I ordered this Perfects Louisa from Kohl's. Other reviews said the band runs very small, so I sister-sized and ordered a band size up and a cup size down. At the same time, I also ordered Perfects' Millie, Michelle, and Mila. All three of those have shallow cups, but the Louisa is more projected. But they ALL run small in the band. The molded cups are a thin foam, so no padding per se to add volume; just enough coverage for modesty. The cups give a nice rounded shape. The overlace is smooth so it won't show under thin clothes, (except maybe just a little, ...at the top edge, where it has an additional layer of lace that puts a nice finish on the cups). It also has a dart in the bottom of the cup and even in a super thin, tight shirt I could still barely see the dart. The underwire is pretty firm, but not uncomfortable, and keeps its' shape when the band is stretched. The gore is Almost Perfect for my close-set breasts. The channels are 'ever so slightly' overlapped, and the gore sits nicely on my sternum. It is only a smidgen too tall, but not enough to be uncomfortable. They call the Louisa a balconette, but the gore sits lower than a typical balconette. It gives nice forward facing cleavage without looking fake or feel like you are being squooshed into the middle. The band is supportive, made with two layers of stretch mesh and elastic on the edges. The back strap is anchored to the bottom band. The wings are not too tall, but neither are they too short. So far, they are quite comfortable. The only thing I've noticed is the back straps tend to squeek inside the ring that they attach with to the band. But I'm assuming that will loosen up with wear & washing. Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!
Edit: After wearing this for a month or so now, two issues have come up that were not immediately apparent. First, the side 'boning' (which is plastic) is now too flexible and curls inward on both its' top and bottom edge. This creates a bulge under the arms that wasn't there when the bra was new. Secondly, I am now finding the underwire cuts in under the arms VERY painfully by the end of the day. Again, it wasn't like that when it was new. (But I have put on a couple of pounds, so maybe that's all it is.) So, I'm wondering if by stretching the underwire a little more open if it will be enough to once again be comfortable. The wire is very stiff, so we shall see... The band has stretched 'some', but not enough to warrant going back to my optimal 32DDD/E.
Second edit: after a weight loss of only 5 pounds the side boning is no longer an issue. Also, at some point I noticed the front straps had become creased just above the cups, near the Tail of Spence. Since the strap is attached very simply onto the cup with no hidden seams or trim toppings, I moved each strap inward by 1/4", which lessens the total spacing of the straps by 1/2". Not that I had problems with them sliding off, but now it is more comfortable. And as a bonus, it even gapes less! Read more 465 more words
Very short-waisted, close set, center full, immediately projected, shallow/wide underarm tissue that hates wire compression,....
Having ordered both the 34DDD and 34DDDD, I hoped one of the two would fit. After trying the 34DDD first, I had no hope the 34DDDD would fit. And, although it didn't fit, the 34DDDD did fit much better than the 34DDD. One step closer to a fitting molded bra https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":-)" />
The 34DDD fit like a Comexim 70HH 3HC whereas the 34DDDD fit like a Comexim 70J. However, the lift and rounding is better, for me, than Comexim 3HC. It is likely due to more center projection in the ...Louisa cups than Comexim currently offers. I'm optimistic Comexim may offer more center projection in the future.
Like Comexim 70J, the 34DDDD was too tall for my very short-waisted physique. Both the cup and wing were .25" too tall. Frankly, this is a recurring theme. When I have enough space in a cup to declare it comfortable, it is always too tall. Frustrating! And, like the Comexim 70J, the gore was too wide. Similar bra designs.
For two weeks, I contemplated altering this bra. Seriously contemplated. In the end, I acknowledged I'd be changing so many of the bra's characteristics that I might as well make one. So, that is what I did. My creation had fit problems, too. https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_wink.gif" alt=";-)" />
Truly, for a ready made bra, this has great features. For a bit more information, http://bra.pe/XXQg/ Read more 141 more words
Very short-waisted, center full, close set, immediately projected, omega shaped, wide-shallow underarm tissue,...
I like this bra.... https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":-)" />
This cup offers more center projection than typical molded cups. However, the 2.75" gore base width makes it better suited for less close set breasts than mine. As it is, one of my breasts wears the wire along its perimeter. I can't even use the available center space because of this. The gore is the same width of Curvy Kate's standard, .8". Still too wide for me, but more narrow than others.
Although I was delighted with the shape this provided under thin knits, I was ...also surprised by the height of the cup in the outer quadrant. Immediately, my arms were uncomfortable. Additionally, I needed to loosen the straps 50%. So, although the straps can accommodate short-waisted/high set/petite bodies, the cup is too tall for those same bodies. Interesting.
