ETA - a few months later, I've gained a bit of weight and have to admit that this bra just doesn't have enough projection for me. I can wear it just fine, but I constantly feel like I'm about to fall out the bottom and it's just a bad sensation. Still a lot to love about this bra for someone that it suits better.
TLDR - It's narrow! It's projected! It has short, soft(er than Panache) wires! It comes in a 32 band! It's FREAKING BANDLESS! If you like Panache Envy but want shorter wires and can tolerate a wider gore, BUY THIS.
I'm kind of in love with ...this bra. It has a lot of the things I love about Panache Envy Balconnet Bra (7285) , while not being Panache Envy (variety is the spice of life, also, jfc, the WIRESSSSS). Did I mention it's bandless?
First awesome Envy-like feature: the left to right seam that is almost completely horizontal. In bras that have a more diagonal seam along with a mesh or lace upper portion of the cup, I find I get pillowing/in cup quadding where the mesh/lace and other material meet. I'm not sure how the seams are causing this or why a horizontal seam works better, but it definitely does.
Second awesome Envy-like feature: stretch lace upper portion of the cup is not lined with any sort of ribbon or elastic or other material. While this often helps create a nice rounded shape, it acts like a rubber band on my soft tissue and creates another type of in cup quadding.
(I am not 100% sure that a horizontal seam in and of itself has that much effect on fit for me, but every bra I have tried with a horizontal seam and no elastic at the top of the cup has also had very firm fitting stretch lace/mesh, which seems to have something to do with pulling my tissue away from the seam and avoiding the pillow/bubble/in cup quad there. In something like Cleo Hettie Balconnet Bra (9011) that has a horizontal-ish seam, firm mesh but also elastic, I get LESS pillowing at the seam but it's still there. Shoutout to cupandahalf for talking some of this out with me on another review. Anyway, where was I?)
Here's where this bra beats Envy: THE WIRESSSSSSSSSSSS. They're shorter so no poking, and soft so the not exactly tacking center gore isn't painful. There's a good half to 3/4ths of an inch gap at the end of the wire channel, which allows for the wings to be taller and hold in my side squish.
The gore is a little wide for my average set but center full breasts - it's just barely short of an inch wide at the top. However, the gentle wires and accommodating stretch lace mean I can kind of just scoot things around and be comfortable and contained.
I have no issues with the quality of the bra. The print is kinda whatever for me - I suppose it's romantic in a noir sense? It could look pretty sexy with the right pair of panties, I guess. The embroidery kind of has an odd feel on the outside. It feels just like a very old, very nice embroidered arm chair at my grandmother's house. I'm pretty sensitive to textures and how things feel and it's exactly like that. You can't feel it at all on the inside of the cups, thankfully, just touching the outside.
I would be happy if the cups were 14" deep. At 13.5", they feel just deep enough. I did a bit of yoga in this bra and didn't feel like I fell out too much, but I haven't done anything really physical yet.
This isn't a full coverage bra, but it's not going to give you a ton of cleavage either. I haven't seen Elomi calling it a balconette, full coverage or anything, just a "bandless" bra. I felt comfortable wearing it under a v-neck t-shirt from Target, but if you're TRYING to get cleavage, look elsewhere.
Lastly, I hope this review was helpful. If there's anything I could do better or information you'd like to see. I know my reviews tend to be a bit long, but I like to cover everything that seems relevant about a bra. Read more 619 more words
Pretty. Comes in my size. But Envy was the most painful bra I ever owned . . . too shallow for me. Not sure its worth the risk.
I love this review! I was just thinking of getting this bra and I think you've sold me on it. It's funny, I thought BANDLESS! just like you when I saw it.
Bandless? Awesome! I'd give it a try, but I need a 30 band in most UK bras (have tried a 32 Elomi already and the band was riding up on the tightest hook). I wish there were more bandless bras for larger cup sizes. Being short and having a bit of squish, I find some banded bras to be excruciating, especially when I'm sitting for a while (*cough* Jasmine *cough*).
Looks great on you, and it looks perfect under that t-shirt!
