Review: Panache Sports Bra 28DD and 28E


   The review of the Panache Sports bra is seriously overdue, since I own one for more than a year. After my size grew I bought another one in Krakow: to find out why I chose it over the Freya Active, read on.


   My breast type: currently my measurements are 69/85. My breasts are tear-shaped (bottom-heavy) and rather wide-spaced; and broader at the root (I prefer wider underwires). The 28E is the one that fits me now.

Aesthetics: 5/5

    Wow. The Panache Sports Bra is seriously pretty. It comes is several colour combinations so for sure you will find something that suits you. My first one was grayish-blue which is almost a universal colour, but it wasn't available in the store the second time around so I got the violet-fuchsia one. I would really like to see a colour combination suited to warmer skin tones It's pretty enough to wear on it's own as a sports top -- and covered-up enough. The cups are moulded which means a smooth look and no nip show. The neckline is not too low so there is no excess cleavage on display. It is really nice to wear a sports bra that gives you the freedom to take off your sports T-shirt, should you suddenly be overwhelmed by the heat. The shape the bra gives under clothes is also nice: slightly flattened, but rounded, lifted and separated; and there are no thick seams. It is really nice to wear a bra that I would not be embarrassed of wearing in public (under a shirt, of course), (sorry pointy Freya).
    The straps can be worn as racer-back (there is a tiny hook on the loop on the strap that you can hook to the other loop).


Fit: 5/5

   The cups run true to size for me, with no fit issues. Underwires go really high up, separating the breasts (however they don't go all the way to the top in the front, I'd say the go half way up the center gore). The straps are broad, and can be regulated only part of the way.
The band is firm but not too tight. If you wear a larger band size, you might want to size down.

Comfort and Support: 4/5

   The Panache Sports Bra has underwires that are encapsulated in silicon, so I have not experienced digging or chafing. The band is comfortable and so are the wide straps. The breasts are separated, so they cannot rub against each other.
   The bra supports by compression rather than encapsulation (A Sophisticated Pair explains it all here).
   I took away one star here because the support is still inferior to the Freya Active. In my size the difference is negligible, but if you wear larger cup sizes you should seriously try the Freya Active, or try sizing down in the band (and sizing up in the cup).



Panache Sports Bra 28DD Stats:

Band unstretched: 61cm
Band stretched to the maximum: 78cm
Underwire length: 21cm
Underwire width: 13,5 cm
   These measurements have been taken after appx. 50 wears :)

Panache Sports Bra 28E Stats:

Band unstretched: 58
Band stretched to the maximum: 75
Underwire length: 21cm
Underwire width: 13,8 cm
   These measurements have been taken after appx. 5 wears :)



Summary:

The Panache Sports is the perfect sports bra if:
Your boobs aren't big / you don't need maximum support
You need something that can double as a sports top

You should try the Freya Sports if:
You are above a H cup (Freya Sport goes till a K cup)
You need as much support as you can get
Pretty is not so important to you

  I prefer the Panache Sports over my old Freya Active because I often end up running errands before / after my jog, and the pointed shape of the Freya is embarrassing in public. However I have see that the newest Freya sports bras aren't so pointy and even look pretty. I'd love to get my paws on one in the future!


   Which sports bra do you own or covet at the moment? Do you run? On that note, is anyone else on Fitocracy? I am Lilacprincess in case you want to add me. It's a fun way to keep track of whatever it is you are doing for movement, and it's much more motivating if your friends are on there too.




Check these out: