Sigh. This is SO pretty, but it unfortunately runs small in the cup. There is a ton is side boob spilling out of the sides and a bit of quad boob as well. To be fair, I am quite wide rooted so side boob is a common occurrence, but it's clear that this basque's cups are just too narrow and shallow for me. I would probably size up two cups
I almost feel bad writing a review because this bra is so rare! I loved Celene when I first saw it in the SS14 previews but then was disappointed when I could never find it anywhere. A Redditor offered to place an order for me and I could not resist.
Anyway, Celene is yet another beautiful and comfortable Panache offering. I was surprised by the shape it gives, though. I was expecting that rounded padded half-cup look with lots of uplift but little forward projection. Celene actually gives a very narrow, very projected look; the cups are almost pointy. Out of all the bras I have, Celene probably makes my breasts look the biggest!
The band is a firm but not tight 28 and the cup depth is true to size. As with many Panache offerings, the wings/underwire are too short for me and I get armpit tissue spilling out, but that doesn't show under clothing. Otherwise, it's a very beautiful and well-made bra.
Finally, a low-cut plunge bra that works for my shallow, wide-rooted breasts! I love how well this bra fits. With my shape, I typically have trouble with plunges giving me quadboob and/or not being able to fill out the bottom.
I can fill out the 28E Harem just fine without it cutting into the top of my breasts. The materials are very nice, and I am a fan of the soft, padded straps. It's a good-looking bra.
The sad part is that it's not a t-shirt bra. The bottom part of the cup is thinly, but adequately padded, while the top is just lace. It looks fine if that's all you're wearing, but when you wear it under clothing, the seam between the padding and the lace is very noticeable.
This review is for the Masquerade Rhea size 28E in the colour Antique.
Bra description:
(copied from my original review of the 28F version) A luxurious-looking bra out of matt satin and intricate detailed lace in a beautiful but difficult to describe colour. None of the images I've seen online does it justice. It's a kind of delicate greyish pinkish sandish slightly-darker-than-nude hue -- a light rose or mauve taupe comes to mind. Anyway, even though it's definitely not nude, it's an excellent and definitely more romantic alternative for a neutral-coloured bra, which is exactly what I was looking for. The centre gore is adorned with a bow and a ...tiny sparkly pendant. As said, the lace is intricate and expensive-looking. It's not entirely flat so it might show slightly under tight, thin, clingy clothes. The zigzag stitched seams are much less noticeable in real life than online images suggest although, again, they might show under tight, clingy clothes. The cups are only thinly padded, but the material feels quite sturdy, almost stiff. They are lined with soft and comfortable cotton. Straps are only partly adjustable. The non-adjustable part is completely non-stetchy and covered with the same satin the cups are made of, which feels quite comfortable. The wings are made out of two layers of a perfectly matching stretch satin. There is no boning in the wings.
Bra fit:
(partly copied from my original review of the 28F version) I must say, I am impressed. First of all, it kind of sort of fits!!! Secondly, this bra gives me the kind of shape I was expecting from Ewa Michalak's CHP, but that one didn't work for me AT ALL. The cup shaping keeps the breasts close to the chest, pushing them upwards for an uplifted, separated, and rounded 'Regency'-type cleavage. Compared to my Ewa Michalak CH there is a lot less projection and I first thought my breasts looked slightly flattened and almost 'minimised', (*) but it's actually really not a bad look bad at all. I do like the shape a lot: it's simply a bit more subtle than the shape I get in my CH and a bit more wearable for that reason as well. I know others consider this a look for 'special occasions', but I'm also happy with for a more everyday appearance. The cup height is quite perfect on me and there's only the slightest of gapping when I move my arms and shoulders, but as far as I know this is almost unavoidable with padded/molded cups, especially on smaller chests. The only real gripe I have with the cups is the slight irregularity at the bottom of the front most cup seam: for some reason there is a bit of diagonal pull in the cups that makes this part pucker. I'm very tempted to slip in a thin piece of boning to straighten it out as it's just such a shame in such an otherwise beautiful bra. (**)
The wires are quite fine for me in this size. Unlike the Curvy Kate Tease Me I tried several weeks ago I do not notice the wires in this Rhea at all: no poking or pinching anywhere. The centre gore lies nice and flat and exerts zero pressure on my sternum. The tight band stretches the wires somewhat (hence maybe also the diagonal pull in the cups?), but they do not seem to distort significantly and the bottom of the cups isn't noticeably flattened. My breasts fill out the bottom of the cups reasonably well and the cups do not slip down like they did in the Tease Me and the CHP I tried.
