I was so hopeful the Satine would work for me, but alas. I love the simple vintage look, and it's a true plunge. I think it's very close to fitting, but the side of the cup cuts into my armpit a little and the gore doesn't lay flat (happens with all my bras). There's also a small wrinkle happening, but I can't figure out why. I would keep it if it weren't for the cup digging into my armpit- I only noticed that after wearing it for an hour. I'm a true 26 band and it's possible that this would have been solved if a 26 band had been available. I have tall roots, average? projection, and I'm close set.
Apr 2018 My nude/porcelain Alana's are very different from other nude colorways I have had in the past. It's almost like there is a hint of pink in the material. This Alana was naturally very similar to the other Alana colorways I have. Comfort and fit with any Alana far exceeded anything else I previously had.
Feb 2021 It's been 3 years of infrequent use for this Alana as I have worn this bra maybe 10 times since my purchase in 2018. My rotation is over 50 bras strong so this should not be surprising. My recent success with a pair of 38L Annie's and a similar sized Gemma prompted me ...to revisit all of my 38L Alana's. The wires on this Alana run over an inch further towards my back than the Annie or Gemma do and I now realize that I am not filling the back of the cup very well. The cups on this Alana are at least 1 and maybe 2 cups smaller than the Annie, which are another cup smaller than my 38L Gemma. Being 3 yeas old, the straps on this Alana are not as nice as the newer Bravissimo bras and are thus of inferior quality and seem to be carrying more of the load than the Annie or Gemma do. The cups are a little too snug, with significant compression and how I quad out of the top. The band also feels significantly tighter than the newer bras. Bottom line, if the new narrow wire Bravissimo bras did not exist, I would be happy with my Alana's. Unfortunately, this one will be used even less because of my newer Bravissimo bras.
Aug 2021 In my previous update, I incorrectly described how the cups on this 38L Alana were smaller than the similar sized Annie and Gemma. The reality is, they have a similar depth compared to the Annie and about a cup size smaller than Gemma and this is because of where the wires on this Alana ends on the sides. The wires go at least an inch further back on the Alana which makes sense as the new narrow wire bras are marketed as, well, narrow wire bras. I can't fill the sides of this bra yet the cups seem too small. This results in a bra that seems too small and a significant pointy cakes on a plate look. My 38L Annie gives me more usable space in the cup and so I end up with less of a pointy look. Of my 3 - 38L nude/beige/porcelain Alana's, this one gives me the most pointy look and I am not sure why. Read more 329 more words
I wore this Alana for the first time since my last review update so it's been over a year! I got the familiar, somewhat pointy look as before and the straps are close to losing their elasticity. There is less than an inch of empty cup space on the sides which is pretty much what I used to get and is 1.5 to 2 inches better than my 40 band Alana's.
Still, this bra is comfortable and lasted through the day without complaint. I have recently had a rotation that centered on the racer back styled Jenna with the Annie balconette and I will add my Alana's back into use, mainly to get close to 2 dozen bras that have not been used much in the last couple of years.
I picked up this mint Alana in early 2016. It was on my 3rd order from Bravissimo over a 4 month period. I had purchased this mint colorway in a 40L previously, I loved the color and the cups were spot on but the band was destined to become too big as it stretched out. The band on this 38L has been perfect over the past 4 years as I am most often on the loosest hooks still. I will never tire of this color but the cups are another matter, as they usually are for me in a 38L. I have given up hope that Bravissimo will ever ...put out a LL or M cup as I imagine there are not many of us out there who need this size. So, I get my usual quadding in this 38L but the straps are perfect, they never fall off and they tame any bounce I may have. The band is TTS and supports me very well as the strapless test confirms, the bra stays up and in place when I tug them off of my shoulders. I dread the day when Bravissimo discontinues the Alana. At my age, I am fairly certain I have stopped growing and although I may develop more sagging as I get even older, the amount of compression I currently experience does not bother me much and a little more should be ok. I hope.
