I really did not like this bra. The material of the cups was thin and flimsy and not supportive enough for big boobs. The stretch lace on top was very thin and stretchy. It provided no support. I would recommend the regular Lacey and the Lacey Floral those are supportive bras for big boobs.
This bra seems to be the product of myself and others complaining to Bravissimo about the wires on larger cup sizes. In the catalog there is a note "Improved underwires for J cup upwards mean it will suit even more boob shapes and sizes." While it is better than some of their previous bras it's still no good for me. The bra also lacks projection giving me wrinkled fabric under the boob, crazy spillage near the gore, straps that dig into the armpits and a silly little lace longline piece that just rolls up immediately. Unfortunately, I can't recommend this one.
I'll give credit where it is due: there is an improvement to the wires, just not enough and I like that the lace is made of recycled nylon.
Purchased in June 2019, this is the 1st of 2 Selina Lace bras I own. The fit and comfort are naturally the same. My boobs are front and center while also being lifted just a little bit higher than what my Alana's give me. Like my other Selina's, I feel like this minimizes me, more than my Alana's yet when I measure, my breast perimeter is nearly identical. This blush pink colorway is a light creamy pink that is growing on me more and more. This Selina Lace looks luxurious with the lace covered wings and the copper/gold colored fasteners and I now consider it to be my favorite ...non Alana bra. Lately though, I do notice the gore to be folding onto itself but since none of the gores tack on any of my bras, this isn't a major problem. I find my arms brushing the side of the bra a little, which I do not recall happening when I first purchased it. I also own the Selina in both a white and white/grey colorway and they are both not as luxurious as this Selina Lace. I also have the matching high waist panties and the combination just adds to the luxuriousness of the bra. In spite of the bras name, the cups are not lace covered and makes for an acceptable t-shirt bra with the seams generally not visible. I find this bra retains body heat a little more than I prefer so it's not a good bra for a very warm day but then again, what bra is.
June 2020, I am beginning to regret acting on my initial reaction to new bras. This Selina Lace was not a favorite of mine when I first purchased it but the more I wore it, the more it stretched and molded itself to my body. Had I worn this more often early on, the sooner I would have developed my appreciation for this Selina Lace. I have parted with many bras over the years, not having given them a chance to be broken in, as it were. Perhaps the 38K and 40K Bravissimo and Panache bras I no longer have might have eventually fit.
Sep 2020 I thought it would be interesting to compare my original measurement data for this bra to what they are today.
.......................................... original / current / difference band length un-stretched..... 34.00 / 33.00 / (1.00) band length stretched........... 40.00 / 39.50 / (0.50) cup depth.............................. 17.75 / 18.25 / 0.50 cup height............................. 12.00 / 14.00 / 2.00
The (1.00) inch change seems normal as hand washing may have caused this shrinkage. The (0.50) inch change in stretched band length may be the result of my being older and weaker haha. The 0.50 inch increase in cup depth is possible The 2.00 increase in cup height seems excessive, I must have initially measured this incorrectly.
This Selina Lace is softer, more comfortable and as supportive as it was when I first got this in mid 2019. This is 2 bras in a row now where the re-measured stretched band length is less than the original data, a curious result.
Jan 2022 Just want to add a comment on the straps of this bra. They are, without a doubt the most comfortable and supportive of any bra I have ever had. The "straps are too thick" crowd will not like these but unless they have to carry as much weight as I do... Read more 519 more words
I really love the color of this bra and it does fit more or less but I prefer the shape and comfort I get from my Alana's. I do like the way this bra minimizes compared to the Alana though so I can wear more of my tops than I can with the Alana. I am not crazy about the fabric texture on the wings though.
Just want to reiterate how much I like the straps on this bra. They do look a bit wider than average but there is absolutely no tendency for them to fold over like some my Alana's do. They are stiff and strong but soft at the same time. I am so happy these days to have so many bras in my size that are comfortable and supportive and not having to deal with straps that tend to slip off my shoulders.
I reviewed this bra in other sizes such as 34JJ - Bravissimo » Inspire Sports (AU27) or 34J - Bravissimo » Inspire Sports (AU27) so I keep it short here. The bra is the same construction, support and fit. Just want to put it out there (again) that you need to size up in this bra! Go up in band size at least 1 full size and 1-2 for cups depending on your shape. I can barely close this bra in a 34 band, and I usually wear a 32 band. I probably be better with a 36JJ! For the time being I wear this one with an extender since it was a bargain find on ebay.
My stats: 28H/HH according to ABTF, 26HH according to bratabase, Narrow and tall roots, projected, extremely immediately projected, FOT and 5'3. (Pictures are ood from when I was measuring at a 28G)
Look: This one-piece doesn't have a lot of details. It's solid black, has a cheeky back similar to the ewa michalak cappuccinowy briefs and a cutout between the clasp and the rest of the suit. The cups are unlined and wired. It's like a one-piece sewn onto a plain bra.
Fit: This fits like a tight banded 28H, the cups are wide and moderately projected, the straps are adjustable and the rest of the suit fits a US 4-6, the butt is way too tight on me though.
Overall impression: "Meh" very simple and semi-conservative suit. It's decently supportive but not stylish. It would be great for a swimming compitition swimsuit.
