This Olivia bra has been in the Bravissimo sale section for ages already and it always called my name. So here it is. What made me hesitate was the neon orange color on the promo pics which I disliked. In person the bra is more of a muted leaning towards tomato red orange. A really nice fall color. The Olivia is the same cut as 32J - Bravissimo » Alana Bra (AU01). The bras are known to be better for fob and even shape and not so good on fot. With my Alana I had the problem that the cups are not tall enough and don't ...have enough space on top.I guessed sizing up to K-cup would solve this. Too bad I also had to size down in band for that. It was an experiment. But it failed.
The K - cups are good for me in height and offer needed room in the middle / upper cup section. But the wires are much too wide, the straps are too seperated and they cut into my arms. I could close the band but it felt too tight. When I wore an extender, I got some slight wrinkling at the top of the cups. I also think that the tight band distorted the wires and made them even wider as they already were too wide on me. The bra felt supportive but I think it was only because the band was just very tight. I really liked the look and shape. I wore the bra 1 hour for trial at home, and when I sat down I felt the straps dig even more into my shoulders and that the cup fabric under my arms came up too high. Read more 181 more words
What is that weird wrinkle at the top middle of the cup— left side then right side? Weird for FOT, I would think....
I think there are 2 reasons, first I also tried the bra with an extender when I got some slight gaping in the cups, the other is that the gaping is on the side where I hold my phone to take the pic. I often notice that sometimes I get slight gaping / cutting in with a bra when I change my position, if I slouch, strand straight or sit down.
I usually take a front pic where my phone stands on a drawer since holding the phone is not ideal to take the pics, I will upload if I have one like that.
The Nina bra is said to be very good for a full on top shape like mine, so I really wanted to give this bra another try. Too bad the bra is discontinued so only a few sizes are left. The bra has no full band at the underwire, the cut is like a regular balconette and the top section is made of stretchy lace. This 30K does fit true to size in band, I even find it runs on the smaller side. I could close it but it felt really tight on me. (I'm between 30 and 32 in band, I would not recommend this bra if your ...are closer to a 32 like me.) The wires however were very wide on me and ended almost on my back. The bra felt supportive but it was just because the band was so tight. It also distorted the wires. I also find that wires on bandless bras distort more easily. A full band would give more stability there. The cups are very roomy on top and the lace part is quite stretchy but does not feel flimsy. I found that I even had some extra room on top and slight wrinkling. I could have sized down in cup and even better to the sister size of 32J. Sadly that size was all sold out. Read more 114 more words
I had high expectations for this bra. Similarly constructed bras Panache Jasmine and Envy did not work for me.
So to start on a positive note: The bra looks really pretty and well made. The fabric with overlaying lace is soft and good quality. The lace upper cup is very stretchy. Also there is no elastic ribbon at the cup edge, so no cutting in. I also really liked the round shape I got in this bra.
The bad: The bra just felt very unsupportive! It only features a 2 hook closure in this size. The band feels thin and flimsy and not supportive enough for a heavy bust. ...(32HH is still a large size!) I found that a lot of weight was on the straps. Also they are very narrow would cut in easily. The wire width was okay but I found the wings to be too low. It's not that breast tissue would escpae (as the option I had to choose here said) but I think a taller wing would give more support. There was also quite a bit of jiggling when I moved (as expected with a soft stretchy lace) but I found it was too much. Weirdly I even had some slight gaping going on where the strap meet the cups... I really don't understand. I usually wear even a 32J in Bravissimo Alana so this bra here is NOT too big. Anyway overall it just felt too weak and I wouldn't not recommend it, if you looking for supportive everyday bra in that size range.
I'd love to try 30J or 30JJ and see if they fit me better since those sizes have 3x3 closure and extra lining for support. Read more 176 more words
This whole move to 2 hooks sucks. Have you tried Elomi in 32H or HH? They have three hooks.
