I love this bra! I've spent years in ill-fitting compression-style bralettes from various places but, after reading numerous rave reviews, I finally picked one of these up, and I'm so glad I did. I purchased it in black from Breakout Bras (via Amazon). The pros first:

The good:

-The band is veeeery comfortable. I've read many people saying it runs really tight but, as I measure under 26" comfortably and most 28's feel big on me, this one feels great. It's also a sports bra, so it should be pretty snug and secure, right? There are three hooks, and they're a little padded, so it adds an extra feeling ... of stability and comfort.

-There is a racerback option. It cuts into my shoulders near my neck a bit, but it does feel like it might be a good option for higher impact activities.

-It actually looks great under clothing! It could easily be worn under normal shirts and would never be suspected of being a sports bra. It does have a bit of a minimizing effect, but there is also still good definition.


The bad(ish):

-The F is a bit small, but I really think the FF would have too much extra room, especially at the top. The wires could be a little higher on the sides as well. The fit is close enough I don't think sizing up is necessary.

-The center gore is a little wide, but I think I might be more close-set than I realized previously. It requires a little adjustment to get things situated properly. It doesn't really detract from the feel of the fit too much, but would be better if it were more narrow.


Overall, I'm very happy with this bra, and would definitely consider getting a second one.



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Updated on Apr 10, 2012 Flag this

Measurements for 28F:

Bust perimeter: 35.5"
Stretched Band: 27" end to end. From smallest hooks to eyes it's 25.5"
Band Length: 24" end to end. 22.5" smallest hooks to eyes.
Cup Width: 5.5"
Cup Depth: 8.75"
Wire Length: 9.25"
Cup Seperation: 1.125"
Strap Width: 1" at widest point

Compared to most other bras from Panache, this one fits me in an F. The only problems are the top doesn't come up quite high enough, as mentioned by another lady on here, and the straps when worn as a racerback style dig into my neck a bit too much. I think that latter part has something to do with the fact that I have some muscle there, so ... it's just pressing on it. And I think if I had gotten this in an FF the cups may have been a bit too big. It is a sports bra afterall. It's supposed to be tight! And because of that it does have a slight minimizing effect by about a half inch.

I love the fact that the straps are cushioned. My shoulders are bony and straps are always uncomfortable no matter how tight or loose I have them. Plus these are center pull straps so they fit my narrow frame much more approriately than every other bra I've ever tried and worn. I wear this as a regular bra because of the support and comfort. It doesn't look bulky under t-shirts and it doesn't give you uniboob.

Another plus is the band is quite snug (I gave the two different measurements above because when I first joined this site I could have sworn measuring the band stretched and unstretched was done so from smallest hooks to eyes, and I believe that is what I have most of my other bras measured at too), and having the 3 hooks as opposed to 2 is even better. I can close this on the largest setting brand new! Something I've never been able to do. The wires have some slightly cushioning on them as well as the hook and eye closure.

*Update Sept 2012*
It's now too small. My full bust is an inch larger so I need this in a bigger cup =(
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Updated on Sep 22, 2012 Flag this

This is the best sports bra ever! It's a great fit and is incredibly supportive. There is practically no bounce at all. It is so comfortable and much more flattering than compression sports bras. The straps are wide and comfortable and can convert to a racer back. It has no irritating label- the label is printed onto the band. Love it!

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Updated on Aug 30, 2017 Flag this

I don't do a whole lot of cardio, so even though I love my Shock Absorbers, I don't need to be squashed down mot gym days. So, I wanted something else, something more comfortable.
I tried the Panache on recommendation from a friend and I really quite liked it. It is comfortably projected, it isn't terribly wide, and the wires are crazy cushioned. I like that the cups are high. I'm high set and I don't like showing a lot of cleavage at the gym, so this works well for me. Because it is so high coverage, I can also easily wear it on its own during summer which ... is my preference.
The volume was appropriate for me in the cups.
The band is TTS 28 and the tension distribution is really excellent. It's a firm 28 and I had trouble hooking it myself (you can see I missed the middle eye, oops). Once it was on it was pretty comfortable. But I opted to order a 30E instead. I'm not doing cardio and the band is wide enough that the top was digging into my lats. That may or may not have been uncomfortable at a later time. I don't need the ultra snug band since I'm not running, jumping, climbing trees in this.
This went back, I'll review the 30E more thoroughly since I'll be using it beforehand.
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Coral/Grey colorway

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Updated on Apr 22, 2016 Flag this

This bra is just the most comfortable bra! I got this bra from a friend with some others for trying out different sizes. I am so glad she sent me this one! Even though the 28FF I own does fit, this one is great too! I do get a little (just a very little!) Quadboobs in it, but it feels so secure, even without the racerneck! And due to sizing down the wires aren't that much too wide anymore! Wuhuu! https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_mrgreen.gif" alt=":D" />

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Updated on Feb 21, 2016 Flag this

This Panache sports bra in 28F did not fit. The cups were SO wide, it felt super wrong.

The wire felt like it cut way far back into my side, almost to my back. I have no padding so far back there, where the cup ended-- just skin and bones-- it was incredibly painful.

The band was fairly tight, although I could close it. I tried it with an extender - with two extenders, to judge if I should try band size 30 -- and more room in the band really didn't fix the problem at all. The cups were the problem. They were SO wide...

This ... is not the first Panache bra that I felt this way about -- their T shirt bra also felt grossly wrong shaped & wide, exactly like this. But other Panache styles feel perfect; I own a few balconettes in 28F that work really well.

Perhaps this shape works better for girls with more soft tissue on top? That squish outwards when confined to a sports bra? My boobs just don't work like that. They are super pendulous, like teardrops. And outside the boobs, I am skin and bones. I simply have no padding, unless the wire lands in front of me, not to my sides.

So this shape was just very wrong for me personally.

Not even trying any other size.
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Updated on Feb 09, 2021 Flag this

Fantastic bra, just bought the wrong size!

Pastel Retro colorway

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Updated on Dec 17, 2020 Flag this

This is the only bra I've found that works for running (no bouncing or chafing!) but it cuts into my armpits a tiny bit more than I'd like. Still my default sports bra though.

Updated on Oct 27, 2020 Flag this

i never thought i'd have a sports bra that actually works! it's extremely comfortable while still being firm, and it also gives a flattering shape so i'd even be happy wearing it under regular clothes. it does a great job of minimizing movement and running is so much easier now that i don't have to worry about my bra falling off. the design is pretty cute too. i really recommend this model to anyone of a similar size that has trouble exercising with regular bras or needs more support from a sports bra!

Updated on Apr 11, 2020 Flag this

There are already so many reviews of this bra, so I won’t make it very long.

As usual with Panache sports bras, the cups run large and the band runs tight. I’m wearing 30F in most bras, but the cups of this 28F fit well. I need to use an extender for the band, though.

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Updated on Mar 27, 2020 Flag this