Do you find traditional bras too restricting? We test out these fun new bra-free styles from the Love, Bonito padded collection – here's our verdict!
If you’re a woman and you conform to today’s societal expectations, a bra will be a usual wardrobe staple. But sometimes these classic feminine undergarments can feel restrictive and uncomfortable. From finding our daughters their first training bras, to sourcing our own sexy lingerie for a date night, to being in the throes of breastfeeding and wanting to never wear a bra again, bras and our relationship with them can change over time. But sometimes, you just don’t want to wear one, without risking a nip slip or revealing too much of yourself in public.
Enter Love, Bonito’s padded bust range, a collection of gorgeous fashion styles that incorporate built-in support so you can go braless and wear backless, strapless and daring fashion without worrying about bra straps or discomfort! Our lovely HoneyKids mum, Esther, is still breastfeeding, and took these clothes for a spin. She had a fun time testing them out, and here’s what she loved (and what we think could be improved).
The fashion challenges of breastfeeding
“I’m going to be candid and say that I find typical nursing bras and nursing clothes to be just not cute. It can be so annoying to have have to limit your outfit choices to accommodate a nursing bra, especially one with thick straps and wings that make you feel like an old lady. I tried nursing bandeaus that can be easily shifted, but they don’t offer good support and tend to slip. They aren’t very user friendly either, as you can feel quite exposed when trying to feed. So my usual fashion choices are limited to button tops and t-shirts, or tank tops with thick straps to hide the bra.”
Fashionable solutions for nursing mums
“My go-to solution for when I want to dress up but still need to feed my baby is to look for clothes that are already padded, or offer a way of being able to insert nursing pads. This includes pockets, or altering the clothes myself (a last resort!). So when I heard Love, Bonito was adding to their bra-free range, I jumped at the chance to try these bra-less options, as a chance to up my fashion game without the effort. Bring on the low back dresses!”
What I love about Love, Bonito’s padded bust collection and how it feels to go bra-free
“The first thing I love about these Love, Bonito styles is the feeling of freedom. The tops and dresses I tried all felt quite secure. All I needed to do is stick a disposable nursing pad on the inside, and I was good to go! I also made use of the padded tops and dresses lining pockets to secure reusable nursing pads. As these were non stick, I did worry a little about them slipping out of place. In most of the styles I tried, I felt surprisingly comfortable and confident.”
Room for improvement and my wish list
“The Love, Bonito padded tops and dresses are designed to be figure-hugging for bust support and coverage. I would still size up on most pieces as they were definitely firm. I would also love to see more breathable fabrics in the designs. For example, although they look lovely, I’d avoid wearing the Chalina Padded Column Dress and Reeva Padded Ruched Fit and Flare Dress during the hotter months or to non-AC events as they are mainly polyester. So keep these ones for cooler climes!”
Our favourite styles for nursing, but make it fashion
“There are so many pretty styles from the collection. After all, Love, Bonito is known for its timeless design and styles that are long-lasting and not just following deliberate trends. For nursing, I specifically chose tops and dresses that are easy to manoeuvre, with spaghetti straps or a deep-V collar. I want to give a special shoutout to the Love, Bonito Padded Broderie Cut Out Dress. This one is entirely made of 100% cotton, perfect for our hot Singaporean weather! My other favourite was the Della Padded Crop Top that’s stretchable (made from rayon, nylon, and spandex). The deep V design allows for easy nursing, while still providing coverage (just pull the bust part aside!).”
Thank you to Love, Bonito for sharing the clothes for this review.