Purchasing: $48 on Amazon with Prime Free Shipping & Free Returns, some sizes/colors available through Prime Wardrobe, non-neutrals available
Band: Three-piece smooth knit with elastic at top of band. Wing support: None. FRONT close with just one hook. Fit: Length good. Wing height not quite tall enough, but best I've found in a racer-back. NO axillary skin spillage.
Gore: Comfortable, tacks, good spacing
Cups: Full coverage and seamless. Single layer of barely stretchy knit. Unpadded underwire. Gives a pleasantly round shape. Fit: Not quite wide enough to contain all breast tissue, but the best I've found in a racer-back. Smooth line on the top of the cup. Projection is on the shallow side of average -- ok but not awesome for my shape.
Straps: smooth elastic, partial adjust, V-shaped back
Fit under clothing: Smooth under tight tee. Not visible under v-neck. Oodles of wing shows under tank.
After having pretty good luck with Wacoal’s Basic Beauty, I grabbed this up in my current size range of 32G since it reminded me of the basic. Very plain with no added fuss. This bra screams comfort! The cups are pretty forgiving and can accommodate some weight fluctuations, perfect for me at this moment. The straps are soft and flexible and situated such that it’s not too far apart, but not as close in the back as the Basic Beauty. The band is soft and doesn’t dig in. Over all I’m happy with this fit and how it looks under clothing. I do get a considerable amount of bounce when I walk fast, so ladies with naturally large breasts might not feel very well supported in this.
This is the best fitting bra yet... i like the fact that it holds everything in place, it is comfortable to wear all day and doesn't particularly enhance my size or shape. The only cons i have for it is nipp concealment is nada, and the back does ride up a little.
I picked this up after having great luck with Wacoal’s Basic Beauty and Basic Benefits. For this particular bra I had to size up to a 32G. At this point I’m not sure if their other bras run big in the cup, or this one runs small in the cup (which I’m thinking is the case). Nonetheless I have this in 32G. The straps are on the thin side for being a G cup with the first half of the strap being reinforced with a non-stretch material. I also find these straps run short and most likely won’t adjust long enough for ...taller ladies. The band only has two hooks even in this size. The cups are pretty thin for a moulded cup with a less forgiving edge sewn along the top of the cup. One of the reasons I opted for a G and not a DDD as with my very round, center full breast I had major quad-boobage with the DDD. I’d say for me this is a pretty good fit. I get more lift and separation with this size. Will be perfect for under dresses and shirts where I need a smooth cup with wider set straps. Quality is pretty good, but the lace might pill with constant wash and wear as it has on the soft cup Embrace Lace I purchased secondhand. Read more 125 more words
Isn't it funny how simple/plain cups are so much more appealing when the band is pretty? I do love the lacy band.
MamaPagan I totally agree with you. I think that was one of the reasons I even tried this bra. Sometimes wearing my basic workhorse bras gets boring. My husband even said “I like that. Looks really nice.”. After wearing it more the wires are a bit too wide, but in a pinch it gets the job done. I needed something with wider set straps for more open necklines where my Basic Beauty bra just doesn’t cut it.
As long as it's comfortable and serves it purpose then it's a worthwhile purchase for sure. The cute band is just an added perk! :-)
This review is for the color “Navy Peony/Infinity”.
The color is a beautiful Navy blue, almost sapphire color having a hint of cobalt undertone to it. The contrast lace color looks to be a blue-grey hue. The cup is a mounded spacer foam that is very lightweight with just the right amount of give, yet supportive. The backband is wide and very soft, no itch here! The front portion of the strap has the lovely lace detail with an adjustable elastic strap in the back. As with the Basic Beauty model this also has straps that are set closer together. They don’t fall off narrow shoulders and perfect for under regular tank tops. They also sit further in on your shoulder so you don’t get that digging in where your clavicle/shoulder joint is. This provides a wonderful rounded shape and smooth appearance under clothing. A fantastic gem for my bra collection.
This review is for the color "Hydrangea/Ivory". After having such wonderful luck with Wacoal's Basic Beauty, I gave this Basic Benefits a try and I'm glad I did. It is almost identical to the Basic Beauty. It has the exact same cup and frame with the exception of having a shorter side wing height by half an inch as well as an elastic strap that is every so slightly thinner. The center gore has a beautiful lace that runs under the cup along the band and up the side by where the side wing front part and back part meet. The same lace is also found on the top of the cup where the strap meets to cup and up till the front strap meets the elastic strap portion in the back. It goes without saying this color is gorgeous in person. I'd say it's a sky blue color with a hint of lavender with the lace having the Ivory in small portions of it. Defiantly another win in my book.
