I've finally found my Susanna dupe in the printed version of Fantasie's Side Support bras! Lena came close, but somehow the measurements and fit were a little different. I picked up Carla at the same time, and am pleased that it fits exactly as I want it to fit, minus the band, which as usual is far too large. Thankfully, the firm band stays in place and I can get a reasonably good fit before alterations.
The only downside to Carla is the appearance. I don't wear white and almost never own white-based bras, but this is a white-based bra with a weird pink, grey, ... and navy blue layered woodblock print of paisleys and abstract botanicals. The print is why I had passed by Carla several times originally without a second thought, and I only revisited it because I had tried so many of the existing Fantasie options in my size. However, what Carla lacks in aesthetic appeal, she makes up for me in fit.
I love the fit of Carla. It fits almost identically on me as Susanna does, and Susanna has been my best-fitting Fantasie bra so far. The only difference in measurements between my two bras are that Carla has a slightly larger band, and a slightly shallower cup (by 1 cm). The cups of Susanna remind me of a slightly deeper, more rounded version of the Elsie/Camilla/Frances cut I like. The bottom 3 piece cup is made from the same silky printed lightweight tricot as most of their printed bras, while the upper cup is mesh lined lace. The upper edge has firm stabilizing elastic, but does not seem to cut into tall roots. Given my asymmetry, Carla fits my larger side better and can show some pulling on my smaller side due to emptiness in the cup, but this is easily remedied with lightweight foam pads to smooth out the shape and provide some coverage.
While I complained that Susanna's wires felt a bit narrow on me, and that Lena was a bit hard to squeeze into the cups, I didn't have the same problem with Carla, though all 3 bras basically measure the same in cup width. The wires on this particular bra are the best fitting ones I've come across so far in my Fantasie journey,
The rest of the bra is pretty simple and straightforward. The cradle is made from the same printed tricot as the cups; the band is made from firm printed powermesh in the same pattern. Straps and elastic are plain white satin with picot edging, although it does look like this edging is rather delicate and could get snagged easily through vigorous adjusting or just throughout normal wash and wear. The upper cup is a classic floral white lace, and the center gore is trimmed with a simple white bow with a delicate pearl. Carla is far from glamorous or elegant, but exudes a classic sweetness. I only wish they had chosen a normal floral instead of this odd layered woodblock design that I just can't love.
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Updated on May 22, 2020 Flag this