Thanks y'all. :)
dbmamaz How was Envy painful for you? Wires? This is a bit less projected, so probably a pass there anyway.
cupandahalf I'm really glad I tried this bra. Bandless bras are so rare the only one I can remember trying is Elomi Etta, which I just hated. I thought maybe I didn't like bandless bras, but I definitely do!
LadyInBlue :( If Etta is ever available in a 32 band, maybe try it. I found that it was a much firmer band than any other Elomi style I've tried. Have you tried Andorra? I find bras that have a lot of band in the front are more comfortable than something like Envy or Jasmine. The extra fabric helps everything lay flat rather than getting bunched up and ouchy.
I've never tried Andorra, all that lace under the cups makes me wary. If it's soft, it may not bother me. I really do not need any new bras right now, but maybe next time I'm looking for something different, I'll give it a try, as long as I can find it on Amazon Prime.
Yes, for me the envy was too shallow and it got pushed down to, apparently, the exact most painful spot on my ribcage? No other bra has hit it.
It did just come out. triumphof doing the hard work others won't do ;)
triumphof I just noticed the back of this bra is really interesting. How does it look/feel with the wide band and lacy wings?
cupandahalf The band is really comfortable! It's lined with the same light tan fabric as the cups, so no lace really touches my skin except at the very back of the band along the straps as seen here. On the outside of where the strap and band meet, that's just lace. Honestly, I hadn't noticed that it was just lace there until I read your comment and looked at the back of the band. I have a lot of squish that's not even remotely breast tissue so I appreciate the wider band with the narrowish, short wires.
cupandahalf not sure if I managed to tag you in my previous comment or not. Also, next time I'm wearing the bra I'll try and get a picture of the back but no promises as to the quality :D
Thanks so much!
Hi triumphof thanks for your review. I'm curious to try a Tia as an alternative to my favorite Jasmines. I need to order online, and so I'm curious to know how the sizing compares for you between Elomi Tia Bandless Bra (4280) and Panache Jasmine (6951) . Thanks!
Oops, I meant to ask how the sizing compares to ENVY, since that's the one you mentioned. Thanks :)
This was an impulse purchase off eBay. It’s a used bra; my first used bra I’ve ever purchased.
This bra is a parachute bra x1000. The wires are so wide, the widest I’ve ever experienced, and they wrap all the way around to my back. No joke!
The cups “fit” but they’re obviously too large. They’re very tall and deep (!!!). Deep is what I need, but because the cups are obviously too large, there’s still wrinkling from the excess I stretched fabric. My boobs literally swim in this bra.
With all complaints aside, I’m honestly keeping this bra because it’s actually pretty dang comfortable and would be a ...fabulous bra to wear on my days off when I still want support but can’t handle an uncomfortable bra all day.
The fabric is soft! And for being a nude bra (I hate nude bras), it’s actually not that bad looking. A little “grandma” but it’s not that bad. I actually wish I could come across a Nina in black, maybe in a 36GG because it might fit and that colorway is much cuter.
This has the old Elomi wires, so they’re super flimsy, which is probably why they wrap around to my back. Also, I think the previous owner may have tried to alter the wires a bit because they’re a little warped looking, like they tried to make them narrower but it didn’t work. The band is pretty firm for a 36, but not uncomfortable.
Overall, like I said, I’m keeping this. With all the fit issues aside, it’s got that Elomi quality that is hard to pass up. Plus this bra seems a little hard to come by! Read more 171 more words
After a day’s worth of wear, I’m very surprised at how comfortable this bra turned out to be! Bandless is where it’s at!
Bandless is SO comfortable!!! Elomi bras are often so wide, but I like that they tend to be comfortable anyway. Panache bras definitely fit me more perfectly, but ouch.
I had a 34HH Tia back when I was a smaller size, and while it still wasn’t a perfect fit, it was nowhere near as awful as this!
For some reason this bra has wrinkles and emptiness on the sides (I’m guessing the wires being too wide is the culprit). But then it smashed my boobs so close together there was no way the gore was ever going to even touch my sternum. It was literally that bad. The fabric also literally has no give except for the lace on top, which was the only part that fit fine.
So R.I.P. to my dreams of ever wearing a Tia again. Unfortunately, it is not a match for me anymore. 0/10 would not recommend for my body.
