatitis: patches of dry, flaky, irritated skin form. Did I mention they itch intensely? For me, I only get one spot at a time, and they rarely get larger than a quarter; they hang around a few weeks, then leave as mysteriously as they appeared. 

Assuming I do nothing to irritate them, which can be rather difficult, depending on where they are. This time, it was on my side, right at the spot an underwire would end; I tried a lower wire....but then the elastic along the upper sides of the band rubbed the spot. It was almost the same spot where my old pal eczema visited me a year ago, where the (highly padded) crutches rubbed after my knee surgery.

So I knew what that meant: a wire-free bra, either super-soft microfiber or cotton. I knew I could rely on my  Bali Women's Comfort Revolution Wirefree Bra   (the name seems to change slightly as they keep adding new styles) but I also knew that if I didn't switch between styles every couple of days, I would just exacerbate the irritation somewhere else.

So I decided to try the Comfort Choice Perfect Coverage:

 

Yeahhhh, you're probably getting an inkling that it didn't go well...

I've actually worn the original version of this bra, the Everyday Full Coverage Bra, and while comfy and actually supportive, that version takes up an incredible amount of chest real estate. I mean, the top of the cups is literally only an inch below my collar bone; it's more like a seamed crop top. So I thought that the lower cut version would be less supportive, but very similar.

Yeah, no.

Comfort

The cotton fabric is soft and substantial, which was my main goal. The seams lie fairly flat, so wouldn't prove an irritant for most. The straps are just regular old bra straps, not even restricted stretch, which is a silly choice for a wire-free construction where the straps are naturally going to take more weight. 

Fit & Sizing

Although the size range is technically not that large (38B-48DDD, I think), in reality, I know that like many US brands, the band runs quite small, and the cups very large. So the size range is really more like 34D-44H. I tried this in a 42DDD, which should be the sister size of a US 38H, or a UK 38G. 

In reality, it fit me like a US 38J, (UK 38HH). Good grief, the cups run huge.

It fit especially badly on my right - larger - side, where the cup was inexplicably looser and downright baggy. That is completely empty space all along where the seam is. 

Even a smaller size would not have worked. The boob shape the cups are expecting would be very unusual indeed: very high-set and full-on-top (but only the lower 1/3 of the top, after which it would have to sharply curve inward and become totally flat), with nipples located right below the collarbone.

The band is actually fairly snug on me, but the cotton material is oddly thin - not the substantial thickness of the cups - and bags strangely along the sides. It provides almost zero support.

When Do I Wear It?

Not at all, unfortunately. The construction was so awful, the fit was so poor, and the support so lacking, it actually would cause discomfort by allowing the boobs to shift all over the place. More than an hour or so of that, and abrasion and friction would have created the very eczema issue I was seeking to alleviate. 

I ended up relying on my workhorse Bali's, the Anita Twin, and the occasional assist from my old Natori Luxe, for the two weeks it took for my skin to heal. 

If I were to try again with this style, I would opt for the old breastplate style, with its built-up straps and structure, in a 42DD...maybe even a 42D; the band runs very snug, and the cup increases are huge.
Size: 42DDD

Any eczema sufferers out there, with any success stories in bras or products that helped? I get no relief from cortisone cream, which is all that's usually offered, and have tried omegas and many naturopathic creams (aloe, comfrey, meluca honey, coconut oil) to no effect.