Sereneindeed

Although this convertible bra claims to be a 30D, it fit wildly differently from every other I've tried on in that size. The cups were HUGE. They're very rounded, thinly padded, and unforgiving of any shape that doesn't match. I have soft, deflated, wide-set, short-roots and this was a major mismatch. Usually I easily fill the bottom of any cup, but I had wrinkling in bottom and beyond gapping in the tops. The material actually folded in and crumpled along the top. Only tried on in the store, but documenting here so I can keep track.

Nude colorway

This bra is not owned any more

Updated on Jan 14, 2016 Flag this

For some reason, I didn't think the rules would apply when buying a bikini top vs an actual bra. Not sure what I was thinking, but this was actually a huge disappointment because I had it in my head it would be awesome on me. Kind of a consolation for the fact that no bras seem to fit right.

First of all, this band is very tight. Too tight for me and that gave me an almost muffin top look, except under my arms. But, it is very firm, so if it fits you, it would offer nice support.

It seems to be well-made, it's really pretty and ... was on clearance on Amazon for about $6 (so who could resist, really?).

What I failed to consider was that a seamed bikini top cup would have the same downfall as seamed bra cups have on my deflated, very soft boobs. The seams cut into the tissue and make very obvious creases and bumps. Although the cups fit, the appearance was totally unacceptable. I returned it, but I suspect that eventually it will make someone very happy.

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Black colorway

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Updated on Dec 31, 2015 Flag this

First impressions:
This is really comfortable!
This just might fit!
Wow, they weren't kidding when they said the band is very stretchy.

Of course, it got more complicated from there. I love the detail of the split strap near the cup. I think it's adorable and downplays my annoyingly prominent tail of spence. I feel like this bra is really cute, in a sweet sort of way.

When I first put it on, I get quadboob, but as I wear it, this settles down. Since the shallow cups are very lightly padded, they give some shape and I don't have the kind of issues with my soft boobs that I get ... with unlined. I find that a little poking and tucking (very minimal) helps the fit look right for me. Cups are pretty soft and a bit stretchy, so they're rather forgiving but also not as supportive as some other bras. The wires are flexible and fit well under my arm and around my boobs, but I could probably use a higher gore.
The gore is actually quite comfortable and sits flush against me. If I lie on my side, I do spill out of the cups, but not as bad as I did with the padded pushups in a too-big band that I used to wear!

Being so shallow, as expected it doesn't give much forward projection, but it does give me a nice rounded shape, for the most part. From the side, my breasts look quite small, with and without clothing on....but I suppose that's because they are. https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" />

After wearing this for several hours, I have noticed a few things. Probably because the band is so stretchy, eventually my boobs settle way down. I start getting a little quadding towards the gore and a bit more gaping in the cup-meets-strap area. Also....this band is so scratchy in the back...it is driving me crazy. I am really sensitive to fabrics, so this isn't all that shocking, except that it is so opposite of my first reaction about how comfortable this bra is. (It still is....in everyplace but the back strap.) I am going to wash it and see if it softens up a little bit.

It's also worth noting that the vertical seams will show some under thin, soft fabric shirts. The top of the diagonal seam is a little weird. It almost appears that the one I got is irregular. The lace kind of bunches up there, as if it wasn't trimmed enough after the bra was assembled. (I trimmed it slightly and it is a little better, but still not resolved.) On one cup, this makes the lace flip out in that area. The light padding is sewn to the lace mostly just along the underwire and in a couple of places along the top of the cup.....the end of the diagonal seam being one of the points of stitching.

Overall impression: This is a cute bra and is good for shallow, wide, relatively wide set roots. For now, I am keeping it, because this is one of the best fits I've found and it's actually wearable. I am surprised at the quality though...I would expect more from Betsey Johnson (although I have never tried their bras before, they do make a lot of high quality products. Or, at least, I thought so from their price tags!) There is actually a very cheap feel to the construction. The very stretchy band and straps make it obvious that this is not going to hold up for very long. The way the lining and lace is and is not stitched together, and the awkward tops of the diagonal seam, also make me feel the quality is questionable. I definitely would not pay full price for this, but the $14 I spent on eBay was worth it.
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Updated on Jan 07, 2016 Flag this

I admit defeat. Moulded diagonally cut cups do not work for my soft, rather empty, small breasts. I hardly have any upper breast fullness. I read the reviews and kind of knew it going in, but wanted so badly to find something that gives great cleavage. This isn't the one. I have gapping on the sides, where strap meets cup, and along the first inch or so of the cup. With a good swoop and scoop, I also have quadboob on the lower inches of cup, where cup meets band.

That said, for differently shaped breasts, I can see this bra being extremely flattering. I love the rich ... purple color. It's supportive, rounding, and pretty comfortable from what I can tell. The J-hook is such a great idea for achieving maximum cleavage. I love that feature, but imagine it means using extra care when washing, so as not to snag delicate fabrics.The fit improves slightly for me when I hook the J-hook.