I love the enthusiasm in your reviews. It’s almost like hearing you actually talk about the bras. Sorry this one doesn’t work for you. Do you think it had enough projection? Or not? I’m trying to learn how different fit issues can look so I can find a better fit myself.
dagmarwulfe thanks! I’ve always been pretty casual in writing, so it just come naturally to me haha!
The problem with Tia (at least for me) is that the fabric literally has no give. According to its measurements, it should be a more projected bra, but I think because of its build it just didn’t work out for me. I need quite a bit of projection!
The Tia is such a weird one. I'd be curious to see if it fits you better in a 36H! Elomi sizing is just weird and confusing.
Adler613 when I used to wear a 34HH I had a Tia and the gore never tacked, so I’m not sure if sizing down to 36H would be a good fit but I guess it’s worth a shot!
Yeah, it's super weird sizing, like I said! I find 2 sizes too big will seem to fit right, 1 size too big acts too small and doesn't want to tack, and 2-3 sizes below my calculator sizes either fits perfectly or is a clear shape mismatch. So weird.
I tried Tia a while back in what was my actual size then, but the fit was totally off. The wires were insanely wide and the cups much too tall for me. (and I usually like tall bras) So yeah this one is an odd one. Maybe there have been some that were okay then they made others with false grading in larger cups? Sorry it doesn't work for you anymore.
If you've ever gone to buy a tankini top and despaired at the lack of support for your ladies, then this is the bra for you. Able to be worn under any tankini or full piece that doesn't have built in support, the Elomi Swim Bra ensures you're supported while you swim.
I tell everyone about this because it has changed my life. I struggled for years with getting adequate support in my bathing suits. I did everything from pin up the top of my suit with safety pins to wearing a wireless, pullover bra from Walmart under my suits. And I still felt unsupported, uncomfortable and self-conscious. One ...time, I was even called out at a water park for wearing an "undergarment" under my suit. They told me I couldn't wear anything that wasn't made of swim material. Too embarrassed to go without, I changed into my streets and spent the rest of the day at the picnic tables.
All this to say that this bra is worth every penny.
I even wore this bra during an entire day of work to test its comfort level. I wanted to be sure that if I spent a day in my bathing suit, I wouldn't be tempted to rip off my swim bra at the first opportunity. And I'm happy to say that it worked well as a regular, every day bra. I was supported and comfortable the entire day.
I would be cautious about ordering this without trying it on as the cups run small. I am a 36 GG but needed an HH cup for adequate coverage. Read more 156 more words
This one may be a keeper for me! I’m actually surprised at how well this one fits me compared to my experience with Elomi Morgan in the past.
The wires! They actually almost stay completely in my IMF. They barely slip down a finger-width after stretching, jumping, and galavanting around the house (it’s like a side-of-your-finger’s-worth, not the width of your finger flat).
The material is soooo comfortable, and I love the color! It seems projected enough, but I’m not quite sure. The band is also comfortable, but I don’t know if it’s too loose on me? I have a fit check posted if you’d like to help ...me out with those two issues: http://bra.pe/Tbn/
My only gripes were that the elastic caused me quad-boob. If I decide to keep this, I’m planning on removing the elastic like I did my Elomi Kim because it definitely helped the fit. I’m also disappointed that the gore doesn’t quite tack, but I think the gore is too high and/or too wide to completely tack on me.
Otherwise, I honestly love this bra and I really might keep it. I’m on the fence because of the issues that I have listed in my fit check.
The bra is comfortable and soft, but I really didn’t like the style on me. I’d recommend it for someone who wants comfort and full coverage but who doesn’t necessarily care about getting a stylish bra. I think it’s probably prettier in the purple color way.
I did not purchase this bra, but tried it on to help me narrow down my size. I tried on the 40H, 36HH, and started to try on the 36H, but it was so tight I had trouble getting it on (I put my bras on backwards and turn them then pull on the cups). It felt too tight to turn it, so ...I didn’t get to test the cup fit of the smaller size. This 36HH fit the closest, but it seems like either the cup is too big or the cut is wrong (probably both). I wanted to post a fit request, but didn’t have time to measure the bra and it looks like I can’t submit without measurements.