Winter 2020/2021 I wore this bra for the first time in over a year. I did this one up using the middle hooks for the first time and the fit was nice and snug. As expected, I was still quadding out of both cups although it was barely noticeable on my smaller side. I was a little disappointed though with the straps, especially on my bigger side as it seemed to have lost its elasticity. The strap kept falling off my shoulder, even if I tightened the strap far more than my smaller side. The straps on my newer bras, like the Annie and Gemma are much better and I think will last longer. After Bravissimo released bras with the new narrower wires, I found myself hoping they will release an Alana with the same wires as this may give me the 38LL or 38M Alana I have been waiting for. Read more 276 more words
I have officially assigned this bra to my housework drawer, meaning I will use this for physical duties such as house cleaning and gardening. I am a little saddened by this as it was one of fave Alana colors but it has served me well.
Wore this 7 year old bra to do some yard work on Sunday and I have to say it held up much better than I thought it would. The straps were tightened much more than ever and although it was a bit painful, I barely noticed the pain while outdoors. That said, I suspect the straps will snap real soon, something that hasn't happened to me in over 10 years.
Jul 2019 Purchased in Oct 2015, this white Alana is still comfortable and supportive despite at least 100+ wears. I purchased this 38L Alana along with a 40L nude/porcelain and 40L teal on the same order and the white seems to now be just a little bit less supportive, especially in the cup where I have a bit of sagginess, especially when compared to the teal. The teal was worn far less than either the white or nude/porcelain so that could explain why it is still holding up.
At the time of this purchase, Bravissimo was enduring a controversy relating to wires popping out of their channels prematurely. I was ...so thrilled with the fit and comfort of my initial purchases that I decided to double up on my Alana orders with the expectation that I too would have to deal with the wire issue. I have never had to. I hand wash all my bras regardless of brand so that may have contributed to my success with the Alana.
One inconsistency I have noticed between different colorways is the softness of the hook and eye materials. Some, like the Papaya's I purchased in 2017 are very soft and luxurious while others, like all 3 on this order are rather plain. Curious.
If you don't mind a tendency to a cakes on a plate look, the Alana may become a staple for you as it is for me. Through the course of time, I have noticed that my Alana's tend to initially have the cakes on a plate look but will soften and become a rounder shape with frequent use. This white Alana does not do a very good job of masking my nipples though so I tend to wear a camisole or add additional layers of clothing or if I really have to, nipple covers, to compensate.
Mar 2020 I recently purchased the lilac/lemon version which has different straps that tend to roll up and dig in. That feels like a step backwards for Bravissimo. I have a 21 Alana's in either 38L or 40L and still believe a 38LL would be the perfect bra for me. Bravissimo has not done this yet but I do hope they release the Alana with their new narrow wires that I have had success with. My 38L Annie's are like a 38LL in terms of cup volume but they are still a little torpedoey although much less so than when initially purchased. I am a bit amused that I have still not endured a wire popping out on me on any of my Alana's or any other Bravissimo bra. I guess I bought into Bravissimo just after they solved this problem Read more 335 more words
Feb 2022 I think it is time to retire this bra. The band is still supportive but the straps do not seem to be carrying the 20% of the load I expect them too. As a result the stress on my shoulders ha become much more noticeable. The cups also have always had about 2 inches of unusable cup depth on the sides which is likely a shape mismatch. The cups have become less supportive over the years as well with a more sagginess compared to brand new. The dis-coloration of this white Alana is also quite noticeable, I seem to re-coil every time I reach for this bra before putting it on.. lol.
I love the color of this burgundy Layla but being a Bravissimo 40K, it is just a bit too large in the band and definitely too small in the cup for me. Quadding is excessive although support is quite good with the girls being front and center. I find the straps a bit too springy which leads to a little too much bounce.