This is my first experience trying on a Freya bra. The first thing I noticed was that the 30 band feels much larger than it does on any other brand I have tried thus far (which has only been a handful, but still...). I had to put it on the tightest hook and can still fit a whole hand between it and my body if I really try. This seems strange, because it only measures slightly bigger than others I have measured, but I guess that difference in combination with this particular style, allows this band to fit differently. I would downsize the band in the future and try a 28, especially since everybody talks about how their bands are known for stretching. The cups seem to run true to size, but please don't take my word for that because it's so hard to judge when the bra just fits all wrong and I have yet to find something that does fit properly. My estimated size here and on abrathatfits is 30DD/E.

The gore lies flat and sits comfortably on my sternum. The sides, near my armpits, don't come up quite far enough for me and allow for all sorts of spillage of breast tissue in that area.
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Violet colorway

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Updated on Dec 09, 2015 Flag this

Major mismatch between my body and this bra. As soon as I opened the package I knew this would not fit. The bra itself is quite pretty....the sheer mesh and swirly flower-like pattern is delicate and feminine. The embroidery climbs up the straps. The color seems to have a touch of indigo in it. I think for someone with the right build for it, this bra could make you feel really sexy. Assuming it fits you more comfortably than it fits me, because everything about it (except the band) is uncomfortable for me.

The 30D band seems true to size. Snug, with a little bit of (not too much) ... stretch. The straps are a bit firm for my taste. They feel very rigid and uncomfortable. I'd hope they soften up with washing (but won't find out, because I'm sending this back.)

The cups are definitely not for shallow boobs. I get the feeling they run big, but it may just be because of the extreme shape mismatch. These are very deep and call for significant upper projection. The apex appears to be quite high on the cup (unusually so, compared to other seamless bras I've tried. It's at least an inch and a half above my nipple).

I have total gaping across the entire top of each cup, which also makes the very edges of the lace flare out weirdly. "Gaping" doesn't even sum it up...the top of this doesn't even come close to touching my skin anywhere. Not surprisingly, there is also wrinkling going on. I feel like if I could combine both of my boobs together, I might be able to fill this out. When I lift my arms, the cups dig into the side of my breast tissue, pressing it flat into my body and creating an unsightly crease (see pic). This is the same thing that's happened to me with unlined bras with build in "side support". Not a good look.

For the record, I am wide-set, splayed, deflated (especially the upper area) and very soft. Haven't found my perfect fit yet, but it appears it will be around a 28DD/30D. Still uncertain of projection ... because of sagging, shallow cups seems to fit better. Still uncertain of root width. Thought I was wide, but then found out it's because of being wide set and not due to the roots themselves...I think they're average. Maybe. Ha. I do seem to need a cup that allows for a bit more projection in the outer half of the cup, which is exactly the opposite of this bra style.

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Slate Blue colorway

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Updated on Jan 06, 2016 Flag this

Oh, glorious day! Something just about fits me, finally!! (In other words, I finally cut the paper tags off of an Amazon bra! LOL)

I love this bra. Purple and black are my favorite colors, and I adore the rich color and unusual style, so I felt strongly about hoping this one would work. After 9 failed bra trials with 30 bands, I downsized to a 28 and that seems to have helped.

The band is very snug and firm. I do hope it loosens just a little. This is the first bra I've worn that let me understand what people are talking about when they say a bra ... creaks. It definitely does! Like other reviewers have said, this is not a bra that would be comfortable to wear all day. I can definitely see myself looking forward to taking it off when getting home. However, it also makes me feel good about how I look with it on, which is priceless to me.

It's not perfect. There are moments when the cup feels too small and I get small amounts of quad. There are moments when it seems too big, because at just the right angle, I get a little bit of gapping in the upper corner. I accept that this says far more about my body shape than about the bra itself. I'd be curious to try this on in a 28E and a 30D or DD. Most reviews for this suggest going up in both band and cup. I'm not convinced that would work better for me, but when I get the chance, I am going to give it a try.

The gore does dig in a little bit...I shoved a piece of make-up sponge foam between my skin and the gore, for now...I am hoping that the band stretches a little and helps resolve that (or I can bend the wires slightly and fix it). But, all in all, this is (by far) the best fit I have had so far. It supports me very well and gives me a nice shape. The thicker padding on the upper part of the cups really helps compensate for my lack of upper breast tissue. The side support is fantastic and the wide set straps aren't a problem (even on my 5'1 frame). It will definitely show under very thin shirts, but at this point, I don't even care! I am just so happy that something seems to work for me!

I have wide-set/splayed/ average-rooted, shallow (from sag), small, deflated upper, very soft breasts. I've also developed an exaggerated tail of spence, which I now believe is from 20 years of wearing ill-fitting padded push-up bras. I was starting to get pretty upset about nothing working for me, when someone reminded me that I may not find a "perfect" fit, and may have to settle for something that's pretty close.
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Purple Wine colorway

Updated on Jan 04, 2016 Flag this

Oh, how I wanted the Lucy to fit. I had a lot of hope in this bra.

