I just bought this bra yesterday at the local boutique. It’s a pretty mesh bra with sheer mesh on top and a striped mesh on the lower half. It looks solid at first glance but if you look at the picture, there’s a part where you can see lines meeting the top panel of the cup. I thought it was wrinkling when I looked at the photo and then I looked closer at the bra itself and realized it has diagonal stripes.

It feels comfortable on and gives good lift. My band size recently changed, so I was looking for a comfortable black or nude bra. On me, it’s hitting a bit high on the front part of the armhole, but that might be because the saleswoman made my straps pretty snug during the fitting. I'm not 100% sure. It could be that the fit is just a tiny bit off or it might need a little breaking in.

I’ve had the bra on all day and it was mostly comfortable, but I did notice that the underwire pressed a little hard a couple times. It might just need breaking in.

It does gift nice lift and projection and gives a rounded shape.

This bra is not owned any more

Updated on Nov 09, 2017 Flag this

• Show all comments (20)
• 2

  It looks gorgeous on you!

• It looks gorgeous on you!

• I’m a little worried about the chafing of the arm hole. It is now digging onto my arm pit. I don’t know if that means an issue with the size or the construction of the bra. That’s never been a problem with any bra I’ve ever owned, even the I’ll-fitting ones.

• Sorry, replying from my phone and I didn’t catch the autocorrect errors.

• If my bands aren't tight enough, my breasts tilt the cups forward and the wires poke my armpits. So, does the band have enough holding power?

• 1

  I'm not sure. I didn't experience any poking wires on the side or under the armpit. It's just the elastic curve that goes around the armpit and connects to the strap is chafing me. The band mostly stayed in place, though there were a couple times where I felt like the underwire chafed a bit and I wasn't sure if maybe something was off with the band. But the band mostly stayed in place, so I'm not sure. Should I try it on the second hook and see if it makes a difference? I'm not sure if that will make the issue worse on the armhole, though.

• 1

  It's possible that the saleswoman was slightly off with the measurements and maybe I need to be looking at 38H and maybe my band size didn't change. It would be nice if there was a place where I could try on the larger size bras. The boutique is a specialty store where the salesperson picks out bras for you and measures you. You can't really browse at all. They keep all the bras in plastic bins based on size/style. You can only browse a few pieces of lingerie in the front by the register. There's a Nordstrom Rack in my area, but they rarely have the F+ sizes.

• 2

  Can you measure this bra?

  You could submit a fit request. I think this is the wrong size for you.

• 1

  I can measure it tonight or tomorrow. I did wonder about the cup size not going up as both times I used the bratabase calculator this week, it suggested a larger cup (my breast perimeter went up about an inch since the last time I measured 5 months ago).

  This bra was a close fit, but just a little off. I'm a little disappointed as I got a good fit in the past from this saleswoman, so I was really hoping she'd be able to estimate my size and then I'd be able to go from there. I don't think they allow returns, but maybe I can exchange the 2nd bra I bought but haven't worn.

• 3

  Aside from the size issues, It might be that the curvature of the cup side is not angled enough for you. I have that issue a lot actually. The wing feels fine, the straps not bad, but that pesky cup curve connecting the two is simply not curved enough. Sort of like it's cutting/jumping the curb instead of taking the corner properly (to use a car and driving analogy. )

• 2

  I'm really happy to see this bra on another person. It looks like a good design, if a bit tall as you might be experiencing.

• 2

  MamaPagan Good analogy. It might be what you are describing. It’s not a terrible fit, but that armhole curve is wrong. I know in the past, I bought a Curvy Kate bra that almost fit and seemed okay in the store, but once I tried it on at home and moved around in it, I realized it was off and one of the cups seemed too small, so it could be that maybe I’m a half cup bigger than how they grade their sizes and then the band possibly being off.

  I am worried about the second bra I bought from the boutique which was the Parfait Charlotte. I noticed the band wasn’t as snug as I’m used to (especially since Parfait usually runs tight on me), but I didn’t think to say something to the saleswoman as I thought maybe it was okay. So maybe the 40 band size is wrong. I probably should try the 38H or 36HH that the second bratabase calculation gave me. Today I’m wearing my tightest band bra which is a 38gg Pour Moi with a weird band that ran extra large so I to take it in. I think with the shorter band it is probably somewhere between a 36 and a tight 38 band and it works fine apart from the cup size. The band stays snug and doesn’t move around.
  

