Fauve Aurelia Padded Half Cup is another well-constructed, artful piece that makes the demise of Fauve all that much sadder. Although this style feels a little smaller in the cup than my gold-standard Emmanuelles, and still a hair wider in the UW than I'd prefer, I have nothing but love for how good this feels on. I have yet to try a Fauve bra that hasn't been well-constructed and secure. This style is no exception - my breasts feel contained, controlled, well-displayed and stylish in this lightly padded model. There are no irritating internal seams to chafe my nipples. The amount of projection is ...pretty darned decent and my breasts do not travel around the bra during the day - they stay where they were put. This has become a cue for me that a bra is a good fit. Ladies, if you have center-full breasts this style may not work for you - I have some obvious quadding near the gore. If I were to buy this again I'd go up a cup size - but otherwise would not change a thing. This magenta/pink satiny garment with lovely flower embroidery is a delight. Grab up those Fauve's on clearance, while you still can! Read more 106 more words
ummm....2ks-rddit-80 , that's Aurelia, not Dominique. I think for the sake of the database you probly have to do a re-do with the measurements and all. :/
Thanks for the catch, I have no idea how I made that error but I've corrected the bra/measurements!
I figured out what happened when I pulled a bra out of my drawer this morning - it was Dominique! I have both. Hah. I took the measurements and photos at the same time yesterday but logged them to the wrong placeholder, which I added the day the bra came in. They are similar colors and styles so I just confused myself. I will need to measure and photo Dominque still.
Fauve, so superior materials, quality and construction. The colorway is like a watercolor in shades of peach, purple, hot pinks and orange; all translucently running into each other on a background of palest dawn pink. Its gorgeous, and I hate pink. It is also slightly shiny,almost iridescent. Being a Fauve (details!) the pattern continues on the mesh band all the way around The lining of the lightly padded 3 part half cup is pale pink; the trim and straps are also. A scalloped layer of non stretchy orchid-embroidered pale pink net lies flat along the top of the cups and a narrower matching orchid lace runs along ...the front bottom band, up the straps halfway, and adorns the clasp. The seams and lace lie flat under tight knits, it comes up in a little scallop above the cups. Double bows of satin orchid and micro-narrow pale pink ribbon in all the usual places; the gore bow includes crystal drops (!!). The band is very stretchy. The velvety soft straps are not. The wires are very narrow and covered in softness, as is the clasp. The wings and gore are quite low, no poking and great for my close set girls. Overall shape is high, round and hello ladies in your face, that nice apples look. I think it is not quite as deep at the wire as some of my other Fauve half cups,though. In spite of the measurements saying this should fit perfectly, it is slightly too small on my larger boob and cuts in at the top. I don't feel exactly enclosed/supported either, but I do feel precious and tres femme! Idk. Don't care,I feel like a French candy shop window display in this beauty! I am however thinking of buying the last remaining one in a G cup just because...also buying a balcony in the same colorway...which is really confusing to me, because my entire life I have deplored pinky girly! LOL - I read somewhere that menopause brings a new appreciation for hot colors like red, pink, orange, so maybe!! Read more 237 more words
Unbelievably gorgeous... most definitely one of the prettiest Fauves I've ever encountered! The cups are covered in soft, silky fabric which features a springy watercolor print and pink-lavender scalloped lace on the neckline, straps, and band near the clasp. The center gore is adorned with layered bows and shimmery rhinestone drops... divine!
Fit-wise, Grace is very similar to my Emmanuelle/Evangeline in terms of being both more projected and open on top than some other Fauve halfcups I've tried. The shape is excellent, round and pushed ever so slightly in and up. Grace is insanely comfortable and easy to wear, even for 12+ hour days.
This is a beautiful, incredibly well-constructed and high quality bra which I tried briefly in the "Sunset Brown" colorway. The embroidery looks like a European tapestry... the overall aesthetic of the bra is more mature and sophisticated than overtly feminine. The cups seem to run about half a size large, and I had a minimal amount of gaping on my smaller breast. The shape was lovely and very lifted, as well as seamless beneath thin shirts.
My shape: slightly shallow teardrop/FOB with super wide/tall roots and very close-set tissue in the middle.
This review is for the Spice colorway.
After having noticed that almost all of my bras have wires that are too narrow for my boobs, and having coveted this adorable bra for a long time, I found it on clearance and decided to buy it. I probably should have gotten a 30FF, but that was sold out, and so I took a chance on the sister size. The cups are still not quite the right shape for me under my arms (it seems I need some flatter pointing-toward-my-shoulder-blades shaped wires instead of the standard ...round ones), but they encase all the tissue better than any of my other bras and are definitely wide enough, which makes them the best fitting wires I own.
