Hey all! Sorry for the little break in posting, I’ve been terribly busy with school. I’m into the last month of my semester now though, so once April hits I’ll have a lot of posts to catch up on. There’s a lot I want to talk about!

Now, onto the content.

Despite how many bras I review, I don’t end up keeping a ton of them. Even bras that I’ve reviewed highly often end up sold to someone else. The reason for this is that different bra styles serve different functions. Let’s take a look at my Ewa Michalak bras as an example. Almost all the bras I got from EM fit well, but they were also all plunges. For practical reasons, I’ve decided to keep only two bras (Technically four, as I also have two that are currently too small, because I could easily fluctuate back to my smaller size in the warm months). This is because I don’t like to show a ton of cleavage, and in lower cut tops you get quite a lot on EM plunges. I do love their extremely lifted shape for under sweaters, but not so much that I need five of them!

Thinking of bras in terms of functions has helped me plan what I’ll need (and what I’ll want, let’s be honest), and helped prevent me from spending too much money on impulse. It’s allowed me to figure out which of my bras are unnecessary and can be sold for cash. I used to be unable to plan to this extent because I wasn’t aware of all of my options, so I would just search for anything that fit. Now that I know I have quite a few options, I can plan accordingly. So what I’d like to do now is take you through my bras and their functions, and show you the areas where I could use more or less bras.

Here are my current categories: Every day bras (classified by having higher gores and great support, comfortable for many hours of wear), home/wireless bras, period bras, T-shirt/fitted clothing bras, strapless/multiway bras, sports bras, and fancy bras. Now here’s what I have to fill those categories:

Miss Mandalay Paige x2: Everyday bras

Miss Mandalay Paris: Everyday bra (cannot wear on period)

Fortnight Mira: Comfortable home bra/Period bra

Ewa Michalak PL Stalowka: T-shirt/Fitted clothing bra (cannot wear on period)

Ewa Michalak PL Black: T-shirt/Fitted clothing bra (cannot wear on period)

Panache Andorra x2: Period bras

Cleo Marcie: Everyday bra/Period bra (The wide wires and loose upper section make is amazing for period boobs. My god)

Shock Absorber sports bra: Sports bra (clearly…)

As you can see, I don’t have a strapless/multiway bra, or any fancy bras (I mean like super fancy), and my only “t-shirt bras” are plunges, which I don’t like wearing as frequently as higher cut styles. Not to mention, my everyday bras that I can actually wear at all times of the month are quite limited. So according to what I have, I’ve developed a list of bras that I’ll be looking to get in order to create a well rounded bra wardrobe. From that list, the bras that are currently on their way to me are:

Fantasie Susanna basque in petal/ivory: Fancy bra!

Fantasie Rebecca in beige: T-shirt bra (the perfect T-shirt bra, I should add)

Freya Just Flew In Longline: Everyday bra

Avocado Kyoto bra: Everyday bra (I am VERY excited to try this brand)

Ewa Michalak HP Kobalt: No idea, this is mostly an experiment to see if I like the HP shape.

Of course there are many more bras on the docket to be purchased (The Deco Longline to fill the strapless/multiway void, or to stock up on more everyday bras that can also be worn on my period, like the Cleo Bella), but they are not available to purchase yet. I’m really enjoying planning this much though! It gives me a lot of time to think about whether any given bra is really necessary, and it’s helping me not to double up on styles that I don’t wear frequently.

Embarrassingly, I actually have a photoshop file that gets updated pretty often that features pictures of all the bras that I currently own and have my eye on, even including bras up to the autumn/winter 2013 season.

The letters “S” or “W” indicate whether the bra is from the spring/summer or autumn/winter seasons (except in the case of the two Mimi Holliday bras. They are technically from this autumn/winter season, but since I’ll be buying them in the spring I just tacked an “S” on them). Green check marks mean I have paid for the bra or it is on its way to me, purple check marks mean I have received the bra and now wear it.
I forgot to put PL Black in the document! Whoops!

I don’t expect anyone to be an anal as I am about planning and budgeting for bras (I really just enjoy it), but thinking about bras in terms of functions has been extremely practical in my experience, and I’d suggest it to anyone who’s looking to build a new bra wardrobe. Make sure to think about what is functional for you. Some bra buying guides want you to get every kind of bra and the kitchen sink. If plunges don’t work for you, don’t get a plunge. Hate balcony bras? Don’t get one. Just think about that functions you need your bras to perform, and go form there.

Windie

I have to admit that I wasn’t super keen on Just Flew In when I first saw it. I do like the pattern, but I just wasn’t too crazy about the lilac colour. However, I was crazy about a longline bra in a 28 band, and after hearing from a friend how pale the colour was in person (regular readers MUST know how much I like pale colours by now), I decided to order it and test the bra out for myself. I have to say, I was not at all disappointed.

Freya Just Flew In Longline bra, 28FF

The fit is exactly spot on for me in the cups. I have no gaping or spillage anywhere, which leads me to believe it fits pretty true to size (28FF is more of less my standard size at the moment). I’m not very used to half cups, so the feeling of having the whole upper half of my breasts exposed is something I need to get used to, but I don’t feel unstable wearing this for general daily activities. Would it be my first choice to install an art show or help friends move furniture? No. I would probably need to re-adjust a few times to make sure everything stayed put in those situations. Compared to the other half cups that I’ve tried (Ewa Michalak CHPs and the Masquerade Rhea), this bra feel the most stable, and I’m pretty sure I can attribute that to the extremely sturdy longline band. I do think the cups offer a bit more coverage than the other half cups I mentioned as well though.

Three-quarter view. Ugh, awful photo, but roll with it!

The shape is round and very lifted, yet still offers a bit more of a natural shape under clothing than the other bras that I mentioned. CHPs are quite projected, and the Rhea has more ‘umph’ than I like on a daily basis. This bra provides that awesome Marie-Antoinette style cleavage without being too overbearing. In fact, I think this bra gives me the best cleavage I’ve ever had! Of course, the best cleavage for me may not be the best cleavage for you. I love this bra because it’s more of a subtle look, still very lifted and a bit heaving, but without being in-your-face.

Side view. Round, but not a perfect sphere. I’m a big fan of the shape.

The band features six hook-and-eye closures, and has two settings for tightness. I really do wish there were at least three settings, as having two just makes one feel like they’re not getting their money’s worth out of the bra. I think the band runs pretty true to size, veering toward the stretchy side. I have it closed on the tightest hooks immediately (I plan to have the band altered when it stretches), but I have to say that the fit is lovely on the tightest hooks. Since the weight of the breasts is dispersed over a larger area, I really do feel a difference in comfort. I can safely say that longline bands are the most comfortable I have ever worn, and I wish it was a more standard feature on small-band-big-cup bras. I don’t expect ALL the bras to come in longlines, but I would love to see more brands introduce them. I’m so pleased with the extent that Freya is pursuing them, they’ve almost entirely won me back as a customer by doing so.

Back view, tightest hooks immediately. Do not buy a brand new bra that you need to close on the tightest hooks immediately unless you plan to alter the band. Totally not worth the money.

I know Freya’s older longline bras (Ala Nieve and Edina) had some issues with the band flipping up in the front. I am happy to report that problem has been fixed (at least for me), and it stays flat for the whole day. I am digging the choice of materials this bra features, which I assume are indicative of all Freya’s longlines. The cups are made of a very light foam, and the outside feels silky. The wires are perhaps a bit wide (I generally need narrow wires), but not as wide as say, Cleo by Panache (Marcie, for instance, is quite wide). They aren’t a perfect match for my shape, but don’t really cause any problems either. I don’t experience any discomfort or digging in from the wires, band, straps, anything! It’s a very comfortable bra to wear for a full day.

