Ereshiy

NB: This is a bra which has been discovered during a drawer cleanup. It's both very old and very worn! The cup depth and width measurements should be accurate, but I would be uncertain about the accuracy of any band measurements. No tag left sorry Jj.

The Berlei Sweatergirl range seem pretty typical of the type of bras used to fit more women into less sizes. They're fairly full coverage and a one-piece cup, with what appear to be somewhat wide wires, thick, close-set straps, and from my memory in the standby colours of white, beige, slightly darker beige and black. This one is 'slightly darker beige', although it ... is quite faded now. They fasten with 3 rows of 3 columns of hooks. The straps are partially adjustable.

When I was in high school, my family hadn't quite figured out the internet yet, so the smallest band size and biggest cups was very simply what was available in our department stores (Grace Brothers (now Myer) and David Jones). I was so slight as a teen, that even the standard +4 measuring tapes used in Australian bra stores didn't actually put me into a 10 (32) band, but my bust size did. So this style is (in gradually increasing cup sizes) what I wore for most of my school days.

Pros: It doesn't show up under thin, light coloured uniform shirts. The materials are very sturdy, so I outgrew the bra before I outwore it. The full coverage and fairly wide band meant that the bra was fairly comfortable to wear, despite me knowing now that it was a very poor fit.

Cons: I honestly suspect that the design of this sort of bra would not fit a woman who uses Bratabase standards of bra fit (roughly a 32" underbust and roughly a 38" bust) owing to the relatively deep, closed cups and full coverage, which are unlike the breast shape of most women in this size range (who usually have comparatively tall and shallow breasts).

Additional thoughts: I wonder why full-bust bra companies cannot adapt some of the features used by mainstream companies for their largest cup sizes, as whilst most women wearing DD-E cups probably don't require full coverage, broad bands and centred straps, women in J+ cups would appreciate these features. As a small framed, very large busted woman, I seem limited to balcony styles which end up with straps which would like to sit 2-3" out on my arms and very high-cut armholes which rub under my armpits and are uncomfortable. While balcony cuts are 'cute' and nice for a special occasion, for everyday wear, I'd really prefer something in a similar style to this.
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Updated on Sep 07, 2014 Flag this

What to say about this bra? I picked it up super cheap on ebay and didn't have especially high expectations, and I'm glad that I didn't. The quality of the materials doesn't seem to be as high as I've become accustomed to in other full-bust brands. It's a bit scratchy and the wires seem to be rather flimsy. It's got quite a nice pattern which I think was more attractive in the lilac/white combo than the plain white. I'm intrigued about the sizing system, which seems to be totally different from any other system. (Also in my review of the 30M)

Fit wise, it really doesn't fit. I anticipated ... the band being too large, as my ideal bra would be a very snug 28 or a regular/stretchy 26. I also have the common issues in this size of stupidly wide wires which lead to heaps of wasted space in the cups, and straps which are too wide set, leading to the side of the cup being too high and cutting me off under the arm. When I scoop into the bra, I have quadboob on both sides and the gore sits a very long way from my chest.

Overall, it's a bit of a disappointment, I may list it, or I may just use it for parts/practising alterations.
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Updated on May 08, 2013 Flag this

This is an unwired encapsulation bra. It has partially adjustable straps, with the other half of the strap being lightly padded for extra comfort. It has four rows of four columns of hooks.

I got this from another Bratabaser as I was in need of wireless bra options, which happen to be few and far between when you're around my size. As most of the bras I've been wearing lately have been around 30K with the band altered down, I wasn't expecting it to fit in the cups, so the fact that I escape from the top and the sides wasn't a huge surprise to me. It does make ... me feel a bit squashed, especially my top centre tissue.

