What I Wore: Bravissimo’s Strappy Tank with Built-in Bra for Hassle Free DD+/Maternity Outfits
Saturday we had breakfast on Rue Montorgueil in the second before heading over to the the Matisse and Richter exhibits at the Pompidou, and with it starting to warm up a bit, I opted for the outfit I showcased here in my 2nd trimester (bringing along my parka and scarf, of course!). These Bravissimo strappy tanks with built-in bras (review here) are still working for me even now in my 3rd tri, although I am finding the middle hook to be much more comfortable now on my striped tank.
Top: Joie; tank: Bravissimo strappy tank with built-in bra; coral jeans: Asos.com maternity; shoes: Bensimon; bag: vintage Coach
I also had the AMAZING treat of meeting the lovely Astrid from Les Gros Bonnets after the museum for a boob-y chat and coffee. If you aren’t already following her blog, I highly suggest it–I love her thoughts on whether or not Freya is still a full-busted brand and I couldn’t help but laugh reading her Why I Don’t Like Empire Waists post, which hit the nail on the head for why I’d avoided them in the past pre-pregnancy.
Back in Chicago today where it’s 93 (!!), I’ve switched up the outfit a bit, swapping in a great jersey Asos maternity pencil skirt for my (also inexpensive) Asos maternity jeans. I’m obsessed with these skirts at $19.88…such a steal and so comfy! I bought the green and “red” (sorry, beg to differ here, Asos — definitely coral!), and I can mix-and-match either with the black or striped Brav tank! So easy.
RELATED POSTS
DD+ Solutions: Bravissimo Strappy Tank Tops with Built-In Bras
What I Wore: Trying Stripes with Blazers for Easy Full DD+ Bust Maternity Outfits
What I Wore: A Full DD+ Bust Take on Jeans and a T-shirt in My Third Trimester
What I Wore: Full DD+ Bust Wedding Outfit in My Third Trimester
We landed back Stateside last night, but I’m still dreaming of the amazing opportunity to sit out at cafes for hours and indulge my pregnancy cravings for tea and a macaron at Laduree’s beautiful tea salon on Rue Bonaparte (*sighs longingly*).
And don’t get me started on the adorable children’s clothes. Though I mostly just looked drooled over the tiny outfits at Tartine et Chocolat,
I couldn’t resist these tiny boots for the little one on the way:
But back to dressing the baby belly! Wanting to switch up the parka I’d been wearing for a week, I stopped by H&M and grabbed a super inexpensive non-maternity navy blazer. It was a bit too big around the bust and shoulders, but it had a nice shape to it that kept it from looking sloppy and since it was the only one left I scooped it up. To try and play down the extra roomy fit I wore it open with the sleeves rolled up and fitted long shirts underneath.
Bonus for wearing the cuffs rolled: a sharp pin-striped lining on the cuffs, which also lines the inside of the jacket:
For visits to the Musées de l’Orangerie and D’Orsay on a mostly rainy Friday (although we did capture the sun when it peeked out for a few minutes, below!!), I paired it with a super long striped non-maternity Bailey 44 top that is great for a growing belly (and on sale for $49 on Intermix right now; I got a medium), a navy scarf, and red ballet flats.
Blazer: H&M; top: Bailey 44; jeans: AG maternity skinnies; scarf: Love Quotes knotted tassel scarf; earrings: Kendra Scott; bag: vintage Coach; shoes: Yosi Samra “crocodile” red ballet flats
For a gorgeous warm and sunny Sunday morning at the Marché aux Puces, I finally broke out a sleeveless top and sandals and ditched the scarf! I kept the rest of the outfit the same until it got so warm I didn’t even need the blazer. Yay!
Blazer: H&M; top: Sono Vaso; jeans: AG maternity skinnies; shoes: Matt Bernson “Delphine”; earrings: Kendra Scott; bag: vintage Coach; sunnies: old Marc by Marc Jacobs from Off Fifth
The top is actually a maternity top for once 
! The major difference with this and all the other non-maternity tops I’ve worn is the side ruching that gives you lots of room to grow.