So if I haven’t made myself clear, I absolutely love the longline style, and I also love finally having a halfcup that works for me. I definitely plan to purchase more longline bras as they become available in the upcoming seasons. Deco longline, you’re next!

-Windie

EDIT: I wanted to update this to let everyone know that after a couple wears I’m finding that I would like this bra to be even tighter than it currently is on the tightest setting. I’m getting neck pain after a full day of wear now, so I’ll be taking off a few inches from the band.

As the title so bluntly states, this is a very quick post to demonstrate what my bras look like under a thin, fitted shirt. I know that a lot of women are concerned about seams showing under thin clothing, so this should give you an idea which of the bras I own show through and which do not. I am a seamed bra addict. Seams showing under clothing usually doesn’t bother me, but they also don’t have much opportunity to show, as most of my tops fit really loosely or are made of thick material (baggy sweaters make me very happy). I find I get the best support and comfort from seamed bras (generally speaking), and only really opt for a seamless bra in particular situations, like under a fitted top at work. This picture should also give you an idea of what the shape of each bra is like under clothing.

All of my bras! Notice some new ones? Reviews coming soon!

I want to mention a little something about Miss Mandalay’s Paige bra. For some reason, the coral colour has much softer material than the yellow, and manages to form to my shape much better. I get increased lift and comfort when compared to the yellow, and my boobs are held closer to my body. I wonder why they’re so different! I’ve heard of size discrepancies between different coloured bras, but I haven’t heard of differences in the quality of the materials.

—

Within the next week I’m hoping to get a couple of reviews posted, as well as a wish list very much like Sweet’s right here. While wish lists typically ask for things that already exist, this list will be dedicated to the items that do not yet exist, or are not widely available in the lingerie industry.

-Windie

Hello everyone, I’m posting today to shamelessly advertise some bras that I’m selling.

They aaaare… (only one left! thanks for buying my stuff all you wonderful readers)

• Freya Darcey balcony bra, 28FF (new with tags) $15 + shipping

Just send me an email at windiegardie@gmail.com if you’re interested in any of these bras

Real posts resume when I have less school work! Last three weeks of the term, things are getting busy.

Lately I’ve been experimenting with 30 bands, largely from Fantasie, as their cups seem to suit my shape really nicely. I’ve been trying on various styles and deciding if any are unique enough that I should have them altered down to a 26 or 28. My Fantasie Rebecca is currently in the process of being altered, and next up will certainly be the Susanna basque in the new petal pink and white colour scheme.

Fantasie Susanna basque, 30F

Considering this is a 30, I’m getting a pretty great fit from it without alterations. This isn’t too surprising as basques have so much more support coming from the back than a typical bra. A true 28 could easily wear this in a 30 without the need for alterations, but since I measure about 26 inches around my ribcage, I don’t find the basque stable enough to wear out and about. I’ve been wearing it at home a lot though, and find it incredibly comfortable for lazing about.

The materials feel excellent. The lace upper section of the cups is never itchy, the lining in the cups is silky smooth, and the closure at the back of the basque is much softer than that of any bra I’ve ever worn. I haven’t worn this basque during any real physical activity, but so far I’ve found it to be quite breathable. Erica of A Sophisticated Pair did mention in her review that wearing this basque for extended periods of time did result is some extra perspiration, but I have yet to experience that. Despite all its beauty and general comfort, this basque is not meant for all situations. I cannot bend over fully, as the boning in the front of the basque pokes me in the ribs a bit. I’ll be using this as more of a special occasion piece, under dresses, or wearing at home. I have toyed with the idea of removing the boning, but since I’m not sure that I’ll actually like it more sans boning, I’ll probably be keeping it as it is.

Given that the band size is wrong for me, I do experience some fit issues in the Susanna basque. The wires do not lay completely flat. The gore does, but the wires directly below my breasts sit away from my chest. I bent them a bit so they would sit closer, which did increase the stability of the basque, but not so much that I could wear it for a full day and feel secure. When I pull the back of the basque back though, the wires sit flat against my chest, the shape of the cups become even more lifted, and the bottom of the basque sits flat against my stomach instead of slightly away from it. The gore is a bit wide for me, measuring about an inch in width. I can normally do an inch wide gore, but since the Susanna’s gore is around 3 inches tall and my shape is pretty full in the center, it wants to sit on my breast tissue a bit. I can finagle it to sit against my sternum, but then I get a slight bit of cutting in on my larger side. I don’t consider this a deal breaker though, as it doesn’t show under clothing and isn’t uncomfortable. So basically, most of my fit issues will be solved once I have the basque altered, and the other issues are minor. Over all, I enjoy wearing this!

Notice how the back kind of bubbles out in the middle? Too loose. That should disappear once the basque is tighter.

The Susanna basque closes with two sets of 14 hook-and-eye closures, the straps are “technically” partially adjustable , but I think one could easily tighten the straps up over the more patterned part. I should mention that I don’t believe this Basque would necessarily work on everyone. I have a friend who normally wears 30s in bras, and her hips are around 40 inches. She’s an awesome hourglass shape, but unfortunately the basque didn’t quite agree with it and rolled up in the back. This piece may not be for the very curvy, or you may need to size up to get a good fit through the body.

Detail shot. Such pretty lace

Over all I’m really happy with this basque, and look forward to getting a lot of wear out of it once it’s altered. It’s the first basque I’ve ever worn and I look forward to trying more in the future. Perhaps something from masquerade next?… now I need to find occasions to wear basques.

-Windie

The title says it all. I want more things. Why? Greedy.

Greedy like this dog.

No, but seriously, the full-bust lingerie market is pretty great now-a-days, but there are definitely some holes that still need filling. Some are just my silly desires, like various colours or prints I’d like to see, but what I’m more concerned about is way that bras are designed. I think there is still a lot of room for improvement when it comes to getting the most comfort and support from your bra. There’s also the issue of how companies decide which bras are “fashion” styles and which are “continuity” styles, a process that I think needs revising. Well… Without further adieu, my list!

1) Thicker Bands that Sit Lower on the Body 

I recently tried the Just Flew In longline bra from Freya and absolutely loved the feeling of such a thick band. I do wish it was angled to sit lower on my back, but it’s a start! I’d love to see thicker bands (4-6 hooks) implemented more frequently amongst other brands. So far in terms of full bust brands, it’s just Parfait and Freya on the Longline train, I think. I’d also love to see Longlines that don’t just smack a padded half cup onto the band call it a day. I want to see unlined balcony cups with wonderfully comfortable, thick bands. Panache, if you ever make an Andorra Longline bra, I will be unreasonably happy. Freya, how about an Arabella Longline? Wouldn’t that be amazing? Miss Mandalay, Paige Longline?! I could go on calling out every full bust brand in the book, but I’ll stop here.

2) More Skin Tone Continuity Styles

At the moment, continuity bra styles are usually limited to black, white and beige colours. The beige colour is frequently referred to as “nude” by manufacturers. The problem here is pretty clear, right? We have ONE colour of bra called nude, and it’s only for light skinned people. We need to ditch the “nude” title, and start adding bras for darker skinned folk into continuity styles. Why not call the beige bra…well, BEIGE instead of nude? Seems pretty obvious to me.

3) Get Creative

There are so many different prints I would love to see on bras, but we seem to always default to the floral print. Don’t get me wrong, I love me a floral print, but I don’t need a choice of ten per lingerie season. A bunch of the lingerie bloggers had a great conversation about what prints they’d like to see on bras, and just to name a few…

• Animal Prints. Not leopard or snakeskin or something, I mean little animals printed on the bra. Cat print bra? yes. Seahorse? Absolutely. Elephant? You’re killing me, it’s too good!
• Art History inspired bras. I would buy a bra with a Turner reproduced on it faster than you can say Romanticism. I could envision a whole series of Impressionist inspired bras, featuring works by Degas, Cassatt, Monet… Oh and don’t even get me started on Renaissance and Classical art. And Abstract Expressionism is practically begging to be placed on lingerie. Those brushstrokes would look wild. Is my nerd showing right now? Ahem…
• Cartoon/Video Game bras. I believe the topic of a batman bra arose during the conversation amongst some of the bloggers, just to name an example. I’m pretty sure video game inspired bras by a legitimate full- bust company are a pipe dream, but a girl can hope for a Zelda themed bra one day, right?

