But I recognized the style immediately: it is a very beloved bra by Wacoal called Awareness which comes in neutral colors and also a pretty jacquard print. Allow me to demonstrate my Generation X trivia brain: about 15 years ago, Whoopi Goldberg called it the most comfy bra ever. No, I cannot explain why that stuck in my brain.
Beauty
Delimira's version of Awareness comes only in basics -white, beige & black- in the plain fabric version. Wacoal's version is $60 and Delimira's is $15 and I find them almost equivalent in quality. So there's that. This is a very plain style that disappears under pretty much any fabric. There is a very narrow mesh strip down the center that is meant to provide some ventilation and breaks up the look of what otherwise resembles a crop top style.
Comfort
Very, very high. This is the most comfy wire-free bra I've tried in a long time. And it is a bra, rather than a bralette, though there is some overlap in those categories.Band. Wonderful. They solved the problem I often have with wire-free bras which is that the underband is either rough or constrictive. Not so here. The underband beneath the cups is quite narrow and it has stretch, so is not at all constrictive. But the best thing? It is lined with a soft fabric. No rough elastic edging or rigid fabric. This simple thing equates to a huge comfort upgrade.
Oh, but that's not all. The band is also low, so no cutting in when sitting and no chafing during range of motion. And even better: it is not made of crappy mesh. Nope. It's kind of a unique fabric, a textured, slightly open-weave microfiber that is soft and breathable.
Cups. They are double-layer and provide support without a lot of bounce. Just as the Wacoal does, these do run small and shallow. They are not designed for a lot of projection. If you are full-on-bottom, this likely won't present any problems and I doubt you would experience any gaping as the fabric has good stretch and will conform to your shape. I could actually use a cup up, but that will also result in less lift.
Straps. Wider in the front, and no ring connectors. Very comfy and supportive.
Compromises
Shape. You are not going to get any separation, which is just how wire-free bras roll. If you hate the feeling of your boobs being pressed against each other, my fave hack is to take one of those tiny, soft microfiber squares that are used to clean glasses, and tuck it right between your boobs. Feels soothing and eliminates that sticky, smooshed feel.I do get a soft, natural shape that is slightly minimized, and with minimal lift.
Here it is under a thin, drapey knit.
And for comparison, here is Delimira 'Ethel', the cotton bralette with projection, which gives a better shape, but I find to be a lot less comfy.
When Do I Wear It?
All the damn time. To work and on weekends. Whenever I want to go wire-free, and when comfort matters to me more than shape, the not-Awareness is what I reach for. Particularly when I want slightly firmer support than a bralette gives. The one time I would hesitate is under a snug, clingy T-shirt where shape will be in the spotlight. But then, that is the specific situation that T-shirt bras were made for.Sizing. After I sized up with Ethel-the-bralette, and it turned out there was no need, I stuck with my usual Delimira size of 40F. Hah - Psych! This turned out to the one time I actually do need to go up a cup, since this bra is so faithful to the Wacoal original, which only goes up to a DDD and definitely runs almost 2 cup sizes small. The good news is that while I am totally sized out of the Wacoal, that is not so with Delimira's version.
In summary, if you are full-on-bottom, you will be fine with your usual size (for the brand). If you are balanced in shape, you may need to go up a cup, particularly in the black. If you are full-on-top, definitely go up a cup.
