My Favorite Bra Comfort Hacks

If you read this blog, you'll know that comfort is my priority. And comfort and 'proper' fit often are not found together in the same bra. Not everyone has the time, energy, or money to make an obsessive quest hobby out of the search for holy grail bras. Sometimes, you simply have to make do with what you can find at an affordable price. The brand Delmira is a particularly good bet for this. Their bras are all versions of very popular bras from many different brands. So, if you liked a specific style, that gives you a starting place. 

Now, how do you go about bra-hacking your way to more comfort?

Determine exactly what is making you uncomfortable

•  Wires digging in at the sides

If neither band or cup are too tight, then this is likely the result of a 2-dimensional flat wire meeting 3-dimensional curvy, fluffy bits. 

Hack:   Bend the tips of the outer wire slightly outward, away from your body. It's best to do this while actually wearing the bra so you can feel exactly when you've reached the right angle. I do this on maybe 70% of my bras.

• Wires poking you in the armpit

You will often read that this means your band is too loose. Yeah, I strongly disagree. It's more likely that the wires are just too damn tall for comfort, and the result of a design philosophy that prioritizes containment. Hello, Panache. Wacoal is also a repeat offender.

Hack:  There's nothing you can do to fix an actual bra you already own, save remove the underwires and turn it into a wireless bra. This works best when it has wide, non-stretchy straps, and a firm band, since that's where much of the support will be. 

However, if you're in the try-on stage, sister-sizing is the hack to try. Go UP a band and down a cup. Although the cup volume is the same, this will often drop the wire height. It isn't true across all brands, but it meets the rule-of-thumb criteria: it is true 80% of the time.

Consider Polish and other Euro brands. Rosme in particular, shines with its lower-height wires. Anita is another brand that has some lower-height wire styles like the Pure Allure.

• Wires are digging into your chest/solar plexus

This is often caused by three things, sometimes combined in an unholy trifecta:  the bra has no underband, cups are shallow at the bottom, and you are short-waisted. I experienced this issue with these bandless Glamorise and Comexim styles.

Hack:  If you otherwise love the bra, try a bra-liner; the soft, padded fabric will provide cushioning and substitute for an underband. 

In terms of future shopping, you'll now know to avoid bandless, shallow-cupped styles. You also may want to try designs that dip up beneath the gore and put less pressure there.

• Bra fits well but the wires are just uncomfy in general

This is usually due to the wire type and shape of that specific bra brand being a total mismatch for your shape. 

Hack:  You cannot make these wires more comfy. Focus on avoiding the issue in the future: If the wire is super thick, sturdy and rigid, like Elomi, Panache, and Felina Paramour, then you know to strike those brands from your comfort list and look for softer, gentler wires. If you are getting chafing on your side/underarm area, check to see if the wire has the Nike swoop shape, as many UK brands do. If so, look for an upright U-shaped wire that stays close to the boob and does not wing back toward your side. Polish brands, and Euro brands in general, are a good bet for this. Even most US brands tend toward the U-shape.

• Harsh seams that are irritating

Hack:  If it is a bralette: flip it inside out. I do this on most of mine if they are crop top style. If it is cup seams that are irritating, that's non-fixable. 

• Bra has those mini-vampire stakes, also known as side-stays

These just suck as a life philosophy. There are very few that I can tolerate, and these are very soft and flexible, such as Empriente's. More often, you get get something like this:

  


Hack:  You do not have to put up with that. Rip them the fuck out. However you have to. Most of the time, I use scissors to make the tiniest snip I can in the bottom of the casing (that vertical strip of fabric that covers the little plastic torture device) where it meets the band and just slide them right out. Victory for Comfort: Achieved.

However, there are a couple of brands -Freya being the worst I've seen- where those nasty little suckers are actually sewn into the band. When, after a prolonged and bloody battle, you succeed in getting them out, you will see that they have three tiny holes -at each end!- where the thread attaches. Back when I still put up with brands that do this, I would make two small snips, then take a seam-ripper and blindly saw it back and forth at each end of the stay until I cut through all the threads. The only bra that ever was worth going into combat like that was the Freya Jolie.

