It all started with a simple pair of pants. We posted about this suspiciously flattering pair a little while back and the response was so enthusiastic, it got us thinking: Why not sniff out the most flattering things across a bevy of categories, from the most skin-enhancing light bulb to the brightening eye drops to the shapewear designed for all sizes? Welcome to Flattering Week on the Strategist.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that if you require a support cami, those on the market will not support you. Anyone with breasts above a B cup knows what I’m talking about: most shelf camis — those camisoles that have built-in bras — contort your chest into a wobbly plateau, and what they do to the underarm is unspeakable. And that’s the best-case scenario; more often, you’re left unsupported and slatternly, in which case you might have just saved yourself the trouble and worn a plain old cami in the first place. Which is all very well for sleeping, but sometimes you want to look slightly pulled together — not, say, like the lugubrious Anna Magnani character in the first half of The Rose Tattoo.
A few years ago, a friend changed my life by introducing me to the Yummie by Heather Thomson Shelf Cami. I will never forget it: We were sitting at the bar at Pearl Oyster, and she imparted the precious information with the gravity of a Grail Knight passing on some secret of the order. Up to then, I’d thought of Thomson primarily as a second-tier Real Housewife with a Spanx knockoff; besides, Yummie’s spelling bothered me. But my friend was so convincing about the Yummie’s comfort and support, and so insistent, that I went home and promptly ordered the Cassidy in black.
I loved it. For starters, the straps are adjustable; they can also be converted to a tasteful cross-back. What’s more, the gossamer-fine fabric does not do that cruel, upward-squishing thing to the underarms. I can walk about feeling confident and secure. In the months since, I’ve acquired it in nude, too, and I’ve also ventured into the world of the Sia tank with shelf bra, which is a rather more substantial garment that can actually work for light athletic activity. More to the point: I have actually worn this tank in public, without a bra. Head — and boobs — held high.
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best women’s jeans, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, ultra-flattering pants, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
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