I was really curious when I saw that this bra doesn’t have underwires as such, but instead has a ridge of foam where the underwire would usually be. I used that ridge of foam as if it were an underwire when measuring, but it’s a bit wider than a regular underwire, so the measurements certainly have some wiggle room.
My first impression is that this is a LOT of bra. The cups seem unusually gigantic, and it’s not like my regular 42G UK bras are particularly small. The band is very wide with five hooks, which I actually like, and the whole thing is very soft and smooth and ...comfortable.
I applaud LB for trying new things, but the fit on this has the usual problems I’ve had with Cacique bras: the cup and gore are too wide, and there is a lot of padding that make your breasts appear a nice round shape, but it’s just impossible to tell how it’s actually fitting.
Still, this reminded me of why I wore Cacique bras in the first place - a nice wide band that stays in place, wide, soft, comfortable straps, and they are going out of their way to accommodate people who are bothered by underwires.
Tl;dr: comfortable fabric, nice supportive wide band, wide cups, underwire replacement is very soft and seems to support okay, but not suited for my shape. It might work for someone who can’t stand wires but wants a bit more support than a wireless bra typically offers. Read more 143 more words
Sounds interesting! I love the ridge of foam instead of wire idea. Too bad the gore and wires were too wide.
Thanks for reviewing this unique wireless offering. :-)
Thank you for reviewing this! I was thinking of trying it myself! I’ll take a look at your measurements and see what size I need.
Is it possible for you to take pictures of the inside? I’m curious about it!
Pictures are up! I tried to get a close up view of the interior so you all can see can see the foam ridge better. The measurements of the cup width are a bit deceiving - because the ‘wires’ are foam, any tension at all causes the cup to widen more, even though you can shape the foam with your hands to be narrower.
It’s a weird bra, for sure!
Thank you! It is strange looking for sure!
It looks so soft. Thanks for your photos! :-)
Thanks for the review! I may go try one. I wear Cacique for the same reasons with the wide wings, always comfortable for me.
For reference, I typically wear a UK 40JJ. While I would probably do best in this bra in a 42J, that size doesn’t exist. The band is surprisingly comfortable for such a long band: I can wear it now on the loosest hooks and it doesn’t ride up. That’s probably due to the lessened stretch from the cotton. The cup fit and lift is excellent for a wireless bra, except for slight cutting in on my center tissue on the fuller breast. That can’t be seen under most of my shirts so I’m ok with it.
The only discomfort is from the straps digging ...in slightly to my back. It’s a minor inconvenience though. I had to have a wireless bra for long days- my wires bras were causing serious shoulder pain and rob pain. From just a few hours of wearing this I already feel better.
I had this bra a long time ago in a 40H and outgrew it. It’s funny to return after years of trying wired bras but here I am.
Not a pretty bra but a super functional one. Read more 85 more words
This bra is made quite sturdy for a wire free bra. Unfortunately this bra was a cup size too big for me. On me this size was a bit too wide and cut into my armpits just a bit due to the too large of a cup. But I really like it and just reordered in a 32DDD for a better fit. This bra is completely smooth with comfortable wide straps that adjust in the back. The cups are moulded and quite stiff, but provides great uplift and cleavage. There’s a ridge of extra padding where an underwire would be which helps the cup keep its shape. The backhand is quite firm with three rows of hooks and four columns.
Honestly, this doesn't look like a cup too large to me. It looks like a good fit, bordering on too small.
This looks like one of the better fits I recall you posting, but maybe that's just my opinion.
MamaPagan At first I thought the same thing, but after moving around in it, the cups really are too big. I have implants, so I always have upper pole fullness regardless of what bra I wear. It gives the illusion that some bras are fitting smaller than they really are. If I move my arms forward even the slitest, the cups open up and there are huge gaps. I can also feel a gap inside under the band towards the outside of the cup. It gives a lovely rounded shape, so crossing fingers the DDD doesn’t run small and gives a better fit.
I will have to get this one. They just expanded their size range to go down to 32A and up to 40K/42J/44I and up to 50B-DDD! (US sizes). Also, four nude shades in addition to black and white!
