I searched this bra out and I'm so happy that it fits as well as it does! My size is 30F to 30FF. I previously tried a 65HH Comexim Pioson Ivy Plunge but it was too tall for my short roots, so I thought this sophisticated style may work better, and I was right. As far as I know, it has a reduced cup, reduced gore, and straps moved in. The band is a bit looser on me than I'd like, but still supportive enough, and I love that it has 3 x 3 sets of hooks. The material is satiny soft on the outside, and cottony soft ... on the inside. It's lightly padded and is just all-around soft and comfy...and beautiful. As the name implies, the print is grey against a salmon-rose background, and I think it's quite unique. The straps and bows are also grey. The cups are just the right size for me, and I actually get a decent amount of cleavage out of this bra. The shape it creates is rounded from the front, and a bit pointier from the side (like my own shape, really). I don't mind the shape (but a bit rounder profile would be nice...can't have it all, I guess). Overall I'm really happy with this bra, and it's the first padded bra that (finally!) fits me right. Now to find matching undies!
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Updated on Nov 07, 2016 Flag this

I recently got a 65J Belen 3HC which is beautiful, but not a perfect fit. While the bra band was a bit snug, the cups did fit, but were a little bit too tall for my functionally short roots. So Wilderness1 was super kind and generous to offered to send me a bunch of her altered Comexims to try. Looking at the list, some looked like they were going to be too small, and some looked like they had similar enough measurements and alterations, so I narrowed it down to 4 bras, including this one. It’s an Anna Pardal bra, but they were made by ... Comexim, so I consider it Comexim. The 70HH Beauty that I recently reviewed was one of the two I had the option to buy. I didn’t but the Beauty, but I did buy this one even though it’s not a completely perfect fit.

In my Comexim sizing journey, I tried a 30G/65HH Jade Plunge from Sonya , and while it looked amazing on, and it was generally a good fit, I opted not to take it from her because the cups were a bit too tall (sensing a theme here?), and the straps were a little bit wider than I am comfortable with. The band was tight, but it was a 3 hook set though I was ok with a row of hooks from an extender which did not affect the cup fit significantly. So seeing as this one (Lady Grey) was a sister size with alterations, I knew I had to try it, but I was worried about it being small as a result because I have always been told that reduced cups make the cups fit smaller and the volume of the Jade was pretty good already. I must say that when I took the pictures, I was days away from my period, and somewhat swollen, so yeah, I am spilling out of the cups a little bit (mostly on my larger side). Now I’m a few days in, it’s mostly my center fullness that is spilling. I would actually say that this bra, with the sophisticate balconette alterations, fits almost exactly like my 65FF Ewa Michalak PL Milady (which I do have a little spilling near the gore).

When it comes to the band, it’s slightly difficult to gage whether or not the 65 or 70 is better. It’s used to me, was used to Wilderness1, possibly even more Users before that. While I am comfortable on the middle set of hooks, I do think if it was new, it would fit me properly and snug enough. I’ve read that it fit like a 30 band originally. My snug under bust measure is 28-28.5” and I prefer bands to stretch to 29-30” best for comfort and support. I should also note that it is also a 3 column hook set, unlike many that have 4 columns. A 70 band brand new might be too loose on the loosest hooks but ok on the next set in. Most of the time I’m good with the middle hooks, as I said, but it’s nice to have the option of going to the loosest hooks if I have a bit of rib cage inflammation and pain (undiagnosed Costocondritis) or just swelling at the end of the day while I relax on the couch.

The material is quite soft and silky. The pattern is quite unique as well as the colour combination. I like the grey accents. I’m also a sucker for paisley. It’s a very understated paisley, if I might add. The pale peach base is a little shimmery in the way silk and satin are, and is nice against my skin tone. This pattern does show through thin tops do definitely not a nude/neutral T-shirt bra. The straps are nice and thin for my petite frame, yet I feel like they’re sturdy enough in my size range. They’re probably too thin for larger sizes.

I wore it to work earlier this week and I pretty much forgot I had it on. I wore it again a few days later. It’s seriously comfortable. The straps moved in is great, and the reduction in cup height is good. I’m not sure if I actually need a reduced gore or not. Maybe if it wasn’t reduced, I would have a little bit less soft tissue center full spilling. But it might just add to a better proportion all over if the cups and gore are reduced. I’m questioning whether or not I can do a regular Comexim with the same alterations in a cup size bigger. Would a 65J/70HH with the straps moved in, cups reduced, and gore reduced by 2cm all around do the trick?

