I tried the 36HH - Fantasie ยป Alex Side Support Bra (9152) before and enjoyed the comfort level and low wings. This Estelle brings the same benefits. The cups are a mesh lace top and bottom with an embroidered flower pattern throughout. Not fancy, but looks nice. The bottom cups are lined with a soft and smooth opaque material (nylon?) The straps have a ridged pattern along the top and are felted on the bottom side for comfort. The wings - ahh, the wings. They are low and the armholes are cut roomy so there is no chafing, cutting in, or poking, which is becoming ...my main criteria practically the more bras I try on. I found the band somewhat stretchy and could fasten comfortable on the second set of hooks. I usually size down to a 34 band with extenders for this reason (lots of squish). The only think I found a little uncomfortable was some scratchiness along the outer bottoms of the band from the material. I assume this would soften with a few washes.
I found it interesting to compare the Estelle to the Elomi Morgan, which is also a side-support bra. First, the side panels. The Morgan's are at least an inch wider than the Estelle's and take up about half of the real estate of the cup in the side view. Estelle's take up maybe a third, but this didn't seem to cause any east-west action. The bottom cup of the Morgan is quite a bit roomier, while the Estelle's top cup is taller. This (on me at least) gives the Morgan a more uplifted apex - the apex of the Estelle was straight ahead with some helpful adjustment, but often a little down. It's a natural look, but verging on the upside down 7 at times. I'm not a big fan. This Estelle was small in the cup on me, though - gore didn't tack - so maybe a larger cup would give a better shape. I'll find out, because a 34J is arriving Friday. Read more 236 more words
I love love love the slate color on this bra. It feels young and pretty and a step away from my blander bras. This bra has a lot of side support and pushes me forward in the way that I want. Only 2 hooks in the back which I thought I wouldn't like but it doesn't seem to be a problem.
I bought this because I've been recommended the Fantasie side support bras a few times..and it was also on sale. It's a miss, though.
Quick review:
Band was a bit snugger than I had expected; still a loose 36 though.
Cups are wide and kind of shallow. Gore didn't even come close to tacking. I'm actually not sure what shape this bra is really meant for. I got a weird upside-down 7 shape in it, the bottom managed to not have enough space while looking almost flatly horizontal (how?), I had in-cup quadding under the lace, and yet the lace still gapped. Very strange, I've never had a bra fit like this before.
The pattern is cute (I like the pale pink with grey-brown pinstripes), and the material is nice and soft; very lightweight while not being sheer. It would be a great summer bra...if it fit.
This bra seems tight in the band despite being able to fit two fingers under easily. The underwires would not sit against my body and left this weird gap in the bottom of the cup between with my breast tissue started and where the underwire wanted to be. The Gore would not tact. I have close set breasts, but it was sticking straight up and was visible from my shirt. Perhaps the gore was too long, I am rather petite.
The Florence is cute and comfortable, but no longer big enough for me--quad boob city. The band has stretched out a lot, but I've had this bra for years so that's not surprising. I'm full on the bottom and this bra has good projection, especially compared to my other Fantasie bras. I'd probably buy this bra again if I found a larger one.
This has been a surprizingly good fit. I'm not sure what makes it so special, but it tacks and feels good. Looking at in pictures I wouldn't think it would be the right shape for me at all. I'm wondering which bras would be similar. I still have a little poking at the sides after a day at work, but mimilar compared to other bras of torture.
This bra makes my boobs look terrible! The underwire seems to fit perfectly (maybe the tiniest bit loose) and the sides by my underarms are fine. But the cups are a hot mess: my breasts don't fill all the space in the bottom of the cups, and maybe for that reason the whole thing slides down my chest while my boobs flop out over the underwire like I'm not wearing a bra at all. And perhaps worst of all, there's a clear line where the tops of my breasts spill out over the top of the cups. I've definitely had worse quadboob, but this looks crazy because the cups flatten the tops of my breasts, but then the part outside of the cups is rounded. Hideous. To try and keep the cups where they belong I've pulled the straps as tight as I can make them without worrying that the bra will tear. I shouldn't have let the sales woman talk me into this one, but the pattern was so cute and I really liked the matching panties...
I quite liked this bra except for the one main reason that made me return it: it made my boobs point down. Sidedays, they looked "sad" as in an inverted "7" shape. One of the main features I look for in a bra is uplift and obviously I was getting quite the opposite with this bra. It's like if the apex of the bra is too low, the point where the bottim piece meets the top one is too low. However, I did find the bra supportive. I liked the nude colour as it seemed to disappear under light clothes and the seams where not too noticeable under t-shirts, making it an acceptable alternative to a plain seamless t-shirt bra (which was the main reason I ordered this style). Also, I found this 36 band to be quite tight and firm compared to Panache or Cleo.
I quite liked this bra except for the main thing that made me return it: it made my boobs point down. The shape I got sideways just made my boobs look "sad" as in an inverted "7" shape - and that's precisely one thing I am not looking for in a bra!. I found the band a bit tight and hardly stretchy at all. I thought the colour (nude) was very good as it disappeared under clothes and I found the seams were not too visible under shirts or t-shirts, making it an acceptable alternative to a plain seamless t-shirt bra (at least for me).
Thanks for your review. Those of us with less apex projection may fit ;-)