This bra almost didn't fit, but it does fit. It best caters to people who have broad roots, medium height or short roots, with average projection and a conical shape. If you feel like the Cleo Marcie and/or the Cleo Hettie are too narrow in the wires for you, this might work.
Simply put, this bra fits and feels fabulous! The fabric is, as others have already mentioned, soft and pliable; the lace lies flat and as far as I can tell, doesn't show under clothing; the bra feels supportive and makes my smallish bust look awesome.
The one "con" I would list is that the upper line of the cup does show under my clothing --- this is an issue I had with similar style Freya Deco (4234) , but on the Affinitas Casey it is nowhere near as prominent, and so I really don't mind it. And, oddly, it seems to be more ...obvious on my *larger* side as is apparent in the picture of myself wearing a t-shirt with this bra. Overall, I am beyond thrilled to finally have a bra that looks and feels good after wearing wireless nursing bras for the better part of the last 4 years.
The band fits slightly tighter than I would expect for a 30. That's fine by me as I tend to be between sizes 28 & 30. Normally I wear my 30s on the tightest hook, but this one I wear on the middle or sometimes last hook.
(This review is for the newer version, with the purple Parfait label.)
I started off trying Casey in my normal sister size of 30DD, but found that the cups were generally too tall and designed for a more FOT shape than I have, so I decided to size down and give the 30D a try. However, I am still getting the same issue with the cup shape being a mismatch, so while the fit overall is pretty good, I don't think this is the bra for me.
For a 30D, this bra definitely measures closer to a 30DD. Actually, the cup depth is basically the same as the ...30DD Black (new version) that I tried, but measures consistently 1 size smaller than the 30DD European Nude (old version) that I tried. The main difference is that the 30D has much shorter cups, which work better on my height and proportions. However, both 30D and 30DD fit in the new version, though the overall appearance is different.
The wires still fit well on me in this size, since they come up high enough under the arms. The reason this bra isn't for me even though it technically fits is that the molded cup shape is very pointy and projected, so if you are not FOT, the cups will have this weird shape under clothing. If you are fuller on top, the shape becomes much rounder and more balanced, and looks great under clothing. So, I am not faulting Casey for the cup shape, but have accepted that it isn't designed for shallower on top shapes.
I think this bra is designed for tall, projected shapes who find standard molded cup bras to be too shallow, but don't like the super tall cups of Freya Deco or Freya Idol. Upper fullness is necessary to get a rounded look instead of pointy cups. The deep plunge gives a really nice shape if you have upper inner fullness.
I've been impressed by Parfait's quality lately, because I have been enjoying the quality of the materials and the fact that they are truly designed as a full-figure brand. Unlike the Black Casey, this one has normal medium width satin straps instead of skinny straps. Like all Parfait bands I've tried, the band on Casey is very firm and supportive despite being standard powermesh. The cups and cradle are made from matte knit tricot, and it seems to be a different fabric than used on the older version of this bra. I like the topped on lace at the outer cup, and the lace design seems to be consistent between both versions. It reminds me of the appearance of some older Victoria's Secret styles, though the quality and construction is vastly different from VS. A satin bow at the gore is the only decoration.
Ruby Wine is a deep mulberry with brown undertones. It is suitable for warm-toned skin but looks muddy on my cool olive skin. Read more 390 more words
I have to admit that I am not the target audience for Charlotte. My reason for trying this bra is solely curiosity, coupled with a discounted price on Nordstrom. I hate padded bras, Charlotte is quite projected in shape and I am shallow, and someone on Nordstrom described this bra as "a Halloween costume for a character from Pirates of the Caribbean." I hoped this was unnecessarily harsh judgment from a disgruntled customer, but she was spot on. This bra is totally not for me.
Yes, I can totally see why this might remind someone of a campy lady pirate. The bra is extremely ...structured, and the cups are made from a very firm foam covered in heavy satin. Potentially sweaty satin, depending on the climate--I doubt you'd want to actually wear this in the Caribbean. There's something a little Frederick's of Hollywood in the design, a little too cabaret for my tastes. There are seams galore, anathema for anyone who is looking for a smooth look, although the two front stripes on each cup are actually just topped on ribbon detailing. The exterior also has a decorative side sling panel, and I have a hard time imagining this sitting smoothly under any item of clothing lighter than a sweater. The padding feels about 1/4" thick, and because it is so stiff, there's no ignoring it. You are committing to a padded bra when putting on Charlotte. This bra is a comfort-seeker's worst nightmare, but it'll give you a fabulously structured shape if you can put up with the ruthless foam cups.