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the straps were positioned in such a way that they would actually stay on my shoulders. Almost everything I try is too wide set for my narrow, sloping shoulders, so these close set, lightly padded straps are quite nice. The band is incredibly firm, only stretching to about 68cm (27" ). A true 28" ribcage wouldn't be able to get it on without an extender. I've marked the centre gore as not laying flat, but as the bra has no wires, it wouldn't actually lay flat in the correct size either.

The cups are, as other reviewers have said, quite pointy! I wouldn't be bothered by this in a sports bra if it did its job well, but I do know that it may be of concern to some other people.

The band feels snug, both because it is firm, and because it is wide. The material seems to be of good quality, and there's no features which would stab you if working out. Unfortunately, because of the sizing issue, while I can wear it around the house, I can't really put it through its paces as an exercise bra, as it's not encapsulating all of my tissue by any means.

Edit: After wearing this for a little while, I've decided it's just too snug in the cups to be comfortable. This isn't really a fault of the bra, as I'm several sizes larger than it was designed for.
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Updated on Aug 17, 2013 Flag this

I got this bra second hand from another bratabaser who had worn it a few times. I already owned a Bezyk in a different size (too large), and if you're interested, you can see my review of that bra. 65L - Ewa Michalak » Sm Beżyk

Firstly, a few basic facts about the construction in this size. The bra has fully adjustable straps, with a raised pattern on the strap which helps to make it more stable and hold the adjustment slide in place. The cup in this size is made from 2 vertical sections with another horizontally attached to the top, and a triangle of ... fabric joining the top section and the straps. It fastens with 3 rows of 4 columns of hooks.

My view on the appearance of the bra is just the same as when I got my first one. I love it! The pale apricot beige acts as a nude bra on my fair skin, and I really like the sheer, single layer lace cups. The lace will show up under a thin shirt, but isn't noticeable under light coloured clothing which is a little thicker.

Regarding the fit; the band of the bra is a bit too long on me, and seems to walk around on my back a bit with wear, even on the firmest hook. However, my preference is for a snug 28 band (or I may wear some 26 bands if they were more readily available), so this isn't a tremendous surprise to me. Because the band is super stretchy, I do feel like you could get comfortable support in the bra even if not stretched to its maximum length. The cups are a little too small for me in terms of depth; the lace cuts in a bit and creates an unusual shape, and I have a bit of cutting in on the top. Possibly one cup size up would be better, but it seems like this style is discontinued, and I know that Ewa Michalak is not known for consistency between styles, so I'm not sure if that would be my best size in all SM cuts. I still have a bit of empty space at the top of the cup, because my root isn't tall enough to fill the entire height. The straps are too far apart for me, and the bra actually performs noticeably better if I hold the straps further out (on my arms) at shoulder height. I also have my normal band construction problem with EM bras, in that there are huge loose sections at the top of the band between the cup and the straps at the rear. Very simply, 3 hooks isn't enough to hold the band even with such an open, deep cup on my ribcage. This does mean I seem to have zero wire spring, and the wires will move away from my body. However, it's the first bra I've tried in a long time where the wire width is spot on! I'm not sure if this is because there's no tension on the top of the cup or not, but it is quite pleasant.

Overall, this bra is wearable for me, and would probably be a bit more wearable if I shortened the band. I'd prefer a fit which is a bit more supportive, but this is what I expected from the bra based on my experience with other EM models- good wire width, okay cup depth, straps set too far apart, and utterly incompatible band construction.
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Updated on Jan 05, 2014 Flag this

Back to the Princess again. Love the shape, and plus I still have matching panties I haven't killed yet- it's a high-quality set. Straps are still a little slippy for my liking.

Edit: Straps and underwire are both a little wide for my liking, leading to added pressure on my shoulders. The band stretched fairly quickly (I like my bands to be quite firm). Even after several months, the bra provides a nice line under tops/dresses, on the proviso that they're thick enough to cover up the dots.

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Updated on Apr 02, 2013 Flag this

After finally being talked into getting one of these, I still hate the shape it gives me just as much as the other times I've tried one on. I feel just a little like Lara Croft in early Tomb Raider games- my breasts seem to have acquired this odd polygonal shape.

