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- Hands-On Bra Fitting
This is perfect. My boobs hold themselves okay enough, but I can use his hands to cover the nipples too. https://reductress.com/post/why-i-stopped-wearing-a-bra-and-started-hiring-a-boob-boy/ Thank you Reductress. My bra problems are officially solved! It was my husband who showed me this, and he did in fact offer to be my Boob Boy. It's like getting married all over again.
- If You Sell Bras (semi-rant)
I'm kind of frustrated right now. A certain company (who shall remain nameless because I'm not a bitch who wants them to lose business over this) has a chat feature where you can ask advice on their fit and what you should get. My experience was not a positive one. I was told they don't have a cup size for me. She (I'm assuming I spoke to a woman, although I don't know for sure) said that because I've had trouble finding a comfortable fit in an underwire bra, the only thing she could recommend was to try their wire-free style. I explained that I like what underwires do for me when they fit correctly and started talking about the Timpa bra and she was like, okay we'll pass that along to the team. I mean, maybe I'm just sensitive but the whole conversation made me feel like she thought I was wasting her time. I told her I felt like I was being a pain, and she said "please don't think of it that way." Like, okay... but I don't think I would feel that way if you weren't shutting me down and asking zero questions and basically trying to get rid of me. I'm not angry at her, but I think her communication sucked. And I can't imagine it's helping their sales much, because the last thing I want to do now is buy anything from them. I think selling bras is like counseling, especially when you're dealing with people who have particular insecurities about their size or shape. I'm flat-chested and my chest bones are shaped weird. I kind of just want someone to say "it's okay you're not hopeless, your perfect fit is out there somewhere and there is nothing wrong with your body." So, here's my advice to anyone who sells bras for a living: talk to her like she's your sister. Tell her you get where she's coming from. If you don't understand her, ask questions until you do. If you still don't understand her after that, maybe you're in the wrong line of work or maybe you're just tired and you hate your job or maybe your cat died, I don't know. But you're not going to be able to sell her anything if she doesn't like you.
- TLBC Now Carrying Size AA Bras
Fans of The Little Bra Company, an iconic mainstay brand of petite lingerie, will be pleased to hear that a selection of their bras are now available in cup size AA. Previously a common complaint of women requiring an AA cup was that, while TLBC's full A cup size may be smaller than it is in a standard bra, that doesn't really make it equivalent to an AA. Bra bands from this company do tend to run smaller than its cups. I have more often seen complaints about the bands being too tight, than I have about the cup size being off. So it's fortunate that they have chosen to provide sizes 32AA, 34AA, and 36AA in the following styles: Elsie, Erika, Jamie, Lea, Lenna, Sascha, and Yvonne. Among these, there are options for a good fit whether your breasts are set close together or more than three fingers apart from each other (I, like many other women who are not true petites, fall into the second category). https://www.thelittlebracompany.com/collections/aa-d-cups The Yvonne bra, TLBC's award-winning bestseller designed for wide-set breasts, has been consistently popular in all other sizes and will no doubt continue to top the list of sales for them in AA cups as well. As they are making room for new inventory at the moment, TLBC has a number of styles on final sale. I also have been selling a few of them on Poshmark, so check my closet to see what I might have available at the moment: https://poshmark.com/closet/amanda_sage1979
- Bralette Bargain (Actually Worth It)
This is a six-pack of bralettes by Alyce Intimates. Do you really need six bralettes? Well, maybe. I plan to keep one or two and sell the rest, but I like these more than I expected to, given the price for six of them. I purchased them in a size medium, which turns out to be quite comfortable, but I also could have gone with the small. The sizing guidelines are interesting because when you click on "size chart," you see two charts. Ignore the first one which doesn't really make any sense, and go with the second, which does. They are available for purchase on Amazon, at https://amzn.to/3qHezLt (this is an affiliate link, and I may earn a commission from sales). With all the bralettes out there, why do I think these are special? First of all, they are well-made and look exactly like the images. Second, they are low-cut in front which is nice if you don't dress like a spinster. Third, the band is substantial in height, which gives them a good stable base for support. And finally, the sides are fairly low under the arms, so that they don't cut in at that awkward place where you may have some breast tissue if you are built with wide-set breasts that start high up on your chest. Or if you are just very petite and need minimal coverage pretty much everywhere, including at the sides. Another thing I love is the fabric. Soft, stretchy, and thin. This is a bralette that allows your skin to breathe. Some may like a more substantial fabric for support and to make sure it doesn't stretch out too much over time, but I personally prefer this because it's not holding me in too hard or making me sweat. I guess I like my bralettes like I like my men: smooth and cool, with possible commitment issues. A word about these if you have a small band and large cup size: because of the low cut in front and at the sides, you may end up with half your breasts falling out of it. The second sizing chart (the accurate one) does include D cups, but only for sizes L and XL, meaning that if you wear a smaller band and larger than a D cup, the fit could be problematic. What I like to do is take out the pads that come with the bralette and either wear it with no padding, or put in some of my own like the Double Scoop inserts if I want to add size. This is one reason I appreciate the removable pads, because, well... you can remove them. I tend not to like the pads that come in bralettes because they are just useless triangles which serve the sole purpose of nipple concealment. Why do we need to pretend we don't have nipples, anyway? Everyone knows they are there.
