I‘ve delayed writing this review. It’s something that I should have done sooner but needed to be in right mood to write, but also needed some answers first.

Background:

Attollo first came on my radar when I was watching a YouTube channel that I subscribe to. The lady I follow had been vlogging at a garden party at Buckingham Palace that she had been invited to. She ran into Alice, one of the two founders/owners of Attollo. I looked at the site immediately after hearing it was D+ but was not in a position to get anything and I thought that it was molded cups which I had assumed would be too shallow for me. I later saw Big Cup Little Cup review it and realized that the cups were not lined or molded. But again, not in my budget. Still also concerned about the cups being shallow. I passed it up again. I did go to the page earlier this year, for whatever reason, spotted the sample sale. I thought, this is a good chance try at a lower price, and I immediately booked a FaceTime session to discuss sizing. We decided that none of the remaining sizes would work.

My initial appointment was with Alice and we determined I should try the 30G because I am wearing some 30FFs and guidelines suggest sizing up a cup. This suggestion was also in line with the website’s calculator. That being said, I do fit some 30Fs so it was possible that I would need a 30FF instead. Given that I do take some 30FFs, Alice’s suggested starter size, and the website’s size suggestion, I decided to go with the 30G in Emelie in navy, only it was out of stock until early May. That was ok, as it was time for me to save up money to get a set. As it happens, one of my friends and her family were visiting England in the first few weeks of May, and her mum and step dad were staying in a hostel near Covent Garden, which is where one of the pop up shops was being held. I asked my friend if she was able to make it and get me the set before coming home, and she did! We met up a week after she got back from the trip and I PayPaled her the money once we knew what it cost in Canadian with the exchange rate.

The bra details:

I opened the package and spotted a second pair of underwear...a light blue pair. I was nervous because I had only asked for a navy pair and was worried that I would have extra to pay, but upon emailing them to let them know I got, how it fit, and to set up a follow up FaceTime fitting, Alice told me that they added the light blue pair as a surprise gift (!). I was surprised for sure, because it was hiding under the navy pair that I was expecting. Sadly, when I finally got all 5 hooks done up, the straps adjusted, and tissue properly swooped and scooped, the cups were too large. *sniff* As I said above, I knew in the back of my mind that I might actually need the 30FF.

The lace is soft, and a beautiful shade of navy, and as it is a longline, the bottom of it is lined with a stretchy stain band with a floral print in it. It’s navy, but it’s got a grey appearance in some lighting. The flowers are light blue which matches the lace of the surprise knickers, and the Lily bra (which is sold out). The Polly bikinis both have the matching stretch satin. The top of lace is scalloped to add a nice peekaboo aesthetic if it’s popping out of shirts or dresses. The hardware on straps is gold so it’s looks fancy. As I said before, it has 5 hooks being that it is a longline, and while I have developed a strategy to do them up, it’s not the easiest way to get them done up and it’s still a bit slower compared a bra. The straps are quite long. This is because the straps are convertible...you can wear crossed over the front or in the back, in addition to the standard connection. I did find a bit of trouble with getting the detachable hooks in and out on the one side, but less trouble with the other side. The other problem was that the detachable hook bit bit made it more difficult to adjust the straps...it felt like it was something to do with the metal hooks. It felt like the straps wanted to drag in the loop. I’m not exactly sure what the actual problem is caused by. That said, it’s easier to adjust with the bra off completely. And, assuming that you are not going to be adjusting it all the time, it’s probably fine. But yeah, it’s just not a smooth adjustment. The straps are also a bit closer set than usual, which you can see in some of the pictures, and still pretty thin and delicate.

It’s slightly difficult to judge the other fit issues and aesthetics because it’s not the best size for me, but I’ll go over some details. The cups, considering the size, are 5.5” wide. UK 30G cups can be 6” wide, so 5.5” is nice, however it is a little bit too wide for me. I feel like the gore is pretty narrow, however it’s tall. I personally didn’t have any trouble with the gore height despite my shape while I was trying it on, but it’s definitely high. The sides do come up quite high too, and with the try on, seemed borderline ok. Wires were close to 12” and I have 10” or less usually. I’m not sure if it’s the style dictating the need it all to be longer and taller. I don’t know the grading to know what the wires are like in smaller and larger sizes. The cups on the 30G and equivalent sister sizes uses a 3 part cup and below that is 2 part cups. Due to the shape and height of my belly, the satin band is not totally smooth around. It’s mostly aesthetic though, and nothing to do with the bra itself, just my observation of it and my anatomy and physiology.

