Hello Everyone,

The weather predictions were spot on yesterday when they said our area would have at least 8″ of snow accumulation, and I am presently gazing through the window at the newly minted wonderland of my backyard while I write and catch up on work.  Since I am snowed in today, I thought it would be fun to indulge in a little bra competition on the blog.  More or less, I am writing a double review on two similar styles.  So, double the pictures!

For my fellow pale sisters, beige bras often function as the closest shade to our natural skin-tone, and I am often asked which Anna Pardal or Comexim bras work best as a basic beige bra.  As it happens, when I first requested samples of the line, I received both an Anna Pardal Milk & Honey as well as a Comexim Basic, and I have been wearing them both for several months, meaning my opinions are more evolved and comprehensive.  (Note:  All of the pictures were taken when I received the bras.)

Sizing & Fit:  Both bras are my standard Comexim/Anna Pardal size of 32HH, which worked well.  The band on Basic immediately felt a little stretchier, but I still started wearing it on the loosest set of hooks.  The cup size on both was also correct with no overflow of the cups.  Both of the pictures taken from the side do seem to indicate significant gaping, but my lack of experience with modelling is more to blame than the bra.  Furthermore, both bras also have the practically trademarked Comexim narrow underwires, lower center gore and side, plunging shape, and deeper, lightly padded cups.  The profile from the side is incredibly lifted and rounded, and I am huge fan of how the underwires do not extend too far on my sides or hit too high under the arm.  Women with close set breasts will appreciate this design, but women who have more breast tissue toward the side or shallower busts may need to look at another brand. 

The Difference:  The Milk & Honey is textbook perfect for me in every possible way, but the Basic had some fit quibbles.  The center gore on Basic barely soft tacks, and I had issues with space near the straps.  The cups near the gore would also gape or fold together depending how I moved, but I still managed to tumble toward the center a couple times every day.

Materials & Design:  Outside of boasting fully-adjustable straps and three hook-and-eye closures in the back, these bras are obviously vastly different in this department, and I think it only fair to review them separately, starting with Milk & Honey.  Consisting of an allover lace cup with embellished straps and over-sized center bow, the Milk & Honey captures the essence of how you create a neutral bra without making it feel boring or bland.  The overall color reads beige from a distance as well as under lighter colors, but the lace features multiple tones and textures.  Cream and iridescent pink flower bursts contrast with a gold crosshatch pattern which only adds to the incredibly sophisticated feel of the bra.  Everything from the less stretchy band to the aforementioned lace to the padding in the cup oozes quality worthy of the line.  Many hearts were broken when Anna Pardal announced this style was being discontinued.

Basic, on the other hand, is a cheaper, more . . . well . . . basic bra.  It’s not aspiring to heights of luxury or sophistication, and there’s nothing wrong with that.  Sometimes it’s nice to just have a basic bra.  Even with a simpler design, there’s still quite a bit to like about the aesthetic, including the color.  One of my (many) pet peeves with lingerie behemoth Eveden is their refusal to acknowledge that some of us pale people would benefit from a beige that is not so friggin’ yellow, and I really like the undertones for Basic.  I feel like this color would work better across multiple skin tones, and the sheen to the fabric elevates the overall style.  Even with a name like Basic, Comexim thought enough to add some finishing touches like lace embroidery on the top of the cup and an adorable center bow.

Observations:  Despite having more details, I found the Milk & Honey was more discreet under most of my tops.  The seaming on my Anna Pardal bras seems tighter and flatter than the ones I have tried from Comexim.  Even the Georgia, which I absolutely adored, was still not as t-shirt friendly as the lace cup designs of my Anna Pardal styles.  Basic also stretched out faster too, and I felt like the cup shape started to become worse over time.  Now, in its defense, Basic would retail for about $48 in the shop, and Milk & Honey would be around $62.  The price difference is because one is a higher quality bra, and I don’t think it’s fair to not mention this explanation.  As it turns out, this stretch factor was a good thing because when I was sick, this was the only bra I could tolerate (with a full extender even), so it got *a lot* of wear.  That said, in the efforts of being honest, Basic was my least favorite Comexim bra I have tried.  I felt like the fit here was not as good as the other styles, and the materials seemed cheaper too.  However, Comexim at its worst is still better for me than most brands at their absolute best, so when I make this critique, understand it is really me comparing the brands against themselves rather than against other companies.

Verdict:  Milk & Honey — A+; Basic — B

Milk & Honey Matching Panties:  I was also sent the Milk & Honey Thong and Tap Pant in size Large, which are lovely.  They use the same lace as on the cup of the bra with some added flourishes for a coherent overall design.  Thongs aren’t my thing, but the tap pant was cute with the flouncy hem on the bottom.  I did find it would creep up a bit throughout the day depending on what I wore though.

Addendum:  I mentioned earlier that the Milk & Honey was unfortunately discontinued; however, Anna Pardal has an alternative style called Stiff Cappuccino.  Eventually, I will do a mini-review of this bra, but I find it to be comparable in fit, shape, and quality to Milk & Honey.  It uses the same overall lace cup design but adds either embroidery or a satin copper ribbon at the top, depending on your preference.  The lace is a little darker than Milk & Honey but still works well for us pale people.