I had this bra for a while but I don't wear it that often. Since I just wore it yesterday I decided to review it finally. First about the sizing of inspire Sports bra in general: do size up in band! I wear 32 bands and need a 34 in this. It is still firm enough to support! The cups run small. Size up as well. I wear 32JJ but size up 1 - 2 cups in the Bravissimo sports bras! This colorway is a bit more generous than the 34JJ - Bravissimo » Inspire Sports (AU27) in navy lime. So I assume the darker colour run a ...bit smaller. The band is thick and has 4 hook clousure and feels very supportive. The straps are thickly padded over the shoulders (very comfy) and therefore not fully adjustable. The wires are about regular heigh for the size, but at the gore the fabric goes higher than the wire making it very high coverage for support and bounce control. The cups of this bra are more shallow and give a more close to chest size (thats why I need to size up 1-2 sizes bc my boobs are not shallow) There is light compression but it feels mostly like a regular bra. I wear it for walks / hikes and light exercise and for that it is good. Sometimes I just keep it on for a full day and it's good too. It's not the most comfortable bra but not unwearable. I recommend this in large sizes for lighter exercise! Read more 151 more words
I love this lilac/lemon color combination and I get my usual 40L Alana fit. But, the straps are a new material which folds over far too easily and even though the cups and band are doing their jobs, the folding straps are cutting in, making this my most uncomfortable Alana.
Sep 2020 A conversation with 2 fellow Bratabaser's compelled me to wear this bra again. I had worn this less than 5 times in the year since I purchased it, mainly because of the folding straps. The straps still fold over but, they did lie flat where they made contact with my skin. I think I am ok with this ...kind of folding straps. Before taking this bra off I decided to re-measure the cup height and depth and to my amusement, both were about a quarter inch bigger than when I first measured (all of my bra cup height and depth data is with bra on/boob in cup). It has taken a while but this bra has "grown" on me.
Sep 2020 I thought it would be interesting to compare my original measurement data for this bra to what they are today.
.......................................... original / current / difference band length un-stretched..... 34.00 / 33.00 / (1.00) band length stretched........... 40.00 / 41.00 / 1.00 cup depth.............................. 17.75 / 19.00 / 1.25 cup height............................. 14.50 / 15.00 / 0.50
The (1.00) inch change in un-strteched band length seems ok as I would have expected some shrinkage with 10+ hand washings. The 1.00 inch increase in stretched band length is not surprising. The 1.25 inch increase in cup depth is very surprising. The 0.50 increase in cup height is a bit surprising.
These results lead me to wonder whether Bravissimo deserves its reputation of being small in the cup and a buyer thus needing to size up. Yes, a bra will initially feel small/tight but will it expand with break-in? I plan to explore this further.
Note: I do not use the cup over knee technique to measure cup depth as I think a more meaningful and relative data point is when a cup is occupied by ones breast. I think it makes sense that depending on bra style, bra cup dimensions can also vary during the life of a bra. Also, the cup over knee technique does not take into account the distance and hence volume I gain from a floating gore. With this lilac-lemon Alana, I have 4 inches of floating gore today, I did not record this measurement in my original review. Read more 368 more words
I wore this Alana for the first time yesterday in close to a year. I had avoided it mainly because the last time the straps did fold over on my shoulders and really dug in but it was on a weekend so I was able to switch it out quickly. It had not been used in awhile so I washed it the day before wearing it so thankfully the straps did not fold in the shoulder area till much later in the day.
I was disappointed by the in cup drooping I saw and felt as I undressed as this was the first time any of my many Alana's had ever done this. This is the most recent Alana purchase for me and that was back in 2019 so I will not lose any sleep over this development.
It's weird that one bra can be so different in several colours! :( That color way was particularly lovely but I also never wore mine.
I like when a company is not afraid to innovate with a successful product, in this instance trying a different strap material but I think they forgot to test the straps on the largest cup before finalizing the design.
I am really liking Bravissimo's recent offerings but can't justify buying more bras since I have so many that I barely wear.
34HH is my normal UK size Racerback lace length is too tall, I am 5 ft 3 for reference. I think I'd need to be at least 2 inches taller for this to not be an issue. The strap adjustments will change the length in front, but not help a problem at the back, as the band-to-neck size is determined by the lace at the back. Too short of a person and the fastener is in the back of my neck when straps are tightened, but with lace drooping down if the buckle is in the right spot. To tall of a person would still be able to wear ...thing, but the back of the neck fastener would sit much lower on their back. The cup isn't immediately projected enough, so there's wrinkling where my breasts try to force up and over the bottom inch to project outward. wire is about 4 fingers away from my root on my side The clasp behind the neck is probably going to be tricky for anyone not used to that sort of thing. In case anyone reading this is wondering, the pin of one side comes from above and a 90 degree angle, slides downward, then flips to lie flat. It's easier when right in front, but very tricky to do behind my neck. I also definately got the "fiddly clasp" despite the listing I purchased from on Bravissimo's website saying "New J hook fastening means it’s easy to attach the straps at the back (no fiddly claps – yay!)"
The materials are all really soft and a wonderful quality. It makes me consider keeping a bra I know doesn't fit well, just because it's so comfortable. Im a huge texture person and this may be the nicest feeling materials I've ever come across in a bra. Quality-wise everything seems really nice. All the finishing touches on this lilac bra are done in rose gold, the bra strap metals, the hook and eyes, the back of the neck clasp. It's really nice. I also liked how they made this feminine with quality lace and beautiful colors and didnt need to add an unnecessary bow in front to cover shabby construction. I love that this is a fun color, but also functions similarly to a beige bra in that it wont show up as a stark color difference through a lighter shirt. Im really impressed and really wish the fit was a better. This might be the most comfortable not-fitting bra I've tried. If it was just too wide cups I could maybe deal with it, but the lack of immediate projection is an issue for me.
My common issues with bras are sternum pain, being close set, and nipple bumps showing. I did not have issues with any of those in this bra, although Im not sure if the thin foam would keep bumps concealed after wear. Read more 373 more words
This bra is really cute and I kept it because it seemed like it fit, but now I've decided that it doesn't have enough projection at the base for my boobs.
