The band size on this is much tighter than the Deco bra, so I'll have to wear this with a bra extender. The cups are similar in shape, but I think that they seem half a size smaller than with the regular Deco. This may possibly be because the center gore comes up higher in this version. When it comes to the strapless aspect, it stays up and still provides a nice shape. I also like the fact that this bra gives you some choice in how close together you want to place the straps.
This would probably be one of the best bras ever, if it fitted me well. That's why I've been wearing it lot even though I really shouldn't wear it at all.
The great thing is that this is a supportive plunge t-shirt bra that gives cleavage. Yes, all of this in one bra. And, made for larger cup sizes. I haven't found a single person that doesn't love this bra.
But, the issue is that it isn't made in larger cup sizes than a GG, and in the 28-band, only up to a G. Even though the cup sizes are large, the band is quite big too, which adds ...to the problem. Most people need to go down a bandsize in this bra, but when you're a 28-band, that is unfortunatly not possible. I would say that a 28G is closer to a 30G sizewise.
For me this is just not good. I get back pains when I where it, even with the closest set of hooks and eyes. After a long day I even get really bad painful red marks, but because of the greatness of this bra I keep wearing it anyway.
After a year of heavy wearing the fabric and the padding is tearing apart in the place where the cups meet the wires up front, but then I've been wearing it a lot.
If you manage to find this bra in a size that fits you (size down a bandsize and keep you cup size) this is something you have to have in your wardrobe.
---------------------------------------------------- Pros: + T-shirt bra + Plunge + Cleavage + Support
Cons: - Large band results in issues if not the correct size - Large cup also means hard to find the correct size - May gape on the top for empty-on-top breast - Plunge model means running in stairs still should be avoided. - Doesn't go higher than GG in most bands and a G in 28-bands. Read more 204 more words
Look and feel: The fabric is nice and not itchy at all. The fabric lining the cups is quite smooth, and I can't even feel the seams on the cups.
The bottom (vertical) seam is quite flat and not at all noticable under t-shirts, although the top seam is more visible.
The wires are acutally 2.5cm shorter than where the cup ends at the sides.
Overall, the bra provides a rounded shape that looks natural and I don't get any bounce when I walk up and down stairs.
Fit: The band is slightly tight which causes the wires to press really firmly against my body, but I think going up a cup size ...would be too big.
The cups fit great, I'm totally enclosed, no spillage, no gaping. There is some wrinkling at the tops of the cups, although very minimal (but more on the smaller breast). I don't know if I need to go down a cup size or not, since the wrinkling is minimal.
Overall, I don't notice that I'm wearing this during the day, although once in a while I'll really feel the wires.
Update: I've worn this bra a few times and handwashed it once. The band is still firm and I can't feel the wires at all now. It's very comfortable.
Update 2: I'm finding the tops of the cups on this bra are digging into me now. They're definately too small. I only wear this bra when my other 3 well fitting bras are waiting to dry.
Update 3: I no longer wear this bra. The cups feel too small now. Read more 159 more words
Did the cups shrink after washing? funny because you mentioned that you thought on getting a smaller cup and ended up being too small
No, I don't think they shrank since I hand wash them. I actually bought the same model in white and that's when I noticed the cups. I guess I thought initially the cups were fine because it felt snug and there wasn't any spillage. Maybe it's breast tissue migration or maybe I'm just putting my bra on properly now, I'm not too sure.
I'm thinking it may be the shape of my breasts as well. Initially I thought I was fuller at the bottom, but I'm actually wide all over but not too deep so I think that affects how cup styles fit me.
Basically what I'm saying is that I'm learning more about my boobs. :)
I decided to try this because it comes in so many pretty colours and can be found for very low discount prices. So I assumed it has to be a good bra if there are so many colours out? Turns out there is a reason it is priced so low. This bra has all the issues of a badly scaled bra. It's a K-cup nightmare
It's how bras were like 10 years ago. It kinda reminds me of 30KK - Panache » Harmony Underwired Balconnet (4031) . The cups are super wide and tall. On the plus side they are also very roomy on top which ...is good for my FOT shape. But they are just too much of everything. I can barely get support from these cups because the wires almost end on my back and I can't fill the top section. The straps are super seperated as if I need a much wider frame to fit this bra. But how you wrap a 30 inch band around such a wider frame? Stuff doesn't add up here. So really a miscontruction is happening here.
