This review is for the Ewa Michalak SF Czarny Gładzioch in RED (which makes it a Czerwony Gładzioch) in 80F EU (36F UK). My ABTF size is 32FF/34F UK. Ewa doesn't offer this bra on the website but I asked if they could make the Czarny Gładzioch in Red and they agreed for only $10 more.
Band: * Very tight. This fits like a 32 or 34, which I knew. Has 3 hooks by 4 columns.
Wires: * Very narrow at 5.5 inches wide in the 80F.
Cups: * 4 part cup, with 2 vertical seams. The bottom is standard knitwear. The top is elastic tulle.
Straps: * The straps are fully adjustable and nice and ...stretchy.
Fabric: * The fabric is very comfortable, no chafing at all.
Hardware: * The hardware is matching red and it has clear button details.
About me: very close set (breasts touch), very narrow roots, very projected at the wire, full on bottom, short roots, soft tissue, significant rib flares, narrow shoulders.
FIT
* The band is smaller than you'd think. * The wires are wonderfully narrow at this size. * The gore tacks well for me. * The cups are great for my short roots, full on bottom. I do have some wrinkling at the wire, but I can't blame it on projection since this is a Ewa. I do have "flatt-ish" roots so I think the wire is just too much of a capital U shape for me. Again, I knew this before I ordered it. * The straps are plenty long enough and fully adjustable. Like all the Ewa's I've tried they do cut into my ToS much more than I'd like. * The sides are a comfortable height for me.
OVERALL IMPRESSION * I love it! Classic. Read more 167 more words
Custom-made bra: can not get that at Victoria's Secret!
Looks amazing! That color red is very flattering on you.
Wow that color is sooo nice on you! Thanks for the review too, I’m actually very close or the same size as you. Im still trying to figure out EM styles/sizing so this is super helpful :)
Also, do her bands just not get bigger? LOL my 75s are mostly at 32 stretched :/
Wow, I love this on you! It matches your skin tone really well and the fit is great!
This bra looks AMAZING! I get wrinkles in SF too, I wonder if the fabric just wrinkles easily?
Holy cow, somehow I didn't get notifications. Sorry everyone!
margesimpson , Happy2BraShop , Wilderness1 - thank you! About her bands, NO idea. It's wild. pretty_promise - that's interesting! I hadn't expected it since it's a stiffer bottom, but you might be right!
This review is for the Ewa Michalak S Queen in 80F EU (36F UK), color Black. My ABTF size is 32FF/34F UK.
*Note: this bra is not on the Ewa site. I think it was a special commission. I bought it used in excellent condition.
Band: * Very tight. This fits like a 32 or maybe a tight 34. Has 3 hooks by 4 columns. (I knew this when I bought it.)
Wires: * Very narrow at 5.5 inches wide in the 80F.
Cups: * 3 part cup, with 1 vertical seam and one horizontal. The cups are PADDED and do come with removable cookies. (Pics are without cookies.)
Straps: * The straps are fully adjustable ...and comfortably stretchy. Like all EM bras like this, the straps definitely cut in to my TOS.
Fabric: * The fabric is embroidered and very comfortable, no chafing at all.
Hardware: * The hardware is black. The gore has a little crown for jewelry as well as a bow.
About me: very close set (breasts touch), very narrow roots, very projected at the wire, full on bottom, short roots, soft tissue, significant rib flares, narrow shoulders.
FIT
* The band is very small. I'm a 32 but prefer a 34 for my rib flares, this should be a 36 but at 32 the wires start to distort, so I think it fits like a 32 or 34. * The wires are wonderfully narrow at this size. * The gore tacks hard for me. The wire casings are slightly overlapped providing .625 (5/8") for a gore width. * The cups are an interesting shape; I've since learned this is normal for the S style. They come up sharply from the bottom wire to provide a lot of lift. I do get insane cleavage with this. * The straps are plenty long enough and fully adjustable. * The sides are a comfortable height for me.
