I have 10 days left of University, and then I am a free bird! The number of things I have to read, finish writing and study in the next 10 days is scary, but somehow I know I will get it done. So I’m kind of done my blogging break? There won’t be any new posts for 10 days, that’s for sure, but after those 10 days regular posting will resume.

This little guy is excited, that’s for sure. Image from The Catster.com

Before I go into hermit mode for the next bunch of days, I’d like to share one of my current favourite bras: The Panache Sports bra:

Panache Sports bra, 28FF

I could sing sweet love songs about this bra, write beautiful poetry, hold a boom box over my head and confess my undying love for it… But that’s all a bit much, so instead let me just tell you about it. The Panache Sports bra is an underwired, moulded encapsulating sports bra. Prior to it, I had only experienced compression sports bras, which basically flatten and bind you down to prevent bouncing while exercising. The Panache has a very tall centre gore and pre-shaped (yet fairly flexible) cups that contain each breast separately to keep them from bouncing. I’m a complete convert to the encapsulation style! It feels more breathable when exercising (no sweaty boobs smashed up against each other– too much information?) and doesn’t cause my boobs any pain like the compression style sports bras sometimes did. I’ve tested it while jogging, and doing general exercises like sit-ups and push-ups and have literally zero complaints. This bra is godly.

I purchased this bra in a 28FF in the grey/purple colourway. The grey is a fantastic alternative to a basic black or white, and I generally prefer off-beat colours like this for my basic bra wardrobe. In my size, the cups seem to run about a half size big and the band feels like a firm 28. I have read from others though that they’ve found the band to run loose and the cups to small, and have also read the cups to run as much as two cup sizes big, so watch out! The way this bra fits you could be quite dependant on shape or size range, or perhaps previous colours may have had different fit characteristics than the newer colours. I honestly wish I had an explanation for the discrepancies in the reported fit of the bra, but I unfortunately do not. This bra is so fantastic when it does fit though that I suggest trying it in your regular size or a cup size down if you’re very full on bottom or in between sizes. Being in between an FF and G lately, this bra is pretty much perfect for me. I have a teensy bit of extra space on my smaller side some days (when I’m at the smallest part of my monthly fluctuation), but generally speaking the fit of the cups gets an A+ from me.

Check out that profile. Round, lifted, but not unnaturally so

Lift in the Panache Sport is comparable to the PL Stalowka. That’s saying something!

I think it’s worth mentioning that most of the times I’ve worn the Panache Sports bra have not been to exercise, and I actually wear it as a t-shirt bra usually. It is by far the most comfortable “t-shirt bra” I have ever worn, and as you can see, the lift and shape is comparable to EM Pl bras, a style known for their magical boob-lifting properties. Obviously, the Panache Sports bra comes up very high on the chest, so I can’t wear it under something remotely low-cut (except for tank tops, I just look athletic if it shows, so no biggie for casual wear there), but under crew necks, and some scoop necks it works just fine.

This is the only bra I own with three hook-and-eye closures. I love the stability!

Another great merit to this already fantastic bra? It’s an attractive, androgynous piece of lingerie for the full-busted lady– a rarity in a sea filled with lace and florals. Technically, most sports bras qualify as “androgynous” lingerie, but I have never seen a sports bra that delivers so well on shape and style as the Panache Sports bra, which is why I don’t really consider most sports bras real contenders for androgynous everyday bras. If you have ever felt frustrated with your options in the lingerie world, and just want a simple, supportive bra sans frills, check out this bra. It will likely nock your socks off. And with so many great colours to choose from, you’ll probably find one that you love. I sure did! Check out the amazing blue/lime colour here:

Dat colour.

Between the padded straps, padded underwires (seriously, I can’t even feel them! It’s amazing!), breathable material and J-clip for the option to wear this as a racerback, this bra is a serious winner. 10/10, would buy over and over again. Can’t recommend it enough.

Other reviews:

The Full Figured Chest

A Sophisticated Pair (Erica)

A Sophisticated Pair (Dezi)

Bras I Hate and Love

Bra Nightmares

-Windie

Apparently I have been blogging for a year. That flew by fast! I’m not big on celebrations/holidays, so do forgive me for not hosting a giveaway. The least I can do is provide you with party cat.

Back to studying!

I just finished my last exam, which means I’ve finished my post-secondary education! This is a huge deal, as this last semester was by far the most gruelling and busiest I’ve ever had. Now I can get right back into blogging regularly. I’ve missed you all very much!

Though Bella is a bra I’ve only recently gotten, and I have a stack of reviews to get through (be prepared), I wanted to give you all a very positive review today since it’s a special day for me. So let’s just jump right into it!

Cleo Bella, 28FF

I was actually pretty sure this bra would not work for me. While the Cleo Marcie is one of my best fitted bras, Meg isn’t a perfect match in my current size, and Melissa was all kinds of wrong on me. I’d always heard Meg, Melissa and Bella said in the same breath together, like “if one works, the others will too!” But that has not been the case with me at all, and Bella has gone and proven itself to be a completely different fit from either the Meg, Marcie or Melissa (for the better in my case!).

I found that the Melissa had a lot of space in the lace upper section toward the very centre of the chest, and I could not fill it in a 28FF, but a 28F was much too small. The Bella fits me perfectly in the cups in a 28FF though, so if you had difficulties filling the Melissa, Bella may still work for you. Along the same vein of thought, if Melissa worked well for you, Bella might cut in at the top. Characteristic of Cleo, this bra sits very low under the arms, even a touch too low on my bigger side I would say, but I’m being very, very picky here, as this bra is quite close to the illusive “perfect fit” on me. The shape is very uplifted and a touch pointed, so it’s lovely and natural. It’s worth noting that I consider myself to have pretty even fullness (more full on bottom, but I have a decent amount of top fullness as well), and I’m not especially deep or shallow. I’m one of those “in-betweenies” in almost everything.

