I'm a 34A standard bra, and I love this bralette in Medium for daily wear and Small as a lightweight sports bra. I love the subtle floral pattern.
For daily wear, it's very comfortable and provides just a little support, but not quite enough shape for me to love it under fitted tops. Knowing this didn't have any padding, I expected this to be the case, so it's not a point against it, just something to be aware of.
For a sports bra, I wear it with crisscrossed straps. The size down still isn't an insanely compressive sports bra, but it's enough for me and my minimal support needs for most athletic activities. I love that it doesn't smell afterwards like all my synthetic sports bras do. I would love more non-skin-tone colors for this, as I don't like wearing variations of nude for sports bras.
I'm a 34A and tried the medium. I wear a medium in the essential bralette as well. I don't need a ton of support for most athletic activities. I found this bra to be a little too thick and a little too much fabric for what I'm looking for. Perhaps sizing down would have helped, but the slightly longline cut was just a bit too much regardless.
Instead, I've found I really like the essential bralette a size down from my regular size (so for me that's a small), with the straps crisscrossed. I haven't tried running in that yet, but I've worn it for sand volleyball and was perfectly comfortable, and I love how it looks (and it didn't smell at all after!)!
I bought these because they were highly rated on pack hacker.com and also bc I’ve lost 30 lbs. To my surprise, NO panty lines. So comfortable I forget about them. Never had to readjust. They just stayed put and stayed quiet. Everything you want in your unders. I know they're expensive but if you want perfectly-fitting underwear, these are THE ONES.
I like that these shorts were comfortable enough to wear all day. I looker forward to wearing them under pants in cooler weather when more warmth is needed, but long underwear is too much. The only change I would make is that I would prefer a longer inseam by 1-2 inches.
All my sports bars were several years old and I decided it was time to replace them. I am very happy with this and am glad I bought three!
This bra was very comfortable from the get-go. I wore it every day for at least a week right after it arrived. This hasn't been a bother but I have noticed the band tends to roll a little by the end of a long day at work if I've been wearing it for many days without washing. After having it about a month, I'm loving it and the band roll is not a deal breaker.
Love it! wearing as a base layer. Soft and comfortable, I have worn it most every day since I got it. I have the Tidepool Teal color.
The band feels secure and stays in place all day, and the straps don’t dig in or slip. The cups give a natural shape while keeping everything lifted, which makes a noticeable difference under both casual tops and more fitted dresses. I also appreciate that the fabric is soft but still structured, so it doesn’t collapse after a few washes. If you’re looking for a bra that offers real support and all-day wearability, this one is worth it.
Feels great, but I pretty much always wear a 'small' in bras like this and I thought this was maybe clothes for a barbie, lol. It is TEENY WEENY, returning.
I am a D cup and have a very petite frame, so I ordered an extra small and criss crossed the straps for added support. I feel it works as well as my traditional sports bras, but has a nicer fabric feel and straps can be transformed into a regular bra as well. It's my favorite bra so far! I ended up ordering a total of 4. I love that I also can rewear my bra multiple days with no smell before washing. The comfort of this bra is also outstanding!
As a basic bralette piece this does a great job! Have worn it for work and play for a few days and it is still comfortable and fitting well. The bottom band rolls as I wear it, maybe just a factor of my body shapes. I would like to try the busty version for the thicker band but didnt see that option when I first ordered.
For reference I am 5’7” 145lbs and M/34C
As some reviewers have mentioned the comfort of this bra is spot on. I went ahead and bought three bras for my weeklong back country hike in Yosemite to give it a whirl and here’s my take:
1) it is definitely a BRALETTE! For reference I typically wear a 34B and am an athletic build. That said this bralette isn’t the most supportive. Since I was hiking with a heavy pack, at elevation, in the summer and was a slow-go I felt that I could get away with a less supportive bra—-the girls had no where to go, but I do feel a bit more support would have been nice.
2) headlights will blare! Yup. No padding means the headlights will shine bright! Beware! A little bit of extra nip coverage would be nice
3) cool and dry! Amazing but true. Even in the 90+ degree heat, several thousand foot elevation swings and hours of exertion this little baby kept me suprisingly cool and dry. That was a super nice surprise.
4) no smell! Yup. Amazing and true. Even after multiple days of wear and even wearing at night it did not smell. I smelled 😆 but the bra was fine! I found if I took it off at night an switched to my second bra the airing out overnight kept it feeling fresh and smelling fine.
Takeaway: would I buy again? Probably not, because I do not need more than the three I already have. I love the way it feels on, fits well (true to size—-34B and I got the medium) but be warned this bra is only good for yoga, lounging and slow moving activities. It definitely is not supportive for more rigorous sports. The headlights can and will shine bright, and the straps aren’t the most supportive given the width.
Comfortable bra, good quality materials. Fine for lounging but that’s about it - offers almost no support and no shaping. I am a 32DDD and I would not take it hiking or backpacking like I’ve seen in advertisements because there’s no support. Also wouldn’t wear it under any garment where I want some lift or shape, so really only good for laying around the house. Tends to trap sweat for me. Feel a bit disappointed and misled from the ads I’ve seen.
Hi Cat,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback; we really appreciate it. We're sorry to hear that the Essential Busty Bra didn’t meet your expectations for support and performance, especially given how excited you were to try it for more active use. We can imagine how disappointing that must have felt. We’d love the chance to help you find a style that better suits your needs, especially for activities like hiking or backpacking, and we'll be in touch shortly.
This is such a fabulous innovative product. I simply love the new wool fabrics arriving to the market. The cut of this bra is excellent- I think the best out there right now in the genre- with a cute design that stands alone and layers well. The feel is so different than other synthetic sports bras. Comfortable. It is not scratchy, but sometimes slightly rough feeling when my body warms up. I feel it will be a staple in my wardrobe for some time to come for yoga, layering, and outdoor activities like kayaking and hiking. I am 34A and don’t like bra to feel tight. M is my size.
These shorts are great for hanging out at home, going for walk, and as a base layer under ski pants when you don't want full long underwear. Love wearing these under softshells with open thigh vents for spring skiing. They are quite warm, so I get sweaty if I try to run in them. Great for yoga or pilates.
I have 2 of these and wear them every single day. Perfect for daily wear and hiking/ skiing, not quite enough support for running. Favorite bra I have ever owned. I'm 5'4" 120 lb- A or small B cup. Small fits perfect. Can wear for days backpacking.
Magical. The most comfortable underwear you'll ever wear! If you're willing to handwash some things for the sake of the planet and your own skin: this is the way. (Also, personal: if you're tired of swamp butt in cotton underwear, these are the way to go. I promise that the ~20% synthetic isn't going to matter when the 80% wool is busy keeping things clean and dry).
XL for 5'6 ~200 lb is a perfect fit.
Very comfortable bra, perfect for casual days, but not a lot of support - a tad itchy until you get a few washings in. I'm a 36 D and wear a size large. I like the coverage
So comfortable from the start. I didn’t want to take it off. Supportive but not tight or pinching anywhere and it didn't seem to stretch out after 2 days straight!