Quick answer
Choose your usual bralette size first, then confirm it against the size chart and adjust the handmade silk straps before judging the fit. Wash it by hand in cool water with a gentle detergent, skip the dryer, and let it air-dry flat.
Why this silk version fits differently from mesh bralettes
The Oleander Bralette in lilac silk charmeuse is the most luxurious version of the brand's original 2008 style, made from washed silk charmeuse with darted cups, picot elastic, adjustable handmade silk straps and a hook-and-eye closure. Silk charmeuse drapes and moves more than mesh, so the band and straps do more of the supporting work. Expect a softer, less compressive feel than a stretch-mesh bralette, and treat the darted cups as the part that sets where the bralette sits on your frame.
Where the lilac silk works best in a wardrobe
Lilac silk reads as a deliberate layer rather than a hidden basic. Wear it under a white or cream shirt with the top buttons open, under a fine-gauge knit with a wide neckline, or on its own with high-waisted trousers at home. Because the color is soft and the fabric is smooth, it pairs most easily with neutral and tonal outfits; strong prints can compete with it. If you want a bralette that disappears under close-fitting dark clothing, a black or skin-tone version will usually be the more practical choice.
The trade-off of silk charmeuse
Silk charmeuse looks and feels elevated, but it asks more of you than a synthetic bralette. It should not go in a hot machine wash or a tumble dryer, and it can show water marks if you spot-clean carelessly. The payoff is a bralette that works as a visible layer and softens with wear. Plan for hand-washing and flat drying, and store it away from rough hooks or zippers that can snag the surface.
Step-by-step: fit, wash and wear the lilac silk bralette
- Check the size chart before ordering: Measure your underbust and bust, then compare both to the size chart rather than choosing by your usual clothing size. If you fall between sizes or the cup depth looks close, select custom sizing in the drop-down. Common mistake: ordering a larger size to gain cup coverage, which usually leaves the band too loose. Fit is decided by the band first; cup coverage follows.
- Adjust the straps and closure on arrival: Fasten the hook-and-eye closure on the loosest setting, then shorten the handmade silk straps until the band sits level around your ribcage. Move the closure tighter only if the band rides up when you lift your arms. Common mistake: tightening the straps to fix a loose band, which pulls the cups out of place. A level band, not tight straps, keeps the bralette in position.
- Hand-wash in cool water: Fill a basin with cool water and a small amount of gentle detergent, submerge the bralette and gently squeeze the suds through the fabric for about a minute. Do not rub, wring or leave it to soak. Common mistake: using hot water or a standard laundry detergent, which can dull the silk and stress the picot elastic. Short contact time protects both silk and elastic.
- Rinse and remove water without twisting: Rinse in cool water until no suds remain, then press the bralette between two towels to absorb water. Never wring or twist silk charmeuse. Common mistake: hanging a wet bralette by its straps, which stretches them and distorts the cups. Press, don't twist, and never hang by the straps.
- Dry flat away from heat and sun: Lay the bralette flat on a clean towel, reshape the cups and straps, and leave it away from radiators, direct sun or a tumble dryer. Common mistake: putting it in the dryer on low, which can shrink the elastic and leave creases in the silk. Flat drying keeps the shape and the strap length consistent.
- Style and store with care: Wear the lilac silk as a visible layer under an open shirt or a wide-neck knit, and store it folded flat or hung separately from hooks, zippers and rough fabrics. Common mistake: storing it in a crowded drawer where the picot elastic catches on hardware. Separate storage prevents snags between wears.
Product facts at a glance
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Oleander Bralette in Organic Dyed Lilac Purple Silk Charmeuse: Washed silk charmeuse with darted cups, picot elastic, adjustable handmade silk straps and a hook-and-eye closure. The darted cups and adjustable straps let you tune the fit, while the silk surface needs gentler handling than mesh.
Oleander Bralette in Organic Dyed Lilac Purple Silk Charmeuse
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Oleander Bralette in Organic Dyed Lilac Purple Silk Charmeuse: Custom sizing is available and can be selected in the sizing drop-down. If the standard size chart leaves you between sizes, custom sizing is the option to choose rather than sizing up and hoping the band fits.