Having the band one size up means that I don't think the lace around the bottom of the band flips up as much as it would otherwise, which is nice, although over the course of the day (which was admittedly more active than any other normal day on which I would have worn this bra) I still found myself having to adjust a lot. It feels pretty snug, and the boning definitely keeps it in place, but I can pull it away from my back way more than 2 fingers' worth. I may try to alter it as it stretches. Also, after a day of inadvertent heavy lifting, sweating, and generally working harder than I meant to, the bottom ends of the boning started to chafe a teensy bit and itch, but I do not intend to put this bra through the ringer again. It seemed to shift down to sit slightly too low on my ribcage after about 6 hours, too, but I'm not sure if that was the workout or the 32 size band at fault.
Looking at the photos makes me realize that the band in back seems to sit higher than the rest of my bras, making it look too tight at the top and giving me a bit of a muffin top. Hooking it on the tighter set makes the pooching worse and doesn't bring it down any farther, so I'm not really sure what to do about that.
I always have trouble with center gores, and not because the wires dig into my sternum, but because my breast tissue is so close in the center that the wires simply sit on top of it. For this reason I have always had to love balcony and half-cup bras from afar. This was true at first for this bra, but to my surprise it was not only better than any other I've tried, but it also didn't bother me. At all. And I am a sensitive, fussy lady about my clothes! I don't understand it, but it makes me love this bra so much more. Seriously! It comes up so high, and I didn't care! So good.
It's super supportive, too! Considering how open it is on top, it held me up throughout the day and was a great shape and the light padding is very natural. (Plus, squishable cups are great for not worrying about when traveling, which I do a lot). This is the only bra I have ever worn that I know for sure doesn't cut into my super-tall breast roots at all, while still having a short enough cup to not gape on the top and a tall enough cup to cover me. (In most cases the cup is too short and my nipples pop over the top because my boobies are shallow and so tall, especially with padded balconettes.)
Orange is a color I didn't think to find in a bra, but I love brights and this one is just so adorable. I have been sad ever since they discontinued it because it's so good, and I don't think the color, satin fabric, or details make it look cheap at all. True, I would be happier if the lace on the front of the band or the straps extended past the side seams, but you can't have everything, and it is my new favorite. A++ Read more 588 more words
To this date, Evangeline Padded Half Cup from Fauve is my favorite bra.
I find it both elegant and quite sexy (I have it in gold/black) and it gives my boobs the perfect rounded shape from the side which I value a lot. The straps are soft, elastic and comfortable and doesn't dig in to my shoulders.
I love this bra so much that I actually ordered another one in the same model just a couple of days ago, but in red. It was indeed expensive, but this is top quality and totally worth it.
The unstretched band is long and stretches up to 34" without distorting the wires. The band is single layer mesh (one strike against long term quality). The straps are far apart & cut into my arms (which for some reason, Bratabase still considers this to fit). The embroidered "bow" above the left cup looks a little odd to me. The attempted appeal just doesn't work for me! In this colorway it's barely visible and the extra stitching only adds bulk. (Removing it would leave permanent marks in the satin cup). Like I said, the cups are satin, with black trim piped into the vertical seams, with scalloped ...lace at the edge. Of course, all those seams will show under an average Tshirt (a big negative in my book). The lining is very thin tricot, much thinner than Evangeline's or Aurelia's (a plus in my book). Projection is front and center, not east/west or minimized (also a plus in my opinion). The gore is a little too tall & wide on me, so I get a bit of quadding only above the gore. The 5.5" wires are perfect for me and the 10" depth is almost ideal. Overall, it's a pretty good fit, but because of appearance it won't be my favorite. In fact, I hardly ever wear it, except maybe under a thick heavy sweater. Update: after losing only 5 pounds I can only wear this on the tightest set of hooks. Read more 135 more words
This bra had a high percentage of likelihood on my recommendation list. Took me a while, but I was finally able to find one (new) through eBay. My very first impression was 'if this bra is typical for this brand, I don't understand the rave this company has received'. Overall, I guess the quality is good, but there is plenty of room for improvement. This particular one has major issue which completely changes how it fits, and happens to be a construction problem: the trim at the top of the cup is significantly shorter than the length of the top edge of the cup, ...causing it to be extremely closed and leave pucker-like 'bubbles' between the layers of the cups just below the trim. The puckering is actually worse on my larger side. I mean, I have short roots, but this is ridiculous! The bottom of the cups also don't have much fullness, so this seems to be a very rare breed. It might work for even, self-supporting breasts, or "might" be OK for moderately FoT, but that trim would likely be problematic (at least with this particular bra.) However, with a little TLC using my steamer & pressing ham, I was mostly able to stretch the trim to match the cups and smooth out the bubbles in the cups. So I really don't know if this was a defect in stitching, a leftover that didn't fit anyone else, or if it was designed to be that closed in. I'm hoping this doesn't turn into a high maintenance bra that needs steaming after every wash! At least it didn't gape any. The band is true to size, but I certainly would have preferred three hooks instead of two. After wearing for a few hours the hooks were chafing my back red, and washing it has not softened it up. There are two tags, one below each underarm which prevent the band from stretching properly and they don't sit flat...so those are coming out! The straps are soft but only partially adjustable; thankfully it is not an issue now; might become one once the straps get broken in. The front straps are borderline too far apart and are on the verge of cutting into my arms, so I may move them over. The cups are made with old fashioned tricot foam padding, which in my experience is very hot in the summer. Nowadays, memory foam or spacer fabric would be a better choice. The 10" depth is very good for me and the wires, at 5.5", is the ideal width for me. Despite the awkwardly stitched trim on the cups there is plenty of room for my center fullness. Totally did not expect that. I also did not expect it would give a somewhat minimized look and the girls look rather smooshed into my chest, as well as the distance between apexes is 1" too narrow for me. It IS pretty to look at and the velvet accent on the ribbon bows adds a nice touch.
