Technically, I didn’t “need” anything when the Bare Necessities Friends & Family sale rolled around, but 25% off, combined with a $20 credit from American Express*, and I easily talked myself into the Panache sports tank. I knew some of you would also want one after reading my review, so I asked Panache if they’d like to offer a giveaway, and they said yes! Look for details on how you can win your own Panache Sports Tank on Wednesday.
I’m going to review my tank top from three angles: feel, function and fit.
FEEL
After reading Sweet Nothings’ excellent review of this top in July, her dissatisfaction with its clinginess almost convinced me not to buy it. Stepping into it and pulling it up does feel like putting on a swimsuit (I agree with the Herroom reviewer who says the fabric is like swimsuit material), so I fully expected to share Sweets’ self-consciousness.
Instead, I LOVED it! I have a fluffy back, but it probably helps that my tank top is black. And I like the front so much that I don’t even think about my back. I also find the length to be just right. For reference, I measure 15 inches from the back base of my neck to my waist. Since my hips are pretty narrow, I didn’t experience any riding up when I wore it to boot camp. It was pretty much a “put it on and forget about it” experience.
Except that for the first time in my life, I felt over-dressed at the gym!
Until I wore my Panache tank to the gym, I’d only been wearing my purple JCP sports tee that I wrote about three years ago (maybe I DID need this new tank top after all!). All that time, I was so focused on the women in streamlined bra tops that I thought they were the norm and I was the exception. But when I wore my Panache tank top to my Saturday bootcamp, I was definitely the exception. Fortunately, I had thoroughly tested my top ahead of time, so I felt absolutely no self-consciousness when it came to jumping jacks and push-ups.
FUNCTION
After clinginess, my biggest fear in ordering this top was cleavage. One Bare Necessities reviewer wrote, “I originally got it hoping to use it while running, however I feel like it is a bit to [sic] low cut for such a jiggly activity. I am a 32G, so this could be part of the problem. I prefer to [sic] the Panache Maximum Control sports bras that come up a bit higher for running.”
Perhaps my boobs don’t begin as high up as the reviewer’s, but when I’m standing still in this top, I have absolutely no cleavage. However, the big test is what’s happening when I’m jumping. So I took pictures to show you.
I decided I could live with the boobage that shows up below my collarbone when I’m jumping or running. Besides, the only way to get rid of this is to go back to wearing a tee shirt!
You know what else is great about this top? There is no boob peekaboo when I’m doing pushups, planks or downward dog. The top of the cups lies perfectly flat against my chest. (At the other end, however, I’m pretty sure there’s panty peekaboo during downward dog since it isn’t long enough to stay over my hips when I’m inverted.)
FIT
I’ve recently been sized into a 32FF in a regular Panache sports bra, so I ordered the same in the tank. Surprisingly, things I didn’t notice in a bra that I planned to wear under a tee shirt became much more of an issue when I planned to wear the bra as a top! Suddenly my little pockets of underarm flab were a BIG DEAL.
Could it be my 32FF regular sports bra didn’t fit as well as I’d thought? Or perhaps the tank top fit smaller? As much as I loved this top, I knew I wouldn’t be happy unless I tried the 32G before committing. Thankfully, Bare Necessities expedited my second order in time to make my decision before going to the gym.
You can see from my jump pictures above that the 32G contained more of my breasts during movement. From the pictures below, you can see there is slightly less underarm flab in the 32G on the left.
From the side, you can also see that the 32G contains more of my breast tissue than the 32FF.
And yet I chose the 32FF because what you don’t see in these pictures is the extra room at the base of the cups in the 32G. Also, strangely, the 32FF felt tighter in the band, so I expect it to last longer . . . especially since my regular 32FF Panache sports bra felt tight when I began wearing it in September, and I am now on the middle hook.
I tend to over-think things, and trying something new puts my over-thinker on overdrive. I finally decided that what matters most to me is how I will feel staring at myself in the mirror during class, and I decided I’d feel pretty good in this 32FF! Much of what I’m over-analyzing about myself in this top are things I simply take for granted in my classmates–and even in my instructor!
After wearing this top once, my schedule forced me to take a week off from the gym. Now I can’t wait to go back so that I can wear it again.
*Besides occasional offers like this, American Express holders can also get a complimentary ShopRunner membership, which means free two-day shipping and returns with Bare Necessities.
Another impressive review Darlene!
First, I’m happy to see how fit you look, I can tell you the time you spent at the gym it’s worthwhile.
Second, you look so motivated to work out with your new top that is contagious and your instructor looks like a supportive, nice person too.
I really like how you describe things, not only the photos from different angles help but the description of things inside a garment and the feeling toward the body makes it very helpful. I think there is very good technical designer in you…
Thanks, Patricia! By the way, don’t you LOVE Erica’s roundup of your dresses on her blog? http://sophisticatedpair.com/blog/?p=14996
I love mine too, though I have the same experience with riding up that Sweets has. I’m just shy of 5’4, so I wasn’t anticipating that happening as Sweets is a good 5 inches taller than I am. It’s not an issue at the gym for weight lifting, but when I run it definitely slides up and I need to pull it down. Also, I don’t know how you fare with getting it on, but I actually need help from my husband to fasten it (I fasten my bras in front because I lack the dexterity to do it properly behind my back), which annoys me.
Despite these things, I do love it. It makes me feel more confident in my workout for some reason.
How interesting about the ride up. But it’s not necessarily a height thing. Sweets attributes it to wider hips, and I also think that anything longer than a 15″ CB (center back) to waist measurement could be a factor for some women. I’ll have to run around the track today and see if it happens for me and I just didn’t notice!
I’m thrilled to hear it makes you feel more confident, too. I’m wearing mine right now as I write this, and it’s amazing to have my boobs high, centered and firmly in place without any extra fabric over them.
As for fastening, I used to be a front fastener, too, until I read this post from A Sophisticated Pair: http://sophisticatedpair.com/blog/?p=1972 Have you ever tried this? I never thought I’d be a back fastener, but now it’s my preference, especially since spinning a bra around can be challenge after a shower or in a new bra with an especially tight band. I’d read the reviews that this top was difficult to fasten, but using Erica’s method, I’ve found it to be the same as fastening a bra.
I do have wider hips (and not much butt), perhaps that is it. Thank you for the fastening tip! I’ll have to try it. My underbust is the same as my waist, so I”ll do that tomorrow.