Ereshiy

This bra is a 3-piece style, with 3 rows of 3 columns of hooks. The straps are fully adjustable.

I got the Gia in Seafoam from another bratabaser, as I keep deluding myself into thinking that I can get a good fit in Curvy Kate bras. This colourway is the new cut for larger cup sizes, and while better than styles I have tried in the past, it's still too wide for me and too shallow in the centre.

I love the colour of the bra, and also the detailing of a small ruffle near the clasps in fabric which matches the top section of the bra cup.

The material of ... the band is very stretchy! It actually sits flat on me, despite the fact that in an ideal world I'd wear a 26 band. However, it has no real purchase whatsoever, so it doesn't provide any support.

I've indicated that the straps don't adjust to be short enough, though to be honest that's hard to gauge as the side of the bra cups is too high under my arms. I have a lot of excess width at the side of the cups, and not enough space in the centre, so I quad out of the cups.

I'm not sure if the fabric for this particular bra was faulty or poor quality, but after minimal wear, the powermesh has puckered up, like a bra which has been used for a very long time.

Overall, I'd say that the new CK cuts have the same kind of shaping as the old ones, with a wire width which is comparable to Panache superbra.
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Updated on Aug 01, 2013 Flag this

I'm really not quite sure what I can say about this bra. I guess I can start off with some facts about it. Harmony is a 3-piece balconnet with the two lower sections made of opaque material and the top section made of a sheer fabric with embroidered decoration. The straps are partially adjustable and its fastening has 3 rows of 3 columns of hooks. The bra is unbanded- the band doesn't continue through the gore.

I got this from another bratabaser, and it's a size larger than I would usually get in bras, but I feel like I can comment on some of the unusual features of the ... fit. This is a big bra. I feel like it's larger than I would expect, comparing it to the fit of other bras I have tried around the 30K and 32K mark. The wires are very, very wide. So wide that they wrap around to the flat of my back. I measure at 64.5cm as tight as possible, and like bands to be at about 68cm (27" ) stretched length to be comfortable, so I am a little smaller than the bra has been made for, but I feel like even with a 30" ribcage, the wires would be inappropriately wide.

The base of the cups is very shallow, and the curve of the wires is also shallow, meaning that I have a lot of empty space in the bottom of the cups. The straps are very wide-set, so they don't stay on my shoulders unless I angle them in, and they don't adjust to be short enough for my high-set breasts and small frame. Somehow, there's still not quite enough room in the top centre of the bra for my breasts, and I spill out a little there, or at least feel very ill contained.

I could in theory try a size down, but I feel like this bra is pretty much the reverse of what I need. I need very deep, narrow, short cups with straps which are close-set and allow me to wear the bra high on my chest. Harmony has very shallow, wide, tall cups with wide-set straps.

The material is lovely and soft, and I feel like in sizes where pattern scaling is not so much of an issue, this bra could be quite wearable. The straps also are thick and comfortable on my shoulders- they don't twist up or cut in.

If for some reason, you have a very wide root, with shallow, tall breasts which aren't too high on your chest and wide shoulders, Harmony in 30KK could be good for you. If you don't have this combination of features, the bra in this size may be worth a miss.
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Updated on Jul 16, 2013 Flag this

NB: This bra is a prototype and may not reflect the finished product.

I have been exceptionally fortunate and was sent a second slightly different prototype of the Aubergine. I've already reviewed the bra (see my other entry), but this version has green straps and clasp instead of the black of the initial bra.

This version is also a reduced cup and still has fully adjustable straps and fastens with 4 columns of 3 rows of hook and eyes. The cup and wing fabric is identical (and very nice).

While the basics are the same, I have found that the green elastic is slightly more stretchy than the black, making the ... band on the longer side for me (it's currently most comfortable on the second or third hook), and the straps are a little flimsier. I think that the green straps must be a little longer as I've found them slightly too long even fully shortened for my high-set breasts.

If I wear the band on a comfortable hook, the fit of this bra is similar (nice cup depth, cups a little tall for my short breasts, gore doesn't quite tack, straps much too far apart).

I think that I prefer the appearance of this version, but the version with the black elastic is a little sturdier, and therefore more comfortable for my very heavy, projected breasts.
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Updated on Feb 04, 2015 Flag this

I've been keen to get my hands on a Bravissimo half cup for a while, as I thought it was my best bet of trying out a half cup with Ewa Michalak's styles being a bit too small in cup volume to be likely to work. I got this bra second hand from another user who'd worn it a few times.

Bravissimo's half cups in this size range consist of 4 vertical panels with the outermost one being the tallest and connecting to the strap. The straps are sturdy, wide, and fully adjustable. The bra fastens with 3 rows of 3 columns of hooks.

The bra is super lively ... and colourful! It reminds me of tropical birds, which makes sense considering the name. The seams don't really show up under tops, but the print does, so you'd need a thick top or a second layer with almost any colour you wear.