OVERALL IMPRESSION * This bra is beautiful. It definitely fits. I just have to decide if I want that much cleavage. If I take both thin cookies an put them in my smaller side the fit is great. I've only worn it to measure so I don't know about comfort over time. The wires are a deep U and will definitely bother my rib flares over time, but all bras do. Read more 265 more words
The PL is not my favorite model from EM, although I can wear it, unlike the S. This particular bra is so interesting I was glad it was released as a PL. It is meant to give the appearance of a bralette, something I cannot imagine myself wearing as there would be no support. It's cute, with cheeky underwear and it comes with a mask as well. The only thing I really wish is that the lace didn't end abruptly on the back side. It's a reasonable shade of beige to appear nude for me so overall the effect is quite nice, and no comfort is sacrificed from the extra layer of lace. I can't see this as an everday bra though.
The band on this bra is too small for me, as I knew it would be. I had this crazy idea that if I used an extender on a smaller band, it would result in the wires moving out of my armpits. Which sort of worked, and I might try that strategy again, but this bra still isn't going to work for me.
I had hoped that Ewa's HM cut would work better for me than the SM, but I am going to have to keep looking. It is still way too open at the top for me. The straps are also set very far apart, and leave me with angry red stripes along the edge of my shoulders and a very unhappy tail of spence.
It's a beautiful bra, though. It looks like an old-fashioned mantilla. The cups are also nice and deep, especially at the bottom, and the gore is very narrow. Unfortunately for me, it's also very tall. All in all, not a bra that loves me.
In all fairness, a "36" band that stretches to 33.5 is utterly ridiculous. I've heard good things about the HM cut but never tried one due to the super tall gore. Too bad it doesn't work for you!
While I agree with you lcl0706, We must keep in mind though that an 80 band is meant to be 80cm, & 80cm is only 31.496 inches, not 36. So in all fairness to EM, it's not as ridiculous with that factored in. They convert with the +4/5 theory it would seem. :/
I commend you dishevelled_diva for using logic & testing your theory on the band & extender! It was a brilliantly thought out plan, sorry it didn't workout as hoped with this particular bra.
Thanks for the encouragement, MamaPagan! I still have hope! And now I know that I can add HM to my list of Ewa Bras that don't work for me. So far, that includes every cut that isn't stretchy at the top of the cups. SF seems promising, but the jury is still out on BM and PL.
I personally love the SF style, though I know many don't. It's yet to be what I'd call sexy, but supportive, comfortable & no quad boob worry are all plus marks for me!
I just got this from someone here via eBay, and all I can say is THANK YOU.. THANK YOU. If it had not been for the Bratabase and being able to make comparisons, I would have passed this one by. It's my new HolyGrail of bras. I recently added some poundage, and every time it goes first to my bustline, but this bra holds up all up and in with splendid style. My old standard fave is Freya Arabella 34FF, but it's gone a bit tight in the cups with my latest swelling, so this bra has made me happy again. My very soft, narrow-rooted, FoB breasts are happy. I hope it stays as comfortable asll day and after a washing or two (please, bra gods, be kind this time!)
Bought used on here to try put sizing, even though I thought it light he a bit big. It is. I can easily fasten it on the tightest hooks and with the cookies in I have some gapping on top. Despite all that it's still one of the comfier bras I've ever worn and the color is gorgeous!
Beautiful bra! I had to size up in the band as I’m typically 32 or 34. The lace is nice and comfortable. The straps are somewhat too far apart causing some discomfort because of awkward strap placement. This bra is not quite deep enough for me even though it fits well I still have space near the wires.
*UPDATE 4/18/17* so far still havent worn this, its just not comfortable. the band is too snug (ive gained a bit of weight), the gore is stabby (probably because the band is too tight), and the top edge of the cup doenst lay flat and drives me nuts. time to pass this one on!
**super edit!** so now the band is fine on me, no more extender, and i no longer notice gore problems. that being said, ive only worn this about 2 times so far, so its not really getting any use. the straps dig me in the pits, so i cant wear it for work, or they ...cause me pain when i try to be super mobile. my main beef is that the gaping across the tops of both cups seems really obvious now, and i cant tell if the cup itself is too small, or just too open. im at a loss for what bras will ever fit me.
