Libra-Rian

Claudette, being a relatively young brand, has played a lot with fit from season to season. And while I'm not a huge fan of this colorway (Papaya/Olive) this season definitely has the *best* fit. One thing I have noticed is that Claudette bands tend to be stretchy and loosen a lot over time - I'm probably closer to a 30F-FF in this one. Such a chore, figuring out bra fit without trying it on! Let me just list out the pros/cons.

Pros: so, so comfortable. Love the Dessous in this season and earlier ones (beware the ones from spring 2015!). Love the natural, relaxed shape, the shear cups. And as with all Claudette bras, it's really well made and is lasting a lot of wear.

Cons: I don't like orange, and I'm on the tightest hooks. May have to bust out a Rixi clip if the band stretches any further. All the fluctuation between seasons make it difficult to pinpoint which bra in which season will fit best.

Updated on May 19, 2015 Flag this

After having worn this bra in a 34DD, going down a bandsize and up a couple cups has been a godsend. (Truth be told, I think I might even be able to go up up more cupsize but it's certainly not dramatic enough to be a dealbreaker. I only get the merest shadow of quad-boob, and only with my larger breast.)

The shape I get with the Lucy is superior to ANY other bra I have EVER worn. It's perky, perfectly rounded, foward-projecting, nicely defined. Basically anything I could ever ask for in a bra. The balconette style makes for perfect coverage - I'm ... not a big fan of plunges, so I like the height of the center gore but the generally level cut across the top of the cups. My only complaint with this bra is very minor - even though the band fits, I find that the lower edge of the center gore curves inward, leaving me a small pink line across my chest. However, this may just be an issue with my bra specifically, and certainly not a problem with the Cleo line as a whole.

This time around, I went with the navy/pink colorway, which is basically adorable. I really enjoy that it has accenting embroidery, unlike other colorways which have just one color and an accenting bow. The embroidery itself is flat enough that I can wear it with all but the thinnest fabrics - it basically begins to show through around the same point that the seams themselves show. Overall, this is probably one of my favourite bras.
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Updated on Feb 23, 2013 Flag this

Yes, I bought another Claudette Paramour. It is just SO COMFORTABLE. This time I went a cupsize up - in part for the variety in size (I fluctuate a lot with pms) and also because the red wasn't available in any other sizes! It is a really great color, more of a deep red than a bright one (they called it "garnet" - my birthstone!) and I love the black accents with the bow and straps. The wings and lower panels of the cups are a solid silky fabric that's very soft to the touch, and the top portion is a fine mesh, which ... is both sexy and super comfortable.

Let me sing the praises of this fit. I find that Claudette's wires are consistently pretty narrow, which is exactly what I need! After being so disappointed by other brands' wide wires and shallow cups, it's reassuring to know that some brands out there cater specifically to a narrow root and extra depth and projection. My only complaint with the fit, and it's very minor, is how high up the cup goes - I would definitely consider this a "full cup" style, not a demi or balconette. I don't have much fullness way up top by my collar bones, so there is a tiny bit of wrinkling. But, like I said, it's barely even a point against it since I love this bra in every other respect. Like the 32F, this bra has fully adjustable straps and a 3 hook closure in the back so the support is distributed very evenly across my back and there are no pressure spots.

I can't wait to get my hands on some of Claudette's newest bras!
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Updated on Apr 14, 2013 Flag this

This bra is beautiful. I keep wanting to call it "Jasmin" instead of "Maia" because it is the exact shade turquoise that princess Jasmin wears in Aladdin. That, and the filigree lace pattern with its hints of yellow embellishment remind me of the patterned walls in her courtyard. So, obviously, it is awesome for that reason, but also because even without those references I love the style and details. It's a nice balconette cup with a line that pretty much runs straight across, and doesn't give a distracting amount of cleavage.

One thing to point out: The band on this bra has virtually no ... stretch. It fits me, but there's not a whole lot of give beyond that. If it had more stretch it would probably be more comfortable, but as is it's not a huge issue.

And another thing: when I first received this bra, I had some issues with the fit. Like nearly all my bras, the straps were set too wide, to the point where they essential started in my armpits. HOWEVER, this time I took it upon myself to shift the straps about 1 inch each towards the front, and made it work! The way that the straps meet the cups on this bra meant that it wouldn't be too hard to detach them and it wouldn't look too strange having been relocated. You can sort of see on the cups the point where the straps used to attach, but that's basically in my armpit and not super noticeable. This modification made the bra totally wearable! Now I can enjoy its looks AND its fit.
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Updated on Apr 09, 2013 Flag this

I was looking for a strapless bra for the summer, and this one fit the bill quite well. It stays up and requires very little adjusting throughout the night (even while dancing) since the band is quite snug, thanks a piece of thick elastic that runs throughout and a 3 hook closure. My main complaint with this bra would be that the padding in the cups is VERY stiff. It feels a little like armor. While this may serve as some structure, it doesn't make for a very natural feel (or appearance), as I usually prefer totally unlined cups. But for someone who likes padding in their bras, I'm sure it would be just fine. It does what it's meant to do very well, and I have lately taken to wearing it with the straps during the colder weather if I feel like having little extra padding.

