Full Bust Finds: B·Saxxy from PJ Harlow

This is what our goody bags are going to look like at the 4th Annual Big Bust Clothing Swap on September 26. It’s a B·Saxxy from PJ Harlow, the same company that makes my favorite lounging top, the Bra:30.

But it isn’t the bag that drew me to their booth at Curve last month. It was their description of what the bag turns into:

Our fully supportive dress is the perfect item to wear around your home while you are still doing your make up, styling your hair and getting ready to take on the day!

A fully supportive dress to wear while my body dries off before I put on a bra? Sign me up!

Then I saw a picture of what the dress looked like, and I said, “No way will this look good on big boobs.”

Tina McMillen, the designer, insisted that this dress was different, and she sent me a sample to prove it. I’m still not saying it’s flattering, but this is not a simple muumuu that leaves your chest to sag and sweat without a bra.

Here’s why: the stretchy surface of the bag that you saw in the first photo is actually the shelf bra that contains you! And as you can see from the photo below, there’s plenty of depth in this shelf to accommodate breasts much larger than mine.

Here’s what it looks like on me, fresh from the shower.

Now compare it with the shelf-less Donna Karan gowns I tried last year.

I can see some giant benefits from the B·Saxxy:

1. For moms with sons at home–and anyone else who doesn’t want to wear a bra first thing in the morning but doesn’t want to draw attention to her breasts–the shelf protects from excessive bouncing AND from nipple show-through.
2. For women like me who have to go through a complicated process of air-drying curly hair with precariously placed clips, it’s wonderful to be able to step into this dress instead of pull it on over my head.
3. The cotton is super soft and comfortable.
4. The toggles let you adjust for tightness both above and below your chest. The former lets you control cleavage depending on who’s around.
5. For packing light, the bag can hold makeup and toiletries, and once at your destination, the dress can double as a nightgown without any need for a housecoat. At the beach, it can work as a coverup, too.

PJ Harlow even suggests pairing it with a denim jacket to wear as a regular dress, which is one way to distract from the baggy waist–especially if combined with a belt. Otherwise, there’s no denying that the waist-less look is simply not that great.

However, I’ve found another way I like to wear this dress around the house in the morning. I simply pull the shelf up and turn it into a bodice!

There’s the issue of headlights that you don’t get with its intended use, but I feel so much prettier in it this way.

The photo below is meant to show the degree to which the side seam pulls. I think I’d happily wear it this way over a swimming suit. It’s simply a tube with one side seam, so you’re not going to have two obviously pulling seams at bra level.

Finally, aren’t you curious to see the transformation from bag to dress? Here goes.

Remember, 20 women are going to take one of these clever, practical items home with them on September 26. It should be you!