**EDIT** wore it out today for the first time (only for a few hours) and it actually was pretty comfortable! the straps surprisingly didn't bother me, and with an extender the band was fine. the slight cup gape wasn't visible under my shirt (though it wasnt a thin one). im curious if one cup smaller would work better/give a more lifted look. the gore did start to feel a bit itchy by the end of the night, but never painful. might be a keeper after all!
my first ewa! well, one of two. appearance wise, this is super gorgeous. its a black and silver sheer cup with tiny flowers and leaves, and silver brocade-ish fabric on the band and gore. its a very classic, sophisticated look, and i feel super fancy.
fit wise, its not perfect, but is a lot closer than i thought my first try would be. the cups seem fine width wise and depth wise, although i get a hint of gaping along the top edge. im not surprised, since ive got lower than average apex and tall roots with less upper pole fullness. i dont think it will be an issue for me under clothes, or affect support. the straps are a bit too wide for comfort (and are probably contributing the the gaping of the cups because they get caught in my armpits) and that's something i really dislike.
the gore is nice and narrow but is a touch high, though not unbearable. the wires feel like they are right about perfect (6 inches in this size). the band feels just a little too snug on the loosest hook, and one hook on an extender feels perfect. its like new according to the person i bought from, so i assume it would break in and not need the extender after a few wears.
one odd thing is that, when im wearing it, the fabric on the side panels get weird horizontal wrinkles in them. wearing way too loose doesn't fix them, and neither does wearing it too tight.
i have another EM bra on the way in another cut and size, and if that one fits better i will be sending this one onto a new home. its pretty, but to really feel wearable i would need to try and move the straps in, and im not confident enough in my sewing skills to butcher a bra this nice. Read more 452 more words
The band of this bra is typical of most EM, that is to say tighter than a lot of other brands, where I can wear a 34. It has removable pads, without the pad it fits my larger breast and with one pad it fits my smaller breast. The colour is a deeper burgundy which is hard to photograph. It is a fairly standard example of EM's CHP model.
this was my first foray into EM bras, and i bought it quite a while ago. i havent ever worn it a full day, ive just been too lazy to review it https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_razz.gif" alt=":P" /> its gorgeous, but sadly not right for me.
the first and most glaring issue- the gore, dear god the gore! i cant do these high, hard gores. i feel like as soon as i have it on, without the straps even put on, its already painful. in fact, as i type this review, ive already had to go stuff something between me and the gore so i dont rip the ...damn thing off my body and chuck it accross the room. theres no extra channel space either, so no where to shove the gore. im not sure if the band is just too tight or what (its pretty snug) but using an extender doesnt make it less sternum puncturing, so it might just be me.
