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 and fit: I'm torn on whether or not I want to keep this bra. it fits everywhere except the top: I have some gaping on both sides. The cups are nice and narrow and of three-part construction. The bottom is foam-padded, the top a thin black lace with a skinny piece of elastic to help hold it down. The design on the cups is a Victorian wallpaper looking design in dark blue over grayish blue. The band fits true to size.
Gina 555 in 65K I am adding this bra for data/informational purposes only. This Bra is not owned by me at the time of addition to the database.
Gina is a padded demi bra with removable multiple straps. The padding is a light foam lining. The pattern is tan with micro white dots and white accents, same as Gaia’s Ginger. The cups are in 3 vertical sections.
Gina was one of my first Gaia bras. I loved the demi cups, pattern and multiway straps.
The band of the 65K measured 23” with a max stretch of 30”, and has 3 set of hooks with 3 rows of eyes. The straps ...are wide set, but can do cross backed to alleviate this some.
Cup Depth as measured by: 1 Hovering the cup between the knees, then placing the tape measure into the cups without any resistance. This measurement is: 11.5”
2 Placing the cup over the knee and stretching it similar to what a breast would, to the maximum resistance. This measurement is: 12.5”
I feel these two figures give you a general idea of the minimum and maximum depth that the cup can accommodate, just like the flat and stretched band measurements do with bands. Since Bratabase only has one cup field, I enter the larger of the two, as it’s this larger number that determines if a cup is going to fit me or not since I am on the max end of the cup scale, but do realize that some may need the lower number to determine fit for their needs, so I will always include both figures in the reviews for full disclosure.
The cups had a height of 7.4”.
I also tried Gina in 70I and 70J, plus Ginger 70J and Ginger Maxi in 70K which is similar except for the cups are in 2 vertical sections on bottom and 1 horizontal one on top.
I love the feel of the fabric. It’s so light and the bra itself feels light but supportive. The only concern I have is would it stretch out faster than an average bra because the material is very stretchy. The last photo includes me without the “cookie” to try and even out my breasts.
I have adjusted my size (not sure what made me order a 40 band size!) and ordered new.
For the price (12€ on Amazon), this bra is excellent! I was looking for a bra with really soft cups (no lace, etc.) and wide, soft straps. I normally wear 28GG (Freya) and 65I fits me well. The cups are of a soft, stretchy material which perfectly accommodates my asymmetry (1 cup size difference). The straps are super comfortable and they actually stay where they are for the whole day (no straps slipping off my shoulders). The band is seriously tight - it feels like a very small 28, smaller than any UK 28 band I ever tried! My tight underbust measurement is currently 67 cm and I could not go any lower in the band with this bra.
A note on style: The cups are slightly pointy, not 1950`s pointy, but if you prefer round cups, this bra is not for you.
My shape: tallish, widish, splayed roots, very close set at the top; evenly full top and bottom; slightly center full; pendulous; need a good bit of depth at the wire. Best fits are Panache 34G/36FF.
I sized up in the band and sized down an extra cup size because of my previous experience with Ava.
This one thing eclipses everything else about this bra for me: the wires are so darn narrow! At 5.3" wide they are the narrowest of any bra I have tried to date. That's not a good thing for me, not at all. I cannot get all of my tissue into the ...cups. It's possible I need a larger size cup in this style as the gore, sides, and cup height are all a little bit low compared to what I usually wear. I'm not sure if 80H will work though because while the wires are pretty firm and almost tack at the gore, the band seems likes it's made for a more V-shaped torso. It's quite snug along the bottom elastic but the wires don't hug my sides at the top. There are only 2 hooks spaced 1cm apart and the back is pretty skinny at the closure, so that could be part of it. Of course all the above things that are disadvantages for me may work better for you!
I love the simple yet not plain design of this and the play of the name "Honey." Not only is it a honey color, but the embroidery of the upper cups is in the shape of a honeycomb. I like the texture of the fabric covering the cups too. It's soft but may not be very durable. Just in handling the bra to photograph it I noticed 2 tiny pulls on one cup. One would have to be very careful storing and washing it. The tops of the cups don't cut in a whole lot even in a too-small size so I think this would be OK for FOT shapes or tall roots. There seems to be good depth at the wire and enough room near the gore for center fullness.