The fit reminds me of Comexim half cups with the following exceptions. The cup foam is slightly more rigid than Comexim's foam. The materials are less pleasant to touch than Comexim. For instance, the straps are narrow and flimsy like Panache/Cleo. And, the lace is a bit scratchy, but would soften with washing. The wire is also tall and vertical, but the wire channels are slightly flatter and more narrow than Comexim.
The shape under thin knits, looks nearly identical to Comexim. If you can wear an unaltered Comexim and your size resides within Perfects range, you may also be able to wear Perfects Louisa. Read more 148 more words
This is hands down the brightest bra I've ever seen. It is truly fluorescent. I wouldn't be surprised if it glows in the dark, though I haven't actually tested that out yet. In fact, it's so bright that I had a hard time getting clear pictures of it. Whenever I need a mood lift, this is the bra I put on. I've found it's pretty hard to not be cheerful when you're wearing fluorescent hot pink and orange! It's the perfect foil against overcast, rainy days.
As with the other Perfects Australia bras I own, the band runs small. You can see ...in the back picture that it's too tight. I'm fine wearing this one with an extender. My breasts sit high on my chest, so sister sizing up runs the risk of having the cups too high on the outside for armpit comfort. Those that don't have this problem should probably size up in the band.
The molded cup on this bra is very thin and pliable. The whole bra is extremely comfortable, I kind of forget that I have it on. The straps are fully adjustable and feel rather plush, even though they're just elastic. The side boning is soft and fairly flexible. The lace on the cups is very flat and smooth, it doesn't show through my shirts. Obviously, this is not the bra to wear if you're wearing white or a very see-through color shirt, as the color will show.
I already have this bra in the cobalt blue/peach colorway, but I'm so glad that I decided to get this one also. This one just makes me smile even just seeing it laying in my lingerie drawer. https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" /> Read more 194 more words
Once again, the uploader on Bratabase dulled my pictures terribly. The cobalt blue/peach pink color of this bra is so bright it's nearly neon in real life. LOVE IT! The fit is just about perfect and this is a very comfortable bra for me. Wide wires, somewhat shallow cups and the cup height isn't too tall for armpit comfort.
As I expected, the band is not true to size and runs a little small (max stretch between 30.5 to 31 inches), so I will be wearing this bra with an extender for comfort until it stretches out a little more. You can ...see the fit of the band in my back picture. This is consistent with the 32DDD - Perfects ยป Sally Balconette (14UBR95) that I also reviewed, so it seems that this brand runs small in the band. The cups appear to be true to size.
The straps are a satiny elastic on one side with a slightly fuzzy finish on the back for comfort. They are stretchy but firm and are fully adjustable. The side wing has flexible boning in it. The cup is a thin molded cup that is not rigid, and deforms easily. The lace on the outside of the cup is flat and would be invisible under tops that are not super thin or tight.
A bright, cheerful, beautiful bra that is also very comfortable to wear. Winner! Read more 139 more words
Never tried this brand before, so this was something of a gamble. Fortunately, it worked pretty well for my somewhat shallow-on-top shape and fits me nicely. Love, love, love the black and white polka dot colorway. So fun!
This bra has a thin, soft molded cup with fabric vertical seams on the outside of the cup. I have fairly wide roots and the wires fit them well. No problems with the strap attachment point of the cup coming up too high under my arms, which I frequently have problems with since I'm high chested. The wing comes up high enough that ...I feel very secure in this bra. The gore is a little smaller than I'm used to at only 7/8" wide, but it's not a problem for my average spaced breasts.
The wings have soft flexible boning that is very comfortable. The straps are comfortable 5/8" elastic that is fully adjustable.
The one thing on this bra that was a surprise was the band. It's supposed to be a 32" band but really only stretches to about 31." It is tight on me but not uncomfortable (my snug band measurement is 32" and my tight band measurement is 30.5"). I will be wearing it with an extender for comfort until it stretches out a little bit. Those of you between band sizes would fit this well, the rest might want to size up in the band. The cup appears to run true to size.
Really liking this bra. It's comfortable but very playful looking. It makes me smile when I put it on. https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" /> Read more 178 more words
The band on this bra runs small so I have been wearing it with an expander. The band is wide and has boning so it feels really substantial and supportive. The lace does sometimes show through shirts and the top of the cups show if I wear it with too low cut of a shirt. It would actually be perfect if it came in a cup size larger.
A molded contour plunge that the band runs very small (so I ordered up). The cups are shallow and the underwire sat on my ribs rather than in my IMF, as well as the cups quadded. Nice support through the band though. Boning under the arm helps.