I set up a follow up fitting with Fleurette (the other founder/owner) and we discussed the size and fit, and then we just chatted about my city, things about Canada, what her area was like, that we’re both trying our hands at gardening for the first time, and about bras and fits. I tried on a bunch of my bras so she was able to gage fit...she was once a fitter for Bravissimo, so we had lots to talk about. Overall, we chatted for an hour and a half! Seriously, that was so awesome! She followed up with the instructions on how to return, and I mailed it out on Wednesday, so it’s expected in a few weeks. Then they will ship the 30FF out which they were holding for me for the FaceTime fitting.

To be honest, I’m still a little nervous about the smaller size. Will it be too shallow now that it’s a 2 part cup? How much smaller/shorter is it going to be all over? Given the cup depth measurement vs my other bras and perimeter measurements, will the 30FF fit or will I need a smaller size still? I guess it’s all a bit of paranoia. I’m just so nervous because I saved up a lot of money and it is such a gorgeous bra that I really really really want it to work. And Alice and Fleurette have been nothing short of amazing. I just really want it to work and own a spectacularly gorgeous set.

(I’ll update with the 30FF when I get it.)

Navy with floral satin band colorway

This bra is not owned any more

Updated on Jun 08, 2019 Flag this

• Show all comments (18)
• 1

  That is seriously cute. I love the floral on the band. I'm worried about trying it because of how long those wires are. 12 inches on this size? Oof. I need like 9 or 10 max. I look forward to your second review though and if the next size down fits you I might reconsider trying them some day. their customer service sounds amazing.

• Does that band roll up on you? It's an interesting aesthetic, it just doesn't look practical for sitting.

• 1

  It's really lovely. It just looks a little big so hopefully the FF will work.

• 1

  gratiat they have amazing customer service! Alice and Fleurette have emailed back and forth and worked with me on the 7-8 hour time zone difference (was 7 hours the first time because it was after our time change but before theirs). My last FaceTime call was 1:30pm my time in western Canada, and 9:30pm there. So it wasn’t til 11pm that Fleurette and I finished chatting. I’m in agreement with you on the wires but somehow, despite the measurements, I didn’t notice it as a huge problem while I was trying it on.

  Sovavosi I only wore it long enough for the initial try, the FaceTime fitting, and once again to assess the fit for my profile. I didn’t wear it any longer than necessary to ensure it was as pristine going back as I received it. I don’t have a sit down job so I’m not sure if it’s going to be a problem. Maybe if I wore it out to a dinner? I don’t know. I’m short waisted though, so it might be once I wear it long term. The Lily is shorter and it’s possibly that it’s a better style for me. We have to see what the 30FF fit is like first.

• Oops, didn’t finish my comments before hitting add.

  Sonya I am hoping that you are right. I think that it’s partly the taller cups and the softer and less full upper tissue that is why it’s a little bit bigger on me. But then again, cup depth was closer to 10.5” if I remember correctly, which is bigger than I need. It’s probably big enough for you. You could probably do a 28GG or 28H. thelingerieprincess has both Emelie and Lily and is about your size too, so she can possibly give you feedback.

• 2

  Gorgeous bra! I love the floral band and details on the bottoms. Too bad this one didn't fit, but hopefully the next size will be perfect!

• 1

  Wilderness1 yes!!! It’s really beautiful! I was so excited to have my friend get it on her trip and bring it back for me. I’m really hoping that the 30FF is going to work out.

• 1

  Thanks for the info.

• 1

  Wow, I am so excited for you that you get to try this brand because their styles are really cute! But I admit I am shocked that given they had whatever measurements they asked for, had done a Facetime fitting, etc. they did not predict just HOW excessively big this would be on you. Did they request vertical measurements to get a sense of your proportions? From stock photos as well as the Big Cup/Little Cup review it seems clear this is designed to be a distinctly low cut style whereas the 30G comes up sky high on you... it looks more than 1 cup too big IMO. It's a construction that reminds me a bit of the French brand Aubade--basically it uses a shallow, blunt-profile shape to smmmmmoooosh the breasts forcefully in and upward into a mounded cakes on a plate shape. But the cup height still has to make sense for this to work, and this cup is just so tall on you! And a 12 inch wire and 4.5" wing is... kind of a lot of bra?! That is more what I'm used to seeing on a traditional full cup bra for people in a whole different size range. I don't mean to undermine your confidence in the brand, they sound like lovely people but maybe their remote fitting approach needs more data points?