I mean, finally, amirite?
cupandahalf expanded size range is always a beautiful thing. 💙
@Happy2BraShop I also have implants but a fair amount of squishy natural tissue as well. You go with what you feel is best for you of course, but the arms pushing the cups off the breasts is common, especially with notoriously wide set strap placements. This isn't an indicator of the cup being too big, just your frame being smaller than the manufacturer intended. :-/ I hope the 32DDD works better for you and you are happy with the fit though.
This bra fits so well I can barely even feel it, and it holds my bust firmly in place. But they were not kidding when they said "maximum lift." If you're looking for extra cleavage, this bra is for you. But as a guy with gynecomastia, I don't need my boobs looking any bigger than they are already, and this one is pretty obvious under a shirt. That's no knock on Cacique; I have four of their bras, and they are all top quality. This one just isn't ideal for me.
Great information. Sorry it doesn't suit your needs.
oh... yes, any bra with a product name involving words like "boost" is unlikely to provide a sleek and streamlined look! It also looks like the straps are either too short for you or straining quite a bit, so there is a chance it would have become less comfortable after a few hours of wear anyway. (FWIW lack of strap length is a pretty frequent complaint among taller and tall-waisted bra-wearers of any gender. I am very short-waisted so I am usually spared this problem, but I have tender shoulders and I do find that I experience significantly more strap strain with deep plunge and pushup bras.)
Thanks for the tips Wendy. The straps are definitely long enough, I just have them tightened up quite a bit because otherwise they tend to slide out to the sides. There are a few more inches of strap though if I needed it. But yes, I do have that problem with some bras. I'm about 5'11", which I guess is tall for a bra-wearer. And Cacique's bra straps are thick, sturdy and comfy, with slides that stay in place, unlike the slides on cheap bras.
Probably my favorite bra. I'm not really looking for cleavage, but these "boost" bras from Cacique just feel more supportive than regular underwire bras. This one holds everything in place firmly, no jiggle going up/down stairs, etc., and isn't really obvious under a shirt, which is important for a guy with gynecomastia. Most importantly, it fits, and I have an obscure bra size that a lot of companies don't even carry.
For what it is, a triangle wireless bra at least one cup size small and two band sizes big for me, this is insanely comfortable and provides good lift until I start to quad out of it. I wear it with thicker, form fitting shirts when I need a break from underwires and it’s pretty good at keeping everything looking ok. Even though the band is way too big it doesn’t ride up too badly. Mainly it’s comfy and I love the way it looks.
I learned that I was too small for the bra. I will say though, the extra padded elastic at the bottom of the bra was very comfortable and I got great projection from this bra. The one thing I didn't like was after wearing it for a few minutes, I had a red mark at my underbust where the bottom of the bra dug in. The material of the bra was made of really did help keep it cool. The one downside was it didn't fit to size. It was too small despite my measurements. I would have loved to keep this bra, but they do not go above an H Cup in this brand. Keep in mind, this was an attempt to Sister size down.
That's unfortunate that it didn't fit. I have one of these in 40G (I'm actually a 38GG in UK sizing but the Cacique 40G is the closest fit for me in the no-wire styles). It's a really comfortable bra for wearing for long hours or sleeping in. If you're at the store, it might be worth trying a couple sizes in the 44 band if the bra is on sale. I had to try on around 3 sizes before I figured out that the 40G is the best fit for me for their no-wire bras. I gave up on the wired bras because they are just all wrong for me and they don't make my size. I do get a little bit of red marking when I wear it, but it's not painful or cutting in. But it will get more comfortable after wearing it a couple weeks. When I first got it, I thought it was a bit snug in the shoulders and band but it definitely got more comfortable with wear.
vrwriter I think she meant the 42 band is too big for her and since they don't have higher cup sizes, she can't sister size further down in band.