Altogether Honey is well-made of soft materials and very pretty. If you are close to the top of the range for your band size sister size up. Read more 283 more words
I had the same experience with wires in the SS5 cut - very narrow. But in my case it turned out to be a great fit. It was Martha, I have reviewed it some time ago. I was surprised but very pleased. And I think that it is very likely that you need to size up in the cups as I got more coverage in my size (but I am also very petite so this might be the main reason). I like this honey pattern too, looks nice :)
WelshCorgiPembroke thanks for your feedback! I remember reading your review. I bought this on eBay from Other Eden and they don't list what cuts the bras are, just model numbers. Where's the best place to find out more about Gaia's different cuts?
I do think I need a larger cup in this but the wires might still be too narrow.
Swoon: honeycomb ;-) That is a narrow wire!
Love4Pollinators lol, do you have a thing for bees or something? 😉
I'm very much in love with all creatures :-)
finallygotboobs They have made the comparison of the most popular of their cuts (SS1, SS2, SS5 and SS10) on their website but looks like it's only in Polish. https://www.gaia.com.pl/lp/blog/2016/10/31/bielizna-gaia-bez-tajemnic/ They included only basic information though, there is no reference to breast shapes, so this might not be as helpful as it could be. You might try to translate it using google translate, but I checked it and the result was ridiculous :D I may try to make my own comparison using this article from their site and add my personal experience in the blog post (including the rest of their cuts too as I've tried them all except the SS1) but it requires lots of time and unfortunately I am really busy now.
WelshCorgiPembroke thanks! You did a lot of work as it is! Any time you get around to writing a post like that I will be sure to read it. I've pretty much busted my bra budget now anyway! 😂
Me: Narrow roots, narrow shoulders, evenly round, lots of immediate projection, very soft tissue, slightly FoB, slightly centre full, splayed, never met a gore I didn't like, left-heavey by more than a cup size, 31" underbust, but prefer tight band with extender. Panache, Freya size 30GG
This bra is not for me. I have tried three different sizes and they just don't work. On this size, the straps in my armpits and twice the size of the size down. The wires are not evilly wide, but they are massive in comparison to the smaller sizes. Even in this size, my centre fullness quads and I get a softish tack. It does have fabulous immediate projection. On top of everything else, I get in cup quading with the straps as loose as possible - so they are probably just too short.
Me: Narrow roots, narrow shoulders, evenly round, lots of immediate projection, slightly FoB, slightly centre full, splayed, never met a gore I didn't like, left-heavey by more than a cup size, 31" underbust, but prefer tight band with extender. Panache, Freya size 30GG
No seam in the bottom part of the cup so absolutely no where near enough immediate projection. Bottom part of the cup is very strudy no stretch nude material smooth synthetic black lace layer on top. The top layer is also no stretch except on the bias. Top part of the cup is a similar, slightly more textured lace, but it has a pattern that is two to three times larger and round instead of pointed so it looks funny. Elastic long the top edge of the cup. There is a black side support pannel from outside edge o the wire to the strap attachment.
Otherwise, very narrow centre gore (see photo), three hooks, and expandible side boning, but narrower straps, fully adjustable but no scalloped or ribbing
Me: Narrow roots, narrow shoulders, evenly round, lots of immediate projection, slightly FoB, slightly centre full, splayed, never met a gore I didn't like, left-heavey by more than a cup size, 31" underbust, but prefer tight band with extender. Panache, Freya size 30GG
I am so disappointed. This is the band size up from my 65J- which was perfect except I couldn't close it without an extender. Now, the band is right, but the straps are too far apart, and the cup width is wider. I have a little quading so I might try the 65K - which bumps up into Gaia's Maxi category - three hooks plus thicker straps. I still love the design. Try again I guess.
Me: Narrow roots, narrow shoulders, evenly round, lots of immediate projection, slightly FoB, slightly centre full, never met a gore I didn't like, left-heavey by more than a cup size, 31" underbust, but prefer tight band with extender. Panache, Freya size 30GG
I love this one too!
The band is a bit tighter than the Annika and I will have to sister size up.
