Calenlass

My shape: slightly shallow teardrop/FOB with super wide/tall roots and very close-set tissue in the middle

This review is for the silver colorway.


This is a very pretty bra, but I am a sucker for grey knickers (and shoes!). I like that it's a dark silver, and the black lace gives it a very elegant touch. I am also a sucker for cute lingerie in general, and this definitely fits the bill. Plus, it was on clearance at Figleaves, so I got the matching underoos too. Hooray, matched sets!

It's a lot like the Parfait By Affinitas Casey (2801) in terms of fit and the fact that it's a ... little bit like wearing boob armor, but I assume that will relax a little with a bit of wear. It also stands away from my boobs at the top of the cups when I slouch, like the Parfait, but the top edge doesn't curl outward like my Casey has come to do, so I just try not to slump as much (which is good for my back anyway, or something). Like all Freya bras I've tried, the straps seem to be made for someone with a much broader, or perhaps flatter, and thus wider? ribcage than mine, even though I have relatively broad shoulders anyway, and because of this they start to rub at my armpits after several hours. My Freya Patsy Padded Half Cup Bra (1223) does the same thing (and also has a center gore that is a touch too high, which is why I don't wear it as much).

The Deco Charm is very comfortable, though, and minus the straps thing I can usually forget I'm wearing it. I have come to understand that this is the mark of a good bra, so it qualifies in my book. The center gore is super low, which is a necessity for me, so I was pleased at first because of that alone. It has also held up beautifully during some unexpectedly heavy load days at my job, which is very physical and involves a lot of hauling equipment around, when I probably should have been wearing a sports bra in the first place.
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Updated on Oct 11, 2014 Flag this

My shape: teardrop set at average height, with super tall and super wide roots that give me all the shallow-boob fitting problems but with more projection, very close-set tissue in the middle, and firm tissue that fights back when squished or pushed out of shape

I love longlines, and I love this longline. It's definitely cuter in person! I am not usually much for prints, but I am glad I decided to swap for this one. Unfortunately for me, it's too large in the cups by probably 2 sizes, just like the 30FF - Freya » Patsy Padded Half Cup Bra (1223) I recently tried, although ... the difference in size didn't seem as vast for some reason. If I pull my shoulders back, like I am in one of the photos, you can see how it still gaps along my smaller breast. Because the cups are too large and stand away, they also create a very angular open neckline across my bust (which would be hidden by clothes but would still bug me), and it isn't flattering.

It's not helped by the fact that the straps are in my armpits and almost falling off my shoulders, but both the regular Patsy and the 30G - Freya » Patsy Padded Half Cup Bra (1223) did the same thing. Note: the straps rarely actually fell off my shoulders, but they sit right on the point and I don't like it.

I could probably stand to size down in the band if they made it, because it was comfy-to-loose on the second row of hooks, although it could still work because the larger band distributes tension and support better across the larger fabric expanse. Sizing down might not help with the straps issue, though, but I have learned with my other Freyas that I should be wearing almost exclusively 28s in this brand.

The wires under my arm are still a teensy bit narrow for me, which surprised me given how many people have trouble with them being too wide, and how many people have noted they are so much wider than the Freya plunges. However, as with all the Freyas I have ever tried (and quite a lot of other bras as well but to a lesser extent), they are also a steeper curve than my roots require, although they are pretty close. There was a little slight scratchy feeling while I was taking photos, but I'm sure that would come out with a wash or two.

The gore lays flat and it doesn't dig, which is nice for such a comparatively high and wide bridge. I think the bottom of the cups were actually filled ok, which is much better than my 30FF - Freya » Deco Charm Moulded Plunge Bra (1471) , and I understand that all the half cups are much better about projection than their plunge counterparts, so that's promising!

Now to find a 30E!
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Updated on Aug 28, 2015 Flag this

My shape: slightly shallow teardrop/FOB with super wide/tall roots and very close-set tissue in the middle.

This review is for the Virgin White colorway.


I am really in love with this model's design, mostly because the stripes are super cute, but also because it reminds me of a bra I once loved and could not afford (a Passionata Passio set that had the white-on-ivory stripes and looked sort of pseudo-Victorian).

This model is super comfy and soft on the inside of the moulded foam cups. The stretchy crochet lace across the top might be a little on the tight side, but it's really not noticeable and it will relax after a wash or two, I'm sure.

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Updated on Oct 11, 2014 Flag this

I bought this bra after finding out that Masquerade had gone out of business. It's a very pretty mineral blue color, with delicate embroidery and lovely lacey mesh flower petals obscuring the straight edge at the top of the cup (which helps keep it from showing under clothes).

