I liked the original Annalise Padded Half Cup I reviewed in size 30DD, but it was grossly gigantic on me in both band size and cup size, so I decided to order it again in 30D. I was able to get my hands on the Camellia colorway, which is white-based with pink and green flowers. Based on my experience with the 30DD, I felt the cup shape was pretty suitable for me, but ran one size big. The band on the last bra was gigantic, and I am happy to report that sizing down fixed the issue (the band is still loose on me but ...it is true to size when compared to other Fantasie 30 bands as they all run large on me), so I would order one cup size down.
Unlike the other two padded half cup styles I tried, I like the shape of these cups. The cups have a 3HC bottom cup construction and one horizontal top panel, and give more projection than your standard padded half cup made from this light foam, so it creates a nice rounded shape. The upper cup is more closed off than the standard 3HC. Mae and Marianna were both made as standard 3HCs, though Marianna was too short and small, and Mae was too wide and large. The fullness of the cup is once again the center full side, but it isn't as prominent as on some other foam cup bras, so it didn't bother me a lot. The only slight fit issue is that when I am fully scooped, it gives the appearance of some overflow, but this is really because the upper cup is a bit too closed off for me and it's cutting into my tall roots. There is a slight bit of room in the upper cup so if my tissue were distributed evenly within the bra, this would not happen, so the cup volume isn't a problem.
I noticed that the wires on the 30DD were more of a short U shape, where the bottom of the wire is slightly flatter than normal. However, the wires on the 30D are pretty normal and look like the wires of my other Fantasie 30DD bras with a gentle curve. The wires on this bra are very flexible, so while it measures too narrow for me on the flat, it ends up fitting ok, however I would have preferred slightly taller sides and slightly longer wires as these days I prefer more side coverage from my properly-fitting bras.
Thus, the only fit callouts I have are band size, which will forever be a problem to me with Fantasie bras; slightly short feeling cup height/wire length at the outer cup, and slightly too closed shape on the upper cut that cuts in a little bit to tall roots.
In the Camellia colorway, this bra basically satisfies all my cravings for a pretty, frilly Japanese bra without having to deal with the ridiculous padding and V shape of a real Japanese bra. Unlike the Black colorway, which combined floral print and black lace, the Camellia is printed throughout the entire cup. The outer cups are made entirely from floral printed mesh, with the bottom cups and cradle having small scale embroidery detail, and the upper cup and center cradle with large scale satin embroidery. The upper cup embroidery is nicely textured with long satin stitches, and the edge of the upper cup gives the appearance of 3D lace so prominent in Japanese styles. As is common for Fantasie bras, there is a bit of printed fabric topped on to the front straps, and the rest of the straps are textured picot edge elastic that is slightly narrower than usual. The band is fairly plain and made from standard powermesh. Back is a standard low leotard back, and the only decorations are simple satin bows at the gore and strap attachments.
I paid pretty close to full price for this bra, but I might just keep it because I've wanted a frilly Japanese-style bra for a long time, and I think this is the closest I will get to achieving this aesthetic while keeping the cups lightly lined. This is not a bra for everyone, but could be a good option for those that find typical 3HC-style padded half cups too shallow. Just be sure to size down in the cups and potentially in the band if possible! Read more 644 more words
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. Read more 415 more words
I wasn't so sure about Lena at first, but she's grown on me. Originally I felt that she looked so plain from pictures online, as I never wear white clothing or white bras. I was also worried that this would be one of those funky Fantasie Side Support fits that doesn't work for me. However, I am pleasantly surprised. Lena fits somewhere between Susanna and Frances/Camilla, and the appearance in person is quite pretty and actually flatters me.
I don't think that the fit is identical to any of the other Fantasie Side Support bras I've tried so far, but measurement-wise it is pretty close ...to Susanna. However, the cup depth on my bra is slightly deeper than my Susanna (and definitely deeper than Frances/Camilla), and when I first tried the bra, it fit my larger side well but the smaller side immediately showed the dreaded drag line that emerges from the shoulder strap when the rest of the cup is a bit too empty. This initially made me suspect that Lena was yet another different cut, but after some manipulation, I got it to fit like the other bras that work for me. I think this is because the Fantasie 30 bands are all technically a little too large on me, so it is tricky to get my breast tissue to sit in the cups every time. They also have to be positioned very carefully in the IMF to create the right appearance on me. When they are worn properly, they look lovely and create a natural, rounded shape that looks great under clothing. If I haven't put them on correctly, they can look like a wrinkly disaster, and sometimes I feel like I'm getting the orange in a glass effect because the cups are somewhat closed off (as they are constructed as full cup bras rather than balconys) and the wires are firm. The effort required to manipulate myself into the cups is the only thing I really dislike about the Fantasie Side Support fit other than the large bands!