3 years later A day after a discussion here on a white Layla that Bravissimo recently released, I wore my burgundy Layla for the first time in over a year. I don't know why I thought the straps were springy in my initial review because they are ...not, they are quite strong yet comfortable. Boobs are front and center, perhaps more than any other bra I have and they seem to be an inch or two higher, reminding me of how the Panache Jasmine fit me but without the wire pain. I am quadding significantly less than my initial review so I suspect things have stretched out somewhat. Throughout the day, I barely noticed this Layla as it was very supportive yet comfortable. I likely will not get the white Layla as it seems too plain for my liking. Cup depth was a good match for me, unlike my Bravissimo Lacey which although is also a 40K, is far too shallow for me. I normally avoid darker colored bras but with my recent success, I will be adding the Layla into my rotation. It's too bad it took me 3 years to appreciate my seldom worn Layla. Read more 149 more words
Looking back, I did not follow through on my intention to add the Layla to my rotation, likely because my newer bras, like the Jenna, Annie and Gemma were all so comfortable and supportive without the quadding I get from the Layla. I am wearing my teal Alana today and plan to wear this Layla tomorrow.
I am only now noticing how stretchy and forgiving the cups are on this bra. I am no longer quadding anywhere near as much as I was when first purchased and yet I am well contained in this bra. My reaction was to consider Bravissimo's white Layla but as of Feb 2023 it is no longer on their site and is therefore likely sold out.
May 2017 My nude/porcelain Alana's are very different from other nude colorways I have had in the past. It's almost like there is a hint of pink in the material. This Alana was naturally very similar to the other Alana colorways I have. Comfort and fit with any Alana far exceeded anything else I previously had.
Jun 2021 I got this bra over 4 years ago and aside from being too small cup-wise, it's always been comfortable & supportive. That said, I likely have worn this, and my two other 38 band nude/beige/porcelain Alana's less than 25 times over those 4 years, mostly due to the in-cup quadding. If I was ...a seamstress, which I am definitely not, I would have matched this band to the cups of my 40L Alana's - that would have been my perfect bra for sure.
Bravissimo released a number of new models that feature narrow wires for J cup and above which has effectively increased cup volume and Bravissimo recommends sizing down a cup as a result. A 38L Annie has the cup depth a 38LL Alana would have if it came with these new wires while the 38L Gemma is more like a 38M Alana.
A fellow bratabaser recently expressed an interest in one of my porcelain 38L Alana's that I had listed. I thought about going through with the sale but I developed cold feet when I realized how under used they, and all of my other 38 band Alana's were. Thankfully, she understood my reluctance and I may sometime soon re-list these bras as they really are too small cup-wise. Read more 157 more words
About a year ago, I picked up a half dozen bras from Bravissimo. The majority of them were with the new (for Bravissimo) narrow wires which were a revelation for me. The wires were as much as 2 inches closer to the front so instead of having empty space at the sides and quadding over the top, the cups are very close to fitting perfectly. As a result, I have essentially ignored my 38 band Alana's for a year.
This week, I decided to give the newer bras a break so out came this nude Alana. If I have a boobs of steel bra, the Alana would be it. It feels like it is 2-3 cup sizes too small and ignoring the quadding, this bra is still comfortable and sturdy.
Purchased in Oct 2015, this white Alana is still comfortable and supportive despite at least 100+ wears. I purchased this Alana along with a nude and Teal on the same order and the white seems to now be just a little bit less supportive, especially in the cup where I have a bit of sagginess, especially when compared to the teal. The teal was worn far less than either the white or nude so that could explain why it is still holding up.
At the time of this purchase, Bravissimo was enduring a controversy relating to wires popping out of their channels prematurely. I was so thrilled with the ...fit and comfort of my initial purchases that I decided to double up on my Alana orders with the expectation that I too would have to deal with the wire issue. I have never had to. I hand wash all my bras regardless of brand so that may have contributed to my success with the Alana.
One inconsistency I have noticed between different colorways is the softness of the hook and eye materials. Some, like the Papaya's I purchased in 2017 are very soft and luxurious while others, like all 3 on this order are rather plain. Curious.
If you don't mind a tendency to a cakes on a plate look, the Alana may become a staple for you as it is for me. Through the course of time, I have noticed that my Alana's tend to initially have the cakes on a plate look but will soften and become a rounder shape with frequent use. This white Alana does not do a very good job of masking my nipples though so I tend to wear a camisole or add additional layers of clothing or if I have to use nipple covers, to compensate.
