After my review of the Freya Kelly and Dotty soft cup bras, which I tried in my hunt for a lounge/sleep bra, reader Fiona sang the praises of Bravissimo sleepwear with their built-in soft cup bras in the comments as another lounge/sleep option. I had eyed these before but was nervous about ordering them because I was outside the cup range, but I decided to give them a whirl after Fiona mentioned that they worked for her even though she also fell outside the cup range.
The cups run from a D-H in bands 28-38, but each size fits two cup sizes. Here’s the size chart for the Racerback Top (the Xs mean that size is sold out but was once available); all the other nightshirts also run in the same sizes:
Size range for the Bravissimo Racerback Top nightshirt
Because I normally am wearing a 28J/JJ or 30H/HH I decided to go for the 30GG-H size to give me the biggest cup possible in my band range and ordered the yellow racerback top, the lace trim cami top, and the stripey nightdress.
Racerback top
Lace Trim Cami Top
Stripey nightdress
It was a mixed bag in terms of fit, but a few things I love in general:
- All the built in bras were very comfortable for lounging AND sleeping. Hallelujah! I’ve tested out all of them multiple times and unlike the Freya Dotty and Kelly, which I woke up desperate to take off on several attempts, I don’t notice the soft bras in these at all while I’m sleeping. I don’t get boob sweat or overheated, either. The racerback and stripey nightdress both have hook-and-eye closures versus the pullover bra style of the cami top, but I didn’t notice a difference in comfort between the two styles.
Hook and eye closure for the Racerback Top and Stripey Nightgown
Pullover style used in the lace cami top
- Although the band felt a bit loose on the racerback top and the stripey nightgown (I’m wearing these hooked on the tightest hook so I can loosen them up as my ribcage gets bigger this trimester; for non-maternity use, though, the band does seem to run just a titch big or true to size in general) it didn’t seem to matter. It seems as though the elastic used for the integral bras has quite a bit of give while still giving lots of support, and it’s much thicker (about an inch!) and softer than the stiff elastic used on regular bras (see photo below). The built-in bras even managed to do the impossible and give my heavy pregnant breasts nice uplift! I didn’t fall out of the bottom or have issues with my breasts moving around and the elastic didn’t curl under like it has in other soft cup bras. I think the support on these make them a great option for around the house.
The inch thick soft elastic on the racerback (bottom) and cami (middle) tops, versus the stiffer elastic on a regular bra (top)
- The super soft fabric on both actual top/nightdress and the integral bra! It makes these SO cozy. I can’t wait to change into them at night.
- Both tops are very long which works great for a pregnant belly. In the photos to come I’m 28 and a half weeks along and there’s plenty of room still. And the length of the nightgown works perfectly, too.
- Both styles are easy to get on and off, and the hook-and-eye closures are easy to fasten (unlike the Bravissimo strappy tanks with built-in underwire bras). I’ve even accidentally left the hooks done up on the Cami Top on the tightest hook and was still able to pop it over my head (although…that’s probably not the *best* idea in the long run).
- I think I’m probably just lazy, but I love that you can wash these in the machine instead of having to hand wash. All three that I ordered say they are safe to do in the delicate cycle, which I put to the test (I air-dried them after). I’m happy to say they all survived and still fit the same; no shrinking or weird shape issues after.
Tomorrow I’ll be covering each of the styles individually and how they fit on me. Stay tuned!