I tried to get rid of the gaping by tighening the straps a lot, you can see that it gives a fairly round shape then on my last 2 pics. But the straps would kill me, as they dig into my arms & shoulders very badly so it also isn't wearable that way. The 30K - Freya » Florri Balcony Bra (3102) which is a newer style from 2019 is far better constructed than Fancies. I don't recommend Fancies in K - cup unless you really look for very wide set straps, wide & tall cups. Read more 175 more words
I had similar issues with this one and I’m in a different size range. But I’ve found that no Freya unlined work for me so I gave up on them LOL Sorry it didn’t work for you either
Too bad about the fit because the color is gorgeous!
When I saw this bra on sale, I decided to give it a try. The Erin is a popular style that comes in many pretty floral prints. I really like this coral & white combo. The bra has the same cut as my 30K - Freya » Florri Balcony Bra (3102) and I think I should have tried it in 30K instead of 32J.
The band is rather stretchy and a bit generous for a 32 band, I could already close it on tightest setting. The cups are slightly too small. The wires have a good width for me at the sides. The cups have decent projection and I get no empty space on bottom. Overall the materials feel nice and soft but also a bit thin and flimsy. Support is mediocre. Not bad but it's also not like a super strong bra. If I can find a 30K on sale, I think I give this bra another chance. Wouldn't pay full price as there are better more supportive options in the J+ cup range.
It has an average to good projection and works for full on bottom ladies. It has a cute lacey design thats chic but comfortable and not over the top. Sadly the wire was much too wide for my narrow roots and the gore sat uncomfortably tight against my sternum. If it didnt poke at the center it poked under my arms. Also it was riding up at the front, I suppose because the band was too loose and the cup not immidiately and normally projected enough so the wires did sit on my breast tissue sometimes. Writing this I realize how bad this review sounds, that wasn´t intended. I do really like and still own this bra, after some time it gets more comfortable while still giving okay-ish lift. I do think this works better for shapes with wide root width and maybe only average projection.
This actually kind of fits. The 34 band is bigger than I expected, so I had to go down to the next hook because the underwire hurt my ribs sitting weird on the first hook, but that completely went away on the next hook, so I could have tried the 32 band. But it mostly fits! The cups are wider than I need and technically not quite deep enough, but I'm hesitant to order it in a bigger cup size despite the slight quad-boob (that is technically visible in shirts) because the cups are so flimsy that I'm concerned that if they were actually bigger, they wouldn't provide ...much shaping at all. As it is, my boobs already want to go straight out in this bra, with minimal shaping. But they do look way, way smaller in this thing than all the bras I've tried to far, just by virtue of not being squeezed into a too-small bra. The quadding got worse when I tightened the straps, which also caused some slight gaps at and around the straps and made the cups shallower, but I was comfortable just leaving the straps fairly loose.
This is the first balcony-style bra that I've tried that hasn't hurt my shoulders and neck, but that may be because the band is a little big. Still, I have a good feeling about this one and what it means for my options. The high underwire and wings were mostly pretty comfortable, despite being higher than I needed, but they did sometimes dig in, like if I had to lean over or down. So tolerable. The slightly lower center gore is comfortable, even though it doesn't sit flush at all (but this is the first bra that I was able to push it back to reach my chest, even though it didn't stay on its own when I let go, so that's a good sign--although doing this did cause major quadding, so I probably need the 34HH or the 32J). I'm not sure if I would go much lower, since I'd be concerned that my boobs would make a break for the middle and form insta-cleavage, but this is nice. (Maybe I'd try lower in a bra with more support in the cup.)
My breasts do absolutely feel lifted and reasonably supported. They're totally separated with no cleavage, so they become way less noticeable, which is nice. The underwires are a little hard, but I haven't worn an underwire bra since I was a teenager, so I'll probably have to just adjust to the feeling again. They also want to slip down a bit, but I think that will always happen for me with balcony bras, and it wasn't that bad. The biggest issue I had with this bra and the only real discomfort is the edge of the band. It's incredibly sharp and stiff and caused more or less instant chafing and redness under my breasts that will probably still be sore tomorrow. I wore it for maybe fifteen or twenty minutes, and there was serious and painful redness where the edge of the band had dug in and rubbed all over. Very, very painful. I bought some bra liners to see if that helps, because otherwise it's a perfectly serviceable bra for me, but it's bad enough to make it completely unwearable if I leave it as is. It even feels sharp just running my finger along the edge. The fabric is overall fairly rough and not soft, but the edge of the band, where it's held against the wire and therefore stiffer, is just a lot. The straps are much, much softer.
