AISILIN Wireless Smooth Bra

Nutshell: a hybrid bra/lette that I liked more than I expected to. 

Beauty

A very sleek, seamless, non-embellished style. Completely smooth and undetectable under clothing. 

Comfort & Fit

Band.  Normally, I'm not a fan of tall, deep bands as I find them constrictive and confining, particularly when sitting. But this one is silky smooth, does not roll up and flexes while staying anchored. 

Cups.  Double layers of thick silky microfiber material, they are molded but not padded. This means you will get some gentle shaping and nippie coverage, plus a fair amount of lift without being boosted. 

The cup capacity is average and I am definitely using all available space, but my full-on-top boobs are not being flattened and I like the lower cut V-shape of the neckline. 

Straps.  Well-designed; nice and wide, they are integrated into the cup, while adjustable in back, and are capable of comfortably taking on the extra weight the straps on a wireless bra need to take. 

Seamless. This is a huge deal for sensitive skin. There are no irritating side seams or bunched strap fabric seams. 

Shape.  Very acceptable under a T-shirt. Softly rounded, lifted, but not push-up by any means. It looks like 'a lot of bra' but doesn't feel like it. That taller band is non-irritating because it is seamless, but also acts as an anchor to keep the ladies hoisted to a natural level, without wires. 

When Do I Wear It?

I'd bought this as a weekend option but have found myself reaching for it anytime I want moderate support and lift, especially with a lower or V-shaped neckline. If a strap does peek out it tends to look like a cami or another shirt since they are wide and tapered and the fabric is smooth and silky. And while microfiber is often not the most breathable of fabrics, the lower cut of the cups keeps me more comfortable. I don't overheat in this bra the way I have in some other laser-cut microfiber styles and reach for this one more often than similar style in a higher-cut rounded neckline. 

Price Point. Around $25 on Amazon. 

Size.  US sizing. So I went with a 42F, which is the equivalent of a 40G. I do not like tight bands and I wear this on the loosest hooks, which are in a 4-row column. 

Review: DELIMIRA Wireless Seamless Bra Unlined Bralette (Wacoal Awareness)

 Delimira is still out here making great generic versions of some very well-known - and moderate-to-spendy - brands. And still naming them terribly. This is version 2.0 of Wacoal's Awareness, the beloved OG wireless bra. II reviewed the older version here: Version 1.0

Beauty

This version has a lace overlay, which gives an otherwise plain style some subtle prettiness, and lies completely flat and undetectable under knit fabrics.

Comfort & Fit

Everything holds true from the original review except there is a lot more cup capacity in this newer version. Hurray! The fabric is still soft and comfy enough for a long day of wear. The straps are very basic, a standard width, and not too widely set. Despite the name, this is more bra than bralette and is fairly supportive.

Shape

Rounded, natural, not boosted. It's an acceptable shape for a wire-free bra and I do wear it under Tshirts. It gives some nip coverage, although the fabric is not thick at all.

When Do I Wear It?

This is a good all-rounder. The underband is soft and flexible so it's comfy for sitting at desk and is also supportive enough for more active pursuits. So any time comfort and support are more important than shape or separation. 

Size

42F  Delimira runs generous in the cup. My size in this brand for years was 40F, which fits like a UK 40G or US 40H. Now, I'm a bit.....fluffier, and opted to go up a band size.

Price Point

Under $25. Reasonable as per usual.

Review: SKIMS bralettes

Wow, did I really hate Wordpress. Took most of the fun out of blogging. So I'm going back to my cozy little blogger site; the equivalent of ditching a giant SUV and keeping your old VW Beetle instead.

Since I haven't worn underwire in two years now - and now, even my comfiest don't seem comfy enough - I continue with my bralette quest.

SKIMS

Nutshell:  Wonderful fabrics, but all styles run very small.

Fits Everybody Scoop Neck bra

This is indeed a universal style. The fabric is buttery soft and smooth and feels great against the skin.

The cups are not especially generous and I'm getting a bit of flattening of my full-on-top shape, but it's not a bad shape overall. 

However, it feels tight on. The band runs at least one size small. And the straps are thin and quite wide-set, so not all that big boob friendly. On the positive side, the color range is fantastic: a huge spectrum of nude shades and a changing set of seasonal colors, if, like me, beige isn't your bag, baby.