• Scratchy lace

Hack:  First, always, always, always, wash a new bra before you wear it. You want to remove any fabric starch and processing chemicals. If it's still scratchy:
Do a loooong soak in fabric softener or hair conditioner. I add 1/2 capful to just enough warm water to cover the bra, then leave it there for at least 2 or 3 hours. Rinse. This is successful about 50% of the time for me. it's always worth a try before tossing a bra. That worked for the La Isla.

• Back Clasp is irritating/scratchy

Figure out which of these two things it is: the edges of the fabric are sharp and stiff, or, the fabric of the hook portion does not extend enough to completely cover the hooks, allowing them to scrape your back.

Hack:  For stiff clasp fabric, the fabric softener soak is not usually effective, and I resort to tucking a folded tissue beneath it. However, for the 2nd problem, the easiest fix is to simply fasten your bra on the middle hooks. If the band is too snug for that, then, after you wash the bra - while it is still wet - gently stretch the band out a bit. Do this one side at a time, so you don't distort the wires. This works best on a non-mesh band, though I have used this hack successfully on them too. It worked perfectly on the Rosme Rosabel. 

• Straps are irritating

I find this is usually due to a cheap, scratchy elastic being used and was a problem with almost every Curvy Kate I've ever had. 

Hack:  You really can't fix this. But you can mitigate it, to varying degrees, by loosening the straps. I'm not a fan of wearing straps super-tight for 'lift'. It creates a lot of discomfort, and, if your band fits, it is generally just a sign that you need to drop a cup size. 

• Bra fits well enough, but you're drooping

This is often an issue when you're between sizes, so you've gone up one, or, you've opted for the cup size that fits your bigger boob - which conventional wisdom advises you to do. 

Hack:  Yeah I'd advise doing the opposite: try fitting your smaller boob. Sometimes putting up with a little double-bubble is totally worth the trade-off in increased comfort. That was the case for me with the Delmira Floral Lace bra:

40G

In this case, dropping a cup gave me much better lift and significantly dropped the wire height. 

40F

The 40G might, arguably, be a better 'technical' fit, but that's irrelevant to what is the comfy, and therefore, the right fit, for me. 

• You are forced to settle for a white bra in your size

I realllly hate white bras. They are just useless in my wardrobe. They absorb color-rub from bright cotton fabrics, and don't even work for white blouses, which require a skin-tone bra to disappear. But if that's your only option in the style you want....

Hack:  Dye it. And if you are too lazy to dye it properly, with RIT, or, you have sensitive skin and that's a no-go, then use food coloring along with a squirt of lime juice or vinegar. Pretty much as you would with Easter eggs. I've done this many times and particularly liked the results of the pastel food dyes. 

Note: this won't work on cotton or all-polyester. The fabric needs to be have some blend of nylon to absorb the food coloring. Blends result in tonal effects, which are fun. I have a few old pics of this, such as this muted violet from mixing pink/blue, this once-bright blue (that is also a cautionary tale on why you cannot dry them in sunlight) and this pale pink, faded after 4 years. Basically, embrace your inner finger-painter and release any need for perfection, and this is a lot of fun. Plus, no matter how badly it turns out, it will still be better than a blinding granny-white bra.

There are many more advanced hacks you can do, some that practically re-make the bra, if you are seamstress inclined - which I am not, at all. If you have any simple comfort hacks I've missed, by all means, share them!

My Favorite Bra Comfort Hacks

If you read this blog, you'll know that comfort is my priority. And comfort and 'proper' fit often are not found together in the same bra. Not everyone has the time, energy, or money to make an obsessive quest hobby out of the search for holy grail bras. Sometimes, you simply have to make do with what you can find at an affordable price. The brand Delmira is a particularly good bet for this. Their bras are all versions of very popular bras from many different brands. So, if you liked a specific style, that gives you a starting place. 

Now, how do you go about bra-hacking your way to more comfort?

Determine exactly what is making you uncomfortable

•  Wires digging in at the sides

If neither band or cup are too tight, then this is likely the result of a 2-dimensional flat wire meeting 3-dimensional curvy, fluffy bits. 

Hack:   Bend the tips of the outer wire slightly outward, away from your body. It's best to do this while actually wearing the bra so you can feel exactly when you've reached the right angle. I do this on maybe 70% of my bras.