This bra works pretty well for my asymmetry!

Something I haven’t discussed a lot in the past is my asymmetry, and moving forward I plan to make that a bigger part of my blog by providing profile shots of my smaller and larger sides. I don’t have a drastic difference between my boobs, but it’s enough that it often makes or breaks the fit of a bra for me. Bella obviously fits my smaller side better, but I don’t find it problematic on my larger side. The mesh upper section isn’t stretchy, so I attribute the fit to the depth/cut of the bra. Most people in the bra fitting world will tell you to fit your larger side if you are asymmetrical, but I actually prefer fitting the smaller side when it comes to unlined bras. In padded bras I will always fit to the larger side though, since the padding/molding will keep the shape of the smaller side. As long as the cup isn’t pushing breast tissue up into your armpit, I don’t think it’s a problem to fit slightly smaller than is optimal.

The Bella has a firmer band than the Melissa, so watch out! I actually found it a bit too firm in a 28 for me, but I wouldn’t have wanted to go up a full band size. I’ll be wearing Bella with one extra row of hooks thanks to my trusty extender. The straps are fully adjustable and suited toward petite women, as I find most Cleo bras are. I did not have to adjust them too much to get a good fit.

Something I love about this bra are the materials. The band and patterned material of the cups is silkier than most Cleo bras I’ve tried (perhaps like the Melissa? I did not try on Melissa long enough to note the materials). Once I break in the band a bit, I’m sure this will be one of my most comfortable bras. I’m so happy I tried Bella despite my back of success with Melissa, and discovered that the two are totally different fits.

-Windie

When I saw that Cleo would be releasing Maddie in basic black and beige for Autumn/Winter 2013, I was quite excited. I have had a difficult time finding basic lined bras that work for my shape, and I thought “these will be the ones or sure!” But I should have reigned in the enthusiasm, because it turns out they will definitely not be the basic lined bras I have been hunting for. Enter Maddie:

Cleo Maddie, 28G in the Bravissimo exclusive floral pattern

I decided to try the Bravissimo exclusive colourway to find out how Maddie fit. I heard it ran small, so I went for a 28G. And boooy, does this bra run small in the cups. In this size, my smaller side is very happy. My larger side is…well… here’s the profile shot:

Left picture is my larger side, right picture is my smaller side

While the Cleo Bella was an example of a bra that worked fairly well for my asymmetry, Maddie clearly does not. I spill over the top on my larger side, and the problem only got worse as I wore the bra longer because the wires wouldn’t stay put. This bra doesn’t have much depth, which I think was an issue for me. The profile is pretty minimized, and appearance from the front is a touch wide (though I don’t consider this a bad thing. It’s just part of the trade off for attaining a minimized profile).

I’m a pretty narrow person, so the cup width (not wire width, I should specify) caused some problems for me. Despite the fact that the cups were filled to the brim, after settling in I would get empty space at the top of the cups near my armpits. I just don’t have enough breast tissue there to fill it completely, so the edge of the bra would show through thin tops. So given my experiences with the cups, I don’t think this bra will work well for those with narrow roots. The band felt like a pretty “true” 28, stretchier than many of Cleo’s other models (Meg, Marcie, Melissa, Bella) which I would describe as firm. True to Cleo, it closes with three columns of two hook-and-eye closures, and the fully adjustable straps are fantastic, though quite thin. If you prefer thicker straps, you may want to stay away from this model.

A serious pro about this bra is the material the cups are made of– it’s SO soft, I wish this bra worked for me for that reason alone. I also feel it’s worth mentioning that my photographs better capture how the print looks in person than the stock photo on Bravissimo, in which it looks to have more contrast. For all you wide root shallow ladies looking for a cute t-shirt bra, I recommend checking out Maddie (wear her for meeee!).

-Windie

From Maddie, a molded bra that did not work, to my new favourite t-shirt bra (aside from perhaps the Panache Sports bra, which is just legendary). The Amor was another bra that I heard ran small in the cup, so I sized up to a 28G for this one.

Masquerade Amor, 28G in Sapphire

The Amor is a molded cup bra that makes a great alternative to the Deco if your boobs don’t fit that mold. This bra seems somehow more forgiving, perhaps the curve of the cup? If you found you had issues with the Deco and are seeking a padded bra, give the Amor a shot. The sweetheart neckline is also quite unique, and I prefer it to the deeper plunge of the Deco. Design-wise, I adore this bra. The satiny material offset by the matte material lining the top of the cups looks cooly elegant, and the little seams at the bottom of each cup add a special little something. You’ll be pleased to know that the seams are flat, and I haven’t found them to show under clothing. They are just decorative, and have nothing to do with the structure of the bra.

The shape I get in the Amor is crazy round and lifted, definitely a serious boost. This bra fits my larger side absolutely perfectly, but of course, is a touch big on my smaller side. Thankfully, the cups retain their shape and the curve of the cup is forgiving enough that the edge does not show under my t-shirts on the side that isn’t perfectly filled. Because I had to size up in this style, it is a teensy bit high under the arms, but it’s not uncomfortable. It’s more that I can just feel “hey, there’s material there that isn’t normally there.” I don’t experience awful chafing or rubbing.

larger side pictured

True to Masquerade, the materials feel top notch. Like the Rhea, this is a bra I don’t feel like taking off at the end of the day because the band and cups are just so soft. I do experience a little bit of the “orange in the glass” effect in this bra, but it’s quite minor and doesn’t affect the shape/comfort of the bra in my opinion. However, I don’t experience this in many bras, so if you find yourself experiencing “orange in the glass” frequently, this may be a style to stay away from.