The strap placement is wide but not too wide in this size. The slight gapping of the cups when I move my arms is probably at least partly due to the wide strap placement, but then again, as far as I know this type of gapping happens in almost all padded/moulded cups, especially on smaller chests. The fact the straps are only partly adjustable is a bigger problem: as I have a very short upper torso I have to tighten them almost all the way to prevent them slipping off my shoulders.The material of the non adjustable part feels sturdy and comfortable. The zigzag stitching isn't the most aesthetically pleasing, but it doesn't bother as much as I thought it would.
The band is really a tad too snug for a 28 band, but it does work for me. I'd say it's about as tight the band on my 65E PL Onyks if not slightly tighter and it really is every bit as tight as I can take. I wouldn't want it any tighter, but one band size up will almost certainly be too loose. (***) I measure 69cm/27" underbust -- someone who measures in as a solid 28 I'd strongly advise sizing up. The band is shaped slightly funny in that it seems the wings to curve up rather than down. This makes it feel as if the band rides up in the back, even though it really doesn't. Simply takes some getting used to, I suppose. Apart from the fact I wouldn't have minded a cm or two more room, my only real issue with the band is the lack of side seam boning and/or the lack of a powernet lining in the wings: the tightness of the band of course doesn't help, but -- I think at least partly due to the fact that the satin the wings are made off is so much stretchier than the edging elastic -- the band wrinkles and causes slight discomfort. Side seam boning and a sturdier powernet lining would allow a more even distribution of the band tension along the entire height of the wings (not just along the elastic edges) and would almost certainly result in more comfort.
Conclusion:
(*) (**) After trying this bra in a 30 band as well, I have a strong suspicion that both the flattened shape and the puckering in the bottom of the cups are the result of diagonal tension in the cup caused by a 'too tight' band. Don't ask me why -- I'm almost thinking it is actually a design or construction flaw that has to do with fabric grain or something. It is also slightly funny, because the 28 band certainly doesn't FEEL too tight on my 69 ribcage (it feels tight, but not TOO tight) and the wires don't really seem as distorted as I've seen them in other bras with much looser bands (Bravissimo Mademoiselle ... ?).
(***) Surprisingly, a band size up seem to work just fine. The band is not very stretchy to begin with and I haven't notice the 30 riding up on me at all. At 27" I'm obviously just in between band sizes so maybe that's why it works for me, but for what it's worth, if you experience a flattened shape and/or pucker in the bottom of the cup, try going up a band size. I myself definitely got a better shape that way.
The Masquerade Rhea is a mysterious bra. I've now tried it on in four different sizes and for some odd reason they all seem to fit. My breast size and density fluctuates (due to breastfeeding), but even though there may be as much a three cups sizes difference between my 'smallest' and my 'biggest' shape, these changes are not very clearly reflected in my actual measurements. Believe me, I quadruple checked! True, these four bras may not all fit the same at the same moment, but for Bratabase recommendation purposes I cannot say of any one of them that it doesn't fit under the current measurements at all. For what it's worth though, I have decided I get a better shape in a 30 band, so this one is going to be returned to Large Cup Lingerie soon.
The Masquerade Rhea truly is an Almost Perfect Bra for me. I don't think the shape it gives is as glorious as what Ewa Michalak achieves -- I do prefer the slightly more projected shape I get from my HM Gold -- and I do have some issues with the fit and construction, but really, despite its minor imperfections it is an amazing piece! Anyway, I'm now sorely tempted to get it in all colours available plus, of course the matching knickers https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_wink.gif" alt=";)" /> Read more 1289 more words
Just.. Omg. I can't believe I finally have a Lula Mae in my hands. It's been discontinued for eons now, and when it was in production, I recall it was $90+! The cups on this bra run a little large, and it's on the shallow side. The band is nice and firm. This isn't a perfect fit on me, the wires are not the right shape for my roots, but who cares! I love it! The photos show that the lace is a bit uneven on this bra, but actually its just one of the stitches on the lace wasn't holding it ...in the correct spot. I have since then fixed it. The band is on the firm side and works well for anyone needing a 26 band. My only real complaint is that the straps are placed really far apart, and at a angle to chop off armpits. This is the only aspect that makes the bra unwearable, and I will probably go about fixing it shall I decide to actually wear this bra. Unfortunately I have too many bras already, and this one doesn't give the best shape under clothes. Read more 94 more words
The Medina is beautiful and luxurious-looking (pictures don’t do it justice), and it is made of a lovely silky fabric that feels very pleasant against the skin. I really wanted it to work, but sadly it was a bit too shallow for me in 28E. Since it is so open on top, I didn’t get quadboob, I was just spilling out of either the top or the sides, depending on whether or not I swooped and scooped. That doesn’t mean it is a shallow bra – I’d say it has about average projection. It probably would have worked in a size up, but unfortunately the 28Fs were sold ...out by the time I returned this one. Too bad, because other than the projection issue, the cups seemed like a good shape for me; I liked that the apex is higher than on some of the Masquerade halfcups I’ve tried.