• Wires poking you in the armpit

You will often read that this means your band is too loose. Yeah, I strongly disagree. It's more likely that the wires are just too damn tall for comfort, and the result of a design philosophy that prioritizes containment. Hello, Panache. Wacoal is also a repeat offender.

Hack:  There's nothing you can do to fix an actual bra you already own, save remove the underwires and turn it into a wireless bra. This works best when it has wide, non-stretchy straps, and a firm band, since that's where much of the support will be. 

However, if you're in the try-on stage, sister-sizing is the hack to try. Go UP a band and down a cup. Although the cup volume is the same, this will often drop the wire height. It isn't true across all brands, but it meets the rule-of-thumb criteria: it is true 80% of the time.

Consider Polish and other Euro brands. Rosme in particular, shines with its lower-height wires. Anita is another brand that has some lower-height wire styles like the Pure Allure.

• Wires are digging into your chest/solar plexus

This is often caused by three things, sometimes combined in an unholy trifecta:  the bra has no underband, cups are shallow at the bottom, and you are short-waisted. I experienced this issue with these bandless Glamorise and Comexim styles.

Hack:  If you otherwise love the bra, try a bra-liner; the soft, padded fabric will provide cushioning and substitute for an underband. 

In terms of future shopping, you'll now know to avoid bandless, shallow-cupped styles. You also may want to try designs that dip up beneath the gore and put less pressure there.

• Bra fits well but the wires are just uncomfy in general

This is usually due to the wire type and shape of that specific bra brand being a total mismatch for your shape. 

Hack:  You cannot make these wires more comfy. Focus on avoiding the issue in the future: If the wire is super thick, sturdy and rigid, like Elomi, Panache, and Felina Paramour, then you know to strike those brands from your comfort list and look for softer, gentler wires. If you are getting chafing on your side/underarm area, check to see if the wire has the Nike swoop shape, as many UK brands do. If so, look for an upright U-shaped wire that stays close to the boob and does not wing back toward your side. Polish brands, and Euro brands in general, are a good bet for this. Even most US brands tend toward the U-shape.

• Harsh seams that are irritating

Hack:  If it is a bralette: flip it inside out. I do this on most of mine if they are crop top style. If it is cup seams that are irritating, that's non-fixable. 

• Bra has those mini-vampire stakes, also known as side-stays

These just suck as a life philosophy. There are very few that I can tolerate, and these are very soft and flexible, such as Empriente's. More often, you get get something like this:

  


Hack:  You do not have to put up with that. Rip them the fuck out. However you have to. Most of the time, I use scissors to make the tiniest snip I can in the bottom of the casing (that vertical strip of fabric that covers the little plastic torture device) where it meets the band and just slide them right out. Victory for Comfort: Achieved.

However, there are a couple of brands -Freya being the worst I've seen- where those nasty little suckers are actually sewn into the band. When, after a prolonged and bloody battle, you succeed in getting them out, you will see that they have three tiny holes -at each end!- where the thread attaches. Back when I still put up with brands that do this, I would make two small snips, then take a seam-ripper and blindly saw it back and forth at each end of the stay until I cut through all the threads. The only bra that ever was worth going into combat like that was the Freya Jolie.

• Scratchy lace

Hack:  First, always, always, always, wash a new bra before you wear it. You want to remove any fabric starch and processing chemicals. If it's still scratchy:
Do a loooong soak in fabric softener or hair conditioner. I add 1/2 capful to just enough warm water to cover the bra, then leave it there for at least 2 or 3 hours. Rinse. This is successful about 50% of the time for me. it's always worth a try before tossing a bra. That worked for the La Isla.

• Back Clasp is irritating/scratchy

Figure out which of these two things it is: the edges of the fabric are sharp and stiff, or, the fabric of the hook portion does not extend enough to completely cover the hooks, allowing them to scrape your back.