The downside? What I’ve encountered with most maternity wear: they’re not especially big boob friendly for various reasons. With this one, as with the black tank dress I wore to my friend’s wedding, my bra straps show quite obviously, so I need to use Hollywood Tape to keep them tucked in. (As I mentioned in the black tank dress post, I’ve found this tape holds up better than others I’ve tried.)
It held up pretty well, but the side opposite my bag came unstuck a couple of times. I think it was because of the weight of the bag pulling the shirt over, so I’d recommend carrying an extra strip of tape or two with you just in case.
Matt Bernson sandals in all styles are very, very padded and feel great on tender feet. The criss-cross strap over the foot on this style, the Delphine, has elastic so it stretches, and the ankle straps are quite loose, so it has a lot of wiggle room for your feet to swell up (I’ve never seen my feet look quite so…Hobbit-like!).
Tomorrow I’ll wrap up my Paris outfit posts and then I’ll be moving onto my experience with my fluctuating chest size and bras throughout the pregnancy!
RELATED POSTS:
What I Wore: A Full DD+ Bust Take on Jeans and a T-shirt in My Third Trimester
What I Wore: Full DD+ Bust Wedding Outfit in My Third Trimester
What I Wore: The Scarf Question, Plus Making a Non-Maternity Dress Work in My Third Trimester with a DD+ Bust
Yesterday, the clouds parted and the sun beamed down on gorgeous Paris! It was warm enough to throw on a dress with a scarf, and I carried a bigger tote so I could bring my parka, just in case.
I spied this Velvet coral stretchy cotton dress a while back on Shopbop. I thought it looked especially loose at the top and roomy in the belly area on the model, and if the fabric had enough stretch it just might work for maternity wear and a DD+ chest. Plus, the ruching on the bottom portion of the dress–a go-to for give on a lot of actual maternity wear–seemed like it might help create extra room and keep the front hem from hiking up.
Extra roomy in bust and belly area
I added the dress to my favorites; Shopbop has this fun feature that will email you automatically when something you’ve marked as a favorite gets marked down. Happily, I got an email a few weeks ago letting me know this was 30% off, so I gave the medium a whirl and loved its easy fit.
Dress: Velvet “Keenan”; shoes: Bensimon; scarf: Love Quotes knotted tassel scarf; parka: Comptoir des Cottoniers (s/s 10); tote: Longchamp; sunnies: old Marc by Marc Jacobs from Off Fifth
This was the perfect dress for a day sightseeing around the Trocadero and a long walk back along the Seine to the 2nd where our hotel is.
I’ve been feeling a bit … attack-of-the-inflatable-boobs lately as my breasts seem to have undergone a growth spurt over the last few weeks (is it totally boob-nerdy to admit I’m extremely curious to retake my measurements when I get home?). But wearing scarves to keep warm the last few days has allowed me to feel less self-concious about my chest. I never knew pre-pregnancy if long scarves added too much bulk to my chest, but right now I’m liking how they provide a vertical line and focal point for the eye away from the boobs.
Obligatory shot with the Eiffel Tower…whee!!
How do you feel about scarves? Do you wear them? How do you like to style them?
ETA: Cece at Miss Underpinnings just did a DD+ Outfit post with a scarf that I find adorable. Another vote for scarves and big busts!
Dispatch from Paris!
I know, I know, who travels this late in their pregnancy?? It wasn’t in the plans, but when my husband had to take a last minute 3 week business trip to Europe I figured I’d ask my midwife if I could go over for a few days as my last hurrah. I got the thumbs up and, well, here I am yesterday in the Jardin des Tuileries!
Top: Comptoir des Cotonniers Faded T-Shirt, medium; jeans: AG maternity skinnies; sneakers: Bensimon; bag: vintage Coach; scarf: Comptoir des Cotonniers crepe union/sky blue ombre
Walking around the city this pregnant (31 weeks! almost there!) means comfortable clothes and shoes for me and admiring the chic, heeled short boots everyone’s wearing from afar (sniff!). The skirts, dresses, and sandals I packed haven’t, alas, seen the light of day with the 60-something rainy weather they’re having, so I made do with jeans and a long, fitted scoop neck t-shirt from Comptoir des Cotonniers (the length makes it work even though it’s non-maternity), throwing on a scarf with the delusional hope it would somehow make this look dressier than it is!
