Free People Bralette Dupe

HEYO how's your week going? It's been in the mid-80's in Harrisonburg this week, which I love! It was downright chilly several days last week, so I'm glad to have some real summer temps again. I felt like I couldn't wear anything sleeveless and was rocking a lot of jackets last week, so I'm glad to be back in my sundresses! 

Speaking of summer clothes, a few years ago, Free People came out with the Adella bralette that quickly became a bestseller in the blog-iverse; every blogger I followed was wearing one. As a bralette addict, I fell into that trap REAL quick - I had to have one! Kenny gave me a white one as a gift, which was so sweet of him.

This summer, the Adella bralette is still just as popular. Free People is constantly coming out with more colors so that there's always something new. The only downside is that at $38, it's pricey for a bralette in my opinion. I tend to only buy bralettes on sale, and have a hard time paying more than $20 for one when there are so many good affordable options available from places like Aerie and Target.

I was walking through the mall a couple of weeks ago, and spotted the BEST dupe for the Free People bralette in the window of the last store that I'd expect... rue21! I honestly don't think I've shopped there since middle school, but after seeing the bralette on a mannequin, I had to hit up their website for more info.

It turns out that the bralette is only $13! What?! I had to order it to test it out and compare it to the real thing.

Free People $38

rue21 $13 (more colors here, plus size version here)

First Impressions:

The only visible difference between the two right off the bat is that the cups/lace detailing have more coverage on the rue21 version than the Free People version. I've seen people style the Free People version as a crop top, so the rue21 version would be able to be styled the same way slightly more modestly.

Surprisingly, the rue21 bralette feels more substantial than the Free People one. The Free People bralette is extremely delicate; when I received it, I felt like I'd be able to tear a seam or break a strap relatively easily. Some of the customer reviews mention the straps breaking, so I've always been careful when putting it on and taking it off.

Comparison:

• Both bralettes are currently offered in 19 different colors (sometimes fewer for depending on which retailer you're shopping and what's in stock). 
• Both have adjustable straps, which is a major plus. 
• The rue21 bralettes comes in plus size, while the Free People one does not. 
• Due to the delicate nature of the bralettes, they don't provide much support, and therefore fit smaller chest sizes best.
• The rue21 bralette has light padding, so it provides more support than the Free People bralette which is not padded. 
• The rue21 version has more coverage as you can tell from the photos, and the detailing from the lace comes up higher. 
• Both bralettes run large, I'm typically a size small in most sizes, but the extra small fits me perfectly in the Free People version. The rue21 bralette only goes down to a size small, which is too large for me, but is doable with the adjustable straps. Free People offers XS-XL, while rue21 offers S-XL in regular sizing and 1X-3X in plus sizing.

Overall:

I think that the rue21 bralette is a great dupe for the Free People one! It gives the same look for $25 less (even less depending on when it's on sale), and it has the added benefit of padding and extra coverage for bustier girls. By now you've probably noticed that I'm all for a good dupe, but usually only when the quality is still comparable, and that is definitely the case with these two bralettes.

Have a great Wednesday! Love ya, mean it!

xoxx, Laura

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