Thenightingale

30F - Panache » Envy Balconnet Bra (7285)

Now that we've moved and are fairly settled in I wanted to try bras again. Trying ANY non-moulded, non-padded bra is a big step for me, but quite a few ladies here have suggested doing so, and seeing the wisdom I've decided to try a few.

This bra is very pretty, especially in the soft green (granted, a favourite colour of ... mine!), but just does not fit so I really cannot accurately judge the bra. I would not call this a real balconnette bra—the cups come up quite high on my chest, though this may be due to my not fitting it right. Anyhow, too much gaping at the top of the cups—it is absolutely the wrong size, much too large for me. This is one Bratabase recommended in this size...I'm starting to think I'm just defective or am somehow measuring improperly. Or both!

Failure #327 aside, it IS a pretty bra; lace is feminine and seems soft and comfortable. I just do not have nearly enough 'ooomph' to fill the top of the cups and my husband has absolutely put the kibosh on my getting implants so things fit correctly. Darn (to both problems)!
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Updated on Sep 13, 2015 Flag this

28FF - Cleo » Juna Balconnet Bra (6461)

Well, upon initially trying this one on I thought the cups were much too big and went instead for the 28F. (http://www.bratabase.com/bra/dlxu3/) Even so, I wasn't sure about that, nor were fellow Bratabasers, so I decided to try this one on again to see, being sure to firmly anchor the underwires in my IMF. It does seem to ... fit much better, I have to say, though there is gaping at the top—it's mostly the lace, but the cups do gape a bit (see laptop-held-above-my-head photo). I'm still not sure and per the comments on my 28F, may try 30E and 30F to see what happens there. That does make me nervous, though since I really do prefer 28 bands. We'll see.

All of that (and the odd dents in the fabric I'm not sure would come out in the wash), this is a really comfortable bra, just as the 28F. The fabric is soft, it is comfortable, I do not feel as if the girls are being manipulated (if that makes sense), and though it is plain, it's kind of a pretty plain. As someone who wears a lot of light tops, I do need lighter bras, and though this is a bit dark on me, it's fine.

Just as with the 28F, I am not too keen on the way the straps adjust—from the top down, on the back side of the bra. But that is a small quibble. The straps themselves are slender enough—I think it's the (always failing) Curvy Kates I've tried where the straps seem to be a mile wide, but that's not the case here. They're also sort of slightly padded—it's not obtrusive or bulky, but there is more to them than the standard bra strap.

Now I really just need to figure out the size. As this one has what I consider a fairly obvious defect on one cup, I'll try for the 30 bands, much as I hate to, and see how they look. I do see that the horizontal lines in the band in this are not so bad as those in the F cup. That generally indicates 'too small', though I always wonder how much my spinal deformity affects that, as it definitely causes issues in clothing.

Overall, though, this is a lovely bra. IMO it would be nice if Cleo also released it in other colours once in a while!
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Updated on Jun 15, 2015 Flag this

At what point do you think a "not perfectly fitting" bra is still acceptable?

I'm just curious (and apologize if this has given rise to torches and pitchforks before). Everyone has different comfort levels, though I suspect we can all agree that bands should not ride up, there should not be quadboob, the gore needs to tack, etc. But what "not perfect fit" things can you live with?

For instance, after trying on my ... latest round of purchases Thursday, I (almost as usual—I just think my breasts are more horizontal parentheses-shaped compared to so many U-shaped wires) have yet again a couple of pretties—Marvel and Patsy—with varying levels of orange-in-a-glass (probably not enough projection for me) and gapping over my smaller breast. (The Curvy Kates I tried on were SO OIAG I was absolutely horrified, therefore they're thrown out altogether. View pictures at your own risk.)

The top gaping, if it is not too bad and mostly just confined to the smaller 'girl', I'm generally fine living with (like the Juna 28F), but I find myself really wondering about OIAG because isn't it then providing less support? That said, if it's a tiny bit, not even a finger-width, I find the bra much, much more tempting.

What do you all think? Are there things aside from band fit, gore, and quadding that you're willing to let slide a bit?

Mostly I'm just nosy as can be. Though you can feel free to gawk at the awful CK photos if you like, ha!, and I wouldn't mind a few more peeks at my more recent Juna & Patsy try-ons. (Forgot to make them public adventures when filling them in.)
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Filed under Bra sizing and fit

Shared on Jun 07, 2015 Flag this