Unfortunately, because of the materials and construction, this bra is not forgiving in any sense, least of all the fit of the cups. I found the cups to be too deep and projected for my shallow shape. While the top of the cup laid smooth, thanks to the nicely-angled upper panel, I could feel the emptiness at the fullest portion of the cups. Charlotte won't work for shallow shapes, tall roots, or FOT, and I am unsure about FOB. I feel the ideal shape for this bra is someone who is projected and evenly round with short roots. The underwire shape is a deep angled U, rather narrow on the bottom, but thanks to the angling is more open on top than a standard U.
Now, I do have to say that the construction of this bra is excellent. The seams actually end up giving a pretty rounded appearance given the stiffness of the foam. You won't see harsh lines like in Cleo Juna. The proportions of the bra look good, the straps are wide and fully adjustable, and the band is amazing. My favorite part of this bra is the band. With a powermesh-lined cradle, extra-firm mesh wings, and firm elastic, the band was lightweight, comfortable, and supportive. I wish more brands would take a cue from this construction and make more supportive bands (I'm looking at you, Natori!)
Overall, while Charlotte is definitely not for me, I can see why it has so many fans. It's a polarizing style as it's not for everyone, but if you're looking for a solidly-constructed, supportive, padded bra to wear in cooler climates, give it a try! Read more 449 more words
There is nothing good about this bra for me. The underwire pokes me everywhere. My sternum, the side of my ribs. I try to move the bra and I can feel the underwire pressing into my ribs on the side making it hurt very bad just a few seconds into putting it on. It is very uncomfortable. The cups are WAY too large. This bra should come with a warning label: "Cups are not true to size". It is possible this is well known knowledge to veterans of bra shopping, but as a beginner I had no idea the cup size would be that off. There is at ...least an inch of free space between myself and the bra at the top of the bra. The bra is just floating away from my body. I have a long torso and the straps did not adjust long enough to be comfortable to me. I have broad shoulders and even I thought the straps sat too far towards the outer shoulders. The lace is pretty. If it fit, this bra might look okay. But what matters when it comes to a bra did not work for me. Read more 87 more words
I had the exact same problem. The cups do indeed 1 one size large. If you're looking for something that runs true to size, try the Gossard Superboost Cosmetix?
Bought it final sale without trying it on (smart, I know). The cups seem pretty big for a 30D, and are way too big for me. Probably better for someone who is more full on top, and maybe in between 30D-DD.
First impression: This is a wide bra. The band is wide (yes!), the straps are wide (yes!), the wires are wide (no!), the gore is wide (no!), everything is wide.
This is a true to size 30 band. I stretched it (fairly hard) to 78cm (30.7") and I can easily fit a fist under the band on the loosest hook. It doesn't seem to ride up too much though so I didn't mark the band as too loose.
The cups run small. I think they fit me volume-wise but are too wide and too closed on top, especially near the centre gore. It wrinkles a little on my smaller boob and ...quads in the middle on my bigger boob, though it's not terribly obvious.
I'm actually surprised by how much I like the colour. It's a very light ashy grey. I don't care for the pinstriped pink bow (which is also quite wide) or the heart-shaped white trim on the seam between the opaque and mesh sections (which shows under thin tops). The overall look is fairly plain but not ugly.
It's a reasonably comfortable bra but not a perfect fit and I don't think it flatters my bust. I'll hang on to it for now and see how it holds up. Read more 99 more words
I tried this on knowing it probably wouldn't fit. It's a 30D, and I'd need at least a 30DD. It's a cute bra. And for the price I paid, I wish I found my size. The straps seem kind of wide. There was some quad boob at the top, but some space at the bottom. I don't know if a bigger size would have made it fit better.
This bra fits me much better than the Parfait Lola half-padded. I really love this bra! The cups are perfect for my shallow, slightly FOB, wide-rooted breasts. The band is nice and thick, compared to my other 2 prong bras, and I don't get the armpit fat with it, nor do I get any pokage on the side from the underwires like I've had happen with other bras. The straps are thick and comfortable - I do have broader shoulders. I fill out both the bottom and top of the cups nicely. The only negative is the wire does poke the sternum, but that's an easy fix and I think it's just because I do have a very projected sternum.
So, I hate pink... and since this bra only comes in blue and pink (I think) I dyed the pink one to be more suited to me. I love this bra! It's super comfy and gives a nice shape. So far it's held up really nicely.
This bra is made of the silkiest fabric ever! It's super soft and smooth, but it requires a tad more center fullness than I have... It would bee good for a FoB shape and can accommodate wide, shallow boobs. I really have zero center fullness though, so someone with even tissue would love this bra.
This bra ALMOST fits... it seems to have the same problem that every other unlined bra has - I can't quite fill out the top. It's really close though, so it's probably great for shallow ladies who don't have splayed boobs like I do.