It definitely could be a better fit, but for a bra that I bought on a whim, out of frustration, I'm pleasantly surprised, and I think it'll work out okay in the interim while I explore my options a bit more. So that's a big relief. I can already tell that it may be unwearable during parts of the month when my breasts are bigger (they're pretty unremarkable and soft right now) and the shape mismatch issue becomes a bigger deal, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
Update: a day later and it's already more comfortable. I think it's sitting slightly below my IMF, but it's much more wearable this way and the support feels fine. I do feel it in my shoulders a bit more, but not a huge amount, and I think the wide wires are less of an issue than I thought. Read more 646 more words
I have been avoiding Freya bras because their unlined styles were always too deep at the apex while too closed on top for me. Still I purchased this bra because of the stretch lace in the top section, and I'm so glad I did because this bra is so beautiful and surprisingly fits well.
There is a good amount of projection with narrow wires. The stretch lace accommodates top fullness and tall roots very well. The wires are very U shaped which gives me room at the bottom of the gore that other bras don't. They go outwards not as rapidly at the bottom-inside. The gore is too high and wide for my super close-set breasts so I'm going to overlap it. Overall this bra gives a much better fit than expected.
Thanks for the detailed information about the gore! So helpful.
This is gorgeous on you.
Love4Pollinators You're welcome! I now realize the width at the bottom of the gore is just as important as that at the top. It's a pleasant surprise how much this bra fits me!
My first trial of a Freya bra in years, the brand never worked for me in the past, but I was curious about how their bras fit nowadays. First I have to say, that I wanted to order this bra in a 30JJ, but the size conversions on the zalando website where I found it, were all over the place. It was recommended to size down in band, that's why I tried to get a 30JJ instead of my usual size 32J.
How the bra fits: It is just huge! In every direction. The cups are super wide and also super tall on me. (Note: I have quite tall boobs!) ...Also there is like so much empty fabric on top of this bra! On the photo were I did not adjust the straps very short, my boobs only fill the bra a bit over the seam where the lower cup meets the upper cup!
The band did not feel big, but too big cups can make a band feel bigger. The measurements seem tts for a 30 band and it looked small. The wide cups definitely work as part of the band here. I think If I got this bra with the correct cup volume I would not need a 30 band! Actually this is like an example of a reverse letterphobia fit, too small band + too big cups. Not a good combination.
If I adjusted the straps very shortly, it looked a bit better but I still wasn't able to fill these tall cups.I could try this bra in 32J or even 32HH but I doubt it will work. There is a lot of room on top and on the sides. I think the wires would be still too wide. Maybe the HH would be ok, but I doubt the bra would be deep enough in that size. It's difficult to say since the bra was so big, but I think it would be quite shallow on bottom in the right size? I'm not sure about it.
1-2 words about the bra itself: the fabric is mesh / lace and a bit see through. It also feels kinda itchy, not a soft mesh. I don't think the fabric is high quality feeling. The straps are wide and comfy. The band is a thick material and very sturdy and not super stretchy. I don't recommend it, at least not in large cup sizes. Read more 292 more words
Wow. I have this same bra but I tried on sizes from the opposite end of the cup spectrum, 28D and 28DD. I actually felt the cups ran small for Freya unlined bras. Those cups look totally massive, I can’t believe they are the same bra! The shape of the cups also looks really different. I agree it runs a little shallow on the bottom.
I also totally agree with you on the fabric. I was surprised the fabric is so stiff and scratchy. I’ve purchased quite a few Freya bras now and none of them feel like this. What a weird bra!
I ordered this bra on eBay in my usual size 32H uk. The band was loose and the cups were massive. I am returning this bra back to the seller. It fits like a 34HH. The manufacturer mislabeled the size of the bra. So disappointing!
The bra is a nightmare. Totally off sizing- wise. It looks like it concerns all GG+ sizes.
Overall it is a very pretty bra, the sheer lace makes it very sexy. However there are some fit issues, as there is quite a lot of wrinkling at the bottom of the cups even after scooping and swooping (probably a shape mismatch). Also the gore does not sit flat on my chest, however, I do have pectus excavatum (basically a dent in my ribcage) so the gore has never quite sat flat with any bra I've tried on so far, so this may not be specific to this bra. Other than that the straps are wide and comfortable, the mesh in the cups is made of quite a rough fabric, so it tends to get a little itchy after some hours wearing it.