• wendybien the initial FaceTime fitting was basically what size I was wearing and how it fits. They often deal with people who have been in the wrong size bra so when speaking with me, we confirmed that I was pretty knowledgeable about bras and knew what a good fit should be. We also determined that as I do wear some 30FFs, per the general rule of sizing up a cup put me in 30G. This is also what I got when I did the calculator on the website. There wasn’t enough time in the initial fitting for me to try on my existing bras and gage fit, shape, etc. There was always the thought that I might need something smaller, based on my shape, but either way, it was a 50/50 chance of fitting or not fitting. I think that given the time we had, we got a good guideline to start. Would a little bit more information about my particular characteristics have helped some? Yes, possibly. I did mention some shape stuff though, but not specifically vertical height or anything. BCLC did say that she ordered her normal UK size and it was a bit shallow, and she should have sized up per the guidelines. That said, she’s also quite full on top, and I am not. I can’t speak for the models, but I does appear to be lower. I can’t tell if the height of the cups is a size thing or a style thing. For the time being, I cannot judge anything as a shape mismatch until I try the 30FF. I did try it on for the follow up fitting and I tried on other bras and gave sizing on them, so I do think that the 30FF will fit better. It’s possible that it will still be a taller cup, but I think it will take care of the extra room. My assumption on the taller wing height is that it is a longline. I’m not sure about the wire length. I assumed it was also partly the longline construction and partly the size. We’ll see what the 30FF stats measure up to. If you have any suggestions on what could be asked for in the initial FaceTime fittings, I’d be happy to pass on the suggestions. I think it’s always going to be educated guessing, but more information is always beneficial, and as a fairly young company, there also always room to progress and evolve. As always, appreciate your feedback.

• 1

  Just to provide context to wendybien’s statement, the wire they are using for this bra is similar in size (length + width) to Cleo T-shirt bras in size 36G. I hope the smaller size has better graded wires for you!

• 2

  Calluna ok I guess it makes more sense if their usual Facetime fitting "script" (so to speak) is geared to figuring out a size from scratch because they assume a typical customer profile of someone who doesn't really know much about fitting and is usually wearing a wildly off-base size in the first place. My advice to them, I guess, would be that they need to acknowledge this bra in particular has a construction that deviates significantly from the typical proportions of existing full bust bras (at least in your size range). So I'd tell them, no matter how knowledgeable your customer, if they do not routinely wear and buy styles that you know for a fact have comparable proportions to your own bras, then don't rely on the size they wear in their other bras since your design is quite an outlier. They should eyeball the customer's shape and ask for a lot more measurements if they seem to deviate from (whatever the easiest-to-fit boob shape/body proportions are for their brand).

  My immediate thoughts in terms of advice to you would be to just measure all and any half cup or quasi half cup (very open at top edge) bras you currently have that fit you decently, and compare with this one. You could even do a Bratabase comparison. And then send them those figures and get them to just check their patterns and see if the Emelie is close enough to the measurements you gave in ANY size. If not you may need customizations or you might need to try one of their other designs once they get it back in stock.

  Oh and sorry meant to start with this, on the topic of the wires and wings etc., but I have no brain today: what cupandahalf said! Their design has very very unusual proportions, at least in your size range. In some ways that's a bummer for people trying to find a fit based on what they can wear in other full bust bras but I guess it means they're probably the one indie brand telling the truth when they claim they designed this because they couldn't find anything comparable on the full bust market! It is definitely an outlier in how tall and shallow it is. Wide and shallow is a shape we see here and there but rarely so tall. So, presumably it's a strength in terms of appealing to customers who have never managed to get the cakes on a plate look but will be able to get it with this bra. However, it does also mean that size troubleshooting can sometimes require more work.

• 3

  * and post scriptum because you know I am NEVER done yapping: I don't think you should be concerned about a 2 part cup construction. If they know what they are doing, which I assume they do, it is absolutely possible to make a 2 part cup in your size range very supportive and aesthetically appealing. A lot of the old school French brands that have been doing lace or embroidered tulle demi cup bras since the 1960s use a single seam for their biggest cup sizes, it's really not a problem if the materials and pattern are good!