Edit a few weeks and wears later: I like the feel of this bra, but the cups definitely begin to gape along the top edge they push away from the breasts significantly, especially if I bring my shoulders inward. I feel like maybe I need a cup size smaller, and I'll probably try that. Of course, it would also help if I could get a 28 band. When I s&s right after putting it on, it fits well, but as the day goes on it's like I sink out of it and the cups become pretty empty at the top, and since there's so much cup it ...feels uncomfortable as it moves around. Since they're molded, it's not noticeable to other people.
Original review: I'm pleasantly surprised by the shape this bra gives me. Very lifted and pushed together - I actually have cleavage (right after a nice swoop in anyway). The lace is a nice touch, being on the outer edge means it won't show through thin tops at all. The contour cups are quite thick and fairly stiff, so they push out farther than my breasts along the top edge, especially if I slouch. I suppose the cups are a bit too full coverage for me since they have a rounded top edge - I tried it on with a v-neck top and it was a struggle to keep them from showing in the neckline - I'm very petite though! The band feels comfortable on the loosest hook but it can stretch out quite a bit - I wish I could've gotten it in a 28 as it doesn't go nearly as snug as I'd like. The straps are great! They adjust all the way along the strap and are made of an interesting velvety stretch material that I thought would be uncomfortable but is actually exceedingly nice to wear. The gore is a nice low height and the wings seem fine upon initial trying on, but that will remain to be seen when I wear it on a nice stressful sweaty day. The band is a nice stretch mesh and despite being a fairly big/structured bra it feels pretty light when wearing it. Read more 258 more words
I love this bra! When I first got it, I wasn't quite sure if I was going to keep it because it seemed too big for me (I didn't fill out the top completely). However, after wearing it and washing it a few times, it fits perfectly. I love the shape it gives me; I get a little bit of cleavage even though I'm shallow and relatively wide-set. I am planning on buying another one in a different color.
My measurements put me in between a 28DD and 28E but a 30DD would definitely be too big. The band on this bra feels perfectly tight on me.
I also tried the Parfait Casey plunge in 30D, but it did not work for me.
I originally purchased this bra in a 30DD and had to return it and get the 30D instead. For this reason, I think it may run a little roomy or projected in the cups. The 30D is comfortable enough to wear all day.
Me: Average projection. Fuller on bottom. Slightly wider left breast (I suspect this breast is also 1-2 ml taller than my other breast). Usually wear 28DD or 30D.
I bought this on sale from BreakoutBras and it looks like it wasn't properly shipped. It came in a small box but the molded cups were a bit folded in. Anyways, this bra isn't for me. The bra seems like it would do a good job hiding nipples and it's comfortable. If I was very projected and totally FOB, then this bra would be good. I feel a bit of empty space where my nipples should be. It's enough that I don't want to keep this bra. Now the bra might be that way because of the way it was shipped but it still makes me uncomfortable.
(This review is for the original Adriana bralette. This style has been re-released and is allegedly truer to size, though I did not have any problems with this bra not being true to size)
This is my third size of the Adriana Lace Bralette in the older version, which many reviewers have complained runs small. I have not found in my experience that it runs small at all, and I find that it fits true to size in the band and a little big in the cup, due to the high cut V neckline. I started with the 30E after reading reviews that it runs small, ...found the cups a little too big, tried a 32D to see how a cup size down would fit, and ultimately also picked up a 30D as I prefer the 30 band and wanted cups that didn't come up so high. So far in my size range, the only size I have not tried is my normal sister size of 30DD due to availability, but I believe that would probably be my best size, so you should just start with your normal size in this style and adjust as needed based on preferences.
The band is firm and TTS. Because it has wide, firm wings with 3 rows of hooks in this size range, even the 32 band didn't feel impossibly big on me, but I definitely prefer the 30, which is my normal Parfait band size when 28 is not available. The 30D and 32D both have 3 rows of hooks, while the 30E I tried had 4. Almost all bralettes are way too loose for me in the band to provide any kind of support, so this is a great find. The wings are tall on this style but not doesn't feel quite like a longline as the 30E did, and there is a long piece of flexible plastic boning which adds extra stability. The band is made from double layered mesh and floral lace.
Now, the trickiest part of this bralette for me is finding the right cup size because the cups are cut very high, to the point that it will show under clothing. The 30E (1 cup size bigger than my normal size) fit ok, but was a little roomy in the cup especially towards the top. The 30E's cups and neckline were definitely too high for my tastes. The 32D would be my normal cup volume and I found it to be the best in terms of volume and shape, but again, the neckline was cut too high. The 30D's cups are a little too small, giving them a slightly pointy shape, but the neckline on me is much better for my petite proportions. Therefore, I would say that choosing the correct cup size in this style is both up to technical fit and personal taste.
