I'll start by noting that I've purchased 5 of these bras over the years, in 3 different cup sizes. It was my first bra in a sub 32 band (which I hadn't known existed prior), and I absolutely fell in love with it at the time. It's not available in a 28 band, which is why I first started looking elsewhere.
It looks fantastic under clothes, at least in the smaller cup sizes. It is very comfortable and supportive. With care, it lasts for years.
The molded cups are fairly thin (much thinner than a Deco or Neve) but quite stiff. Therefore, ...it does not mold to your shape, you mold to it. Unless you overfill or your shape can't fit in the cups, its great for hiding asymmetry, jiggling, and time spent in coldrooms at work.
Its positives for me contain its main negative. It has a fairly high gore, which combined with the stiffness of the cups means it doesn't move with you the way a less stiff bra would. When the band begins to stretch out, it literally feels like you are wearing a (comfortable and less supportive) boob shelf. However, I like this bra so much that I altered the band when it reached that point.
I find myself reaching for this bra when I want an absolutely smooth line under clothes, or, oddly, when I'm doing ridiculously hard physical work. It's more comfortable than any sports bra I've ever owned and nearly as supportive.
The criticisms of this bra that I've seen tend to be that it is very plain (yes, that's why it's invisible under clothes) and that the cups give a pointy shape. I suspect that the pointy shape may be more of problem in the larger cup sizes. I would describe the 30DD and 30E as uplifted round, but I think my 30F was a little pointy. I loved it anyway.
Pros: Durable, comfortable, supportive and great under clothes. Cons: Probably not great for shallow or very firm breasts that don't conform to the cup shape. Might be too pointy for some. Not available in a 28 band.
This bra has soft, unseamed cups with strong but gentle fabric for the band, straps, etc. The soft, unseamed cups are supportive, but also take more of their shape from by breasts than other bras have. This gives me a less awkward shape (my breasts are a reasonable shape, if a bit bottom-heavy, un-bra'd).
I've had these bras for years. I wear them for everything. They get sweaty. They get nasty. They get gross. They go in the washing machine (but not the dryer). They do stretch out a bit (the band, most noticeably) after the break-in period, but after that, they just keep enduring. I've found fantastic ...build quality and durability with these.
I do have some issues due to the too-big band. The band rides up, and once this happens, the support is less. I can adjust for this to some level by yanking the band back down (great to do in public! *cough*) or tightening the straps (non-optimal, can cause some redness on my shoulders). If this bra were available in a 28 and still had a cup size that fit me well, it'd be the only daily-wear bra I ever bought. I'll be trying a few other bras, but if I don't find something I like this much, I'll just keep buying these and have the band shortened.
Please note: The bras in the pictures are heavily worn, multiple years old. Read more 125 more words
Not the most exciting looking bra on me, really. I've got to quit trying fuller cup bras, I feel like they don't do much for my shape. I guess it's about what you're looking for, but all the coverage makes me feel so matronly. https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_razz.gif" alt=":P" /> (And after wearing for a day, the tall cups were really bothering me)
It's comfy, but it can't compare to the Simone Perele spacer bras I've tried - except maybe that the band feels like a truer 30. The foam is a bit thicker than I thought it would be.
Also, after the post where people were saying they prefer lined bras in the summer, I must say that I found this bra much more uncomfy and sweaty than my unlined Cleo Marcie or Lily.
I only tried this after reading about it on a bra blog from a user here. It's gloriously minimizing - which is what I want under a loose tee or a button up. My job next year requires white button ups so I've been getting a little desperate to find a "nude" that will work for me. Sheer bras are almost always too sheer for me to use even if they are the right color. This bra is nothing really to look at. The subtle pinstripes are a nice addition. I get some bubbling, along the top of the cup but I'm ...pretty sure that from it being closed off instead of the cup actually being too small. Unfortunately there does not seem to be a good way to remove it. But it's not a big deal since it doesn't show too much clothes anyhow. The straps are comfortable. The band feels like it might ride up but didn't even after wearing it for a whole day. The cups are gloriously narrow. My tissue actually fills out to the underwire except for the top 1/3-1/4 of the cup where the wires are less U shaped than I am. The cup runs big for what I normally consider my size. It's rare for me to wear an E cup - typically I wear an F in a 30 band. I measured the width at 4.8 and depth at 9". I went by the measurements here on bratabase to choose an E. I almost didn't keep it. I'd ordered it from Amazon but then after it working so well under my shirts and I couldn't not keep it
Updated: after having this bra 6 months I'm still wearing it but it slips out of my imf and cuts in slightly at the top. It's bubbling not quadding but I still wish it didn't. It's the best nude tshirt bra I've found though even if it's get uncomfortable after a few hours. The gore is slightly too wide / tall for me and sets on my tissue slightly. I'm still afraid sizing up would be too much. (Edited to add- i tried a 30F and it's too big all over but it still cuts in at top) It's just not especially even/ full on top friendly. Read more 299 more words
I have this one in 30DD, which is a bit small for me now, but kept it anyway in case of slight weight loss. I also find it minimising, which is good for occasions when one wants to downplay bustyness.