On a whim I decided to try this because you never know. After having failures with bralettes I figured maybe this could act like a bralette for me. unfortunately this bra is too small and wayy too shallow for me. The wires are wide but because they're short it doesn't matter that much to me but the gore doesn't tack anyway because it's too shallow.
The fabric is super soft and comfortable, the bra itself feels nice.
For some reason the straps are only half adjustable and they don't quite adjust long enough for me. There's no structural reason why the straps couldn't be fully adjustable, it's just made that ...way for...aestethics? idk.. it's useless anyway. The straps are pretty thin aswell.
The band is very tight on this bra but I think this is the type of bra that would stretch out a bit over time because the fabric is very soft.
It's pretty but it's not good construction. The middle seams of the cups are not in the middle of my boobs either, it's too far off the sides, so if I scoop and swoop properly, my boobs escape in the middle.
One thing that differ from their website is that this has 3 hooks, not 2 as it says, which is great. Read more 105 more words
You literally just described my experience trying on this bra at Bravissimo back in December! Much too shallow and wide, and my boobs also started falling out the middle when I scooped and swooped. I think I tried on both 28HH and 30H in this bra.
I was surprised at how badly this fit me (and was constructed) considering that it’s based on the Bravissimo Stella bra, which fits me fine/decently enough.
Oh no... such a bummer! Honestly from the pics I find the bra looks "cheaper" than on the Bravissimo pics. Maybe it's the wrinkling where the two patterns are sewn together and how the pattern are not aligned? I think you even go better with a polish padded plunge bra just for bralette / lounge bra purpose.
How many times do you estimate you wore the Bravissimo Niya bra before the underwire poked out? Unless you wore it everyday, I'd complain to the company and ask for partial compensation.
learningaboutbras thank you, I actually did and was given a replacement bra but it was the same make just a different colour - all good so far thankfully - maybe it was just faulty - but it actually happened with two of those Niya bras, navy ones - now I have black and nude and mostly ok, one hook came off the black.. but I was desperate and Niya was the only style I felt actually fit at the Bravissimo store
Bastet , I'm glad you complained to Bravissimo and got a free replacement! Fingers crossed you have no more problems with the black and nude colorways, especially since Niya is your one and only good fit from Bravissimo!
This was a surprise hit for me. I love a good paisley and the white is quite pretty. Most importantly - really comfortable!
(Me: Full on top, center-full, tall & wideish roots, close-set, narrow frame -well, for 5' 10" anyways lol)
Shape was wider in the front than I usually prefer, as the wires were a big wider than I usually prefer, but still rounded and even minimizing. I didn't quite fill the bottom of the cup, which tells me it's a wee bit shallow for me there, but didn't cause any trouble. Tall cups for my tall roots despite a bit of wrinkling near the outer ...edges of the cup due to lack of adequate projection for my softer, pendulous tissue which migrates towards the gore. (Can you say really center-full??) There was no give in the lace due to the lining behind it, but the top of the cup was open enough for my upper fullness, even though I usually need stretch lace on balconette/full-coverage cups.
Band pretty stretchy. I was on the 2nd hook by the 2nd day. Rides up a bit like every other band I've ever owned - maybe because center fullness always wants more room at the gore and pushes wires down a bit? Anyways - love it! Read more 106 more words
Too bad for the few fit issues, but it's really pretty! I love that white paisley.
Thanks! Me too.This is my first full-cup since pre-pregnancy and it's opened up a whole new world of possibilities for me.
I should have added it was comfy enough I decided to keep it. :)
Congrats on finding a comfortable fit! The Lacey is very tall but also a bit shallow in the bottom cup. I also have the bottom wrinkle issues but ignore them since the fit & support were really good.
"There was no give in the lace due to the lining behind it" :O What really? So they did the same as in the regular Lacey? I have 32J Lacey Paisley and the top is stretchy, so is my regular 32J and 34J Laceys - however 30JJ and 32JJ regular Lacey are non stretchy.
I have asked Bravissimo if in the Paisley and Floral the top is stretchy above J cup and they confirmed! So I'm shocked to learn it isn't in this bra. Thanks for the review. So helpful!
alisa Thanks for reviewing it - you inspired me to try Full-coverage for the first time in forever! I am pleasantly surprised the non-stretch lace worked out for me. The only downside is as the bra stretches that I am finding I am limited in how much I can tighten the straps to hike the girls up for more lift. The cups soon begins to cut into my upper breast tissue and quads me out. It’s small potatoes, though. This is not my sexy bra, this is my stay at home or be comfortable under a sweater bra. And for those purposes I love it. :)
I'm happy to inspire you to try more Bravissimo. While I rant a lot about them, they also make some of the best bras for big boobs. I think why Lacey works so well for you (and me) is that there is a lot of extra room added by it's extra tall cups. If I lay my Lacey over other Bras it's apparent how much taller it is. So it also helps with the other fot issue, the quadboob which is less in this.
Is the 2 hook band a problem for you? I think the 3x3 give more support - I tried bras that had only 2 x2 from Bravissimo and noticed huge lack of support. Regular Lacey as 3x3 in 30JJ I can confirm the beige and cornflower since I own both.
Agreed! I really need that height in the cups. The 2 hook band is fine for me - surprisingly. I think 3 would stabilize the band better and maybe help keep it from riding up - but that all theoretical.
I'll def see if the difference is noticeable w the 3x3 band in reg Lacey. Have one on order. Fingers crossed for another good fit!
