I was delighted to find that this bra is supportive enough to run in it - even without using the J-hook. I wore it for a 4+ mile run today on a hilly route, and while I am not the speediest of souls, I felt well-supported and did not notice any bounce, other than in the very tops of my breasts that are "above" the bra (which was minimal). Trudging up stairs and racing down them is comfortable, no need to hold myself. Jumping jacks and bouncing around like a hyperactive pre-schooler had no ill effects. This bra keeps you secure and supported without making it impossible to ...breathe.
The shape and support is extremely similar to that of the wired bra, though it does not feel as "secure" along the band due to the lack of wires. This does not seem to affect the actual support, but it does have a different feel, especially if you are used to mostly wearing wired bras, including sports bras. The wired bra *feels* a bit tighter and supportive in the cup perimeter, but again, I did not notice a difference in function. I think the non-wired version is slightly more closed on top, though I do not have a wired version in the same size for proper comparison. There is less separation of the breasts without the wires, indeed, it is probably more accurate to say there is hardly any. This has not bothered me so far. When lounging, the non-wired version does not keep breasts contained on the sides the way the wired version does.
Because the bra is less structured, sizing down may be necessary for better support. I also tried the 34FF, and it appeared to fit and felt generally okay, but seemed to have a bit of extra room at the lower sides. Fit was a little harder to assess without wires (I have not worn a non-wired bra in years, except for sleeping.)
The band is firm enough to support me but does not seem as tight (for the size) as my wired ones. I did not size up in the band, my loose measurement is currently fluctuating ~33.5-34 inches. The cup seams do not appear to be as flat as those on the wired bra cups, and the seams are somewhat noticeable under a fitted shirt, especially the side panel ones. The shape is pretty good, especially for a non-wired bra. Overall, a very good sports bra. Read more 302 more words
Things I like. -soft wicking fabric, including cushioning over the underwires. It is worth mentioning that the underwires nearly touch in the center gore, but since they are padded, there is about an inch of relatively inflexible area in the gore. On me, the gore does not firmly "tack" but it is snug and does not chafe. I think this is due to the padded design. I was able to try all the adjacent sizes, and this was the best fit. While the gore is high, the wires only come up about 50% to the top, so there is no gouging.
The ...band is *very* firm. I measure just a bit under 32", and I needed a 34". I'm not sure I would have been able to fasten a 32. 34 is my "firm" band size, I usually take a 32 in stretchier styles. The cups run a bit big. Normally I need an FF (or US H), I took an F in this. The straps are comfortable, and for extra support can be hooked together as a racerback. This closes up the top of the cups for even less bounce. However, it tends to press on the trapezius, so it is less comfortable. Without connecting them, the bra is comfortable enough to wear all day. The straps are contoured. No "uniboob"!, and the side profile is acceptable to wear for daily wear. With the racerback, the side profile is very uplifted, a bit too much for a natural appearance on me.
Cons: in racerback mode, the straps are too close together for me, because the connector is too high. Still a great bra, and I like being able to make a simple adjustment to "lock down" the bounce.
I was hopeful that this would be a holy grail sports bra for me. It definitely appears to fit - no quad boob, no obvious rubbing under the arms, and it gives nice shape to my breasts - but I find that when I've been wearing it for more than a few minutes my breasts are sore. It could be that the fabric is thick enough that it offers some compression which I'm finding uncomfortable. Otherwise, the band is pretty snug, and that may be causing the problem for me. I understand why bra makers design sports bras to have supertight bands as that's the ...only way to provide support for high impact exercise. I've dealt with my share of bone-crushingly tight bras when I was running consistently. I mostly want something to wear for yoga and other low to medium impact exercise right now, so I don't need it to be so snug. I am going to try sizing up to a 36E to see if that fixes the issue. My other observation is that the straps definitely don't seem long enough for me to convert to racerback, although this may work on shorter people. Read more 97 more words
After 2 years of very frequent wear one of the straps on this bra finally broke. While it lasted it was consistently comfortable and full coverage, and very supportive. However, the cups never really fit exactly right (they are quite high cut on top) and I would have liked a bit more supportive "side" material since I have a wide root. Still, I loved this bra and the convertable straps since I wear so many racerback tops, though wearing the straps that way would often hurt my neck and shoulders after more than a few hours.
This bra's measurements have been altered
No alterations but measurements taken after I'd worn the bra for 2 years, so some stretching in band, etc...
The first F cup these H boobs have worn in a loooong time! The FF is a better fit, technically, but allows a little more bounce so I opted for slightly too small on purpose. I also needed to size up in the band. So comfy, I can live in it. I've never tried running without holding my boobs or wearing two bras, but this makes it possible. And the lime combo is really cute! Worth the investment.
Best bra ever. Full stop. I wear this as an everyday bra under anything that comes up high enough to cover it. The shape is perfection, and the lining keeps nipples contained. I've considered sewing lace onto it so it can work under more necklines. The underwires are padded a little, so it's friendly to my sensitive rib-cage, and the material is soft too. This is the Platonic form of how a bra should FEEL! I only wish it weren't so sporty-looking and that the straps weren't so beefy. If only they just took the basic design, lowered the neck, and slapped some satin on it... get on that, Panache!
I did have to go up a band size to my sister-size 34F. The band is TIGHT and unforgiving. This bra does not quit! I've worn it almost daily for over a year, and it shows no signs of wear beyond a little staining.
Don't hesitate. This sucker is loaded for bear. Worth every penny of the $70 I paid for it.
I tried this bra in a 34F, 34G and a 32H and although they all felt supportive and secure they weren't. my boobs were lifted, gave a nice shape, slightly pointed but absolutely no bounce control at all when I moved even just a little I could feel and see my boobs bounce up and down a lot. So it would be absolutely useless to me for any high impact sports like jogging or running.
I already own a panache sport so would have liked this bra but I ordered one that was too small. I love the support and comfort in these bras especially for high impact exercise but need to stay in my size range.
Doesn't poke, fastens securely. J-hook on the back straps to turn it into a racerback of sorts. I just didn't get the opportunity to use it because all the weight i lost came out of my boobs! Excellent quality, and ultimately a bit too projected for me.
I had to size quite a bit down in cup on that one too. (And up in band). :)