4) Size 26 Bands

I don’t think I need to explain this one. 26 Bands please!

5) Cleo Marcie in Continuity Colours 

When I heard that Cleo would be releasing a black Marcie Babydoll for Autumn/Winter 2013, I got very excited by the prospect of owning Marcie in black. Unfortunately, Cleo is not releasing a plain black version of the bra alongside the babydoll. Ahhg, please?!

-Windie

A while ago I made a post about what all my bras are for, and how I plan which bras to buy based on their functionality. Well, sometimes you get thrown a curveball and have to toss your plans out the proverbial window. The curveball I speak of is sudden growth. My 28FF bras that I got only three or four months ago are too small. Sigh. The Just Flew In longline bra that I reviewed only a couple of weeks ago was too small for me only a few days after purchasing it. Thankfully, I got my hands in a 28G, and it fits beautifully. One more thing to be thankful for is the Cleo Marcie. It still fits fantastically in a 28FF, as the upper section is very loose, and if anything I fill it out better now than I did months ago when I purchased it. Marcie really saved my ass.

Thank you Marcie!

I decided to sell a whack-ton of bras (most of my 28Fs, and a few 28FFs) to make money for some new 28Gs and larger 28FFs. I did keep a little collection of bras that are too small, in case I should return to a smaller size once I start exercising more. I’m still waiting for most of my new bras to arrive, but I’m glad to at least have a couple that fit me properly at this point.

Currently my drawer contains:

• Cleo Marcie in red, 28FF. Prefect, awesome, love it.
• Panache Andorra in Lagoon, 28G. I’m incredibly impressed at how well the Andorra fits me in my current size! We’ve had our issues in the past, but I’m currently digging it.
• Freya Just Flew In, 28G. This bra fits even better than the 28FF that I recently gave a golden review to, so you can only imagine how much I like the 28G! The only issue is that the wires are noticeably wider on me in this size, but it’s still very comfortable and looks great under clothing.
• Ewa Michalak PL Stalowka, 28G. This bra still kind of fits. I don’t double over it, but it doesn’t offer the great stability that it used to, and I’d like more coverage. I’ll be looking into getting at least one PL bra in a 28GG, as they offer crazy amounts of lift and support when correctly fitted.
• Fantasie Susanna basque in petal/white, 30F. It still fits in the cups! Yay! Boy would I be disappointed if I outgrew this immediately.
• Fortnight Mira wireless bra, altered to a 28FF. This bra has an incredible amount of stretch in it, so it still gives me a nice fit. It’s also a home bra, so I’m less concerned about getting a 100% perfect fit from it.
• Shock Absorber sports bra, 28FF. I’m not very picky about my sports bras. If it mostly stops my boobs from bouncing, then I’m happy. It’s a bit small, but still functional.

1. Freya Just Flew In Longline
2. Fantasie Susanna Basque
3. Ewa Michalak PL Stalowka
4. Panache Andorra
5. Cleo Marcie
6. Shock Absorber Sports bra
7. Fortnight is absent because I was wearing it! Here’s an honorary number, Fortnight Mira

From this list, only three are every day bras (Marcie, Andorra. Just Flew In)! I’ve been cycling through these bras pretty heavily, so I’m very much looking forward to getting a few more. These new bras include…

• Miss Mandalay Paige in coral, 28G
• Miss Mandalay Paris in black, 28G
• Panache Andorra in pearl, 28G
• Cleo Melissa, 28FF
• Cleo Marcie in aquamarine, 28FF
• Freya Dionne, 28FF
• Fantasie Rebecca in beige, altered to a 28FF (gifted from Large Cup Lingerie. I’m very excited to get this bra back and let you all know how the alteration goes!)

I could never afford all of these bras if I didn’t sell my old goodies (and pick up an extra shift from work), so I’m very thankful to have found so many buyers. On another topic though, I’ve been wondering what would spark such a sudden increase in size, and have two theories that may both be contributing factors…

• I’ve been under a lot of school related stress. I’m not going to lie that this has resulted in some junk food binges and less physical activity than is healthy. My semester is done in just one more week, so I’ll definitely be getting back into a regular exercise routine and healthier eating habits. I have gained a small bit of weight all over, but not enough to result in fit issues with my other clothing. My breasts have had the only notable growth. 
• I’ve recently decided to transition from vegetarian to vegan. Well… mostly vegan. I’m eating completely vegan at home, but I’ll get the occasional treat when I eat out (a bowl of ramen made with egg noodles maybe, or an iced cap from Tim Hortons if I’m feeling real crazy). As a result, I’ve started having a lot more soy in my diet. Soy contains a fair bit of estrogen, which may be contributing to my sudden size jump

Boobs can be such trouble makers sometimes.

-Windie

Avocado is a Polish lingerie brand that I’ve been wanting to try for quite some time. Their designs are sophisticated and mature without looking frumpy, featuring a good range of detailed embroidered styles to simpler everyday styles (that are no less beautiful, I should add). I decided to buy a sale item and split shipping with a friend to give them a shot, and if it was successful, place a larger order later. The bra I chose was the Kyoto, an unlined balcony bra in chocolate brown with green and blue floral embroidery. This is hands down one of the most beautiful bras I have ever bought, and at less than $30 on sale, for a great price.

Avocado Kyoto 28H

The fit of the cups was spot on for me in a 28H. Avocado skips double letters in their size chart. I generally wear 28FF bras, so for me that meant going up to a 28H to get an equivalent fit. If you’re unsure about how to find your correct size, you can always contact Avocado and ask them questions directly. I had no issues communicating with them despite the language barrier. I sent my emails in english and received clear replies. I am so torn about Avocado. On one hand, the cups of the Kyoto are a perfect match for my shape in terms of the cut, but the wires and band were somewhat problematic. The wires are very narrow and thin, I’d say quite a bit more narrow than Ewa Michalak. I have never had an issue with wires being too narrow for me until now, but unfortunately the Kyoto stabbed me in my breast tissue a bit after a couple hours of wear. In the photographs you can see just a small bit of tissue being poked, so little that I didn’t even notice an issue when I first put the bra on. Unfortunately, some fit problems only show themselves over time, and the wires weren’t sturdy enough to keep all of my tissue in the cups, thus: wire stabbing.

It’s very weird for me to talk about this bra as having fit problems when looking at these photos, because it looks pretty darn perfect! But all I can tell you is how the bra felt and how the fit changed over the course of the day, so hopefully y’all can trust me on this one. My second issue with this bra was the stretchiness of the band. The Kyoto stretched to over 29 inches, which is larger than feels stable on me. In the photograph of the band below, I’m wearing it on the second hook, which felt fine when I first put it on, but by the end of the day I was on the tightest hooks. If the wires had been a better match for me, I would have altered this bra for sure. I was also wearing this bra a bit low in these photos, and when I wore it higher the band became much too loose, since it was sitting around the smallest part of my ribcage right under my bust.

The materials this bra is made of feel fantastic. The mesh is soft, and the embroidery never itchy. The Kyoto really feels like “the one that got away,” as it just wasn’t a comfortable enough fit for me to keep, but it was so close that I keep feeling like “damnit, I want it!” The lift and shape it gives is fantastic, and I would love to have that with a more comfortable fit. I also have to wonder if the fit of the Kyoto is indicative of all their bras, or if I would have better luck with another? My results with this bra haven’t made me want to give up on Avocado just yet, but I’m not sure which style I should try next, or if some of their other balcony bras might fit differently than this one.