Right so this bra along with the Bravissimo Allie is supposed to have "new and improved" wires in J+ cups. They're supposedly more narrow and longer than their other wires. I didn't find the wire to feel any longer or anything like that, it doesn't go very high up under the arm like a lot can do. It does have a high gore though.
The width is fine, it's average, it reminds me of some Panache or Cleo bras but it's a step up from the other bras I've tried before, like Alana.
Anyway so basic balconette style, has fully adjustable straps that are soft and stretchy. The band ...is TTS as usual, could need an extender to break it in but I could fasten it and breathe in it still lol.
The fit.. So I have a smaller boob and on that boob you can very noticeably see that it's very wrinkly. I get a smaller gap but still a gap on the other boob aswell.
It has really good projection however, not at the wire. I've included a picture where I can easily fit 2 fingers width between the underwire and my IMF, and it refuses to go up there. The gore does not tack on me.
When I first put it on I didn't find the shape too pointy but trying it again and taking pictures it definitely has a bit of an elf shoe shape, at least on my bigger boob. The smaller boob looks better shape from the side.
I also have a slight wrinkle in the side of the cup because there is extra fabric right near the wire, but I guess it's also because the wires are still slightly too wide for me.
Overall I guess this bra is not enough immediate projection and too tall in the cup, and probably 0.5-1 cup too big. But I will not try this in a smaller size. This is just going straight back https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_razz.gif" alt=":P" />
The look of this bra.. It is ugly on the website and it is uglier in real life. It's probably the ugliest bra ever. The flower pattern looks great up close but, because they are on a stark white background, your eye first notice the white splotchy spaces that are in between the flowers, which looks super dumb! It's so so ugly. If there was no white and it was black or a different blue or maybe even a dark green or red, it would look better but even then, this pattern is just not..it. It's awful and I hate it.
The fabric is also meh. The Allie bra had that silky feeling like Elomi have a lot, but this one feels like a cheap scuba/swimsuit material, it's slightly scratchy even, not silky soft at all. It's also double lined, with a sort of mesh material on the inside, even the lace part is lined.
Big no on this one from me.
Also, this bra is definitely not the same bra that is already listed here, as "Penny Bra (LN449)" ? this has a full band, so different construction. I don't know why they didn't just change the name of this to something new when it's not even the same bra. Read more 432 more words
I was looking at this bra on their website today like, “hmm, that’s kinda cute.” But seeing your pics... nope. You’re right, the white space between the flowers is just ugly.
alidieux In terms of ugliness, I think we have a tie between the Penny and the Alice that I refuse to wear. I was so disappointed in the Alice that I am now overly careful with what I buy and I then miss out on bras like the Jenna.
forgot to say... excellent review !
Oh boy... that print is terrible. Even worse than on the website, also is it even darker like dark navy blue instead of bright royal like it appears on the website???
I once read about prints - if you cannot tell what it is from normal distance like 2m or so, it's not a good print. This you can only tell if you look closely. Also agree with lazy naming thought the same when I searched for the bra here...
Great review btw :D Very informative about the fit and the fabric. It looks like if it wasn't too big and you would fill out the cups that it would give elf-shoe shape. The is a lot of wrinkling going on, def too big for you. But hey imagine if it fit prefectly and you'd have to keep this ugly bra? :P (sorry just joking a bit)
alanagirl I looked up Alice and it's almost pretty compared to this :O At least the florals are lighter and it looks like fancy old school table cloth or so :P Also so much better that the top section is in purple instead of white.
I think this Penny wouldn't look so offensive if the lace on top bras dark blue too. Then it would blend better and the white bits in the pattern might stand out less?
alisa Unfortunately, the Alice image on Bravissimo is similar to this Penny and the Jenna that was reviewed by someone else, it was much darker than I was expecting. Examples like this are why I didn't try the Alana in pink/orange. I like your "fancy old school table cloth" analogy.
alanagirl Ah so Alice is not a bright lilac purple but also very dark? Nah then I wouldn't like it. I think if they do floral print I prefer them in colors of actual flowers - pastels or bright but not very dark colors. If a bra is blue I'd like bluebell or cornflower blue. If a bra is dark navy like Jenna / Penny then I rather prefer it being solid color like my 32J - Fantasie » Illusion Side Support Bra (FL2982) .
alisa I just tried to look for it but couldn't find it. When I do find it I will post a picture of it.
Added a picture of the pattern in daylight.
Thanks :)
I cannot find my Alice, nor the matching briefs! I put some stuff into a storage locker a few months ago and I may have subconsciously included them. My comment about the Alice being dark was not the best way to describe it. After thinking about it, the pattern was way too bold and was visible under most of my tops, which attracted way more attention than I care for.
This past Wed, I went to my storage unit to get my Alice but... it was not there! I'm not absolutely sure how I feel about losing/mis-placing the bra I hate the most but initially I was so upset that I took over 50 pictures of my other bras and loaded them up to Bratabase! I am a bit of a prude though and will likely take them down shortly. When I do, the photos will no longer be part of my profile but will still be visible for the specific bras (I think). Honestly, I am not too disappointed at misplacing my Alice and in fact, I am a wee bit pleased that it has been misplaced. As I have mentioned elsewhere, I initially said the Alice was too dark for me but a better description is the pattern was too bold for my taste and showed under my tops far too easily.
Thanks alanagirl for looking and taking pics! It's very helpful. I hope the pictures of the bras will still be visible. I often check here for bra pics of larger size from Bravissimo because they are often very different from the pictures shown on the site. I like to know about extra lining, strap width and how many hook and eyes and if it looks totally different.