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Updated on Nov 27, 2012 Flag this

This was largely an experiment. I'd lost some weight, especially in my boobs, and found myself able to fit into regular American-size bras. Still the very top of the spectrum, but I'll take it. I'd been coveting the Feathers for a while - Pretty! Lacy trim! Plunging neckline! And it fits, in the technical sense. It checks the boxes for cups, band, and it even takes the lead in the category of Not-Cutting-Into-My-Armpits, unlike SOME bras. (Ahem, pretty much every full-bust brand.) Yet, there's something a little lacking about it. Everything is very stretchy and flimsy and it ... just doesn't feel like its offering serious support. Under clothes, it looks just a little sad, unlike when I wear, say, my Cleo Lucy. Not much uplift or shaping going on with this. It's extremely comfortable, but leaves a bit to be desired in its purpose. Thus, my conclusion to this experiment is, even though I can it in regular bra brands, I would rather go with a full-bust brand since they seem to do a better job of actually being a bra. But I will wear this one around the house.
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Updated on Oct 01, 2013 Flag this

First and foremost: this bra does not fit. It's at least a cup or two too small. So, let it not be a reflection on the product, but on what happens when said product is too small.

On its own, this bra is beautiful. I bought the it in white, and I LOVE the pink bow accents on the center and the straps, I love the embroidery along the top edge of the cup, and I love the mesh panel that makes up the top of the cup itself when paired with the opaque lower half. As with all Curvy Kate products, I find that ... the fabric is very high quality: soft, supportive where it needs to be and the perfect amount of stretch where required. I don't know how these qualities hold up over time, but I know that while it's new, this is a great bra... for someone else.

The fit is awful. Like I said, I clearly bought the wrong size, but I was not aware how strange it would be - it seems to pull my boobs down, point them to the ground, and cut in at the top to create the mother of all quad-boob. HOWEVER, the wire itself fits width-wise and doesn't press into any tissue under my arm. This creates a conundrum - stay with this size and deal with a ridiculous shape, or go up in cup size to get the appropriate amount of cup depth yet risking the underwire reaching way into my armpit? Or are Curvy Kate's unpadded bras simply not for me? I may try another size and see if that is any better, and in the meantime I'll be listing this one. Hopefully, the Lottie will suit someone else better, because it truly is a lovely bra.
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Updated on Feb 23, 2013 Flag this

LOVE the look of this bra. The coral color is great, I have a soft spot for anything with a lace overlay, and as with all CK bras, the quality is very high. The band is nice and snug and the interior of the cups is very soft.
Since this bra is a plunge with shorter underwires, it doesn't have the same fit trouble as the Showgirl balconettes, which I find often cut into my armpit even when it fits in the cup. Plus, it gives GREAT cleavage.
That said, I wish it was a 30G. Despite the superior construction, I feel a little paranoid about popping out (particularly my larger boob). However, since I've started working out and lost a little weight, I'm hoping I'll go down a cupsize and this bra will fit better.

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Updated on Feb 15, 2013 Flag this

Overall a perfectly lovely bra, but not for me.

Aesthetically, this bra is fantastic. I looove that they made a design element of the supportive side panel by making it a contrasting color of satin. Plus, the lace which makes up the bulk of the cups, in addition to being very pretty, has a gentle amount of stretch which helps with fit. It seems extremely well-made and the fabrics are wonderful to touch, so points all around there! Also, the bra is very comfortable, due in part to the really narrow wires - this bra I think has the narrowest wires I've ever tried, form a ... full U shape rather than a wider crescent. The end effect of this is that even though it offers a lot of coverage, it does not cut into my armpits (unlike SOME BRAS [read: most bras])

My main issue with this bra, despite all these pros, is the shape it creates. Not sure if it's because I'm naturally on the pointy side, or if that's just the way it's supposed to be, but the look is very torpedo-shaped, like a retro pin-up girl. Some people may like this look, but it's definitely not for me. So, despite all its nice points, I'll be putting this one up for sale.
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Updated on Sep 28, 2014 Flag this

Man, I just can't seem to find my size in Chantelle. This 32F was too big, and here I thought it was going to be a winner. I could have sworn I tried on a 32E in some other style and it was too small, but this bra in particular could run big, or I may have lost weight since then, etc. Also, I'm not sure if this should properly be catagorized as a 2-part of 3-part cup, since from the outside it appears to be two, but looking at the inside of the bra the lower portion is actually divided which really makes it ... three. Hm.

The fit seems to be similar to the C Chic plunge, though this center gore comes up higher. (Not an issue for me because I have wide-set boobs anyway.) I have a lot of empty space towards the top of the cup, and the whole top edge gaps tremendously. The underwire also seems just a hair too wide, though if it fit elsewhere I would say it wasn't a dealbreaker. All these issues would obviously be fixed with another cupsize, which I think I'll end up trying because this is a really beautiful bra.

I love the navy colorway (it's really more cobalt, I'd say) and the design is simply lovely. The lower half of the cups is a solid fabric that feels buttery to the touch, and there is unlined lace across the gore, the tops of the cups, and in a small band down the wing as well. There is a cute white stitching around the edges of the bra as well, including the straps. Speaking of, they have an interesting detail in that the front portion is actually three thin bands bound together where they meet the cup and where they meet the adjusting portion. I've always liked when straps divide like that! Overall, I find that Chantelle bras have a really beautiful use of detail and design that I haven't seen in the other brands I've tried.
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Updated on Apr 20, 2013 Flag this