- Flatter Me Bras: Sizes 40AA and Up
Flatter Me is a line of plus-size bras for small-busted women. As I'm sure you know if you wear one of these sizes, plus-size bras in AA, A and B cups are even harder to find than they are in petite sizes. Itty Bitty Bra Company realized this, and they designed the Flatter Me bra especially for this population. I have given Flatter Me bras to several readers, with rave reviews. My friend Ali called hers "super comfortable," and another reader (who prefers to remain anonymous) said "this is the only bra I have that doesn't gap on me." Yay! So how do you know if these bras will fit you? Bra fit in all Itty Bitty Bra Company products is measured as follows: take your underbust measurement in inches and add 4. If you get an odd number, add 5. This is your band size. Next, measure across your breasts at their fullest point and around your back at the height of your bra band. If you get an odd number, add one. If you get an even number, this is your fullest bust. Then subtract your band size from your fullest bust (you may get a negative number). So for example, my underbust measures 27. It's an odd number so I add 5 to this and get 32, which is my band size. My fullest bust measures 33, so I add one to this and get 34. I subtract 32 from 34 and get two inches, meaning I am a B cup. So, for Itty Bitty Bra Company I am sized at a 32B (however, I find the fit a little tight in IBB bras this size so I go up to a 34B or its sister size, 36A). Another way to measure is to take your underbust and fullest bust measurements as they are, rounding up only to the nearest whole number. Some women find that this method provides a more accurate size for them, particularly if they are full-busted (D cup or above) with a small ribcage. And if you get a negative number from the first method, this is not at all uncommon for women who measure at an A cup or less; all it means is that the +4-5 method will not give you an accurate cup size, so this second technique for measuring makes more sense for you. It gives me a quite different result than the first, sizing me at a 28D or 30C. In fact, I have tried on bras in these sizes and can wear a 30C, but I find it uncomfortably tight (28 I can barely fasten even on the loosest hook), and the cups come up too high on my chest. Flatter Me by IBB is available in AA, A and B cups. Band sizes range from 40 to 46, and they come in black or beige. Shop for them here: https://ittybittybra.com/collections/flatter-me-bra You can also find a couple of these for sale for less on Poshmark. https://poshmark.com/brand/itty%20bitty%20bra If you buy one, please comment to let us know if you like it and how it fits! Also, please tell us what size you got and what led you to search for Flatter Me bras.