This bra is wonderful. I was a little concerned about shape, given that I had tried this on a few times, and some of them (same make and size) gave me a weird " > " shape. Not perky, almost downward 7. This one gives me a more rounded shape, it's extremely comfortable, gore has little separation(thank God ), fabric is one of the most unnoticeable/ comfy I've owned/tried, wires aren't too wide, really as good as I think I'm going to get (I'll explain), and band is snug, but not too snug.
As for those wires, I've come to the sort of depressing conclusion that because of my tubeyness, ...even if it isn't super severe (which makes me really sad for more severe cases), I'm never going to have "perfect" wires that come just an inch or so from my boobs, without sacrificing the depth that I really need. Looking back, I think this is why fitters have given me 32D and 30DD and said they fit. When I go up, the wires are too big, but depth is perfect. If I had the wires of most 32D/30DD's and the depth of a 32DD/30E, that would be perfect, but I may be sacrificing shaping then also.
The Freya Rio was the best I've tried, wire and depth wise, but those wires were also incredibly painful if worn a whole day.
There's a little extra fabric in the sides of this bra, but, that's how it's going to be for me I've realized. My biggest issues have been extra fabric in the sides and bottoms because I'm not fully developed- and even losing the fullness I did have. I'm not super comfortable with photos right now, as they're just looking more constricted and deflated. I've been wearing my Freya Deco way too much to hide it, but even that is becoming large in the cups. I think I mentioned that I haven't had a car to get to doctor appointments, so I stopped taking what is basically an androgen blocker, which had caused a little boob growth.
Aside from making my own bra, a perfect bra doesn't exist for me because of my tubies, which has just become exacerbated by not taking Spiro and losing some boobage. Depressing, and that's why I've lost some excitement over trying new bras -and it's sooo costly- but this is close enough, and it provides good support and everything else that I really think I need in the long run.
I'd say for those who need more narrow wires and projected cups in general, the Susanna is really great. I wouldn't recommend for anyone super shallow, but I think this may work for someone "average" also. As for unlined, the wires are less narrow than the Rio and Curvy Kate that I had, but overall, shape, support, style, fabric, depth, and comfort, this bra is up there next to my Freya Hopscotch https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_razz.gif" alt=":p" /> I'm super happy that I found this for less than the near $80 Nordstrom sells it for! It's one of the best bras I own.
Claudette bras are my personal narrow-wire heaven, I wonder if they would work for you. I ordered a 30C Paramour from their encore sale. The band runs larger and the cups deeper than Cleo bras (that is what I happen to have to compare). I can't find the link on my mobile but it's on their corporate website.
runs_with_scissors Thanks for the recommendation :D I'm kind of kicking myself because I just passed up 2 Claudette Paramours! haha I love the style, but I've become so worried about buying the wrong thing.
I'm glad to know they should work, I'll be sure to look around for more ! :D
My new one doesn't totally work for me, I just wrote a really long review of it and I'll eventually get around to posting some pictures.
Very pretty bra in an uncommon colour. It's pretty, sheer and sexy. This one has netted support on the outer third of the cup. Embroidery extends up onto straps. Band is stretchy but seems TTS - and is a little firmer than every Curvy Kate mesh banded bra I've tried. Rhinestone charm on the gore is a nice touch. I ordered it, wondering how an E-cup would fit (before I learned that I need a F or FF lol. I'm going to sell this bra in the listings.
This one's so close to fitting! It gives me a great rounded, uplifted shape. The band is nice and snug - I tried jumping up and down and it didn't budge. It has some silicone around the band to help it grip. The bra is lightweight and pretty comfortable. The cups are seamless and if it fit I think it would look really great.