Yay for shorter wings. Wacoal wings are often so tall!
Love4Pollinators The shorter wing height is exactly the same width of the elastic they use along the bottom, but the length difference is only at that point. Once it reaches around the back it's the same as the Basic Beauty. I believe the reason for the slightly shorter side wing is due to the seam where the lace meets the backband. Still a lovely bra if it can work for you despite the wide wings.
I’m currently 9 months postpartum. Comfort is at the top of my list. This bra certainly fits the bill for me. This band runs a little on the small side for a 32 band in my opinion. But I still need to wear it on the tightest set of hooks for a firm fit. The cup fabric is a stretchy yet firm spacer fabric. It gives me a lovely lifted, natural round shape that I love. It does not give me cleavage. You do get some show through when it’s cold out, but it’s not too terrible. The band is very comfortable and I love the four hooks in the back. The straps are set closer together so I don’t have to deal with straps falling down or too wide in the front where the straps attach to the cups. This has become my go2 everyday bra. I’ve actually ordered several more in different colors.
The band is so wonderfully supportive! This looks simply beautiful on you :-)
Love4Pollinators It is very supportive. So comfy I can honestly say I put it on and forget it’s on. I have other colors on order and can’t wait to have them all in rotation for wear.
This Review is for the color "Eventide". Ok...I have a problem, I know. Someone might need to stage an intervention with my addiction to this bra. I'm one who loves color. This color is beautiful. I would describe this as a muted periwinkle color. As with all my other reviews of this bra, the fit for this is awesome for me. Comfort and color at its finest. Two thumbs way up.
The Wacoal Women's Plus-Size Basic Beauty Full Figure Underwire (855192) was one of my fav bras, but I had it in a 32D and when I lost weight it stopped fitting. Sadly they didn't make smaller band sizes for this model. Which sucked because it had the perfect back ("leotard"?) for someone with narrow shoulders like mine. BUT I just realized they make this bra, which has the same back and comes in 30DD! Bonus it is also has some light padding, so unlike the Full Figure Underwire, I can wear it under some tees. So yeah, great bra for small band size/larger cup size and also for narrow/sloped shoulders.
First of all, this bra is listed as being Forest Green with Gold lace. The actual colors are Teal with Ecru lace. It's a very pretty color combination. The cups are a very soft tricot on the inside, and just a very thin layer of traditional foam padding throughout. The stretch satin on the outside feels like it could snag easily on jewelry if you're not careful. The contour cups give a nice rounded profile. Very comfortable! The band is Very snug, and has not loosened up with several months of wear. The straps have a flocking on the underneath side, but the edges felt a little ...rough at first. Not exactly scratchy, but enough to notice when putting it on. That has softened with washing. The placement of the front straps are closer inline with the apex of the cups, which I suspect helps minimize gaping, if you're prone to that. The straps in the back are attached ballet-style, so even someone with narrow shoulders shouldn't have a problem with them slipping. Even though the gore is 1" wide, it is low enough not to interfere with close-set breasts, and yet still high enough to give nice support and the cups have a decent amount of center projection. The wings of the bra are tall enough to prevent side spillage, along with the cups being fairly wide. So not really an issue with underarm tissue not getting into the cups.
This particular bra was made in Thailand.
For reference, I am 5'1" tall, average weight, functionally FoB, short but average-width rooted and projected, and I have since purchased several of these in different colors. Only the red one was smaller in the band. The others have all been very consistent. Read more 183 more words
Hi! I’m considering getting this bra. Also similar shape as you. I see under your "other bras that fit" that you generally go for a 32F - is that 32F UK size? Cos if so, I'm curious why you'd go for the 32DDD (US) and not the 32G (US. I'm a 32F (UK) so trying to decide what size to try.
Yes, nowadays I generally go with UK32F (like Panache), or UK32FF (like Fantasie), or US32G (like Wacoal). But this US32DDD model was a few years ago before I changed size, hence the different size.