Thanks alisa and I agree, larger sizes do tend to look differently than stock photos. When alidieux posted her photos of the Freya Offbeat, I noticed how differently the band looked in her photos compared to the photos on Bravissimo of a smaller, 2 hook band. To me the band on the smaller bra looked kinda cute but durable while the larger bra seemed substantially less cute to me.
This bra is like a top, you cannot adjust the straps. You have to put it on over your head and close it on your back. For me it's not a problem as I can easily close bras on my back and also had no problems getting it on.
The bra is made of cotton - soft fabric. It feels comfortable. Since there is no strap adjustors, no plastic ...bits cut into your skin while you sleep. I really like the support this bra gives me. But don't be fooled, there will be mono boob. It cannot be prevented. I don't mind since I rather have my boobs contained and not laying on my arms instead. The bra "cups" are a bit too small for me as I get slight overspill on the side but on a bra like this it doesn't matter.
The bra gives support by compression but doesn't feel too tight. I sleep very well with it but I wouldn't wear it daily as non wired bra option because there is too much pressure on my shoulders as the straps carry a lot of breast weight. This doesn't matter when you sleep or lounge. So the bra does what it's supposed to to.
Since I tried the newer non racerback version a while ago, I can say I actually find the racerback to distribute the breast weight better over your back. But the downside is that it's harder to put on and the straps are non-adjustable which is a big issue if you need very long or very short straps. Read more 195 more words
Great review alisa ! Have you tried to fasten this one from the front to see if it could be done? I prefer to front fasten & spin it around and I probably could not do that with this one. It looks like the straps would not stretch enough...
alanagirl No I cannot put it on any other way. You have to put it on like a T-shirt. Also the bra is already on the smaller side in cups and the straps have just the right length - there is little stretch but not enough.
alanagirl alisa We all have different bodies, of course, but I have this bra and I can fasten it in the front. I pull it over my head backwards.
Interesting. I will try again tonight if I can do it that way too.
bustyand & alisa I would normally front fasten from underneath but am wondering if this could be done from above? Prying minds really need to know!!
alanagirl That's what I do. I stick the racerback between my boobs to fasten then lower the straps, twist the bra around, and pull it on.
My boobs are too big to put on the bra like that :S I tried to fasten it at the front on my neck, then turn it around and pull it down like you would a t-shirt but my boobs are in the way :(
alisa ok, I appreciate your trying. I had difficulty convincing myself that it cold be done. With regular bras, the straps have more room for adjustment compared to this racerback.
This swimwear is currently on sale for £23!!! Bargain! (16/8 2020)
I bought this last year. I just realized I forgot to put it up here.
I got 34JJ first, but returned it because the cups were wayyy too big and even though it has the tankini part over them you could see the emptiness. But the 34J is better, although the cups themselves are still massive, but the Tankini part smushes it down so you can't tell. But they are very generous cups. Like you can see they obviously don't fit well in the pictures, but once the tankini is over it, you can't tell at all.
The white part ...is slightly see through so you will kinda see the cups through it but honestly I don't really care.
It's sooo comfortable. I feel really secure in it, although when in the water, the boobs definitely float lmao. But it's fine for me.
I am 175 cm/5'9 tall and I wish it was about 2inches longer. I just have to wear high waist bottoms and it's okay. It rides up a little around my tummy.
The size is pretty spot on in the tankini part, I normally wear a UK size 16, But I size up for my boobs in tops, and I like a looser fit, so it's hard to say what size this would be comparable to.
But if you are looking for a tankini this summer, or for next summer, or whatever, you could even wear this as a top, for £23? Get this ! https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" /> Read more 153 more words
Thanks for adding and reviewing it! It looks awesome on you. I think the contrasting colors work well for curvy figures. Those cups look massive though - It looks like they are lightly padded/ foam lined? I think you could have sized down to 34 HH even.
Yeah they are foam but not completely moulded. Like an in between. And for sure maybe even 34H lmao but I didnt want to spend so much on returns to find out. But hey it works anyway :D and yes the colorblocking is very flattering, and it even kinda hides the "bulge" I get below the band(cuz im squishy) :D
That's a very smart design then. I hate the roll under my bra band but it is what it is. Im soft and squishy too :D If it works, then it's good. :) Light foam sounds nice - better than thick padding which adds bulk.
My shape: full on top, tall average to narrow roots, lots of center fullness I just put this bra on because another bra was annoying me. Spoiler alert: after I finished to write this review I will change into another bra. So first off, this bra is discontinued and I found it on ebay. It's cut is old Bravissimo pointy cut famously represented on Dotty Spot. It gives a super pointy shape, the top section is kinda flat and really tight so it gives the dreaded Elf-Shoe shape (especially on fot boobs). Pics 1-4 were taken 1 month ago when I was 1/2 cup size smaller and 2 cm smaller ...in ribcage. The bra band is very tight even for the size. I cannot even wear a normal extender anymore, I need one of those stretchy ones to close the bra. It only stretch to 29 inch and my comfy ribcage currently is between 31 and 32!
Pic 5 shows current quadboob situation. Since the cups are quite tall it's not giant quadboob, but when I *try* to scoop all breast tissue in these cups, there is so much pressure from the top section and it cuts in on remaining breast tissue. If the cups were more open on top, the cup size could even fit me, but with this construction it's painful to wear at my current size. It feels like wearing a bullet bra and the shape kinda reminds of it. I cannot make it work for me. Read more 140 more words
Bravissimo Lacey is one of my favorite bras. But it's also a tricky one. It's hard to find the right fit in it for me, since I'm right between the sizes where the bra constructions changes significantly. So Lacey bra up to J-cup comes with a stretchy lace top section. From JJ-cup upwards there is an extra lining under that section that isn't stretchy. Which totally changes the bra.