- Conversations While Bra Shopping
Just for fun, here are some typical (okay, maybe extra ridiculous but only slightly) conversations that women can have with sales clerks when shopping locally for bras. #1 (small band, large cup): Staff member (or "bra consultant" or whatever it is they're called these days) says, "Hi I'm soooo sorry we don't carry your size. You should be wearing a 28X which does not exist. Thanks so much for shopping with us! Here, try on a 32DD." Result: it doesn't fit but she buys it anyway, out of discouragement and shame. She gives it to a friend who actually does wear that size. #2 (plus-sized): Staff member says, "Oh gosh I'm sure you have a rough time finding bras huh sweetie. Well.... let's see, we have this one (pulls out a hideous matronly contraption in puke beige) but we really don't have many sizes of it in stock soooo.... have you tried Lane Bryant?" Result: she rolls her eyes and leaves empty-handed, not wanting to go anywhere near the vomit-colored monstrosity. #3 (petite, small-breasted): "Awww hi honey let me show you our best-selling 32A bra, it has bunnies on it. So cute!" Result: she wistfully eyes the racks of sophisticated grown-up bras in bigger sizes, and then goes to buy a bralette in a store that doesn't specialize in lingerie. #4 (non-white, looking for a bra to match her skin): "So you want... nude? You're in luck, we have two different nude colors available! One of them should be close enough, right?" Result: she gives up on that mission and ends up with yet another purple bra, which is pretty but under a white top it just looks... well, purple. #6 (trans-feminine): "Um. Sir are you sure you're in the right store?" Result: she says she is there shopping for her daughter. Then she leaves and when she gets home, looks up "bras after implants" because she has the surgery scheduled and isn't sure what to expect. So, let's address each of these concerns briefly. #1 needs a size that is only carried by certain brands, many of which are not available in local stores. She can search online for the following brands which are known for making bras that successfully fit small band/large cup sizes: Panache, Freya, Ewa Michalak, Curvy Kate, Elomi, Affinitas Parfait, and more. #2 will often have trouble finding her size in mainstream lingerie stores (ahem Victoria's Secret, guess what: many women are larger than a 38 band and/or DD cup). However, if she visits a boutique with knowledge and experience regarding plus-size bras and lingerie, she will usually be able to find a size that works. All lingerie stores should be familiar with all sizes, and stock a respectably wide variety of them... but unfortunately this is not always the case. Some online stores will allow you to order, try on, and return as many times as you need to -- with free shipping both ways. When shopping online, make sure to choose one of the stores that provides this. #3 has a similar predicament to #2, except that instead of being directed to a plus-size-only store, she is often told to try on bras for teenagers. If both her cup and band size are small (28-30, A-C), then she can find stylish and flattering adult bras at stores like Lula Lu, The Little Bra Company, Itty Bitty Bra, and Pepper. #4 constantly sees bras labeled "nude" that look nothing like the color of her skin. Lingerie brand Nubian Skin is taking on this problem by providing a line of bras and underwear in a range of non-Caucasian skin tones, so she should definitely check them out. Makeup for a wide variety of skin colors exists, and so should bras. And finally, #5. If she is pre-op or electing not to have surgery, the trans woman can find solutions among brands made for breast cancer survivors. She can also seek out breast forms online, which are often available for purchase in combination with pocket bras to wear them in. Amazon actually has a decent selection of choices available. If she is looking for bras to wear post-surgery, there is a line of bras made specifically for women who have recently had breast augmentation (implants): the Rosa Faia line, by Anita Care.
- Cosabella Push-Up Bra Review: Never Say Never Sexie
Well, I'm never saying it isn't sexy, but I must say this bra is not my favorite from Cosabella. It's a front-closure style with removable pads-- so far so good, as I tend to like both of these features very much. And it's quite beautiful, with black lace contour cups and an elegant silver clasp. However, the band runs very very tight. I got a size 34B and had to really pull on it to get the clasp to fasten, and once I had it closed it dug into my breastbone in front. I could barely fit two fingers between me and the band, which is a definite sign that it's too small. That, and the fact that I could hardly breathe. The cups do run true to size, so this seems more like a 32C to me, or even a 30D. This is not something I usually experience with 34 bands at all. In fact I can't think of a single time that a 34 was this tight on me, not even other front-closure bras with bands that can't be adjusted. I had seen reviews on Amazon indicating that Cosabella seems to be having sizing issues. Their smallest bras start at a 28 band, which this quite honestly felt like to me (or close to it, anyway). I can't imagine what must have happened for this to be labeled as a 34, but it simply isn't. I got it from Rue La La (join with link https://www.ruelala.com/invite/amandasage to get $10 in store credit), and it was on final sale so I can't return it. My advice if you order a Cosabella bra from anywhere, is before you check out message the seller and ask the following: do you know if this bra runs true to size? Have you tried it on, or do you know someone who has? If it doesn't fit and I have to return it, do I still need to pay for return shipping? Do I have the option to exchange it for a different item? This goes for Poshmark too, as I have listed this bra there with the caveat that the band does not seem to run true to size. I recommended it for a 32C. https://poshmark.com/listing/Cosabella-Never-Say-Never-Sexie-PushUp-Bra-34B-32C-61b64a34941f179c8f224a61 It's a shame, because I do like the bra otherwise, and Cosabella lingerie is always well-made. What sort of luck have you had with this brand? Please feel free to share your experience in a comment. I think perhaps next time I will stick with their bralettes and other non-cup-sized items.