Also it looks like the wires are a similar width to these bravissimos.
cupandahalf I tried a few Elomi bras in 32J. Most wires were too wide, cups a bit too tall but not roomy enough at the centre. I liked the plunge Matilda or Charley but I cannot stand the low gores, they hurt me and I need the support of the taller gore at the wire. I don't know which style I should try.
I really liked Morgan/Meredith. In my size the wires are really narrow. They are also taller than the plunges so maybe no stabby stabby?
cupandahalf I tried both of them in 32J. I found the wires very flexible on me, support was not the best. Maybe I should try them again in 32HH.
Well if you already tried them it’s probably not worth it. Panache bras also have three hooks in these sizes and have similar wire widths so that’s another avenue to try.
cupandahalf do you remember the Tatiana bra from a few years back? it was a balconette / full cup but no stretchy lace. All over that satin-y like fabric? Is there a model on current Elomi collections that is similar? I think they all are either plunges or have stretch lace tops.
Supposedly that’s the same cut as Elomi Cate. I never tried Tatiana so I can’t be sure but what you describe sounds very similar to Cate.
cupandahalf Thanks. Cate is similar to former Caitlyn. It was decent in large sizes like Tatiana but very wide wires. They start at 34 band so maybe they are not so good in my current size range.
That’s too bad. The smaller band equivalent is Fantasie full cups which you’ve tried I think.
I gave up on Elomi for now. There are many Bravissimo styles left that I can try. Many of them still have 3 hooks in larger sizes.
I exchanged my 34JJ - Bravissimo » Lacey Bra (LN486) bra for this size and it fits me very well. The bra features a 3 part cup construction, Bravissimo calls it a full-cup. The straps are centered on this bra so that they don't fall off the shoulders so easily and it's true, they don't ! Also the straps for once don't cut into my arms so much like on other balconette style bras, I'm looking at you Panache Floris...
The cups on this bra are very tall, the wires are rather narrow for the size range. The cups are lined with a nude fabric under a ...pretty red lace fabric. The lace on top of the cups is stretchy, but the nude lining is not stretchy. The bra gives a really nice round shape. What is the best about this bra? I totally Forget that I'm wearing it at least for most of the day. That is a very good things since I'm used to bras that hurt me most of the time!
The cups are really super tall on this bra, now I think even a bit too tall for me. I get some slight gaping where the upper cup meets the straps. (I have lost another 2 cms of bust circumferance since I received this bra. ) So it fits generously even on my PMS boobs. I think that the bra is a bit more shallow in the cups than the other Bravissimo bras so I really need the room at the center of this size and I don't think I can size down yet despite the slight gaping. (none visible on my pics since I took them few weeks ago) Also the bra is a full-cup construction, so it's full coverage and keeps the boobs close to chest. The band is a perfect fit on my 31 Inch (77cm) ribcage moderately snug measured, so If between 2 band sizes I recommend going by the bigger and not size down, the band is firm and tts on this bra.
The Lacey my absolute favorite of all my Bravissimo bras I recently tried. I would repurchase this bra! The only slight downside to this bra is, that since it comes up very tall, that it can show on low cut round necklines, so it's better been worn with V-neck tops.
Update after 6 months of wear at 2 times a week: band unstretched 70cm. Band stretched 85cm. Read more 302 more words
I like this bra on you. It looks comfortable and pretty. Gorgeous, sumptuous colour. And, you're right: it looks like it would be great under v-neck tees :) If it fits on all other accounts, I would not be concerned with the gaping at the cup/strap junction. I have this in many bras that I own due to my short steep roots - 2/5 to 3/5 shape.
The Lacey is still one of my favorites. I just think that it could hold up a bit better. there is some loose threads from the elastic of the lace already. I only ever handwashed the bra.