Underneath, I’m wearing my Ewa Michalak PL Onyx in 65J which is giving my girls great lift up off my belly and is still soft enough to feel comfortable for an active day of walking around.
I’ve worn this thin parka most days to stay warm. I’ve had it for a couple years and the drawstring style, though non-maternity, works wonderfully for pregnancy. I can still zip it up if I want to, or cinch the waist and leave it open. It’s similar to this one in stock this season.
With my Comptoir des Cotonniers cotton parka (s/s 2010)
RELATED POSTS:
What I Wore: Full DD+ Bust Wedding Outfit in My Third Trimester
DD+ Solutions: Bravissimo’s Nightwear with Built-in Soft Bras, Tops and Nightdress Review
DD+Solutions: Bravissimo Strappy Tank Tops with Built-In Bras
At the beginning of last month, I decided to give my old swimsuits a try and see how they fit. Quelle disaster: my new bigger maternity bust caused some pretty impressive quadraboob. So it was swimsuit shopping time for me! I decided to be brave and try a two-piece with the baby belly for the summer. My inspiration? My preggo best friend in her Freya Supernova (renamed Magic for SS12) last summer, looking amazing!
My adorable BFF rockin her baby bump at 34 weeks!
I had my eye on the Freya Boogie at Linda’s, which comes in 28 and 30 bands–yay!–from a D up to an H cup (the band goes up to a 40; see size chart below).
Wearing a 28J/30HH, I just missed the cup cutoff. Argh! I wondered if the cups ran large enough that the 30H might work for me, so I asked Linda via Twitter. Thank goodness for Linda. With her experience fitting Freya swimwear she said I’d need the larger cup and to go for a 32H (the sister size for the 30HH I needed) and have a tailor take in the sides of the band 1 inch each if it was too loose.
Armed with Linda’s advice, I put in my order for a 32H. I had a last minute change of heart on the pattern and went for Freya’s Jitterbug print (underwire top, $51, tie-side bikini bottoms, $39), trimmed with gingham, a retro touch that I couldn’t pass up! Alas, Linda isn’t carrying the Jitterbug, so Figleaves it was.
The color was just as vibrant as shown on the Freya site (above), not the more faded look on Figleaves:
The Figleaves photo from their site (left) shows a more faded color palette than the actual suit (right)
A little squeal *may* have escaped me when I pulled this out of the box! The hot pink, raspberry, teal, and lime green floral explosion looks like a modern spin on 60s psychedelia, dialed back a bit with the gingham edging. A perfect mix of sweet and funky.
When I tried it on, the cups fit perfectly, but I could tell the band was too loose by how much I tightened the halter straps to get the proper support. The halter was taking so much of the weight that it dug into my neck uncomfortably. I ran it over to my tailor’s and asked her to take an inch off either side to tighten up the band so it would do more of the heavy lifting.
Before (top), After (bottom)
To make the alteration, she took out the stitching by the clasps and all along the tops of the wings. Then she took an inch off the ends of both sides, where the clasps were. Because the tops of the wings get thinner from top to bottom, when you cut off the edges you are left with wider ends than before. To make the ends refit the width of the clasps, she folded down the tops of the wings starting at the cups, matching the width of the ends up to the clasps, and sewed them back down. In the photos above, the before picture shows straight diagonals from halter straps through the cups and wings to the clasps. In the after photo, you can see the seams on the wings descend at a sharper angle to the clasps now. It’s especially noticeable in the bottom photo below.
As you can see in the photos above, you really can’t tell an alteration has been done here, even though the shape of the wings is slightly different than the original. But, you can see how taking a band in any further than one size would totally change the look of the wings and potentially cause issues with fit. That’s why bra fitters only recommend taking in bras one band size.