For those of you who aren’t a fan of the thin band and half adjustable straps on the Rhea, you’ll be pleased to know that the Amor has a nice thick 2 hook-and-eye closure and fully adjustable straps. This band felt super tight the first time I put it on, but since I had heard repeatedly that the band stretches very quickly, I stuck with it for a day to see for myself. I’m happy to report that it really did stretch quickly! After 2 wears it feels wonderful, I have never experienced a bra stretching that fast before. The wires did dig into my sternum a little bit on the first wear as well, but that has also stopped with wear.

I also purchased the Amor in the newer berry colour, but found the fit to be slightly different. The bands was just as firm (perhaps even a bit more firm) and the cups were a bit larger. I’ve since traded this bra, since the blue one is about as big as I can go in the cups.

The Amor is a fantastic addition to my collection, and a welcome addition for any full busted lady in the size range seeking an attractive t-shirt bra. It’s a bra that legitimately makes me feel good. It’s attractive in a simple, minimal way, and the degree of coverage really makes it functional as an everyday bra. Now I just have to find a light coloured padded bra. The hunt continues…

-Windie

One more for the review train: Liliana by Tutti Rouge, one of the cutest and weirdest things I have ever put on my body. I had to size up to a 28G to get the bra to “fit.” It definitely doesn’t, but this is apparently the best Liliana and I can do together.

Tutti Rouge Liliana, 28G

If you find yourself to have very wide-set breasts and a small frame, look no further than Liliana, this bra will certainly accommodate. Unfortunately, I do not have very wide set breasts, and Liliana did nooot accommodate me. A darn shame I say, because the half padded cups, stretch lace and sweet strawberry colour had me sold (and I’m not even generally a fan of pink bras!)

Whoooooaa width. I’m getting essentially no lift here, just a tiny bit of shaping

On me, this bra looks simply ridiculous, which is a pity because it is very comfortable and adorable (and affordable!). The wires extend back back past where my arm naturally sits at a relaxed posture, and I think I have boob filling only half of the cup due to the width. The fit in the front looks correct though, so I think I am just completely incompatible with this bra. The stretch lace at the top of the cups is MARVELOUS. If you deal with asymmetry, bras like this are a godsend. The lace is so stretchy though that, unlike the Panache Andorra for instance, it lacks support, so your boobs will be a bit free to move around.

A picture to show how much empty space there is in the cups

Gore no tacky

This may be the first time I’ve experienced a gore not tacking because the wires are so wide. Seriously, it is the only explanation I can think of. I hope I can properly explain this… When you look at a bra just sitting, not on a body, the wires are flat. But when I put this bra on my body, the flat wires have to wrap around more than half of my body, which is curved. The flat wires get pushed against the curve of the side of my body, thus making the front push outward. I’ve tested pressing the wires of other bras against the side of my body, and it does in fact make the gore float a bit. This is only a theory, and I’m completely prepared to be proven wrong if anyone can give me a better explanation. This bra was just all sorts of crazy on me.

Minimized profile

I’m definitely getting a minimized profile in this bra. This is partly because of the bad fit, but I have heard that even when this bra fits correctly it gives a minimized, rounded shape. I can’t comment on it too much though since the fit was just so off on me.

The mesh band felt like a nice firm 28, definitely no 26 though. However, given the fact that the wires extended so far back on my body they actually acted as added “band length”, so the band may actually run very tight if the wires fit you correctly, something to keep in mind.

Clearly Liliana and I are not meant to be. If you consider yourself narrow, just skip this bra all together. However, to the ladies who can’t seem to find wide enough wires: definitely give this bra a shot!

-Windie

I am a young white female with full breasts and a slender build. I see myself everywhere, and it isn’t fair to everyone else. Tell the lingerie industry that it’s time for more diversity in advertising and manufacturing. Let’s ditch the idea of a singular standard of beauty.

If you want to participate in this movement, just take a photo of yourself (fully clothed, in lingerie, whatever you want!) and attach the hashtag #diversityinlingerie. The more people who participate, the bigger impact we’ll have. I don’t have anything to say that the other bloggers haven’t already said, but I want to lend my support. Numbers are powerful.

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For detailed information on this movement, see Braless in Brasil’s blog. Click the links below to access the numerous posts that fellow bloggers have put together in support of this cause.

Thin and Curvy

Muscles and Curves

Fussy Busty

A Sophisticated Pair

2 Cakes on a Plate

Kurvendiskussionen

The Breast Life

The Lingerie Addict

Les Gros Bonnets

Curvy Wordy

The Full Figured Chest

Wide Curves

By Baby’s Rules

Bras and Body Image

Under the Unders

Anytime Yoga

Busty and Thrifty

Diamonds and Steel

The Curves Have It

KathTea Katastrophy

Scarlet’s Letter

Chocolate Plushie

The Butterfly Collection

Quest for the Perfect Bra

That Bra Does Not Fit Her

Sevenlies

-Windie

Freya Patsy Longline bra, 28FF

Ohh happy days. It took nearly a month, but Patsy is finally mine. I had initially received a 28F Patsy by mistake, and let me tell you, I was so smitten with it upon receiving it that waiting for my replacement size felt like a looong couple of weeks. Fit wise, Patsy is everything Just Flew In wasn’t. Don’t get me wrong, Just Flew In was lovely and a nice fit to boot, but Patsy corrects every tiny incompatibility that JFI and I had. Let’s get started.

Here’s a photo that’s less tampered with so you get a proper idea of the colour. This sucker is bright!

In comparison to the Just Flew In longline, Patsy has bigger cups and a tighter band, but the wires feel about the same in both models. I would say Patsy is more of a “normal” 28FF than JFI. The cup shape seems to suit shallow to moderate boobs, but you may run into fit problems if your breasts have a lot of projection. This has been the case with every Freya padded half cup style I’ve tried to date, so they seem to be fairly consistent with this cup shape. The wires feel like an average width for UK brands, which means they are just a bit too wide for me, but this barely affects the fit in my case. I get a teeny bit of empty space at the side of the cups, which doesn’t bother me since the lift/shaping is fantastic.