I recently purchased the lilac/lemon version which has different straps that tend to roll up and dig in. That feels like a step backwards for Bravissimo.
Jun 2021 I have been on a recent journey to lose some of my pandemic weight gain. I've been on this journey for about 4 weeks and have lost about 2 lbs so far, not bad but still a long way to go. It's been close to 6 months since I last wore one of my 38 band Alana's as they were tight on the band and too small in the cup. This one fits a little better but I still have these 2 issues. I am getting the most pronounced cakes on a plate look that I have ever gotten out of any bra which is very surprising as I have always thought this was caused by a bra that was too big. I am still quadding over top and the cups are filled at the bottom. Weird. Read more 354 more words
The world must be coming to an end - Bravissimo has included their white Alana's in their sale section! I would have never thought that would happen, ever. The Alana has been around for over 10 years so not totally surprising.
What bugs me about the white Alana sale is the description stating the "cups come up small" and we need to size up. IT DOES NOT COME UP SMALL!!! The cup depth on all my Alana's are what they should be. What nobody talks about is the wires go 1-2 inches further towards your back than other bras, including Bravissimo's recent narrow wire offerings. If anything, this may lead to a shape mismatch if you can't fill those last 2 inches of the cups. PLEASE,STOP SAYING BRAVISSIMO CUPS COME UP SMALL!
Ok, rant over.
Seven months later, the weight loss journey did not go very far as I lost an additional pound (maybe). I wore this white 38 band Alana for the first time since my last comment and to no surprise, still fits the same way.
I may have said this before but whenever I wear a 38 band Alana, I tend to feel like I have the infamous boobs of steel! Absolutely no concern with bounce or jiggle with them, as long as I don't jog or run.
Straps are beginning to show some wear as they are starting to lose some elasticity. Interestingly, the wings have never shown any sign of being overly stretched, the band seems to be as tts as when I first got them.
Before Bravissimo, bras never seemed to last more than 2 or 3 years for me, which I assumed was normal. Of the 40+ Bravissimo bras I have purchased over the last 7+ years, only one bra, a mint Alana, is past it's best before date as the straps have virtually no stretch left in them. I likely wore that mint Alana over 500 times so this should not be surprising.
I purchased the Papaya in 2017 in both 38L and 40L I find the 38 bands are perfect, especially since the straps seem to barely need to contribute any support, a real shoulder saver and I definitely do not have to worry about the straps sliding off my shoulders. On this 40L, I am still on the middle hooks but the straps do tend to fall off. I get some quadding on the 38 band but essentially none with this 40. My perfect bra would seem to be an Alana in 38LL or maybe 38M. I continue to hope Bravissimo will one day add these sizes to their ...range. There seems to be nothing else in my range except the Ewa Michalak FB line. Although they have almost a dozen models, none currently appeal to me and at roughly twice the price or more, I simply cannot get interested in switching away from Bravissimo. My recent success with the Selina line pretty much locks me in with Bravissimo, perhaps forever. This is by far my favorite colorway, with the mint a close second.
Aug 2020 Still my favorite bra in terms of fit, comfort and color. I estimate this bra has been worn more than 100 times and still looks and feels close to brand new. In comparison, my 40L Alana in Mint seemed to hit a wall a couple weeks ago. By that I mean the straps suddenly lost much of their elasticity and the band did the very same. I am not looking forward to the day when this papaya does the same and am thankful that I have more than one of these.
Jun 2021 Bravissimo introduced new bras with narrow wires last fall which I bought and used almost exclusively since then. I pulled this old Alana out yesterday though and was both amused and amazed at how good it still was. The straps and band have still not stretched out to the point of being unwearable and thus held up well throughout the day. Read more 225 more words
Wearing on the tightest hooks now, hopefully will be a while before it becomes too stretched out.
June 2023
My previous comment was from May or June of 2020. I wore this Alana two days ago and although I am on the tightest hooks, there still is plenty of life left in it.
