Cleava "Snap to Bra Camisole": Review & Giveaway! (Closed)

Women's fashion is an area I haven't dabbled in too much (yet) here at Manager to Mom, however when the opportunity came along to review a brand-new, ultra-practical AND stylish clothing accessory called the Cleava, I knew I had to snap it up - yes, pun intended. :)

The Cleava is "The Original Snap To Bra Camisole" - a mock cami which attaches to your bra and creates a layered effect, allowing you to wear low-cut tops without exposing, well, more than you want to expose (in situations where a li'l modesty is preferable!)

As a mom of a toddler, I'm constantly bending down to reach my little girl's level, pick up toys, etc. so I'm particularly prone to inadvertently showing off my assets, if you will. My go-to solution prior to discovering the Cleava was layering full camisoles/tank tops under such revealing tops, but this was less than ideal for many reasons - too bulky, too hot (in the summer), extra unsightly straps kicking around and additional laundry, to name just a few. The Cleava is designed to solve all of these issues and more.

Another thing the Cleava boasts is that it is applied (and removed) quickly in three easy steps.

The Cleava comes in many different styles and colours, from original classic black to sassy red lace. All have identical function and share the following product details:

• One Size Fits Most
• Made from 92% polyester and 8% spandex
• Machine washer and dryer safe (though hand wash is recommended for rhinestone collection styles)
• Wrinkle-resistant

The following video further illustrates just how easy it is to attach/detach the Cleava, and shows off several of the available styles & colours.

My Review:

For review purposes, I was sent a combo set containing an original black and original white Cleava. This was perfect for me as I'm a practical gal. :)

Right away I appreciated how soft, stretchy and silky the material is, and the high quality construction. Both Cleavas were exactly the same size and were stitched perfectly.

Each Cleava has three snap settings on each side and four up the middle. Coupled with the stretchiness of the material, this would definitely allow for quite a bit of flexibility in the sizing.

The buttons snap together firmly so there's no concern that they'd come apart during regular wear.

I'm a tall, thin gal (aside from my huge belly, that is ;) so I get a really nice fit with all snaps at the smallest/tightest setting. 

I'm pleased to report that the Cleava is, indeed, as easy to put on as advertised. I can get it snapped and shifted properly into place in less than 20 seconds, and I'm far from the most manually dextrous person out there. It's easiest to apply with just a bra on, but it's certainly doable when you already have your shirt on as well - just takes a few more seconds to get things sorted out.

It's also nice and comfy. Once it's on, you don't notice it.

As for the look, LOVE LOVE LOVE! Here are a couple styles I've tried so far.

I'd estimate that a third of my tops quality as low-cut, so I've been bustin' out my Cleavas regularly since I received them. I totally dig the layered look I can get without all that extra bulk, and of course the classic white and black go with just about everything. The design appears to achieve the perfect balance between sizing flexibility and a seamless look, as even with the snaps on the smallest setting the side tabs stay hidden. They only have a chance of becoming slightly visible when I bend waaaaaay over and the particular top is super low-cut.

I tested my Cleavas with various bras of different shapes and styles (including a nursing bra), and all combinations worked just fine. I was happy to discover that I shouldn't even have to unsnap the Cleava to nurse as the material sits off to the side and thus likely won't get in the way. Sweet!

Finally, over the course of a full day, the Cleava stays perfectly in place. Literally no adjustments needed. Another big, important thumbs up!

As for care & maintenance, I tested a machine wash warm / machine dry low combo on one of my Cleavas and it came out mostly unscathed. It indeed proved to be wrinkle-resistant (as I didn't "rescue" it from the dryer until a few hours after the cycle ended, and it was still totally wrinkle-free) and it maintained its shape perfectly. However when I compared it to the unwashed Cleava, I noticed ever-so-slight shrinkage. Nothing noticeable in practice, I'd say, however to be on the super-safe side it might be best to wash on cold and air dry.

All in all, I truly do love this product - kudos to the inventor, Michelle, for creating such a practical, easy-to-use, stylish and affordable fashion accessory! In my opinion, every woman should own at least a few Cleavas. Seriously. The only downside - your man may not be quite as happy, lol. But he can deal! ;)

Connect!

To stay up-to-speed on all things Cleava (new colours and styles, news releases, sales announcements and deals) follow Cleava on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Buy It:

You can purchase one or more Cleavas of your own directly from the website or by calling 1-888-692-5328. It's a great time to stock up as Cleavas are on sale now at $10 off, plus you can get free shipping on orders over $50 with the code FSMTM (good until December 13th, 2012). With the holidays approaching, why not grab a few extras as stocking stuffers?

A little more incentive: Michelle De Sousa, the inventor of Cleava, is so confident you're going to love your Cleava that she is offering The 30 Day Guarantee. If, for any reason, you are not happy with your Cleava you can return it within 30 days. 

Win It:

One lucky Manager to Mom reader will win a snazzy Original Classic - Red Cleava of their own! Open to CAN/US.

To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Please follow all instructions within each entry option to ensure your entries are valid.   

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure:  The prize is being provided to the winner by Michelle De Sousa, the inventor of Cleava.  I received no financial compensation for writing my review or offering this giveaway, although I did receive the sample items free of charge.  This is my completely honest opinion above and may be different from yours.