I have to admit, I was initially disappointed that Freya did not release a longline version of the peacock blue Patsy that came out around the same time. I felt robbed of the blue longline of my dreams I tell ya’, and I’ve never been a big pink lover (except when I was four). But now, I think I may have been too quick to judge this bra. The colour is actually lovely, and very flattering on my pale skin (and I think would be equally as flattering on darker skin as well). Despite the playful polkadots, the shade of pink doesn’t feel too “candy-like,” it’s more of a mature salmon or coral shade that keeps the bra from feeling too painfully cute/young. From a design perspective, I feel it’s more cohesive looking than Just Flew In largely because of the straps. JFI had those thick embroidered straps that Freya seems so fond of, while Patsy’s straps are made of the same pattered material as the rest of the bra, a welcome change in my opinion!

Look! Closed on the loosest set of hooks! It’s a miracle

For me, Patsy’s only real downside is more of a general issue I have with Freya, which is that the straps are much too long for me. I have to tighten them up onto my shoulders, which isn’t a terribly comfortable place for the adjusters to sit. Luckily this is an easy alteration, so I’m sure I’ll shorten the straps eventually.

I’m THRILLED about Patsy, and am now hoping and praying that Freya decides to make a black continuity Patsy longline, because that would just be the best thing.

-Windie

Oh hello readers, here I am to try and push the bras that don’t fit/I don’t want on you. Here you go:

For Sale!

Panache Andorra full cup bra, lagoon, 28G, gently used – $15 plus shipping

Panache Idina, black, 28G (professionally altered from a 30FF), worn once – $23 plus shipping

Miss Mandalay Amelie, black, 28FF, gently used – $20 + shipping (you can also get the briefs in a size medium for an additional $5!)

Panache Jasmine, floral print, 30F (altered to a 28FF. Alteration is reversible so I can remove it for you), gently used, $15 plus shipping

Freya Jolie, black, 28FF, used – $10 plus shipping

Cleo Meg, bird print, 28FF, worn once – $18 plus shipping

Miss Mandalay Paris, green, 28FF, gently used – $15 plus shipping

Fantasie Susanna Basque, 30F, petal/ivory, gently used – $45 plus shipping

masquerade

It’s that fun time of year when lingerie trade shows take place, and sneak peeks of all new collections start popping up online. I always get excited, but not often is my excitement actually justified so thoroughly by the collections that companies present. Basically… I can’t wait for the upcoming lingerie season. Here’s what I have my eyes on:

Panache Andorra in Tangerine. Image from Stanikomania!

Panache Andorra in Teal. Image from Stanikomania!

First let me just say that I absolutely love Stanikomania. This wonderful blog is my first stop on the internet to try and find previews for upcoming lingerie seasons. The photographs are always crisp, clear, and her documentation of new collections is thorough. Sometimes reading posts can be difficult because Google translate is a necessity given that it is a Polish blog, but I can generally understand the gist of what’s being said, and the photographs are always amazing.

Now… Onto the bras.

ANDORRAAA!

Andorra has a pretty permanent place in my collection now, and these two colours will be welcome additions. The Teal is quite similar to the Caribbean Blue colour from one of their more current collections, but there’s a bit more depth to it that appeals to me much more than the previous blue. And the Tangerine, which easily could have been a more predictable coral, is fresh and original.

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Cleo Marcie in Yellow, image from Stanikomania!

YELLOW?

Gif from http://emiey.deviantart.com/

Okay, so while I was really hoping for Marcie in basic colours, I am placated by Yellow Marcie, and may or may not have danced around like the above gif demonstrates when I saw it revealed on Sweet Nothing’s blog.

—

Next up is…

Everything form Tutti Rouge. Image from Miss Underpinnings

Guys just… just go to Miss Underpinning’s blog to check out Tutti Rouge’s upcoming collection. It blows my mind how pretty everything is. That sort of apple coloured green, and use of light peach (which I believe they call “creme”) has me salivating and asking the lingerie gods to please bestow these items upon me, even in exchange for my first born son (erm… cat. First pet cat).

A particularly exciting announcement from Tutti Rouge is that Liliana is apparently getting tweaked, so we can expect a new fit from it. Given my abysmal results the first time around with Liliana, I’m excited to try the new fit, and the new colours (pale blue and “creme?” yup, I’m in).

—

Cleo Pixie. Image from Stanikomania!

The Pixie strikes me as a “transitional” bra, from summer to fall. The colour scheme reminds me of really cheesy Thanksgiving decorations that my elementary school would hang up in the classrooms and hallways, but I mean this in the best way possible. The orange evokes crisp fall leaves for me, but the lush floral is perfectly in line with spring-time-fun-time.

Cleo Lily. Image from Stanikomania!

Let me tell you all a little secret: I love baby colours. Baby pink paired with baby blue (throw in a creamy yellowy colour and I’m set) is a real weakness of mine. I don’t think a ton of people will be hyped for this colourway, but personally I’m thrilled. I’d like to wear this while I watch My Little Pony and eat buckets of candy while singing about the magic of friendship, please and thanks.

—

Next up is one of my favourite colour combinations I’ve seen in a while…

Masquerade Antoinette collection. Image from Miss Underpinings

A dusty smokey sort of blue, and charcoal grey? SO good. I haven’t been too into most of Masquerade’s latest offerings, but this one knocked my socks off.

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Finally… Perhaps what I’m most excited about is a new brand announcement. Introducing Sunday Intimates.

The fabulous Miss Underpinnings herself, trying on Sunday Intimate’s loungewear

Image from Miss Underpinnings

Once again, I suggest going over to Miss Underpinning’s blog to check out all this brand has to offer for Spring/Summer. They seem to have a strong direction, and a great variety of “basic” and “luxury” items. I’m personally excited to try their “Monday” collection, which features lightly lined blush and navy coloured bras– basics with flair!