If you’ve found that even Ewa Michalak’s wires are too wide for you, then I definitely recommend trying Avocado. The only stumbling block I encountered while ordering from them is that they only accept bank transfers from international customers. Hopefully they are looking to improve this in the future, as it can be quite a pain for some depending on your bank. I don’t think the looseness of their bands is enough to merit sizing down, but given that I’m lingering between a 26 and 28, this band wasn’t quite firm enough for my taste.

Will I ever find a bra this beautiful again? One that gives this kind of shape and feels wonderful? Well, probably yes, but I’m in mourning so give me a second.

-Windie

I just wanted to let you all know that the Cleo Marcie in blue is just as wonderful as the original red version. No weird size differences between colours, as can sometimes happen from bra to bra. The colour is not as light as the promotional photos suggest, it has a bit more depth to it. Frankly, I love it.

Cleo Marcie, 28FF. A pretty accurate depiction of the colour… oh hey, my cat is in the background. Hi cat. 

Same great shape as the original Marcie.

I have a feeling there’s going to be a lot more Cleo in my life from now on.

-Windie

When Braologie contacted me to try one of their posture-improving bras, I was intrigued by the idea of bras that are designed completely differently than anything else currently on the market. Braologie has been causing something of  stir in the online lingerie community, especially on Bratabase, with their advice on band sizing contrary to the +0 method. The discussions have been positive, as it is important to note that the +0 method to band sizing will not work for everyone (I know that I personally prefer adding an inch or two) I received the bra a while ago and have been sitting on this review since, trying to gather all of my thoughts. I feel very positive about a couple of aspects of the bra, but quite negative about others. It was definitely a “mixed bag” sort of experience.

Braologie Lacie Contour Bra, roughly a 28FF (their bras are custom made, so determining the size is difficult). None of these review photographs were taken with the pad inserts in, as the bra was much too small with them

What I received from Braologie:

• Lacie Posture-Contour bra in Beige
• Posture-Contour Mini Vest in Beige
• Extender
• Removable pad inserts

Lacie’s cups are made from a three-part design, lightly padded with pockets for the removable pads, and the inside of the cups are exceptionally soft. The straps are fully adjustable, basically just your standard elastic straps. My personal favourite part of the bra, the band, is nice and thick (four hook-and-eye closures!) and the wings have boning in them to keep the bra securely in place. To determine your size, Braologie asks for a series of measurements and photographs. Based on these, they sew the bra just for you. Sounds perfect, right? Well, I found that despite the heavy customization, there were still some fit issues.

So as you can see from the first two pictures, the cups are definitely too small for me. The intended look for the Posture-Contour bra is centered on the chest with cleavage, but this is definitely a bit much. Braologie bras are intended to have a “floating gore,” meaning that the center gore does not tack to your sternum. I found this to be a bit weird, but I went with it and tried wearing the bra for a day to see how the floating gore and I got along. It was comfortable for easy-going activities (sitting at my computer, getting something from the kitchen, etc), but when I laid down on my couch or bent over to look through my pantry, my boobs shifted quite a bit, and I didn’t really feel secure in the bra. I’m not sure that a floating gore is “wrong,” but the security that comes with a tacked gore, meant to keep the boobs separated and in place, is something that I require of my bras.

The straps are very long, VERY long. I had to adjust them as tight as possible to get a decent fit. The Lacie comes up very high under the arms, intended to help the process of re-migrating breast tissue in the armpit area back into your breast area (something that can happen to women who have worn poorly fitted bras for many years). The bra definitely does contain all of that under-arm tissue, but being that I am quite petite (5’2), Lacie got pretty painful as the day went on.

Now, I know that I’ve been saying some negative things about this bra, but let me just change my tone for a second to say that this band feels amazing on me. Braologie’s standpoint is that a band doesn’t need to be as tight when the band is thicker/more supportively designed. This band stretches to about 28.5 inches, which feels fantastic on my 26 inch ribcage. Their view on band sizing worked for me, though I know others have mentioned that they find their bands loose. Different band sizing techniques are necessary for different women, so it makes sense that this technique would not work for everyone. Frankly, if I could have this band with Cleo Marcie’s cups, I would be in bra heaven!

Posture-Contour Mini Vest

Mini Vest with Lacie bra

I won’t be reviewing the vest in as much detail as the bra, because unfortunately, I could not stand wearing it for too long. I don’t think it’s a bad product, but I cannot handle feeling as restricted as I did in this vest. The vest does exactly what it sets out to do: improve your posture by pulling back the shoulders, and theoretically with extended wear, it could have lasting effects on your posture. I immediately stood up straighter when I wore the vest, my posture was certainly visibly improved. However, wearing the mini vest and a bra is a whole lot of fabric to wear in one area, a lot of TIGHT fabric. Not something I would recommend in warm weather. From a comfort perspective, I felt kind of like what I imagine a tightly wrapped sausage would feel like, and if that can be construed as positive, I do not mean it that way, it was certainly negative.

The vest is made of layers of a thin mesh material. I think the back of the vest is made up of three layers, and the front is made of two, at least that’s how it appears to be. It’s hard to talk about the mini vest because I’m not 100% sure how it’s intended to fit, but I found that the front of the vest cut into the cups of whatever bra I wore, creating an unflattering effect. The effect is lessened with padded bras, but unpadded bras were quite uncomfortable when paired with the mini vest, as the feeling of cutting in was more pronounced. I’m not sure if this is a result of the vest being too small, or if it’s an issue with the product, so it would be great to hear from Braologie on this one.

While I am not comfortable with the level of restriction that I felt in both the vest and bra, I should mention that some people do like being very confined by their clothing. I have a friend who absolutely adores girdles because she feels so contained in them. My dislike for the products could be a personal difference in how I like my undergarments to fit. If you enjoy feeling contained and “strapped in” by your underwear, you may like these products!

Mini Vest front

Mini Vest back

My current plan for my Braologie goodies is to pass them on to anyone who would like to try them, for only the cost of shipping. If any of you are interested in trying them, just send an email to windiegardie@gmail.com. First come first serve! Everything will be included except for the extender, which may have met with an unfortunate fate…

EDIT: The bra and vest have been claimed!

-Windie

Remember way back when I mentioned buying an HP Kobalt from blogger Ejay over at Dimpsey Bra Fit? If you’re a new reader, you can find out about that little adventure here. Well, it finally arrived, and it fits almost perfectly! Behold!

HP Kobalt, 26G

The HP shape is one of Ewa Michalak’s half cup variations. The shape is very round, and held closer to the chest than Ewa’s other half cups (CH, CHP), which are more projected. Though I must say, the shape is still more projected than many of my non-Ewa bras.

My general initial reaction whenever I put on a half cup is “AH! So much boob!” But I soon get used to the feeling, and am always impressed with the look, and am surprised by the security. I wore this bra all day while cleaning my house and didn’t experience any security issues or discomfort. Thoroughly impressed!

I purchased this bra in a 26G, and as I thought, the band is too tight. I can fasten it, but it’s too restrictive to be comfortable, so I’m wearing it with a full extender for the time being. It’s a pretty true-to-size 26 band, stretching to a bit more than 26 inches. Lately I’ve enjoyed wearing my bras a bit looser than my ribcage measurement (26 inches), and find that bras that stretch to 27 or 28 inches are suiting me well. The cups definitely run big compared to PL styles, which I need a 28G-GG in. A 28FF, or 26G in this case, fits very well in the cups.