And, ta-da! The perfect fit, with boobs strapped in place and not escaping out the cups! I love how high the cups come up on the side. No boob spillage! And you can see on the right that the band is now fitting my ribcage just right.
Although the difference in fit isn’t that noticeable in the photos below, the more supportive band takes more of the weight of my breasts so the halter doesn’t dig in as much, even though I do have it tied tight enough to give the girls some nice lift.
Before top alteration
After top alteration
Although I ordered both the fold-down bottoms and the tie-side bikini bottoms, I was surprised to find I liked the latter more, even though they had less coverage. The fold-down style hit at a weird spot with the baby belly and weren’t as comfortable. Bonus: the tie-side bottoms are reversible! I’m wearing them with the solid gingham print on the left photo above, and with the print and gingham edging on the right. The adorably retro Lindy Hop top comes in the same gingham print but is solid, so if you fit into the cup sizes (annoyingly the underwire top only comes up to a GG cup versus the Jitterbug’s H cup), you could get the same tie-side bikini bottoms I did along with the Lindy Hop and Jitterbug tops and have three different looks.
The Lindy Hop has the same gingham print as the Jitterbug
Overall, I’m thrilled with the way this suit turned out for me. It makes me feel confident with all my growing curves–and shouldn’t swimwear always do that?! Freya really does make great full-busted swimwear and getting my sister size one band size up was the best way for me to circumvent their arbitrary cup sizing and land a suit that was more exciting than the 3 plain Jane black ones and 1 plain red one I saw in my actual size across all the brands out there (June at Braless in Brazil sums up my feelings on the dearth of 28 and 30 band/HH+ suits here). I only wish Freya would bump up the cup sizes they make in swimwear so those of us who need them don’t have to go through the alterations process. After all, this alteration shows that making a 30HH isn’t impossible!
If you need to do a band alteration on swimwear to get the size you need, see if your tailor feels comfortable tackling it, and if not, check with your local lingerie shop to see if they’re up for the task. Based on the feedback I’ve heard from bra pros, only stick to one band size up from your normal size for alterations to get the cup you need and make sure you order your sister size cup, too, i.e. one cup size down. (Again, for example, my 30HH cup equivalent was a 32H). My tailor charged me $20 for this, so the total cost of my suit was originally $90, with free shipping and less 10% off via a Figleaves promotion last month taking it to $81, and then up to $101 with the alteration. Here’s hoping I get two seasons out of it!
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This weekend one of my dearest and oldest friends got married in a gorgeous ceremony at a lake in Michigan. The maternity stores were a sorry state for anything boob-friendly and wedding worthy, until I happened upon a plain full-length black jersey tank dress by Isabella Oliver (size 1). Though the fabric didn’t seem dressy enough on its own, I nabbed a big gold necklace, piled on more gold accessories, and pulled on a pair of gold strappy heels (the first pair since about week 15!) for the night to help transform it. Here’s what I came up with for a wedding outfit at 30 weeks along.
Dress: Isabella Oliver tank column dress; Necklace: Kenneth Jay Lane textured bib necklace; Bangles: H&M and vintage; Earrings: K Amato; Clutch: Lauren Merkin; Shoes: (very old) Nine West
Close up of stacked bangles and peacock print clutch
The great part is I can wear this dress for the rest of the third trimester–for an easy summer daytime outfit, I’m just going to throw on sandals and a tote.
I did have to do a bit of trouble shooting with this dress: the tank part cut in so all my bra straps showed (something I’ve noticed with most sleeveless maternity tops/dresses; they’re not friendly toward the wider and wider-set full bust bra straps). For this dress, I wore my Ewa Michalak PL Black Onyx with the detachable straps done in a racerback style, even though I’m not a fan of how the bra’s padding makes my pregnancy bust look even bigger! The racerback style helped pull the straps in under the fabric about 80%, so I also used a bit of Hollywood Tape to tuck in the bits that were still visible in the front. Thankfully, unlike my experiences with Braza tape, which lasts about 10 minutes, the tape stayed put all night.