JJ+ cup is a tall full cup bra. Below J cup is a fullcup bra with stretchy lace top similar in idea to Panache Jasmine, Envy or Andorra. Envy and Jasmine are far more open on top, the lace ...is more flimsy and they feel less supportive to me. I think if it resembles one of these it's mostly Andorra as that one is also on the more shallow side. Lacey is superior as it doesn't have the super wide and extremely hard Panache wires.
So I had 30JJ (currently too small), 32JJ (currently fits but is just a tiny bit too tall) and also this 32J, which fits kinda okay. First overall, the bra is rather shallow and tall. It's nowhere near CK shallowness because I can't wear CK at all. The wires are moderately wide / average for the size range and don't come up too high on the sides which is a plus. The band fits like you 'd expect a 32 band to fit - true to size I will say.
It is comfortable to wear on my non-pms boobs, but as soon as they get into PMS mode (1/2 cup bigger) I have the issue with the shallowness on bottom... I feel like the bra wants to slide down a bit everytime I adjust it back--- also my fot boobs stretch out the top section quite well. It shapes nicely to a round shape and the cup edge doesn't cut in. So ideally I'd own a 32JJ in this bra with with the below J-cup stretch construction for my PMS boobs. Overall the bra is currently one of the few that is wearable and I like that it is supportive all day and doesn't hurt me. Read more 250 more words
Oh, yeah, I can see some of those fit issues you're talking about. This bra is really pretty on you, though! I'm glad it works okay.
It looks like the kind of bra that makes your boobs a ball, which I like because it holds them closer to your chest. Maybe I could try a 40J...
cupandahalf I love the close to chest round shape! Lacey just does that. it even minimizes a bit from the side and it's the total opposite of Ewa BM or Panache Jasmine shape which are too open on top and too projected. The wires on the side and the gore are not extremely tall but the cups are and the straps are centered. I think you would like it :)
I wore this today but just changed into another bra. It kept sliding down at the wire. Also there was quite some pressure on my shoulders from that. The bottom of the cup too shallow for me there even on my normal boobs. I was adjusting it 2-3 times until I got tired.
:(
Wearing it tonight to give another bra some rest, some slight quadboob is happening and I'm nowhere near PMS yet. I'm definitely a 32JJ in this bra at the moment.
Thanks so much for reviewing this one! I've been making my way through allllll the bras on Bravissimo and had my eye on this one next. It looks amazing on your shape! I'm pretty FOT with softer tissue and it is *hard* to find a good bra! I'm on the J/JJ line with you and I really need the stretch lace from the J shape so I think I'll take the plunge.
CAGirlGoingPolish Thanks for your comment. I'm glad my review was helpful :) I'm happy to read from a fellow Bravissimo girl we are so few here. Which bras did you try in the past? Lacey is really good if you prefer a bit more close to chest fit as it's more shallow than other stretch lace bras like EM BMs or the Jasmine - they are sometimes too open on top to fully support full on top boobs. Lacey is a good "middle ground" here. I recently got this in a 34J as I wanted the stretch version, will review soon. In the non stretch version (JJ+) I'm probably 32K now.
The new Lacey Floral is apparently stretch lace up to K-cup!
alisa Yes! I've just started looking thru ur reviews and they're a godsend! TBH, I've had zero luck with Bravissimo recently. It's been 4 years since my baby was born and I'm only just now starting to try bras again.
I've literally tried almost *everything* they have in 30J (except CK & Fantasie bcuz they've never worked due to east-west/wide wires/strap discomfort & too-closed cups, respectively.)
The ones that might have worked if I could have gone up to a 30JJ or down to a 28K/KK didn't exist in those sizes :'-( oooorrrr ,like you've found, the stretch lace etc. disappears when you cross the JJ threshold. The ones that fit pretty well, though a bit more elf shoe than I prefer, like Arla etc. had comfort issues w stiff/thin/not supportive enuf straps, etc.
Of course, Arla was part of my first order, and I thought I had lots of other good options. hahahahahahah I'm wondering if I should revisit it, but want to try some Ewa options first.
I'm more than happy to answer any questions on specific styles - I took pretty good notes/pics before returning *everything*. (I need to post reviews - just hard to get uninterrupted time rn w CoVid risk & California temps & fires keeping my fam stuck indoors alll day for weeks now)
My closest to a great fit was a Comexim Jasmine plunge UK 30K (65O?) from BOB. After reading ur reviews & some others I suspect going up a cup size to allow bra straps moved in & a bit more immediate projection @ the wires I miiiiiight have a decent, comfy fit. Still working up the guts to place that complex of an order, pay for shipping & accept it might be a wash. #true story
CAGirlGoingPolish Which from Bravissimo own brand did you try? Did you ever try Bravissimo Anna or Lottie? I watch those 2 in the sale.
Arla did give you an elf-shoe shape? I mean Arla out of all bras? It gives me very round shape. True Elf shoe were older models like Ditsy Blossom, Dotty Spot or Marguerite - Alana or Melrose go a bit in that direction but not as bad. But everyone's boobs are different and everyone likes and prefers different bra styles.
alisa You're right - I've been pretty particular about elf shoe-ish-ness and Arla is far from the worst offender. I've always had a pretty lifted, very round profile in the past and I think with the changes my body has gone through I'm finding no matter what I buy, my breasts have more of a "natural slope" to them now. (read: more like the elf shoe) This is totally new to me and caught me by surprise. Since I posted this I've gone through another 20 or more bras and realized this is just what my shape is now.
Truth is I was ordering based on what might have fit my pre-baby boob profile. I sagged down a full *THREE* inches thanks to breast-feeding, while still maintaining roughly the same cup volume (+/- 1 cup size or two) & now I have to learn how to accommodate the much more pendulous shape & softer tissue issues.