Hack:  For stiff clasp fabric, the fabric softener soak is not usually effective, and I resort to tucking a folded tissue beneath it. However, for the 2nd problem, the easiest fix is to simply fasten your bra on the middle hooks. If the band is too snug for that, then, after you wash the bra - while it is still wet - gently stretch the band out a bit. Do this one side at a time, so you don't distort the wires. This works best on a non-mesh band, though I have used this hack successfully on them too. It worked perfectly on the Rosme Rosabel. 

• Straps are irritating

I find this is usually due to a cheap, scratchy elastic being used and was a problem with almost every Curvy Kate I've ever had. 

Hack:  You really can't fix this. But you can mitigate it, to varying degrees, by loosening the straps. I'm not a fan of wearing straps super-tight for 'lift'. It creates a lot of discomfort, and, if your band fits, it is generally just a sign that you need to drop a cup size. 

• Bra fits well enough, but you're drooping

This is often an issue when you're between sizes, so you've gone up one, or, you've opted for the cup size that fits your bigger boob - which conventional wisdom advises you to do. 

Hack:  Yeah I'd advise doing the opposite: try fitting your smaller boob. Sometimes putting up with a little double-bubble is totally worth the trade-off in increased comfort. That was the case for me with the Delmira Floral Lace bra:

40G

In this case, dropping a cup gave me much better lift and significantly dropped the wire height. 

40F

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 40G might, arguably, be a better 'technical' fit, but that's irrelevant to what is the comfy, and therefore, the right fit, for me. 

• You are forced to settle for a white bra in your size

I realllly hate white bras. They are just useless in my wardrobe. They absorb color-rub from bright cotton fabrics, and don't even work for white blouses, which require a skin-tone bra to disappear. But if that's your only option in the style you want....

Hack:  Dye it. And if you are too lazy to dye it properly, with RIT, or, you have sensitive skin and that's a no-go, then use food coloring along with a squirt of lime juice or vinegar. Pretty much as you would with Easter eggs. I've done this many times and particularly liked the results of the pastel food dyes. 

Note: this won't work on cotton or all-polyester. The fabric needs to be have some blend of nylon to absorb the food coloring. Blends result in tonal effects, which are fun. I have a few old pics of this, such as this muted violet from mixing pink/blue, this once-bright blue (that is also a cautionary tale on why you cannot dry them in sunlight) and this pale pink, faded after 4 years. Basically, embrace your inner finger-painter and release any need for perfection, and this is a lot of fun. Plus, no matter how badly it turns out, it will still be better than a blinding granny-white bra.

There are many more advanced hacks you can do, some that practically re-make the bra, if you are seamstress inclined - which I am not, at all. If you have any simple comfort hacks I've missed, by all means, share them!

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.

Review: Knix Luxe V-neck bra

As Knix was founded via Kickstarter, I hoped their bras might actually be a true innovation and a more workable option than the Cake Sugar Candy wirefree bra. 
Spoiler: yeahhhh, not so much. 

The idea: a seamless wirefree bra that fits like a second skin.  
The construction: one continuous piece of very thin, laser-cut microfiber with semi-molded cups. You can see all the styles here: Knix

 

Beauty

Very sleek; very, very plain. 

 Comfort & Fit

Fabric. Paper thin -not especially soft- sheet of microfiber that is surprisingly non-stretchy.

Cups.  Very underwhelming capacity. The fabric doesn't have enough stretch to conform to different shapes, and the way the cup is molded really flattens the top of the boob into an unfortunate downward sloping shape. This shape is kryptonite to full-on-tops and gives a far worse shape than going braless. That makes them suitable for only one shape: (completely, totally) full-on-bottom. And not especially flattering on that shape, since the cup does not round the boobs upward.

Dear-mother-of-god. FOT kryptonite.

Band.  Here comes more bad news. It is incredibly rare for me to complain about the sides or band being too low. But....

 ....this is insanely low. (Also, here is my upper boob trying -and almost succeeding- in defeating the awful top-flattening shape of the molded cups.)

The band (& all of the bra, which is a single piece) is extremely thin. This does not result in the intended greater comfort, since the fabric just sits oddly on the body, threatening to roll up or shift sideways, rather than conforming as a softer, thicker, more stretchy fabric would.

Straps.  While nice and wide, they are a very thin fabric, and so have no cushiony feel to them. Also, they have mega-stretch. While this would have been welcome in the cups, it is disastrous in the straps, negating all support. Particularly when combined with the crazy-low sides & thin band.

