More ladies are pledging allegiance to bralettes and wireless bras after one-too-many incidences of being poked in the flesh by a wayward underwire. But, bralettes may be a little daunting for the uninitiated, since some options are really pricey and there’s the problem of finding the right fit.
Thanks to local brand Our Bralette Club (OBC), these concerns are no longer an issue.
Established by Chow Liying in 2016, the brand caught my attention after I came across many rave reviews about it. A quick browse through their website revealed the answer; the bralettes they carried were beautiful and affordable, with prices starting from S$9.80.
I really liked how they provided options with different materials, coverage, padded/ non-padded and more. In addition, most bralettes are available in a wide range of sizes to cater to a spectrum of bodies, from the more petite ones to those who are more voluptuous.
Besides the bralettes, I also read great reviews about their stick-on bras and how well they held up. But, more on that later. Let’s talk about their bralettes first!
Bralette Starter Kit
Roping in a few colleagues, we went for the wild card and Chow kindly sent us a few sets of the Bralette Starter Kit (S$30.80) to try out.
For those who aren’t familiar with bralettes, this kit will be your best bet. Just select your size and include some personal preferences and leave it to the pros! For instance, if you’re in between sizes or currently nursing, include it in the form and the team will pick two to three bralettes that best suit your situation.
The unboxing of our Bralette Starter Kits was met with equal parts excitement and apprehension – “What if we don’t like the designs that Chow picked out?” The worrying was unnecessary because she was spot-on at matching our preferences.
After trying them on, we found the fit to be great (we’re wearing A and B-cups) and the fabrics used seemed to be of pretty good quality.
One of the designs Chow picked for me was the OBClassic Strappy Bralette (S$14.80), which had gorgeous rose gold details. Since I’m extremely partial to rose gold, I may be a little biased, but I love how they made the dainty bralette feel more lux. True, no one else will see the rose gold clasps but hey, I feel happier knowing that they’re there!
We also noticed that amongst the bralettes she sent to us, some were tagged with the brand’s label while others weren’t.
Chow explained that this is because to keep costs low and ensure the affordable pricing of bralettes, they occasionally bring in designs produced outside the brand. But, don’t worry because these bralettes are subjected to the same checks for quality and sizing consistency.
Pick Me Up Padding
We opted to include the Pick Me Up Padding (S$10.80) in our Bralette Starter Kits and it was the best decision ever. The padding can last for 80 to 100 uses and I’m definitely repurchasing it when mine wears out!
With this, you can easily switch between having padded and unpadded bralettes. The padding is affordable and so versatile and universal – they even work perfectly on my other non-OBC bralettes and I can imagine them being great with tight and backless dresses.
It’s like having a safety net for your boobs – after the Pick Me Up Padding is stuck on, they don’t budge. It’s also reusable and easy to clean. With a bit of soap and water, they’re good to go. Basically, this is a closet essential.
U U Stick-On Chicken Cutlet Padding
Stick-on bras are great for strapless, backless or low neck-line clothes but unfortunately, they’re a little risky in Singapore’s weather. There’s a constant struggle to ensure that they remain stuck on when you’re breaking a sweat from the heat.
That’s why Our Bralette Club’s stick-ons really impressed me with how well they held up against sweat. To test out the U U Stick-On Chicken Cutlet Bralette (S$34.80), I wore it for some light exercise, just enough to get a layer of sweat, and it remained secure!
The stick-ons are definitely a little pricier than those you can pick up elsewhere but personally, I don’t mind paying more to ensure security.
The brand also offers another stick-on, the Lace Up Stick-On Chicken Cutlet Bralette (S$26.80), which is recommended for beginners trying out stick-ons.
The U U Stick-On is meant more for dresses with a lower neckline and for all other occasions, but the team always recommends trying the Lace Up Stick-On first. Though they both have the same adhesive, the surface area is larger for the Lace Up Stick-On and provides more support.
More About The Brand
Besides the quality and design of their products, I was also impressed by Our Bralette Club’s ethos of promoting body positivity. The images on the website stood out because they didn’t feature typical model-like physiques and that’s wonderful.
Chow explained that “a lot of Singaporean women [don’t] know much about bralettes and assume that only people with model like figures can pull off nice lingerie.”
She also drew on her personal experiences when structuring the brand with inclusivity in mind. “I’ve been plus-sized my entire life, so I know what it feels like to be… sidelined by the typical Asian sizing guide.”
Initially, she did the modelling herself (and she still does sometimes) and it was met with “really really encouraging” responses, spurring her on to pursue inclusivity. That was when she came to the happy realisation that “people are ok, or even happy, to see models with real bodies.”
The brand is also putting a new spin to the traditional lingerie industry with the use of cute graphics (umm, peach please?!). No longer is it about being sexy and alluring. Instead, it’s about comfort and having fun exploring options!
“An uncut peach looks like a butt and a cut one looks like a breast with the seed as the nipple. And remove the seed and it resembles… the intimate part of a woman. I like how it embodies women in all forms, so we adopted it as our brand logo.”
Bralettes are having a moment now and with the affordable prices, it’s definitely worth adding some from Our Bralette Club to your collection!
Prices: S$9.80 – S$34.80
Our Bralette Club: Website | Facebook
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