The band of the bra is too big for me, which is totally unsuprising considerding my snug underbust measurement is less than 28". There's no 28 bands above a J cup in Bravissimo, and the half cup ends at a J anyway, so this was my best chance to try out the cut. The wires are quite a bit too wide and the straps are set a long way apart, which means I need to angle them to stay on my shoulders. However, the shape the cup gives is great! I feel lifted and supported. It works well on my firm, slightly fuller on top breasts. The trim on the top of the bra cuts in a bit, but I suspect that sizing up would just end up with me having an even wider cup and not much more room on top. As-is, I think it would make a nice special occasions bra for someone who is fuller on top with a medium-wide root. If the straps were a bit closer together, it could even be an everyday bra, the design seems to be quite good.

I'm planning to try some alterations on this, as the overall cup shape is good to see if I can get a better fit.
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Updated on Jan 23, 2014 Flag this

The Freya Pier really seems as though it's the best of a bad bunch when it comes to swimwear over a J cup (Curvy Kate cup shape not that great on me, Panache wires far too tall). It's an underwired bikini top, and it fastens with a swimwear clasp. The straps are fully adjustable.

Personally, I like my swimwear to have some coverage, and I also don't care for dark colours, but I wanted to be able to swim and feel contained, so this is what I've opted for. Polkadots are cute, but I would prefer a brighter background and really wish the Pier tankini came up to a ... K cup.

The actual lift the bikini provides is great and the shape is quite flattering. I'd prefer a much thicker back band, and could honestly pass on the swimwear clasp and go for something which is a bit more adjustable to prolong the wear. I may be slight, but I'm not skinny, and the thin band creates some back bulges I could live without. The band is a little on the long side, but I like my bands to be quite firm, and I also think that possibly a wider band would answer just as well for support.

The cups are borderline too small on me, and so the gore doesn't tack. The wires are very wide, and like most Freya offerings, a bit on the flimsy side, but I don't hold swimwear to the same standards as things I'd wear everyday, so this isn't the end of the world. I think that in an ideal world, I'd get my best fit in a 28KK in this top, but that size isn't made.

I tried the matching bottoms for this, which I found to be a very poor cut for me. As they're neither long enough to be true high-waisted pants or short enough to be briefs, the smaller sizes I'd take in briefs (XS/S) cut into my tummy, but the larger sizes I'd take in high-waisted pants (M/L) hang off my legs because the legholes are cut too wide. This situation isn't uncommon for me in pants because of my aggressively heart-shaped hips, but it does mean I plan to get some swimmer bottoms cut in briefs style to wear with the top instead.

I'm planning to add some more notes to this review after I've worn the top for a while.
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Black colorway

Updated on Jan 16, 2014 Flag this

This is a basic plunge bra in a 'toffee' colour, which I'd consider to be skin colour on me (points to EM for recognising there is more than one kind of nude). In this size range, the cup is made out of four parts, and has fully adjustable straps.

This bra is a curious failure in many ways. Too large in the back is it's simplest problem, and the one which would be easiest to remedy. It's stretched length is comparable to other 28 band bras I've had, so it probably runs a little tight for it's size, but my ideal bra would probably be a 26 band or ... a really tight 28, so I never really expected it to be firm enough. It is actually the first bra I've tried on in quite some time which has a wire which is about the correct width for my breast tissue. While I marked it as being too wide in the cups, this is more because of the fabric than the wire width. All the really weird fun things are mostly related to the fact that the cup cannot come up high enough on my petite frame with a high root, and the straps are too wide.

I spill into the centre of the bra (I'm not sure whether my breasts would function better with a bra with a higher, narrower gore or whether it's just everything else causing these problems), and my breasts kind of pool in the bottom of the plunge, with huge gapping at the sides. If I could somehow make my shoulders about 2 inches wider, I'm actually quadboobing out of the cup quite noticeably. It's actually not overly uncomfortable (or maybe it's just that all my other bras are so bad), but it looks dreadful.

Positives about the bra? It looks lovely and like it would be really nice under a T-shirt with it's smooth line. The quality of the materials is very high as well, and it feels far superior to my Curvy Kate Moulded bras.

With a bit of determination and creativity, I did manage to transform this into something which is wearable but not ideal, so I can add some additional thoughts.

The straps on this bra are the most ridiculous torture device known to bra kind. Despite being very wide (which is good), they aren't stable at all, so they fold under themselves and dig into my shoulders. I'm planning to put in some other straps at some point, which will hopefully make the bra less painful. I also noticed that the band stretched out quite a lot during the initial few weeks of wear. I ended up taking the bra in several times in order to make it sufficiently snug for me. I don't feel like plunge bras are a real winner for my shape, I'm a bit too top centre full for them to work very well. Still, it's a bra which doesn't show up under shirts, even very light shirts in light colours, and I haven't had one of those for ages, so even this bra has a silver lining.
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Updated on Jul 03, 2013 Flag this

The bra in this size is made of a 3 part cup. The straps are fully adjustable and the band fastens with 2 rows of 4 columns of hooks. It comes with removable 'push-up' pads to help with breast asymmetry or add an extra boost. The band was a length which I would expect for a 55/26 band, and in line with other EM models in terms of stretchiness.