It's been rough, but I hope I'm starting to find my way.
Are you ready for this? lol *Alexa Arla Fern *Festival Maya Maisie (5 yrs ago) *Niya Nonpadded & Racerback sleep bras Nova Satine (5 years ago) * all the "padded" were far too shallow and somewhat tall
Just ordered Dina/ Jenna / Millie.
aaaaand forgot to order Lacey *facepalm*
CAGirlGoingPolish I have no experience with breast-feeding but due to weight fluctuations I went through a few size changes so I understand how hard it is to start with a new size / shape. :S Bras that used to work somehow don't work anymore. I hope you will find good bras for your new shape.
I also heard that padded bras run shallow so I never bothered as my boobs never got along with them. I wonder if it's a soft tissue + pendulous boob problem? Needing more projection at the wire? I usually have empty space in bottom but lots of overspill on top.
Fern lounge bra, is it worth it? Or similar to Nova in fit and support. Wich sleep bra did you like best? I once tried the cup sized padded sleep bra and hated it, it was extremely tall: 32JJ-K - Bravissimo » Padded Sleep Bra (NW265) , have not tried the unpadded yet. I like the racerback ones as they have thicker straps distribute weight away from straps and towards the back. Sadly the black ones run small so I can only fit into now discontinued grey 34HH-J - Bravissimo » Racerback Sleep Bra (NW234) . They should bring them back but up to K or L cup. What size are you looking at in Lacey?
alisa Thanks for the encouragement - Think I'm heading in the right direction. :)
Padded bras can def be shallow @ the wire for me as well, but lightly padded / spacer foam lined bras were ideal for me in the past, since they gave me the rounded shape I needed and had more room @ the wire. I'm completely sized out of all the bras I know that follow that shape now so.... :p
Fern bra was lovely, but I tried the 30J & I was spilling out of the middle and my poor boobs were drooping almost as if I didn't have a bra. The straps were also very thin, which was not comfortable for my shoulders w the weight of my boobs.
Couldn't close the racer bra (bad joints) Unpadded sleep bra was much better. Tried the 32HH, but back was too big. 30J the cups were too big - strangely. 30HH prob would work, but I was out of patience w sleep bras by then. Looks like it would be as tall as the padded one tho... Maybe if you size down a cup from ur norm?
Considering 30J in Lacey :-) Waiting for my last couple Bravissimo orders to get back to England so I can get my money back before I buy anything else lol
CAGirlGoingPolish I won't bother with the Fern then. I already own the Nova which I use as a sleep bra. I dislike it's thin straps - but I liked that the bra seperated my boobs better than regular sleep bra or Zara in summer months.
Yeah putting on racerback sleep bras is bit of a hassle. I also think that's why they discontinued them. I was shocked at the size of that padded sleep bra- it was insanely tall on me and I was around size 32K back then so I did get my size. It felt uncomfortable. if I ever am on lookout for another sleep bra I'd try the unpadded.
If Millie in 30J isn't much too small on you, get Lacey in the same size. Also the next size up will have the unstretchy lining. Lacey is taller than Millie but cup is bit similar but I find Millie a tad more shallow.
Pretty As A Pin Up was not destined to be a success for me. The wide spread perception that Bravissimo cups tend to run small rings true for me. This, and all my other 40K bras are simply too small even for my small side. Excessive quadding, which is something I simply accepted before I discovered Bravissimo, was now not good enough. The pattern was also bolder and darker than I expected and therefore more visible under clothing.
It's annoying that so many Bravissimo styles run small in cups. Also many of these older bras had really tight top section making them fit even smaller especially on fot shapes. I used to size 2 cup sizes up in Bravissimo compared to other UK brands - which makes their awesome L-cup actually only K-cups :S
I had that thought in mind when I bought a 38K Jasmine a few years ago. Compared to my 38K Alana's, the un-stretched Jasmine had 1.75 inches less depth, the cup width was 1 inch narrower and the cups were almost 2 inches shorter! The straps did not adjust long enough either although with wear it might have stretched to the right length. On the other hand, I had 3 Panache Melody's which were larger than my 40L Alana's in every way.
correction, I should have said "my 38L Alana's".
Ah so it makes more sense now with the 38L. :) I have 32K Alana here which is a bit small on me - it has similar volume to 32J Fantasie full cup! If I lay them over each other they are the same bra. The Fantasie has slight stretch so it's easier to fit.
Arla, Dina and Lacey run a bit larger though. Dina came up to L cup did you ever try it? It's an amazing bra. I wished I discovered it before it was discontinued so I could stock up.
No, I never did try the Dina. It came out at a time when I tended to wait for bras to go on sale but by that time my sizes would be sold out. I'm going to ask Bravissimo to consider re-stocking their products at least once to allow for those of us who miss out on a popular colorway. I'm hoping Bravissimo's next Dina comes in a mint.