DD+ Solutions: Bravissimo’s Nightwear with Built-in Soft Bras, Tops and Nightdress Review
All right, now we get down to the good stuff: how my 3 pieces of Bravissimo’s nightwear–the racerback top, the lace trim cami, and the stripey nightdress–fit! Yesterday I gave a brief overview of Bravissimo’s nightwear, including the size range, closure styles, and the several aspects I really like about it. So onto some photos!
Please bear in mind these photos were taken yesterday, so I’m 28 1/2 weeks along with a pretty big baby bump I’ve always preferred longer tops, so these will be great post-pregnancy for me, but they’re also doubling as maternity sleepwear because they’re plenty long enough. Yay!
First, a photo of what the integral built-in bras look like, because I know someone is going to be curious!
And now onto the rest!
1. Racerback top, $40.92
This top is my favorite of the 3. I’m wearing a size 30GG-H. My breasts are totally in the cups without any spillage over the scoop neck (which you can see from the side view) even though I’m a cup size-ish over the size range, and I feel very supported by the racerback style without any strain on my shoulders. The yellow is a pretty spring and summer color that’s neither too pale nor too bright, which I find flattering even on my pale skin.
Size range for the Bravissimo Racerback Top nightshirt; Xs mean they're sold out of that size
The sides under the arms do dip a little lower than I’d like–it seems like there’s a little more skin showing than necessary, but on the other hand, well, it *is* nightwear! But the soft bra holds me in place so I don’t feel like I’m spilling out the lower cut armholes. (However, if you have more breast tissue under your arms and are on the top end of the cup for your size range, you might have a different experience.)
The racerback and hook and eye closure of the integral bra
This style had the loosest band of the 3. If I wear it on the loosest hook it gives noticeably less support than if I’m wearing it on the tightest (which is still looser than a normal bra, but fits snugly to my ribcage). I’m starting on the tightest for maternity wear, so I can loosen it out as my ribcage expands, but if I were ordering normally I’d want the 28 back.
My biggest complaint about this top? It only comes in yellow! If I could buy more of these in other colors I’d snap them up in a second! The PJ vest top ($44.06), which comes in black and white, seems similar to this one, minus the racerback, but the thing keeping me from ordering it is that I can’t tell how long it is from the description, and there’s no model photo to give me a hint, either. Pretty please, Bravissimo, make more racerback tops in more colors!
2. Lace Trim Cami Top, $40.92
Sigh, the lace trim cami. Why do you tease me so? When I saw this one on the site I was very excited. Finally, one of those little night camis with a built-in bra for a full bust! I love the on-trend coral color, and the style is a bit sexier than the regular capped sleeve top or the racerback and vest tops. But, as you can see, you really can’t cheat on cup size with this one. I’m spilling out the top and sides and the front detail looks like it’s just sitting on top of my chest.
Too busty for this one
The only way I’m getting as much chest coverage as I am is because the straps are tightened all the way to help pull up the top. It’s worth noting that the straps are not fully adjustable; I could benefit from having them shortened, honestly, though that won’t solve the fit problem.
I again went with the size 30GG-H in this. The band on this one is not adjustable but it feels nice and snug on me and I personally would not order down in band size on this one, if, you know, it happened to be made in my cup size. From my experience the band on this is tighter than the yellow Racerback Top. I honestly think I’d still have the same cup fit issues if I were a cup size smaller (a 30GG/H instead of a 30H/HH), so I wonder if it runs about a cup size small (instead of fitting a GG-H, more like a G-GG). One of the commenters on the Bravissimo page noted the same thing.
Pullover style bra on the lace cami top
Size chart for the Lace Trim Cami
If not for me busting out of this one, I would really love it. It’s nice and supportive and I think it would be a great choice for others who are not on the top end of the cup spectrum! I kept mine because it still feels nice to sleep in, and I think it might be a better fit once my breasts deflate post-nursing (fingers crossed!).
3. Stripey Nightdress, $59.58
This nightgown would have been my favorite. The bra portion was the most roomy of all 3, with higher sides under the arms than the Racerback Top and just a really great fit on my breasts.