The wires are firm and haven't distorted, and the back has been slower to stretch than some of my other bras which rapidly end up on the smallest hook. I have had a problem with the wires sitting in the wrong spot and rubbing. I think it's designed for someone with a lower bust than myself.

I have the usual beef with all ++ size bras seeming to be covered in pattern stuff. I actually don't want people to see a leafy design when I wear shirts. For something that's supposed to be an everyday bra, that's a big downside for me.

I just feel like this would be a great bra, for someone else.

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Updated on Jul 05, 2012 Flag this

As a note comparing this to my other bras, I didn't buy it because I'd thought it would fit.

I can't really comment on the comfort or fit of the bodysuit, because of the fact that I knew from the outset it wouldn't, but with the difficulty of getting nice lingerie in my size, I thought I'd take the plunge anyway.

I love the navy lace on coral cups, and the overall look of the suit. I also appreciate the 3 hook fastening. The straps only are half adjustable, having a decorative 2 piece strap on the front and adjusting from the top down, which makes me think that if it was a correct fit, I'd have trouble getting them to the right length.

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Updated on Jul 14, 2013 Flag this

The bra in this size is made of a 3 part cup. The straps are partially 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 on this bra was in line with the length I'd expect for a 55/26 band and the amount of stretchiness in most EM bras.

This bra has beige foam cups with a black lace overlay and the band of the bra is black. I think that if your skin tone was similar to that of the bra cup, it would look like a sheer lace bra. The gore is quite low, as opposed to the sizes I've tried for myself in the PL (60L and 65L), where the bra isn't really a true plunge.

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Updated on Feb 20, 2014 Flag this

I got this bra second hand from another Bratabaser. It's an unbanded bra style with 2 rows of 3 columns of hooks, which is standard for Cleo bras. The straps are half adjustable.

The design on this bra is quite cute- I like the pink with the floral embroidery. The bra when I got it was obviously worn, but still certainly has some life in it. I'd say that it's a bit stretchier than a standard 28 band, stretching to closer to 77cm (30.5" ).

I generally find that the gores in unbanded bras are too wide for me, and this was no exception. I think that despite the straps ... being designed as half adjustable, if you were very stubborn, you could pull the adjustment over the fabric section. The straps in Cleo bras tend to be a little narrower than I prefer, but Bonnie certainly has fairly stable straps with no sharp edges. The wires are wider than I require, but not excessively wide in comparison to some bras in this size range.

Unfortunately, this bra is just too small in the cup & too closed off on the top for me. I think that it would work better on fuller on bottom breasts, and that I'd need something like a 26L if Cleo made it to get a decent fit in this bra.
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Updated on Jul 29, 2013 Flag this

I got this second hand from another Bratabaser with view to alterations, but I'd forgotten about Ariza's crazy sizing inconsistencies. This Ariza is in the Blossom colourway, and is huge compared to what I expected from the Violet Mix colourway I tried in a different size.

Blossom would kind of be a nude colour I guess, but it's not really nude on me, as the tone is too cool for my warm skin tone. It's a 4 piece cup, which is described as a balcony, but feels more like a full cup. The straps are partially adjustable, and adjust towards the back, so there's no way to force the ... slide over the thicker bit of the strap for more leeway. It fastens with 3 rows of 3 columns of hooks.

I've recently found Panache Ariza in 30K too small in the cup, Jasmine 30K borderline too small, but this bra is very large. The wires are long, the cups are wide, the straps are long, the band stretches a long way compared to other bras of a comparable size. It's just a big bra. It's actually the first bra I've tried on in months which doesn't cut in on top, but it's so huge everywhere else that I can't wear it.

Everything seems to be of the usual sturdy Panache quality, so I think it would provide great support to someone who was the correct size for the bra.
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Blossom colorway

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Updated on Jan 20, 2014 Flag this