Under a Thin Kameez or Aarong Kurti

The short answer: under thin, semi-transparent cotton, wear a seamless bra in a shade close to your skin, and skip the camisole. Our founder's own pick is the Seamless Contour Bra in coffee: no lines show, the bra does not ride up, and no colour traces through, even under a pale Aarong kurti.

"So what exactly do you wear under these patla Aarong kurtis?" She answered it herself, on a hot day, wearing one.

Why thin cotton is the hardest test

White and very thin cotton are almost semi-transparent. Any colour underneath shows: white as a bright outline, black as a shadow, a print as a print. And any edge shows: a seam, a pad line, a wire ridge. So the bra has to pass two tests at once, colour and line.

The founder's answer, and why

1. Coffee, not white. "I wear colours that work like nude for my body." For most women here that is coffee; it reads as skin and shadow under pale fabric. Here is how to pick your shade.
2. Seamless. "No line shows under the fabric, the bra doesn't ride up, no marks or colour trace at all. That is basically the concept of seamless." Here is what a seamless bra is.
3. No multilayering. Dhaka is hot and humid. A bra, a tank top and a kameez on top of each other makes no sense to her, and it makes no sense to us. One seamless layer in the right shade is the layer.

Which seamless bra

• Seamless Contour Bra, Tk 2,035, M to 3XL, in Coffee. The founder's pick: moulded cup, wide straps, a smooth round line, built for a lean torso and a fuller bust.
• Seamless Air Bra, Tk 1,265, M to 3XL, in Coffee. Lighter, for the hottest days, same no-line finish.
• Signature Seamless Bra, Tk 1,990, M to 2XL, in Coffee. Wider coverage if you prefer a lower profile.

Prices include VAT. Whichever you choose, get the letter right; a cup that spills shows through everything. Here is how to measure at home.

Questions women ask us

Beige or coffee under a white kurti?

Coffee for most women. Beige only if your chest is noticeably lighter than coffee in daylight.

Does the pad show through thin cotton?

Not a moulded pad with no edge. If it does, slide it out; most seamless styles allow it. See padded or non-padded.

What about a very fitted kurti?

The Contour: the moulded cup gives one smooth curve with nothing to press through.

And a kameez with a deep neckline?

Ask us with the neckline in mind; it depends on the cut. Send a photo of the kameez, not of you.

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