Welcome to Bratabase! Thank you so much for measuring your bra, that data is super helpful to so many members here. :-)
How does the band feel? Have you tried tightening the straps a bit? It looks like it's not giving you as much lift or support as it should, but often tightening the straps &/or band can correct this, and in turn the bottom wrinkles go away.
Otherwise it's a very lovely bra. :-)
Welcome to bratabase! I only see the wrinkling on one side, which makes me think that that breast sits a bit higher on your torso that the other, it also appears to have a narrower root. This bra cups looks like it is too small for you honestly. Try it in an FF. I think it would fit better fit. I also warn everyone new to the bra fitting community, try not to look for perfection or you will become very angry and frustrated. If it's comfy, looks good and fits well (not perfect!) than its perfect for YOU and that's all that matters. Again, thank you for measuring your bra and if you ever need anything, don't be afraid to ask!
My local specialty shop* had a 50% off moving sale. They decided that they would not be moving within the mall during renovations twice in a year, after they've had to move about once a year for the last few years. So they closed up, and shipped the remaining merchandise to their other locations, though neither of them are convenient to pop into on a whim one night as this one was for me.
This is one of the styles that I tried and came very close to buying. I didn't buy it in the end though. I'll explain later...
So, I'm no stranger to the Deco, as I ...have had a Spotlight for many years in a 32DD. I have a review for this one in my profile. That one fits me pretty well, but is a little small in the cup because I have only been swooping and scooping since late 2016, and my Spotlight Deco predates that. Also, I'm in smaller backs now and the Spotlight is maxed out and on the tightest hooks and feeling loose.
The one that I have in this review is a 28FF, so it's 2 sister sizes down but with a cup volume up. My main goal in trying this size was 1) could I actually pull off the 28 band and 2) could I pull off the extra cup volume up and 3) using this information, determine if I needed a 30 band and which cup volume was better.
This bra fit me surprisingly well, although I did find the band to be a little bit snugger than I am comfortable with. It was closer to the band fit of my Comexim Victoria in 60HH. It felt like it was just under a 29" stretched measurement (but I didn't have the foresight to bring the measuring tape to grab measurements in addition to the fit). I might have been able to wear it all day but I might be more consciously aware of it during the day unless I had an extender with it. From a technical fit standpoint, this size is the right size. From a comfort standpoint, a 30F is probably the better fit for me. I also love that it has a j hook which is adjustable in height so that I didn't have straps on my shoulder blades. Straps felt a bit snug too, but I could have loosened them.
I obviously love the shape and support of the Deco if I was considering a second one. Naturally, I had the same awesome cleavage that Decos are known for with this one as I did with my original Spotlight. I absolutely love this green! So so much! SO MUCH YOU GUYS! I love the texture of it on the side as well. What I did not like so much is the leopard print trim and bow, although I think it's a good combination of colours. And perhaps I could have gotten used to it. I think that it looks really good against my pale skin.
Why I decided against it...
1) I struggled with the leopard a lot 2) it was still tight and I would have to find an extender and I am tired of extenders on multiple bras. 3) half price was still over $40 and Amazon had other prints and colours in 30F that were less 4) I wasn't even sure that I should have another Deco, because I have been getting pretty decent cleavage and shape with my Ewa Michalak plunge which is softer and lighter than the Deco...not as much boob armour.
I still think about this bra and other Decos and think that if I can Deco, I should Deco, and that I should retire and replace my old Spotlight. I have had an eye on the burgandy Amore but I'm focused on other bras for now.
*well, one of two, but the other one doesn't have the same brands and variety as this one did Read more 554 more words
Wow, the green looks perfect on you.Too bad they didn't have a 30F.
“Boob amour” is the reason why I didn't get a Deco yet. The Patsy is more tolerable but still to much for a 32°C / 90°F -day. In fact I'm already dying in my mesh bras at these temperatures.
My shape: full on bottom, soft tissue, narrow shoulders/roots. Special thanks to MamaPagan for sending me this bra (and many others!) to try on! Appearance: This bra is MY DREAM BRA in... the complete wrong size and shape. Sigh. It's simply gorgeous. (Sorta related... I never used to care what my bras actually looked like, back before being bra obsessed and fitting in the right size bra. Probably because what I had been wearing my whole live NEVER ACTUALLY FIT!) Anyways, it's a smooth, silky fabric, 3 part bra. (one vertical and one horizontal seam) The print is this AMAZING black floral pattern; the flowers are BRIGHT colors in blues, ...pinks, yellows, oranges. Almost the entire strap has the floral pattern. The lace part of the cups is a black mesh with bright blue zigzag and stripe designs, and has a thin black liner behind it. Fit: So if this was 2 band sizes bigger and 2 cups sizes smaller, it would be awesome! The band is too small for me to actually try it on in any meaningful way. Hopefully someone else can make use of this! Read more 77 more words
Sooo, I was wondering if you were going to add English translations to any of your well illustrated reviews? Google Translate, as we all know, is not the best at translating. I hesitate to ask for the translation, though, because you already do so much for the brafitting community! Please consider my comment a mild pre-vote, for some future survey you may administer, okay? No pressure!