Like many of my other Fantasie bras, I will probably end up wearing this with foam pad inserts to create a slightly lined bra for shaping and modesty, so the above issue isn't really a big deal, especially since I do intend to alter down the bands of the bras I keep. With the lining, this looks fantastic, and feels exactly the same as Susanna. I was surprised and pleased with how nice this looked on!
The construction of the bra is again a hybrid of Susanna (all over lace) and Frances/Camilla (printed fabric). The bottom cup and side panel are made from single layer silky printed lightweight tricot. The print is of brushy/sketchy wildflowers in springy shades of coral, pink, orange, and fuchsia. The cradle and upper cup are made from white floral lace, and the upper cup is double lined with mesh. The upper cup has some stabilizing elastic so it has some stretch, which gives it more flexibility for different shapes. The straps are plain satin with picot edging, the wings are plain white powermesh, and the back has the standard leotard back. The bow is made from multiple looks of thin white ribbon tacked at the center with contrast pink ribbon. Lovely and fresh! Read more 460 more words
After trying at least a dozen Fantasie unpadded styles, I decided to give some of their padded half cups a go. The Fantasie website recommends their padded half cups for people like me with asymmetry, but up until now I haven't been able to find one of these styles in my size on Amazon as it is my go-to source for trying out returnable bras. I found two padded half cups in my size on eBay though, and decided to just go for them. Mae is one of these bras, and while I wasn't familiar with this style before, it was super cheap so I ...grabbed it. Unfortunately, both of these styles were very poor fits on me and had similar issues.
Both Mae and Marianna's cups are constructed as 3HC and are the wrong shape for me, and the main problem is that the cups are designed to be very wide and somewhat outer-full. I found that both bras had wires that are short and narrow for the cups, but the cup fabric is very wide, so at least 1" of empty cup wraps under my armpit. While I have a lot of side tissue, the location of the underwire is simply ridiculous. The measurements of the two bras are very similar, and it appears that they share the same wires. My problem with these wires is that they are very hard, but they also flex too much horizontally, so when you wear the band snug, the wires become distorted and dig into the sternum and sides. The hardness of the wires prevents them from curving in to follow the ribcage. Unfortunately, the wires make both of these bras incredibly uncomfortable on me. Mae's wires also feel too deep along the outer bottom edge, and I found that I couldn't fill out this bottom portion of the cup, which is a pretty uncommon problem for me.
In addition, the lined cups are very soft and feel like they are made from batting rather than foam, as there is no shape or structure to the cup material. This means the cups are soft and flexible, but it means they are also too flexible. Unless you have plenty of tissue in that area (and as we discussed above, due to the cup width, I don't), the straps will pull on the fabric at that point and cause a pull line to distort the cup. While Mae and Marianna measure very similarly, I found this problem to be much more obvious on Marianna than Mae, probably because Mae's cups feel more roomy on me. Because of the roomy cups on this style, I also get gapping at the upper cup because it's so open and projected at the top, while Marianna's cups actually fit a little too small on me. It's hard for me to figure out what shape this suits, but I think it's for rounded shapes that have a little more outer fullness than I have, since that's the portion of the cup that I can't fill out. Definitely not for narrow and projected shapes!
This style has a firm band, so while it measures large for a 30, it stayed in place on me without riding up. Although I prefer a truly snug band, any tighter would cause the wires to distort further, so you will want to be careful when selecting bands in this style. The wings are made from very thick stretch fabric that I would love to see on other Fantasie bras.
In terms of styling, this bra is opulent, but somehow I feel that it looks a bit "cheap." Perhaps it's because of the bright fuchsia color, or my general distaste for velour. The cups are topped with mesh with a design of flocked strawberries, roses, and mixed botanicals. The lace upper edge and cradle is quite lovely and intricate. The straps are my favorite type, ribbed satin with scalloped edges, topped with lace at the front. Sweet satin bows and a small crystal teardrop decorate the gore. All of these elements are individually lovely, except the flocking, but the overall appearance of this bra just reminds me of something from a store private label brand, or from a cheesy lingerie store. I think a different color and switching out the cup fabric for sheer lace would make this look much classier and more expensive. Another thing I dislike about the velour is that the fibers grip onto clothing, so it makes it a bit more difficult to get dressed around this bra. The seams and trims are also a bit visible and lumpy under clothing. Maybe something nice to wear under a sweater, but not suitable for lightweight clothing.