teh badn is quite snug, not painful but probably could do with a single row of the extender to not warp things. the wire width feels fine, no digging or extra space. the straps are too far apart, and any movement of my arms makes them scrape and dig, so that's a definite no go. even sitting straight with my shoulders back, the cups gape a small bit, so the straps moving definitely exacerbate that. i cant tell if the cup is too deep or just too open, but i think its just too open since everything but that top edge fits fine. its a damn shame, because vertical seam bras looked like theyd be the perfect thing for me, and theyre so hard to find! https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_sad.gif" alt=":(" /> this lovely bra will be off to find a new home soon, and i'll be back on the hunt! Read more 206 more words
I'm actually wearing this bra right now https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" /> I found it on Ebay for a really good price so I decided to try it (the seller said it had only been worn twice). I've never tried an Ewa Michalak before and figured this would be a good way to figure out my size. The only other Polish brand I've tried is Comexim (which I LOVE) and I'm a 75F in their bras. This EM bra that I bought is an 80F … so I assumed it might be a little big. The band actually fits PERFECTLY! It's has 4 rows of ...three hooks - and I wear it on the second to last hook so I still have hooks to use if the band stretches. The cups are little big - when I wear the bra with the removable pads there is only a little gapping (maybe .25 inches or less). If I remove the pads there is about a .5 inch gap. So… I can only wear this bra with the removable pads. This gives me amazing lift, but almost pushes my nipple out of the cup. I think my size for a EM bra should be an 80E or 75F. I think I would prefer to wear the bra without the pads to let my boobs sit a little lower in the cups for extra coverage. Still this bra is VERY comfortable and makes my boobs look awesome. I know someone commented on the straps - yes, they are a pain to adjust! This makes fixing the straps while wearing impossible…. but it does assure that the straps won't move or re-adjust when wearing! Oh, and the strap placement is awesome for narrow shoulders https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" /> One weird thing about the fabric on the outside of the bra is that is does wrinkle quite a bit. I think someone else may have mentioned this too. I've never had a padded bra do this. It doesn't show under clothing… but it does make it look a bit strange when wearing it. Read more 246 more words
A 75G or GG would be a better fit for me, however the straps are super wide. This is in a very vibrant deep red. Thankfully these wires do not run narrow and I think if I go up a cup size or two the width and depth of the cup will be just perfect for me. At this current size though, the bra is not supporting me at all.
This is a plunge bra, therefore very little cup fabric near the gore, the material is soft and the seams are thick enough to show through a shirt
The cups need more upper fullness than I have to fill them out without the pads, but if the gore tacked as tightly as my other bras/dug into my squishy sternum, I would quadboob.
The wires are about an inch away from my breast root and seem to be very bendy to a certain extent-- the wire width can squish down to just over 5.75 inches or stretch as far as 6.75 inches just from being put on the first hook to try on. The band is slightly stretchier than I would like and I can comfortably wear it on the second hook after two months of owning it.
None of these things are particularly uncomfortable and this is my go-to for the level of comfort and the amazing and up-front shape (despite the weird wires!) it provides.
It fits very well, but the band is a little loose one me so I had to use the middle hook to begin with. I like it without the pads best, because with them I feel ginormous (the pads give the bra a Very rounded shape when on). It's comfortable, love the projection.
This bra gives great forward projection, but I couldn't fill it out quite at the top. the wires were a bit too high under my arms, and started poking after a few hours. The band is comfortable, but might be a bit too stretchy in the future.
I gambled on the size & lost https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_sad.gif" alt=":(" /> I got this beautiful bra from another member. The band is great, the cup is (as I feared) too small. It fits like a 34F/FF so I will be sending it back into the universe. The materials are soft & fabulous. If I were going to keep it, I would cut off the lace along the top of the cups. It's pretty, but would be awfully lumpy under a shirt and I think it would be prettier overall without it. The band has 3 rows of 3 hooks. Straps are thin & partially adjustable. It seemed very comfy. It's a lovely deep burgundy wine color lined in black.
This bra was size 80f originally so I had to cut some of the band off. Reattaching the straps was quite easy, as a "pattern" I used other bra HM Finezja. At the moment bra is almost perfect fit ,it's a little bit too small on bigger, left breast - the under wire is poking a little (is too narrow). I love HM bras.
Sooo cute-such attention to detail! Alas, I guessed wrong on the cup size, so it is too small by at least a size - maybe 2. The band is tight but wearable.
I love the shape of this bra, and the color, and the lining. I don't like the fabric, which seems like a cheap, shiny polyester. I think if the cup were larger (probably a G, for me), I'd probably be a lot happier about it. The band runs tight, but it's not uncomfortable.
This is a gorgeous bra. Very comfortable too. Unfortunately it is 1-2 cup sizes too small for me and the band is atleast 1 size too big too. I'm still trying to figure my Ewa size so I took a gamble ordering this bra. It is gorgeous. I may try to shorten the band somehow. It provides great cakes on a plate cleavage even without the pad It is a beautiful purple with gorgeous lace edging.
oh my goodness...you should be a bra designer!
Custom-made bra: can not get that at Victoria's Secret!