- Double Scoops (they aren't kidding!) Bra Insert Review
I tried another bra insert which I had read a good recommendation of. These are Double Scoops, and they come in a pair for $19.99. They are available for purchase on Amazon at https://amzn.to/3y7Smt5. You should purchase these in the cup size of the bra that you want to wear them in, rather than the size that you are looking to achieve. All sizes have a similar thickness, but they vary in the total amount of coverage, and this is to make sure they will fit well inside the corresponding cup size of your bra. Too small and they might not stay in place inside the bra; too big, and your bra cups will be too small to contain them horizontally and/or vertically. Double Scoops are similar to the Femagique inserts: foam, and graduated with most of the volume at the bottom. However, these add significantly more size, probably at least one cup and on me it looks more like 1.5. I'm impressed, as usually inserts that promise to add a cup size don't really deliver and their purpose is more to help you fill out bras you already have that are a little too big or have gaps at the top. Another thing I like about them is that the tops of the Double Scoops close entirely over my breasts, so there isn't a problem with what I call "whoops sudden nipple reveal," or with the inserts sliding up to an awkward place inside the bra. They stay put just fine in my lightly lined 34C bra, which I had been looking for something to help me fill out. In fact I think I could even go up a cup to a D with them in, but my 34C has enough stretch in it that they work fine. Keep in mind I am really not a C cup and I only own this bra for using with inserts in the first place, so I'm not sure you could use these with your usual bra size unless all of your bras are already way too big in the cup for you. It's worth trying them with a bra in a cup size larger than you normally wear. The 34C bra I put them in (shown at left) is a plunge style with flexible fabric cups that have an overlaid layer of mesh lace. I recommend this type for inserts, rather than trying them with a rigid contour-cup bra or with anything else that already has foam inside. The foam will not adjust to the inserts as well and you may end up with gaps, or with the insert moving around a lot inside the bra cups. With these inserts in this particular bra, I don't have either of these issues. It's all about getting the right match between your inserts and the bra you wear them in, which I realize sounds very complicated, and it really sort of is. I've had to try many combinations to find something that works this well. If you are looking for a full-cup enhancement solution and do not have much natural breast tissue, it's possible you could get away with these; however, they are not full breast forms and it's best if you have at least a little to help fill the tops of them. Many trans women may have enough volume to pull this off, but I am not sure that they would work if you are a breast cancer survivor and have had a non-augmented double mastectomy. So to be on the safe side, I am recommending them only for assigned females at birth who are looking to add more size to what they already have, and to trans women who have some amount of natural breast tissue that they can work with. If you have had a double mastectomy and want to try these, make sure you use them inside a non-padded bra that is relatively full-coverage so that it closes completely over the top of your chest. I would not advise trying to wear them inside a balconette or push-up style.
- Maidenform Bras On Sale Today
All bras on the Maidenform website are $14.99 today, including packs of two. You can get an additional 20% off your order by subscribing to their email list. Check it out at https://yazing.com/deals/maidenform/AmandaSageBarnum. That's some pretty decent savings, and Maidenform bras are already quite affordable. Aesthetically they are perhaps a bit basic, and the patterns they offer are nothing special. But you can usually find something you like enough to wear, as long as you are in their size range. I purchased a two-pack of bras, and it's hard not to feel good about that, especially since I do like these colors. One thing to look out for with Maidenform push-up bras (pictured at left) is that they can feel overly packed full of foam. Even those which are described as "lightly lined" tend to have significant padding, whereas in other brands the same term means simply two-ply fabric or a very thin contour layer. The push-up options in Maidenform range from light graduated padding (which focuses mainly on lifting the breasts) to major couch stuffing that adds more than one cup size in appearance. If you like the type of bra that does this, Maidenform's are cheaper than Victoria Secret's Miraculous or Bombshell bras. But they are not available in AA cups, which is a little odd because you would think they would recognize -- as VS clearly has -- that women with AA-cup breasts are an ideal market for bras that add size. Perhaps there simply aren't enough adult women who truly measure at a size AA to make it worthwhile for them to offer it, even in mega-push-up bras. So then we're back to AA being relegated to specialty brands that cater specifically to the small-busted. How is Maidenform doing with larger cup sizes? They do offer a decent selection of plus-size bras up to cup size M, but not much in the way of small-band/large-cup options. They don't carry any 30 band bras, and even size 32 is excluded from their overall bra fitting chart which starts at a 34. If you need a 30 band with a large cup size, Panache and Freya are two brands that offer them.