My narrow wired Bravissimo bras have made me realize that both my 38 and 40 band Alana's have always had some empty space on the sides. They also have me quadding over top with the 38 being more susceptible so in hind sight, these was a shape mismatch thing going on. Still, these were a huge improvement on the Curvy Kate's, Flirtelle's and Elomi Caitlyn's I had.
This papaya is still my favorite colorway and it led me to ask Bravissimo customer service if there were any plans to introduce a narrow wired Alana. Sadly there aren't any.
I normally wear 28G/30FF, and I sized up to a 30G. This fits pretty well. Bravissimo tends to run small. It is a really pretty swimsuit top, and the only bra/bikini top where the crisscross wires actually look good on me and don't flop around (I'm full on bottom). It might be a tad too small for me, but I'll probably keep it.
Material feels cheap. I sized up in this one, but there is still not enough projection at the wire for me. Hardware is cheap; hooks are loosely attached.
Material feels cheap. You could wear this for a swimsuit top, though, because the material is quite thick. Like many bras with higher apexes, because I am full on bottom, I have empty space on top. I also get slight quadding with this one.
In the spring of 2019, I decided to give the Georgia a try. I really loved the mint Alana I purchased a few years earlier and I feel the same with this one. Comfort and support are quite good with very little quadding on either side. The cup material is a little thin, an observation that a fellow bratabaser also made.in her review so I generally wear the Georgia when I know I will have an extra layer or two. I prefer the Alana and Selina Lace over the Georgia but all 3 easily surpass anything else out there for me.
July 2020, I likely wore this, and my other ...mint 40L Georgia, fewer than 5 times each over the first year I had them. The material is certainly on the thin side and that made me think that it would lose support the more I wore it. However, over the past 2 months, I find myself wearing this more and more and perhaps more now than any of my other bras. I have been wearing fabric nipple pads whenever my bra does not hide them well and that has given me some confidence, especially on hot summer days. The shape I am getting now is a little more rounder and not so high and I end up feeling more comfortable. Plus, this mint colorway is without a doubt my favorite. I recently noticed that my white Selina had a band whose wings were made of 2 materials, each of different levels of softness that I had never noticed before in any bra I have owned. This Georgia has 2 materials in the wings as well but unlike my white Selina, the inside and outside layers seem to be the same materials Less surprisingly, the cups are comprised of 2 materials and they also seem to be of the same fabric.
June 2021 About 2 months since my last observation and for no particular reason, I had stopped wearing this bra. There has been recent discussion that focused on the straps Bravissimo has on their recent product line up. The comments seem to focus on the tendency of the straps to fold over which would lead to straps digging into the shoulders. Some of my Bravissimo bras have this weakness but the Georgia is certainly not one of them. At this moment, the Georgia straps are superior to all of my Alana's and most of my newer narrow wire bras. They are soft but firm with not even a trace of folding and they also do not slip off of my shoulders. I will send Bravissimo a note asking them to consider using these straps on their new bras. Read more 336 more words
I have gone a whole week without wearing one of my many Alana's. I have been neglecting or maybe ignoring all my other bras since the Alana's fit so well, at least compared to the many ill-fitting bras in my past. I have had this Georgia in mint for a year now and I may have worn it 2 or maybe 3 times. It gives a nice round uplifted shape although it tends to push my boobs into the sides where it then rubs against my arms a little. The band seems to be TTS although I have not worn this often enough to really stretch it out. The straps are soft but not overly stretchy so they do a good job of helping the band support my boobs. They are a bit too wide for me but that is likely due to my wearing this on the loosest hooks. As it stretches out, I can still use the tighter hooks to compensate. I recall reading a review on the Bravissimo website where one owner compared the material to a bikini. I do not understand the basis for that comment as this bra is not very close to any bikini I have ever worn. The Georgia does a better job at hiding my rather prominent nipples compared to my Alana's although there is still a bit of show through so nipples covers or a cami are still required. I find the Georgia to be very similat to my Selina, Selina Lace and Erin bras in terms of fit, style and comfort but they are very different than my Alana's. Overall, I still prefer the Alana to any of these and quite frankly, at this size, I am happy to have this many well fitting bras.