I put the bra back on fast to take a quick picture so I’m not sure if the band rolled the first time I put it on or if that was me rushing to get it back on for the picture.
I really wanted to try it on in the 38H, but the Nordstrom I went to was out of 38H in any style of bra in Elomi. I’m thinking either I needed to try on the 38H or maybe the 36H would've fit if I could actually get it on. https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" /> Read more 155 more words
I appreciate how you scrambled to add data to Bratabase despite not buying the bra, vrwriter ! Hope someone here with more fit knowledge can help you!
I totally agree! Most would not try to get data for BtB in a fitting room! At any rate, it does not look to me like the cup is too big in this pictures. I see the wrinkling, but it doesn't look like it's in the normal spots a bra would wrinkle if the cups were too large, it appears to be more of a shape mis-match to me. Perhaps next time you can have someone help you buckle the bra in the back instead off putting it on backwards and spinning it around to the front? It would certainly allow you to be a better judge on the fit factor between the 36H & 36HH. I am sort-of sure that the 38H will have wider wires, and it does not look to me like you need wider wires than what is on this bra.
This style looks too tall and wide for you--so in effect yes it's too "big" cos there is a ton of wasted cup volume. It's too shallow; you need something with different proportions. that offers the same room for your tissue where it is (mostly on the front of your body) without all the unnecessary cup acreage above and to the side.
Thank you all! It did feel pretty comfortable, but I wasn't sure if I should consider it a size mismatch or a shape mismatch. I knew the shape was terrible, but I wasn't sure if the wrinkling was solely due to the shape, so I really appreciate your feedback on that! I generally prefer bras with front projection and do best with half-cup styles. My boobs are slightly full on bottom and I'm finding that cups with a 7" width tend to work well. I did like the Elomi Amelia though. I got it a year ago and that had a wide cup but somehow worked well and was pretty comfortable until it got out of shape and my boobs started changing again. It wasn't my favorite shape, but the initial comfort and support was great.
I had a couple narrow, Cleo bras that did give excellent projection and fit almost exactly, but they were slightly too narrow for everyday, all-day comfort.
I will admit that I like a nice, rounded shape and have put up with some imperfect bras that gave me a great rounded look...my old Freya bras were great for that.
Yup, this is a typical problem for Cate and its clones. The stretchy band pulls the wires back at the side resulting in all that gapping at the bottom side of the wire. You can see it on all their models too. Very few people have boob there so I'm not sure why they make it like that but it's a common fit problem for Elomi.
I think if the 36H was too small upside down and backwards then in general 36 bands will be small. I think, looking at the strain of the band in your pictures (band rolling up, wires pulled wide) that a 38 might be a better band for you but of course brands and models vary wildly and especially in this size range. Yay for us!
So you need wires measuring ~7 inches in something between a 36HH and 40GG. Have you tried Sculptresse as a brand yet? Definitely try 38 and 40 bands as most run quite firm. Now that you are a cup size up from your previous size the wires might not be too narrow, although some models do have quite narrow wires. Good luck!
I'm thinking I may try to go back to the boutique today and exchange the Parfait bra I got since it's still unworn. I don't know if they can do anything about the CK Victoria since I wore it. Hopefully I can try on some 38H or 36HH and figure out the best overall size.
I think I may have to break out the sewing machine this week or next week and take in all of my bands and see what happens. I generally machine wash my bras, though I know you're not supposed to. But I live in a house with lots of people and don't feel comfortable hanging soaking wet bras in the shower every week. I try not to dry them in the dryer unless I'm in a hurry. But I know between regular wear and washing in the machine, they are probably wearing out a lot faster.
vrwriter there's no need to hang up handwashed bras soaking wet! After handwashing, lay a used (but dry) towel on a flat, hard surface, place the freshly washed bra on it and "roll" it up as many times as you can inside the towel. Then firmly press down with your palms all along the length of the towel-wrapped bra to absorb as much water as you can. Do it again with the other side of the towel or another towel if you want extra security, then the bra will not be dripping and you can hang it up in your room. (You can always place a small basin underneath if you're afraid about a couple drops, but the towel trick is sufficient for me to hang bras anywhere.)
