Since Sian reviewed the Bare Bamboo Emilie Body last month, it’s safe to say we’ve become a little bit obsessed with the collection! We’ve been fans of the brand since they launched back in 2014; but mostly just ogling from afar. The Bare range, however, gave us a slightly more affordable option to try out Janay for real—and we’re loving it! This post, we’ll be giving you a little bit of (almost) everything. Char couldn’t resist the body also, so we’ve got some photos and information as to how the same piece in the same size fits a very different body shape and boob size; we’ll also be delving into the details of bamboo as a fabric, and—finally—we have yet another review from the Bare collection. This time, it’s Sian with the Triangle Bra and the Brazilian Knicker.

Janay’s last date for Christmas orders is the 16th of December. Not long left now! But if you’re struggling for gift ideas, we think anything from the Bare range would be a hit. They’re cosy, comfy, and incredibly gorgeous. Don’t leave it too late!

Review: Janay Bare Triangle Bra & Brazilian Knickers

As you all know, I loved my bodysuit. I loved it so much that I knew as soon as I tried it on that I’d be back for more, and the Black Friday deal was the perfect opportunity for me to get more – this was the one Black Friday deal that I had set in my mind from the word go!

I decided this time to go for the Bare bamboo triangle bra and matching brazilian knickers in khaki. I don’t often go for a bralette because I’m not always sure how well they’ll fit me. I own a few though, mostly Calvin Klein basic ones, plus a couple from H&M, and I love how comfortable they are for wearing around the house (or out of the house sometimes if I’m not doing anything particularly strenuous!) and for yoga.

(And can I just add, you know those lines I was talking about that I get from jeans? Check out how bad these are – I’d undone my jeans about half an hour before too!)

Sizing was something I was a bit unsure about though, but I realised that Janay have a pretty awesome sizing system that’s unlike most for their bras – you choose a generic size from small to large and a band size from 30 to 36. I knew I would definitely be going for the 30 and I clicked the large box, but I wasn’t sure it would be right since the chart listed large as a larger C to a D cup. We all know that I’m a 28GG or 30G, so according to that, I wouldn’t fit into the large. But then again, it looked like there was plenty of fabric coverage (from the model pictures) and I knew from the bodysuit that the jersey is quite stretchy.

So I decided to contact Janay for some help, and she was super helpful. She also wasn’t sure that the large would fit me with the 30 band due to my usual bra sizing, but we talked about how I would wear a 32DD/E in “traditional” +4 bra sizing and how I wear a small/medium in Calvin Klein and 10 or 12 in H&M bralettes. So she offered to be really amazing and make the bra in a bespoke size for me with a 30 band with an XL cup so that it would have a little more coverage at the sides – she’s hoping to be able to offer this size on the site too soon, so larger busted ladies, you’re in luck!

And guess what? It fits really well! I mean, I don’t get huge amounts of support from it, but that’s definitely not what I was looking for in this bra. There is loads of coverage, the band fits perfectly (verging ever so slightly on the size of too large as I’m usually a 28 band, so I’m on the tightest hooks) and it’s SO comfortable – I’m trying hard not to wear it every day in place of a normal bra!

We also need to talk about how this bra looks, especially the back because – look how gorgeous it is! Pretty back detailing will always win me over in a bra! I really love how the triangle bra cups extend up to the top of the shoulders, making it all the more comfortable. And you’ve again got those little details that just make it perfect including the Bare bamboo label on the elastic.

I chose the khaki colour this time as it’s one that lots of people compliment me on when I wear! I’ve never thought of it as a favourite colour, but I asked Ben for an opinion of which colour to choose and he picked out that one saying it was his favourite on me too, so that’s interesting! I love how downplayed and casual it looks.

The knickers I went for in a size 10, my usual briefs size, however I’d say they run ever so slightly on the smaller side in the elastic on the hips. They’re not uncomfortable to wear at all, but I think the size 12 might have been a bit more flattering as the elastic digs just slightly in the 10 – but then again, I am trying to size up more in knickers nowadays as it’s only recently I’ve discovered that knickers on the larger side tend to look nicer!

Overall, I hugely recommend this set and Janay’s Bare bamboo range. I have a feeling I may even return to it again in future, which doesn’t happen often in my lingerie purchases!

The Bare Emilie Bodysuit

BCLC readers will have already seen the glorious Sian in the Emilie bodysuit in her review last month. I won’t talk at length here, because she’s awesome and covered pretty much everything, but here’s how the same size looks on a little cup, and just a little of my two-penneth…

I love the khaki selection in this piece. I’m always fond of greens, and this is such a gorgeous tone (although, personally, I’d call it more of an ‘olive’ myself!). Because of the natural softness and stretch in the bamboo fabric, we can both fit into the same size in this bodysuit without any problems. In fact, I’d say I have the upper-hand here, very slightly. There’s less stretch on me across the chest, so I can wear it more easily as outerwear without the need for anything underneath. The fabric is more lightweight, though, than other bamboo fabrics I’ve tried: although there’s no problem with transparency, I’ll probably invest in some stick-on covers for the colder weather!

Bamboo: It’s Not Just For Pandas…

We love bamboo. We love that clothes are being made out of bamboo. And we LOVE that lingerie is starting to make an appearance in bamboo! Here’s why we just repeated ourselves three times…

This year, we started to get more vocal about sustainability in the industry with our post #WhoMadeMyLingerie? during Fashion Revolution week in April. We like to support brands and designers who are making their lingerie in an ethical, sustainable way, which doesn’t take advantage of anyone…and, safe in the knowledge that most of Janay’s pieces are sewn at home, by her own fair hands—well, you can’t get much more of a transparent supply chain than that!

But what’s so great about bamboo? Well, for a starter:

It’s incredibly soft—like, even better than cashmere.

It’s sensitive, and great for sensitive skin.

It never gets static. Who else hates it when clothes get static-y?!

It’s naturally antibacterial, so doesn’t get smelly for days. (Yay for extending laundry day!)

It also naturally UV protective…this blows our minds…

It thermo-controls. Incredibly. We read a bit (ok, a very little bit, but still!) about the science behind this, and apparently it’s because it has hollow microfibres, which keeps it warm, but is still breathable.

So there are the reasons why we love to wear bamboo. But we also love how and why its being grown and developed as a plant for manufacturing. A few facts for you on this…

It grows super fast, so you can get more product from the same amount of land; much more than cotton, for example. In fact, bamboo is the FASTEST growing plant in the world.

It’s also far easier to grow naturally, without the use of harmful pesticides and fertilisers.

In areas where it’s grown, it’s also great for soil as it is cut rather than uprooted.

Bamboo is ever better than trees at cleaning the air—returning up to 30% more oxygen, and removing up to 12 tons of carbon dioxide per hectare from the air.

Does the thought of clothes in landfills bother you? It bothers us. But the awesome thing about bamboo is that it’s 100% biodegradable!

Clever bamboo, and you feel so great too… 😀

You can buy the Janay Bare bamboo triangle bra here for £25, the briefs here for £20 and the bodysuit here for £35.

And don’t forget—you don’t have long until the Christmas deadline!