Thank you for your reply! I am honestly laying here trying to talk myself out of going to get one since I love that bra and it's better than what I have right now. I'm rocking some 3x Torrid sports bra. I think I saw that they were buy one get one half off, so I guess worst case scenario, I pick one up and at least have a supportive bra to lounge around or sleep in. Do you have the same problems with underwires and wide roots? Ever since I could remember after being over a D cup, the underwires were horrible. I've seen people suggest you bend them to fit your shape better, but that hasn't worked for me either. ):
bigboobssizeconfused if you know how to sew you can alter a bra band to shorten it. Would that fix the main issue with this 42?
If you want a wider wired bra I suggest Elomi and Goddess. Elomi is UK sized and Goddess is US sized.
I do sometimes have problems with underwires and wide roots. Elomi and Panache brands tend to fit me the best, but I love Freya because they have forward projection and are more comfortable than the Cleos, even though the Cleo Blake and Marcie are almost exact fits. They just press a little firm and have a high gore. But they tack in the center like nothing else! They run more narrow, but they give a lot of forward projection for when you want that nice rounded, cakes on a plate look. :)
You might like Freya or Elomi if you have wide roots. They are cut more for wider breasts and their bras are pretty comfortable - especially Elomi. I have the Elomi Bijou and the Elomi Amelia spacer bra and both of those were very comfortable. The Bijou can run a little big, so you might want to measure a couple of your best fitting bras and look at the measurements to get an idea of which size to try.
Elomi is really well made and is suited well for plus size ladies and are generally the most comfortable of the bras I have, though I need to replace them. They are great for all day wear, so if you want to try an underwire style, I'd highly recommend them. They aren't always the "prettiest" bras, but for comfort, they get an A to A+ (once you find your right size).
Thank you for all the suggestions! I always wondered how cakes on a plate worked with larger chests. I won't complain though. You all are so great with giving advice and recommending bras to try!
So frustrating to be at the limit of their size range and not able to sister size to where you want.
Elomi and Goddess bras are great a mentioned above but can be a bit pricey. But they will last a long time. I wear both underwire and soft cups from them. The underwires are for wide roots, I am at the point where that is primarily what I wear and prefer.
Elomi and Goddess bras are great a mentioned above but can be a bit pricey. But they will last a long time. I wear both underwire and soft cups from them. The underwires are for wide roots, I am at the point where that is primarily what I wear and prefer.
Yes, the Elomi bras are expensive. Definitely check for sales. I get a lot of bras from eBay and Amazon. Or you can check for sales at online bra stores like Bare Necessities, Herroom, Fig Leaves, etc. On eBay, sometimes it is cheaper to buy bras from UK lingerie stores. Just double check the listings to make sure if they are using UK sizing or American sizing. Most UK sellers sell UK sizing, but I did buy bras once from one who catered to Americans and used US sizing. Same for US sellers, a few use UK sizing rather than US. Good luck!
My bra-that-didn't-fit is now in my abrathatfits size!
I was so excited to try this in my size, as the 38H in this model was basically what I wore before ABTF. This is a 34K, which in Cacique sizing seems to roughly translates to a UK 34HH volume? Plus when I first saw them they were half off. I had to get them right?
It feels like there's too much cup and strap that wants to exist where my armpit is, but if my shoulders are fully back (Like I'm trying to get my shoulder blades to touch- like a chest/pecs workout machine) it fits almost perfectly, but slouched my ...arms push into the cup/strap forward making the cup gap on top and have space in the outside bottom. I think I may keep these and move the straps or enlarge the armpit, because they're pretty comfy even in a sort of wrong size. Especially compared to the pain in some of my closer-fitting but still not right bras.
Ok. Being harsh and not trying to make it work because I love this bra. The straps are too wide apart and dont seem to tighten enough. The side of the cup is too high. The gore floats about 1 cm or a half inch. The outside wires/cup seam is way over on my side a few inches away from my root. It's probably not projected enough and not close set enough. This doesn't fit. But dang if it doesn't feel better than a lot of bras that "fit" better. Maybe I'll just work on better posture and not slouching so much and keep those shoulder blades touching. https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" /> Honestly I probably have to alter this if I want it to fit. And that probably means I should return them. (I got excited and ordered it in a bunch of colors in case it fit- hey a half off sale that also has free shipping and free returns, why not?)
