As I mentioned in my review of the Anita 5527 Sports Bra, my daily life centers on working from home and exercising—by which I mean walking Sausage a.ka. Lord Rayden, and I no longer need a smattering of underwire bras. Wireless works perfectly fine most days, and I am not beholden to super control and support either (exercise aside). What a perfect time to branch out and try a bra trend which continues to gain momentum during the pandemic: bralettes! Given my general move toward comfort and androgynous style, I opted to review the Shapeez Comfeez Bralette.

Bralettes are what I consider mini-bras. They often feature similarities to traditional bras but usually size more broadly and offer less support. Many are super fashionable and cute (the Wacoal Embrace Bralette makes me sick with envy I can’t wear it), but others are practical and basic. The Comfeez bralette falls in the latter category.

Based in my home state of Maryland, Shapeez focuses on creating a 360 degree smoothing profile. They eschew accessories like hook-and-eye closures, clasps, sewn-in tags, and anything which would interfere with the sleekest of sleek looks. In fact, I consider the brand more a combination of bras and modern shapewear and am excited to see the final result.

Size: Large

The Shapeez website includes a size chart based on bra sizing up to a DDD/E cup, which is not helpful. I suspect the DD/DDD sizing aligns more with the cup sizing myths I denounced in my dissection of bra sizing article. If the cup sizes truly fit up to DD/DDD, there’s no way in hell I could successfully wear the line.

Shapeez groups the size Large for 38-40AA-DD and 36DDD-E. The E cup baffles me. Is it synonymous with the DDD as in UK sizing? Is the E a size larger than the DDD and more like a US G or UK F? Readers, I know not. Perhaps someone more familiar with the brand will explain in the comments.

The sales representative I spoke with asked for my bra size (UK 34GG/H or US 34J/K), and my measurements (33” underbust and 42.5” bust). Large was the recommended size, and she was right. The cups contain my tissue without any overflow, puckering, or gaping. While the band is looser than I prefer for a regular bra, I like the fit as a bralette. I recognize anything going over these linebacker shoulders ain’t gonna be tight around my ribcage.

Comfeez manages to mildly separate tissue at the center—something I did not expect. When the bra sits flat, projection toward the center of the cup is visible, and the fabric itself consists of a whopping 20% Lycra, allowing the piece to contour and stretch to your body. As I move, my breasts eventually gravitate back to each other, but given wireless bras in traditional sizes with structure do not separate my close set, center heavy tissue for long, this wisp of a bralette stands no chance.

Fit

Because the brand combines elements of both shapewear and bras into a singular design, the side of the bralette is broad and extends almost to my natural waist. The back provides full coverage reminiscent of a crop top. I receive decent bust support and shaping as well, but the real wow factor is the comfort. Between the design and the fabrics, I don’t feel like I am wearing a bra.

Not to mention, because the back and sides are so wide, they disperse the weight of the bust better because the surface area is larger. The weight pulls less on my neck and shoulders, which is a common phenomenon I experienced with bralettes in the past.

The style features removable foam padding for added shaping and potential nipple coverage. I never use those features because the padding always looks awkwardly placed on me. If you are on the smaller side of the cup size spectrum, the pads may add shaping to the style. The cut-outs are wide enough to insert prosthetics, making Comfeez a potential style for people who had mastectomy surgery too.

Finally, the bralette boasts fully-adjustable front-sliding straps. Any person who wears bras knows the struggle to properly adjust your straps by yourself if the slides are in the back. It sucks. Having them in the front means most people won’t have them across the back to create any potential lumps in form fitting knitwear. I needed to adjust them a smidge, which is about standard.

Aesthetics

The Shapeez Comfeez Bralette adds a soft band of quality lace at the bottom front for flourish, but otherwise, the style is about as plain as they come. The only colors are beige and black, and it’s obviously not a fancy piece. That’s not a criticism. The brand identity boasts a smooth 360 degree profile, and the Comfeez delivers. I like the plainer aesthetic. Not every bra has to be a masterwork in lace and embroidery.

Materials & Price

After my car accident, I sustained devastating seatbelt trauma, and I could not tolerate anything tight around my ribs and chest. Not even my beloved Sugar Candy (which I still adore) worked. I headed to a place I try to avoid whenever possible (*cough* Walmart *cough*) for $25 cheap Ah Bra like monstrosities with the plan to reassess during recovery.

Eight months later, I was finally able to tolerate regular bras in moderation, but by then, it was late June 2020. Now, what was going on? I didn’t see a need to reinvest and plowed through more cheap bralettes at alarming speed. Despite never seeing the inside of a dryer, the bras pilled, stretched out, and literally unraveled at the hem. Oh, and the support? Ha! My neck and back took the bulk of the strain. I broke my own rules and paid the price. Literally and figuratively.

I mention this anecdote because the Shapeez Comfeez Bralette is $64. It’s not cheap, but it’s made from quality materials. I’ve run my fingers through the fabric trying to make it pill and I can’t. It’s a thoughtfully constructed garment made from supportive but stretchy moisture-wicking fabric, and the lack of hook-and-eye closures, tags, or other accessories means nothing rubs or pinches the skin. In retrospect, I should have bought three of these and called it a day and saved myself the aggravation and money.

Care Suggestions for Comfeez

Generally I hope people have read my article on caring for intimates and do not include this section in reviews. However, with the 20% Lycra content, I highly encourage you not to dry this. Wash in the machine? Sure! But do not put it in the dryer because anything with a stretch-based fabric will break down and lose its shape. I mean, you aren’t putting your bras in the dryer, right? But, you may be more lax on things like underwear or shapewear. It’s tempting to toss the Comfeez in there, but you will cause it to stretch out faster than letting it air dry, which it does quickly anyway.

Overall Thoughts

There’s two ways of evaluating this style. The first is based on how I think Shapeez intends you to wear the Comfeez Bralette, and the second is how I actually use it. It’s clear from the materials, the marketing, and the design, Shapeez considers this a Bra to Wear Out™. And for smaller busted people, I agree. The padding would offer improved support and shaping, and the smooth fabric means it blends seamlessly under knits.

For me? I may wear it out when I have to run to the store to grab an item or return a library book. It’s firmly an “at home” bra for me. I prefer more structure than what the Comfeez offers if I’m doing anything more than a quick errand. As always, your mileage may vary.