Based on my experiences with these two padded half cups, I think I'll be sticking with Fantasie's unlined styles from now on. Unfortunately due to the short cup height, I can't even "hack" these with foam pads as I usually can for bras that have fit issues. Read more 749 more words
After trying at least a dozen Fantasie unpadded styles, I decided to give some of their padded half cups a go. The Fantasie website recommends their padded half cups for people like me with asymmetry, but up until now I haven't been able to find one of these styles in my size on Amazon as it is my go-to source for trying out returnable bras. I found two padded half cups in my size on eBay though, and decided to just go for them. Marianna has been on my Amazon wishlist forever, so I was thrilled to find one in my size for a decent ...price, though it was listed as NWOT. Unfortunately, both of these styles were very poor fits on me and had similar issues.
Both Mae and Marianna's cups are constructed as 3HC and are the wrong shape for me, and the main problem is that the cups are designed to be very wide and somewhat outer-full. I found that both bras had wires that are short and narrow for the cups, but the cup fabric is very wide, so at least 1/2" of empty cup wraps under my armpit. While I have a lot of side tissue, the location of the underwire is simply ridiculous. The measurements of the two bras are very similar, and it appears that they share the same wires. My problem with these wires is that they are very hard, but they also flex too much horizontally, so when you wear the band snug, the wires become distorted and dig into the sternum and sides. The hardness of the wires prevents them from curving in to follow the ribcage. The wires on this particular bra are actually shaped too narrow despite having wide cups, so even though they flex out, they still pinch on both ends, and the skewing is so bad that the top of the gore tacks while the bottom floats. Unfortunately, the wires make both of these bras incredibly uncomfortable on me.
In addition, the lined cups are very soft and feel like they are made from batting rather than foam, as there is no shape or structure to the cup material. This means the cups are soft and flexible, but it means they are also too flexible. Unless you have plenty of tissue in that area, the straps will pull on the fabric at that point and cause a pull line to distort the cup. While Mae and Marianna measure very similarly, I found this problem to be much more obvious on Marianna than Mae, probably because Mae's cups feel more roomy on me. With the band worn snugly, Marianna's cups are actually a bit small on me despite the width issue. I am having a hard time figuring out what shape this suits, although you will need outer fullness and firm tissue to avoid the strap pulling issue.
This style's band is made from powermesh, and is less firm than Mae's stretch satin band, so it feels like the average Fantasie 30 band that is too large on me. There is a gentle leotard back so it should be easy enough to shorten the band. Although I prefer a truly snug band, any tighter would cause the wires to distort further, so you will want to be careful when selecting bands in this style.
In terms of styling, I thought this looked much prettier in pictures than it did in person. The color I had my eye on is Latte, the neutral with ivory lace. However, I have the silver colorway, which is actually a dark cool pewter grey. The body is made from silky microfiber, with ivory floral lace overlay on the cups and cradle. I think that a tonal color selection would have looked nicer than this color combination. The straps have a scalloped edge and no additional detailing at the front of the straps except tiny grey bows. The center gore is another bow with a small bezel diamante charm. A nice looking and elegant design, but not as luxe as I had imagined.
Based on my experiences with these two padded half cups, I think I'll be sticking with Fantasie's unlined styles from now on. Unfortunately due to the short cup height, I can't even "hack" these with foam pads as I usually can for bras that have fit issues. Read more 640 more words
Mollie is a bit of an oddity in the Fantasie assortment, as its colorful geometric pattern and youthful trims are totally different from the feminine, floral bras that I am drawn to from this line, but I became interested in it when I saw that Bratabase had it listed as a sister cut of my beloved Susanna. I found this for a great price on eBay, so I decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did, because although there's a bit of damage on the strap of the one I received, it actually fits really nicely!
Unlike Susanna, which is a lined lace bra, Mollie ...shares the same printed silky fabric as most of Fantasie's printed bras. However, while all the other silky printed styles I've tried are made from single layer fabric cups, Mollie's bottom cup is double lined with tricot, giving it a slightly stiffer, more supportive feel. Half of the upper cup is single layer printed fabric, while the top edge is trimmed with black knit lace in a spiderweb-like pattern. The upper edge is another knit lace, so there is a bit of natural give in the lace that makes the upper cup more flexible than many other Fantasie styles, though the edge is not elastic. While this bra's measurements are slightly different from Susanna, I found that it gives me the same nicely rounded shape that suits me well. The shaping of the cup and overall volume distribution makes this a great shape that will suit most.