The band is initially on the firm side for a 28 band, but judging from my experience with other Masquerade bras, it would probably stretch over time. The wires are exactly the same width as other non-plunge Masquerade bras in 28E (fairly narrow). I think it might work for those who find a good fit in the Curvy Kate Ritzy, at least in the smaller cup volumes, as I experienced similar fit issues in these two bras. Read more 117 more words
I really like this bra! This is one of my better-fitting bras, but a tad too fancy for frequent wear with my sort of tops. I might be able to fit a cup size up as well. I measure ~27" under and 33.5" around the boobs, which puts me somewhere around 28E/F. I have full, even and very close-set breasts. This bra has a slightly odd shape but I don't mind it. The band is nice and tight on me and I feel happy and supported. The teal color is gorgeous and I think my photo accurately represents it.
I guess the search for the perfect strapless bra is still on. The Deity Strapless did not fit me at all. The cups were wrong in every single way for my wide-rooted, shallow boobs. Too deep in the center, yet not enough room at the top. It looked really pointy and cut into my armpits. I realize that it is a strapless bra, but the gore came up so high, it was uncomfortable.
If you do happen to have the right shape for this bra, it is made of pretty nice material.
A tremendously gorgeous bra with an alright fit, aside from the too wide straps- beware if you have narrow shoulders! I didn't have any fit problems due to my shallow breasts, and the cups fit true to size.
The Rosetti is a beautiful bra. It makes my boobs look fantastic! Unlike many other bras, the top of the cup doesn't angle oddly into my boobs.
I do have a couple of issues with it. The straps are pretty far apart, so I do find myself constantly adjusting them. I'm still not sure how I feel about the varying width satin straps – they might look better on the model. My main issue is how high the gore comes up. Sometimes it's ok, but other times, I feel like someone is trying to puncture my sternum.
EDIT: I decided to try bending the wires. They no longer poke me uncomfortably. Also, now that I've worn this bra a bit more, I want to mention that it looks a little pointy under clothing. The center seam sticks out a bit, so I wouldn't wear it under thin or tight clothing.
When this bra first arrived in the mail I tried it on and did not like the fit. My smaller breast had a huge gap in the fabric, but since my breasts are so unequal lately, this was to be expected. My larger breast also had a gap in the fabric, so I put it away and ordered the 28DD.
The 28E does have a decent band. I am a smaller 28 band so I really appreciate the tighter bands.
The other day I went to try this bra on again, and the larger breast fit magnificently. The top actually looked like it had been painted on, and ...I had amazing support. TMI: It was just before my period so perhaps my breasts do swell / shrink a significant amount during my cycle.
The other breast looked horrible. This bra emphasises the volume difference the most of any of my bras, and I played around with all of my pads to try to compensate, and tried to shorten the strap, but I could not get the fabric to lay flat across my breast on the smaller breast. It was not noticeable through a shirt, but I wanted the same amazing look on both sides. (I hate having to always say, "it's not noticeable through my clothes". For once I want a bra that looks great when I'm naked and great when I'm wearing clothes, and has no problems that I am overlooking. This is a problem with me more so than the bra, but it's sill not perfect for me.)
I really liked half of this bra (the side that fit my larger breast). The band was decently tight, no need to size down for those who have that option.
The straps don't fully adjust, but this wasn't a problem for me. Even the small boob where I shorten the strap considerably I didn't have it all the way (when it was all the way tight it hurt my shoulder too much).
I have a good colour of skin for this bra, it really looked like it was showing my skin through.
I hope I can make an adjustment to the one side and get it to work exactly. Read more 263 more words
I have been curious about Masquerade bras for a long time, so I picked up two styles from eBay that I thought might fit. The Athena stood out to me because of the beautiful color combination, measurements that seemed like they would fit me, and being available in my best size, 28E. Unfortunately, this bra didn't work out for me.