The Ada is full cup bra, with the usual 4 part cup construction with side support. Both the lace and the lining in the top section of the cups are stretchy. Also the band is very stretchy, it was the most stretchy band out of all the Bravissimo bras I've tried. The bra was a decent fit but I did not like the look of it and the shape it gives me. It gives a quite east-west not very uplifted shape that reminded me of Panache Tango and Bravissimo Melrose. I also noticed that the lower section of the bra cup doesn't come up as high and the ...upper section is larger a feautre it shares with Tango and Melrose. I usually prefer a more uplifted look like 32JJ - Bravissimo » Lacey Bra (LN486) or 32JJ - Bravissimo » Dina Bra (LN578) gives, both bras have shorter top sections and larger lower sections than the Ada. I did not really like the color, it was a dusty pink that looked a bit too much like flesh color. The fabric felt a bit cheap, it's fabric is comparable to Bravissimos cheaper options like Alana. Read more 89 more words
Will probably update after wearing for a full day with further comfort info. I was really happy with the 30F I had of this same bra (but decided to exchange it for what I had thought would be a truer fit), but I'm honestly kind of disappointed with the 28FF. I won't be returning it since I don't think the fit issues are enough to warrant returning it again and this is the best fit I'll probably get with this bra. Firstly, the wires are definitely too wide for me, and it doesn't seem projected enough -- I don't really know where it wants my boob to go ...in the cup, since my left (smaller) breast both has quadboob and creates wrinkles in the fabric of the cup. My right (bigger) breast has worse quadboob but no wrinkles. The gore almost sits flat and probably would if the cups were just a little bigger, but I think a 28G would be too big. I also get a little more torpedo/Madonna-boob than I prefer. However, the fabric is soft and the print is pretty. I think I might have been more satisfied with the 30F because that was a good few weeks ago and I've gained more knowledge about bras/bra fitting since then, so I just didn't know enough to notice any issues. I know the problems I just listed seem like a lot for me not to want to return it again, but it basically fits and I like the bra itself.
EDIT/UPDATE: This bra and my IMF are not BFFs. They’re not even friends. The underwires are constantly moving down and the gore digs into my chest because it’s too high for me. This bra is so clearly too shallow/wide for me that I think I’ll just list it and count this as an “I’m a fool” purchase. Read more 199 more words
Okay, so I got the Bravissimo Nina in the Olive colourway. I really like the colour of this one. Nina is has a four part construction, with two lower sections, a stretchy upper section, and a side support section. The entire bra is lined (the upper section is lined with a stretchy material), which aids in the support it gives. Out of all my bras so far, I'd have to give the Nina, top points for support. It's definitely one that keeps me in, especially whenever my breasts are feeling tender.
As for measurements, unstretched the band measures 25.3 inches, and stretched it measures, 29 inches flat. If you're ...a true 30 back or need a smidge over 30 inches, I recommend you size up. For reference I'm somewhere between a 27/28 back and I find I can hook this up comfortably on the middle hook. Cup depth wise, I took both the minimum and maximum cup depth. The minimum cup depth was measured by hovering the cup between the knees and hanging the tape measure. This was recorded at 14.5 inches. The maximum cup depth was measured by stretching the cup over the knee. This was recorded at 15.3 inches.
The upper section has an elastic bordering it, what this means though, is that the lace that isn't lined pushes outwards, rather than lying flat on the skin. So depending on what type of shirt you were, there may be some show through.
The gore doesn't lie flat (this has always been a problem of mine and I, honestly, barely pay attention to it). It lies about maybe 2cm away from my sternum.
As for the fit, of this bra...it is very tricky to say, I can't say whether it's too big or small, so I'll just list the fit issues. Now obviously I'm spilling out at my larger breast, (you can see it, in the front pic) and if I tack the gore to my sternum, I'm spilling out of the smaller one also. Honestly though, if i adjust it, the spillage doesn't show, show through clothes..so maybe it's not an issue? It also may or may not be due to the elastic bordering the edge. The wires are too wide for me, but they're not uncomfortable and they don't poke. So I don't mind that. There's always a bit of some empty space/wrinkling at the bottom of the cups...more so on the larger side..which I've always found odd. Sometimes the smaller side can fill it fine...but the larger :/
Aside from that, it's okay. I should probably note that I tried a 30K because so far my experiences with the 30JJs have been that I've have some serious cases of quadboob Read more 343 more words
I would say it's a bit too small in the cup, but if it's comfortable & supportive, plus doesn't show under clothes then it isn't an issue. Glad it works for you!
