I have done it. I have found the holy grail of bras. I think I have found my perfect bra.

So, I have found that it is my shape, rather than my size, that makes it so difficult to find a bra that actually works for me. I am functionally full-on-bottom with narrow, very short roots, and a huge amount of projection. My boobs essentially go straight out from my body on both top and bottom. Finding bras with enough depth but not too much height is a struggle; throwing a need for narrow wires in just makes it worse.

This bra has it ALL. It says it was designed ... for petite women, which I am not, but with my breast shape and the fact that they are so high-set on my chest I ordered it anyway, hoping it'd work. And oh does it work.

The band is fantastically snug - incredibly so for Elomi bras. They tend to run rather loose, to where when (well, if, since I have Etta now) I replace my Caitlyn I plan on getting a 34 band (I also tried on Lexi in a 34GG for kicks and giggles at Nordstrom Rank and despite being way too small in the cup the band was great). This is not loose at all and is much more true to size; I measured the band at 36.5" while stretched. Awesome.

It also has gloriously narrow wires. My other Elomis, much as I love them, have wires that are 7" or more. My EM experiments have led me to find that wires in the 6.3-6.5" width work best for me. This bra falls right in that range. Yes!

The cup has just enough height where I don't have gaping even where the cup meets the strap - something I've been resigned to expect from any unlined bra I try. The wings and gore are both very low for Elomi and, well, most bras in this size. The underwire channels are lined in a nice soft fleece, which makes them extremely comfortable against my chest, and the straps are also slightly fleecy.

I love the bright cheery pink color, and the sunflower embroidery is adorable. It'll probably show through on a thin shirt, but who cares? Not me. It's pretty! I also like the matching bows on the gore and straps, and how the gore isn't full fabric all the way up but rather a keyhole. Very nice.

The only real quibbles I have are the width of the gore - it's a bit too wide for my breasts, which are happier in narrow gores, but it's not a dealbreaker by any means. The fabric is a bit stiff - it reminds me of the material that Caitlyn is made of, but stiffer and less satiny. Still, I'm sure it'll soften up once I wash it; I can't remember if my Caitlyn was stiffer at first or not.

This bra basically takes all of the usual stuff about Elomi - wide wires, loose bands, tall sides, etc. - and throws it out the window. And it's fantastic. I'm absolutely going to be recommending it to everyone in this bra's size range that needs narrower wires but doesn't necessarily want the hassle of trying Polish bras.
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Pomegranate colorway

Updated on Jun 05, 2015 Flag this

Hettie is a bra that I fell in love with the moment it was first announced last year, but was wary about, due to all of the conflicting info about what cut it'd be the most like. As a result, I missed out on the cobalt blue one, only to learn that it should be almost perfect for my shape. Sigh.

My shape: very narrow, very projected, very short roots. I need all of the space imaginable near the wire. UK bras generally cannot accommodate my shape well. Hettie doesn't do so perfectly, but it does do a damn admirable job at it, enough where I'm putting it ... at my best UK fit.

The bra itself is gorgeous, and the quality of the materials is surprising for a Cleo bra. The inner lining is very soft, not scratchy at all. The outer mesh is very smooth and shows just enough of the hot pink to make this lovely deep magenta color. The straps are lined with a thick, fleecy material. The stretch lace on the top has a subtle but pretty pattern that reminds me of crochet. The metal hardware is the same hot pink of the lining, and the bow on the gore is black and hot pink. All in all, it creates a very striking look, and is very comfortable to wear. It also looks a lot more grown-up than most of Cleo's offerings, and that's with it being hot pink!

The fit on me is not 100% perfect. I'm disappointed that Hettie wound up being wider than I had expected. That said, basically every UK bra is too wide for me, so I don't really count it as a huge deal. The gore is just a bit too wide and sits on breast tissue; I may narrow that at some point. While the cups are very closed in on top (excellent for me!), I do get a bit of gaping in the top near the gore. Not enough to be visible through a shirt or for me to really care, but it's there. Again, something I can probably alter to fix. The band is surprisingly stretchy for a Cleo band, but not enough where I'd want to size down. It still feels nice and snug once on, on the loosest hooks.

It does, however, sit in my IMF. I cannot stress how big this is for me enough - I have an extremely hard time finding bras that can do that, due to the fact that my boobs just demand *so much* room at the bottom of the cup for them. No UK bra I've tried, not even my precious Elomi Etta which was, previously, my best UK fit, can do that. Only my Comexim 3HCs can reliably stay in place. But Hettie can do it. And Hettie will stay there all damn day. I am incredibly impressed. And that makes me willing to ignore all of the other minor fit issues and decide this to be my best UK fit.