The mesh is in no way itchy and the stretch in the top part of the cup is really nice.
Again, only two hooks https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_sad.gif" alt=":(" />
Textured strap edges so no slipping. Tonnes and Tons of immediate projection! (see photo) Firm, narrow wires measure surprisingly wider than expected. Narrow centre gore, good side boning, and super soft materials. Can't wait til the right size arrives!
First fit! A beautiful multiway with adjustable, removable straps. Black lace with ornaments over red fabric. Two contrasting vertical seams and lace band at the top of the cups. It also has side support, which I like - I think it helps a bit with volume escaping to the sides. I love it. Underwires are perfect for me and the cups are not too seperated. My breasts seem to be closer together than those of others with wide roots. The band wears out fast as I experienced with the 65F I purchased first. Other than that I think I am too unexperienced to judge quality.
A very basic, everyday bra with good elasticity and comfort. The level of support, while not extreme, is decent for such a lightweight bra. The type of bra you can forget about wearing - except if you have to run for the bus https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" /> Very natural shape - neither rounded nor pointy. I'm not impressed by the straps, the super basic, thin, narrow, smooth type. In my experience they tend to slide out of adjustment a lot.
I keep going back to Poland for their narrow wires, sophisticated styling, and the knock-out centering shape. Here's another exploration into Polish brands! Not normally a 'stripe person', I was taken with the sheer fun of the fabric in this bra - look closely at the pictures and you will see there is silver, gold, and bronze ultra-fine metallic thread woven through the brown and beige twill - it doesn't glitter obnoxiously or even twinkle, but it does "do" lustre. Fun! Very well made, which I am beginning to realize is SOP in Polish brands. The bra is a solidly constructed 3-part full coverage, lined in soft brown ...cotton knit, and the top section is gently curved in all the way to halfway up the center gore. That top section is not stiff or reinforced, though. There's almost a plunge style to this bra; I think it would be great for someone with more center fullness than I have because I gap at the center there. With all that metal I half-expected the band to be itchy-scratchy, but not at all because there is soft tape all around. It is quite a stretchy band, though: I normally wear a big 32/tight34 and had to fasten this 34 on the middle hook. Fully adjustable straps with little brown bows, narrow but strong. The side pull where the straps are attached to the side panel helps center and lift, but with the wide gore and my close set girls, it just doesn't quite work like it should...Unlike most of the other Polish brands & cuts I have explored, this bra does not have a narrow gore and the wires are relatively wide, a definite ) shape not a U shape. They don't come up terribly high under the arms, either. I think someone with center fullness and wide/ tall roots would get along great with this bra. I do better in balconies and half cups, this little lustre job is just too much bra for me! (But I ask you, what kind of name is 744?) Read more 236 more words
'brown & gold' multi-metallic stripes on taupe colorway
The very basic beige bra with 3-section cotton lined slightly padded cups (no push-ups), fully adjustable straps, firm band that didn't stretch over time and no decorations that could show under the clothes. On Gaia's stock photos it seemed to have a bit satiny finish, but in real life the outer cups and band are made entirely of matte microfiber.
Gaia is a Polish brand and the price was quite low. My expectations were thus equally low, but when I got this bra I was pleasantly surprised by it.
The band is quite tight for bra with a 44 band. A 44 band Panache and Elomi bra would way too wide for me. I normally wear 40 and taken-in 42 band with those brands. But ...the 44 band of the Delfina would be just right.
Also the wires are relatively stable and supportive, which is always one of my ranting points. In addition I could not see any loose threads or other manufacturing flaws. The bottom of the cup is made out of a compound of thin foam and satin lined with cotton. This makes this bra very supportive, but also difficult to wear during summer. The upper part of the cup is all lace stitched on sheer fabric. The overall shape of the bra is similar to some Fantasie bras, suitable for breasts with a rocket/cone shape.
I did not keep this bra because the wires were way too narrow for me on the point of being painful. The wires of the Delfina are 17 cms wide, I need wires that are 24 cms and wider. But if you need narrow wires you should check this bra out, especially if you are looking at 44 and 46 bands.