I also recommend checking out the rest of the previews on Stakinkomania’s blog, as well as Sweet Nothings and The Lingerie Lesbian’s round up posts of the styles we can expect to see in 2014.

Are you excited for anything in the upcoming season?

-Windie

Knowing about all the pretty lingerie, but being unable to afford it.

-Windie

Autumn of last year, I did a post called “How My Bras Have Held Up Over Time,” but since I now have different bras due to a couple size changes (and new opinions on bras I talked about in the previous post), I think it’s time to do it all over again. Usually I review a bra after I’ve worn it about three times, but that doesn’t speak to its longevity, which is what I’ll be talking about now.

Thanks for kicking us off, Shang

• Cleo Marcie

Cleo Marcie. Owned in red since February 2013, owned in blue since… I think March 2013? April 2013? Sometime around then

Marcie has become my standard go-to bra for any day when I don’t need a neutral colour. If it were made in neutral colours, I would rarely wear anything else, aside from perhaps a couple other styles for when padding is necessary, or to alleviate the points where the wires press on my body. The shape I get from Marcie is still great, and the band is still firm on the loosest hooks for me in both colours. The bands on both colours have definitely stretched a bit, but I haven’t found myself needing to move to tighter hooks for more support yet. My blue version feels slightly less comfortable because the straps are thinner than the red version (something I didn’t notice for quite a while), but as far as I can tell that’s a fluke, as many other Marcie lovers have reported the same strap thickness between both colours, so that’s unfortunate for me! It has held up enormously well though, and it’s hard to believe that such an inexpensive bra could actually be such high quality. This bra stands the test of time wonderfully.

• Miss Mandalay Paige

Miss Mandalay Paige in coral. owned since early December 2012

I’ve had a Paige in my collection since almost the start of my blog, so that alone should be a comment on how much I like this bra. Considering this bra is approaching a year old, it is to be expected that it isn’t as remarkable as the first few months that I owned it. The cups have changed a little bit, in that the shape isn’t quite as lifted anymore. The “minimizing” quality I’ve always found Paige to have seemed to be exaggerated now that it’s an older bra. I don’t mind this though, and I specifically turn to Paige when I feel like downplaying my boobs. The band is STILL firm on the loosest hooks. This is partly to due with the fact that I have gained a bit of weight around my ribcage, and partly to due with the material of the band I believe, which was never as stretchy as other bras I’ve owned. I don’t think I could wear a brand new Paige on the loosest hooks anymore, since I now consider myself more of a 28 instead of 26 (this bra fit me perfectly when I needed a 26 band, as did Paris by Miss Mandalay). I would estimate that if my ribcage remained the same, I would be wearing this on the middle hooks, which is quite astounding given its age. I can’t wear this bra on my period anymore, but I enjoy the crap out of it during the other three weeks of the month. Paige is still a favourite, and holds up well.

• Ewa Michalak PL bras

Ewa Michalak PL bras (specifically the Cielus). Owned in November 2012, sold months later

I adore Ewa Michalak bras, but I adore them the most for the first three months of their life. It’s not that they aren’t still nice for the remainder of their life, but that the shape does seem to change a bit. Basically, I have found that all my PL bras, especially the Cielus, really contain and lock me in (a pretty amazing feat for a plunge bra) for around the first three months of their lifespan. But eventually they seem to… soften? That might be the best word I can think of. They seem a bit less secure in the cups somehow, and I think this may just be a result of how they wash and wear over time. I don’t think this should deter anyone from purchasing them if they are interested, just be prepared that they may not feel exactly like they do in a few months. In my experience, the Onyks has held up the best over time (I’ve tried the PL Cielus, PL Stalowka, PL Onyks, and PL Black). Though as I say this, I’m considering purchasing a new PL Onyks and S Satine in my current size, so as you can see, it’s not really a big deal. The bands seem to stretch normally, nothing too crazy to report there. I am curious if anyone else has had similar findings with Ewa Michalak bras? Please comment about your experience for the sake of science!

• Panache Andorra

Panache Andorra, owned in black and pearl since early December 2012

I’ve owned my Andorras for a little bit longer than I’ve owned my Paige, but I haven’t worn them as much. The reason for this is that I found the bands a bit loose when I needed a 26, so it’s only been in the past few months that I’ve really started getting my wear out of them. I would estimate that for the time I’ve owned my Andorras, I’ve worn them consistently for about 5 months. Now that I wear average 28s comfortably, I love this bra. I’m so thankful that after my school stress subsided, my size seemed to stop fluctuating and I fit my 28FF bras again. Huge relief. So in the time that I’ve worn my Andorras, they’ve continued to give me the same great shape as when they were new, and the bands still feel firm on both colours. The only downside is that the lace at the top of the cups has frayed a bit in some places, but that’s only aesthetic and it’s nothing extreme, so all in all I’m very pleased with this bra. I consider it my “Marcie alternative” because the shape/wire placement are totally different, so it’s pretty common that I’ll either feel like Marcie or Andorra on a given day.

• Miss Mandalay Paris

Miss Mandalay Paris, owned since early December 2012

Another one of the bras that I brought when my cup size increased last year, the Paris has been a tricky one. The deal with Paris is that when it fits, it’s amazing. However, the ribbon at the top of the cups is so stiff that if I fluctuate up a bit, I get super spillage. As a result, I can only wear Paris on average/smaller days, but when those days come– ooohh how I do. When this bra fits, I absolutely love it, which is why I haven’t sold it despite my boob’s fluctuating antics of late. I would venture to say that I feel most attractive in this bra of anything in my collection, and if the ribbon were more forgiving I would own it in multiple colours. Unfortunately, it’s just not practical enough for me to own more than one. The band on Paris is even more firm than Paige, so I’m actually wearing this one with an extender (30F is likely my Paris size now). Like Paige, it hasn’t stretched much because of the firm materials its made with, so this is a bra that’s certainly made to last. If you’re in the position of needing a 26 band, I highly recommend checking out this style. If you’re full on bottom, even better, as you’ll probably fair better with the tight ribbon!