As not a sports bra, this is still my best option for one that I've found. Even Panache Sport let me down with whatever the gore did when it didn't fit between my breasts. The 4 inch wide (at the back) band on this with 5 hooks gives a lot of support. I nicknamed my 38H my holster, because it really felt like that. I still LOVE this style and am trying to decide if they go back, or if I work on my sewing and/or posture. Read more 309 more words
This is a really pretty bra that shows exactly what Cacique does well: the straps are wide and soft, the wings wide and supportive, and it’s got a nice side support sling on the interior of the cup. I like the patterning on the fabric, the bits of lace that aren’t excessive and lie flat enough not to be seen under shirts, and the gold-toned hardware.
The cups and gore are too wide, but unlike some of their ‘lightly lined’ offerings, this is a true cut and sew bra, and the depth is about right for me. As it is now, I get both quadboob AND a gore that ...doesn’t tack, but I’m going to replace the wires with some of Porcelynne’s vertical flats and see if that fixes the issues.
The cup appears to be only two pieces of fabric with a single vertical seam, so I’m curious to see if it’ll have enough immediate projection once altered.
Update: I swapped wires and overlapped them at the gore. It certainly fits better now, and everything feels pretty secure, but there’s still not enough room at the wire or at the gore for my center fullness. Read more 86 more words
soooo sexy! my ol' man lovs it, and (surprisingly) i can wear it regularly and dont fall out of the demi cup. as usual with cacique bras, the straps dont adjust short enough. ive found with this brand, that an altered 44ddd (uk 44f?) fits better than any other size (no bigger than h (uk i?) and in the f, g, and h cups, no smaller than 38). i prefer a tight band at 32/34. altering the band, bending the wires, and shorting the straps is a pain, but it's the closest ive come to a bra that not only fits, but that i like...
Have you tried Comexim? You wear 32 and got a 44? That is a lot of alteration. You must sew :)
i want to, but want to narrow down what size to get based on the measurements reported here (& am holding out for a good price... PAH!). actually, i don't sew. it's been a bit (ok, a lot) of trial and error, and ive ruined plenty of bras in the process. i started altering a few yrs ago when i joined Bratabase and only in the last few months got it figured out, mostly. i have a lot of empty tissue, so whatever shape the cups are, my boobs just kind of... well... puddle in them. since i DEFIANTLY cant alter the shape of the cup, ive focused on that aspect rather than the parts i can alter. i like more projection than width with a little pointiness, and more of a "shelf-look" rather than a smooth line down my decollete. i think i might be picky in that regard, but i dont care! only in the last year hace i finally found the confidence to NOT hide (thanks to this site!)
:)
incidentally.... i found an AWESOME back support/breast lifter that has been a god-send. i bought a few and use them inbetween altetations. anyone know if/where i can post info about it? it's unbranded and the sizes run small-xl, so i can't add it to "my bras."
So beautiful!!!
Sure! Makes sense...make it how you want and to have the skills to...good on you! Comexim is priced well now due to the dollar becoming stronger. I just ordered a half cup bra for $41 including shipping.
you can add it manually if its not an option. i accidentally added a bra model as a brand once xD go to my bras - add a bra
well, when it asks for size, it doesn't let me put "Large" or "L." It wants an actual bra size. i must be doing something wrong...
oops... i commented while signed in as my daughter... ha...
are you putting it in on "multiple size" or "one size"? I think one size is teh one you want
I only own this bra. In multiples. I've gotten myself into a bra-rut.
It's reliable, if you don't mind that it's expensive and the underwires break like clockwork every six months in the SAME place where the wing meets the cup and it only comes in four colors (black, white, beige, and light pink).
It's fairly invisible under clothing if you don't mind a little quad boob now and then, and the uni-directional nature of this bra's fabric only causes your clothing to twist in odd directions some of the time.
The poking of the underwire into your upper arm is mostly manageable, and over time, you barely notice ...the mild nerve damage occurring.