Who Might the Knix bra work for?

Though the sizes are 1-8 (supposedly going up to a 42DDD) I really can't see this being a viable option for anything above a C-cup, and definitely not for any but the most full-on-bottom shape. 

I tried an 8, which sister-sizes to a 40G (US) which is normally plenty big enough in the cup for me. While the band was true to size, the cups run very, very small. Because a good 1/3 of the cup capacity is basically wasted with that flat ski-slope upper cup, sizing up won't really help much unless you are completely FOB. 

Price: $55   Size: 8

Lone bright spot:  the company has great customer service. I completed their online return form and was told my card would be credited, and to just keep the bra and pass it along to someone who could use it. Nice. Now, I just need to figure out who that might be. I know exactly one person who is a B-cup...

 

 

Review: Knix Luxe V-neck bra

As Knix was founded via Kickstarter, I hoped their bras might actually be a true innovation and a more workable option than the Cake Sugar Candy wirefree bra. 
Spoiler: yeahhhh, not so much. 

The idea: a seamless wirefree bra that fits like a second skin.  
The construction: one continuous piece of very thin, laser-cut microfiber with semi-molded cups. You can see all the styles here: Knix

 

Beauty

Very sleek; very, very plain. 

 Comfort & Fit

Fabric. Paper thin -not especially soft- sheet of microfiber that is surprisingly non-stretchy.

Cups.  Very underwhelming capacity. The fabric doesn't have enough stretch to conform to different shapes, and the way the cup is molded really flattens the top of the boob into an unfortunate downward sloping shape. This shape is kryptonite to full-on-tops and gives a far worse shape than going braless. That makes them suitable for only one shape: (completely, totally) full-on-bottom. And not especially flattering on that shape, since the cup does not round the boobs upward.

Dear-mother-of-god. FOT kryptonite.

Band.  Here comes more bad news. It is incredibly rare for me to complain about the sides or band being too low. But....

 ....this is insanely low. (Also, here is my upper boob trying -and almost succeeding- in defeating the awful top-flattening shape of the molded cups.)

The band (& all of the bra, which is a single piece) is extremely thin. This does not result in the intended greater comfort, since the fabric just sits oddly on the body, threatening to roll up or shift sideways, rather than conforming as a softer, thicker, more stretchy fabric would.

Straps.  While nice and wide, they are a very thin fabric, and so have no cushiony feel to them. Also, they have mega-stretch. While this would have been welcome in the cups, it is disastrous in the straps, negating all support. Particularly when combined with the crazy-low sides & thin band.

Who Might the Knix bra work for?

Though the sizes are 1-8 (supposedly going up to a 42DDD) I really can't see this being a viable option for anything above a C-cup, and definitely not for any but the most full-on-bottom shape. 

I tried an 8, which sister-sizes to a 40G (US) which is normally plenty big enough in the cup for me. While the band was true to size, the cups run very, very small. Because a good 1/3 of the cup capacity is basically wasted with that flat ski-slope upper cup, sizing up won't really help much unless you are completely FOB. 

Price: $55   Size: 8

Lone bright spot:  the company has great customer service. I completed their online return form and was told my card would be credited, and to just keep the bra and pass it along to someone who could use it. Nice. Now, I just need to figure out who that might be. I know exactly one person who is a B-cup...

 

 

Review: ROSME Delicate Lace Misterious Rose bra

Nutshell: a great bra and under $35. 

And a real find if you're petite with some projection.

Beauty

Misterious Rose (that's the actual spelling) is elegant. Sheer black lace and a deep crimson and black pattern. The colors are very deep, functioning as a black bra alternative. It's a beautiful bra, with enough practicality and comfort features to make it a good everyday choice. Quality is fairly high.

As always, getting decent pics is a bit of a non-starter. So here's a better look at the colorway:

Comfort & Fit

Cups.  Narrow and projected. Less so than Gorsenia, more so than UK brands. Though in many ways, they remind me of a far more comfy (& non-jiggly) Panache Jasmine. The lace is thin and stretchy, which is something that always makes me happy, and there is no strip of elastic to defeat the ability of the upper cup to expand for a full-on-top shape like mine. But, since it is stretchy, it will also conform well to full-on-bottom shapes. The unique feature is the thin vertical foam that forms the outer 1/3 of the cup, giving a very forward shape. There is zero east-west wideness going on here.