Great breast coverage!
Ordinarily I shy away from nightgowns because most look a little more mature than I like, but this looked like a really cozy and not too dowdy option. The floral detail on the one strap cinched it for me, keeping this sweet, youthful and a bit more interesting.
The biggest negative? The seaming on the integral bra gives a really odd shape from the side, making it look like your breasts are sagging when they aren’t! In the photo below, my nipple is nowhere near where the seaming makes it look; it’s about an inch and a half higher.
Not sure what went wrong in the design here, but not the best shape from the side
It’s a shame, because otherwise this nightdress would be absolutely perfect; in fact, this nightdress makes me feel like my breasts are incredibly lifted and supported, despite appearances. I like everything else about this nightdress enough to overlook the shape issue–I mean, I’m not leaving the house in this–so I kept it, but I know it might be a dealbreaker for some of you.
I got the nightdress in a 30GG-H, same size as the other two. Like the Racerback Top, it hooks in back instead of just the pullover style. I’ve worn it on both the loosest and tightest hook; while I usually hook it on the tightest, the loosest still fits snugly and holds everything in place. I don’t get the movement I do when I try to wear the Racerback Top on the loosest hook, so for me, the band seems to fit a bit tighter and more like the Lace Trim Cami, and I’d go for the 30 again if I were reordering.
Hook and eye closure
Size chart for the Stripey Nightdress
Final Conclusions
These are my favorite options for sleepwear in my size that I’ve found so far, despite the too small cups in the cami top and the odd shape in the nightdress. They are very comfortable for sleeping and offer great support in my experience. Although they are on the pricier side for cotton/elastane or viscose/elastane blends, some styles do wind up in the sale section so it’s worth keeping an eye out there. Being on the top end of the cup range, I think I’d play it safe on future orders and go for the tops or nightdresses that look like they have more chest coverage than the strappy cami tops (all the nightdresses, the capped sleeve top, and racerback and PJ vest tops). Unfortunately the band sizes do seem to vary a bit, but my experience is that even when they fit a bit looser they still seem to offer good support for lounge and sleep purposes.
So what do you think? Have you tried these? What has your experience been?
RELATED POSTS:
DD+ Solutions: Bravissimo Nightwear with Built-in Soft Bras, Overview
BRA REVIEW: Freya Kelly and Dotty Soft Cup/Maternity Bras for Big DD+ Breasts
DD+Solutions: Bravissimo Strappy Tank Tops with Built-In Bras
After my review of the Freya Kelly and Dotty soft cup bras, which I tried in my hunt for a lounge/sleep bra, reader Fiona sang the praises of Bravissimo sleepwear with their built-in soft cup bras in the comments as another lounge/sleep option. I had eyed these before but was nervous about ordering them because I was outside the cup range, but I decided to give them a whirl after Fiona mentioned that they worked for her even though she also fell outside the cup range.
The cups run from a D-H in bands 28-38, but each size fits two cup sizes. Here’s the size chart for the Racerback Top (the Xs mean that size is sold out but was once available); all the other nightshirts also run in the same sizes:
Size range for the Bravissimo Racerback Top nightshirt
Because I normally am wearing a 28J/JJ or 30H/HH I decided to go for the 30GG-H size to give me the biggest cup possible in my band range and ordered the yellow racerback top, the lace trim cami top, and the stripey nightdress.
Racerback top
Lace Trim Cami Top
Stripey nightdress
It was a mixed bag in terms of fit, but a few things I love in general:
- All the built in bras were very comfortable for lounging AND sleeping. Hallelujah! I’ve tested out all of them multiple times and unlike the Freya Dotty and Kelly, which I woke up desperate to take off on several attempts, I don’t notice the soft bras in these at all while I’m sleeping. I don’t get boob sweat or overheated, either. The racerback and stripey nightdress both have hook-and-eye closures versus the pullover bra style of the cami top, but I didn’t notice a difference in comfort between the two styles.