Fits Everybody High Neck bra

This is the one I had high hopes for. There are so many tops - wrap styles, I'm looking at you - that our smaller-cupped sisters can throw on with ease, but are instantly 'not work appropriate' if you're full-busted. This would be a perfect fix for that issue, without adding any warm layers.

Same buttery fabric. The racerback style negates the thin strap issue, but does give that feeling of extra weight on your neck, which I don't love and I wish they'd opted to wide the back into more of a tank top cut to distribute pressure and add support. 

The sides are low. I mean, I definitely prefer lower sides, but these are low. And, again, it runs small in both cup and band, but it's the band that's a dealbreaker; it's actually giving that unpleasant feeling of cutting into my skin. 

Cozy Knit bralette

And then there's this. It's the silliest thing I've tried since that wacky terrycloth boob sling. 

First off, it makes you look like a muppet.

And there is less than zero support. There is no band at all. Just a single piece of flat, ultra stretchy, winter scarf type fabric. There is no way you'd want to wear this on its own: the risk of popping out or flopping under is extremely high. 

Price Point

$32, which is a bit spendy for such basic styles, but the super soft fabrics and great range of color choices might make it worth it to you. Still, I'd wait for a sale.

Sizing XXS-4X

This is the main issue: all styles run small by a good one to two sizes. I would take the size chart with a very large grain of salt. 

For example, all the styles I tried are in a 3X. Per their chart, which helpfully references to dress size, but is inaccurate, this fits a bust of 51-53". Yeah, no. By that measurement, I should have gotten a 2X, but I just went with my gut and sized up. It was not enough. I'd advise going up two full sizes.  Because the fabrics are so great, I'd be willing to try a 4X, but I would be topping out their size range. 

Review: Harper Wilde bralettes

Nutshell: Disappointing

In my never-ending quest to find comfy bralettes to join my two stalwarts, Bali and 32 Degrees, I was excited to try out this woman-owned brand, Harper Wilde. I tried The Bliss and Luxe.

My hopes were quickly deflated.

Beauty

Sleek simplicity. Zero frou-frou. Just simple lines, silky fabrics, in very limited non-colors.

                The Bliss & Luxe

Fit & Comfort

Here lies the problem. Per the brand's size chart, I should have been well within the sizes range. I can only assume that the chart uses a definition of "inches" that is unknown to me.

The cup size in both styles I tried was vastly underwhelming. Vastly. Also, the brand seems to be aimed at a very specific boob shape and body type: full-on-bottom boobs and a narrow, fairly petite frame. Not exactly a universal approach.

The Bliss

Fabric is lovely and silky, but oddly, not all that stretchy. The effect is of an old school flattening sports bra. I get a definite uni-boob and no bounce at all. The usual problem of a soft fabric finished with rough seams is present, so I've flipped the bralette inside-out to make it wearable for me; when only the soft fabric is against my skin, I can imagine being quite happy with this style - if only the cups had more stretch and could handle boobs with any projection at all, let alone a full-on-top shape.

Luxe

I had higher hopes that this style might better accommodate fuller boobs, but was soon disappointed again. I'm only showing the side view as Luxe is completely sheer. The fabric isn't the satin-soft smoothness of The Bliss, but it's softer than expected for a mesh style.

Front-adjust straps are a practical novelty that I appreciate; it's a shame the straps aren't wider and restricted stretch. In fact, applying some of that stretchiness to the cups, rather than the straps, would be a big improvement. As it is, the rigid mesh cups are cutting into my upper fullness so badly, Luxe is neither comfortable nor wearable.

When Do I Wear Them?

Luxe, never. The Bliss...not very often. I'd say that if you're under 5'6", narrow-shouldered, full-on-bottom and looking for snug bands and supportive, less stretchy cups, then Harper Wilde might work for you.

Size: 3X

This should have put me well within the size chart, but I find both styles to run incredibly small and not accurate to the measurements reflected on the chart. Because the whole design seems scaled to a small-framed person , i.e. The Bliss' straps are quite short (& non-adjustable) and Luxe straps are very inset, I don't think sizing up would improve the fit for me.

Price Point: $50

At this price, I expected...more. And for a woman-owned company founded by women who couldn't find bras that fit them well, it's a bit ironic that the brand is heavily geared toward one specific boob shape and body type.