Note the vertical foam outer cup

Wires.  Perfect. Low and on the soft side. There is no digging or poking as they come nowhere near your armpit. If you are under 5'5", or just tall but short-waisted as I am, this is cause for rejoicing. They conform to my body without me having to bend the outer tips at all. I find this to be the case on all the Rosmes I've tried. Their wires are lower than Gorsenia, and together with the stretch lace, this makes them a far more universal fit.

Band.  I like Rosme bands. The outer band is soft microfiber, but it is lined with a very fine mesh that is non-irritating. They keep their shape and do not stretch out over time. They also lack that awful tiny, biting elastic edging found in Freya and other UK brands. They have only two hooks, which is just not a problem due to the other good design features. 

Shape.  Rounded and lifted, but not orb-like. It reminds me of the Fantasie T-shirt bra shape that is also narrow and centered from the front and little projected from the side. 

Compromises

There's really only one - & it probably only affects me and other tall peeps.

Straps.  There is that hated ring-connector and, unlike my other Rosmes, in this style it sits perilously close to the top of my shoulder, rather than down over my back. It doesn't cause serious discomfort, but it keeps the Misterious Rose from what would otherwise be holy grail status for me. But again, if you're petite, this will be a non-issue. And on the plus side, the front part of the strap is lightly padded, while still being quite narrow. 

When Do I Wear It?

Surprisingly, as a T-shirt bra. It is unexpectedly perfect in that regard. Though only the outer 1/3 is foam-lined, the seams lie completely flat and disappear under knits, while also falling at just the right spot to provide a little extra nip camouflage. And the non-wide shape is slimming and makes T-shirts drape nicely, reducing the blocky look.  
Size: 40H (Euro) Fits true to size. This equates to a 38GG UK. With Rosme, it's important to determine whether a style contains stretch lace or not. Several styles are rigid lace and those are for full-on-bottoms only. 

Review: ROSME Delicate Lace Misterious Rose bra

Nutshell: a great bra and under $35. 

And a real find if you're petite with some projection.

Beauty

Misterious Rose (that's the actual spelling) is elegant. Sheer black lace and a deep crimson and black pattern. The colors are very deep, functioning as a black bra alternative. It's a beautiful bra, with enough practicality and comfort features to make it a good everyday choice. Quality is fairly high.

As always, getting decent pics is a bit of a non-starter. So here's a better look at the colorway:

Comfort & Fit

Cups.  Narrow and projected. Less so than Gorsenia, more so than UK brands. Though in many ways, they remind me of a far more comfy (& non-jiggly) Panache Jasmine. The lace is thin and stretchy, which is something that always makes me happy, and there is no strip of elastic to defeat the ability of the upper cup to expand for a full-on-top shape like mine. But, since it is stretchy, it will also conform well to full-on-bottom shapes. The unique feature is the thin vertical foam that forms the outer 1/3 of the cup, giving a very forward shape. There is zero east-west wideness going on here.

Note the vertical foam outer cup

Wires.  Perfect. Low and on the soft side. There is no digging or poking as they come nowhere near your armpit. If you are under 5'5", or just tall but short-waisted as I am, this is cause for rejoicing. They conform to my body without me having to bend the outer tips at all. I find this to be the case on all the Rosmes I've tried. Their wires are lower than Gorsenia, and together with the stretch lace, this makes them a far more universal fit.

Band.  I like Rosme bands. The outer band is soft microfiber, but it is lined with a very fine mesh that is non-irritating. They keep their shape and do not stretch out over time. They also lack that awful tiny, biting elastic edging found in Freya and other UK brands. They have only two hooks, which is just not a problem due to the other good design features. 

Shape.  Rounded and lifted, but not orb-like. It reminds me of the Fantasie T-shirt bra shape that is also narrow and centered from the front and little projected from the side. 

Compromises

There's really only one - & it probably only affects me and other tall peeps.