FYI: Only the new Paris styles have a super firm band. Old colours are a bit stretchier.

• Freya Just Flew In Longline

Freya Just Flew In Longline. Owned since March 2013

The Just Flew In longline, as many of you will know, fit me on the tightest hooks straight away. Now that I’ve gained a bit of weight around my ribcage, some days I can wear it on the loosest hooks, but most days I still opt for the tightest. The most notable change about the Just Flew In is that the band inches its way up in the front a lot now, whereas it barely did in its first couple months of life. The shape I get from the cups is about the same as when I got it, but somehow, like my experience with Ewa Michalak PL bras, it seems a bit “softer” and I feel a bit less contained in them. I’m beginning to think this is a result of the washing and wearing specifically of padded bras, because I haven’t experienced this in unpadded bras (unless you count the Miss Mandalay Paige, which as I mentioned is a bit less supportive in the cups now that it’s pretty old).

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I’m planning to make another “How My Bras Have Held Up” post once the ones I have in my current collection have been worn for a few more months, like the Freya Patsy longline, Masquerade Amor, Mimi Holliday Comfort bras, Cleo Bella and Panache Sports bra. Hope this was enjoyable, helpful or both.

-Windie

Hello hello hallo hi what’s up hi.

So sometimes fashion colours and continuity colours differ in fit, and I’m not quite sure why. The most common reason I encounter for this is the dye used to darken or colour a bra can have a shrinking effect (darker colours often run smaller or tighter than their lighter coloured counterparts), but sometimes the differences are almost unexplainable. This was the case for the Andorra. I’ve now tried Andorra in black, pearl, spice and lagoon, and so far my theory applies to all of these bras.

Andorra in “spice” and black

My thoughts are simple: Continuity Andorras (black and pearl) have stiffer lace, smaller cups, and tighter bands than fashion Andorras, regardless of colour.

I’ve had my black Andorra for many months, and have considered it one of my go to bras when I need a dark colour and firm support throughout the day. I’ve been very hyped about all the awesome fashion colours Andorra is set to come out in (spice is awesome, and teal and tangerine look amazing too). But immediately upon putting on the spice version, something felt a little off. Then I remembered that when I owned a lagoon Andorra in a 28F, the fit was also different compared to the black Andorra I owned in the same size, in exactly the same way the spice Andorra differed in fit from my current black one. I took note of the differences between my spice Andorra and black Andorra, and this is the list I’ve come up with:

• Spice colour has long straps. I have to tighten them up to my shoulders. Black version tighten comfortably
• Spice version has less stiff feeling lace. I did a bounce test with both colours, and black Andorra won. The spice Andorra, as you may have guessed, has softer lace which some may find more comfortable
• Band is a bit looser on the spice Andorra. I actually also have a fairly new black Andorra in a 28G specifically for my period, so I was able to compare the band to it since it hasn’t stretched much
• Cups are a bit bigger over all on the spice Andorra, and feel less supportive

The fit looks almost identical when pictured, but feels very different on the body. I was most surprised by how bouncy the spice Andorra was, whereas the black one really locks me in

Of course, some of you may be thinking “but Windie, the black Andorra is darker! Isn’t this just an issue of dye?” And to that I say NO, it is not. My pearl Andorra runs very similarly to my black one. The differences are so marginal I couldn’t even present them confidently as differences between two colours, when they could simply be differences in the manufacturing process. My current pearl Andorra is actually a fraction smaller in the cup than my black one, something I don’t think is worth looking into deeply without more data points about OTHER pearl Andorras.

This shouldn’t necessarily deter folk from buying fashion colour Andorras, but being aware of the fit differences can help you evaluate whether or they would be a wise purchase given your specific bra wants/needs.

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I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned this before, but these sort of “dissection” posts are some of my favourite to write. I like looking closely at the fit of bras and finding trends. Makes me feel good and happy and excited.

good and happy and excited

So hopefully more of these to come in the future

-Windie

Hello world!

I’m beginning a new series of short blog posts today dedicated to speculating what undies my favourite anime and video game characters would wear. Each post will cover one character at a time, and I’ll try to determine their undies based on their personality traits, general style, and size range. I will try my best not to include spoilers in these posts. I’ll add a description about each character, but only include information that you would learn early on in a given anime or video game. I’m pretty sure this is the nerdiest thing I’ve ever done. Let’s get started!

Naruko “Anaru” Anjō

Anaru, child and teenager art

Anaru, from Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai (or Anohanna, for those of us who don’t want to say that long-as-hell name), initially puts on a cold front toward others (specifically one of the protagonists, Jinta), but is truly an empathetic, caring person concerned with the well-being of others. Described as easily influenced by others, as a child she strived to be like one of her best friends, Meiko Honma, or Menma as she is nicknamed. Since Menma’s untimely death as a child, she recoiled from her friends and fell into a social circle of thoughtless girls at her high school as she grew older. Her interest in manga and video games seemed to dissolve, and appeared to be replaced with the interests of her new friends: magazines and boys. While she doesn’t truly love her new interests, it seems easier to go along with what her friends want. You’ll have to watch the show for yourself to learn more and see how her character develops!

As far as lingerie goes, Anaru would definitely be a full bust size, I would guess a 30G or 28GG. Speculating based on her style choices, I would guess she would probably be interested in pieces that range from spunky and cute to a bit sexy. I would also guess she’d be more of a padded/moulded bra kind of girl. Here are some of my picks for what you might find in Anaru’s undies drawer:

Prima Donna Twist “So Chic” bra

Freya Deco in black

Pikachu undies from Calvin Klein… where can I buy these?!