Which Fantasie bra were you comparing your Alana to? I wish there were more reviews of older style Fantasie bras as I have this impression the cups were larger, with more depth than you would expect. For years, I have considered the Fantasie Belle 6001 but the measurements I see in Bratabase really confuse me. For the 38JJ, there are 5 entries but only 2 measurements, the un-stretched band data are 37.4 & 38.0 inches and the stretched data is 43.3 and 44.0... for 38JJ!!! And the cup depth, 18.1 and 17.0!!! Aren't UK JJ cups supposed to be for a 14 inch cup depth? So confusing..
alanagirl it was Fantasie Illusion Side Support Bra (FL2982) - I have it in 32J (will have to add it) - it has slight stretch in upper cup. Measurements here are sometimes so weird. I also have seen bras have 3-4 inch difference in some measurements compared to others. I think measuring instructions are clear? I assume some don't stretch the cups over knees while others do? Also if you don't want to keep a bra you measure a bit more carefully and don't stretch the band too much?
alanagirl , I have also been trying to figure out Fantasie Belle Full Cup Bra (6001) masurements! alisa it is just all of us amateurs making measurements that leads to “unusual” such large differences in a given measurement like cup depth. That is why the measurement tables also tabulate averages
Of course measurements can never be 100% as we are all human. Some measure the whole wire channel other only the actual wire. Also inches rounded up or down or translated to cm.
alisa I'd love to talk a bit about how to properly measure the bras because I usually feel like I do it wrong, I've remeasured a few times for my bras on different days because I felt like it was wrong the first time lol. Mostly cup depth and height, and I pop them over my knee but my knee isn't big enough for the bra haha.
dfe98we It could also be the way Bratabase "populates" some of the data. I am not a fan of seeing measurements with no bra entries so I try to ignore those. alidieux I choose to measure cup depth and height wrong!! I prefer to measure depth and height with boob in cup. I know some will argue this is wrong but I am more comfortable with boob size changes verses variation in tension when using the over knee method. For example, I was trying to convince alisa that both depth and height has changed on some of my Alana's. Last night, I measured 4 of my 40L and one of my 38L Alana's and the depth on all were larger by 1-1.5 inches with the height being about 1 inch bigger compared to when I first measured them. I am not so sure I would have been able to quantify this with the over knee method.
That's a good idea to measure when wearing the bra! makes it easier. In the past I used to stuff the bra with fabric to fill it to measure but that takes just too much time. I put my knee at the deepest part of cup and let stretch it just a bit so there is no wrinkles - then I measure and sometimes add 1 cm if I think it would be more but my knee can't fill it. https://imgur.com/a/W6B2IPr here how I try to do it.
I think this method makes total sense for those of us who are fuller busted. Plus, the Bratabase measuring instructions acknowledges this in bra measurement as an acceptable alternative to the over knee technique. I did not measure this when I first entered my bra data but I measured 4 inches of floating gore on all of the 40Ls and 4.5 on the 38L. I like to combine both cup depth and floating gore length to determine what my actual cup depth is. I added a comparison of my original measurements to this recent data to my review of one my bras. https://www.bratabase.com/bra/dn54w/
I am starting to wonder if initial measurements are not as important as long term measurements. We all agree that bra bands will stretch out. I think some bra cups can also stretch out, which is not a good thing in theory but if you know this will happen and when it does happen, the cup continues to be just as or even more comfortable, then isn't this a more relevant measure?
I'm gonna measure mine wearing them to see if it's a big difference.
Have to measure my Fantasie Illusion that I showed on pic, if I get the same measurement when wearing it. I also have 38cm breast perimeter and bra is 38cm in depth (measured over knee bit stretched ) so assume it should match. Will update.
Added another re-measurement, this one is my most recent Alana purchased, the Lilac-Lemon. I think I see a trend here, at least for Bravissimo's Alana.
I meaured my 32J - Fantasie » Illusion Side Support Bra (FL2982) wearing it and it was similar to cup depth I measured over the knew. Difference might be 0,5 cm depends on how I stretch the bra a bit more over the knee.
The stretched band length is almost 4 inches longer than the bra size. Does that surprise you or is that your experience with bras from Fantasie?
No it didn't surprise me since only Bravissimo bras are usually "tts" in band - most other brands bands stretch much further than they should. For example Panache... I can fit easily into 30K Tango but struggle to close 32JJ Bravissimo Arla.
Now that I think about it, I should not have been surprised as well. BB (before bravissimo), I never had confidence in a brands offering being tts. After discovering Bravissimo, I tried a number of 38K Panache but my experience seems to have been the opposite of yours. I wore these 38Ks with an extender but I was not happy with any of them, mostly due to the cups being narrow with insufficient depth. In fact, the 42J Tango I had was better fit and comfort wise compared to 38Ks but the band was ultimately too loose for me.
Maybe my Tango just has too big cups for me? So I was able to wear a smaller band? I rather have Bravissimo wires and fit - Panache wires while being sturdy and supportive, were almost too hard and hurt me a lot. Bravissimo hardly does unless there is something off with the fit.
Oh yeah! that's true, the wires of my Tango were pretty firm especially on my sides. They didn't really hurt but it was uncomfortable for sure. I'm sure if I tried a 38 or 40 band Tango, those wires would have been painful. I have owned 7 Panache bras but I have never had one that I truly liked.
All panache I've tried were really big in the band except jasmine. My tango is also too big band.
Could be that the band sizing is inconstistent. For example old Panache Ariza - bands above JJ cup run big... so 32JJ I got fit like 34J! Bands J and below run firm, so 34J I got fit like 32JJ but 30K also fit like 32JJ.
I will not write a too long review as this bra is discontinued and there are only a few sizes left to buy.
The Georgia bra is a full cup but it has a lower gore and lower cut cups than previous full cup bras by Bravissimo.
The bra does not fit me, it was too small in cups. The band is true to size and a good fit. The wires are a good width for me, I usually need HH/J wires for width but the cup depth of J/JJ.
This bra is not shallow but it's a much shorter cut than you expect from a full cup. I get overspill and my upper breast tissue is not supported. Also since the gore sits quite low it hurts me. My boobs overspill at the centre and the gore cuts into breast tissue. There is no stretch in the upper cup. This bra is cut all wrong for my tall, projected and full on top shape.
darn, that's too bad!
I kind of like the design.