I ordered the Masquerade bras in sizes 28E and 28F, but while both measure similarly, this 28E is extra firm, so it's quite tight and difficult for me to put on. This is probably due to the firm satin and elastic used for the wings. ...So, to be able to put this on comfortably, I have to wear an extender. If this were the only concern, I wouldn't mind too much, but unfortunately the cups are also the wrong shape for me.
The measurements are correct for me, but the cups are oddly shaped. The fullness of this bra is very prominent toward the gore, and the outer portion of the cup is very shallow. I'm sure this design is supposed to help push the breasts together to create more cleavage, but in practice, it doesn't work on me. The fullest portion of the bra is too closed off, and my tissue is too firm to be squished into this unnatural shape. This might work better for larger and more pendulous breasts, but I also suspect that this bra won't work well for tall roots since the top is so closed off at the gore. This shape reminds me a bit of the Panache Tango Plunge in 28E, which also didn't work for me.
It's a shame, since this bra is so unique and beautiful. I've never seen a bra in this particularly dusty shade of rich teal. I am partial to deep green bras and would've preferred a bit more green than blue, but it's still a gorgeous and unique shade. The cups are heavy satin on the outside, 3 piece plunge cut and sew construction, and lined with cotton. The same satin is used on the wings, and the cups have a three quarter overlay of black mesh that extends onto the cradle. The center seam of the cups is lined with the same black lace used to decorate the straps, but this means that the trim will make this seam visible under clothing. The fanciest part of this bra is a rhinestone charm that looks like a little flower, attached at the center gore. The attention to detail makes this bra really beautiful, but based on my experience and other reviews, I am really unsure if this is meant to be a functional bra or a special occasion only bra.
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Update: Tried it on again and it fits ok. The band is still tight, but I can wear it without an extender. Cup shape isn't really an issue, but the upper portion of the cup is a bit wide and gaps when moving. Not sure why it fits me now since I didn't change in size or weight. Read more 419 more words
Orla is my first attempt at an unlined bra from Masquerade. While the 28 bands can run tight in this brand, I've found the 30s to be consistently too large for me, so I decided to get this in my normal size of 28E. Someone mentioned that this seemed like a Marcie clone, so I was optimistic about the fit, though pictures of this bra make it look like it fits people quite differently and can look quite short and disproportionate on some bodies, so I had no idea what to expect on my body. I found that this bra mostly fits, but I don't ...love it for a number of reasons.
The shape of the cup is a 4 piece cup--a 3HC bottom cup with horizontal top panel. In general, this silhouette is tough for me as 3HCs almost always give me some issue or other. The first couple of times I put on this bra, I was convinced it was too roomy in the cup as the cups were baggy on both sides. After adjusting the straps, it fits my larger side quite well, although my smaller side still shows gapping. Both sides gap when I move, and this is due to the shape of the upper cup being too open for me though the volume of the rest of the cup is correct. The upper cup is made from very soft poly crepe and has no edge stitching or elastic to help it sit closer to the body, thus it's not surprising that it gaps. This can be easily fixed by tucking in the upper cup slightly at either the center gore or strap attachment, so it's not a huge problem, however this will not be a good shape for anyone who totally lacks upper fullness.
The bottom portion of the cup is made from soft sheer tricot, and the outer portion is made from soft embroidered mesh with Celtic swirl motifs. Because the cups are so soft and unstructured, I also experience pulling from the straps that cuts into my tissue at the outer cup, something I also often experience in soft padded 3HCs like Freya and Fantasie styles, and in side support styles. If you have very firm tissue or are fuller in that area this may not be an issue for you, but it is noticeable on me. Other than this issue, the bra gave me a nice rounded shape, and the wires are the right shape and size for me. However, the wires on this bra are extremely firm, so since I am wearing this in my proper band size, the outer portion of the wire presses rather uncomfortably against my ribcage due to the firmness.
As a result, this wasn't quite the Marcie clone that I had hoped for, and there are some comfort issues. However, the bra ended up being prettier in person. Coral is not my favorite color, but I didn't find it terribly offensive on this bra. The upper cup, cradle, and front portion of the straps are made from the same lightweight poly crepe, while the cups are sheer. The scalloped upper edge of the mesh cup may be visible under clothing, but the embroidery and overall fabric is soft and good quality. The only design concern I found other than the overly open upper cup, which would have been improved by some elastic to stabilize the upper edge, is that the straps are only partially adjustable. I don't know why it was designed this way since the front of the strap is not decorative and really looks similar to plain elastic. I wore this almost adjusted down the full way and I could see someone else not having enough room to shorten the straps further. Though this has a skinny stretch interlock band like many other Masquerade styles, I found it to be firm and TTS. There is a gentle leotard back, and the only trim is a small bow at the center gore. Read more 578 more words
What a beautiful bra. Especially since it's a strapless. Based on the way Freya's 28DD Deco strapless fit me, I went for 28E, but it's about 2 sizes too big (I would estimate). The shape also looks like it will turn out pointy (based on the cups).
