Ask any woman what bras she has in her wardrobe and you’ll almost always be met with an answer that consists of three staples: an everyday bra, a sports bra and one kept for special occasions. Throw in a strapless for good measure.
Now ask any woman the reason she limits her bra choices to so few and it’s often going to be met with a similar opinion: it’s an intimidating, daunting and often frustrating experience.
Too often the question stays focused on whether or not a bra is the right “size”, without taking into consideration the other thousands of questions that should go into the monumental decision. And yes, monumental it is considering most of us keep the same ones for years (and wear daily, might we add).
There’s so much more to consider when shopping for lingerie, going beyond just number and size. Colour, shape, coverage, fabric, texture, and of course, pinch-factor, all play a huge role in whether that bra is right for you. So the reality is, finding one that’s both form-fitting and comfortable is surprisingly hard.
That’s why the marie claire team decided to put Nancy Ganz’s newest Shaping Bra collection to the test. The range is designed locally with the mission to create pieces that are “versatile, comfortable and inclusive” for all body types, running from size 10 to 18 with cup sizes B to G. The new collection includes innovative fabric made with innovative technologies at the underarm, designed for a lightweight, “anti-jiggle” wearability.
I ordered the nude Body Fusion Wire-Free Contour Bra in a 10C to test it out for myself.
On first impression, the cup size was much fuller coverage than I’m used to, both on the cup and bottom strap—which I was interested to see if it made any difference.
Giving it a whirl with a typical work outfit, namely a plain white tee, I was instantly impressed with how smooth and almost invisible it was underneath the cotton, which admittedly is something that’s been bothering me with another bra I’ve been wearing recently.
The back was smooth (huge!) and didn’t pinch (huge, again!), which meant it didn’t give off that uncomfortable feeling in the back like so many others seem to do.
The straps were what I was most impressed with, though. They didn’t slip or budge the entire day, while remaining soft enough to go unnoticed, and for once I wasn’t constantly rearranging.
And unlike other non-wired bras I’ve tried in the past, it didn’t droop (although I’m by no means on the bustier side when that would present as a real issue).
All in all, I have to say ever since it arrived it has quickly become the first bra I gravitate to in the mad morning dash of getting ready—which really, speaks for itself.
Also trying the new collection was marie claire’s Editor (digital) Melissa Mason, who was roadtesting the Body Light contour range.
“I was surprised that I liked this bra, because for years I’ve avoided any padding at all when it comes to bras—even really light contour padding felt like it made by 10E bust look five times bigger,” she says. “But the contour padding in this bra is flexible and feels like it genuinely contours your bust, rather than staying firm and adding a cup size.
“The highlight for me however was the infinity edging and tech called ‘comfort underarm’. Basically, Nancy Ganz has really thought about minimising those classic lumps and bumps we all get when wearing bras, making it actually seamless under tees and tanks.”
The collection is available to shop here.
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