Review: Parade bralettes

Nutshell: not enough cup capacity if you're above an E or mayyyyybe an F. Certainly not if you're full-on-top.

I tried 3 styles, though I'm only including pics for two, because the 3rd literally did not cover enough of my boobs to make a pic I could comfortable post. 

The first is a V-neck pullover style; no hooks. A fun dity floral print

                               Wow, is it ever snug and flattening 

In this angle you can see the girls are ready to make a break for freedom.

Fabric is soft and stretchy, but there just isn't enough of it - certainly not enough depth - to accommodate any real projection. 

This square neckline style, with adjustable straps and hook closure, was the only bralette that really worked for me. But it's not ideal and has the same issue of really underwhelming cup capacity.

Buttery soft fabric and a wide, satin covered underband make this very comfy. Straps are wide, but sadly, way too stretchy. Which , together with the underwhelming cup capacity, allows the boob weight to slowly drag the front down until the double-bubble situation is ridiculous and visible under shirts. 

I only wear this in the house as I'd be required to constantly readjust it out in public. 

Sizing: They have 1x-3x, which only goes up to a D cup. And then 1-3+ which stops at 40-band but is supposed to fit up to an F-cup.

I am topping out at the 3+. Band runs loose, so sister-sizing won't be useful here.

If you are DD/E or under,  and full-on-bottom, this might be a great option for you as the fabrics are higher quality and the price point is a reasonable $25-30.. 

Review: Warner's No Side Effects Lightly Lined T-shirt Bra

This offering from a brand I haven't worn since high school is going to be a love it or hate it style. Spoiler: I kinda love it.

Beauty

No Side Effects bra comes in the usual neutrals plus a couple of soft shades. This is Daybreak, a muted violet that I really like. There are also leopard-print accents along the sides and the back. Not something I normally would go for, but I don't hate it here.

Comfort & Fit

CUPS.  I wasn't sure I'd like these, as I'm not a huge fan of foam and these are not those removable frisbee discs that are so annoying and useless for big boobs. Nope. The medium thickness foam is molded and provides most of the support and shaping. Plenty of capacity and the shape is not rigid so can accommodate my full-on-top boobs.

SHAPE. What I'd consider a good one. Lifted & rounded, but not bubble-mound T-shirt round. There's a definite apex.

BAND.  This is another love or hate it feature. The sides are a unique graceful crossover design. And very low. This is so that you can wear sleeveless tops. If you are into tall bands and side containment, you will hate this. I, however, love it.

Best Feature:  there is no biting, scratchy elastic edging anywhere on this bra! That leopard-print bit is a narrow satiny panel that sits smoothly all along the edge of the cups and band where elastic edging would usually be. This increases comfort dramatically. 

Compromise:  Straps. They're a bit narrower than I'd prefer and also non-adjustable. They're juuuust long enough for me and I'm 5'8". If you're medium-ish height, say, between 5'4"-5'7", I don't think this will cause any issues for you. 

When Do I Wear It?

When I want to be comfy for a long time, but look like I'm wearing underwire. I.e. more lift & definition than a bralette would give. So under a form-fitting shirt, or a light-colored blouse that highlights the bust. 

Under a T

And with a medium-weight sweater

SIZING.  2XL. Per the Warner size chart, this fits a 42DD. My actual size is a UK 40G or US 40H. 

Since US cup sizes often run generous, I'm getting a good fit here, basically like a US 42DDD or UK 42F. If you are very full-on-bottom in shape, consider sizing down one. 

Unlike most of my US bralettes, like Bali, the band on this does not run snug. I can wear this on the middle hooks. So I wouldn't advise sizing upward if you're above a UK G cup, unless you have a larger band size like 44-up.

PRICE POINT. Full price is $35. Yeah, don't be silly. Wait until it goes under $25. 

My Favorite Bra Hacks for Comfort

This is a post I did 5 years ago, running through all of my favorite bra hacks to troubleshoot all kinds of issues and increase your comfort. 

Enjoy.