The band of this bra is made from nice firm powermesh, and the rest of the trims are pretty standard for Fantasie: printed fabric on the front of the straps, wide elastic with picot trim. and a gentle leotard back. The band on this particular bra feels a bit firmer than some of the other Fantasie bras I have, so it isn't as ridiculously oversized on me as they usually are. One note about the elastic is that the picot edging can unravel-- on my bra, it is starting to come apart in several places. I think you have to be careful when adjusting the straps as if the picot edging starts to come apart, it will easily unravel a whole section. The only other trim on the bra are simple black bows with hot pink center ties. Combined with the black and white dot print with overlaid confetti and branches, the overall appearance of the bra looks like this is meant for a younger target consumer, though I have seen this described as "contemporary."
Aesthetics aside, while it's not my favorite Fantasie bra to look at, I am very pleased with Mollie's lovely fit and appearance. The fabric will make this an excellent summer bra that can be worn either unlined or with foam cups underneath for a smoother appearance. Read more 377 more words
This is a lovely bra, and it's comfortable, but I find the wires are too wide for me. I love the black and blue lace and blue colors in the print. The fit is pretty good: deep cups contain my projected boobs and narrow-ish gore allows room for my centre fullness. The bra material is soft and comfortable to wear. I have narrow roots and unfortunately the cups are too wide by at least an inch on the sides, and the bra gives my breasts an east-west appearance. Band seems super stretchy as I normally wear a 38 band but this 36 fits comfortably.
Oh Susanna! I am surprisingly thrilled with this bra. I didn't have the highest of hopes because honestly some of the colorways did not look very attractive in photos, but I managed to pick up one in Petal, which is ivory lace over the palest baby pink with a hint of mauve. Since Fantasie Side Support styles are kind of all over the place, I was also kind of scared based on the measurements that this bra would be the wrong shape for me, but I was pleasantly surprised. Despite the ever present too-large band, Susanna is the best Fantasie fit for me so ...far!
In terms of band size, this isn't much different from my other Fantasie bras, but somehow the band feels a bit firmer. The wing height is the same, so perhaps the elastic used here is wider, or the solid powermesh might have more retention than the printed versions. It is a little large but stays in place. I will probably alter it eventually since the leotard back should be pretty easy to shorten.
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 firm single layer tricot, the upper cup is single layer mesh, and the entire cup has a sheer floral lace overlay. The silky fabric used on Fantasie printed bras is very thin but firm, and I feel that this tricot/lace combo has a little more give. The cup depth is also a little bit deeper, so overall the shape looks nice and rounded. The side support panel has some give, and there is some natural stretch along the seams that makes it fit more flexibly than in the more rigid styles. The upper cup edge is this same type of seam, which is firm but has a bit of yield from natural stretch. It isn't as elastic as the top edge of Elsie/Camilla/Frances, but not totally rigid like Caroline/Harriet/Estelle. It gives me a great natural shape on both sides, which can be kind of tricky to fit due to my asymmetry. It also looks great with foam pads to wear as more of a t-shirt bra!
The only real complaint I have about the fit is that I feel the wires are a bit narrow on me. They have a nice gentle curve like the Elsie/Camilla/Frances ones, but I feel that the ends of the wires are a bit more vertical. Since Fantasie wires are very firm, any wire shape that's a little off can feel noticeable. I could use slightly wider wires that are a touch more open at the top, though this isn't close to pinching like the ones on the Caroline Plunge.
Styling-wise, this has a full lace covered cradle, lace trim fabric topped on textured satin straps, and small lace bows. The edging of the elastic along the band and cradle looks a bit like scallop shells, so it overall gives the bra a more frilly appearance than many other styles. I am so happy that I ended up with Petal, since the other colorways didn't appeal to me much, though I like the fit so much that I'm trying to pick up more!