learningaboutbras I would, gladly. The only thing is that would eat a lot of my time and that is already very limited. My life is currently hectic, I am raising two teenagers almost on my own, my father still mourns his late wife and my mother, I have my Masters' degree in progress and I work full time. That really leaves not much time for writing the reviews in two languages :( I will definitely consider translating in the future, but for now it is unfortunately out of the question.
However if there are any Poles or Polish-speaking ppl here who would we willing to translate for some of the goodies I review (no, I don't keep all of it, the majority gets moved around to new owners) that would be a great thing.
I was going to add a vote in favor of translations of your reviews, but I know you are EXTREMELY busy. :P THANK YOU for all you do here and and everywhere else in support of us bra wearers!!! 😊
Scharminkeltje , given your crazy busy schedule, I forbid you to add one more thing to your To Do List! English translations of your Polish bra reviews are pretty much the last thing you should be thinking about. I wish you the best of luck as you work your way through your Master's program, continue working full-time, participate here at Bratabase, and bring up your siblings!
This is a really gorgeous bra, but I am very sad to say that it’s not a good fit for me, and altering it would only fix some of the problems. The gore is too wide, as are the cups, and the cups are too tall and open. The band is fine, I think, and the cup material was nice, as is the colour and embroidery. It’s going back though, along with the Fancies which also does not fit. I almost decided to keep it because it was so cheap but it doesn’t seem to work under my clothes well, and it’s too nice to have under my blah work shirt and sweater. I did rather return them both and try something else.
I'm sure you can find a better fit. I don't have much upper fullness (and I have short roots), and I have a hard time finding bras that aren't too tall on me. Check out my profile if you need ideas of bras to try. You'll see how they all fit me as I have pictures posted.
Wilderness1 Thanks. Because I have soft malleable tissue, it can look like I have upper fullness in some styles, but I really don't. I do think that if this bra was less wide and the cups were a smidge shorter, it would fit better. I'm going to see what works for you. Thanks. I'll check out your profile.
I am in your size range so I couldn't resist reading your review. This bra is SO pretty - it's a shame it's not a great fit. This exact same thing happens to me if cups are even slightly too deep: the cups gape and look like they're not filled at all. Sometimes if I then go down a cup, I "overflow" and get quad boob galore. I wonder if this bra would work if you go down a cup size? I think you could possibly go down a band size as well...the straps are way too far apart for you. My "@Freya Size" is 28DD without fail. It sounds ridiculously small, but Freya seems to have long bands and deep cups. Freya is not the best fit for me, either, but I find it impossible to resist some of their beautiful bras.
ShaniSunAZ Hi! Thanks for your input. I have considered a band and cups change. I think that I might be able to swing a 28 in this one, but I'm not sure if I can swing a cup size down. Pretty sure I would overflow. Besides, two main issues are the gore being too wide and the cups are just a smidge too tall. And I don't think that the size down would affect the cup width enough, because I'm center full anyway, with soft tissue, and not likely to fill the sides still. But you never know, if if find a super cheap 28E/F, I might try it again. But it's not a priority for me right now.