Solid, comfortable bra with gorgeous shape under clothes. A tiny bit gappy at top of cup for me, but all other aspects of fit are great. (Got on fab sale, so keeping for now...)
I ordered this strapless/convertible bra from Kohl's. Some reviews about this brand complained the bands usually run very small and the cups run large. Well? At least for this one, the band was ridiculously short...like almost 4" short! Even an extender wouldn't have been enough. The cups look like they run shallow, but I wasn't able to try it on well enough to know for sure. The underwire is a full inch shorter than the channel. That might not be a bad thing though, because as a strapless, the wings are a crazy 4.5" tall. And if the wire went all the way up, it would stab you in the armpits. The band has silicone on the edges to help with grip. The back straps are multi-positional: standard, wide (close to the arms), or strapless. I'm not sure if a single strap is long enough to convert to a halter. Bottom line: a well-made strapless/convertible, but order at least one band size larger, and maybe the cup too, if you're projected.
Make sure to sister-size! The cups are fairly true to size, but the band is Definitely small! Ideally I wear a 32, but even the 34 was borderline.
The other thing that was problematic for me was the racerback: although the back lace panel is really pretty, (and worthy of showing off), it's very tall, which causes the straps to attach so high up that they cut across the back of your neck. Now, if you are quite tall or have a long torso (unlike me), that might not be a problem for you at all.
Some folks complained it's hard to get on. But I didn't think it was any worse than pulling a stretchy T-shirt over your head. So if you do have problems with your shoulders, or have trouble hooking a bra from the back, then yes, you will want to avoid this bra.
This is such a beautiful bra and very comfortable. But I had 2 issues with it: lack of center fullness caused quadding, and the outside top edge of the cup is too open, causing gaping. Might be fine for someone with less center fullness and FoT.
The band definitely runs small, but the cups are fairly consistent as long as you sister-size. The cups are lightly lined with a thin foam (< 1/8" thick). The outer lace on the bottom of the cup has a dart for shaping, and is a gorgeous ivory! The top of the cups have little flocked dots. The outer cups have a vertical section ...of the same fabric used for the band. The band has even tension between the fabric and the elastic edges. Both the elastic on the band and the shoulder straps have flocking on the inside, making it very comfortable. There is boning in the wings which give excellent side support. Straps are fully adjustable.
It's tempting to keep this one, but it's not very forgiving on my smaller side and so it gapes more than I like. Also, I was disappointed with the way it was shipped (ordered from Kohl's), in an oversized plastic bag with nothing to maintain shape. Consequently, it had gotten crushed and arrived with a major crease in one of the cups that did not disappear when wearing. That one had a distinct pointy shape to it, even though the other was a nice round shape. Read more 138 more words
I ordered this gorgeous bra from Kohl's. First off, let me say the band runs a full size small on this brand, so order up. I sister-sized down in the cup and it is just about right. It's a padded plunge and has the option to cross the back straps into a racer back. The cups are light beige and the black stretch lace is thin enough to be virtually invisible under thin clothes. The cups are fairly shallow, but give the appearance of projection because of the 1" thick tapered padding. There is a decent amount of center projection and the cups give a beautiful ...rounded shape. The front straps are attached to the cups by the lace overlay, which extends above the cups by 3.5", and are set fairly close to a vertical line above the apex. I can't imagine these straps falling off narrow shoulders, even without converting it to racer back. The cup design keeps everything front and center, but I didn't get the feeling I would fall out.
There are two issues that prevent this from being a 'perfect' fit (haha, pun intended): #1: the cups are very open, and caused gaping under the lace portion above the cups. Yet, that lace overlay maintains a smooth even tension, does not pucker, and disguises the openness so that it is barely visible, even without a top on. In that sense, it is very forgiving. Honestly, this would be an amazing bra for someone FoT or high set! #2: there is a narrow band of elastic along the top edge of the cups that caused quadding ONLY after I did the Swoop&Scoop. But then things settled into place after a few minutes and the quadding disappeared. This bra is one of those rare breeds that fits me better without the Swoop&Scoop.
Bottom line: an elegant, sexy bra, perfect for low necklines, and that Special Occasion dress. Read more 220 more words
This bra is great! It fits the closest to a combination of my favorite two bras, the Wacoal that's band is too big and the Freya that's great except not tacking. This does everything and it's cute!
The pictures don't quite show it, but this bra makes my boobs look so good. Lots of jiggle but no spilling out, and the shape is comfortable. It is a little small in the cups since I generally fit into a UK 32FF, but with comfort and looks it is a winner. The straps provide very little support and seem really stretchy, but the overall quality of the materials is great except for that. I just wish Perfects Australia had a bigger size range.
Thanks for your updates!