If you’re anything like me, you discovered during the pandemic that you don’t want to wear bras ever again. This did not come as a surprise to me. I’ve always been one of those take-the-bra-off-as-soon-as-you-walked-through-the-door people.

As a small busted person, I don’t need that much support, so I can get away with not wearing a bra. But, I’m also not brave enough to go around without one, particularly in a thinner shirt or a knit. I already get enough street harassment as it is just by being a woman, walking down a street.

So, I decided to shop for something bra-like, but not a full-on bra. Something like a bralette.

But what exactly is a bralette?

But what exactly is a bralette? I confess that I didn’t really know. From the name, I figured it was a bra lite. Is it an underthing for your boobs without underwire? But there are already bras without underwire. Being an old, I had to google it and learned from this Slate article that the bralette is a recent-ish trendy invention. “A bralette is an unstructured bra. It’s usually unlined, unpadded, wire-free,” says Cora Harrington, the founder of Lingerie Addict.

I tried a bralette just like this description three years ago and it baffled me. I didn’t get it. Unlined and unpadded? Why even wear it? (Of course, I can see someone bustier wanting some support, so I get that. I just didn’t understand what was in it for me.)

This time around, I devised some criteria. The bralettes I ordered should have:

• Lightly padded cups
• Clasp enclosure that’s adjustable, because I’m not into pullovers

I tried three bralettes from Lively, a brand I’ve bought from before because they have decent products at a mid-range price. (Bras run around $35). I’m a 32D, though sometimes I wear the sister size of 34C. The size guide advised a size S for 32D, but M for 34C, so I ordered both in all of the following to try out.

The Deco Mesh Bralette

I chose the Deco Mesh Bralette to try because it includes a padded insert (which can be removed if you’re not into it). I also thought the geometric pattern was cute. The S fit best for me in this bralette. Other features include a wide band and a double strap. But why? Do double straps serve a function or is it just for looks? (I think it’s just for looks.)

Bra straps have a tendency to fall down on me. I’ve not been able to solve this issue. It happens to me with every bra, especially after I’ve worn them for a while. So, I didn’t relish the thought of having double the number of straps falling down on me. I was also worried that the wide band might feel bothersome and too constricting over a day of wear.

But the dealbreaker was the seam running right down the middle lower half of each cup, which features in many of Lively’s bralettes. I assume this design helps create the cup shape. However, the seams don’t lay flat. In fact, they kind of go right over the nipples and accentuate that whole area. The seams showed through my shirts. This is not the look I’m going for. So, nope, not for me.

The Luxe Trim Bralette

First off, the Luxe Trim Bralette was noticeably tighter in the same size as the other bralettes. For the other bralettes, I took a small, but for this one I sized up to a medium. Still, it left angry marks on me at the edges of the cups.

Not only was it too tight, but it also had the same seam-showing issue as the Deco Mesh Bralette. Too bad, because I liked everything else about it: the removable inserts, the plum color (it also comes in green), the soft fabric, and the satiny trim.

The Eco Deep V Bralette

The Eco Deep V Bralette is so named because it’s made from 81% recycled polyester. I tried the medium first, which was so unflattering in the cups. They crumpled at the sides. But then I put on the small and the the bra cups smoothed out. Ooops, I was just wearing the wrong size.

With its wider straps, it looks like a sports bra. Although I initially thought that this design was the least cute of the three, the look has grown on me. The sports-bra-ness of it means I feel comfortable wearing it on its own if it’s hot out. This bralette was also the most practical out of the bunch. For one, it doesn’t have the seam going down the front, so it’s smoother beneath clothing. The band also seemed to fit best on me and didn’t feel too constricting.

I decided to keep this one. I’ve been wearing the Eco Deep V instead of my usual bra, the All Day T-shirt Bra, which has an underwire. Although I gave that bra a (mostly) rave review when I first tried it, after going through the pandemic and not wearing it every day, I’m like, what is this torture device?

Does the Eco Deep V feel more comfortable than my regular bra? Yes. Not having underwire pressing up against my rib cage is indeed more comfortable.

Do the straps slip down on me? Yes, they do sometimes. But the thicker straps are not as annoying to deal with as skinnier straps. I’m not sure how to explain this exactly, but when the straps are skinnier, they feel like they get in the way more.

Is the Eco V Deep so comfortable that I don’t think to take it off right away when I get home? Nope. I still want to take off my bra ASAP. But it is more comfy than other bras I’ve worn, and I don’t believe that a bra that’s so comfy that I don’t want to take it off exists out there.

A note about Lively’s production

When I first wrote about Lively, it appeared that they owned their own factory in China. That made me think they had control over the conditions in that factory. Since I last wrote about them, the brand has been bought by Wacoal. These bralettes were made in the Philippines, though Lively says it still uses a factory dedicated to them.

Lively presents itself as ethical and sustainable, but it’s hard to know if this is really true.

Lively presents itself as ethical and sustainable, but it’s hard to know if this is really true. The brand’s about page describes itself as both a community and a brand. (A community? Come on now.) “Each year, we continue to expand on our mission toward more sustainability through the development of high-quality fabrics made of recycled materials that are good for your wardrobe and good for the earth,” it says. As we can see with the Eco Deep V, they do use some recycled materials.

But there’s scant details about the factory, its working conditions, and whether the workers make a living wage. IDK, the cheery info on the website feels like green washing. And the Good On You app gives Lively a poor rating.

To be honest, I made my order without looking into Lively’s production. I had ordered from them before, so I just did so again without thinking about it. It wasn’t until I sat down to write this post that I tried to find more details. But now that I know, next time I will do some research to find more ethical brands.