Yep, I'm glad this one works despite the issues.. It's nice to have a bra that's not a blatantly, horrible fit..lol..my standards are so low right now
I have been there myself, so I can totally understand that. 😄😬😖
I'm glad you can make it work despite the fit issues. When I was at the size of 34L my gore sometimes would not tack either but the bra was still supportive so I didn't care.
Btw I found the Nina had rather wide wires compared to Lulu or Lacey, but only the Lulu has a stretchy top, the Lacey is lined with a non stretchy fabric from JJ-cup.
Oooh thanks for that info alisa . I'll add Lulu to the list of bras to try, the narrower wires + stretchy upper section looks like it should work for me
Lacey is also a very tall bra, Darcy is a full cup but no stretchy upper section. It's so difficult to figure out which bras have a fully stretchy upper section. Usually Bravissimo says "additional lining above HH cups" but they never specify if it's stretchy or not. It makes a difference duhhh. I only found out when I had the bras here. The only bra that was correctly described was the Sadie which has no lining up to K-cup. (I don't recommend that bra, very shallow on bottom, hard to fit shape)
One would think that they'd post that information, considering that's something that can heavily affect fit. Sometimes I just don't know what to think about these companies.
This was my first try on bravissimo bras. It was on sale for 15 Pounds so I just added it to reach the 100 Pound threshold required for free shipping when I ordered 3 more Cleo Marcies (now I just need 5 more colorways for my collection, yay).
The cobalt blue is really intense. Too bad it's a bit darker around the band making the front part look slightly washed out. I also love the bright flowers but the 5 bows on this thing are a bit too much.
The fit is quite bad but for some reason insanely comfortable so I “forgot” to return it and still wear it ...at home or to sleep. The wires are super flexible: I can easily pinch both ends together without any lasting deformation and they go from wide to very wide when I stretch the band a few centimeters. Interestingly they don't fit too wide when wearing it. There is about 1 cm between the tip of the wires and my breast tissue. Maybe my boobs pull them back to the center because the cups are a little small? However the front part feels a little unsupportive and the gore doesn’t tack. It effectively looks and feels like a wireless bra.
The cups feel deep and projected with little space on top. They are complete rigid with a firm ribbon on top that cuts in when I lean forward but it doesn't feel to tight. Overall they give me a projected cone like look. I guess this could work better on someone with a more full on bottom shape.
The straps feel wide set even on my very wide shoulders but they don't slip. The band feels true to size but with a lot of stretch which is super nice when slouching on the couch. Quality also looks great. The fabric in front feels very smooth and soft, there are no loose threads and the clasps are properly sewn in, not threatening to come out like on some of my Cleos. Read more 228 more words
I really hoped this bra would fit, because the star pattern and white fabric make a nice style (and there are so few white bras out there!), but unfortunately the fit is a somehow off.
First, the construction - the cups are made from a single layer of non-stretch fabric. It's a full-cup design, made from four parts. The seams on the inside of the cup have some loose threads, but otherwise the sewing is reasonably tidy. The band is also made from a single layer of stretchy powermesh. It looked to me in the pictures like it had side boning, but it doesn't. The materials feel sturdy ...and are quite soft. Compared to an older Bravissimo Alana, the materials are significantly softer, both in the cup and the band.