This @Deco is a far cry from the Deco Charm I tried. There is more immediate/center projection in this model and it closes off at the top very fast. Albeit this bra is one cup size larger, I doubt the Deco Charm in a 28DD will be so severely different from the 28D. There is no projection anywhere in the Deco Charm. In my experience, the strapless version is wider than the other models. This model of the Deco working for me makes me eager to try the half cup Deco. I'm pretty sure that one will work for me, hopefully I can find it on sale at ...some point. After trying these two Freya bras in 28:4 and 28:5 I am positive that I could not wear a Freya size 30 band and not have it be entirely too large. There's my short comparison of the two Freya Deco's I have. Onto the review. When I first tried on this bra I felt the band was too big and felt like I had to hook it on the tightest hooks, which I did easily. After wearing to work for a full night, I no longer feel that way and feel perfectly comfortable on the loosest hooks. Although I have only worn it with straps as of now, because well, I don't wear many strapless things especially in the winter. I don't believe that the bra would move too much without the straps. I have the straps quite loose any how. There are THREE silicone "bands" on this very wide band. I've never actually experienced the silicone banding on a strapless bra actually help keep the bra from sliding down my torso, but I've never worn a strapless bra that actually fits either. This band is nice and WIDE. About 2.5" wide and the wing is about 3.6" wide with 3 hooks per column and 3 columns. The hooks are a bit difficult for me to get clasped. Half the time I only end up getting the top and bottom eye hook done up or the middle hook and top/bottom hook. Often times I get my S.O to hook it for me. I do not know if this bra came with straps or not, but I received it with none. There are two spots on the front and the back of the bra to pick wherever you would like to attach the straps. So there's a total of eight connection spots for the straps. Both placements seem fairly wide to me, so I chose the inner setting. These different sections give you multiple options for strap options. The cups seem to encompass my entire breast quite well. The wires come up high enough to just about hold my tissue in the cup. I rarely feel the need to pull the top of my breast back into the cup. The wires are a bit too wide for me and spreads my tissue out more than I'd like. These wires are about 5" wide and I only need wires that are about 4.5" wide. This doesn't really bother me and I am quite comfortable and secure in the bra all night long. I also like the nice rounded shape that the bra gives me. I think Gore's and myself are going to have issues adinfinitum. I seems that I need a gore that either comes up over an inch and a half or one that is almost non-existent to avoid them from digging in or being uncomfortable. Even if it is only slightly dis-comforting (like my Claudette bras that I love so). I have yet to try to slightly bend the gore's away from my body. I only have about 0.4" worth of space between between my breasts. I used to think that I was very wide set as I could easily place three fingers between my breasts on my sternum, but now that most my tissue has migrated back to the front of my chest I now clearly see I do not have that much room there. I just don't have a whole lot of natural fullness there. Because of this I always seem to have the under wire sitting on my larger breast. Doesn't seem to matter how I try to adjust my bra. Thankfully it is not very noticeable due to my lack of fullness there. Along with this problem, if I have the under wire IMF on my left/smaller side, then the wire is sitting on my tissue on the right side. So. Yeah. I have some issues. Fortunately, they're not really noticeable or painful. It would just be nice to not have them. Perhaps one of these days I'll get around to sewing the wires together, perhaps overlapping them.
As usual, you give such a wonderful description. Also, Ma'am, this particular bra looks wonderful on you.
Thank you bobbiesj I work really hard to make sure my reviews are through and cover the whole range of fit and quality so that everyone can benefit and not just people in my size range. One day I hope to start a blog and inevitably my own bra brand as too many brands don't carry expanded sizes in the aesthetics that I desire.
This bra feels like it was custom-made for me. It has great lift and gives a nice "rounded hills" look. I feel completely and securely supported in this bra. I only wish it came in unadorned nude and black too, so I could wear it with everything.
Am I the only one who finds Freya cup sizes are all over the place? In their soft cup bras I swim in 30Es, but need to size up to 30F for their padded half-cups. It makes buying online a bit of a challenge.
Update: I realized I was tightening the straps too much and they were digging into my shoulders. When I loosened them the cups were suddenly too big! https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_sad.gif" alt=":(" />
Candid has such a cute pattern :-) So glad you found one that fits! I think your fit experience is similar to mine; one or two sizes larger in halfcups than unlined.
I also wear 3 different sizes in freya - 30E in the deco, 30F in the unlined styles, 30FF in halfcups. I'm short and narrow rooted, center heavy ans projected. The halfcups want a wider shallower boob, and deco leaves 2/3 of my breasts uncovered (but if i size up i get gaping due to my short projection).
I also wear 3 different sizes in Freya, depending on the style/model. You are definitely not alone........
I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one having sizing issues with Freya.
My shape: tall shallow-rooted teardrop with max immediate projection/depth, very wide full side roots shaped like the Nike swoosh, center-height, forward-facing, very close-set, with very firm self-supporting tissue
The Kiyoko is a 3-part half-cup modeled on the Freya Patsy Padded Half Cup Bra (1223) , but it is not anywhere near an exact replica. I was really hoping it would be, because my 28G - Freya » Patsy Padded Half Cup Bra (1223) is my best fitting bra right now, and this one is so pretty with the black and pink abstract floral embroidery that looks so delicate (and I am a complete sucker for ...embroidery). It is a beautiful soft shade of pink with tiny black swiss dots and a sheer embroidered overlay on the cups.
