Review: Cacique Intuition Uplift Plunge bra (another holy grail!)

So I am going to have to re-think my bias regarding foam-dome T-shirt bras. Because this thing is THAT comfortable. 

I actually forgot I was wearing a bra for part of the afternoon. There is no higher bra praise than that.

You'll recall that our recent heatwave exposed a big hole in my bra-drobe and illustrated that there are times when nothing will do but a skin-toned T-shirt bra. Thankfully, today we're back to 65F and cloudy, but during the long muggy hot spell I ordered several options, with varying success: Cacique True Embrace, Natori Hypnotic Contour, and last week's Prima Donna Divine. 

Nutshell: simply amazing in every way. Including the price.

Update: this review is accurate for the beige colorway only.  
See notes under Sizing and new pics below.

Beauty

Minimalist styling that truly disappears under anything. The fabric has a shimmery golden quality that is quite pretty, and so much more flattering than the sickly yellowy beige that is often called 'skin tone'. There is a tiny teardrop keyhole at the gore. It does come in other colors & prints.

Comfort

I'll admit that my expectations were set to low, especially after the comfort of the Natori Hypnotic. It's hard to beat Natori for comfort (hence why I've reviewed so many of them here) but they are often not the best for shape.

Cups.   They are memory foam. I have a memory foam mattress, and shoes with that feature - and I love both. But it had not occurred to me to apply that 'fabric' to my boobs. And when I first held the Intuition, my first thought was Wow - this bra is heavy. Like a mattress for boobs. My 2nd thought was: This weighty contraption is going to make my boobs look gargantuan & blocky. 

Then I put it on. 

And reassessed every opinion I'd previously held on foam domes. Because the comfort was blissful. I do not often tumble into hyperbole when it comes to comfort - because I just don't encounter it that often. Perhaps once every year or two I will talk about angels singing in relation to a bra. But I cannot overstate how comfy the Intuition is. My boobs felt cradled and secure. The gore is low, but not too low and I did not shift toward the center; it's medium width and actually tacks on me due to the low height.

Cups are geared toward a balanced shape; the tops lie quite flat and are unlikely to gape on full-on-bottoms (who may want to drop a cup size), while the memory foam molds itself to accommodate my full-on-top shape.

Band.  And the news just keeps getting better. This is the most comfy band I've ever felt on my body. It is two layers of thick buttery-soft microfiber. Every bit of the elastic is covered. It fits like a second skin, remaining anchored and smooth; it moves with you and does not chafe. It is not too tall, either, so that was another welcome bonus. It is a bandless style; along with the weight of the foam, I expected this bra to be a fail on me. But, amazingly, no. The weight of the foam actually supports the boob weight from below, while also cushioning the bottom edge of the wire, so although it is sitting right against your chest, it does not dig in. 

I had actually gone up a band size, since the True Embrace band was lined in power-mesh and ran surprisingly tight. As there is no dreadful power-mesh in sight, turns out I really didn't need to do that, so I wear this on the middle hooks. Still, I might have gone up a size anyway due to this next feature.

Wires.  They are low. This fills me with So. Much. Joy. I do not want side chub, back fat, or any part of my armpit involved in my bra cup. Instead, I insist that wires accommodate my own shape and not interfere with muscle or fluffy bits. These do that beautifully. 

Straps.  Padded, but not too wide or thick, they add another layer of comfort. They stay in place and move with you.

Shape. Here was the biggest surprise for me. The Intuition gives a great shape under clothing. It is actually the opposite of big and blocky. This is strange, wonderful magic.

Compromises

Heat.  The only one I can see is that you may not want to choose this bra if you live in a very hot, humid climate, say the American South. That's also the main drawback of a memory foam mattress: they can feel hot. I was very comfy in a normal air-conditioned building, but when I went to pull a few weeds on an 80F day with 80% humidity, I very quickly felt too warm. But those are not the usual conditions in which you'd be wearing this bra. 

When Do I Wear It?

Under super thin and clingy fabric, like modal or silk. You will get complete nippie camouflage, if that's important to you - personally, it's only important to me in a professional setting. More important to me: I get a very smooth line, with no double-bubble. It is actually more comfy than the Natori Hypnotic Contour which is already holy grail status for me, and gives a better shape, too. I would choose the Natori in very hot weather, if I was going to be outside, but when I want a perfect, rounder shape, and ultimate comfort, this is my go to.

Size:  42DDD/F. This is US sizing, so you just need to go with it. It fits me like a looser UK 40G or a Euro 40H. Cacique bands run tight; you do need to add +4 inches to your own measurement. Cups run generous and wires medium width. 