Short-waisted, center full, close set, immediately projected, even horizontal distribution, somewhat narrow
More compression (2" overbust reduction) than my breasts prefer, but it is acceptable because 1. There are no seams 2. There are no wires 3. The band is wide and supportive like no other knitted, stretchy band 4. Cobalt Blue is more appealing than Beige and White.
Wacoal. They are the benchmark, in my experience, for supportive, stretchy, knitted bands. No other "large" sports bra has provided this level of support. Still, I need to use my Boob Band. But, armed with this bra and a Boob Band, I can do anything comfortably including sleep and kick boxing. No other sports bra I've tried can do this for me. And, because I dislike changing clothes more than once a day, the versatility this provides is welcome in my wardrobe.
If you can wear these, consider yourself lucky. Comfortable support in a limited size range I hope Wacoal soon expands.
Fabrics seem soft enough, but the band runs small. Was able to hook it on the longest set, but wouldn't wear it without an extender. Band doesn't have much stretch to it. Front straps cut into my armpits, twisting when I move, caused the cups to buckle. The added mesh panel above the outer cups do not cut in (probably because I am low-set). The gore is tall for me , didn't lie flat, sat on breast tissue.
This is the most versatile bra I own. Can be worn for sports and working out. Wicks away mortgage. Also nice for regular use. Slight plunge for some cleavage. Nice under t's. Comfy and stretchy. Former secretary recommended it (I'm a guy). Glad she did.
Looks great on you... HAha, "wicks away mortgage". If only a bra could do that! Lol :)
This looks so comfortable.
I want one of these "mortgage wickers", too. Hilarious typo--Thanks, autocorrect :-) :-) :-)
Was going to edit it, but I had to laugh too. I think it was one of those deals where computer picks a word and I was too lazy to re-read. The mortgage wicking bra is tres expensive.
I have been wearing this model bra consistently nearly every day for the last 3 to 4 years. As a man, it's been a huge challenge for me to find something that fits, and just by random choice, this one did it.
The underwires are on the outside of the cup, which is interesting. You might think that it would mean you don't feel them, but that's not entirely accurate. The cup lining, as you'll see in my fit pictures that will follow shortly after this post, is pretty thin, and it doesn't do much to reduce the pressure of the wire against the ribcage.
The band is rather ...solid, which is great. I get so frustrated with bands that make a simple rubber band seem tight. I don't mean that the band is too tight for me, as it gives just the right amount without being sloppy.
The straps are about my only complaint, but at the same time I love them. Instead of having a slider adjustment, they have large loops and hooks that slide into the loops. I normally wear it on the third loop, which means there's a sort of tail of the strap from the other unused portion just dangling. This really only presents an issue when I put it on, as the straps don't lay flat until you do some sort of contortionist move to fix them. After that, though, they're fine. I learned through the purchase of an Ambrielle clone of this bra, but it didn't have the same strap adjustment: It used a slider. About half way through the day, those straps would slide to full extent just from normal daily activity. The Wacoal straps don't do that though: They stay put.
The picture's I'm going to add were advertised as "blue". When it arrived in the mail, it was totally purple. It does come in other colors, but I tend to follow the clearance sales and usually end up with some wild colors. My most recent was actually a blue, but still closer to the purple end of the blue range on the spectrum. I've had the nude color and black in the past though.
All in all, I love this bra. The only fit complaint I have is related to my own personal needs, though. I am starting to need something with much more lower-cup support, and since this bra is a stretch cup, it doesn't meet those needs. I might stitch a woven fabric panel into them to provide that support sometime, but we'll see. Read more 320 more words
This one runs big in my opinion. Wacoal sizing is all over the place in my experience. I have a few in 32D, and sometimes 30DDD or 32DD or 32DDD work too. Other times they don't fit at all.
The cups on this one are pretty deep at the top and center. For me this meant lots of empty space at the top of the cup.
I bought this at a bra store where they'd altered the band to a size 30, but the customer never came to get the bra. So on the tag it's a 32D, but essentially, they altered it to a 30DD. I LOVE this bra. It's so comfortable and supportive. It's definitely a full coverage cup, so it contains well when bending/stooping etc at work as a nurse or home (small kids and livestock). The wires are a bit wider than some D or DD cups, which is nice for wider roots. I'm hoping to find something very similar with a slightly lower cup because this might be too high for some scoop neck tanks in the summer.
Very short-waisted, center full, close set, somewhat narrow, immediately projected, shallow apex projection,...