Primary characteristics of the HP Kobalt are:

• Narrow wires
• Wide straps
• Half adjustable straps
• Fairly deep cups
• Lightly padded cotton lined cups
• Lightly padded straps

This style would likely work well for someone will pretty full on top boobs. I have fairly even fullness and occasionally get some gaping, but nothing that would cause me not to keep the bra. Design-wise, I love the deep grey-blue colour, and the one ice blue bow at the center to off set it looks fantastic. The only downside for me is that the HP Kobalt makes my chest appear larger, which really only makes it a downside for everyday wear. It’s quite nice for mixing it up every now and then.

-Windie

Eeeeeverybody! My size has stopped fluctuating for now!

This is great news for a few reasons. The main one being that I was able to return most of the bras I bought when I fluctuated up to a 28G, since my size settled back down to a 28FF right around when I started getting most of my packages. This means I did not end up spending gross amounts of money on new bras. Yay!

This is also great news because I ended up selling a bunch of bras that I didn’t care about as much when my size increased, thus skimming my collection down to my most important/favourite bras. There are still a few more I plan to get rid of, but I’m mostly down to the best of the best!

I know I’ve been fairly absent from the blog recently, and for that I apologize. I recently found a new job, got sick, and started summer school. It’s been a bit of a whirlwind at the Windie household (hehe… did you catch that… sigh). But I’m settling into my new schedule now, and am mostly over my sickness. Everything’s looking up!

Coming up soon:

• Fantasie Rebecca bra Altered and Reviewed
• Freya Deco Longline Reviewed
• Gossard Retrolution Half Padded bra Reviewed
• Why I Don’t Want Children
• Modesty from the Perspective of a (nearly) Asexual Woman
• My Swimwear
• Childhood Love: Diddy Kong Racing

Months ago, Cha of Large Cup Lingerie was kind enough to send me the Freya Lacey balcony bra when my size was fluctuating and I didn’t have very many options. Unfortunately, it didn’t work for me at all, which you can read all about here. Cha asked if there was anything else I would like as a replacement, and at around that time I had been considering branching out to 30 bands and having them altered. Enter the Fantasie Rebecca in a 30F, altered to a 28FF.

When I first got this bra, it was very large in the band, larger than other 30s I’ve tried (I think it was fairly average for Eveden though, whose bands tend to run looser than other full-bust companies). I could stretch it all the way to 32 inches. I thought I might need somewhere in the ballpark of three-four inches removed from the band, so I called a well established seamstress in my area to ask how it would be done, how much it would cost, etc. Instead of getting good advice, I was shot down immediately because I wanted more than two inches total removed from the band (I was literally told it is “impossible” to do. Hmm). Even though the logical part of my brain knew that you could remove more than two inches by simply moving the strap placement, the shy part of my brain freaked out and ended the conversation as soon as possible. I’m not going to give the name of said seamstress, because I have it on good word that she is very good, but I’ll certainly leave my bra concerns to someone else.

From here I decided to ask the only person I could think of, Sarah, the shop owner of Ohhh Lulu! I told her about my alteration issue and she agreed to do it. Just to be safe though, she didn’t want to remove any actual fabric, since removing three-four inches is quite a lot of fabric, and she wanted the alteration to be reversible. I sent the bra off to her, and a few weeks later received it again. Sarah simply folded and sewed down the fabric, “removing” 3.5 inches total. I could fasten the bra, but it was rather right, so I wore it with a full extender for a little while. From here, I knew that 3.5 inches was too much to remove, and decided to go with 2.5 for the final alteration(since the band was sewn down in two locations, the stretch of the band was quite limited. 3.5 inches wasn’t too far off, but the method that was used to alter the band made it feel even tighter).

I think this is where I started getting impatient, as I just wanted to wear this bra. I think a little crazy person crawled into my brain, because before I knew it I was ripping stitches and cutting fabric. I just spur of the moment decided to alter the bra myself. I cut 1.25 inches from both sides of the band, and began removing all the parts that I would need to reattach later: the hook and eye closures, some fabric to finish off the edges of the bra, and the straps had to be removed at the back, as their location had to move when I cut the fabric. The whole process went fairly smoothly and only took about two and a half hours to do by hand. And the best part is that it actually fits (though it does look kind of like Dr. Frankenstein did the alteration). I’m decently proud of the alteration given that it was my first attempt at something like this. I’ve done little sewing projects before, but nothing like altering a bra!

Now, onto the review!

The Rebecca is a molded cup bra made of spacer fabric. This kind of fabric is lighter and more breathable than the average molded bra, and conforms to your shape, rather than your boobs trying to fit into the mould of a more rigid cup. I was willing to go through the lengths that I did to alter it because spacers bras are not available in 28 bands (yet! I have hope). This fabric feels like a dream! It conforms to my shape perfectly, and the beige colour is light enough to function as a nude bra for me.

Fantasie Rebecca, altered 28FF. Sorry for the grainy photos!

The cups seem to run pretty true to size (perhaps a touch big, not enough for me to need to size down), but some have found that they need to size down in the cup because the spacer fabric is so stretchy. It is very full coverage with a tall center gore, which is exactly what I was looking for. My size seems pretty stuck in the plunge style when it comes to t-shirt bras (cleo jude, freya deco…), and I just wanted an everyday t-shirt bra, sans cleavage, sans plunging neckline. I’ve heard from many that the band on the Rebecca is quite firm, but I found that it ran loose as a 30. However, now that I’ve altered the band, I think I know what everyone is talking about. The fabric doesn’t have much stretch, so I could see how it would feel firm even though it doesn’t actually seem to run tight, if that makes sense. The straps are technically half adjustable, but it’s quite easy to slide the adjusters over the detailed front half of the straps.

Rebecca’s shape is really round and quite lifted, but this bra doesn’t really gather the tissue toward the center of the chest. Compared to a PL bra from Ewa Michalak, for instance, the Rebecca gives me a more subdued profile and wider appearance from the front. a PL would give me a more projected profile, and narrow view from the front. I’m not really miffed by this, as I really like the profile, and don’t mind looking wider. This bra seems to have a minimizing effect, which suits me perfectly for everyday wear. The wires feel like a medium width, not particularly wide or narrow, and very comfortable. I don’t really notice the wires when I wear this bra.

I did mess up my alteration a little bit. First of all, I trimmed a bit too much off the band after my initial cuts of 1.25 inches on both sides. I probably ended up removing something like 2.8 inches total. The band is a bit tighter than I would like, but not terribly so, and I’m sure it’ll stretch out soon. I also didn’t have any proper fabric for re-attaching the straps to the bra (which I didn’t realize until after I cut them…), so I ended up using some teal ribbon that I had lying around. This was fine for a few wears, but it is starting to tear off now. I just need to find some nice, sturdy beige coloured fabric to re-attach the straps and the alteration will be complete. Since I did the alteration by hand, and I am no seamstress, it is rough looking. I don’t really mind though, as this bra has some nice quirk to it now! Honestly though, I would not go through the effort of altering it again, though I’m glad I did once as I do really like this bra.

Fantasie: Please consider making 28 bands, at least in select styles. There is literally no spacer fabric option on the market for the 28 band demographic, and I’m quite sure many women would love to have one.

Other companies who already make 28 bands (Panache, Freya, Anyone!): Please consider making a spacer fabric option for the 28 band demographic. This fabric feels amazing!

-Windie

Hello fabulous readers. Recently, a bunch of us bra bloggers decided to coordinate and tackle the subject of modesty. We’ve titled this series The Modesty Panel. It’s been a tough subject for a lot of us to write about, as it is quite personal in nature, but I think everyone agrees that it has been a positive experience. Below you’ll find links to other blogger’s posts about modesty, which will be updated as more posts pop up.

