Love, love, love the swan back on this top! It's can be a pain to put on, and it's not adjustable, but it hides back fluffiness waaaaaaay better than a regular bikini/bra band. It provides excellent support, making me wonder why all strapless bras aren't made this way. The red, white & blue pattern is very classy and the bottoms are available in a few different styles so you can choose the amount of coverage. The shoulder straps are removable and convertible from regular to halter. It runs on the firm side in the band and a generous in the cup. I have/had multiple sizes of this top because I like it so much, and I recommend sizing up in the band for comfort and down in the cup for aesthetics.
This is not a very blousy tankini. It fits tight like a bathing suit would although there is ruching on the left side. The bra is in the bathing suit and hooks with 3 hooks instead of a bathing suit type S hook. The straps are thin and stretchy but don't have to support much as the underwire of the bra does that very well. On me, I fill the cup completely and the gore lays flat. It is a bit weird that the suit extends beyond the top of the gore, so it's a nice gentle sweetheart scoop shape but because the gore ends below the ...neckline the suit fabric has to stretch from the gore to the top edge of the suit and when I look down into the suit, I can see the fabric reaching upwards from the gore. It's intended this way, and it looks fine on the outside. I wonder if it will rip at some point.
The suit is very comfortable and I mused with wearing it as a tank top but it's a little too revealing on my aged body for general wear, unless of course, I was going to Walmart. (jk really!) I think though, if a younger woman wanted to, she could easily wear it as a tank top. I do wish it was blousier, but since I have not bought anything Panache yet, I was very pleased it fit so very well.
Now to buckle the bra, I had to pull up the tank part, past the bra in order to reach the straps which felt quit firm, but once I figured out that I had to do that, it was not difficult. It was at this point I could actually see how well it fit me and I had that moment in the mirror where I though what an engineering marvel it was.
I had to chuckle when the tag on care for it said to 'dry away from direct sunlight' after washing and I had to wonder if that had something to do with the fog in England as most bathing suits in my area, are worn in the water and dried in the sun on the beach... But, if it fades, it fades. All suits do fade and this, being bought on sale, is less than I have paid in the past.
This bra sort of reminds me like my marraige: it took me completely by surprise. I had no expectations and I wasn't looking for anything, it just came my way https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" /> I was doing some good, old-fashioned, Bratabase swapping and took a chance on this top thinking that it might be too big everywhere. However, the band is great since I don't like my swimwear as tight as I like my bras, and this one has a "swan" back in the GG & up cup sizes. It's a sort of wrap instead of a regular hook-back. It is AHmazing! So comfy ...and minimizing of the back's squishier bits. It actually looks & supports great without straps. Just wow. The cups are a size too large. I could wear it because the fabric is stiff enough and structurally supported well enough to mask the overage, but it simply covers too much of my chest. If I were taller, I wouldn't care. I could probably go down to a G, but then I'd lose the swan band. If I can't find a swap, I will alter this because: It is SO STINKIN' CUTE! The pattern and style come alive in real life: classy yet vibrant and so versatile. Also, I think/hope a tailor/seamstress could fold and stitch the bottom/outside edge of the cup around the underwire. This would (in my mind) reduce the height of the top as well as the depth - and might pull in the wires just a little, too. The materials and construction are top-notch. The cups are lightly lined, 3-part seamed and have an inner sling for support. The wings are mesh-lined and contain covered plastic stays for additional support. The hardware is color-matched metal. It comes with optional, fully adjustable straps. Read more 202 more words