Kind of underwhelmed by this bra. Like the Freya Antoinette I got as a giveaway a while ago, Gem has a tight strip of elastic at the top of the cup that cuts in on me. It also feels too small, so I guess if I wanted to try another Freya unlined bra, it would have to be in size 28DD.

I most likely won't bother though. I like tight bands and this one fits like a 30 (even though I think the previous owner made some alterations already). If the bands are so loose that I have to wear them on the tightest hook right away and alter ... them myself later, it defeats the point of buying bras online, imo.

Looking at it in person, I can't say I'm a huge fan of Freya's aesthetic either. The frilly decorative string sticking off the straps and the band looks especially tacky. Speaking of which, this bra has an awful lot of loose threads sticking out here and there that make it look cheap -- that might just be because it's used, but it still doesn't reflect well on the quality imo.

Credit where credit is due, if the cup wasn't too small, I could definitely see this being comfortable because the fabric is very soft. It's still not worth another try for me though, because the wires on this are already a touch too wide, and having tried the Freya Deco strapless in both 28D and 28DD (which varied massively in width) I am inclined to guess that a 28DD Freya anything would be stupidly wide on me. The gore is also too high for me, which would be a dealbreaker entirely on its own.

Up for sale it goes...
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Updated on Oct 02, 2015 Flag this

Ouch! What's with the Gem? I tried the balcony style in blue 30DD a while ago that was waaaaay too big in the cups and band (had no measuring tape with me so no measurements). I've read it since that the half cup style ran smaller in the cups, so my white 28F just arrived.
Where do I start? Wires are shorter than wire channel, straps too wide apart (I don't usually have this problem), extra fabric on the upper outside area. This bra makes me look wide and shallow, when in reality I am average to narrow and projected. The Gem halfcup is very soft, comfortable and true to size, just wrong for me in so many ways.
I was expecting lift, rounded and/or uplifed look. Instead I got pancakes - sort of a "relaxed" silhouette. I'm guessing this bra is asking for firmer breasts than I have.
white colourway

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Updated on Sep 26, 2015 Flag this

This is the best fitting bra I have found so far. The cups fit quite well and the shape is good, though a little less projected than I'm used to. It is very comfortable, delicate and pretty, and open enough for me on top. I don't get a ton of cleavage, but there's a good amount of lift and it's quite supportive.

The band definitely runs loose. I am wearing it on the middle hook already and will probably need to alter it in a few weeks to get some more wear out of it. I do get a little bit of sternum stabbing from the underwires, but I ... bent them a bit and it's already tons better.

EDIT: Okay, so after a few wears, this bra is not holding up as well as I'd liked. The underwires are a tiny bit narrow for me (or the band isn't tight enough to keep my swoop and scoop in space properly. Also, the shoulder straps often fall off, despite the straps seeming tight enough. Is this a common problem with Freyas? Either way, I don't think this is the bra for me after all.
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Updated on Jul 04, 2015 Flag this

The bra is a cup size too big for me, but it fits really comfortably. The underwires don't dig in at all, and the straps are fully adjustable, so they're also comfortable. It has some little details which are quite cute.

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Updated on Jul 31, 2014 Flag this

This is a really comfortable bra. It doesn't poke at all. I think that the bad size may run a bit big though. It's quite cute as it has a few bows as well as a nice lacy pattern.

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Updated on Jul 30, 2014 Flag this

As always I love this Freya bra. Very consistent with their other models. The only downside is that (even with hand washing) this bra has pilling.

Updated on Jun 19, 2014 Flag this

My right breast is half a cup, maybe even a cup bigger than my left breast. Hence, the left breast fits fine in this whereas the right breast spills over a bit. Interestingly, the fabric seems to relax and the spillage became less pronounced with time. The underwires really hug, and I supported in that sense. However, the fabric and the bra construction doesn't provide much side support, unlike the Freya Gem Balcony bra.

I intend to hold onto this bra for when I'm smallest during my cycle, simply because it's so pretty.

Updated on Apr 20, 2014 Flag this

Very pretty bra in theory. However, I found the wide-set strap base unflattering to my shape, and I also found that the bra itself made my breasts look very wide and flat from the front.

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Updated on Mar 16, 2014 Flag this

I certainly had some major fit issues with this bra. I followed some general advice I'd seen and tried ordering a smaller band as the band is quite stretchy. The band felt alright, but the cups were all wrong for me. The center seam wrinkled/bunched terribly. I don't know if this was a result of the cups being too shallow or another shape incompatibility, but I've seen the same problem on other user's pictures in the smaller size range. I also had some gaping along the edge of the cup that runs from the outside of the strap along my armpit to the top of the wing. It was as if the sides of the cup were too open; a problem I've never encountered before! (In fact it's usually quite the opposite, where that edge of the cup cuts in.) I may yet try this bra in a different size to see if any issues are fixed, or if it's just an incompatible shape for me. This bra does seem like it would work for shallow breasts.

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Updated on Oct 20, 2013 Flag this

I just bought it, but it's great and fits well. I have a problem with straps sliding off so we'll see if it happens with this one.

Update: the straps do not slide off (woohoo!) but the cup appears to be a *little* too narrow. you can tell by the marks that it cuts into the breast tissue a little bit.

Updated on Jun 25, 2013 Flag this