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The B. Sumptuous is probably the prettiest bra in the B.tempt'd by Wacoal line, in my opinion. Since they are known for styles like the Ciao Bella, this was also my first experience trying an unlined bra from the line.
Clearly, what drew me to this bra was the appearance. It's made with gorgeous lace that feels more like a high end European bra than a department store brand, with unlined lace cups that have satin blossoms woven into the lace pattern. It catches the light in the most beautiful way, and has the added bonus of not being totally sheer over the nipples. There's ... a simple satin bow between the cups, and the rest of the bra is kept simple with a plain mesh band and doubled satin straps.
It also came up on my Bratabase recommendations a few times, so I was curious about it. Despite being discontinued, I was able to find it on Amazon in my size. In the B.tempt'd line I range anywhere between a 30C-30DD depending on style, but I chose 30D because it was the most affordable option and has free shipping and returns.
I was pretty surprised to find that this style gives me some of the same fit challenges I routinely experience in brands like Simone Perele. Compared to other bras from the line, I immediately noticed that the underwires were a bit U shaped, and about the same level at the gore and wing. While it's a bit wider than the SP or Parfait wires that i just can't get along with, I still found the wires to be a bit too narrow and too straight at the top. A better shape for me is more open at the top than parallel.
Another construction point is the shape of the cups. Like the Ciao Bella balconnette, these cups have a vertical seam going through the entire cup rather than a 3 or 4 piece cut and sew construction as commonly found in UK brands. Now since the Ciao Bella is really a molded bra with a lace overlay, this detail doesn't make much difference in the fit, but in the B.Sumptuous, it does. I feel that this cup construction is just not the best shape for shallow breasts as it tends to smush the tissue flat rather than lift and shape; I had the same issue with the Skarlett Blue Entice Balconnette. Although there's a mesh side sling in the cup, I didn't find that it gave me much shaping. It just gave a super natural shape that wasn't the most flattering under clothing. I think that rounder breasts with firm tissue would have a better result, although I am pretty sure part of the problem is that the cups are a bit too small for me. However, one nice feature of this cup is that it wasn't too open or closed off at the top, since there's just a very thin elastic upper edge. It sat flush against my body and did not result in any gapping.
The best fit aspect of this bra is actually the band, which measures very small for a 30 but fits very comfortably. Since it is stretch mesh like Cleo Marcie/Lucy or Curvy Kate Florence, it is firm but not restrictive. This is also a full band style and the bottom elastic is thankfully quite wide, so I totally love the band. It would be great for a 28 ribcage as well as a 30. However, one feature that makes this not ideal for petite women is the constant issue of B.tempt'd straps not being fully adjustable. I've found that all the styles with the twin rouleau satin straps do not leave enough room for the straps to be adjusted. What a shame!
Overall this bra is a nice surprise, but the natural shape the cup gives my shallow breasts is not my favorite. It is a great option for small band, round and firm breasts that are a bit on the narrower side. Given that the cup measurements are quite small I think I would have better luck in a 30DD than the 30D, so we will see if it works out better in a different size.
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Mahogany Rose / Angel colorway
Updated on Oct 05, 2019 Flag this