Sadly, it's just not to be. For one, the cups are not the same: shallower at the base, slightly closed on top (?!) probably due to the black edging which is striking and pretty but has very little give, and a bit of extra room over the apex that poofs ever so slightly on my extremely shallow upper root. The top edge cuts me off a teensy bit when it's not buckling from how far apart the straps are out in my armpits. I wonder if this fits more like a Lauren? I haven't yet tried a Lauren clone by Freya, but I love my Fauve half-cups and loads of them are supposed to be based on the Lauren.
The gore is too tall and too wide, though it doesn't bother me when I first swoop and scoop. It chafes and pokes as the bra shifts down, though, which happens pretty quickly because the band is so big. What is up with this band? Stretchy bands are a Freya Thing™, as we all know, but this is ridiculous. In the photos it's on the tightest hook, and I can still pull it away a good 3 or 4 inches.
The wires are ok. There is maybe a whole cm of space in the channel to play with, if you need to push them out or in to avoid digging. They are fairly stiff, I'd say, but not as bad as some other brands. They are too steeply curved for me, a not-really-a-problem I have with literally every bra I've ever tried, except in this case it is a problem because they are almost falling out of my IMF due to the looseness of the band and the push from my immediate projection. I lose the outer cup support and the wire at the wing is then too low, which means tissue tries to escape and it starts to dig, something I rarely ever have to contend with. None of this is the wire's fault, though, and it's all still in the band.
I'd also just like to say that the straps are gorgeous: wider than normal, matching pink spotted stretch satin, and just very prettily finished with picot trim and symmetrical seams. Very comfy, fully adjustable, super soft. If only they weren't so far apart, but no one's surprised by that.
So basically, in my personal opinion, size down at least one and maybe two bands for this model, and too bad for me there aren't any smaller bands. Between the shallowness in the lower cups and the complete lack of support from the band, I was doomed from the start! It's so pretty I hate to return it, but back it goes. Read more 470 more words
Thanks for this in-depth review! I've had this bra in my wish list for a while now but I'll probably pass on it because of how extra stretchy the band seems to be.
I also hoped that this would fit like Patsy or a Fauve half cup. Sadly not the case. 😞
I love this pattern and it looks grand on you! Thanks for the review and photos!
yogurt It's with a super heavy heart that I am packing it up for its return today. I do love how it looks. :(
I've heard in general that's worth trying a bunch of different Freya halfcups, because unlike Cleo Lucy/Kali for example, they tend to have enough differences in the cut that they don't fit exactly the same. I've been keeping an eye out for this bra anywhere in my size, but sounds like it wouldn't be a good fit for me either :(
calenlass, did you measure the stretched band?
I did! You can see all the measurements in the "Measurements" tab at the top of the page. It is 90cm!
My shape: self-supporting teardrop (max projection/depth underneath, tall shallow roots on top, moderate overall projection), center-height, forward facing, very close-set, really wide roots and lots of side boob, and firm tissue that pushes push-ups right back
This review is for the new Candy colorway. It's very sweet! The allover lace is subtle and not lumpy or bumpy, and the edging is simple and effective at dispersing the cup edge under clothes.
But the very first thing I noticed, before even swooping and scooping, is the tall gore. Poke city! It's so bad that it pushes the whole bra down out of my IMF, and there's nothing else that could be ...doing it this time. I plan to swap this one for the 28FF or the 28G, but those wires are going to have to get bent as soon as I try it on.
Speaking of swapping for the 28, the wires pushing down is not ameliorated in the slightest by how stretchy this band is. I am accustomed to Fauve longlines and the Patsy and Ivy I've tried a number of times, all of which are firm and supportive even 2 sizes up from my regular band. This is attributed to the way the taller band can distribute tension, I think, and is one of the many reasons I like them. Not so, the Fancies. It's better on the tightest hook (of which there are only 2 sets, I might add, not 3), but still not enough. Look at those photos! When I pull the band back far enough, I also notice some tension ease on the gore as the wires flex into a better position on my sternum. Hopefully this will all be better with the 28. So basically, ladies, I would definitely recommend sizing down at least one in this band, at least in this cup range. Good grief, Charlie Brown.
Moving on, the cups are great. Wonderful! Dare I say perfect? I can't tell completely because of the gore issue, but I'm 99% certain I have enough immediate depth. This is so rare for me, especially needing half-cups for my upper roots like I do, since they usually run shallow on the draft and my poor boobs just have to make do. There actually might be a titch more room by the inner wire than I need, but it doesn't affect my fit. The top edge barely even buckles when I slouch. Hooray!