Thank you for the tip, wendybien ! I've been able to hang the damp but not wet washing-machine washed ones, so I will try this method and see how it works. I know some people use special soap/detergent to wash their bras. Is there one you like to use?
Fits pretty well but the gore kinda rubs and the wires are too wide. Top looks wrinkled when my arms are raised but otherwise it’s flat along the top. Very good shock absorption!
Update: After trying it on again in the morning, the band is a little too loose for what I would want in a sport bra and there’s a ton of space between the wire and my IMF. I’ve ordered a 36H to try, but I may have to revisit the 34HH/34J sizes again as apparently they might fit me better. I don’t have to return this one for a month, so I’ll wait and decide after trying some other sister sizes.
I had bought a Panache Envy, but it was jabbing me badly in the armpits, so I tried out this Elomi Morgan instead. Sooo much more comfortable. First, the wire is shorter, so even when swooped and scooped it doesn't poke up into the tender zone. I measured the wire length at 13.8 inches, while the Envy is 15.5 inches, so, there's your problem! The cup width is 7.3, same as the Envy, so still wide enough to cover my root. Also, the (somewhat stretchy) band and the bottom of the cup on the Morgan is made of a very smooth non-stretch fabric, with stretch lace along the ...top. For those full-on-top ladies, be aware that there is an elastic band running on the top edge of the lace. There is a soft, felt-like material lining the inside of the band, wire, and straps, which feels nice. The strap is pretty average in width, but wider than the Envy's, which I also find more comfortable. I am very projected, and the Morgan seems to handle that with aplomb with a 14 inch deep cup.
As far as looks go, it does have the pretty stretch lace on the top of the cups that dresses it up, but overall I think this one is more serviceable than sexy. Fine by me! This colorway is just called "white," but the solid fabric on the cups is speckled with light blue.
The one thing I'm not crazy about is the side support. I feel like my heavy breasts tend to sag towards the outer bottom of the cup, and it pulls on the side of the band, causing some wrinkling. I'm pretty sure this is the right size, so there may be a shape issue. I notice if I pull the straps inward (as if they had a racerback) this improves the side lift a bit. I'm quite new to the bra-that-fits world, so I'm not sure of the cause or the fix beyond that. Still, I'm very happy overall!
Update: I tried the strap on the tightest hook, and it helped smooth out the edges of the cups by the wings and improved the shape a wee bit. I still feel it's a little slacker on the side support than I'd hoped for. Now, though, I'm wondering if I could have managed a 34 band!
Update 2: As I wore this bra more, the more I could see problems with the fit. The cups are just a little too small and the gore tacks only with effort and doesn't stay. I have since tried a 34JJ, and the fit is better. Read more 329 more words
I bought this bra [along with the Elomi Jocelyn in 36H] a while ago, maybe 2 years ago or so. I didn't know my true size back then so I'd order bras purely by measurements and suggested sizes from different bra size calculator sites... let's just say it was a trial & error for a while there... So this was the first bra that I'd ordered sort of blindly and it fit me like a glove, like it was made for me, and I was ecstatic! It gives me a wonderful rounded shape, doesn't dig into armpits or anywhere else and the center gore sits flat against my sternum. Needless to say it's been my go-to bra ever since. This is my first bra review ever, so I will probably come back to it and add when I learn to make better reviews https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" />
I had tried this bra in several sizes a while back, and it never fit quite well enough for me to buy one full price. Then I found this one on sale, and now I have it to wear on my lazy days. Ideally I would have narrower but bigger cups on this, without the elastic band at the top. The Good: It fits comfortably, and I like that the J-hook makes me correct my posture more. It is well made, and the lace portion isn't flimsy or scratchy. The center gore actually sits almost right against my sternum (closer than any bra before it). The Underwire doesn't dig ...into my underarms The Bad: There is a small strip of elastic material along the top of the cup to prevent it from gaping, that gives me a bit of quad-boob. The cup is too wide and while it fortunately the wire doesn't dig into my underarms, it rests at an odd spot along the side of my ribcage, farther back than it should sit. It doesn't detract from comfort most of the time, but when stretching or reaching at odd angles (being short I do a lot of this at work), it can be a bit tight against the side of my ribs. Read more 103 more words
Yeah Elomi's run rather wide IMO but I agree with them being the only gores i've found yet that tack, so win some loose some. Ebay sometimes has good prices on Elomi's if your ever looking for another
This bra give me a lot more support than I have had in a long time and fit well and reliably through my weight flux. The underwire never started to poke through and that is important to note. It loosened very little between washings, keeping it true to size while stretching enough with movement to be quite comfy.