How To Get Comfy 

Review: Anita Rosa Faia Twin Wire-Free

 It's now been 3 years since I've worn underwire. Along with working from home, it's the other good thing to come out of the pandemic. Comfort was always my top priority and now I'm at the point where even my comfiest underwired bras are only comfy-ish. But the lack of wires alone does not guarantee comfort for me. 

I decided to revisit an old friend: Anita. German-made, well-designed. The wired version of this bra is incredibly comfy - and was the first bra I reviewed on this blog back in 2015. Let's do the categories, shall we?

Beauty

Sleek, clean lines. Zero frou frou. Anita as a brand is pretty understated; you'll find a range of skin tones plus black, white, and perhaps gray or navy. They occasionally bring out a pretty shade like the coral I have. They also have the Twin Art, which is a patterned version: always subtle and muted. This colorway is Rosewood, a soft pinky-taupe. 

Comfort & Fit

Fabric.  A wonderful silky microfiber with 30% spandex, which is double the usual US bra and triple the average UK bra. That means you'll get a second skin fit that conforms to your shape and moves with your body. If you experience PMS tenderness or swelling, high spandex fabric is your BFF; it's comforting and soothing.

Cups & Shape.  Great cup capacity and designed for an even shape. I get no cutting in with my full-on-tops and the moderately projected shape means you'll get a lifted but not boosted, nicely rounded profile that's very T-shirt friendly. They're double-layer, so you'll get a little extra nippie coverage.

Band.  Runs snug. When I was a 36GG, a 40 band fit well. It is the same soft fabric; no yucky harsh mesh. Band anchors well without being tall or compressive, which I really appreciate.

Straps.  Wide in the front, tapering and adjustable in back. They're comfy and help distribute the weight nicely. 

When Do I Wear It?

Whenever I would've reached for underwire in the Before Times. So out in public mostly, when I want more lift and shaping than most bralettes can give, but still be almost as comfy as a bralette. 

Sizing.  42F  The wire-free version of the Twin runs a little looser in the band and larger in the cup. So in the wired version I wore a 40H, and now that I'm a bit fluffier, a 42G. But in the wire-free I've dropped down a cup size. If your shape is full-on-bottom, you'll definitely need to drop down a cup.  

Price point.  Full price runs $72. I wait until the price hits around $50. Anita rarely falls below that price and it's certainly worth it. 

Review: Curvy Kate In My Dreams Bralette

I hardly know where to start, but In My (Bad) Dreams would be a more accurate name for this travesty of a bralette. It's the worst thing I've ever tried from Curvy Kate - and that includes their standard balconettes with the non-stretch upper cups that that give a bizarre squared-off, ski slope shape. Behold:

Beauty

Ummmm. If wadded up, saggy, wrinkly fabric that resembles nothing so much as aqua-colored elephant skin is your thing, then this is lovely. 

Comfort & Fit

CUPS.  These run absolutely huge. There is a massive amount of loose space in the upper cup, which is something I don't believe I've said on this blog. In the History of Ever.

And what are those strangely floppy strips just wandering around my chest? Well might you ask. I know I did.

Those are meant to separate your boobs and, I suppose, reduce boob sweat and increase comfort. Great idea. Wacky execution

SUPPORT

Well, none. The whole structure is so loose and floppy that it negates any support. The fabric is a rigid poly-blend that has no stretch so it's the opposite of form-fitting and does not feel particularly nice against the skin. 

I tried wearing it under a looser sweater and it didn't look as terrible as expected, but it wasn't very comfy, and I literally tossed it into the trash after one wearing. There is obviously a good reason it is on sale, and wasn't worth the hassle of returning

BAND.  A surprisingly narrow 2-hook band, but the straps connect with large pyramid-shaped panels of mesh, so it's more stable than expected. 

When Might Someone Who Is Not Me Wear It?

If you need a very large cup size and normally don't get a good fit in CK, say a J or K, you might easily fit into this supposed G-cup - and at a bargain price. 

Pricepoint & Sizing

I tried this in a 40G UK. I know. Hard to believe. On sale it was around $30.