It's a sensible, no-frills bra, nothing pretty about it, but then again, why would you want to bring attention to your femininity, you crazy, over-feminine nut! No pretty colors or lace for you, you've already got huge boobs, so that should be enough.
Generally, it's an ok bra to wear when you've given up hope on finding anything better. It'll get the job done, for a while at least. Read more 75 more words
Sizing in this brand Cacique by Lane Bryant seems to be different. I was told this, their 38H corresponds to a US 38F or UK 38G.
So I accidentally ended up with a bra that's approximately two sister sizes off my current size (UK 34H) when I bought this for $5 at a thrift store. I had expected to make a Franken-bra, and at the time I got it, about five years ago, I was closer to a UK 28F, but have been wearing it with no alterations as almost my only bra since I got it. (Unsure if at the thrift store for sizing being off or ...store closing or what. Also no idea where it could come from, there's rarely even DD or DDD's near me!) Great holster that will keep the girls in place. Seriously it could probably be a sports bra. After five years of being almost my only bra worn, I wish the straps would stay tightened still, but it's still a decent fit.
My natural shape is more projected and I know this flattens me out a good bit, but is also sister-sized, so while I'd rely on someone else for shape/size tests I dont think this is the best option for the most projected shape, but I dont think it's really that shallow either- more of a good sized cereal bowl shape. I fill the volume most days, depending how everything sits, but occasionally fall out under the band a little, or over the top/middle if the band has fallen down too low since I'm pretty close set (really just classic too far along the sister size issues, since I'm gapping at the opposite side of the cup if I am falling out somewhere). It's hard to compare to other shapes since I dont have other bra's in this size range. I have 34DDD's I quardraboob out of terribly, but I tried on an Elomi Cate in 34H that fit nicely if that helps you figure out my shape that's trying to fit into this bra. I consider myself fairly evenly full vertically and horizontally (2.5/5.5 shape-wise on that chart) with maybe a tiny bit more fullness towards the center horizontally. I'm close set, but as the gore is floating an inch above my sternum instead of touching, I cant say if it'd be a problem or not if it touched- maybe slightly wider gore than I'd want. I dont have any issues with the wire. I've never been stabbed by this bra in 5 years, and the wire is still safely enclosed. (I wasn't 100% if it did have a wire or just really good structuring for a long time).
Probably the best-constructed bra I've ever owned. After about 5 years of almost everyday wear there's possibly some band stretching and the straps loosen themselves instead of holding to where they were tightened. No fraying or tears or wire issues. The biggest issue is that recently the lining/padding started to show nipple bumps (mine are harder and I have modesty issues with the bumps showing) So I'm assuming the foam or whatever is starting to decay or wear out. Pretty good for 5 years of everyday wear and -the horror- washing and drying it in machines. Honestly, I couldn't expect more out of a bra. It has tried so hard to fit me. The perfect everyday bra for me. It kept everything smooth/seamless and nice under t-shirts and anything else I has on. I absolutely LOVE this bra, and I'm very sad to find out its not actually made in 34H UK/34K US or I'd go buy more. Read more 495 more words
The measurement difference between this and the beige version I have explains some of the issues I had with this one. The band is a bit too loose and the cups don't fit as well on my breast - they're too tall and tend to wrinkle a bit as I move. I know it's normal for a molded bra to buckle at the top when you reach forward, but this one does it a little too much. I also wish the straps connected a little further in to give more space in the top corner of the cup for my armpit. The fabric isn't very soft, but I'm hoping over time it will get softer.
I am SO MAD that this bra has been discontinued, because it fits amazingly. I just bought another one off of eBay, so I'll get measurements once it arrives.
I'm honestly a bit surprised by how much I love this bra. The fit is pretty good, though I knew all along that the band would need to be shortened. The print is pretty fun. I'm digging it!
Surprisingly comfortable even though it is a cup size or so too big. Overall its just a blah bra though it the kind you have just to cover your nipples. No lift, or separation just overall not that great.
Sounds interesting! I love the ridge of foam instead of wire idea. Too bad the gore and wires were too wide.