Since the fabric on the cups is completely non-stretch, the cups really show any asymmetry or a too large/small cup. The shape is very projected at the middle of the cup, but average projected at the bottom, giving more of a "green" shape. The wires are a bit too hard for me and the gore is stabby. I'm having a bit of a shape mismatch, a better fit for me has more bottom projection but creates a rounder, flatter shape - that's why the Bravissimo Millie in the same cup size works better for me. For me, full cups don't usually tend to work.
Regarding the sizing, it seems consistent with the usual Bravissimo sizing, in that the band runs true to size/tight-ish and the cups run one size small compared to the usual British size. Read more 158 more words
Stella is a new Bravissimo style. It looks like a bralette, but this triangle bra has underwires. The cups are unlined, unpadded, seamed lace. The gore is extremely low. This super low gore was the main selling point for me. Most plunge bras are still too high for me in the gore area. When I wear an Ewa Michalak PL or 3D all day and then try the Stella on, I can see where the PL or 3D's wires were lying on breast tissue. Stella's gore is mercifully low and narrow. The narrow part is important, because sometimes a short gore will still be too wide. Sometimes a ...short gore also starts too high up compared to the lowest point of the underwire. A short gore doesn't do me much good if it's positioned where the top half of a tall gore would be on my chest.
If I hadn't read many Stella reviews saying to size up in the cup, I wouldn't have ordered both 30F and 30FF. The 30F technically fit. In a too small cup, I usually get spillage under the arms. I don't get that in 30F. However, the 30FF has a rounder, more projected profile and is more comfortable than the 30F. I returned the 30F. On the return paperwork, I requested an exchange for another 30FF. Bravissimo's website says 30FF is sold out, so we'll see. I hope they come out with Stella in a nude-for-me color. I believe the lace would be opaque enough in a nude-for-me color to be the perfect summer bra. Read more 152 more words
My shape: Projected, narrow, shorter roots, even/functionally full on bottom, soft tissue. Cleo Lily fits me best.
The band runs about a size larger (32"), and the cups are pretty true to size.
I had high hopes for this bra, but it just didn't work for me. It gives a fairly droopy/"upside down 7" shape, and the side sling creates a weird tension in the cups that cuts into my breasts. The middle and inner part of the cups seem to have enough immediate depth, but the outer part of the cups are a strange wrinkly mess (partly because they're too wide). My search for a Cleo Lily replacement continues...
This is quite a pretty and comfortable bra. It almost gives me a bullet shape, but it's not super noticeable. The fabric and seams are smoothe. Although I do not quite fill the very top of the cup all the way, the fine mesh lace lies flat under tops which is what is important. I am fuller on bottom and inner breast than top - this bra might work a bit better for more balanced fullness. If you have very shallow on bottom, inner or top this will definitely have fit issues. I like that the wires are wide - good for wide roots.
The band measures large. I have it hooked on the tightest hook. I will be altering the band next time my sewing machine is out.
This is a brand I have not yet tried, but "wide wires" are compelling. :-) Thanks for your review.
Love4Pollinators the wide wire measurements coupled with not overly deep cup measurement in bratabase is why I tried the brand!
Oh wow, how pretty!! And it fits you so perfectly. 5.2" is about average wire width for this size though (even my Cleo bra is about this wide in size 30D). I think you should look at Tutti Rouge (not the Nicole bra, lol). It appears to be an entire inch smaller that your horizontal perimeter, which is odd considering it gives you about full coverage. Did you scoop n swoop?
LeProfessor I think I get more coverage because my breasts aren't super tall and they're very squishy (malleable) nowadays :(
I know how you feel, I get fuller coverage in just about every bra too. I think your like me in that you do have tall roots, but they're very shallow at the top and aren't ever going to be in the cup so they may as well be short roots. It looks like, especially from the side photo, that this bra is borderline too small and that if that neckline of the bra were elasticated , it would be cutting into you. I also wanted to note that if the top of the bra isn't very accommodating of taller roots,than the edge will slide down creating wrinkly lace that won't sit flat. Though sometimes I wish my boobs were more squishy! Makes it easier to fit different styles! ;-) Certainly explains why you can fit into a cup much smaller than your perimeter. Such a gorgeous bra that's gorgeous on you. The color is very flattering on your skin. ^.^
When I've been lactating my I can feel my breasts fill up rather high on the chest, a good 3-4 inches up past the top of this bra, so maybe I do have high, shallow roots. Who knows lol
So I was curious to try my very first 36L from Bravissimo. Their bras are known to run small and I was curious just how small. I think that on the 36L the cup are about a generous 36K in Elomi / Panache brands that I could compare it too.