• Boosaurus!
• Braless in Brasil
• Bras and Body Image
• By Baby’s Rules
• Contrary Kiwi
• FussyBusty 1
• Fussy Busty 2
• Hourglassy
• Hourglassy 2
• Hourglassy 3
• Missunderpinnings
• Red Hair and Girly Flair
• Sophia Jenner
• Sophisticated Pair
• That Bra Does Not Fit Her
• Thin and Curvy
• Weirdly Shaped and Well Photographed

So Modesty. Kind of a charged word.

I dress in a way that many would call “modest.” I don’t show cleavage (That is, not intentionally. The boobs, they do that they want), I prefer loose sweaters and flowing tops, and my pants are generally of a medium rise. I wear shorts that stop at mid-thigh or longer, and dresses that hit just above or below the knee.

My choice to dress this way comes from a few places: cultural norms, family values, and of course physical comfort. I grew up with open minded parents. My mother encouraged me to choose my own beliefs. She always let me know that I was not bound to a religion or political view. She happy when I decided to go to church with my grandparents for a couple of years, and also happy when I chose to stop going. However, despite these fabulous qualities, I can remember certain phrases from my childhood…

“cover your boobies”

“isn’t that a bit revealing?”

“put on a sweater.”

My mother and I never really talked about breasts, bodies, or physical development unless we absolutely had to. I don’t even remember getting the talk about my period. If I did, it was very, very brief. It would catch me off my guard to hear those phrases, it’s like they would come out of no where, considering we never had a conversation about what was “appropriate dress,” and what was not. Sometimes these comments were directed at me, sometimes my sister. Another source, or influence on my degree of modesty was my grandmother. My grandmother has always been a bit passive aggressive. When I dressed like a “lady”, she praised me, and when I didn’t, she was silent. It’s not something I picked up on until I was older, but looking back, I remember her praising me when I wore earrings or a nice top or dress, but no words of kindness if I wore my favourite hoodie with a monkey on it. It seems that, intentionally or not, my family instilled in me the idea that “ladies” dress “modestly” and “ladies” receive praise. My mother was never particularly concerned with the idea of me being a “lady.” She considered herself a tomboy growing up, as did I, but she definitely encouraged the idea of modesty, and it stuck with me. There were subtle hints scattered throughout my adolescence that “smart” girls dressed “modestly” and “dumb girls” dressed “immodestly” (Get ready for some heavy quotation use throughout this post. Heavy).

As I grew and my body developed, most people around me didn’t notice. I dressed in such a way that, despite having sizeable breasts since 10th grade, I appeared to have very little curve to my figure. Few people noticed me in a sexual context during high school. However, there were times where when my body was more visible, and I received strange feedback. I remember wearing a purse across my body, and the strap separated my breasts, making them more visible. A friend pointed out that he could see my breasts, and laughed. Then our other friends laughed. I punched him lightly and laughed it off, but I felt strange. I remember wearing a seamed bra under my school uniform top, and had another friend point out that he could “see my nipples.” Really what he was seeing was the seam, which I explained, but once again I was just met with laughter.

The seeds were sewn. The connection between breasts as something to be laughed at and shamed, covered lest someone notice them and point them out to the world, began. And this somehow spread to the rest of my body as well. Perhaps when I wore my school kilt, and a schoolmate said “damn Windie, isn’t that skirt a bit short?” Maybe then, or maybe one of the other similar instances that occurred during my adolescence. Probably the sum of all of them.

An example of approximately what my school uniform looked like. The girl’s outfits look almost identical in shape to my old uniform. Every example of being commented on I mentioned above occurred in an outfit like one of these. Modesty doesn’t prevent rude behaviour, stopping rude behaviour does.

Maybe it’s because I’m currently heavily under the influence of feminist analysis of literature (creation myths and fairy tales, mostly), but I’m going to go out on a limb and say that these ideas of “modesty” likely stem from what it means to be a “good girl” in a patriarchal society. The reason why my parents, grandparents, and peers think it is their place to comment on my body, about how much of it is revealed or not, about how much of my shape they can make out from under my clothing, is because at least on some level it is not my body. I say on some level, because if you were to openly ask most any of those individuals who commented on my body if it is mine to do with as I please, I bet you they would all say “yes, absolutely.”   But on some level, my body is still public property to be openly judged, by men and women. We have come a long way, a really long way from where we were a century or half a century ago in terms of women’s rights in Canada. Legally, my body is mine, but there are all these bits and pieces scattered from the past that remain regarding the possession of women’s bodies, that desperately need to be annihilated. Do I need to cite the recent issue with Abercrombie and Fitch CEO, excluding larger women from wearing his clothing? Do I need to cite the recent rape case in Nova Scotia where the crime was photographed, and the victim was slut shamed to the point of suicide? Ownership of female bodies is still well and alive in western culture, and the force to dress modestly is part of it.

That being said, I don’t think dressing in a modest fashion is inherently wrong. I do dress modestly. I find gigantic sweaters absurdly comfortable, and I like the way loose-fitted blouses drape around me. I don’t like fussing with tightly fitted material that hugs every curve of my body, and I don’t like feeling restricted. There is nothing wrong with dressing “modestly.” There IS something wrong with perpetuating the idea that women’s bodies are inherently more sexual than their male counterparts, and thus need to be “reigned in” by excess fabric. Every example I listed above about being rudely commented on occurred while wearing my high school uniform, which consisted of loose polo shirts, black dress pants, and kilts that hit above the knee. Dressing modestly does not prevent rude behaviour, it doesn’t not prevent shaming. It may decrease the number of stares or sexual attention one receives, but it does not fix the issue.

Their body, their choice. Not your body, not your choice. Done.

-Windie

Ahh Anime North, possibly my favourite three days of the year. When I was a kid, I absolutely loved Halloween. Dressing up as characters and creatures helped my already huge imagination run wild. But as I got older, Halloween became less about candy and awesome costumes, and more about partying, and so I haven’t celebrated Halloween in quite some time. I’m not too bummed about this though, because Anime North has been functioning as a replacement for halloween for the past three years, and I love it even more! I mean, it’s three days instead of one night, you’re guaranteed to have common interests with most of the attendees, and the skill level and creativity of the costuming is often fantastic.

If you attended Anime North and saw a red haired girl wearing this hat, then you saw me! Congrats. Extra points to whoever guesses the bra that’s peeking out of my shirt

For those who are less familiar with the convention scene, Anime North is a fan-run convention held annually in Toronto, Ontario. Some of its main attractions include a costume contest called the Masquerade, Panels in which fans discuss their favourite animes, video games, music, manga, and many other topics with knowledgeable individuals on the subject, a Dealers Room, Artist’s Gallery, Comic Market, Gaming, Contests, Dances, Themed Cafes, and meet/greets with guests of honour like voice actors. The convention is quite large; in 2012 approximately 20,000 people came to the Toronto Congress Center to enjoy the geeky festivities.

Nayru from Zelda: Oracle of Ages

The main reason I attend Anime North is for the cosplays. I probably spend nearly half the time just wandering the convention, viewing and taking photographs of skillfully made costumes of my favourite characters. This year featured some amazing work, like the lovely Nayru above, and Kamina below!

Kamina from Gurren Lagann, also known as my new husband

The main events I attended were the Masquerade, Charity Cosplay Cafe, Fashion Show, and of course I checked out the Dealers Room and Comic/Art market. The Masquerade is one of Anime North’s biggest events, and frequently sells out the first day of the convention, despite being held on the second. Participants in the Masquerade create costumes in either the Young Fan Division (division for children), Novice, Journeyman, Artisan or Master divisions, with each division rising in skill level. Competitors may choose to perform a small skit when they show off their costume, or they may simply pose on stage. Unfortunately I didn’t get photographs from this event, as they don’t allow flash photography, but a few notable costumes include Halsemon, a hilarious Fire Emblem skit in which two characters, who are unable to marry in the game, confess their love to one another and rip up Nintendo signs, Hero’s Shade from Twilight Princess, MetaRidley, and a Dragon from Skyrim who’s name I cannot remember at the moment, but was incredible.