The construction of the cups has more shaping than a standard core sized bralette, so you can tell it's designed as a full figured garment. The 2 piece cup is seamed vertically in the middle for depth, but there's also a separate horizontal piece sewn at the bottom of the cups that acts like a bit of a cradle. I believe this piece allows the cup to have more projection and yet still be seamed smoothly into the band without resorting to shirring. The construction of the cups is much simpler than the Panache Andorra Wireless Bra, but the fit is rather similar. The inside of the cups is made from silky knit fabric and is quite comfortable, as there are no scratchy seams to be found.
The stretchy floral lace is soft and nice quality, but Parfait decided to enclose 4 layers of fabric together in the vertical seam going down the cup, so this seam is definitely visible under clothing. The upper part of the strap is wide lace and tapers to normal elastic, but the adjustable portion is quite short. I had to shorten the straps down completely. Despite these shortfalls, I am surprised by how comfortable and supportive this bralette is, and if I add foam liners for shape, I would definitely wear this out of the house. I think this would be fantastic for plane rides where comfort is paramount.
If you typically have trouble finding small band, medium or large cup bralettes, I highly recommend giving this a try! I haven't tried the new style and probably won't until there are some more fashion colors, but I am pleased to see that the new style comes in 28 bands, and I would just start by ordering my normal size of 28E in that version. Read more 687 more words
(This review is for the original Adriana bralette. This style has been re-released and is allegedly truer to size, though I did not have any problems with this bra not being true to size)
This is my third size of the Adriana Lace Bralette in the older version, which many reviewers have complained runs small. I have not found in my experience that it runs small at all, and I find that it fits true to size in the band and a little big in the cup, due to the high cut V neckline. I started with the 30E after reading reviews that it runs small, ...found the cups a little too big, tried a 32D to see how a cup size down would fit, and ultimately also picked up a 30D as I prefer the 30 band and wanted cups that didn't come up so high. So far in my size range, the only size I have not tried is my normal sister size of 30DD due to availability, but I believe that would probably be my best size, so you should just start with your normal size in this style and adjust as needed based on preferences.
The band is firm and TTS. Because it has wide, firm wings with 3 rows of hooks in this size range, even the 32 band didn't feel impossibly big on me, but I definitely prefer the 30, which is my normal Parfait band size when 28 is not available. The 30D and 32D both have 3 rows of hooks, while the 30E I tried had 4. Almost all bralettes are way too loose for me in the band to provide any kind of support, so this is a great find. The wings are tall on this style but not doesn't feel quite like a longline as the 30E did, and there is a long piece of flexible plastic boning which adds extra stability. The band is made from double layered mesh and floral lace.
Now, the trickiest part of this bralette for me is finding the right cup size because the cups are cut very high, to the point that it will show under clothing. The 30E (1 cup size bigger than my normal size) fit ok, but was a little roomy in the cup especially towards the top. The 30E's cups and neckline were definitely too high for my tastes. The 32D would be my normal cup volume and I found it to be the best in terms of volume and shape, but again, the neckline was cut too high. The 30D's cups are a little too small, giving them a slightly pointy shape, but the neckline on me is much better for my petite proportions. Therefore, I would say that choosing the correct cup size in this style is both up to technical fit and personal taste.
The construction of the cups has more shaping than a standard core sized bralette, so you can tell it's designed as a full figured garment. The 2 piece cup is seamed vertically in the middle for depth, but there's also a separate horizontal piece sewn at the bottom of the cups that acts like a bit of a cradle. I believe this piece allows the cup to have more projection and yet still be seamed smoothly into the band without resorting to shirring. The construction of the cups is much simpler than the Panache Andorra Wireless Bra, but the fit is rather similar. The inside of the cups is made from silky knit fabric and is quite comfortable, as there are no scratchy seams to be found.
The stretchy floral lace is soft and nice quality, but Parfait decided to enclose 4 layers of fabric together in the vertical seam going down the cup, so this seam is definitely visible under clothing. The upper part of the strap is wide lace and tapers to normal elastic, but the adjustable portion is quite short. I had to shorten the straps down completely. Despite these shortfalls, I am surprised by how comfortable and supportive this bralette is, and if I add foam liners for shape, I would definitely wear this out of the house. I think this would be fantastic for plane rides where comfort is paramount.
If you typically have trouble finding small band, medium or large cup bralettes, I highly recommend giving this a try! I haven't tried the new style and probably won't until there are some more fashion colors, but I am pleased to see that the new style comes in 28 bands, and I would just start by ordering my normal size of 28E in that version. Read more 687 more words
Yay! It works so much better for you than it did for me. :)