I usually wear 34L in Alana and it works. The only issue I have is that the gore does not tack. As we know, the gore should tack on a well fitting bra, so I wondered if the 36L would solve that issue.
It didn't.
So I had issues with the fit, because the bra has been well loved by the previous owner. The band and wires were very much stretched out. Wires were much too wide, the straps too separated, the band felt loose. It was a bit big in the cups as I had some gaping. I think I will stick to my usual size of 34L despite the gore not tacking as 36L didn't solve that issue.
Do you think it didn't tack because it's too closed on top? Or maybe because the wires are so wide there's not enough material up front where your boobs are?
Bravissimo Satine - my new favourite bras! I just cant stop buying them! I want all possible colours and models! One of the most comfiest bras that ive ever owned in my life. I love their satin softness. The wires are comfy, short and on the flexible side. When the bra is on, it might look like wires are too wide, however after I took the bra of after all day, the wires left small marks just around my breast - usually I get bad red marks after hard Ewa wires, but Satines leave only gentle ones that dissappear after couple of mins. The gore is relatively low ...and also does not cause any pain! The band is perfect on me, however it is made only of 1 layer of mesh, which I really hate as this gives to bra shorter life unfortunately. I feel secure and comfortable on loosest set, however I could easily close on 2nd row or even on 3rd. The cup depth is good, even very good for my boobs, however there are some quadboobs - I am sure that the size is correct, but its just my bust isnt compatible with this model. BUT I DONT CARE! its so comfy and great bra that I dont really care about that, also it doesnt show under tight tank tops, so the issue is not actually a problem! Straps are good, they nicely hide under my tank tops, also theyre made of soft and easy to adjust fabric. I love that theyre wider so they dont dig into my skin.
Overall Im very pleased with these bras and definietly will buy more of them (even for sleeping!) ! Read more 171 more words
This cup construction is PERFECT. They fit me like how I wish my Comexim plunges would fit. I will definitely be picking up a Satine after trying this.
The wires are nicely narrow and cups are deep enough and shockingly don't gape on my short roots. They are very soft and lined with cotton. The wire channels are covered in a very soft material as well.
The band construction is similar to a Freya longline, it doesn't continue very far below the cups in the front and has no boning to keep it straight so it wrinkles on me.
My problem with this bra? As soon as I ...looked at it, I knew the sizing was amiss--this band is very large. It lays at 28 in and stretches to 34, making it run a whole band size large. Definitely size down in the band. I will have to contemplate whether to exchange it for a 30FF.
As a note, the panties run a bit large as well, again like Freya sizing. I ordered the large but I definitely could have gotten away with a medium. Read more 78 more words
Lined with cotton: fantastic! This looks beautiful on you! Better than Comexim--congratulations :-) :-)
Very beautiful! :-)
I just want to ask, is it a little bit wrinkling on your right breast, specifically on the apex? Because I have a Satine (not longline) and I ordered one cup size bigger than usual because of the recommendations here on bratabase. It fits me except I have little bit empty space in my apex. I think it's too deep for me.
No, i definitely filled the apex of the cups. Have you tried using a cookie? They stay in ok without a pocket in my experience but it probably wouldn't be too difficult to add a pocket.