The Masquerade Persia is my favorite bra. I have it in sapphire, and I loved it so much I bought another one in black. I've heard that with some bras the black runs smaller than other colorways, but that is not the case here; the two fit exactly the same. I will say that the band on my first Persia started out quite firm for a 28 band but stretched pretty fast, which is the only downside of the bra. Otherwise I love everything about it. To repeat the relevant portions of my original review: Like most other Masquerade bras of the same size, the Persia has average-to-narrow ...wires. It has a decent amount of projection, and unlike some projected bras, the projection is not just at the apex, but all over. It allows enough room for my center fullness, but isn’t lacking in space on the outside or bottom either. For me, this is the bra that is so perfect for my shape, and therefore so comfortable, that I can forget I’m wearing a bra. And it’s gorgeous too! Read more 72 more words
I love Masquerade for their snug 28 bands. The satin on this bra is gorgeous, really nice feel. This bra fits well enough, I think I'm in the correct cup size, but I don't think bandeau is the best shape for me. (My body seems to hate balconnettes and bandeaus, prefers plunges) It's the best fitting strapless I have right now, don't wear it much, but it's a solid option to wear with sleeveless tops.
Firstly, this is a gorgeous bra. I love the satiny olive and the little charm in the middle. The insides of the bra are really soft. This is a luxurious and well made bra. However, the band is very tight! I wear it with an extender for now. The cups are appropriate for my slightly shallow, wide rooted, FoB boobs but I think they run a touch big.
This is yet another cute bra with an evil gore for me. The band was also SUPER tight when I first got it. It's okay now but I still don't wear it much. The cup is a bit too closed on top and they have so much shape I'm not sure I'm filling out the cups. Also, because the cup has only a single vertical seam, they look pointy instead of round. In addition, the straps are so wide set that they fall of my shoulders constantly. This is a really awful fit for me it turns out.
The Celene is a gorgeous bra, with intricate pink embroidery over a pale pink background. I don’t even like pink, and I still think it’s beautiful. A pity, then, that it is by far the shallowest of the Masquerade halfcups I’ve tried, to the point where the wires were even digging in a little, similar to my experience with the Freya Daydreamer halfcup. It’s also more closed on top than most Masquerade styles, and the combination of shallow and closed on top resulted in significant quadboob on my projected shape. Otherwise, the wire width is the same as that of other Masquerade halfcups in 28E (average to narrow). The band seems to fit true to size.
Edit: Having recently tried the Masquerade Rhea, I find that the shape of the Utopia strapless is extremely similar to Masquerade's most popular bra. Those who like the Rhea and are looking for a strapless should definitely look into this one.
I wasn’t wowed by the appearance of this bra when looking at pictures online, but in person it looks great, very sophisticated.
The Utopia runs snug like most Masquerade bras. When I first tried it on, I could only just barely fasten it around my 25 and a quarter inch ribcage. It has stretched a little, but it’s still tight for a 28 band. That’s probably a good thing, ...considering that the cups are too small/shallow for me. (Note, however, that while it is shallow, it is not any wider than my other Masquerade bras in 28E.) Worn as a strapless, the wires of the Utopia instantly slide down below my IMF, and the bottom of the cups crumple. This bra has basically zero immediate projection at the underwires, and I’m not even someone who needs all that much bottom projection. If I wear the straps, that helps keep it up somewhat, but I get quadboob. I think a 28F would have been a better fit for me in this bra, but it probably still wouldn’t have enough room on the bottom.
Fortunately, since the band is sufficiently snug, there is no danger of it falling off even though it doesn’t fit. It is wearable, if not ideal, and since I doubt I’m going to be able to find another strapless bra in a 28 band that isn’t insanely expensive, I’ll probably just make do with this for the time being. Read more 171 more words
hi Liralen what are your measurements? what is your overbust leaning over? i would want to buy the bra from amazon but not sure about the sizing for this.
Beautiful!