- Fit Tips for Wire-Free Bras
So you hate underwires. Who doesn't? But if you're going to give up on underwires entirely, you need to know a few things about how to find a good fit in a wire-free bra, because it's a little different than when you're dealing with a wire. First, underwires function to give bras shape and structure. Without the underwire, a bra needs to have these things coming from something else. Usually a good wire-free bra will have the following: A wide band that doesn't roll up or shift around. When trying on a wire-free bra, make sure you are in the tightest band size that you can tolerate and that the band doesn't move when you raise your arms, bend over, or twist sideways. Side support in the form of stays, inner slings, or strips of fabric that surround the cups to keep them in place. Stays (also called side boning) are two vertical pieces on each side of the band that secure the bra to your ribcage. Inner slings are flexible fabric inside the cups that push your breasts forward. Wire-free bras without contour cups will usually not have inner slings, but the fabric surrounding the cups will be sturdier and less stretchy. An overall material composite that has a good balance of stretch and rigidity. Stretchy materials like nylon or Spandex are often combined with a less flexible fabric like cotton or polyester. A wire-free bra that is entirely made of nylon or silk, as some bralettes are, will have less support than one which has a combination of materials. Silk is wonderful and, in fact, quite strong, but it doesn't stretch. You'll find it used in luxury lingerie, usually along with an underwire in bras. Here are two examples of supportive wire-free bras: This bra from Fruit of the Loom is an example of how cotton can be used as a stabilizing material. The band is kept in place by a hook in back. It also has built-up straps which help to maintain the position of the cups. It may not be glamorous, but it's inexpensive and reliable. https://amzn.to/318uHwc The Amoena Lara bra has several supportive features: a sturdy two-hook band, side stays, and nylon-spandex fabric stretched over formed contour cups. It has mesh pockets inside the cups which are designed to hold breast forms of significant weight. https://amzn.to/3o2OVAv
- If You Missed Cyber Monday Sales on Bras
No worries, I did too. But I don't usually buy my bras at retail prices anyway. If you know what size you are and how a certain bra fits on you and you are looking to get a good deal on that particular bra, here are my shopping secrets to saving money. Sign up for sample sale sites like Rue La La, ideeli, etc. I've gotten so many great deals this way and you can also get credit for referring other people to sign up for them. Rue La La is my favorite for bras and other intimates as they often do feature lingerie brands. Cosabella is one I've seen there often, and it's very good for smaller band sizes and bralettes. You can get $10 in store credit if you sign up through me, using this link: https://www.ruelala.com/invite/amandasage . Try Poshmark, obviously. I sell more than I buy there, but on occasion I can find awesome deals on brand-new bras and other clothing. I currently have new bras listed in sizes that are difficult to find elsewhere. I feature a lot of petite brands like Wacoal Petites, Itty Bitty Bra, and The Little Bra Company and often have sizes 32AA, 32A, 34AA, 34A, and 36A. Here is my closet link, and please note you can also click on my seller icon to see all of my listings (some of which are under Boutique and do not show up in the closet): https://poshmark.com/closet/amanda_sage1979 I'll sometimes get in touch with a rep for a lingerie brand and offer to review the bra I want if they give me a discount. Yes, this sometimes works. Other times they say no or don't get back to me at all, but it's worth a try. I recommend doing this through Etsy if you want to get in touch with individual sellers offering handmade bras. Some of them will even do a custom-made bra for you if you ask nicely (by which I mean, if that happens to be a service that they offer). Sign up for email notifications. Some websites have sales at odd times when they are trying to move inventory to make room for new stock, and that's when you swoop in and grab whatever you want fast, often at very good prices. Sign up for sites like Yazing, where you can earn cash back for shopping at sites like HerRoom (one of my favorite places to shop online for bras). It has site listings for "shop to earn" or "promote to earn," and you can also earn for promoting a lingerie or intimates website by posting or sharing a link like this: https://yazing.com/deals/herroom/AmandaSageBarnum If you're looking for bras on Amazon, use Try Before You Buy as a way to make sure you never waste any money on a bra that doesn't fit and that you can't return. You can try up to six bras at once and pay nothing until the seven-day trial window is up. If you hate everything you try on, return all of the bras and go for another round. A credit card number is required to sign up. This is my affiliate link to the program: https://amzn.to/3G89p18 Best of luck with your bra shopping! Feel free to comment and share your own shopping strategies, or if you have any questions about my suggestions.