I’m pretty pleased with this bra so far. I can see why Anna Pardal was liked so much. I hope I can get the same success in a Comexim plunge with alterations.
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Sophisticate Balconette has straps moved in, reduced cups, reduced gore - all 2cm I think

Updated on Nov 09, 2019 Flag this

The fabric of this bra is so silky and soft I can't stop touching it! It feels absolutely wonderful, like a "forget you're wearing it" type of bra. The Sophisticate balconette shape is perfect for me since the cups are shorter, just 1/8 of an inch taller than Ewa S bras typically are. I'm so glad A Sophisticated Pair had this in stock! There's a small gape on my smaller side when I sit down, so I might try putting a cookie in it (unfortunately it doesn't have pockets--I don't know if you're still able to custom order these AP models or if Sophisticated Pair is just selling ... the ones they have left in stock). However, it fits my large side perfectly. The gore is very low, one of the lowest I've measured at 2 and 1/4 inches. It feels great, because of my splayed breasts that are very close up high so it's not poking into the area where they're close set. The shape this gives is so round and lifted. It seems to have a lot of immediate projection and hasn't budged from my IMF yet. The straps are very narrow, which I was skeptical of, but it doesn't seem to affect support. The strap attachment is low enough for me to move my arms comfortably without rubbing. It came with 3 hooks, unlike my Caramel Latte I ordered direct from AP which had 2--don't know if it's standard or just the usual Comexim not deciding how many hooks to put on their bras, but I'm glad for it. The band stretches a little over 31 inches which makes it perfect for me, a tad looser than other Comexims tho. All together, this is one of my holy grail bras, it almost seems like it was made for me!
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Updated on Mar 21, 2016 Flag this

This review is for the Sophisticate balconette cut 32FF. Summary: the best-fitting bra I have ever owned.

This is equivalent to a 30 band in UK sizes. I used Sophisticatedpair sizing advice. From the descriptions of the soph balc cut, it sounds like it would be the same as customizing straps moved in, reduced cups, and reduced gore. Not positive on that - I don't think anyone but Anna of AP truly knows. There are probably more subtle adjustments throughout the size range (#hooks, strap width, strap distance apart, etc). I would recommend this bra to those with even or bottom fullness; those who need narrow wires; those who ... are tired of straps/underarm chafing; and those who don't mind waiting a month or more to receive it. On Anna Pardal: they are a young small business. There were multiple delays with my item, yadda yadda yadda, I was partially refunded and given a discount for future use. The quality of the product is spectacular, so that has helped as well, and if it fares well over time, I will order from them again.

Aesthetic: Feminine and sophisticated. I love the grey. I was quite surprised when I pulled it out of the box because the background color is truly pink-peach, not ivory. That aside, still quite beautiful, just not quite as complementary to my pale skin as it might have been. https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_razz.gif" alt=":P" /> I love the AP designs: while Comexim and Cleo can be fun, their neon colors, excess frills, or strange patterns seem to disregard the fact that you will be wearing this under clothing that fits you and usually have to go to work(!). Lol. AP is gorgeous, considerate of the typical lifestyle, and makes me feel like a sexy young woman. Yay!

Wires: The miracle has occurred. The wires are flush with my breast tissue all the way around! They live oh-so happily in my inframammary fold. When I take it off, the lines are right there. YES! The gore tacks, there's no wrinkling in the bottom of the cups or space down there, and they are just the right width to encompass all my side tissue without going further back than they need to. And no strap chafing!

Band: perfect. Comfortably tight on the loosest set of hooks. Speaking of which, there are 3. I didn't ask, they're just there. https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" /> Note: this is true in my size, but I don't know about other sizes. I've never had 3 hooks in a non-sports bra before; I didn't know how much I wanted them until now! They're closely spaced, so it doesn't increase the band height all that much, but provides noticeable extra stability. They made use of this stability by making the straps only 0.5inch each. I'm still deciding if it's wide enough, but I think it is, and it will be nice for those shirts that show straps to not be noticeable on my smallish frame. They don't feel like they carry much weight right now.

Cups: on a scale of natural to half-basketball (0-10), I would call this an 8, which I would say is ideal. They are perky, central, and cleavagey, but don't attempt to make my boobs so round that they compress them (huzzah). I have never tried reduced cups or reduced gore, so there is more exposed in the center than I'm used to, but I don't feel unstable and my boobs don't touch. This cut drastically improved the fit compared to my unaltered Comexim. My right breast is almost a cup size larger than left, and if I aggressively swoop and scoop, there is quadboob on the right. I could consider 32G with the complimentary "cookie pocket" to use on my smaller side and possibly straps moved in (they're great in this size, but increasing cup size usually makes them further apart, which I don't want). This is pretty perfect as-is, and I hate the idea of having to stuff something in my bra (my boobs are big enough as is). I'll see if the gore continues to tack after several wears and then decide if I need to go up.

Fabrics: Inside the cups is soft cotton. The outer fabric is stretch satin (beautiful sheen, moves well without wrinkling on the cup), and the cup trim is a grey, non-stretch satin ribbon. I am a big fan of the ribbon because its firmness reinforces the shape of the cups right at the edge, where they take the most pressure from my center-full breasts. In some women, this may cause quadboob, but on me it does not. It helps prevent gaping and falling toward the middle. None of their other designs have this ribbon set-up (an old model, Fifi, used to), so I may hold out for their next season and see. I do have my eyes on the Florence, though, because it also has this stretch satin, so the seams don't show. I could ask for a ribbon along the Florence edge custom, but I feel like it's an insult to a designer. Thoughts?
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Updated on Oct 13, 2015 Flag this