6-22-2025 MY INSPO: announcement; the bralettes are returning

 i am on a dedicated search for the comfy simple wedge sandal with a small heel. the ones i currently own have their leather falling off. not a good look on bare feet, fashion friends. i searched the mall, only to find some satisfactory zara ones at $80. i couldn't bring myself to do it. $80 for sweatshop shoes? my next step is a deep dive into therealreal. call my hypocritical but i won't mind paying $80 for a designer brand or something more ethical. i was a bit luckier on ebay too, but i am also considering checking out my local cobbler? i'm unsure if this is fixable, but that's my first choice before spending on another pair. if my cobbler says my wedges are doomed, here are some choices i saved online:

so a month or two ago, my pinterest feed popped up with a photo circa 2012 era, of a girl wearing a very open on the side gym style shirt with a lacey bralette peeking. and it brought back such memories, remember when bralettes served an accessory purpose, and not just underwear? i do, and back in my middle and high school days, i had different ones in different colors - i was obsessed. until now, it's ben years since i thought of them. it's incredible how we look at something that was trendy years ago and simply think "yes, i need this now again". we're such nostalgic beings, at least i can attest for myself. i am addicted to nostalgia, and in some ways love a good reference. not literally, but diy-ing and using pre-owned items. you realize how many decades and trends you can reference with the same few items.

i can't find the exact photo of the one that clicked in my brain, but these and many more popped up on my later search.

anyways, i was thinking to myself - i could get myself a bralette at this now adult age, and easily thrift a top and diy tear it, or whatever else i got lucky with. i happened to luck out with finding that old gym shirt sib was going to get rid of. bingo! not even a purchase but rather our own personal reject.

so here's where it get's tricky. i haven't had to buy new bra's in a while, i'm set with my current collection of strapless, push-up, sports, colorful or nude bra's, but i outgrew all my old bralettes, or got rid of them after some time. at the time they were so popular, you could get them anywhere. 

right now, i was specifically looking for the simple no push up, lacey black one. something that could pass as a super tiny crop top. victoria's secret and pink had some lacey bodysuits and colorful laced bras, respectively, but nothing of my vision. i almost panicked. where are the bralette's? target had none, the rest of the mall scarcely gave me hope. i don't thrift underwear or intimates, so anything of that sort was off the table. i opted for a quick search on therealreal, only looking in the pristine condition section. a plethora of crop tops, but nothing even resembling a bralette. 

i thought to myself, perhaps i could invest in an ethically made one? i have an app on my phone called good on you that rates how ethical certain fashion brands are, and promotes small fashion businesses. i scoured, and gave myself a limit - nothing over $100. it was a tough search. bralettes are almost fashionably extinct? 

fret not - my patient search resulted in a brand called anekdot - from berlin. here's a bit about them from their website:

turning trash into luxury – our upcycling process means we reclaim high-quality materials from the fashion industry, such as leftover stock, end-of-line goods, and offcuts, and transform them into something beautiful and meaningful for your everyday life. we're constantly looking for new sources for our materials – whether through factory closures, manufacturer surpluses, production errors, or miscalculations. the materials we use have never been worn before, but we want to give them a new chance to be appreciated and used. In addition to reviving forgotten textiles that would otherwise end up in landfill, we also contribute to reducing emissions compared to producing new materials. on top of that, our upcycled products are always limited editions that will make you feel special.

i purchased two bralettes, that both fit my vision. i paid a whopping $82 each. but i will justify it by saying - a bralette of that price will be worn. and, considering how ethical the brand is, i can happily say now child was harmed in this labor. a bralette or wedges for the same price? pick your poison...

i am super satisfied with these baddies. they feel good and have good support too. they're gorgeous and arrived early all the way from europe. so my vision can now turn into mission. i can't wait to get my cost per wear on these. the combination of bralette and that shirt will be a summer staple this year. maybe, i might even bring out my old fishnet tights and my charlotte russe boots from the winter?