If it fit... I think I'm having a shape issue with this one. I think it's wanting rounder, shallower breasts than mine because the cups collapse in on themselves and fold up under my breasts. It's too bad, this one was so close to perfect. https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_sad.gif" alt=":(" />
This bra looks comically huge on me, even though the cup depth is similar to what I have in other unlined bras.
I would recommend sizing down in this, or recommend it for people who get along with full cup shapes and have enough center and top fullness to fill out the very tall cups.
The Salsa is an unlined 3-part balconette bra. It's pretty, but too bad it doesn't fit! The cup runs large in this size, at the top of the cups. After scooping and swooping, I was able to fill the bottom of the cups, but I had lots of wrinkles in the top half of the cup. I guess I just don't have enough fullness on top to fill it. Maybe this would be better for more even breast shapes. One factor that probably contributes to the upper half wrinkles is that the height of the cup is really tall: the Salsa is about 17 cm from the strap straight down ...to the bottom of the band/cup, including the underwire when measured with the bra flat, compared to about 13.7 cm on a 30F Cleo Melissa. The cup depth of the Salsa is deeper than the 30F Melissa, so when filled, the Salsa definitely requires more volume. The band is just a bit too large/stretchy, as I can fit four fingers between the band and my back. The straps are half-adjustable, and the material seems sturdy. The flower design is a light peach/pink shade (and the design is really cute), and the bra's color is a dark, dark grey (charcoal). There are little bows where the strap meets the cup, and the center gore has a cute bow. Read more 115 more words
Band Length - 24" Stretched Band - 28" Cup Width - 6" Cup Depth - 9.5" Wire Length - 9.5" Cup Seperation - 0.875" Strap Width - 0.625" Hooks - 9 (7 after mod) Body Length in front center - 13" (6.5" after mod) Bottom hem/Waist Length - 26"unstretched, 30 stretched (after mod - 21.5", stretched 25.5" )
Purchased from eBay several years ago. It always fit in cup and band but I never wear this type of item because garters never work with my body type (they dig into my backside and cause unsightly indentations), the waist is almost always too short, and rarely do I dress up in a basque with thigh-highs. ...If the garters were removeable it wouldn't be as much of an annoyance. It looks good under clothes and I'll get much more use out of it as a retro-style long-line bra, similar to the Freya Edina and Cleo Sadie.
For being a size 30 and from Fantasie, the band on this is quite small, as noted in the measurements. This fits more like a true 28 and I actually close this on the loosest setting. Except for the very bottom of it, the last half of hooks I can close on the smallest setting because my waist is quite tapered. (After the mod I am able to close this on the loosest setting around my waist because I took it in 4" - and it's just tight enough, my waist is 24" so I still have enough breathing/eating room after taking it in. If you have a sinched waist these types of bras will not work for you because the back will stick out. As a basque, because the waist was so loose on me, the band was riding up my back. Now it's not.)
The cups fit great. Normally I cannot wear balcony styles because they're too tall almost (like the Freya Rio for example). But I think the combination of this being a basque (more supportive band than a 2-hook/eye bra) and the cups are actually sewn correctly, it works. I have a lot of trouble with the seamed styles like this and plunge cups because the top piece of fabric in the cup is always the wrong size for the remainder of the cup, hence pinching, quad-boob and a very unflattering look. A lot of people attribute this to "orange in a glass" but from examining lots of bras and their construction (once in awhile I'll make my own based off old bras) I've come to the conclusion they're just poorly sewn and better suited to angular breasts. This one gives a rounder profile than most, though still a little pointy, and the fabric pieces are appropriately sized to each other. And I think the top of the cups being cut straighter across helps too. Balcony mixed with a plunge is just a BAD idea - unfortunately, that's the style you see most often in these brands.
This has been sitting in my dresser for several years, and now I can finally wear it as a functional bra, probably under looser tops though, since it's still not quite the profile I'm after. But the support is great, especially if you have a screwed up back - it actually feels like the bra is supporting you!!
(Added 2 new photos that have a rounder profile. I didn't have the straps snug enough in the other side shots so they look a little more pointy because the cups were sagging just a little.)
Update - 11/2012* It's too small now ='( I get definite quadboob, on top of the wires not sitting flush with my ribcage and bending in an odd way. I'm still going to hang onto it though... Read more 507 more words
This bra is labelled as UK 30E, but it was purchased as and is comparable to a US 30DDD.