• 1

  You could also try to re-measure the bands at full stretch on your older bras that aren't as tight as you need, and comparing that to what you bought as well. This would give you a bit of comparison to go by, and also allow you to compare those figures with the figures here on Bratabase. It might help you pin point the band that would be more comfortable for you. If you have those older bras already entered here, that will also allow you to compare the new measurements to your original ones to see if part of the band issue is really just natural wear and tear and not an indicator of you needing to up size the band.
  With the bra shop, I'm sure if you ask to try a cup or two larger in the 36 & 38, she'd be willing to let you. It would be to her benefit to let you try, with potential of additional sales.

  I have had some success in removing the stitching that holds the elastic on the sides of the cup and lowering that curve & restitching the elastic in place. It doesn't alter the cup, wing, or straps but does allow the armpit to be out of that angle of incline & in turn allow for more comfort. It usually takes two small slits approx. 1/2cm long cut about an inch or below the strap connection & one just above where the upper and lower sections meet. Then I fold the cut section over which lowers that curve & then resew the elastic in place. The exact placement of these cuts will vary depending on the current angle and cup size, and may require 3 slits instead of two, but it gives you an idea of what I do. If you have a sewing machine & are comfortable with making alterations, it's something to consider trying.
  :)

• 1

  I've added measurements for this bra. MamaPagan I do believe you are right about the issue with normal wear and tear/stretch. I just measured the band length on what was my best-fitting bra 4 months ago and it is definitely 1-2 inches bigger than what people have measured for the bra. I was lazy when I first added the bra and didn't take the measurements. But other people measured that one at 31-31.5 and currently my bra is about 33 inches. So it's definitely stretched out. Maybe I'll take it in a little and see if that helps.

  I'm not sure if I'm confident enough to re-do the armhole, but I might try it since the I can't return the Victory and it's a cute enough bra to keep if I can make it workable.

  We happened to go out to a restaurant that is at a big shopping center where there was a Nordstrom, so I did get to try on a few Elomi bras while I was there. I posted another review of a 36HH if you want to see. Not a fit, though the bra felt comfortable (at least in the fitting room). But the cups were not right for me.

• vrwriter I looked at the pictures of the Elomi and for sure that's not a good fit for you. The wires are too wide at the sides and I think that's being exacerbated by the stretchy band pulling them back more. This is a pretty typical Elomi problem, most common on the Cate and its clones for me.

  I found the Victory to have a pretty firm band. Have you tried an extender with it? That might help with the armhole placement. I have also cut away at/folded down an armhole before, with good results. The key is to use fold over elastic, sewing it without stretching the elastic, to bind the cup again. Make sure not to make too deep of a cut at first or you will end up with boob muffining over the armpit hole. :/

• 2

  vrwriter
  I added a picture of the "after alteration" with notes on my Ewa Michalak SF Pinup so you could get a visual. I wouldn't recommend slits this deep (this was my first attempt at this type of alteration) but it does make for a good visual aid since I never trimmed the excess fabric off.

  http://www.bratabase.com/bra/dirrm/

• 1

  Thank you for the detailed pictures with instructions! And welcome back! I ended up returning the Victory even though I liked the style. Luckily the store took it back. I found out that they will exchange bras if you have only worn them once or twice. They just inspect them really well and steam clean them for the next customer. I wish I'd known that a year ago when I bought my Curvy Kate Ellace which fit in one cup but not the other. I might put it up for sale as I still have it and only wore it a couple times and realized it wasn't going to work.

• 1

  Glad it worked out for you. :) Were you able to get a better fitting replacement?

• 1

  MamaPagan Yes! I ended up with a Prima Donna 38I bra whose price made me cringe a little, but it fit! I tried on so many bras that week that didn't work, so I sucked it up and bought it and I also got the Elomi Matilda in 38H/38K, which works. It's more of a plunge bra and is cute and sheer and fits so much better than that Caitlyn bra which was so ugly on me. I mostly just tried that one on to see sizing. Turns out that I'm now a 38H-38HH UK Size. Not sure how the girls keep getting bigger every year, but I guess I got my childhood wish for bigger boobs. :D

• 2

  That is great! I am glad you found two that work for you :)
  The price tag attached to bras can be a shock, I regularly cringe, but a bigger price is a lot better than a bad bra, right? Better on the back & breasts than the pocketbook.
  A lot of women experience the breast growth at different points in life, so you are in good company with the new growth here on Bratabase. Mine went up 3 cup sizes in less than a year & I'm in my 40s. I've talked with many on here that have experienced similar (& most with the same thought about the irony of getting them later in life!) :)

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