Hook and eye closure for the Racerback Top and Stripey Nightgown
Pullover style used in the lace cami top
- Although the band felt a bit loose on the racerback top and the stripey nightgown (I’m wearing these hooked on the tightest hook so I can loosen them up as my ribcage gets bigger this trimester; for non-maternity use, though, the band does seem to run just a titch big or true to size in general) it didn’t seem to matter. It seems as though the elastic used for the integral bras has quite a bit of give while still giving lots of support, and it’s much thicker (about an inch!) and softer than the stiff elastic used on regular bras (see photo below). The built-in bras even managed to do the impossible and give my heavy pregnant breasts nice uplift! I didn’t fall out of the bottom or have issues with my breasts moving around and the elastic didn’t curl under like it has in other soft cup bras. I think the support on these make them a great option for around the house.
The inch thick soft elastic on the racerback (bottom) and cami (middle) tops, versus the stiffer elastic on a regular bra (top)
- The super soft fabric on both actual top/nightdress and the integral bra! It makes these SO cozy. I can’t wait to change into them at night.
- Both tops are very long which works great for a pregnant belly. In the photos to come I’m 28 and a half weeks along and there’s plenty of room still. And the length of the nightgown works perfectly, too.
- Both styles are easy to get on and off, and the hook-and-eye closures are easy to fasten (unlike the Bravissimo strappy tanks with built-in underwire bras). I’ve even accidentally left the hooks done up on the Cami Top on the tightest hook and was still able to pop it over my head (although…that’s probably not the *best* idea in the long run).
- I think I’m probably just lazy, but I love that you can wash these in the machine instead of having to hand wash. All three that I ordered say they are safe to do in the delicate cycle, which I put to the test (I air-dried them after). I’m happy to say they all survived and still fit the same; no shrinking or weird shape issues after.
Tomorrow I’ll be covering each of the styles individually and how they fit on me. Stay tuned!
Been wanting to try full-busted brand Ewa Michalak but intimidated by ordering direct from Poland, getting your size right, figuring out their Paypal fees, and paying hefty shipping charges to/from Poland? June at Braless in Brazil pointed out the Big Bra Bar’s recent Facebook announcement that you can special order direct from them AND they’ll accept returns. Ewa Michalak has gotten a lot of buzz for offering 26, 28, and 30 bands up to a K cup (some bigger bands go up to an LL) and they are a great option for women who need narrower wires that fit more like Freya than Panache or Curvy Kate (which tend to have wide wires that work well for women with wide-set breasts). Up til now their 26 and 28 bands have been non-returnable special orders, but the Big Bra Bar’s news means you can order these sizes worry free! (Big Bra Bar taking the fear out of ordering from Ewa Michalak, The Big Bra Bar)
Ewa Michalak's new Lato design
Bare Necessities is offering a buy one bra, get one 50% off promotion through 5/28. They are also doing a free shipping on any swimwear purchase promotion through 5/29 with code SWIMFS12. (Bare Necessities)
Parfait by Affinitas/Affinitas Intimates together with Herroom.com launched something I think is totally cool–their second annual college tuition scholarship! They’re giving one Grand Prize winner a $1500 tuition scholarship along with $1000+ worth of Affinitas lingerie, while a lucky Runner up will receive a $750 tuition scholarship and $500+ worth of Affinitas lingerie. To enter, students must build their dream career using photos & images via Pinterest, Instagram, Tumblr, Picasa or Flickr. Submissions are being accepted through May 31st, 2012 here. Check out all the details and entry requirements on their Facebook page. (Affinitas Intimates Facebook)
Curvy Kate USA voting on the top 30 ends in 3 days — have you voted for you favorite yet? Check them out on CK’s Facebook page and help choose the first US Star in a Bra! (Curvy Kate USA Facebook)
Have you seen the Bra Band Project yet? It’s live! Make sure to check it out and if you wear a 30 band and under, please consider adding your photo, too! (The Bra Band Project)
It’s May and it’s warm, and I just got my new swimsuit — the Jitterbug by Freya! Don’t wait to order yours — DD+ swimwear always sells out alarmingly fast. Sites to try? Figleaves, Asos (free express shipping with code USEXPRESS12 til 5/23 and free returns), Linda’s, Large Cup Lingerie (especially for gorgeous Miss Mandalay suits!), Big Girls Bras (10% off on orders over $50 with code up2ten through today), Herroom, and Bare Necessities. To get my cup size I ordered a 32H and am having a tailor take in the band for a tighter fit. I’ll be posting on how this went as soon as I get my results!