The Georgia's had dropped out of my rotation over the past year due my purchases of various Bravissimo bras that feature their narrow wires. I wore the Georgia to work yesterday and experienced all of the good qualities I remember previously having.
I was very disappointed with what I saw though when I took this bra off, not one but two of the eyes were close to being pulled out! It was the middle set that was affected so I can still use the loosest or tightest fasteners. Thankfully, I have worn my current rotation much more frequently than the Georgia and none of them have shown this problem.
Yesterday morning, I saw this bra in my drawer and decided to wear it on it's soon to be torn out hooks. Two of the three middle hooks looked ready to be pulled out and since I was going to be home all day, I figured there was little danger in being right. As it went, the day was quite normal with a little bit of heavy lifting so this Georgia with the weak hooks survived without incident. To be sure, I will not wear this bra, at least on the middle hooks, when I leave home.
The straps on this Georgia are indeed among the best in any bra I have ever had not named Jenna. I just wish they were an inch or so closer together to minimize straps falling off my shoulders. I think I will jump on a 38 band mint Georgia if I ever see one for sale.
I wore my other mint Georgia the day after I posted my previous comment with the same success although the fasteners are not coming apart on that one. I am very pleased but at the same time puzzled by why I more or less gave up on my Georgia's. I seldom wear these, especially lately due to my preference for my narrow wired bras and my Jenna's. I will likely wear these more often until they finally give up. I am regretting placing a recent order for new bras as my old Georgia's, Selina's and of course Alana's still have plenty of life in them.
June 2016 The daffodil Alana is bright and cheery. It also has that Alana fundamental rightness for me, I can put it on, go about my day and not be in a rush to get it off at the end of the day. As usual, the fit and comfort are spot on for me with just a little cakes on a plate and no quadding. The band is starting to stretch out and I will likely be on the last set of hooks before long.
June 2021 Wow, here I am 5 years later and this daffodil Alana is almost like new. Tbh though, I might have worn this 5 times ...a year since 2016 so it certainly is not in heavy use. I have been on the middle hooks for the past year so who knows, maybe I will get another 5 years out of this bra! Compared to Bravissimo's new bras that use their new narrow wires, I prefer this Alana less. The straps are not as soft as the Annie and Gemma but they do not fold over the way the new ones can, at least according to reviews here and on Bravissimo. For whatever reason, these folding straps are less of an issue for me as the folding is barely noticeable. The cups are smaller with a little less depth than the Annie and a lot less than the Gemma. My current cup depth on this Alana is 18" on my left side and 18.75" on my right side using the bra on method of measuring. I wonder if Bravissimo will ever release a narrow wire Alana? That would be really exciting. Read more 164 more words
Day 1 This bra is an epic fail for me. I had very high expectations for the Jenna and was so wanting for it to be the bra that finally gave the straps a chance to not have to carry the weight it so typically needs to carry. Sadly for me, the cups were far too small as I was quadding out the top and was leaking out the bottom and sides as well. This felt more like a J cup to me although I have never has a bra that was in that size range (I went from an H to K as for the longest time (5+ ...years) I did not know of any bras bigger than an H). With my boobs creating so much pressure on the cups, I was unable to properly connect the magnetic connectors on the straps. The bra is a very beautiful red but that alone is not enough of a reason to keep it long term.
Day 2 I think my frustration with wearing this bra on day 1 got the better of me. My day 1 review included not getting the magnetic fastener connected, even after trying for 3+ minutes. Today, I left the magnets connected, pulled the bra over my head and fastened the hook and eyes from behind. I have always been pretty clumsy and fastening the band at the back has always been a challenge and so I much prefer front fastening and spinning the bra into place. I also loosened the straps to maximum which lead to a more comfortable fit. I measured the Jenna before putting it on and was somewhat surprised at what I tallied. The cup dimensions were comparable to those I get with my Alana's (but not Annie or Gemma) and this convinced me to give the Jenna a chance. Today was a better day, with a lot less quadding on top and a much better fit in the lower cup. The Jenna felt less tight in pretty much all aspects so here's hoping the fit improves with each wear.