The shape is a bit on the pointy side, especially on my smaller breast. But I'm not surprised by or disappointed by this; I've seen the bra described as a mix between Envy and Jasmine, so I expected some pointiness. This is also a description that I'd say is 100% accurate - it's got the bottom depth of Envy with the shape of Jasmine, just compressed into a shorter area. I could probably get a more rounded shape if I sized down a cup but...ehh. It's not terribly important to me.

The one thing that bugs me about it is the lining and elastic on the stretch lace that's present in the GG+ cups, and hence in this one. I feel like it's probably unnecessary (I say as someone at the top of Cleo's size range), and that without it the top of the cup could probably conform to my shape better. It also hides the pattern on the lace. But, ehh. It's not a dealbreaker. It's just a small annoyance. Also, as ever, I wish that Cleo would do three-hook enclosures in larger cup sizes, but two still works okay.

Basically - love this bra.
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Pink colorway

Updated on Sep 28, 2016 Flag this

I decided to order this bra last month after the underwire popped out of my 36HH - Panache » Envy Balconnet Bra (7285) , since I needed a replacement but couldn't find any Envys under $60...and because I was curious about how unlined Comexims fit. I have a particular love of half cups, because they work so well with my shape (very short, projected, and full on bottom). Of course there's little info to go on; comparing the measurements of an 80M Coco with my 85K - Comexim » Sonia Half Cup (406) made me opt to size down a cup size, as it ... seemed the unlined one ran larger.

I ordered this on 6/20, it shipped last week, and it arrived today - so about a month from ordering to receiving. As far as alterations go, I asked for the straps to be moved in, as well as the gore narrowed. I'm assuming the straps were moved; the gore is definitely much narrower.

The fit on it is pretty great. The band is quite tight, so going with an 85 was actually the right choice this time - I measured it at about 36.5" stretched. The cups have a lot of immediate depth, which is something I need in a bra - the wires sit happily in my IMF and don't want to go anywhere. The wires are *very* narrow - at 6" they are the narrowest of any bra I own, and I think they are right at the limit of how narrow of a wire I can comfortably wear. The shape I get is not *quite* as uplifted as I get from my Sonia, but it's close - I'm actually surprised at how supportive the bra is, considering it's a single layer of mesh lace. Of course, I also haven't played around with adjusting the straps much yet, so I'm sure that I can get a bit more lift if I adjust those.

Going down a cup in size was the right choice, as it does indeed run larger in the cup than Sonia does, however it's not quite a full cup size larger; I get just the teensiest bit of almost-quad on my larger side. Still, not enough to really effect the fit or be noticeable, and definitely not enough to size up. Getting the gore narrowed was definitely the right choice as well - it tacks perfectly this time. The wings measure as being tall, but as was the case with Sonia, they're actually quite low under the sides - I think the fact that the wires are so narrow makes wing measurements kind of inaccurate since it's meant to be where the side meets the cup.

The bra itself is beautiful. It's this really pretty sheer lace mesh, with hot pink bows on the gore. Black and hot pink is one of my favorite color combinations, so I'm very pleased with how it looks. The lace itself has a really interesting design on it - it isn't floral like most laces are, but instead this abstract squiggle design. It's neat, but I think I would have preferred a more typical floral lace. The sides of the bra are just plain black - I kind of wish the lace had been overlaid onto the wings and band. The tops of the cups are also edged with a pretty trim that I like.

Overall, this bra was a great experiment, and will be a good replacement for my Envy, at half the cost. I'm really happy with the appearance and fit, and I'll definitely be getting more unlined 3HCs.
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This bra's measurements have been altered

Altered straps, Straps moved in, gore narrowed

Updated on Jul 22, 2016 Flag this

After about a year of wondering whether or not I should try Comexim, I went ahead and placed an order. My size is outside of what they list on their website, but they were willing to make it for me anyway. I ordered Sonia in a three-part half cup, size 85K, with the straps moved in 2cm and cookie pockets added to the insides of the cups. The size was a guess, but it appears I guessed right!

