[Originally published: March 8, 2019]

In the past, I have seldom had an opportunity to review any products from Cake Lingerie, largely because up until recently the company focused solely on maternity and nursing products. As someone who has chosen not to have children, I’m not exactly their target demographic, but I stocked the line for over five years in the shop. Cake focuses on bringing moms the best materials, the softest fabrics, and the most selection to make nursing an easier experience. Unlike many companies whose nursing bras are, shall we say, strictly utilitarian and read like an afterthought, Cake provides customers with a range of styles, including beautiful, lacy bras, pumping bras, and sports bras. They also make two of the best starter nursing bras in the business: the cotton candy and the sugar candy. Both options are ideal for the last few weeks of pregnancy as well as to take to the hospital for delivery. Post-partum, the Candy collections function as comfortable lounge, sleeping, and light exercise bras. Of the two, Sugar Candy strictly targets US G (UK F) cups and higher, and the success in nursing led Cake to rerelease it as a good ole fashion full-bust wireless bra.

When my rep offered to send a sample to try, I jumped at the idea, partly because I was curious and partly because my lounge bras have seen better days. As a full-bust person, finding a lounge bra which balances the need for some support with the overall comfort I expect from the garment can be challenging. Spoiler alert: Sugar Candy nails every single criteria for me. I have never had a lounge bra I loved as much as this one. Ever.

Unlike other lounge bras, Sugar Candy is not bra-sized and instead utilizes an XS-2XL schema, which, I admit, raised a red flag about whether the fit would work. The size chart recommended a Large for me (another red flag as I usually need X-Larges in items like this), but I trusted my rep and stayed with the recommendation.

Because the bra is wireless, do not expect tacking in the middle as the bra lacks the sturdiness of the underwire to press back against the ribcage. However, Cake was not without foresight in ensuring a proper structure within the garment. Both on the bottom of the interior cup and on the side, there are these two stiffer, folded fabric sections. The side panel prevents the tissue from migrating too much to the back, a common problem with many wireless styles, and the bottom panel gives you added support and lift, especially over time.

Fully-adjustable straps boast more width and a slight stretch as well as an optional, movable J-hook for easy conversion to a racer-back. The wings are firm but not uncomfortable, and all of the hardware is top notch. Nevertheless, the real star here is the fabric touching your skin. It is incredibly soft without any rough edges to chafe, and the overall feeling it gives is one of comfortable support. I cannot emphasize enough how lovely it feels.

Furthermore, Cake, in their maternity offerings, has been very careful with both the Cotton and Sugar Candy styles to feature fabric with a high quality elastic yarn to give flexibility with size without compromising long term support. The fabric maintains its shape over time while still contouring to your individual breast shape. This is essential as a component in a good nursing bra because size can change drastically for some people depending on their milk production. As a non-nursing woman, I like that it accommodates the size changes I experience during my monthly cycle without feeling like it’s too tight or too big.

Aesthetically, I love that they opted to go beyond the simple black, beige, and pink which initiated the style because I adore pretty things, and this is enchanting. Navy is one of my favorite neutrals, and pairing it with a ballet pink along with a lace component elevates the design. Cake offers other colors and textures too, giving you flexibility to pick whichever styles suits your personality most.

As a lounge bra, Sugar Candy is off the charts, and I sincerely hope they expand sizes in the future, particularly because there are still some people outside their range. Moreover, Sugar Candy also has value for other types of customers. First, the softness and general flexibility of the fabric can help anyone who suffers from chronic inflammation and/or pain, skin sensitivity, or issues with underwire. I’ve also used mine for yoga, and I find it really moves with the body better than more structured sports bras without me worrying my downward dog is going to give me black eyes.

I think the only area where people may start to balk is the price point. The basic style is $60, and the fancier styles are $65, making it on par with many of normal bras. Y’all know me well enough to know I am a big “you get what you pay for” person, and this is definitely the case here. Not only are you looking at the time and energy which went into perfecting a design like this, but the materials, and I cannot oversell this, are marvelous. Given what I have seen from their nursing equivalents and the feedback from customers, there’s no reason purchasing and caring for them properly would not provide wear longevity.

As a bonus, my rep also sent me the Sugar Candy tank, and omagerd, I love it so much. The interior bra component boasts the same kind of structure as the original style, including a concealed hook-and-eye closure, but it swaps out the back for a true racer-back style which is flattering and comfortable. The fit on the tummy region is clingy (which I know may not appease some), but I like it. Again, it’s great for yoga, and I would totally wear it out with a cardigan and some shorts come summer time. The length is also super long which I appreciate being average height with torso for days, but petite customers be aware in case you wanted something shorter.

Moreover, the charcoal color on the tank is amazing, and I have to give props to my rep Jaime Johns for (unknowingly or knowingly) sending me two of my favorite neutrals. I live in all things charcoal, black, and white (seriously, I went shopping with a friend this week and bought two items  . . . both in black and white), so this fits right in with my wardrobe and my personal aesthetic. Buy yours here!

Erica