Yay, so glad you reviewed this. And short roots friendly, too! I've been meaning to try it. Are the cups padded at all or just lined? I was hoping it would be at least as padded as a Freya half cup longline.
letstalkaboutbras It's got a flexible padding, similar to the Freya half cups. I thought it would be stiff but it isn't at all.
wild_muses Thanks! Now I really must get to Bravissimo this week if at all possible :)
wild_muses If you keasured the gore height from where a band typically ends vs where the long line ends, how tall is the gore? It looks delightfully short :-) :-) Thanks!
Love4Pollinators It's about 2.5 inches to the bottom of the wire.
I have this bra in 28F as well and I love them both. This one actually fits me though! The 28F is too small but I'd rather too small than too big personally. This bra is a little uncomfortable in the gore but if I move the wires in their channels I can fix that no problem https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" /> It's a bra I know I'll get the full use out of, just like the smaller size and I am soo glad I found it in another persons collection! There is plenty of give in the cups so I could add some cutlets for more vavoom if I wanted! There is no room, for that in the 28F and sometimes I just want a little more, ya know?
Such a pretty bra - just not quite the right shape for my breasts. I'm FoT with a lot of center fullness, and while I fill the cups well, as with every other bra I own - even if it's 2-3 cups too small - I have some gaping near the top of the cup where the strap is sewn in.
Adorable ditsy floral pattern, powder blue straps, 3 clasp band, plunge-style cups. Compared the Satine (the padded version from Bravissimo) Maisie's cups are not as wide-set in the middle and the wires are a bit narrower. The band is a Bravissimo 30, notably a bit tighter than ...the Freya 30's I'm used to, which are notoriously larger, more like a 32. The Bravissimo 30 feels good to me.
Comfort is great, I'm wearing this now even though the shape I get could be better. Band is nice and firm, straps adjust all the way so I can hike the girls up when needed!
All in all, a beautiful bra, I'm just a bit too narrow and full in the center - so my boobs tend to fall inwards throughout the course of the day. If you do well with plunges, I highly recommend this one! Read more 99 more words
I have this problem with Bravissimo bras too. Although they are meant to be good for FOB, I am even to full on top, but the important part here is I am short rooted so therefore I fit well into the cups ( could be better right in the centre due to centre fullness, I tend to overspill / quad a little) but I don't have tall enough breast tissue to fill the top of the cup where it meets the strap, and if I did then it probably wouldn't fit as I would then quad as it would be too closed on top.
I hope that makes sense? I still like my Alanas as they are really comfy and I haven't had any wire problems, but I do find Cleos (Marcie, kira, erin ) fit me better and give more uplift as they are cut for a shorter root.
and yes, centre fullness means I cant plunge either! depending on where you need the low cut, half cups can be good as they are the same height at the gore to support the centre, or if I need the "plunge" I wear a panache idina plunge which isn't quite as low in the gore as others and keep an eye on it through the day.
Wow, bravo - thanks so much for your insight! I've never really understood what in the world short vs. tall roots is about, but it seems to explain why despite having what I consider to be enormous boobs which are definitely NOT saggy or dropping, I still can't quite fill out the tops of most cups. Good grief! *mind - blown*
So appreciate the rec's - esp. the idina plunge. As for the Cleos, I am not sure if I just ordered the wrong size, but they seemed to be TOO short for me. :p
The Marcie seemed to be a good possibility in terms of fit, but the construction wasn't very comfortable - lots of digging in with the underwire, scratchy heavy straps, etc. Does it soften up with wear?
Anything else that works for you? :) Thanks again for your help!
I'm afraid that's pretty much all of my bradrobe! Panache Floris may be good for you as it is based on the Cleo style but has a thicker band and is perhaps slightly taller - I find it not quite as good for me for that reason so may be good for you (I think Olivia is based on floris too but I'm not sure how they compare).