It's a plunge style, so it does not work for me. The cups ARE NOT padded. They are lightly lined. (Seriously, what is up with certain European brands calling 1/16" padding??) It's a pretty bra, but just doesn't work for me. If this were a balcony style, and the band was a few inches smaller it would have fit better. Someone that isn't as full in the cup, very shallow with shorter boobs can wear this. It does a good job with lift, and the band feels supportive in the ...front, not so much in the back as the material is overly stretchy and flimsy. The straps are thick and soft so they take the weight nicely.
The quality is not that great. You can see a small amount of fraying fabric on the inside of the cup underneath the seam bindings. Also the outer fabric on the cups have small little pills. I've never worn this a whole day, only tried it on a couple of times. Read more 77 more words
This is the strapless "equivalent" of the 4510 & 4515. It's a molded, smooth cup bra, and colorwise works well under anything. As far as fit, though, that's where the similarities end.
The center gore on this is substantially higher than the 4510, and the cups come up quite high in comparison. It's obviously not a true full-coverage bra, but it very nearly felt like one. It did not move *at all* while worn, likely due to the rubberized strips in the top line of the band. I don't think it'd be half as supportive for anything larger than, say, an F, or for very heavy breasts. The underwires ...poked under my arms, but they kept everything in.
I felt like the quality of this bra was far lower than the 4510 or 4515, because (at least on mine) the top part of the wings where the rubberized strip is ran *into* the cups a bit (see photos). It does what it needs to, and given the general lack of alternatives for a smooth, molded, strapless bra in small band/large cup sizes, it works well. But it's not something I'd wear unless I really, really needed to for a given outfit. Read more 91 more words
This bra fit very much like its utilitarian model, the 4510. Unlike the 4510, it came in cute fashion colors and had feminine embroidered details around the front along the underwires. The band is made of double-layered powernet, and was a bit stretchier than the 4510.
At first, I found the embroidery to be itchy, but after a wash or two it was no longer a problem. Like the 4510, it gave me a very nicely rounded, forward-projected, lift-and-separated kind of look (not too far separated, it pulled in and gathered breast tissue out from under my arms. I found the chocolate color (from Fall '07) to be just fine under medium or darker colored t-shirts and anything a bit thicker that wasn't white. It was great under all necklines except the widest squares (the top corner could show) or the deepest plunges (center gore could show).
All in all, a great everyday bra with just enough extra touches to feel sexier when I put it on without sacrificing anything in wearability.
Material feels OK. Not super soft but more on the scratchy side. The band stretched to 30.5 but when I wear the bra it feels tight to me even though my comfortable UB is 29.5. The top of the cup near the armpit digs in too as I think the straps are a bit wide on me and I have broad shoulders. I think the size is good for me but perhaps the shape is not as I still have a small gap near the strap. Gore lays flat but might give me irritation wearing all day since I'm close set. I will have to pass on this one comfort wise.
This bra seems to be a little too wide in the cups for me. There is space on the side of each breast. Under clothes, this looks fine and is comfortable. There is some gaping at the top when I lift my arms. I think my shape requires a more narrow wire and maybe a half cup/demi cup/balconette style since I am very FOB. I will keep this in the meantime because it looks nice and smooth under clothes and is comfortable enough to wear to work.
EDIT: I've put the wrong product code on; the actual code should be FL101801. NAE is the color Natural Beige
This is a lovely, soft bra. The cup material is silky and cool to the touch. Straps are nice and wide, with picot edging for those who have sensitive tail-of-spences. The lace is smooth and doesn't seem to be as irritating as, Panache Andorra.
Band: Stretchier than other brands' but pretty on par with Fantasie Cups: A bit full on bottom with good projection; my soft tissue sinks a bit into the cups but am held securely. Cup width is average Gore: Too wide for me, everything else is a perfect fit. Am considering narrowing the gore myself Projection: good immediate projection at wire, stretchy cups good for soft tissue. Would put projection as less than EM BM-Perla and more than Panache Andorra
[The photo is a stock photo from Fantasie's website, as I don't want to post pictures of myself at this point in time]
Finally a full-coverage bra I can wear (I have really tall roots!). The top panel stretches so minimal quadding. This bra keeps everything very secure - the underwires are really rigid, and the band on the loosest hook being quite tight, this might not work for someone who is a 30 band verging on 32.
Have you tried the Rebecca? Want to? I have a 30E for sale! Not spamming, just putting it out there!