This is my first Amazon Essentials purchase and I was a little hesitant for moral reasons- but sadly Amazon’s methods of competition work and these camisoles were the best option I found in the colors I wanted. So these are good shirts but also I hate myself a little.
That being said: Amazon suggested a size small, but after looking at the size chart and knowing I wanted a more form fitting silhouette I went with an extra small, which is often my usual size. (For reference, I am a 30C, so overall on the smaller side) This was the right choice for me. The shirt length was exactly what I was looking for in this world of cropped everything.
The lightest color is slightly sheer, but the others don’t present any problems for me. All the colors seem true to photo and look good in real life.
I do wish the fabric was softer. I have some sensory sensitivities and they don’t bother me, but they also aren’t as soft as I was hoping for. Perhaps after a few more washes they will break in a little, but as of right now, I wish they were considerable softer. That is a strict personal preference however, and I don’t think the average person would find them rough or uncomfortable.
For anyone worried about straps breaking: I don’t know of any camisole or thin strapped shirt that doesn’t run that risk if you run it through a wash cycle. Amazon suggests hand washing, which is an option, but we all know we aren’t hand washing inexpensive tank tops from Amazon…
So laundry bags are necessary. I recommend getting a lot of them and using them for anything that is strappy, lacy, or otherwise delicate. Bras, panties, camisoles, lingerie. I even use them for those little no-show liner socks so that they don’t get lost.
Wash in laundry bags, with your bras and underwear, on delicate/hand wash cycles. That means low heat, low (or no) spin. Don’t use fabric softener (or use it infrequently and rinse well) because fabric softener will break down natural fabrics like cotton.
Or hand wash (lol)
TL;DR: good basic shirts in a variety of colors, morally questionable, hand wash or use a laundry bag on delicate.
Edited: I’ve now had these for over two years (and have ordered additional colors) - I’ve experienced no straps breaking on any of the camisoles after countless wears and washes! On some of my most often worn shirts (we are talking sometimes every week sometimes multiple times per week) there has been some slight loss of elasticity in the straps and overall fabric of one. Some of the lighter colors have faded a bit or gotten a little dingy due to the multiple washes (and my slight laziness around color sorting tbh - I just don’t have that many white or light clothes!). I would say that the fabric has softened a bit, but the structure of the shirt means that it’s never going to be that soft Pima cotton or airy/draping bamboo that I basically want everything to feel like and that’s mostly a me problem. Overall over two years later I want to add that I still recommend these shirts, I have personally bought more and yes I still feel guilty about it.
I can also say that because there was some (likely pandemic related) color and sizing issues when I bought my second and third sets of these that I can say that for someone who is 5’4”, a 28D/30C, and has a 25-26 inch waist/size two and is therefore a bit on the petite side I definitely prefer the extra small size, especially as I tend to wear them underneath other shirts often. Smalls do fit well however and if you are also in between sizes and unsure I recommend choosing based on fit preference. Because they are stretchy I can also wear a medium, though it’s definitely a looser look and I wouldn’t wear it under another top. A size large is definitely ill-fitting, gapping around the chest and hanging loosely around the ribs, waist, and hips. Because it was such a mess (duplicate colors and an assorted array of sizing) and during such a hectic time I did keep the large and will occasionally wear it tied up with an elastic to make it fit (its the only dark burgundy one that I received and the main color I was looking for!)
TR
Jennifyr F.
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