Meta Ridley. Yes, somehow someone made this costume. It wasn’t humanoid, he actually looked like a dragon

Halsemon. This too, somehow looked perfect. Serious costuming skills

The Cosplay Cafe and Fashion Show were new experiences for me. The cafe was incredible. For $5, you got one food item, one drink, and fantastic service. The hostesses were five women dressed as the idols from J-pop group AKB48. All I knew going into the Cafe about AKB was the recent controversy in which one member publicly apologized for being caught having a boyfriend. One of the rules for being part of the group is that the members cannot date, and for breaking that rule, she shaved her head as an apology. I’m not going to get into my feelings about this right now, but assume that they are very negative. Putting that aside, the Cafe experience was great. The hostesses played rock, paper, scissors, and if the idol assigned to your table won, you got a price. I won a pack of pocky! They also performed a dance to one of AKB48′s songs, and posed for photos. The food was definitely not the main attraction of the event, but it was quite good! I got green tea and strawberry shortcake.

The Cafe hostesses. They were all wonderful and incredibly enthusiastic. I look forward to trying a “Butler” cafe next year for the male equivalent experience

The fashion show was an unexpected highlight of the convention for me. I went into it expecting to like it, but not expecting to love it! The show featured four main styles: Lolita, Steampunk, Gyaru, and the history of Kimonos. It also reminded me that if I were rich, I would spend far too much money on Lolita and Steampunk type clothing and accessories. Within each category were subcategories, like Sweet or Gothic Lolita, or Pirate Steampunk.

Gothic Lolita

“Classic” Lolita. Probably my favourite

Gyaru style

Steampunk

Steampunk again!

The only photos I got from the actual Fashion Show were of the Kimonos. The show took the viewers though the history of Kimonos, I think going back around 400-600 years. We got to see modern summer Kimonos, the traditional attire of Geisha and Samurai, and everything in between.

A lady of nobility and her Samurai protector

From right to left, starting with the woman dressed in yellow: Two modern Geisha, a traditional school teacher, a Ronin (masterless Samurai of the Edo period), a peasant girl of the Edo period, and a lady in formal attire of what I believe is the Meiji period… cannot remember for sure if I’m right about the last one.

Samurai in armor and lady again

Finally, in the Comic/Art market, I came across a fantastic artist named Alexander Chow, and bought one of his prints. I couldn’t find the one I purchased on his website, but here’s an example of his work:

Alexander Chow, Gearworld, 2013

The print I bought is of San from Princess Mononoke, riding Totoro, hunting Kodama (forest sprites). While I highly doubt San wouldn’t actually ever hunt forest sprites, the art style has a childlike quality that meshes well with the quirky subject matter. The digital painting is beautiful and painterly, and I admit that I bought it not only because I love the image, but also to study his style. I look forward to keeping up with his art!

San from Princess Mononoke

The Dealers room always features a plethora of cool, geeky merchandise. I managed to find a Game of Thrones bobble-head of Arya Stark for a friend of mine! I didn’t really buy much this year in an effort to save money, but there were an unreasonably high number of t-shirts, pillows, accessories and knick-knacks that were tempting. I personally just walked away from the convention with just a couple of buttons, a key chain and the print I described above.

Every year when Anime North is over, I always feel like I missed out on something. There’s so much happening all the time that it’s impossible to do everything you want to. I’m already looking forward to Anime North 2014, thinking about what I’ll want to do, who I’ll dress up as, etc. Speaking of dressing up, here are more amazing cosplays!

Toph from Avatar: The Last Airbender

Yuna from FFX-2 and Auron from FFX

Zero Suit Samus, Metroid franchise

Character from Journey

Zant from Zelda: Twilight Princess

-Windie

Left to Right: Tinkerbell and Elferine, both 28FF

When Mimi Holliday has their semi-annual sale, I cannot help but order one or two pieces that I otherwise could not afford. This time, I had a hankering for comfort bras. Enter Tinkerbell and Elferine. Tinkerbell is the impossibly sweet combination of blush lace and grey/purple satin, and Elferine may be the juiciest looking bra I have ever seen. With its emerald lace, lime satin and bright pink bows, it’s hard not feel a bit peppier than normal with this bra on. It feels like wearing a melon… minus the discomfort that would come with actually wearing a melon…

Anyway. I’m reviewing these bras together because they are almost exactly the same in terms of design. Comfort bras do vary from bra to bra, but these two in particular are made of the same lace, and the bands have the same tension.

As you can likely tell based on their delicate appearance, comfort bras provide a light level of support. With only one seam, they lift from the bottom just enough to give your natural shape some perk and keep them from moving around as you go about your day, but they don’t really change the shape of your breasts. These bras provide by far the most natural shape I have ever encountered from a bra, and it’s something I definitely appreciate when sifting through a sea of padded contour bras. The straps are half adjustable and the thinnest I’ve seen from a full-bust bra. I do wish they could adjust further, as I already have them tightened as much as possible, but less petite ladies probably won’t have this issue. The band feels fairly true to size on both bras. Each bra closes with four sets of one hook and eye closure, and I need to use the second tightest setting to get the best fit. This still leaves plenty of room for the band to stretch out. The one hook and eye closure probably sounds iffy in terms of support, but it’s actually very comfortable and I don’t feel as though I’m losing support. However, the delicate materials coupled with the thin band likely wouldn’t work for heavy breasts.

The wires are a bit wide for me, and the cups a bit shallow. These two factors make comfort bras very “light tackers” on me. The gore does touch my body, but gently. For completely unknown reasons to me, Tinkerbell tacks better than Elferine, even though I can’t find a difference between them in terms of construction. I imagine there’s some subtle difference I can’t see that makes Tinkerbell more compatible with my shape. These bras will suit women with broad roots and shallow breasts better than they do me. I’m not bothered by these slight incompatibilities though, as neither cause any discomfort.

Comfort bras sit nice and low in the back, which I find super comfortable.

As I said at the beginning of this review, comfort bras can vary quite a bit from style to style. Angelique Jet, from their A/W 2012 collection had an impossibly tight band and very stretchy lace. Arielle, also from their A/W 2012 collection, had a looser band than other styles and stiffer lace. I think the way you tell how a comfort bra will fit is based on the lace. Elferine and Tinkerbell use the same lace and fit almost exactly the same. Coincidence? Maybe, but I think I’m onto something. I’ll need more data though… which means more comfort bras. I’m not too upset.

Angelique Jet comfort bra, Image from Faire Frou Frou

Babycakes comfort bra, image from Lula Lingerie. I would bet money that the band runs super tight and the lace is very stretchy, just based on the fit of Angelique Jet

Arielle comfort bra, image from damaris.co.uk
Different lace, different fit… HMMM

Comfort bras are, as the name suggests, the comfiest. If you fit into their size range (I think A-G? Don’t quote me on that), dig a natural shape and the “barely there” feeling that the delicate constriction provides, then I highly recommend checking out these bras. The Mimi sale is still on, it’s not too late to snatch one (or two) up!

PS, this is my hundredth post. Suuuuup.

-Windie

Hello fantasmical readers,

I regret to inform you that I will be taking a break from blogging. I’m not sure exactly how long it will last, but I assume that I’ll be back once I’m done my summer classes and exams, so probably mid-August. I do plan to post two reviews even while I’m on this break though(Oooo, so mysterious). Aside from those two reviews, all other content I have planned will wait until I return from this break. I apologize.