Unfortunately, this one is too loose in the band. I'm not sure if they start out more snug and this one just relaxed with wear, or if I would need a 28 which was never manufactured, but it is just a hair too loose on the third set of hooks, and definitely shifts on the first set. I will probably try ... and take it in since there's no smaller size available anymore.

I think it's a little shallow in the cups, too, because I get a little of the orange-in-a-glass effect with the crumpling at the bottom of the cup. Because it's too loose in the band, the cups also don't support as well as they might otherwise. You can see in the photos how there is space between the cup and the breast from some angles, so they just aren't quite doing their job. I think, if the band were tighter, the F cups would be just right as far as volume is concerned. The gore is wonderfully low and tacks perfectly well.

You can't really tell in the side shots, but the curve of the underwire is just a little too steep for the shape of my root, but this is a super common problem for me, and if I can't feel the pressure, I usually ignore it. In this case the bra is perfectly comfortable, aside from the little shifting of the band.
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Sky colorway

Updated on Aug 28, 2015 Flag this

This review is for the Peacock colorway.

Slightly scratchier than the 28G - Claudette » Dessous Mesh Underwire Bra (CD2000) Blondie colorway, but similar fit problems: 28 is pretty tight, cups are cut strangely wide and steep under the arms, and not enough projection in the bottom of the cup. The top edge doesn't cut in like the Blondie, though, and the gore doesn't seem to float quite so badly. This one also has no decorative bow in the center.

peacock colorway

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Updated on Oct 16, 2015 Flag this

My shape: slightly shallow teardrop/FOB with super wide/tall roots and very close-set tissue in the middle


This is another Showgirl Collection bra and (as I understand it) cut almost the same as the Curvy Kate Tempt Me (SG4001) . It is a gorgeous bra in peacock blue satin with a black lace overlay that is shaped like feathers with embroidered green eyes.

If only it fit better! I don't know if sizing down to a 28G would have helped, but since they discontinued this bra I probably won't ever know. For one, the straps are So. Far. Apart. They are literally in my armpits, and any movement I ... make causes the cups to gape. I may try to adjust them, but they are right at the point of the cup, so it will require reshaping too... The shape of the neckline is also much wider [on me] than the models in the stock photos.

The Showgirls are well-known for having stretchy bands, and the 28 fits me very nicely. They are also very shallow, and I am starting to come to the conclusion that I am not quite as shallow as I thought - super tall and super wide roots give me a lot of the same fit problems that shallow breasts encounter, but at my 30FF size I must simply have a little more projection than I assumed. This makes the band migrate down a little bit so that the cups can have the fullest part around the fullest part of my breast; I have the same problem with my 30FF - Parfait By Affinitas » Casey (2801) and my 32DDD - Natori » Feathers Contour Plunge (730023) , and it isn't terribly noticeable especially under clothes, so it's not enough of a dealbreaker to make me want to send it back.

One strange thing I noticed is that the upper edge of the right cup (my smaller boob) seems to want to curl outward, a problem I have with both cups on the Parfait Casey. I am not sure whether it has to do with fit issues or construction, though.

The cup is wide enough to go around my breast tissue under my arms, and I didn't notice any discomfort while trying it on. The tag is incredibly itchy, but that is easily solved.

It's a very pretty bra, and hopefully I can resolve most of the problems with fixing the straps.


Update: Sent the bra back to exchange it for a 28FF.
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Updated on Sep 23, 2014 Flag this

My shape: Teardrop with immediate projection, as well as super wide (wraps about to my shoulder blades) and tall (within 2 fingers of my collarbone) roots that give me all the problems Shallow ladies have, with firm tissue that fights back when smooshed and that almost meets (less than 1 finger) on my sternum.

I tried this on at Intimacy because they didn't have my size in the navy satin-stripe and lace Amour push up (a new color for autumn 2015). This is how it fit on the TIGHTEST set of hooks!

Sadly, the band runs quite loose in the whole line of Simone Perele, so "the smallest band you ... have" was still quite loose. The fitter gave me a 30F, which fit at least a size looser than what I need, and the band was already riding up on the tightest set of hooks as I stood in the fitting room. It was about 1 full cup size smaller than my Fauves and Freyas in 30F, too. She did say they could easily alter the band down with their alterations service, but unfortunately there is nothing to be done about the cups.

The wires were a little narrow for me, but the whole bra was soft and very comfortable, so much so that I wouldn't have noticed if I didn't think to make specific note of it. (Note too that I have yet to find a bra that properly encompasses both the extreme width and shallow curve shape of my breast roots, so I also don't feel wires sitting on top of breast root tail like others might.) I also think it was just a little shallow for me, which contributed a little to the quadboob effect at the top of the cup, but I didn't have it on long enough to notice any migration or settling.