- Six Different Types of Bras Compared
Amazon's Try Before You Buy program gave me the opportunity to have six bras sent to me to try on before having to pay for any of them. It's like going to a department store and trying on one after another, but in the privacy of your own home. I chose a variety of different brands , sizes, and styles. Join to host your own at-home bra try-on party: https://amzn.to/2ZzwlGQ They did arrive on time and for the most part I got what I expected, with one exception: the Wacoal bra was not the Petite Embrace Lace, but the regular version which I already know doesn't fit me well. Sigh. I ordered the Petite even though I know how it fits and have owned several over the years, because I needed a new size. This one, I figured, would be a keeper even if I hated the rest... but it's not even the bra I ordered. Other women who are familiar with the Petite Embrace Lace will understand how different it is from any of Wacoal's standard-size bras, and even non-petite customers love it. So I stand by my recommendation of the Petite version over the standard one. It also comes in AA cups, which of course the standard Embrace Lace does not. So with that minor disappointment out of the way, I moved on to Amazon's brand Mae. This is a padded lace bralette for A-C cups, which I chose in a gorgeous indigo color. I got two sizes for the purpose of comparison, because I thought it would be interesting to see the difference in fit. As I expected, the medium was much better on me than the large. It is an appropriate cup size for how they label it, and could in fact even fit an AA cup. So far so good. It's always difficult to know whether something sized "medium" or "large" will actually fit very small breasts, but I can assure you that this one does. I was very satisfied with both the fit and the color, and I considered keeping it, but the lace is not particularly soft. In a bralette, I expect maximum comfort and I want something that feels extra silky on my skin. I still think this one is worth a try for anyone who isn't a special snowflake like me about fabrics, and it might well be more comfortable after a wash with fabric softener. Shop for the Mae bralette here (all products on this page are Amazon affiliate links): https://amzn.to/3ld66O8 Next was the Calvin Klein Perfectly Fit bra, one which I was familiar with in a different size. I wanted to see if it had changed at all since I last tried it on, and reassuringly, it is still the same reliable bra. The fabric is whisper-soft and incredibly comfortable, even more so than I remembered. However, I continue to have sizing issues with this brand. Calvin Klein runs true to size but tends to have cups that are both tall and set fairly close together. This time I went for the 36 band even though I should be in a 34, thinking the cups might be wide enough for me in the larger band size. It fits okay, but not as well as it should; there are gaps in the cups at the top, and the underwire feels too wide and oppressive. These problems might be solved if I went with the 34B, but I think in general I am not tall and narrow enough for Calvin Klein. Rave review on the fabric though, and I can certainly understand why CK is a go-to for lots of small-busted women. Shop here: https://amzn.to/3FPiQlC I then tried the Amoena Mara, a wire-free bra made for breast cancer survivors. I love what Amoena does for the women who wear their bras, and even I -- someone who has never had cancer or breast surgery -- appreciate the quality and fit that this brand offers. The Mara is similar to the Lara style which I have worn before and liked very much. It has excellent support for a wire-free style, and is adequately structured to support a mastectomy breast form (or two). But I don't like it as much as the Lara. It's much taller in the cups and center gore, so that I'm almost wearing it as a longline bra, except that it wasn't designed that way so the band sits too low on me. Definitely not a top choice for petites, but I think it could work really well for someone tall enough to have it fit properly. I thought of trans women with this one. Like all Amoena bras, it includes pockets for breast forms, but also this bra in particular is built for a taller frame which trans women more often have. If you're trans feminine and looking for something to wear with forms, you might find this one works for you. https://amzn.to/3o8toXn Last but not least, I tried on Bali's "One Smooth U" bralette. It immediately struck me as more of a sports bra than a bralette, with considerable heft to the fabric and lots of support. It fits snug in a way that might be great if you're going for a run, but in a bralette that's not what I'm looking for. I was reminded of shapewear in the way that it sucked in my curves and, yes, probably did smooth them down. But, seriously? Look at me, I hardly need a minimizer bra with this figure. It flattened me out to the point that I might even recommend it as a binder for trans men, although it probably would not have quite the same effect on larger breasts. On me, it reduces what I have to pretty much zero. I think this bra is fine for what it is meant to do, and I am simply not its target customer. The term "bralette" is misleading, at least to me, but if you have large breasts and are disappointed in how many bralettes fit (inadequate support, boobs spilling out the top, etc.), then this one might be a pleasant surprise for you. It is also very affordable. https://amzn.to/3rgHNlX












