The Princess Balcony is one of the most popular Curvy Kate styles, and since I've had good luck with three-piece cut & sew unlined bras, I had high hopes for this one, Unfortunately, I tried two different sizes, and I don't think this is the right fit for me.

Bratabase most consistently recommends 28DD for me, but I found that the 28DD band was far too small, thus it pulled the wires right into my ribcage and into the sternum. The Princess Balcony has very firm wires, so they didn't give when strained, and caused me a lot of pain. It is really important in this style to find the right band size for you, because the wires won't flex if the band is too small for you!

However, I do appreciate that Curvy Kate uses a really firm elastic on these bands, giving them a solid degree of support. The wide straps and U shaped leotard back also contribute to this feeling of strong support. Straps feel really secure and stay nicely in place.

I didn't really care for the styling of this bra in person, although I liked the idea of the design. The flocked polka dots made me worry that they would attract clothing fibers from different colors and look dirty. The floral embroidery at the top of the cup is cute, but I didn't feel that it looks expensive and elegant, especially since this bra costs more than similar styles from Freya or Panache. The ribbon detail, embroidery, and polka dots did not feel cohesive to me as part of the design, and I felt they would be better off on separate styles. They also are all quite textured and look like they would be visible under clothing.

The main problem for me with this bra is the fit of the cups. While the measurements of this bra aren't too different from other similar cuts from other brands, the cup depth is deeper, so it's designed for someone with more projection. This particular bra seems to be an anomaly, since I measured it at an 8.7" cup depth and the average is 8.2", so I think this one was wildly off-spec. I fill out the majority of the cup, but the top portion under the lace edge is pretty empty on me. You need more upper fullness to fill out the bra as intended. However, the upper edge is a narrow 1/8" elastic, and I think this would be flexible enough to suit tall roots without being too closed off. The cups are also lightweight, comfortable powermesh that give great shaping and support. Much softer than Panache Tango brand new!

My opinion of the bra is that this is an excellently engineered design, and if it works for your shape, it would be a great functional piece. Aesthetically, I am not a fan of the design elements, and I am wary of the inconsistencies in measurements across individual bras.

Black colorway

Updated on Apr 21, 2020 Flag this

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