Update:   I bought this bra in another colorway, a pretty blue floral-on-white, and it has a completely different fit. 

This is the exact same size as the beige version, but I am basically almost tumbling out of the cups here. I would say they run a full cup size small in this colorway. The band is also about 1/2 size smaller.

I can hardly believe this is the same bra. It is definitely not as comfortable as the beige. I would expect this kind of sizing difference if it were a black bra, as the dye is known to make clothing in that color run smaller. But this...no. 

Based on the sizing differences I experienced with the True Embrace, I have to consider that Cacique sizing is very inconsistent. This is always annoying, but can make a brand impractical if you have to purchase exclusively online and cannot try each colorway, in each different style, in person.

Price Point: Full retail: $50. I paid $20 on eBay. 
And here is the perfect example of price having no correlation to comfort.

Review: Cacique Intuition Uplift Plunge bra (another holy grail!)

So I am going to have to re-think my bias regarding foam-dome T-shirt bras. Because this thing is THAT comfortable. 

I actually forgot I was wearing a bra for part of the afternoon. There is no higher bra praise than that.

You'll recall that our recent heatwave exposed a big hole in my bra-drobe and illustrated that there are times when nothing will do but a skin-toned T-shirt bra. Thankfully, today we're back to 65F and cloudy, but during the long muggy hot spell I ordered several options, with varying success: Cacique True Embrace, Natori Hypnotic Contour, and last week's Prima Donna Divine. 

Nutshell: simply amazing in every way. Including the price.

Update: this review is accurate for the beige colorway only.  
See notes under Sizing and new pics below.

Beauty

Minimalist styling that truly disappears under anything. The fabric has a shimmery golden quality that is quite pretty, and so much more flattering than the sickly yellowy beige that is often called 'skin tone'. There is a tiny teardrop keyhole at the gore. It does come in other colors & prints.

Comfort

I'll admit that my expectations were set to low, especially after the comfort of the Natori Hypnotic. It's hard to beat Natori for comfort (hence why I've reviewed so many of them here) but they are often not the best for shape.

Cups.   They are memory foam. I have a memory foam mattress, and shoes with that feature - and I love both. But it had not occurred to me to apply that 'fabric' to my boobs. And when I first held the Intuition, my first thought was Wow - this bra is heavy. Like a mattress for boobs. My 2nd thought was: This weighty contraption is going to make my boobs look gargantuan & blocky. 

Then I put it on. 

And reassessed every opinion I'd previously held on foam domes. Because the comfort was blissful. I do not often tumble into hyperbole when it comes to comfort - because I just don't encounter it that often. Perhaps once every year or two I will talk about angels singing in relation to a bra. But I cannot overstate how comfy the Intuition is. My boobs felt cradled and secure. The gore is low, but not too low and I did not shift toward the center; it's medium width and actually tacks on me due to the low height.

Cups are geared toward a balanced shape; the tops lie quite flat and are unlikely to gape on full-on-bottoms (who may want to drop a cup size), while the memory foam molds itself to accommodate my full-on-top shape.

Band.  And the news just keeps getting better. This is the most comfy band I've ever felt on my body. It is two layers of thick buttery-soft microfiber. Every bit of the elastic is covered. It fits like a second skin, remaining anchored and smooth; it moves with you and does not chafe. It is not too tall, either, so that was another welcome bonus. It is a bandless style; along with the weight of the foam, I expected this bra to be a fail on me. But, amazingly, no. The weight of the foam actually supports the boob weight from below, while also cushioning the bottom edge of the wire, so although it is sitting right against your chest, it does not dig in. 

I had actually gone up a band size, since the True Embrace band was lined in power-mesh and ran surprisingly tight. As there is no dreadful power-mesh in sight, turns out I really didn't need to do that, so I wear this on the middle hooks. Still, I might have gone up a size anyway due to this next feature.

Wires.  They are low. This fills me with So. Much. Joy. I do not want side chub, back fat, or any part of my armpit involved in my bra cup. Instead, I insist that wires accommodate my own shape and not interfere with muscle or fluffy bits. These do that beautifully. 

Straps.  Padded, but not too wide or thick, they add another layer of comfort. They stay in place and move with you.

Shape. Here was the biggest surprise for me. The Intuition gives a great shape under clothing. It is actually the opposite of big and blocky. This is strange, wonderful magic.

Compromises

Heat.  The only one I can see is that you may not want to choose this bra if you live in a very hot, humid climate, say the American South. That's also the main drawback of a memory foam mattress: they can feel hot. I was very comfy in a normal air-conditioned building, but when I went to pull a few weeds on an 80F day with 80% humidity, I very quickly felt too warm. But those are not the usual conditions in which you'd be wearing this bra. 

