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| Front of the Doreanse Low-Rise Bikini |
I
firmly believe that the white brief or bikini is the bread and butter of an
underwear brand. It is both a blank canvas and a standard bearer for the brand,
something that has broad appeal but also represents the design and market niche
the brand hopes to occupy.
With
this in mind, I decided to try out a white Doreanse Low Rise Bikini, which is
numbered as the 1281-WHT on the Doreanse US Website.
I
have been intrigued by the Doreanse brand ever since I first heard about it,
probably from an email alert from DGU. I saw it promoted as something that is
on the lower end of the cost scale but still a piece of designer underwear. Doreanse
is a Turkish brand and although I’m a sucker for foreign underwear, it wasn’t
available in the US at the time I received the notice and I didn’t want to
spend more on shipping than on the garment itself, since I would have to have
bought it from a European site.
Eventually
the brand made its way across the pond, and one day last year I chanced upon a booth
at a street fair in the city selling Doreanse undergear. Thankfully, having done a lot of research on
the brand on the internet, I resisted the urge to plunk down twenty bucks to
buy a pair, but I knew immediately that US underwear sites were probably going
to start stocking them.
And
voila!
Beginning
earlier I noticed that they indeed had debuted in the cyber marketplace of the
good, ole US of A. Doreanse stuff is available at Audace and Undergear. Being a
savvy gear shopper, I waited until Undergear had one of their 20% off regular
priced items specials and I picked one up. Seriously, if you’re looking to buy
one, I wouldn’t spend over $15 for them. Just wait for a sale.
So
more about the company that makes the Doreanse brand stuff. This is straight up
from their website (Turkish): it’s a company that has been in the market since
2004. Doreanse is a subsidiary of ASRY Textiles of Turkey. They manufacture
garments for both men and women and they are often found in “exclusive shops”
in Turkey. Having been to Turkey thrice, I can’t say I’ve ever seen them but
maybe the shops I went in weren’t exclusive enough.
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| Back of the bikini |
SPECS
Size:
Medium (according to Audace, this is 33 to 34”)
Type:
Bikini
Waistband
height: 0.25”
Sides
w/o Band: 1.25”
Fabric:
45% cotton, 45% modal, 10% lycra (read about modal here)
Price:
$12.00 on Audace and $14.00 on Undergear
METHODOLOGY
As I
mentioned I ordered these from Undergear. They came sans box, as some internet
companies like to do, to cut down on shipping costs.
My
first impression of the Doreanse bikini when I unencumbered it from its plastic
shipping bag was that it was very, very lightweight. It looked to be on the
skimpier side, but bikinis tend to be skimpy. They were a touch transparent,
but in a way that suggested that the material was very fine, rather than indecency.
When
I put tried on, I did notice that they were very thin and the pouch is unlined.
You can see outlines of things in it. The stitching was very clean and neat,
and it seemed that although the garment was delicate, it would hold up to some
rigorous activity.
There
is no fancy anatomical pouch, so I found myself adjusting ocassionally during
wear. The back coverage was somewhere between full and ¾, so that was nice. No
grandpa undies here.
I wore these briefs over two days on two different workouts to
test them out.
Test
#1: I took these bikinis on a three mile jog, on a very nice, dry afternoon. The
temperature was in the lower eighties, but a mile in and I was sweating pretty
heavily. It held up very well and didn’t ride up at all. After the jog, I took
them off to let them dry so that I could wear it the next day.
Test
#2: The bikinis were worn during weight lifting, specifically during lunges and
squats and other lower body strength training. Here, when I performed
exaggerated movements like deep squats or lunges, the lack of thicker elastic
around the leg bands prompted some riding. I don’t know whether it was a fair
test, but hey, now you know.
ANALYSIS
Pros
-Nice,
lightweight garment with pretty good construction
-Looks
great, a touch of transparency adds an element of daring to what is an
otherwise plain garment
Cons
-Can
ride up with more vigorous pursuits
RATING
Design: 6/10-Basic bikini design, I added a point because it's available in other colors
Quality:
7/10-Everything seems well made
Affordability:
6/10-Not a lot of bang for your buck, but not super expensive
Comfort:
7/10-Nice thin garment with comfortable fabric
Coolness: 5/10-It's a basic garment not trying to be anything but what it is
Overall:
31/50
When
I think about the garment globally, it is what it is. It is a representative of
the design and quality of Doreanse. It’s a pretty good, basic bikini that is
flattering and functional. I’d recommend a purchase.
ACCESS
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