Straps.  There is that hated ring-connector and, unlike my other Rosmes, in this style it sits perilously close to the top of my shoulder, rather than down over my back. It doesn't cause serious discomfort, but it keeps the Misterious Rose from what would otherwise be holy grail status for me. But again, if you're petite, this will be a non-issue. And on the plus side, the front part of the strap is lightly padded, while still being quite narrow. 

When Do I Wear It?

Surprisingly, as a T-shirt bra. It is unexpectedly perfect in that regard. Though only the outer 1/3 is foam-lined, the seams lie completely flat and disappear under knits, while also falling at just the right spot to provide a little extra nip camouflage. And the non-wide shape is slimming and makes T-shirts drape nicely, reducing the blocky look.  
Size: 40H (Euro) Fits true to size. This equates to a 38GG UK. With Rosme, it's important to determine whether a style contains stretch lace or not. Several styles are rigid lace and those are for full-on-bottoms only. 

Review: Tata Towel knockoff

I know. I can't believe I actually tried this, either. In a whimsical moment of late night Amazoning, I thought Huh....well, maybe this might be comfy...? Also, did I mention ganja is legal in my state. Hah. Kidding. Well, I mean, it is, but I can't blame this poor consumer choice on that. 

So. I tried it, so you don't have to. You're welcome.

There are many knock-offs of the Tata Towel and after reading reviews extensively, and examining many pics, there seems to be no real difference in construction or material quality, so I went with a knock-off that had equally high ratings. 

And let me just summarize right now: this thing is a ridiculous idea.

Beauty

 

Hahaha! Psych! Totally not a category this time. 

So, the basic idea here was to solve the 'problem' of boob sweat while you blowdry your hair. Not. Even. Kidding. Let me count the ways this is super silly:

1)  It's way too cold here for this to be a problem. People generally huddle into their hairdryers for heat here.

2)   I don't actually blowdry my long curly hair. Nope. I wash it at night and give it the 4+ hours it needs to dry into nice happy spirals.

3)  If this is a 'solution' to that 'problem' then WTF is the fabric so overwhelmingly thick and heavy?!

Construction

in which the news is mostly all bad...

Fabric.   One side is a heavy cotton toweling. That's this side:

The other side is that deeply Joan Collins-y leopard microfiber. And together they equal: a super-duper level of bulky. 

'Cups'.  Elastic runs around the edges of the whole thing, so it forms a literal boob sling. There is actually plenty of room and it technically goes up to H+. In the side view, you can see the vast bulk of the thing, and how it kind of wraps to each boob. It does stay put fairly well.

Fatal Flaw

Neck strap.  Now of course, by the nature of the design, your neck is going to carry the full weight of your boobs, as there is zero band. With that in mind, you'd assume that the neck portion would be padded, or at least more substantial. And....you would be wrong. It is a thin 2" piece of the same fabric and -wait for it- there is an adjustor (think: the oblong plastic thingie that tightens the drawstring waist of a parka) sitting right at the center of your neck. Wait for it #2: against your skin. I mean, did the maker of this thing ever have a basic high school physics class? Take 5-10 lbs of weight, put it on top of a hard plastic thingie, then hang it all off a vertebra in the neck. Genius! Not.

When Would Any Sane Person Wear This Thing?

I can't imagine. I saw several reviews where people wore it under pj's to lounge in. Yeahhh. No. It would have to be a huge tent of a sleep T that would fit over this apparatus, and even then your boobs would look exactly like a toddler in old school cloth diapers and plastic pants - the original recipe for 'bulky'.

And if you're in a hot, humid place like say, Florida, where using a hairdryer probably would make you start to sweat, then this huge, bulky, non-breathable contraption on your boobs would hardly be a great solution. You'd be far better off tucking a soft bra liner under them and carrying on. Especially if you have neck or back pain, this thing is a complete no-go.

If it was a better design: thin modal fabric, with a padded neck strap -& lose that silly fastener; it's pointless- this thing could conceivably be useful to some, likely those on the smaller end of the big boob spectrum, say, 32E - 36DD or so.

Sizing.  It's basically M-XXL and I chose XL, which had plenty of room for my 38GG boobs.