When Do I Wear It?

Under super thin and clingy fabric, like modal or silk. You will get complete nippie camouflage, if that's important to you - personally, it's only important to me in a professional setting. More important to me: I get a very smooth line, with no double-bubble. It is actually more comfy than the Natori Hypnotic Contour which is already holy grail status for me, and gives a better shape, too. I would choose the Natori in very hot weather, if I was going to be outside, but when I want a perfect, rounder shape, and ultimate comfort, this is my go to.

Size:  42DDD/F. This is US sizing, so you just need to go with it. It fits me like a looser UK 40G or a Euro 40H. Cacique bands run tight; you do need to add +4 inches to your own measurement. Cups run generous and wires medium width. 

Update:   I bought this bra in another colorway, a pretty blue floral-on-white, and it has a completely different fit. 

This is the exact same size as the beige version, but I am basically almost tumbling out of the cups here. I would say they run a full cup size small in this colorway. The band is also about 1/2 size smaller.

I can hardly believe this is the same bra. It is definitely not as comfortable as the beige. I would expect this kind of sizing difference if it were a black bra, as the dye is known to make clothing in that color run smaller. But this...no. 

Based on the sizing differences I experienced with the True Embrace, I have to consider that Cacique sizing is very inconsistent. This is always annoying, but can make a brand impractical if you have to purchase exclusively online and cannot try each colorway, in each different style, in person.

Price Point: Full retail: $50. I paid $20 on eBay. 
And here is the perfect example of price having no correlation to comfort.

Review: Cacique True Embrace Unlined Full Coverage Bra

We've had a rare heatwave - hey, 80F is actually pretty hot in a humid rainforest where summer averages 60F and A/C doesn't exist. So I dug out the three very thin cotton T-shirts I own, which exposed a big fat, skin-toned, T-shirt bra shaped hole in my bra-drobe. The Rosme Delicate Lace Misterious Rose works beautifully as my T-shirt bra under medium-to-dark colored tops, but not under light hues. At all. As I found out when I walked into the Ladies' at my office, with its helpfully blazing fluorescent lighting, and realized it was completely visible under the coral top I was wearing. Luckily, I have no contact with the public, so my co-worker & I just had a good laugh.

Cacique is a brand by Lane Bryant and they've really expanded their offerings in recent years, so I decided to give them a try. Although they are a 'plus' size range, unlike say, Elomi, their fit is actually more oriented to big boobs than plus sized. Their sizing runs from 36-46 C-H. However, bands run snug, cups large, so the effective size range is 32-42 D-I. 

 Cacique True Embrace  

(I opted for the non-T-shirt, 'unlined' style, which actually is lined).

 Beauty

Simple, sleek, pretty. 

The fabric has an interesting heathery shimmer. The bra completely disappears under thin knits. There is a nice bronzy-beige, but my size was not in stock, so I opted for this graphite gray. So, technically, that skin-tone hole is still in my wardrobe. 

Comfort & Fit

Cups.  This bra has the same cup construction as my previous favorite T-shirt bra. Like that bra, made (& sadly discontinued) by Triumph, the cups are a thick, 2-layer, knit fabric that is slightly stretchy and very supportive. This provides plenty of nippie camouflage for me and is much lighter than a foam-dome style. The cups are intended for balanced shapes but are only lightly molded and will conform well to all shapes. The top edge is smooth and not restricted, so it effortlessly shaped to my full-on-tops. On me, the medium-width gore soft tacks; on other shapes it will likely fit flush.

Wires.  I'm not as thrilled with these. They are a heavier gauge than I prefer -less thick & rigid than Elomi or Panache, but more so than Polish brands. They are also higher than I like. The thick casing does provide slight cushioning, but unfortunately, they did not continue the soft microfiber fabric on the inside so after a few hours, the thicker wire casing at the gore caused irritation. Wires are medium width, definitely not wide, which was a nice surprise, and another indicator that the brand is more full-bust than plus-size friendly. 

Band.  There's good and bad news here, and all of it comes down to personal preference. Some will love the very features that I don't care for. Such as the way the soft microfiber fabric of the band is lined with power-mesh, making it very stable (this thing will never stretch out). Together with the tall height of the band, it makes for a more restrictive fit than I like, especially when sitting. But if you like that type of support it does give a very smooth, lump 'n bump free line. But for me, a tall, firm band often equals chafing and irritation. I was comfy for the first 6 hours of my day, but then I was very ready to take it off. Next time, I will consider going up a band size (& down a cup) which will also drop the wire height slightly.

Shape.  Definitely T-shirt style, i.e. round and wide-ish. Shirts drape nicely, with only moderate projection.