The shape of this bra seems to be the most universally flexible and should suit most breast shapes except tall roots, as most Fantasie bras are pretty closed at the top and will cut into tall roots. Read more 485 more words
Elsie was my first Fantasie bra purchase back when I was a 28DD. I didn't have much interest in the Fantasie brand at that point, but I saw this from one of my favorite closeout sellers and just had to buy the bra to try. Aesthetically, Elsie is the prettiest bra I own. The Apple Blossom print just screams Anne of Green Gables, and it is feminine and girly without being frilly. It has all the appeal of a Japanese bra without the heavily padded cups and lumpy trims. Sadly, the fit of the cups didn't fit me when I was a 28DD, ...and it doesn't fit me now as a 28E.
First, the 30 bands from Fantasie run really large. The band unstretched on this style measures a full 3" longer than my best fitting 28E bras, and almost 4" longer than my Comexim 28 bands. Thus, the band is definitely problematic for me in this style. I would recommend sizing down up to two band sizes if possible if you are looking for a truly snug band. Thankfully, the very shallow leotard back construction means this shouldn't be a difficult band to alter if necessary. The band on this specific style is made from single layer powermesh with the same print as the cups, so the beautiful print extends all around the bra. The mesh feels nice and firm, so if the band weren't so long, it would feel comfortable and secure.
I believe this bra is very close to the same cut as the Nadine, which I own in 30DD. I have tried another Fantasie Side Support cut that seems to fit differently (Estelle is more projected in the cup). The bottom cup is made from single layer lightweight printed fabric, while the upper cup is made from mesh embroidered with satiny blossoms. The upper edge of the upper cup has a strip of elastic sewn in for stability, but the elastic does not provide much stretch, nor does it pucker. The cradle is the same printed satiny fabric lined with rigid tricot. The fabrics are extremely lightweight and comfortable in this particular style. If this fit, it would be such a comfortable bra, particularly for summer!
In terms of cup fit, these side support style are tricky on me. My tissue is too spread out to really suit this cup construction, which requires a more projected and narrow breast shape. The wires of this 30D are too small for me and definitely cut into breast tissue on both sides. If the band is pulled snug, I fill the cups entirely, but I suffer from the orange-in-a-glass effect and clearly need the cups to be bigger. I should have gotten this in a 30DD, but alas it is not available right now, and even then there would continue to be some fit issues as these bras are not really designed for my shape.
I've found that these Fantasie side support styles need to be worn differently from my standard bras. I had to consciously pull the bra up a bit higher on the body to have the wires sit in a position where the cup shape was more natural, otherwise wearing the band/wires at my normal position effectively forced my breast tissue only into the portion of the cup that is not restricted by the side sling, leaving the bottom and sides completely empty. However, this makes the outer portion of the cup sit right under the armpit, which is also not ideal for comfort.
Despite all these issues, I want to give this another shot i a different size, and I don't want to let this 30D out of my collection. I've picked up a 30E just on a whim since I feel that the 30DD cups are still a bit small and restrictive on me. It is heartachingly beautiful and appeals to a part of my psyche that swoons over apple blossoms, baby pink, and delicate scalloped trim. Read more 575 more words
Comfortable bra, seems to be very similar in shape to Freya bras (specifically Expression) but less uncomfortable in the fabric. I still have issues with a finger or two of space at the bottom of the cup, and the wire is too wide. Overall I think it’s a pretty neat bra, just not for me sadly.
When I opened up this package and pulled out the Fantasie Estelle in Berry, I did a double take. Did they send me the wrong bra? This looked nothing like the picture (online the color was a brighter pink), but it certainly reminded me of a bra I already had in my collection. I pulled out my Panache Colette Balconette Bra in Claret, and compared the two side by side. Styling-wise, the two are eerily similar. Both are made of double lined mesh cups with a sheer upper, both sport a large scale floral embroidery all over the cups and cradle, both ...have powermesh bands with leotard backs, and both share textured straps and simple bow trims. However, the similarities stop there.
Though the two bras measure very similarly in the cup, the fit could not be more different. Panache bands typically run large for me, and in my limited experience with Fantasie, I've also found this to be true. I ordered several Fantasie bras recently, and the bands are consistently larger than the Panache. So, if I find a Fantasie bra that is a perfect fit in the cups, I will plan to alter the band. The band unstretched on this style measures a full 3" longer than my best fitting 28E bras, and almost 4" longer than my Comexim 28 bands. Thus, the band is definitely problematic for me in this style. I would recommend sizing down up to two band sizes if possible if you are looking for a truly snug band.
