Hello Ladies,

I often wear a lot v-neck tops or dresses, but as I like to dress conservatively, I usually need a camisole underneath for modesty.  However, some of my clothes, dresses in particular, are more body-conscious so the added bulk around the mid-section or hips can create unflattering lines.  Through Twitter (yes, Twitter!), I connected with Ann of Perfect Cami which manufacturers a nifty product that lets you get the coverage you need without adding extra bulk:

A few weeks ago, she sent me a large mesh stripes cami in black and a medium petal cami also in black (pictured in white and pink), and I’ve been testing both at least once a week ever since.

When I was first examining potential items for our inventory, I became infatuated with the bras that use lace or other materials to simulate a cami underneath tops.  Unfortunately, none of these are available in my size, so I jumped at the opportunity to try one of the Perfect Camis and am reviewing it for you ladies today!

Sizing & Fit:  From their website, they suggest sizing as follows:

S – 32-34 A/B
M – 34-36 C/D
L – 36-38 C/D/DD
XL – 38-40 DD/DDD
XXL – 40-42 DD/DDD/E

As a bra fitter, I don’t find this to be especially helpful because many women are wearing the wrong bra size or are not represented by this limited range; however, if we replace the cup sizes with full-bust measurements, I think the sizing guide is perfect:

S – 32-36″
M – 36-40″
L –  40-43″
XL – 43-46″
XXL – 46-49″

My full bust measurement of around 41.5″ places me firmly in the “Large” territory which fits beautifully.  The Perfect Camis do have some stretch which allows me to wear the medium although I prefer the fit of the large.  Because the cami sits snug around my bust and the band of my bra, I never have to adjust it during the day—a feat none of my tanks or camisoles could ever accomplish!  Overall, I’d recommend following the inches size chart above for ordering.

Materials & Design:  The fabric of the camis blends well under tops and dresses and feels comfortable against the skin.  Also, I like how the camis are designed to extend all the way around the body and utilize elastic to keep the band in place.  Other cami designs will often hook to the straps of the bra only while the rest of the material is left “free standing” which does not feel secure.  My only caveat is I do wish the straps that hook around your bra would snap together on the side not next to your skin.  Sometimes I will be rushing in the morning and won’t fully close the velcro pieces.  Then I need to fix it later to prevent rubbing.

Wear and Tear:  A good sign for whether or not I love an item of clothing is how much I wear it, and I have worn these a lot since I received them.  My older tanks/camis have been sitting in my drawer untouched for weeks because I find the Perfect Cami to be a much better solution to the v-neck dilemma.  I’ve washed them with my intimates, but I also threw them in the machine on delicate in a pillow case.  Both ways worked well, and they still look brand new.  Between the two, I love the striped mesh version the best because the pattern is subtle and mixes well with my wardrobe.  Not to mention, as an added bonus, these camis camouflage some of my less discreet bras because of the extra layer of fabric.  Finally, Perfect Cami products are made in the great U.S. of A, and I like to support merchandise made in my country if possible.

Other Ideas from Ann: Perfect Cami is ideal for post-mastectomy women as it helps cover scars and discretely hides breast forms when bending over in a functional and feminine manner.  Nursing moms also find them beneficial when wearing low cut tops because it makes they are so easy to remove and re-attach when needing to breastfeed.

Final Thought:  We’re thinking of bringing a few of these into the store so look for them soon, and in the meantime, check out a few other options below.

Erica