Straps.  Nicely done. Very light padding, but on the narrow side, and I had plenty of room, so they are tall-friendly.

When Do I Wear It?

Under very thin, clingy knits when a disappearing T-shirt bra is truly called for. It does cause less boob-tenting than the less-round, more boosted, thin-foam Natori Pure Allure. And far less projection than the oblong shape of the thick-foamed Parfait Casey. 

Sizing:  40G (US)  This fits me like a (very snug) UK 38GG. This is my usual size in US brands, where, as I've mentioned many times, it's a reliable rule that bands run tight, and cups large. Rather than converting your size from UK to US, I'd suggest taking your usual UK size and sister-sizing one. E.g. If you are a UK 34H, then a 36G would likely be your size in this brand.

Review: Cacique True Embrace Unlined Full Coverage Bra

We've had a rare heatwave - hey, 80F is actually pretty hot in a humid rainforest where summer averages 60F and A/C doesn't exist. So I dug out the three very thin cotton T-shirts I own, which exposed a big fat, skin-toned, T-shirt bra shaped hole in my bra-drobe. The Rosme Delicate Lace Misterious Rose works beautifully as my T-shirt bra under medium-to-dark colored tops, but not under light hues. At all. As I found out when I walked into the Ladies' at my office, with its helpfully blazing fluorescent lighting, and realized it was completely visible under the coral top I was wearing. Luckily, I have no contact with the public, so my co-worker & I just had a good laugh.

Cacique is a brand by Lane Bryant and they've really expanded their offerings in recent years, so I decided to give them a try. Although they are a 'plus' size range, unlike say, Elomi, their fit is actually more oriented to big boobs than plus sized. Their sizing runs from 36-46 C-H. However, bands run snug, cups large, so the effective size range is 32-42 D-I. 

 Cacique True Embrace  

(I opted for the non-T-shirt, 'unlined' style, which actually is lined).

 Beauty

Simple, sleek, pretty. 

The fabric has an interesting heathery shimmer. The bra completely disappears under thin knits. There is a nice bronzy-beige, but my size was not in stock, so I opted for this graphite gray. So, technically, that skin-tone hole is still in my wardrobe. 

Comfort & Fit

Cups.  This bra has the same cup construction as my previous favorite T-shirt bra. Like that bra, made (& sadly discontinued) by Triumph, the cups are a thick, 2-layer, knit fabric that is slightly stretchy and very supportive. This provides plenty of nippie camouflage for me and is much lighter than a foam-dome style. The cups are intended for balanced shapes but are only lightly molded and will conform well to all shapes. The top edge is smooth and not restricted, so it effortlessly shaped to my full-on-tops. On me, the medium-width gore soft tacks; on other shapes it will likely fit flush.

Wires.  I'm not as thrilled with these. They are a heavier gauge than I prefer -less thick & rigid than Elomi or Panache, but more so than Polish brands. They are also higher than I like. The thick casing does provide slight cushioning, but unfortunately, they did not continue the soft microfiber fabric on the inside so after a few hours, the thicker wire casing at the gore caused irritation. Wires are medium width, definitely not wide, which was a nice surprise, and another indicator that the brand is more full-bust than plus-size friendly. 

Band.  There's good and bad news here, and all of it comes down to personal preference. Some will love the very features that I don't care for. Such as the way the soft microfiber fabric of the band is lined with power-mesh, making it very stable (this thing will never stretch out). Together with the tall height of the band, it makes for a more restrictive fit than I like, especially when sitting. But if you like that type of support it does give a very smooth, lump 'n bump free line. But for me, a tall, firm band often equals chafing and irritation. I was comfy for the first 6 hours of my day, but then I was very ready to take it off. Next time, I will consider going up a band size (& down a cup) which will also drop the wire height slightly.

Shape.  Definitely T-shirt style, i.e. round and wide-ish. Shirts drape nicely, with only moderate projection.

Straps.  Nicely done. Very light padding, but on the narrow side, and I had plenty of room, so they are tall-friendly.

When Do I Wear It?

Under very thin, clingy knits when a disappearing T-shirt bra is truly called for. It does cause less boob-tenting than the less-round, more boosted, thin-foam Natori Pure Allure. And far less projection than the oblong shape of the thick-foamed Parfait Casey. 

Sizing:  40G (US)  This fits me like a (very snug) UK 38GG. This is my usual size in US brands, where, as I've mentioned many times, it's a reliable rule that bands run tight, and cups large. Rather than converting your size from UK to US, I'd suggest taking your usual UK size and sister-sizing one. E.g. If you are a UK 34H, then a 36G would likely be your size in this brand.