I've also always had trouble with these "side support" bra cuts, and this is no exception. Actually, it's probably the most challenging side support fit that I've tried thusfar. I don't think side support is really needed in smaller cup sizes such as my size range, but for them to fit properly, I believe the cups have to be a bit wide and the band has to be snug in order for the side support panel to effectively push side tissue that wraps around under the arms back front and center. However, the cup isn't quite wide enough to do that (although I felt the cup did feel on the wide side), and clearly the band isn't snug enough, so the restrictive outer panel ends up cutting into my tissue at the sides and bottom of the cup and creating a great deal of emptiness.
In order to counteract this, I've learned that these side support bras need to be worn differently. I had to consciously pull the bra up a bit higher on the body to have the wires sit in a position where the cup shape was more natural, otherwise wearing the band/wires at my normal position effectively forced my breast tissue only into the portion of the cup that is not restricted by the side sling. However, this makes the outer portion of the cup sit right under the armpit, which is also not ideal for comfort. In addition, the fullness of the cup is not at the right point on my body, and this specific style also measures deeper in the cup than the Nadine Side Support Bra I picked up at the same time, so overall I get this orange-in-a-glass effect as a result of the cup simultaneously being too large and too small. I added my Commando Take Outs to bump me up to a 28F, and then I do fill out the bottom of the cup just fine, but it ends up giving me an extremely pointy shape.
The Nadine in a very similar cut fits much better, so I believe the proportions of this particular bra just don't work for me. I have ordered a few other side support styles from Fantasie so I should be able to gauge if there are different cuts all labeled Side Support or if one of these two bras is an anomaly.
While Panache Colette is a gorgeous fit on me, I think that the soft double mesh cup construction is key to the great fit. One thing I dislike about the Estelle in comparison is that the double lined lower cup/side sling are lined with a very firm, non-stretch tricot that has a plasticky feel. Other than that, the rest of the materials are beautiful and comparable quality to the Panache Colette. I think the straps of this style are prettier as they are a similar ribbed textured elastic with picot edging that you find in the Cleo Marcie. One other difference between the two styles is that the Estelle has elastic at the upper cup, but since the upper cup doesn't have much give, it effectively behaves as a completely rigid bra cup. There is not much flexibility at the upper cup like you would find in an elastic or true mesh upper.
I have been so drawn to Fantasie bras lately as I love the gorgeous embroidery, floral prints, and fancy trims found on their bras. I have been in the mood for feminine, romantic bras lately, but other elaborate styles like Simone Perele haven't worked out for me. I have picked up a couple more Fantasie bras to try, and despite this second fail with a Side Support style (my first one was the Elsie in 30D, which is far too small), I am not yet giving up! Read more 805 more words
The scalloped lace along the top and bottom of the band, as well as on the top of the cups is very pretty, but I can't bear to leave this bra on for even 10 minutes. I have other bras by Fantasie, and they are all scratchy, but this one is by far the worst! I sister-sized this for what I normally wear. (32F UK fits me best in most brands, but the calculator always overestimates me at 32FF). I won't bother to try again in another size.
Otherwise, as for fit, it was really really close to ...perfect. There was minimal quadding at the gore on my larger side, and minimal gapping on my smaller side. Yes, the band was a little snug, but the way Fantasie bands seem to stretch so quickly, I would have used an extender until it relaxed. The only thing I didn't like about the style is the super tall gore. It wanted to float, not for the cups being too small but because the gore sat on my close-set breast tissue. If it had been shorter (my comfortable height limit is 2"), it would have been fine. The shape it gave was somewhat pointy. No torpedoes, but not rounded either. Sacrificed lift because of it. Read more 114 more words
The bra is very comfortable and the cups and center gore sit well on me. The band is just too big. I can fit my whole hand under the band sideways even when on the tightest hooks. Unfortunately, this brand does not offer a smaller band size.
About me: dense, center full and close set, full on bottom with tall, sloping vertical roots and narrow horizontal width.
This bra fits okay, but I intended to return it but forgot. There's nothing in particular that stands out as making it a poor fit for me, but it's just not my favorite. I'll have to try it on again and see if I can do a better job of nailing down why it wasn't a good fit.
Tried this in both the seasonal pink/rose and the permanent black, and found the fit and materials slightly different. The pink/rose was more comfortable with a bit more stretch, while the black was more stiff and a bit itchy. Kept the pink/rose with patching bottoms.
Based on measurements, I thought this bra would fit well. However, it just seems all wrong. Despite being a balcony, it seems too tall - gore, cup, decorative lace/netting transition from cup to strap. It just felt like too much in a lot of ways.