Fits ribcage 27 (no, not especially well it doesn't) B. perimeter 11.5-12.5??? Stretched Band 32.0 Band Length 24.0 Stretch ratio 1.3 Cup width 5.5 Cup depth 11.0 to about 11.8 ease due to stretch lace upper cup attaches at bottom of gore Depth ratio 2.0 Wire length 12.0 Cup height 6.2 at foam halfcup to 8.0 tall with stretch lace overlay Cup separation 0.7 Gore height 3.7 Wing height 4.0 Strap width 0.7 Hooks 3
Being very short & high set, with wide oval boobs that need twice the depth at the cost of half the height therefore nothing ...actually fits....I'd gotten it into my head a year ago I needed to seek out something that could meet cheap, functional, soft yet sturdy, fitting without digging, unlikely to break on the first week of tough love... settled on adding Liv to yet another frustrated round of 'Can it fit? Without hurt???' purchases, with the haunting awareness of how quickly nothing can end up wearable overnight while orders easily taking their leisure 3+ weeks to arrive post holidays. Time to get ahead of the cursed curve.
For the most part this has worked out pretty well, my conflicting shape/size weirdness notwithstanding. After having had & worn Liv semi-regularly for heavier work & lounging about while saving my prized Prima Donnas and Empreintes for less trying times. I've come to the conclusion that this thing is more functionally just a 2 piece half cup with a cute delicate looking but tough stretchy lace overlay, better picked apart at the serged stitching that holds the overlay to the top hem of the 2 part halfcup underneath. Liv doesn't fit me like either of the other 2 brands, perhaps somewhat like a taller wider version of the Prima Donna Twist balconettes that have stretchy mesh overlay with 2 piece demi below.
My initial impressions were that it sat squarely between Freya & Comexim for fit, but not quite like either of those brands or any specific styles in particular. It's generally fuller than Comexim plunges therefore less petite friendly, but more minimizing than any Freya is capable of providing. Liv seems to hold me in by dint of it's height alone but possibly due to sister sizing up (oh the many joys of smallest band needs), cup generally felt oversized and underdeep at many times, and had a tendency to rest both on top of my breast while pulling breast toward the armpits despite reworking the wire, replacing the straps from being so widely set, and finally today gore and underwire channel surgery (wire popped out the front this week on the right side, booo). Despite all of this the gore was comfortable and never gouged or left glaring red marks high on my chest where tops often show. We'll see how newly needed gore repairs and bridge narrowing bring it up to snuff this weekend.
A year ago I could wear Liv during tender times when only trusty old Cleo Kayla (on her last legs of course) could do what needed to be done. As the months dragged on I'd throw Liv on during uncertain event's and adventures to bear the brunt of sweat, intermittent labor and long line waits, with the growing uncertainty of my life choices looming over the hours dragging by wishing I had more cup space with less wire or east-west discomfort, or what can best be described as 'that incessant urge to swoop & scoop back in or out of the cup every 5 minutes' to mitigate the constant growing ill-fitting nature of this specific shape.
I can basically only wear this at my least full time of the month and don't look forward to needing to replace Liv with yet another even harder to find larger size in probably what will be end up being a goose chase of comically hellish proportions, because we're now at an impasse between my decidedly even fuller at the root shape and Liv's likelyhood to be built taller & shallower in a larger cup, rather than deeper and more projected. Read more 588 more words
Evita is in Gaia's FCB3 family which also includes Flora, Litsa, Emiliana, and Gina. It features the classic polish pieced foam cup, with fine knit cotton lining construction, yet differs with extremely soft coverstiching joining the inner cup seams which is heaven after a parade of itchy american and UK brands using odd linings and finishes inside of their cups. Unlike the other FCB3's Evita has a stunning intricate lace overlay in dusky silvery blues, muted plum, and rosey gold threads. I suppose Evita was released somewhere around 2020/21 but I've not seen it featured on any notable polish lingerie sites so it might have been ...a limited edition, or the FCB3's are much less popular with retailers. All materials from the straps, to cups to band feel high quality, smooth, strong and well suited to a long, workhorse lifespan.