My new Freya Jitterbug bikini!
Click Here to See the Bra Band Project!
Omigosh, it’s here!!! I can barely sit still in my chair writing this as I get to finally say…Today we are ready to debut our Bra Band Project results!
They are SO inspiring, thanks to the participation of all of you amazing readers and other bloggers spreading the word! If you haven’t been following along, a quick recap: back in March myself and 4 other lovely (seriously! add them to your Google Reader!) DD+ bloggers (Boosaurus, BrasIHate, ByBabysRules, and Braless in Brazil) started the Bra Band Project. We wanted to show to the world that there was a real need for bra bands in 30 backs and under, and that we were real women, both young and old, who needed these bras (and sometimes in large cup sizes, too!). Apparently we hit a nerve–the response from you was tremendous.
I have to say, I get goosebumps every time I look at the photos because they show, truly, the variety of women who wear these sizes. We’re not all super skinny, and we can’t be put in an age range of “just juniors,” either: everyone in these photos is 18 and up. Plus, for me, it reminds me that even though no local stores carry my size, I’m not some weird freak of nature — there are so many other women out there who also need a small band and large cup!
When lingerie company Claudette heard about the Bra Band Project, they shared something I found very interesting that also reinforced the need for these sizes:
We know how critical a great fit is, and the correct band size is where
this starts. So, we are delighted that so many women are now becoming
more educated and are demanding a bra that truly fits them – aligning
with Claudette’s vision from day one! Our best-selling sizes are 30 and
32 bands, the popularity of these sizes has created a solid demand for
the addition of 28’s which we plan to add in our size mix for SS13.
-Claudette Lingerie
A few things about the project:
- It can be hard for many of us find the correct size, especially for those of us in the sub 28 band range so not all of us are in the correct bra size because of that.
- Panache plans on coming out with a 26 band bra at some point in the near future.
- We have decided to focus this portion of the project on DD+ cups because that is our expertise, but we know that many of our small cup sisters were anxious to join, too! The fabulous Amanda over at 32aa Bra has taken the reigns on the D cup and under small band market, so please join in!
- The project is ongoing, so if you haven’t yet submitted a photo and want to, you can do that right here.
- You can keep us with on Facebook or Twitter.
Here’s our official statement:
Welcome to The Bra Band Project!
We first started this project after a few big-name, full-busted (DD+ cups) lingerie companies asserted that there was “no market” for 30 and under bands, and that “30 and under bands are for juniors.” We wholeheartedly disagreed! We knew that there were plenty of us out there struggling to find bras in these sizes.
To illustrate our point, we’ve collected photos of women who wear sizes 24-30 band bras in sizes DD-KK, ranging from ages 18-50+. As the photos show, we are women of a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and ages, and we need and deserve bras that fit.
Why is having a wide range of band sizes available in the market so important to us? We believe that a bra cannot do its heavy lifting without a firm, supportive band. The band of the bra — not the straps — does most of the work lifting your breasts! This is just as true for women wearing a 24, 26, 28, and 30 band as it is for band sizes 32 and up. But if we can’t find our best size, how can we get the support we need? And it’s not only large bust sizes that need good support: a band that is too large will cause problems for women and girls with busts of any size.
This project also helps illustrate that for full-busted women, band size is often best determined using your true underbust/ribcage measurement as a starting point and adding or subtracting inches as needed on a case-by-case basis. For many of us, no inches need to be added to this measurement! We hope this project is enlightening to you. We hope it makes people think and re-think their views on bra sizes and what bra sizes mean. We hope you can relate to these women.