A month later Today, I feel like I am somewhere between my day 1 disappointment and the marginal success I had on day 2. I still struggle to put the Jenna on but the band, cups and to a lesser extent the straps, have all stretched just enough to make my struggles a little less frustrating. I am spilling out everywhere still so I still haven't worn the Jenna outside of home but then with Covid, I imagine most of us haven't gone outside much anyways. The benefit of this strap design is certainly noticeable. I feel like these straps are carrying more of the load than my Alana's do but the design of the straps is spreading the weight across the center of my back and shoulders so the weight of my boobs is less stressful on my body with the Jenna. The bra is without a doubt extremely beautiful and would be in my rotation if I wasn't spilling out everywhere.
Another 3 months later Since documenting my previous comment, I had not worn my red Jenna till a few days ago. The Jenna has stretched out a little more but while getting ready for work, I was unable to fasten the magnetic clasp on the straps. I was running a little bit late so I took a chance and left the clasp unfastened, reasoning that I would get it fastened at some point later that morning. It turned out to be a busy day but interestingly I only once realized that the clasp was still not fastened and I went the whole day unfastened! For me, the straps are capable of supporting me without the magnetic clasp being fastened. Bravissimo has released a black Jenna with their new narrow wires so I may get one. If Bravissimo releases this in a blush pink, I will likely get more than one!
Another 2 months later I had not worn this red Jenna since my previous comment, likely because the narrow wire Annie's were so good. I did wear this Jenna all day yesterday though with the magnets unfastened and I quite frankly had a very good day! The cups have stretched out enough that I am no longer concerned with quad boob but amazingly, the straps stayed between my shoulder blades the entire day, no adjusting required! No magnet required it would seem as well! Read more 626 more words
It's been 9 months since my last update and up until this past weekend, I had worn the Jenna once. The straps on my recently purchased narrow wire bras have become troublesome so I wore the Jenna mix things up. I went a whole day without realizing I had this on and there was no pain anywhere at anytime - YAY!
I'm still quadding but it's less than ever. I am still not filling the sides with 1 inch of emptiness but even that seems less than before. For my last two wears, I have fastened the wings and magnetic clasp BEFORE pulling the bra over my head! I pull my boobs in under the Jenna which is a little difficult but not impossible and certainly avoids the anguish of fastening everything the normal way.
I will be going for a black Jenna which uses the new narrow wires and should do away with the empty sides and muffin top this red one gives me.
The Jenna has become a minimizer for me! It currently gives me the roundest shape I have gotten in quite some time AND my bra on bust perimeter is close to 3 inches less than my other bras - this is very noticeable.
I normally avoid dark colored bras but this red Jenna is just so gorgeous.
Apr 2022.
Bravissimo has just released the blush pink Jenna I had been wishing for - YAAY!!! I decided to wear the red Jenna to work today and I have to say I am loving the shape and fit I am getting. I am feeling significantly minimized without any quadding on the top or sides. In fact, this round and minimized shape feels like the best I have ever had with the Jenna.
I had sent Bravissimo a note regarding the wires used on the Jenna and they say the narrow wires are now used on the new Jenna releases. The black was their first so that means the white and blush pink have the new narrow wires as well. YAAY, so, so excited, time for a new order!
Note to self - compare the wire width of the blush pink Jenna to the red, hopefully it is 1-2 inches narrower on each side.
I performed the comparison back in June and submitted a comparison review but I suspect most members cannot view it so I have pasted a link to it here:
I am still disappointed the narrow wired blush pink does not have a significantly narrower front profile but nevertheless, both bras are so necessary for the big cup crowd.
Highly recommended.