The wires are another problem, but this is more because I have an unusual shape at the wings where my side roots are shaped like the Nike swoosh. This is the first time it's been so obvious in the photos, and I do have some tissue around where the cups want to buckle, that's where it kind of tapers off (so while it looks like I have almost an inch gap between the base of my root and the wire, it's more like a cm). The wires would be a great width otherwise (i.e. SUPER WIDE), I think, but they are just too steeply curved for me, and sizing down too much in the cup would probably put the outer end of the wires right on top of breast tissue.
The straps are soft and comfortable, and they adjust long enough. They are too far apart, as always, and it affects how the top edge of the cup stays put, but this is Freya's favorite scaling problem in this size range, so if you were hoping for a fix for this on the Fancies, no luck this time.
Thank goodness for free returns! Read more 484 more words
Beautiful!! Does the wire hurt--looks like it is poking your side boob? Mine are quivering in fear, "No! Don't do this to us again." ; -) ;-)
"...firm tissue that pushes push-ups right back."
Yep, my tissue also puts a lot of bras in their place. calenlass , lol
Thanks for the detailed review!
Love4Pollinators It doesn't hurt as far as I can tell, but I feel like I might be sort of immune to pain there at this point on account of the weird shape I have going on and the number of bras that don't jive and sit on top, and they just make me feel like I need to readjust every 5 minutes. Also I was VERY distracted by that gore, but I don't remember noticing any pokery or jabbing.
I'm glad you aren't in pain!! That gore left angry marks. I can tolerate those for 30 minutes maximum.
I will admit I'm surprised I'm not bruised today. It felt like it was stabbing straight in while it was on.
My shape: self-supporting teardrop with super wide and tall roots, shallow on top and max projected underneath, with lots of side boob and close-set center tissue that is firm and fights back when squished.
This review is for the pink colorway which I purchased gently used from another user in February.
It's basically like Fauve made a 28 band for everyday wear! This is one of my go-to bras now and I've worn it dozens of times in the last few months. The pink and grey combo is so pretty. My chief complaint is that the elastic inside the band (only the lower piece, and only its upper edge) has ...started to curl, but because there's nowhere for it to go, it goes in to... me. It pokes and chafes pretty bad some days, so I think I'm going to try and stitch it down. I don't know if this is typical, because I haven't had any other Patsys that fit, and I haven't had very many Freyas at all (Fauve doesn't count!). Otherwise, I love it.
Cups: They are lovely. Just super comfy, and give me a great round shape. If they aren't quite projected enough at the base, it's not enough for the bra to fight with my breasts and ride down. Aside from the Fauves, this is the only bra I own that has enough projection for me! Half-cups 4 Lyfe. It does gap on top a little sometimes when I slouch, but I suspect that's because of how far apart the straps are, and let's face it, Freya seems to think that large cup = large ribcage, so there's really no escaping that. These are better than most I've tried, though, so that's nice!
There are some wrinkles at the first vertical cup seam, and by the inner wire, so I guess there is a little more projection there than I need, so that's cool. None of the wrinkles show through my clothes, though, so I didn't even notice them until I looked at the photos. It might be an issue for a super slinky top, but otherwise, I doubt it.
Wires: Wide enough, long enough, tall enough, shallow enough... This is starting to sound like a Rolling Stones song. They are almost shallow enough to follow my root curve exactly, which means the Patsy is in first place so far.
Bridge: Great! If I laze around in strange positions for a long time, the wires start to poke a bit because they are *technically* sitting on my center tissue, but there's also like a 1/2" of space in the wire channels, so I might just tack them to the outside. When I push them out, they mostly stay on their own anyway. You can see the difference in the photos.
Band: Tight enough. Curiously, though it doesn't move, and I don't feel the need to adjust it almost ever, it has a slight upward curve in the back, and when I shrug I do feel it shift, but it's still snug, supportive, and the rest of the bra doesn't move. Maybe this is why Figleaves models always look like they're wearing the wrong size Freya band?
I wish there were 3 hooks instead of 2, but the wings are otherwise tall enough that I don't ever miss it.
Straps: Fully adjustable, cushiony, soft, and no complaints from me. I like how wide they are.
So basically this is my favorite bra right now, minus that strange problem with the elastic. A+, Need more. Read more 465 more words
Did the cups shrink after washing? funny because you mentioned that you thought on getting a smaller cup and ended up being too small