Cleo Marcie Babydoll

Tutti Rouge Liliana

-Windie

Bonjour.

To put this post into context: I love Etsy. It’s generally the first place I check when I’m in the market for… well, almost anything! Be it clothing, jewelry, random trinkets, gifts, stationary… you name it and Etsy probably has it in a quirky hand-made fashion! However, I rarely check Etsy for lingerie related wants simply because my size is unlikely to be found . The other day I decided to search for bralettes though, just by the rare chance that I might find some comfy wireless bras in something close to my size.

…And I might have actually found some? What?!?!

Sophie Hines sheer pink and cream mesh bralette

Sophie Hines lingerie may be my answer to comfortable lounge lingerie with androgynous styling (though certainly not all of her designs fall into that category) at a modest price point. Sounds too good to be true, right?

Sophie Hines grey and robins egg blue jersey bralette

Well, it might be, but I’m definitely willing to give them a shot once I have the cash to spare. The measurements for the size small are surprisingly similar to my own, so I’ll be looking forward to this Christmas season when I have some spare cash to order a bralette or two, and am perhaps even more excited to report back to all of you with my results.

Sophie Hines pink and tan soft cup bra

Now the only question is with so many fantastic bralettes and the option for custom designs, which ones do I order?! Decisions, decisions…

Sophie Hines basic black and grey bra

Sophie Hines mint cotton and leather bralette… I’d probably custom order this puppy to be leather-free though personally

All images are from Sophie Hine’s shop.

Are you excited to hear more about Sophie Hines? Any of the designs appeal to you as much as they do me?

-Windie

If any of you were on the fence about getting Marcie by Cleo in the Bravissimo exclusive purple colour…

Marcie, 28FF

It is beautiful in person, I couldn’t be more satisfied. Hands down my favourite Marcie colour. The deep purple balances out the “cutsiness” of the design, and the result is just wonderful. I’ve always loved the fit of Marcie, but admittedly the design isn’t actually up my alley (I almost never tried the bra because of this actually, boy would that have been unfortunate!). Miss Underpinning’s recent post about the Middle Market really reflects what I want from my lingerie, and I feel the purple Marcie is moving just a little bit more in that direction, at least more so than it’s sweetly coloured predecessors.

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More reviews and full-length posts to come soon. In the meantime, here’s something adorable:

-Windie

Hi Friends.

Friiieeeeeenddsss

Today on the ol’ blog, we’re discussing what sexy, sexiness, or sexuality means to me.

The short answer is not a whole lot.

Now for the long answer!

I’ve written before about how on the spectrum of sexuality, I consider myself quite asexual. If I were to rate myself out of one-hundred, zero being completely asexual and one-hundred being a sexual addiction, I’d probably put myself at about an eight.

I wasn’t always quite so asexual. During some of my teenage years it was definitely something I cared about more, but in retrospect I feel that largely had to do with hormones, and being in a long distance relationship where you only see your significant other every week or two. But something that has remained consistent for as long as I have lived is never actually feeling “sexy.” It’s not a negative at all, it’s just not something I experience.

You know how some people just look like they completely own their sexuality?

Wonderful when you do it Hyuna, but not for me

In stark contrast to the gif above, I pretty much always feel more like this:

From Hyperbole and a Half

Now I know not everyone would consider the gif above “sexy,” but hear me out. There’s a certain ownership of your sensuality that applies much more broadly to different types of “sexiness.” A sultry pose, the position of one’s hands on their hips, the expression one makes with their face, even a way of speaking. None of that has ever felt comfortable to me. You know those wonderful “selfies” that a lot of teens take that play up their sexuality? Whether it be a rippling abs shot, or some “come hither” eyes with a hint of cleavage?  When I was a teen, I was witness to one of those photo shoots when hanging out with a couple of friends, and of course they wanted me to join in the “fun.” Let me just tell you it was WEIRD. I don’t say this to pass judgement, I say this with the intention of conveying how little my body understands being “sensual.” Thankfully none of the shots featuring moi were kept, partly due to the fact that they were all terrible and stiff, because I resisted participating so hard.

A shot from a Love Claudette photo shoot. Lovely model, lovely bra, and lovely post, but imagining myself in that pose and still feeling comfortable is impossible

So what’s my relationship with notions of sexiness? Disconnect, essentially. I think this might be why I relate so strongly to cute animes like K-on where sexiness by the conventional definition isn’t really a factor.

Mugi from K-on

This isn’t to suggest that I don’t enjoy things that are sexy. Some of you who follow my facebook page may notice that I post Korean pop videos from time to time, sometimes filled with fairly conventional ideas of sexiness. I honestly adore them. I wouldn’t suggest that they aren’t without their problems (limited body diversity for one), but I do actively enjoy them. I’ve enjoyed love scenes in books and films, and yes, even though I consider myself largely asexual, I do still FEEL the same things most of you do when you see or read something sexy, I just rarely feel like acting on those feelings (and in my day to day life, I’m sure I feel sexual impulses less often than your average folk).

To conclude, I simply cannot relate to notions of sexuality/sensuality in the conventional sense. The smallest sexy pose is lost on me, and to replicate it would mean certain discomfort. I don’t really experience “sensuality,” but that’s not to say that I don’t find things attractive or sexy.

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I wonder if any of you can relate? What’s your relationship to notions of “sexiness?” For more opinions, watch out for other bloggers who will be covering this topic through the month of October. After a decent number of posts pop up I’ll link a comprehensive list here on this post.

Til’ my next post,

Byyyyyeeee

-Windie

“A girl born for glory.”

“She raised her sword and flew.”

Above are quotations from Ubisoft’s trailer for Child of Light, which at first glance appears to be the story book inspired JRPG-style adventure of a young girl battling her way through peril to meet her destiny.

Excuse me. I need a moment.