On to the the fun stuff! After buying several other gaia models in similar sizes I've noticed their bands seem to run fairly small which led to great confidence that I might find any 70-75s to run near to 26-28". By the tag I'd translate this Evita 70H to a 32F, except the cup is fuller and the band much smaller making it fit like a 55H/60GG. The cut looks most like a comexim 3HC and fits somewhat deeper at the wire than a 3HC or Gorsenia halfcup. Evita is also slightly taller, and certainly shallower than Ewa Michalak CHP, and has a little forward shaping reminiscent of Cleo's Mimi or Jorja but not as strongly as in the Cleos. Of all the half cups I regularly wear, it most reminds me of masquerade's Delphi. Immediately full everywhere, and nowhere to go but up' which is where this style and I squabble.
For anyone of regular bust height, or average to low bust placement, Evita will feel nicely push-uppy and likely to provide the vaunted cakes on a plate decollete. For those of us who are high set and/or god forbid, very short busted, this one will dig for days into the armpit. Which is why I finally traced a deep curve into the area between the strap and outer wire, picked out seams and modified the armhole accordingly. Do not suggest this style under any circumstances to those who are quite projected, this one *will* create batches on batches of armpit muffin along with the prerequisite consternation. Read more 298 more words
This is my second review of a Gaia bra; when I went to Gaia's website too look for their size chart (I know, a little late...) they put me into a completely different size! https://www.gaia.com.pl/tabela/ 80F
That makes so much sense!
I do measure 32GG UK (band - 31 inches and bust - 41 inches) which translates to 70K EU. (So two cups larger than I-cup, if you're keeping track.)
I -cup works okay in Gorsenia for me (although Gorsenia is know for running large in the cup -lesson learned, don't use your Gorsenia size). I remember reading a bratabase review where a woman in the ...UK measured as a 26 band UK, but said she wore 65 bands in Polish bras!! Yeah, I could see this now.
I surmise the more commonly known Polish brands, like Comexim and Ewa Michalak actually make larger bands now, more similar to UK/US sizes, whereas the Polish brands that export mostly to Europe stick with their traditional sizing (smaller bands compared to UK/US bands). This is my theory. When I lived in Eastern Europe, people were soooo thin. They also didn't have very many sizes in stores for clothing; you either were "at the norm," or you learned how to alter your clothing - or sew your own, I suppose!
I digress, looking at these in the light of day - these are really good quality for the price. I think this bra would last 3x or 4x longer than a Victoria's Secret bra at the same price, easily! Sometimes I'm glad that I'm full-bust size, and can't buy cheap bras at Victoria's Secret! It made me seek out all the good stuff!
The bands are lined on both sides with a durable elastic. I do surmise Gaia is popular for both it's affordability (can be bought on amazon for $35), and it's shape in a full-bust size range: narrow and projected.
I would like to compare these *actually in my size* so next time I purchase Gaia, I'm going to consult their size chart! Lesson learned! Unfortunately, I'm not even going to attempt to try these on, so I can not comment on their comfort level or wearability.
Addendum: I just checked again Gaia's size chart https://www.gaia.com.pl/tabela/ (note: I use Google translate to read the website in English) and plugged that into the A Bra That Fits Calculator.
70I is for sizes 68cm -72cm in the band 101-102 cm in the bust According the the ABTF calculator if I plugged in the numbers correctly, it's anywhere from 28HH/J UK - 30H UK. FYI!
HOWEVER, if they actually gave me a 65 band, which I think they did (because I compared it to my Samira Soft, 70I), this would be for 26J/JJ UK, according to the A Bra that Fits Calculator! Either way, it's going on the listings!
Interesting: I do compare 70I cup depth for this bra (Gaia Chantal) to 70I cup depth for Gosenia https://www.bratabase.com/bra/dnl4y/ Gorsenia does run small in the cup, so "size down in Gorsenia cups" is good advice. Read more 404 more words
Usually Gaia bras had a loose band, but this has been improved to provide sufficient tightness. The straps can be crossed in the back. However, the cups are shallow and the wires are low, so the gore does not tacked my sternum.
I had the same experience with wires in the SS5 cut - very narrow. But in my case it turned out to be a great fit. It was Martha, I have reviewed it some time ago. I was surprised but very pleased. And I think that it is very likely that you need to size up in the cups as I got more coverage in my size (but I am also very petite so this might be the main reason). I like this honey pattern too, looks nice :)