I have read on here that some of the Elomi plunges can be ok with centre fullness but if I remember correctly they only start at a 34 or 36 so you would be sized out. I don't know if they are based on any others from fantasie or fauve though.
sorry, that's about it from me. Good Luck
Oh and I prefer Minnie to Marcie although not sure why!
bravo - Well, at the weight I'm gaining weight, it's not impossible that I may be into the 34 range in a few more months, so I'll def keep the Elomi plunges as an option in future.
Thanks again for your insights and suggestions! :)
bonjourhi :) True - nothing wrong with being a 34 - I've just always been 28-30. So for my body, that's an indicator I'm putting on a lot of weight - as is expected if all goes well over the next several months. ;-)
OMG, I laughed at your second comment.....you do kinda have a point there - but - honest engine, even some of the ones I posted DO actually gape a bit around the straps, I just may not have shot the right angle. But I take your point!!! lolol
The Alana is a 3-part cup balcony bra, with fully adjustable straps and fastens with a closure with 3 rows of 3 columns of hooks. This bra is in the 'nude' colourway.
The lower part of the cup and the wings are made of a medium beige coloured opaque fabric, with the upper cup section made from a translucent beige coloured fabric with a geometric pattern on it. The embroidered pattern doesn't seem to show through shirts, and basically it's a pretty utilitarian design.
Whilst to my advantage in that it makes the bra run both firm and short, this bra has basically no wing! While at rest, there's only ...4.5cm/1.5" between the outer edge of the wire channel and the outer edge of the strap attachment. This makes the bra function as having closer to what one would expect as a 28 band. To be honest though, this is a design flaw, and narrower wires together with a longer wing and a strap attachment point which is closer to the fastening would make the bra a better fit for anyone in this size range.
I suppose I shouldn't even expect anything else, but the straps are very wide-set and have to be angled in to sit on my shoulders. The attachment part is far too wide on both my front and my back.
I was sold this bra in the Bravissimo Oxford Circus store while on holidays. Whilst the fit is by no means perfect, and both myself and the salesperson agreed on this, trying a 32KK meant that I had quite a bit of gaping at the outer top of the cup and cutting in under my arms, whereas if I line my nipples up with the T-seam in this bra, I only ooze out of the cup slightly, and the quadding isn't visible under a shirt. If I fully scoop into the cups, they are visibly quite a bit too small. The cups are fairly closed on top, especially because there's a little seam tape on the top of the cup, but I've found because of the height, the cup doesn't directly dig into my evenly full breasts.
The bra is sturdy and the straps are stable and don't cut into my shoulders (unlike my EM bras where I've had to resort to compromising support a little and loosening the straps off all the way). Because the straps are too wide-set and the wires are too wide, it does create a point of pressure on the outside of my frame, making the bra uncomfortable to wear for more than a few hours at a time.
The shape is probably closest to the 'green' shape on me (uplifted apex, a little pointy), and the cup apex seems to be somewhat splayed owing to the wider gore and shallowness at the centre of the cup. It's not horribly weird under a shirt, and I have fairly low standards regarding shape, with comfort and support as higher priorities, so I don't mind too much. It's not a favourite though in this regard. I'd also love to see more attractive cup grading, the upper section of the cup is unflatteringly large (as usual). A line which is closer to horizontal with a deeper upper section would be more aesthetically pleasing.
I was a little surprised to see that there were a few loose threads where lines of stitching hadn't been finished correctly, and slightly uneven finish on the inside of the wing at the top edge. Everything seems to have been sewn correctly, it's just lacking a little polish which I've come to expect from mass-manufactured bras.
Overall, I guess I feel that this bra is not bad and wearable. It's not going to be a favourite of mine, but it's functional and nice to have some non EM styles in my rotation. Read more 526 more words
Don't like the material, quite coarse. The under wire seems to stretch wider with the band so ends up far too wide and far around my back which causes it to dig into the edges of my ribcage and then the gore lifts. Maybe a 34L wouldn't stretch the wires so much but then again I'd have wider wires then.
What is that weird wrinkle at the top middle of the cup— left side then right side? Weird for FOT, I would think....