This is definitely topping my list for most anticipated game of 2014. If I could pick one game that I now know of to have existed when I was a kid, it would be this one. Ten-year-old me would have flipped out over this game. Rarely do we see female protagonists in the context of bravery, adventure, and glory, and female children perhaps even less so. This game appears to combine everything I want from a game: JRPG style, fantastic art direction, and the reinvention of a classic story of a brave hero in a fantasy landscape. I only hope it can live up to my now incredibly high expectations. Even more good news? It will be available on PC, Wii U, XBox One/360 and PS3/4.

You can watch the wonderful trailer right here.

-Windie

Undiegamer here to wish you all a very spooky Halloween. I was Malon from Ocarina of Time, what did you dress up as?

-Windie

Hello readers! Its been a little while since I posted a review and I have quite a few bras I want to write about, so hopefully this will be the first of many reviews to come in the next little while. I have a couple reasons for my recent lack of blog presence. Number 1: Pokemon X did, and continues to, consume my life. I’m working on completing my Pokedex, training up some of my favourite Pokes for battle, and of course…

… making my trainer as stylish as possible (This isn’t my spite actually. I’ll see if I can get some images of her for you all sometime. Spoilers: she looks like a detective and it is the best).

Reason number 2 for my absence: My boobs have been behaving strangely. A lot of my bras have been feeling too small, but a size up is too large. I was getting a bit annoyed and stressed about all of my pretties fitting me poorly, because my boobs didn’t even look larger to me. I was wondering I had somehow changed shape, and now I needed a new style of bra to suit me. But it turns out the answer was quite silly, and very simple. Let’s begin the review, and all will be revealed soon.

Ewa Michalak SM Bezyk , 30F

I still seem to measure 26 inches around my ribcage (27 inhaled), but I’m finding regular 28 bands comfortable these days as opposed to tight 28s and 26s. This means in a lot of Ewa Michalak bras, I now opt for a 30 instead of a 28 (though exceptions to this rule do exist). The SM Beżyk in a 30 feels like perfection around my ribcage. It hits the sweet spot of just tight enough to feel secure without feeling restricted. The cups are nearly perfect. My smaller side is as comfortable as could be, but I would like the cups to come up slightly higher on my larger side. All in all, I’m happy with the fit, and the lower cut of the bra and near perfect match for my skin make it a perfect “solution” bra to wear with trickier clothing. It’s especially handy under my light coloured button up shirts, it’s completely invisible under them!

One of my favourite things about this bra are the straps. They’re narrow enough to look attractive and thick enough to be comfortable- perfect! The way the straps are attached to the cups is also a great little feature. The thicker piece of fabric where the straps meet the cups really help to pull everything inward and upward. The shape is fairly minimized, especially compared to other Ewa Michalak styles I’ve tried in the past. It’s not as supportive as bras like my Cleo Marcie or Miss Mandalay Paige, but those two bras provide some serious anchorage. The support I get in this bra is pretty remarkable considering how low cut and lacy it is! It’s a bra I’m really happy to have in my collection, and bust out whenever I need it to disappear into my skin or if I just want to feel damn comfy- did I mention that this bra is damn comfy?

Profile shot of my larger side. Still looks great even though I’d like it to come up with the eensiest bit higher

The wires, as you can see, are refreshingly narrow. I’ve been sporting a lot of Masquerade and Cleo styles lately, so to put on an EM bra again is like a breath of fresh air. I did find the wires uncomfortable on the first wear, but since this this has become one of my favourite most comfortable bras. So just keep in mind that you may experience some discomfort on the first wear, but it does not persist (I have a friend who also ordered an SM bra and experienced the same discomfort for a couple of wears, and it went away for her as well).

So to quickly recap some of the main features of this bra:

• Narrow wires
• Supportive straps
• Forward yet minimized, rounded shape
• Band has four adjustment settings- lots of life in this bra! Closes with two hook-and-eyes in a 30F
• Sturdy lace- not stretchy
• Low-cut, open cups. Basically fits like a demi bra

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So now that the review is out of the way, let’s discuss swooping and scooping. As most of us know, this is when you scoop all the tissue from your armpit area into the cups, so as to help properly fill out your cups and aid in tissue migration (getting the breast tissue out from your armpits and onto the front of your body). But is there such a thing as swooping and scooping too much? My answer is yes, I think there is. Here are some pictures of myself in the SM Beżyk when I’ve scooped everything from my armpits and sides into the cups:

As you can see, the fit is not looking so great when I scoop everything from my armpits into the cups. I’d like to say right now that you should ALWAYS scoop all of your breast tissue into the cups, but the issue I was having that was complicating my fit so much was that I was scooping skin and fat into the cups, not breast tissue. Allow me to demonstrate my incredibly stretchy skin that was throwing off the fit of my bras. Ladies and gentleman prepare…

Elastigirl!

It’s not very uncommon for people of Scottish/Irish decent to have stretchier skin than the average person. I’ve actually had friends who can stretch their skin even further than this by a considerable amount. Good party trick? Or creepy? Both? Both. Basically, all this stretchy skin was ending up in the cups, and making it near impossible to get a proper fit. In a 28FF the wires would be too short and the cups would overflow. In a 28G the wires would either be *okay*, too tall or wide, and the cups would gape. The crease in my skin in the three-quarter view picture is just my skin stretching into the cup, not breast tissue.

My point is that there are likely a minority of us who fully swooping and scooping won’t work for. My current method is to put on my bras while bending over, and just scooping the rest of the breast tissue I can find into the cups, being careful not to scoop all my underarm skin into the cups. I find that it’s easier to differentiate between the two while bent over as opposed to standing up. I have found my bras to be so much more comfortable and look a lot more attractive using this method, and the wires no longer pinch my skin! I doubt this swooping and scooping study will apply to many people, but hopefully the few who it does apply to see this and it helps increase the comfort of their bras.

So remember folks, swoop and scoop responsibly, and check out these kittens.

-Windie