The bra is white with a white lace overlay and a bit satin bow at the gore. The straps are multiway, and can be worn straight up and down, or alternatively cross-over or possibly halterneck if a suitable strap was available. It's not designed to be worn as a strapless bra though. Unlike the PL Onyks and Lilia, this bra only comes with the one set of straps, and no 'comfort' or halter straps.

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Updated on Feb 26, 2014 Flag this

Be aware that I measured stretched length with due diligence but owing to the design of the suit, I don't think that it's an accurate indicator of the actual stretched length- the lycra covering over the bra got in the way.

Despite all the apparent fit issues with this swimsuit, it does it's job quite well. While in an ideal world, I'd probably like something a little snugger in the band and more generous in the cup, I feel comfortable and supported when I swim. I wouldn't want to go running in it, or even wear it for extended periods of time out of the water, but in the ... water I'm very happy in this suit.

It's a tricky thing to get on, and aside from having a friend to help you, you need to wriggle into the top, pull the separate underwired section down over your breasts so it stops stabbing you in the neck, then pull the rest of it down, and unless you're more clever than me, you'll need to spin it around to fasten it, as the fastenings are the reverse of normal bra fastenings (the hooks are the inner section instead of the outer section). Once it's on though, it's quite secure.

I do tend to fall out of the bottom of the bra section, but that's only to be expected as my breasts are probably 3-4 cup sizes larger than what's been recommended for the suit. I'd like something with a gore that's a little less high in the centre as well- it stabs a bit. The straps on it are actually reasonably sensibly placed (not so wide set as to rub under my arms), and are fully adjustable.

I love the look of this print- it's like I have a swimsuit covered in jelly beans! I have the matching bottoms in an 8, which I'd say run true to size- I normally get an 8 in underpants/swimmer bottoms and this was no exception. The briefs have nice full coverage and the tankini is sufficiently long to cope with my long torso and round tummy without leaving a massive gap between tops and bottoms.

I haven't worn this a lot, because I rarely swim, but it does seem to be quite a durable suit and hasn't suffered damage from chlorine/salt/sunscreen.
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Updated on Apr 29, 2013 Flag this

This was the bra I sent away to have a pattern based on, and it came back with some alterations. It now has 3 hooks instead of Cleo's usual 2, and the back has an extra layer of powernet for reinforcing, as well as padded straps. The band has also been slightly shortened.

Unfortunately, because my breasts had grown in between when I sent the bra away and when I received it, the cups are noticeably too small, which is a shame because the additional features seem like it would make the bra quite comfortable to wear.

This bra's measurements have been altered

Altered band,

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Updated on Dec 20, 2013 Flag this

This bra is labelled as a 6, but it's been designed as part of Enell's custom fit process, so it's actually a 6 front with a 00 back and band. For reference, I measure 28.5" (72cm) around my underbust snugly and 26" (66cm) very tightly, and 43" (110cm) around my bust in most bras, and have lately been mostly wearing bras around a 30K with the band taken in to about 67cm stretched length.

So, the measurements probably aren't super useful to you- unless you were interested in this specific bra. Onto the bra itself! Enell creates compression sports bras, and it's basically a front-opening vest with hook and ... eyes in the centre. This would show up under anything except for a t-shirt with a very high neck, and the shiny fabric isn't exactly the most aesthetically pleasing compared to say a Panache Sports or Freya Active, but it does it's job. I don't expect sports bras to be pretty, but I do know some people consider aesthetics when choosing one.

After communicating with the Enell team, they directed me to the custom fit department as my measurements were (well) outside of the range of their standard sports bras. One downside of the whole process was that it took 3 months from when I had initial discussions to when I actually received the bra, so if you want a custom bra, don't expect it in a hurry! There's a base price depending on the size of the bra you get ($64 for sizes 00-3 and $66 for sizes 4 and up), a custom fee of $15 and then each extra modification from the pattern costs $7.50. My bra had the straps shortened and the smaller back, so that was two alterations and cost me $88.50 US. You also get a choice from several colours as an included option, and I'm very happy with my choice of pink.

The band on the bra is incredibly comfortable- I wish that other bras came with this really thick, supportive elastic on the bottom. I could do with the straps being a little closer set, and I think that my problem with breasts which are very short for their projection has come into play, as I fill out the bottom 2/3 of the bra very well, but have a lot of space at the top, meaning that it can't reduce bounce at all. I'm planning to try to shorten the front section a little to see if this improves the fit and means I can actually wear it as a sports bra. It is comfortable to wear around the house though, and actually in my size range doesn't give me a shape which is any more odd than a regular bra, if I'm prepared to wear something very high cut to cover it up.

I would think that the issues with fit are mainly to do with my large amount of projection for breast height and not indicative of the custom fit process. If you're hard to fit, or want a compression bra which will hold you down regardless of size, I think that Enell could be very good (as long as you're prepared to wait a while for your bra to be delivered).
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This bra's measurements have been altered

Updated on Sep 10, 2013 Flag this