Summary: A pretty bra in good quality materials with lots of depth at the wire. It fits large and stretchy in both band and cup: I would recommend sizing down 1-2 band sizes and possibly one cup letter size (1-2 cup volumes.)
Appearance/Materials:
I received this bra immediately after reviewing the 38GG - Cleo » Valentina Plunge Bra (10486) . On the surface, they're pretty similar: sheer, bright pink bras in dainty fabrics. Offbeat is made of stretch lace in the cups and part of the band, with a heavy swimwear-type spandex for the back. The lower half of the cups is lined with nonstretch mesh, leaving the top ... a little stretchy for FOT shapes. The band itself is very stretchy: this is nominally a 34, but I could stretch it to 38 if I was willing to pull a little harder.
This bra has coated metal hardware and wide, soft straps in a contrasting bright red. There's a tiny red ribbon between the cups, tacked down with a silver stud - it's not quite a bow. The wire is very firm, in a wide U-shape with a slightly flattened bottom. It does not splay under the arm, though it can be deformed slightly outward.
Freya seems to be using the same wire for multiple sizes, and in the 34HH, that means there's an inch of unfilled channel under the arm. This works terribly for me, since I have a lot of tissue there, but could be helpful if you usually experience wire-poking. Compared to my usual Cleos, this bra uses much higher-quality materials, though I worry about them stretching out too quickly.
Shape/Construction:
I've been looking for a bra with a wide wire and enough immediate depth to stop the cups from slowly riding down and pinching - the Offbeat does this very well. It has a very "forward" shape that prevents the width of my breasts from getting in the way of my arm. Unfortunately, this isn't quite the right shape for me, so I have some fluff escaping under the arm and along the top of the cup. I may try a 34J, if the cup height doesn't increase too much.
The general shape is a standard balconette, with the side-support power bar cleverly built into the design. The materials are plush, rather soft, and much less flimsy-feeling than some cheaper brands. The band is rather tall, and the bottom tends to roll up in the back. This might not happen if you are thinner or less squishy.
Fit:
Me - wide roots with "faux-omega" indentation that makes them look narrow/projected. I need a deep cup, with a lot of that depth right at the wire. Normally, I wear Cleo or Panache, but achey, bruisey feelings sent me looking for something with a different wire. The Offbeat is *almost* right. Unfortunately, the cup doesn't quite have enough volume, and there is a lot of weight on my shoulders, so the search continues.
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Updated on Feb 09, 2023 Flag this
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I had that very same issue with the gore, only for me, it was painful enough that I just couldn’t take it. This is one of the only bras I’ve had that issue with, and it was one of the first I tried on in my actual, correct size. As time went on, I’d chalked it up to my inexperience at the time/ not knowing how to adjust wires in my IMF properly. Seeing someone else with the same issue has made me second guess myself less!