• wendybien thank you for your ever valuable feedback. I appreciate the time you have taken to help me evaluate the fit of the bra. I’m actually wondering if I should maybe message back about the measurements for the 30FF and see how they compare while I am waiting for them to receive my 30G.

  I do know that per the website and in speaking with both owners 1) the wires and everything are a bespoke design and 2) they are made in Europe. This does mean that perhaps there is a French influence in the design. I’m not sure exactly what the proportions are for the Lily in comparison with the Emelie, only that it’s a firmer band and it does affect the fit a little bit. As a petite person, maybe I need a Lily instead.

  I’m worried about the 2 part cup vs the 3 part cup in terms of immediate projection. It’s stated that part of the reason for sizing up is because the cups can be a bit shallow. And I feel like a 3 part cup is more likely to give me the immediate depth that I need. I feel like I have decent projection at the wire in this one, but size is possibly part of it. Going to 2 parts, I might have it slip down/out from my IMF, though hopefully the longline will help reduce that.

  The 6” cup height doesn’t really seem to be that far out of line in comparison with other bras to be honest. The 65FF CHP Xoxo was about the same, but the cup depth was a full inch smaller. Freya Pop Art was also about the same, and again, smaller overall volume. The CHP immediate depth was fine though the bra bordered on small, yet the Pop Art seemed a little bit too shallow despite being 3 parts, and the cups seemed to be a bit taller but should not have been. Both were padded/molded.

  I’m going to pass on the feedback as I can, as you have offered some valuable and positive input. And as mentioned, I’m going to see if I can get measurements for the wires, cup depth and cup height of the 30FF to see if I can judge in advance if I am likely to fit it better. I mean, I feel like it looks bigger on me than it really was. My initial message back was that I thought it was 1-2 cups too big, but 2 cups seemed out of line with the size structure. Fleurette did see the amount of gapping via video in the follow up fitting and did not seem to think that I would need a 30F. And in judging the fit of my other bras, her mind did not change. I think that if the 30FF is 10” depth or less, I will be ok. I’m honestly ok if it’s a little bit tall and the lace rests a little bit over my boobs as I have a few bras like that already. I’m kind of used to it. I know that Lily fits a little bit different, but it’s a very similar design. It’s very possible that I might just do better with that. I wish I was closer to them so I could try in person and get fitted in person, but I’m still very happy with the customer service and the fact that they even offer some kind of visual or video fitting. Maybe it is not perfect, maybe it’s got room to improve, but I am glad that it exists. I’m going to send my email soon so hopefully I’ll have some answers soon. Thanks again!

• 3

  Oh you're welcome! I hope I don't seem like I'm being mean or harsh about a small indie brand and I do think it's awesome they try to offer fitting. I just was really puzzled about how this apparently more personalized process didn't help more, but after you explained it definitely made sense. They've had MASSES more exposure in mainstream media and fashion outlets than your typical indie full bust company so the bulk of their clientele is probably people who are quite clueless about bra sizing, and that's something I hadn't really thought about.
  Honestly my own experience with unpadded, no-foam seamed 2 part cups is that if they are designed well, with the right curve to the seam and materials that allow good projection, they can have plenty of depth... so I'm crossing fingers that will not be an issue.

  Re cup height I am basing my observation on 2 things: height vs. width and wire length, and overall cup shape. For the height vs. other dimensions it's just unusual to have a shallowish bra that is so tall, yet not particularly wide. Many brands run shallow but they'll usually be both broader and taller than average for a given depth. For construction, yes it is true that there are lots of other bras in this size range with a similar total cup height but that height usually also includes a full upper cup element (even if it is a smallish piece of fabric) that is either molded to curve inward, or attached with a horizontal or diagonal seam orienting it so it curves back in and follows the curve of the upper boob for quite a way. So it may be a 6" tall cup but the apex will often only be 4" from the wire. This construction they have is effectively a half cup and while they may try to curve the vertical seams to bring the cup edge inward, it's still gonna be a super open cup edge. So basically to get a workable fit you need a size where your natural breast apex is pretty high up in the cup, otherwise the cup just stands too far away from the body. Not sure if that makes sense...!

• 1

  I appreciate the review of a little known indie brand, Calluna !

• 1

  Thanks for your explanations wendybien. Stay tuned for more updates learningaboutbras for when I get the exchange.

• 1

  My 30FF review is finally up for those who were curious about the exchange.

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