A rare breed indeed! Bottom line, I'm not sure I'll be keeping it.
Update: I decided to disassemble the cups to fix the puckering in the cups. (If I do decide not to keep it, nobody would be happy with it the way it was.) So first I took off the stretch lace trim on the edge and then separated the top embroidered layer from the inner tricot lining. The top layer was between 1/4"-1/3" longer than the lining along the entire length of each cup edge. No wonder it puckered so badly! Honestly, this is simply poor workmanship, and someone was clearly not paying attention to what they were doing! Now that the repairs have been made, the bra actually fits better than I expected. I decided to add a piece of black scalloped lace to the top of the cups, just above the cup edge, and then I layered the original white trim just a little bit lower, along the cup edge. The cups are still quite closed, but the layers of trims at the edge do not show, except a tight knit tee. Read more 589 more words
This is indeed a gorgeous bra that I bought from a fellow Bratabaser. (Then again, I'm partial to anything purple!) It was listed very high on my Recommendations. Not a perfect fit, but I should be able to modify it.
The band is a little big on me, where I started off on the middle set of hooks. If I want to go snugger I can easily manage on the smallest set of hooks. Tag is still attached, so maybe that's from others trying it on before me. Or maybe I just need a 30" instead of a 32". Who knows! I noticed the wires ...are a narrow guage (1/8"?), feel much smaller in diameter than most, and consequently are quite flexible. The wires feel much wider while wearing than when measuring it. The cups are suited for FoT and fit me well only with good posture. Once I move around and live life they gape along the outer cup...enough for me to know it's there, and moreso on my smaller side. Somehow, it doesn't really show under clothing. (I should be able to cinch in the top of the cup just a bit by tacking the outer layer to the lining. I was able to do that on another bra that had developed an outward curl, and it was very successful.) The gore is definitely wide on me, and high. But because the wires are flexible they form into a V between my center full breasts. So even though it's not completely flat against my sternum, it's still manageable. The front straps are way over to my armpits...very annoying...again, a modification I can handle.
As for personal preference, the cups give the appearance of pulling the girls too close together by a full 1-1.5" closer than normal for me. (It measures only 6" apex to apex). So combined with the wires being slightly wide on me it gives a minimized profile. Read more 220 more words
Unlike the Fauve Emmanuelle which fits me beautifully, this Fauve Bronte is clearly not projected enough for me, evidenced by the photos that show my breasts separated from the underwire by an expanse of fabric. However, like all the other Fauve's I have tried the Bronte is SO comfortable and pretty that I will be keeping it anyway. It is a darned shame Fauve is no longer in business as their workmanship and bra comfort is unlike anything else at a similar price point. Until I can afford to stock my lingerie drawer with EM's I will continue seeking out Fauve models on clearance!
Update: after a few wears I've decided this bra is just too wide for me. I am becoming more aware and less tolerant of breast tissue being forced into my underarm area by too-wide bras, the overall impression of which is a feel of smashed and insufficiently supported tissue. This beautiful, barely worn bra will receive a gentle hand wash then be listed for sale.