The bra is, first of all, absolutely gorgeous - pictures simply do not do it justice. The peachy-pink of the cups, overlaid with the silver lace, is just beautiful. The straps ... are a different color - a nice darker tan - and the gore and straps are decorated with bows made up of two ribbons, one in each color. The pink is too dark to be a real nude on me, but it still blends close enough that it's not very visible under a thin shirt. The way the seaming is done on the cups is virtually invisible under a thin shirt. I find it much less noticeable than the seams on my EMs.

The bra is also very, very comfortable. The straps are fully adjustable, which isn't something I need but is nice just the same, and they are not too far apart for me. The padding of the bra itself is actually thinner than I had expected, which is nice - it's already getting to be too warm for padded bras where I live, so it's nice to know I can actually wear this bra right now. Also, because the padding is thinner, I don't get bunching around the armpit area, like happens with my EMs.

As for the fit...it actually fits me pretty well! Due to my shape - very projected, narrow, very short roots, lots of bottom fullness - I have a tricky time getting a good fit in most bras. The gore doesn't tack completely, but Comexim has very soft wires so I was expecting that to be the case; if I press it down I do not get any quadding. There is plenty of projection at the wire (which I need), and a good amount of space in the center (which I also need). The cups are just a hair too tall, especially towards the center on my smaller size, but I adjusted the straps and stuck a pair of cookies in from one of my EMs, which makes up almost all of the difference - the pictures are before I adjusted the straps. Under a shirt there's only a tiny bit of a crease on my smaller size where the cup sticks up just a tiny bit too much. The wires are shorter than the channels, so I adjusted them so that the empty space is in the gore which helps it sit a bit more closely. The band runs just slightly less than true to size; I went with 85 instead of 80 and it measures just under 38" stretched. The wires are a good width for me, and while the wings measure as being high, they don't poke my armpits at all.

I will absolutely be ordering from Comexim again. I love EM, and CHP is amazing for me, but 3HC works almost as well, costs a lot less, and I can get customizations done on it for free. That right there makes it a winner for me, and I am very pleased with this. I think if I order a 3HC with a lowered gore and overlapping wires, that'll solve the few small fit issues I have with this bra.
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This bra's measurements have been altered

Altered straps, Straps moved in 2cm

Updated on Apr 20, 2016 Flag this

Finally ordered some new bras, and for the first time in about a year and a half I've got some that fit again!

Some important info: I had a baby in June 2018. Before pregnancy, I generally wore 36H/HH, and had very short, very narrow roots.

Now: a bit wider and slightly taller roots, a bit more full overall. Still need all of the depth at the wire I can get. ABTF calculator suggested 38HH. My shape before meant that it would tend to overestimate my size by a cup, now I think it's either spot-on or maybe a slight underestimate.

I tried some 38H Elomis and they were too ... small. Ordered some 38HHs and ta-da!

I like this bra. The color is slightly darker than my skin tone, but not enough to really be an issue. I like the pattern on the fabric and lace; it's just enough for some visible interest but not so much it's overwhelming. The gore is high for a plunge, but that's to be expected in this size range really. The band is very TTS, which means it's actually a tiny bit tighter than I'd prefer, but it's not uncomfortable at all, and I'm sure it will loosen up a bit as I wear it more.

The sides are a bit too high, but it's not uncomfortable, it's just a bit annoying. It's a wider bra than other recent Elomis I've tried, but that's fine. I don't need as narrow a wire as I used to anyway. I do have the same issue I did with the 38H Elomi Morgan I tried, where the side support sling causes some vertical in-cup quadding, but it's very slight and not visible under clothing. I think that might just be one of those things my breasts do now.

This bra is really comfy, though, and I'm really happy with it. It's nice to have ones that fit and feel good again.
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Updated on Sep 12, 2019 Flag this

I decided to try this on a whim, and I'm glad I did. It's a beautiful bra, and it works surprisingly well with my chest. The band is a true 36, the bra is comfy and lightweight to wear, and while it just barely doesn't tack, it's not enough for me to really care. Not absolutely perfect, but certainly a keeper.

http://yesthatsarealsize.blogspot.com/2015/08/review-ewa-michalak-hm-cukierec...

This bra is not owned any more

Updated on Aug 14, 2015 Flag this

I ordered this bra because it was on sale on amazon for $30, and I love how it looks.

Technically, it doesn't fit me - it's just the wrong shape for my breasts. It's too open on the top for me, and doesn't have quite enough immediate projection on the bottom. However, it's amazingly comfortable. The straps aren't too wide, the wires are the right width for me, the band is nicely snug, it's really pretty...

