Few feelings beat taking off a tight bra after a long day. Like many women, I’ve spent years searching for the holy grail: a bra that doesn’t dig into my back or squeeze my chest but still keeps everything in place if I have to sprint for the bus. When I first started wearing them, I wanted something unmistakably bra-like and grown-up – underwire and padding were essential. Later, I wanted something sexier and more flattering: lace, always, with enough padding to suggest there was more going on beneath than there really was. Obviously.
Then, in my late 20s, I went to M&S for my first proper fitting. In what I’ve recently discovered is a rite of passage, I was told I was a much larger cup size than I’d imagined, and a smaller back size than I was willing to accept. The fitter insisted that a tight band was better for support. I couldn’t get past the fact that it dug into my sides – uncomfortable, yes, but also deeply unflattering, especially in any candid photo taken from behind in a fitted top. I learnt this the hard way.
Since then, my bra journey has felt a little regressive. In much the same way I once resisted an early bedtime and now dream of snuggling under my sheets by 9pm, my teenage fantasies of sexy lace lingerie have given way to a far simpler goal: I’m after the comfort of the soft crop tops and half-vests I wore when I was 10, with considerably more support.
And I may just have found it. We test a lot of products as shopping writers for Good Housekeeping, but only a handful genuinely improve my day-to-day. This Paire bra – along with the matching knickers – has quite honestly changed my life. And I’m not afraid to say that with my chest. Here’s why I’m ditching my old underwear for this lesser-known brand.
My Paire GlowTint Travel Bra review
Pros
- Barely-there comfort
- Flattering
- Gently padded
- Supportive and customisable
Cons
- They don’t do a strapless version (yet)
It may look at first like a plain cami, but the subtle padding in the cups means this bra looks flattering, smooth and sexy both under clothes and when you take them off. The adjustable straps allow you to hoist up whatever breast you’ve been blessed with, but the forgiving material makes sure nothing’s going to cut into you, anywhere. There are no underwires and no seams that you can see through your T-shirt.
The real proof for me that this bra is the best I’ve tried is that at the end of a long travel day (I trialled this set on a recent flight to New York), there’s no imprint on your skin from the material when you take it off – not a single sign to suggest that you’ve even worn a bra. Beyond sports bras, I don’t think I’ve ever experienced that before. And with 425 five-star reviews and counting on the website, it seems it’s not just me that fell for the breathable recycled materials, which make this bra super soft, without having to sacrifice necessary support.
My Classic Bikini Lipstick Underwear review
Paire Classic Bikini Lipstick Underwear x3
Paire Classic Bikini Lipstick Underwear x3
Pros
- Feather-light comfort
- Seriously stretchy
- Antimicrobial
- Quick dry technology
Cons
- Not opaque – risqué for those that prefer full coverage
Much like The Sistine Chapel or the M&M Store, these briefs are the kind of thing you have to see (and feel) to believe. Made with the brand’s trademarked antibacterial regenerated silk cocoon protein fibres, the pants even have anti-odour tech to keep you smelling fresh, with antibacterial properties to help prevent thrush – much needed after a particularly demanding Pilates class.
If you’ve ever donned the knickers they give you during a massage (the comfy stretchy ones, not the ones that resemble a covid face mask), then that’s what these feel like. Only comfier. They’re feather light and I had to keep checking I wasn’t accidentally going commando when I had them on. In a good way. They still protect you from a rigid pair of jeans, but they’ll never cut into you. That, I can guarantee.
Not only do they arrive perfectly packaged in little ‘lipstick’ tubes designed to make travelling easier, but when you remove them from their packaging, they’re so thin and foldable that I reckon I could fit thousands in a small cabin suitcase. Next challenge for the Good Housekeeping Institute testers, sorted…
The verdict on Paire underwear
I’ve been searching for approximately 15 years for a bra and knicker set that’s genuinely soft and stretchy that I still feel good about myself in. Although I’d like the option of a hot pink set for occasions when I’m feeling a little more fancy, I’ve never before slept in my bra on a flight and woken up with zero discomfort.
This set, for me, sits in the same category as good bedding and a sink-into-able sofa when it comes to cost per use – very few things are worth investing in more than your everyday comfort and confidence. My only regret? I wish I could tell teenage me to skip the lace and land on these sooner – I’d have saved myself a lifetime of searching (and chafing).
Florence is our Senior Beauty Writer, specialising in expert-tested beauty and grooming reviews — from toothbrushes to the latest skincare launches. She’s committed to sharing recommendations for products that truly work and make people feel confident and healthy. Prior to this she was at Tropic Skincare, where she worked closely with biochemists in the lab, delving into the functions of each fresh, natural ingredient and conveying its efficacy to her audience in easy-to-digest terms.
With over five years’ experience in beauty and health journalism, Florence has written for ELLE, Women’s Fitness, Sister Magazine, National Geographic Traveller and many more, with a strong sustainability angle thread through much of her work.
When she isn’t packing for a trip away, working out, eating out or reading up on retinol serums, you’ll probably find her experimenting with her film camera and building her portfolio of portraits. Florence’s photography can be found at florencereeves-white.com, her Instagram is @florencereeveswhite and her twitter is @floreadsnwrites