Fauve Dominique Padded Half Cup is another well-constructed, comfortable, beautiful style by the now-defunct Fauve. This style is a wee bit shallow, but the UW seems a little narrower than some Fauve styles (I owe measurements!) and that makes it feel more comfortable/secure than styles that leave excess fabric on the sides. I enjoy how good this feels on and would happily walk around my house wearing only this. I have yet to try a Fauve bra that hasn't been well-constructed and secure. This style is no exception - my breasts feel contained, controlled, well-displayed and stylish in this lightly padded model. There are no irritating internal seams to chafe my nipples. The amount of projection is pretty acceptable and my breasts stay put in the bra as I got about my day. I were to buy this again I'd go up a cup size.
This is my second pre-loved Fauve Emmanuelle. Although I still really like this bra, and have figured out Fauve's underwires are, as a rule, too wide for my seemingly narrow roots. This is becoming more obvious as my migrated breast tissue is ceasing to exist thanks to being in right-sized bras for over a month now. Fauve still has (had I suppose, taking into account they're no longer in business) some of the most comfortable bras I've ever worn and I don't intend to part with my Emmanuelle anytime soon.
The Fauve Maya is a pretty, padded half-cup bra (the padding is more like a thick lining) that is unlike some of its parent brand's sister products. I have narrow roots and a lot of immediate projection and this bra was not a good fit for me. I wore it for four hours before the underwires began bothering my underarm area very badly. I also had some quadding due to the cup being too shallow, and my breasts felt smashed. This is such a pretty style, lovely with delicate embroidery and well-made as Fauve products typically are, and might make a good fit for someone more FOT and/or shallow/wide-breasted than I am.
Since falling in love with the Fauve Emmanuelle and finding out Fauve had shuttered, I've been on a mission to find out whether other Fauve styles would work nicely on me. The Fauve Agnes is a miss. The single biggest issue I have with this bra is that the wires are way, way too wide for my breasts. This creates too much width in the cup and less projection than I need, so my breasts are smooshed into the sides of the cups. The straps are super stretchy so my breasts pull on the cup weirdly and the fit doesn't feel secure. And then even though the center gore is an acceptable height, I'm getting some funky mounding toward the center of the bra. I don't think I'm particularly center full but the shape of the cup just isn't right for me. I ordered this as a final sale from the U.K. so returning isn't an option - I'll be putting this up for sale here.
This is THE MOST COMFORTABLE bra I've found so far. The lining is important to me because seams are bothersome and irritate my breasts. This half cup model comes up high enough that I don't spill out nor do I wobble impossibly as I go about my life. It is also very beautiful, with delicate patterning and trim details that I just adore. I love the light padding (more of a thick lining really) and the way the bra brings my breasts to center and makes them look perky. The silhouette under clothing is just phenomenal - it's not matronly or awkward. The projection and centering of the breast mass makes me look trim and neat and youthful. The comfort is outstanding. I was thrilled to find this bra as I then set out to buy more, but alas Fauve is no more. What a shame. I have ordered several Fauve clearance padded half cups in hopes they also fit as well as this one.
Mink colorway must be a distinguished senior mink because this bra is the most elegant shade of gray, not at all brown! Great lift and separation, deep and narrow, light but supremely supportive. True to size, but not mine https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" />. A wardrobe staple!
Lavinia is an amazingly comfortable yet extraordinarily beautiful bra. The pale green and black "baroque" pattern looks very periodic, while the black lace and delicate bows are gorgeous in an understated way. The cups are very open on top, wonderful for FOT shapes. As always with Fauve halfcups, the shape is very round with a subtle cakes-on-a-plate effect. Lavinia is lined with soft fabrics and is very easy to wear; my only complaint is that the straps are quite stretchy.
Somehow, looking at the pictures, I thought this was brown with pink, but it's black with pink. Oh well. It's beautiful, comfortable, and seems well-made. If it fit me at all I would keep it. But it is much too big in the cups. A full size too big, I think. Band feels true-to-size. I almost can't loosen the straps enough, which is surprising in a too-big bra. I'm sad about this one! It feels like it would be a very flattering bra if it touched my boobs on the top instead of hovering above them.
This bra has incredibly stretchy band, and as always I wrinkle a bit on my smaller boob. Shape-wise it is similar to Curvy Kate Jewel, but I definitely will have to alter the band. It is my first Fauve and my second soft bra from Freya family.
This review is based on trying this bra only briefly. Ultimately I decided to return it, as the gore seemed much higher on this particular model than on the other Fauve halfcups I own, at the same time that there was also less center projection. Also, I didn't care for this shade of dark pink (it looked more fuchsia in the stock pictures), however it's very reminiscent of Sleeping Beauty with the pale pink and bright green floral embroidery! The shape was quite flattering and very reminiscent of Cleo, lifted and very "green."
ummm....2ks-rddit-80 , that's Aurelia, not Dominique. I think for the sake of the database you probly have to do a re-do with the measurements and all. :/