Since my last comment, I have had this red Jenna in my rotation and so have worn it once a week on average. The frequent use has helped stretch things out, so much so that I am now filling the sides much better with just a small amount of quadding on top. I am also able to fasten the magnetic clasp by myself with the bra on so after breaking-in the bra, the straps easily stretch to allow me to do this.
As I mentioned in an earlier comment, I love the rounded, minimizing shape I get and when I add in the supreme comfort from this strap design, this Jenna is a winner for me.
After receiving and trying the Annie in a 40L I decided to order this bra for those days when the 40 would be too big. I was surprised by how snug the band was, how less up front the cups seemed to be, and with the straps being fully shortened.
Week 1 I am between a 38 and 40 band so I generally do not notice much of a difference going from my 40 band Alana on the middle hooks to a 38 Alana on the longest hooks. With Annie, going from the 40 to the 38 was very noticeable, to the point where I thought an extender would be ...needed. The biggest of the surprises was how less up front I felt compared to the 40 band as I assumed the shorter band would center me even more. The last surprise, the straps being fully shortened was weird and left me wondering if the bra had been previously worn. I do get a torpedo shape with this Annie but I had this shape with the 40L Annie and it seemed to slowly work it's way out.
Week 2 Actually, this is more like 3 weeks later. In retrospect, I think I can understand why the 38 band did not center me more than the 40 as I described above. The 38 band needs to stretch further to be fastened and hence pulls the cups further away from each other. Maybe. In between wears, I wore my many Alana's and noticed that I preferred to wear them more than either of my Annies. The Annies did not leave me feeling as secure and I think this was due to the upper cup feeling a little loose, to the point where if I bent over, I would get that sensation that I could potentially fall out. I would not actually fall out but I was more conscious of it than with the Alana's. This and the fact that the cup is a tad roomier left me feeling less secure. I suspect the Annie is FOT friendly compared to the Alana but not as much as the Gemma.
3 months later. I just started to pay attention to the depth ratio in the measurements table and this Annie has a 2.3 ratio compared to the Alana's 1.9.These ratios though are from the initial measurement data and I will likely update these with current measurements. The torpedoey look I get is much more pronounced with this 38 band than the 40 and does not seem to be working it's way out compared to the 40L. Maybe it just needs a little more time/and a few more wears.
I really do wish the stars on the upped cups were a print instead of embroidery as they are visible under a single layer top. In fact, I assumed they were going to be a pale blue when I first ordered this blush pink colorway. The cups and band have stretched out a small amount since my initial measurements and I have updated the table accordingly. The straps are among the best I have ever had. There have a few reviews on Bravissimo that complain about them but I have nothing negative to say about them. Read more 424 more words
It took over a year but I can now say the torpedo look is completely gone. This navy colorway is tighter in the band compared to my blush pink which I am wearing on the middle hooks while I am on the loosest set on the navy.
Oops, the previous comment should have been for my navy Annie, not this blush pink.
My 38L blush pink is still somewhat torpedoey compared to the navy so I tend to wear it less often.
I really thought the Annie would be my forever favorite but the narrow wired Jenna is so much better, particularly with the way some of the weight is moved from my shoulders to my neck/back. The straps seldom fall off my shoulders with these 38 band Annie's whereas they fall 5x more frequently on the 40 band, no surprise here.
My recent revelation regarding my front profile width in various bras has raised my Annie's back up on top of my rotation as I am a full 2 inches narrower than my regular wired Jenna and 1.5 than my narrow wired Jenna. I am also 1 inch narrower than my may Alana's and with the diminished torpedo look, it really is a joy to have as I feel so much more slimmer.
I wore this Alana for the first time since my last review update so it's been over a year! I got the familiar, somewhat pointy look as before and the straps are close to losing their elasticity. There is less than an inch of empty cup space on the sides which is pretty much what I used to get and is 1.5 to 2 inches better than my 40 band Alana's.
Still, this bra is comfortable and lasted through the day without complaint. I have recently had a rotation that centered on the racer back styled Jenna with the Annie balconette and I will add my Alana's back into use, mainly to get close to 2 dozen bras that have not been used much in the last couple of years.