Gore seems ok until I move too much, then it digs in a little. The quad-boobing is very slight and probably would not occur if there was not elastic along the top of the cup. But the cups are definitely too wide for me by at least a half inch. I'll keep it even though it's not a perfect fit because it's comfortable enough to wear.
I love the look and feel of this bra...if only it fit. It's terribly unfortunate that they don't make this longline version in a larger band/cup than 40H. It's a beautiful peachy pink. It's definitely sheer enough to see nipples, so if that works or doesn't work for you, now you know. I like the longline style of this bra, but the wires are a bit high on the sides for me, however, I have high roots, so, I'm not a great barometer for average root havers.
There wasn't space to include a custom measurement, but from the top of the gore to the bottom of the longline lace is 15cm/6" & from the top of the wing to the bottom of the longline lace is 18cm/7.125". These are the measurements for the size 36HH.
Sorry I forgot to measure this before I sent it back to Nordstrom’s. I miss long line bras/bralette styles from when I was a bit smaller (and honestly probably in the wrong size). I was looking forward to trying this out, but Elomi just hates my shape. It is too big in the band, too tall on the sides, too separate at the gore, straps too wide... all the typical Elomi problems for me.
I went down in cup size at the recommendation of the folks at Breakout Bras. They said the wrinkling at the sides and wires showed that the cups were too big, so I figured ...it was worth a shot. Turns out it is just an overall shape disaster for me since the cup size down (and my adventures into going down to 34J in the (34J - Elomi » Matilda Plunge Bra (8900) and 34J - Elomi » Charley Plunge Bra (4380)) give me pretty serious quad boob.
It’s okay, though. I feel I have thoroughly exhausted all the Elomi styles that could even possibly work for me. So I guess this is it and I can stop trying Elomi. Read more 90 more words
I have written many reviews for this same style bra just in similar sizes. I can't seem to get the right fit. In this latest size of 36HH, the band feels much better than the 38 bands I tried, in that in my bust area the bra feels more settled in my IMF rather than pushing down into my ribs (felt this with the 38), but it's pretty hard to fasten on the loosest hook, so maybe that will get easier as it stretches with wear?
I've got the same great shaping. My slightly larger breast is not fully contained with the side underwire cutting into that breast tissue ...so I keep trying to scoop that breast forward into the cup but then my breast is spilling out of the cup on the inner side. Actually as I'm looking down, I have a bit of a overflow in the cup on both sides. And still gapping where the strap meets the cup. I also have some wrinkling on the bottom fo the cup along the underwire.
The band has got the same smooth fabric that feels like it's got a slight amount of give but without being "stretchy". And the stretch lace along the top of the cup is not in an area that's doing any real supporting work so it's a nice feature to give some versatility with fluctuations.
This size for me just feels a little tight all over, but maybe that's a good thing? Read more 137 more words
I have this in 38GG and thought 36HH would be my perfect fit. Boy was I wrong! This is comically huge on me. It fits me like a 38J. I should have gotten it in a 34H or 34HH for sure!
The gore and wires tack a lot better in the 36J - Elomi » Tia Bandless Bra (4280) even though the cup is a lot bigger. I think maybe I just need all the projection of the bigger cup to make it sit right. Otherwise, the fit is similar but less dramatically oversized on top and the outside.
Needed more room in the cups to get the gore to tack, but sister sizing up to the equivalent of 34J was too big and baggy on the sides. The gore tacked, though! I may try one more time in a 36H and see if it fits any better.
The pattern on this is cute! And the band is a little more comfortable than the 34. The 34HH gore flips to one side and doesn’t tack. The cups also seem like there isn’t enough space in the front so I have to adjust to get them more to the sides. I’m having such a rough time finding a sports bra that fits my needs!
Awesome!!! Looks lovely!!