Comparing a Masquerade Rhea (6121) with Panache Andorra Full Cup Bra (5675) in 28E

Band: I'd say the Rhea runs significantly tighter than the Andorra by about half to one size. The Andorra I would call pretty much true-to-size, whereas the Rhea runs decidedly small. The Rhea benefits from sizing up in the band for another reason as well: for some reason, too much tension on the wires can cause an ugly pucker in the bottom of the cups and a slightly flattened look to the cups.

Construction-wise, the band of the Andorra seems better designed than the band of the Rhea. The band of the Rhea is made out of stretch satin bordered with plush elastic. The combined effect of the satin and elastic is a band with relatively little stretch. However, as the stretch satin is much more stretchy than the elastic edging, the band can feel as if it's cutting in somewhat along the edge. The band of the Andorra is made out of powernet and has a more 'even' distribution of stretch which, in my opinion, makes it feel more comfortable. The band of the Andorra as a whole is slightly stretchier than the band of the Rhea.

Wires: the wires in the Andorra are more flexible than wires in the Rhea. This means that even though the width measurements are more or less same, the Andorra fits somewhat 'wider' than the Rhea.

Cups: size-wise I'd say the Rhea and the Andorra fit about the same, although the Andorra benefits from sizing up in the cup when you're on the upper end of the size bracket: a too small cup gives an unattractive, somewhat pointy shape. Sizing up usually corrects this issue. The stretch lace makes the Andorra forgiving for many different breast shapes and slight fluctuations in size, although on very shallow breasts the edges may still 'cut in'.

The low and very open cut of the Rhea is decidedly less forgiving for certain breast shapes. A Rhea that is too small in the cup but fine everywhere else will, if not outright 'quadboob', typically give a somewhat boxy, 'rectangular' profile.

Shape-wise these two bras are wildly different though: the Rhea gives a very lifted, but also slightly 'wide', 'Regency-style' cleavage (if you're suitably full-busted you can also think 'tavern wench' ;) ) whereas the Andorra gives a much more demure, concentrated, 'front-and-centre' look without too much (if any) 'exposure'. The Rhea has a more evenly distributed cup depth, whereas the cups of the Andorra are quite 'flat' at the sides with inbuilt side support panels to push the breast to the front. In addition, the Andorra cups are relatively deep and rounded from the apex towards the centre front.

Straps: the straps of the Rhea are notoriously wide-placed. They also aren't the most comfortable: only partly adjustable and with little stretch. The straps of the Andorra are pretty much 'standard' bra straps made out of 'standard' bra strap elastic. They are fully adjustable.

Updated on Apr 21, 2013

Link to this