I hope all my gaming readers enjoyed E3 today (MEGAMAN IN SMASH BROS? YES). I did for the most part, but… no Metroid announcement? Aw…

Anyone want to buy me a PS4 sometime? Yes? No? Didn’t think so…

It’s time for review one of two reviews that I promised I’d post during my blogging break! Drum roll please…

—–

Some of you may remember that I reviewed the Rhea once before back when my blog was a baby. Since then I’ve gone through some sizes changes, and my old, beautiful ice blue Rhea ceased to fit. So when Large Cup Lingerie reached out to me and asked if I’d be interested in trying the Rhea in my new size, I got excited.

Masquerade Rhea, 28FF

I opted to get the Rhea in a 28FF. Lately I’ve been waffling between an FF and a G (usually a G in Panache), but Rhea is a half cup, and thus very open on top. I can generally wear half cups in my smaller size just due to the construction. The size you choose in this bra will be very shape dependant. If you’re full on top, I would suggest trying your typical size and a cup size up. If you’re full on bottom, I’d suggest your trying your typical size and a cup size down to find your best fit.

I found that the Rhea fits me very nicely when it’s not that special time of the month. At said time, I kind of pillow over the top, and the wires poke into my breast tissue. Basically, when my boobs aren’t inflated like balloons, this is a great bra for me. The shape under clothing is minimized in that it’s not very projected, but it also creates a lot of “cakes on a plate” cleavage. So it’s minimized, yet boobtastic at the same time. It also kind of gives you… tall boobs? It pushes your boobs toward your body and up, so the silhouette is compact yet tall. It’s an interesting one, and super flattering under scoop necks.

The band is snug and doesn’t have much stretch, so this is a nice option if you’re in the sub-28 demographic (as is the Masquerade Amor if you prefer a sweetheart neckline), or if you just prefer a snug band. If you’re in between band sizes,  would suggest sizing up in the Rhea. The straps are half adjustable, and do not stretch. I actually find the lack of stretch quite comfortable, but they are a touch wide-set for me. I would prefer if the wires came up a bit higher on the sides, but I think this is an issue with my being in between sizes, and not really a fault of the bra.

I didn’t wear my old Rhea very often because I just wasn’t as comfortable in half cups bras. Now that I’m more used to them, I have a feeling I’ll be wearing this beaut quite a lot! The fabrics are incredibly soft, like a great big boob hug. I may even get my hands on a 28G sometime to be able to wear this bra no matter the time of month.

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Hope you all enjoyed the review! I’ll be back in a few weeks to review the Deco Longline! Yay! I haven’t received it yet, and I plan on testing it thoroughly before reviewing, so it’ll be a little while, but hopefully the wait is worth it.

Windie

Apparently my review of Rhea reminded me how much I miss posting, so here’s a quick Wish List! Now I should get back to my essay…

Cleo Maddie, floral pattern exclusive to Bravissimo

Mimi Holliday Pineapple Express Maxi bra. Please, please be available in a 28FF!

Ewa Michalak SM Burek. Can you say prettiest beige bra ever?

Freya Totally Tartan, in the original colour way. Really I’d prefer the padded half cup, but since it doesn’t come in a 28, I would settle for the balcony version

Ewa Michalak S Ptyś. Green + polka dots = yes

Miss Mandalay Amelie in purple. Doesn’t actually exist, but I sure wish it did!

Mimi Holliday Woozie shoulder bra. I haven’t succeeded in a properly fitted shoulder bra yet, but I would try again for this one!

Freya Patsy Longline bra. Despite the fact that it’s not the electric blue Patsy of my DREAMS, the coral will suffice. 

Freya Flourish longline bra. I am snapping this up SO fast once it’s available, but that’s not for months

Cleo Maddie in black and beige. Basic? Yes. Boring? not to me! Finding practical bras that fit has been something of a challenge for me, so I will welcome these with open arms once they are available

Now that’s… a lot of bras… not all of which exist. But hey, what are Wish Lists for, right?

-Windie

I have been excited for this bra for months. As soon as I saw previews of it popping up on the internet however many months ago, I knew I would make it mine. When Large Cup Lingerie asked me if I’d be interested in trying the longline, I basically jumped with excitement. Unfortunately though, we’re not as compatible as I would have liked, so after testing it for review purposes, I’ve decided to pass it along to another lingerie enthusiast, hoping they have better results with it.

Freya Deco Longline, 28FF

For starters, let’s talk about how pretty this bra is. SO pretty. The ivory colour on my skin is a bit light to function as a “nude,” but it’s definitely passable. The faint floral pattern on the front of the band is, for me, unique and gorgeous. It would have been easy to make it an all over pattern, but isolating it to one area of the bra makes it kind of special. The lack of embellishment is anything but plain, giving it a sleek and simple appearance. This bra is a strapless that comes with removable straps (with two locations to attach them, so there is some strap placement customizability), boning in the wings, and silicone lining the band for added support when worn strapless.

As far as fit goes, the Deco Longline is a bit of a strange one. The cups are very tall, which means for a petite lady like myself (around 5’2), the cups cut into my arms after a few hours of wear.With the straps attached, I can only just fill the cups, even though I’ve been waffling between an FF and G cup. This bra definitely runs large in the cups. I would suggest sizing down, especially if you’re full on bottom (but if you’re an in betweeny like myself, you may have some fit issues! I don’t think I could have sized down). When I wear this bra strapless, I cannot fill the cups. My boobs just kind of sit inside them. The padding is so thick though that I could probably still wear it and have it look half-decent under clothing.

Rounded, but it’s not really lifting my breasts much

I ran into a few other fit issues with this bra as well. I found it very difficult to pull the wires up right under my breasts, I don’t think I ever managed to (I got close though!) If I don’t try very hard to pull them up high, the cups buckle at the bottom when worn strapless. The wires also do not tack properly. The top of the center gore tacks, but a large portion of the middle of the gore/under my breasts absolutely will not. This makes it difficult for my breasts to fill the cups completely. In the picture below, I am pushing the wires flush against my body, and as you can see I’m filling out the cups much more nicely:

As far as materials go, the cups feel very thick. I haven’t owned a Deco in quite some time, but they may be thicker than the standard Deco. The thickness does help the cups retain their shape when worn strapless, so that is definitely a plus. The silicone inside of the band keeps it securely in place regardless of how much moving around I do. I did a little jig, threw myself around, jumped up and down, and the bra did not budge. Pretty impressive!

Pushing the wires against me with the straps attached. Cups are filled better, but this bra fits me like a full coverage bra, which I don’t believe it is supposed to. And check out those cups cutting in. Not so comfy!

Now onto the band. Excuse me while I sing sweet songs of thanks to the great lord Freya, because this sucker is firm! I mean, it’s a strapless, so it’s supposed to be, but still, I am very thankful! If you’re in between band sizes, you may want to size up for this one. Unfortunately, it only has two columns of hooks though… Freeeya, why?! I’m sure you can afford to smack on another set of hooks, really.

Deco Longline under a t-shirt. Fantastic looking!

Finally, the Deco Longline looks slammin’ under a t-shirt. I was considering keeping it despite my fit problems for this reason alone (and the adorable design, of course). But given the thickness and lack of breathability of the materials, I decided it was not worth it. It really does feel like a lot of material, especially for the summer. And since I have the Panache Sports bra and the Masquerade Amor, which function as t-shirt bras yet are smaller and/or more breathable, The Deco Longline begins to seem superfluous in my collection if it can’t function comfortably as a strapless as well.

For comparison, here’s the Panache Sports Bra under a t-shirt. Less exaggerated than the Deco, but great looking

I could still use a light coloured t-shirt bra though, so I’m considering giving the Maddie in the Bravissimo exclusive colourway a go. It really is a shame that the Deco doesn’t have a more standardized fit across all of its variations. I cannot be confident when I try a new Deco that it will fit like the previous one, or the one before that, and so on. The longline is so gorgeous that it’s a bit sad to give it up!

-Windie