Wacoal La Femme 32H fits me best. This Subtle Sensuality is 2 sizes smaller. I'm certain a larger size would fit well. As it is, the narrow cup forces my center -full tissue too close together for the design of the cup.
This was a purchase shrouded in optimism. Reality is not so rosey....especially bra purchases https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_wink.gif" alt=";-)" /> For reference, this review is for US size 32DDD which is equivalent to UK 32E.
The band material is super soft, stretchy microfiber, and it feels big. This Wacoal model runs "true to size" rather ...ran smaller than size. The band stretches to 32". For this reason, I'm not inclined to purchase a 34: the band is too stretchy to provide the support I need on my 28" underbust. Interestingly, two models recently released by Wacoal run "true to size." I hope this is not a trend https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_wink.gif" alt=";-)" />
The wires bite into my ribs. It feels like my breasts are pushing the cup forward and down. Judging from the floating gore, this is true. I can wear tilted gores for five minutes before my body passionately objects. This cup is 1-2 sizes too small. Much of this particular fit issue may be remedied by a 32G/H, which they don't manufacture in this model.
The gore is low and narrow. And, the cup offers better than average space for center fullness. Because of the gore design, a few stitches and two minutes would make this a very narrow gore. Awesome feature.
The straps are narrow, fully adjustable, and convertible via j-hook. These straps are very similar to the, relatively, narrow How Perfect Wireless bra straps. Still, the straps are supportive, but I appreciate the security of more robust straps.
Overall, a great t-shirt bra with a very low, narrow gore. Cup accommodates average apex projection, average width, and better than average center fullness. Super soft materials, sufficient padding for prominent nipples, and thin enough padding that it feels lined rather than heavily padded.
Mahogany Rose is an incredible skin tone match for me. I'm white as paper with lots of pink undertone. Invisible.
Another candidate for wild alterations. https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":-)" /> Wacoal materials are better than most and can be found slightly used for little money. These make them my best options for alterations.
Edit: This band was the tightest of the three Wacoals I recently purchased. When I replaced the wires with shorter wires and loosened one side of the wire channel at the gore so it could fold over the other wire channel, the band became too big. The cups fit significantly ...better (i.e. more comfortably) now.
This is yet another example of short roots + center-full fit challenges. Before the alteration, the wires were sitting on a fairly significant amount of breast tissue. At least 1.5" of band width was occupied by my short breasts. They never exude through the top of a cup (e.g. you see no evidence that this bra is too small in the photos). But, when the center gore could collapse, my breasts could better fit into the cups. Now the cups fit, and the wires no longer compress my breasts. But, the once-firm-band is now too long. ; -) Thankfully, that is an easy alteration, too. https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":-)" />
@cupandahalf One of the wire pairs you generously shared with me are perfect replacements. Thank you! Read more 132 more words
The lace back on this is beautiful and the key feature of this bra. Tall wings blend into triangular lace up the straps. The band is snug, true to size, bandless in the front, and two layers in the back. The underneath layer is your typical stretch mesh with elastic edges, with the top layer being the stretch lace. This helped to minimize back fat better than I expected. Unlike the Wacoal 'Lace Affair' whose contour cups are shiny stretch satin, the cups on this 'Fire and Lace' have wider wires, non-shiny stretch satin, contoured foam, barely 1/8" (not spacer fabric); not enough thickness to ...add volume but provides nice modesty and a nice rounded shape (possibly slightly minimized). I had no marks from anything rubbing. The cups fit center fullness very well, but the straps are so wide that the outer edges of the cups rub against my armpits and cause crazy gaping when I roll my shoulders forward. Otherwise, with perfect posture it fits fine. Another cool feature is the straps adjust in the front; SO much easier to reach. I wish all bras were designed with this feature! Athough this is not labeled as a plunge, the gore is low, but not too wide at the bottom. The color 'Flint' is quite pretty I think...the closest I could describe it is a soft dusty purple. It was 'almost' invisible underneath an off-white T-shirt, so I consider the color as neutral. Read more 142 more words
The fit is true to size and generally good, except the outer cup is a full 3/4" taller than the underwire, and cuts into my underarm and especially my Tail of Spence. Could not tolerate it more than a few minutes, so I didn't even try longer.
However, I did like the soft lace on the wide band, the three hooks, and the flocking on the straps.
If the back rides up, you should probably be wearing a smaller band and a larger cup size