I do feel I should warn all ladies, too, that because it is so superbly soft, there is no nipple discretion at all - they show RIGHT through! It's almost as bad as my 30FF - Freya » Marvel Side Panel Bra (1501) , which has a cup literally made of just a single layer of stretch satin, and this Amour is supposed to be lined!

It's very pretty, so I'm a little disappointed. On the other hand, I guess the silver lining is I know ahead of time that I shouldn't waste my money buying this model, since they won't fit.
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Navy colorway

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Updated on Jul 21, 2015 Flag this

My shape: Teardrop with immediate projection, as well as super wide (wraps about to my shoulder blades) and tall (within 2 fingers of my collarbone) roots that give me all the problems Shallow ladies have, with firm tissue that fights back when smooshed and that almost meets (less than 1 finger) on my sternum.

I tried this on at Intimacy because they didn't have my size in the navy satin-stripe and lace Amour push up (a new color for autumn 2015). The Mint colorway on the TIGHTEST set of hooks fit the same as the 65F - Simone Perele » Amour 3d Plunge Bra (13R316) in navy - too loose in the band, too small in the cup, a teensy bit shallow with slightly too-narrow wires, and NO nipple discretion, but very very comfortable. Too bad you can't alter cups that are too small!

Mint colorway

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Updated on Jul 21, 2015 Flag this

My shape: mid-height front-facing teardrop-profile (ski jump with no "jump") with tall shallow roots, low apex, lots of immediate projection underneath but moderate overall projection, wide roots with lots of side fullness and shallow tails that wrap all the way to the shoulder blade, extremely close-set center tissue (possibly a trace of natural symmastia), and very firm self-supporting tissue that when pushed out of shape will push right back.

This bra was one of 5 Panache Jasmines I bought to try from Nordstrom. I also tried a 30FF in black, a 30FF in nude, a 30F in nude, and a 30FF in navy houndstooth.

Jasmine and I are clearly not ... meant to be. The cups fit better than the 30FF - Panache » Jasmine Balconnet Bra (6951) , the overall projection is a closer match, and there's less obvious issue with the top panel (which stretches nicely over my shallow upper root!), but the problems with lack of immediate depth at the wire and the apex being too high are more apparent, as well as giving a decidedly pointy profile.

The gore is too tall and stabby, but has an interesting flared shape that mirrors my own IMF pretty closely. The straps are still too far apart, although they don't chafe as ferociously as the 30FFs. The wires are narrower and the wings/side cups are slightly lower, allowing a little bulge of tissue to show over the top. However, they aren't uncomfortable, and the band fits perfectly (snug 72/BTT 66.5 cm today).

Given the changes between this and the 30FF in black, I'd be curious to see how a 30E fits in the cups, if only for comparison's sake, but I don't think the loss of wire width would work out, ultimately.
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black colorway

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Updated on Mar 18, 2018 Flag this

My shape: projected teardrop with all the shallow-breast fit problems like Orange-in-a-Glass due to my super-tall (within a finger's width of my collarbone) and super-wide (almost to my shoulder blades) roots that almost meet on my sternum, with very firm tissue that fights back when smooshed around.

This review is for the capri blue colorway.

The lace fabric and the tags are surprisingly un-scratchy, even though it's brand new. The band is firm and supportive on the loosest set of hooks. The wires under my arms don't seem to go quite high enough for my boobs' preference, but I can only tell because the top of the wire channel [that's ... sewn shut] is distorted a bit, not from any discomfort.

The only real uncomfortable part of this bra is the center gore. It is too high for me, although I can't really say how much higher than any of my other bras, but it definitely chafes. Pushing it down to a comfortable level pushes the wires out of my infra-mammary fold, and otherwise they seem to stay put pretty well.

The cups don't have quite enough immediate projection for me, sadly, and unfortunately that means the fabric folds up at the base of my breast. There's a center cup seam, but it's not placed badly and doesn't irritate across the nipples. The top edge is smooth, and the neckline is nicely open. The straps are kind of thin and very widely set, but not too wide and not uncomfortable. After a second assessment: The neckline is suuuuuper open, and I think the cups might be too big, so maybe I need a 30F? Either way, the straps are still too far apart; they were comfiest extended as long as they go, but more supportive if I shorten them some - and sadly only on the outer cup panel, which makes the inner one gape. I had hoped the vertical seam design would work on me, because I've had great luck with it in other brands (but usually with a 2 seam/3 panel cut), but alas, it looks like it's not to be.

I think this is a great summer bra, light and breathable, and is a great color. I just don't think the fit is going to be right for me, which is a shame because it's cute.
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capri blue colorway

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Updated on May 15, 2016 Flag this