I played around with pinching closed the gaping fabric on the top, and doing so makes it look good and fit nicely - closing off the top seems to change the shape enough that the lack of space in the bottom becomes less of an issue. . So I'm keeping it anyway, as a quick alteration project.

Purple Floral colorway

This bra is not owned any more

Updated on Nov 14, 2014 Flag this

Well, this one was a surprise. It was the single bra close to my size at Nordstrom Rack. It was $10. I've never had any luck with a molded bra before. And I've wanted the Bijou Flirt since it came out.

So I was shocked that it actually fit pretty darn well! It's not perfect, but it's the closest I've come in a while. The gore is wide, but it's low enough to not really matter. It's a good width. The band is closer to being TTS than the measurements indicate, due to having four hooks instead of three. The bottom of the cup is too shallow for me, but I don't actually see much cup collapsing and it stays close enough to my IMF that it's still comfortable. And I love the criss-cross straps. It does mean that it will be visible under low-cut shirts, but that's fine for me.

I'm quite happy with this.

Updated on Jul 16, 2019 Flag this

I don't think I'll ever find a perfect bra, but as far as padded ones go, I think I've come as close as I'm going to get. This is the first bra where I've been gleeful after trying it on.

The bra itself is this lovely pale peachy-pink. The top of the cups are decorated with matching lace trim, and there's a matching bow on the gore, as well as a tiny little gem. On me, the color can almost pass as a nude, which is great. The color and the simplicity of the bra itself I really like; it's not exactly sexy, rather more elegant. I approve. ... Also, it's a vertically-seamed halfcup so it just looks lovely and gives amazing cakes on a plate cleavage which I love. To quote my husband, "holy crap, you have a shelf".

As far as the fit goes...okay, it's not a perfect fit. It is actually a bit too small in the cup; the gore doesn't quite tack (there's about a finger-width of space) and when I push it down I get some very minor quadboob on my larger breast when the inserts are in. With the inserts, however, the cups are just about the right height for my super-short roots. I can sacrifice the gore tacking for this bra. Without the inserts, the gore still doesn't quite tack but I don't get quadboob when I push it down, though the cup is also too high on my smaller breast. So, inserts are staying in. I think that if the wires were a bit firmer (I like the nice super-firm wires in Panache bras) I wouldn't have an issue with it not tacking.

The band is a true 38 band - I measured it stretched at just over 38 inches. I think that for further EM orders I may go down to 36/80 bands. The four columns of hooks means it will be a very long time before it stretches too loose for me to wear, however. The wires are a good width, the gore is just about where I like it to be, and the sides are a good height - no armpit stabbing! Always a plus.

As far as downsides go on this bra - the edging on the straps, while pretty, makes it difficult to adjust them (I have this problem with my 85GG - Ewa Michalak » Chp Owoce Leśne (573) as well). The other thing that was immediately noticeable to me is that the inserts themselves leave some unattractive lines and lumpiness on the front of the bra. I don't imagine this will be visible unless wearing an incredibly tight t-shirt, but even so.

This bra makes me happy and I am happy with it.
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This bra is not owned any more

Updated on May 24, 2015 Flag this

I just like the way the S style looks, and while 85HH (the size originally recommended to me) was a disaster, I decided to try 85GG and see if it'd work for me. I've been having good luck in the 80GG/85G/85GG area for CHP, so it stands to logic that about the same size would have potential.

It's not perfect, but it's certainly way better than the 85HH S was on me.

The cups are just about the right height for my breasts - the top of the cup doesn't really extend above the curve of my boobs while they're situated in the bra, which is good! However, the ... cups are not quite deep enough - the gore doesn't tack, though pushing it down doesn't cause any quadboob. With the cookies in, there's about a finger and a half of space there; without the cookies it's smaller but still not tacking.

The band is closer to a 36 than a 38; once again, inconsistency remains consistent in EM bras. Wires could stand to be a slight bit narrower for me but work.

The color of the bra is a pretty darker tan; too dark for a nude on me, but a good nude shade just the same. The fabric has a similar pattern on it to the S Kamea, which I like. The outer fabric is very stretchy, though, so it wrinkles a lot when the bra is on. The button accents are cute, but I think they look a bit cheap.

In all - cute bra, and I'm closer to figuring out what I should be wearing in S, but I'm not yet decided if this one is a keeper or not.
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This bra is not owned any more

Updated on Jun 27, 2015 Flag this