The most important thing to note (for me), that I wish I had known ahead of time, was that where the mesh meets lace on the cup, would create a quadboob, making the portion covered with lace looked oddly puffed up, even though I still had some wrinkling at the very top of the cup. No amount of swoop and scoop could make this bra enclose the breast tissue near my underarm (tail of spence). The cups just did not come up high enough and give the type of inward/forward support ... I need, while at the same time, it rubbed that area painfully, even while just wearing it a short time.

The band on this black 30DD was significantly tighter and less stretchy than the band on the 30E in Malibu Blue. The tighter band fit snugly on the loosest hook and felt like it'd probably be the right size for me. (It is worth mentioning, I am still a beginner on the bra search journey. I have found that 30 bands really vary significantly between brands. While Natori fit snugly, Freya and Panache seem like I should consider sizing down to a 28.)

It's a pretty little bra, definitely not built to create cleavage. At this point, I believe I have wide-set, splayed, wide-root, pendulous, fuller on bottom (or equal, when bent over....but with deflated upper breast tissue that's almost non-existent when standing), shallow (because of the extent of the ptosis and the size I was to begin with) breasts. I have recently come to understand that the 32 B/C push up bras I have been wearing for 20 years have created a rather pronounced bulge of tissue between underarm and breast (tail of spence). Any cup in my recommended sizes, that doesn't pull that tissue in, is going to be too big in the cup.

I'm giving up the on Cleo Lucy. It just is not the right style and shape for me. This one is going back to Amazon and the obsessive quest will continue...
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Black colorway

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Updated on Dec 14, 2015 Flag this

I reviewed this in 30DD. This one is so laughably huge on me that I can't even review it. I'm not the one to judge it's fit. It was the first bra I bought after hearing I was actually a 30E or F. It turns out, my cups size is significantly smaller than it measures, due to deflation.

Hot Pink Cashmere colorway

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Updated on Jan 05, 2016 Flag this

If ever I wanted a bra to fit, it was this one. It was the most expensive I'd ever bought and I fell madly in love with it in the store. Unfortunately, this was before I knew anything about my correct size or how a bra should really fit. If I adjusted my soft, deflated breasts into the cups just right, I suddenly had awesome cleavage. Then, I discovered a hook on the back of the straps, where you can connect them and boost the cleavage even more! The two inch thick padding, in addition to the super crazy push up, let me feel for a few ... moments like I had the large full breasts I've been dreaming of owning, for decades. I loved the look, alone and under a shirt. I even loved how they felt in my hands. And the bra itself is so cool looking. SO. MUCH. FUN. !!!

Alas, the moment was short lived.

The band is super stretchy...easily stretching to 34+ inches. So, no support there. Which made the rest of the bra fit like it was floating, not supporting me in any real way and I think that was the most major fit flaw of all. (I would LOVE to try this in a 30 band, except VS doesn't make such a thing.) No support on the sides (the wings are stretchy sheer mesh), the gore not even touching my skin. Unless I stood perfectly still, upright, with shoulders back..... I wasn't filling the top of the cups, but had major quadboob towards the middle. If I laid on one side, the top boob would fall right out.

The padding is exceptionally thick, about 2 inches of foam in much of the bra. When I pull the band tighter manually, and do a swoop and scoop so that my breasts are completely in the cup, I DO fill the whole cup and spill way out. This bra is definitely not true to size in any way. I still haven't found my ideal size, but have narrowed it down to be somewhere around 28DD/30D. Which means I should not fill and spill excessively out of 32D (although I know padding changes the size fit...I haven't yet explored quite how that works. It may just be that I don't know any better and that this is to be expected with so much padding.)

With the J-hook attached at the back of the straps, it pulled the straps closer to my neck in a way that painfully irritated my clavicle after wearing it for a fairly short amount of time.

I'm not sure who this would fit, but I must admit, I am a little jealous of anyone who can rock this beautiful bra. The faux leather is sexy as hell (to me, anyway) and the lacy back of the straps are really unique.
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Black faux leather and lace colorway

Updated on Dec 31, 2015 Flag this

I got this bra used on eBay. It's in great shape and I don't think it was heavily worn. A lot of people talk about how unflattering this particular bra is and while I agree that it doesn't give me a shape I'd care to show off, it does fit better than unlined bras usually fit me (in the respect that it doesn't cause deep and obvious creases where the seams are). I don't know my actual size yet (due to deflation, it is becoming clear that I need something a bit smaller than what my measurement put me in), but these DD cups are definitely too big ... on me. I get a ton of gaping along the top when I lean even slightly forward. Even though it doesn't look particularly sexy, it actually feels pretty good on and I have been wearing it around the house to get used to a bra with wider wires and a tighter band.

The material of the cups is a non stretchy mesh. The shiny embroidery is actually kind of delicate and pretty. The nude colorway is a pretty good match on my very fair skin. It feels like a well-made bra. I like the way the wing area pulls in my often neglected side tissue and the armpit side of the underwire is a comfortable height for me. I do get a little bit of stabbing with the low gore, but this seems to be a problem in all of the bras I have tried so far and I am beginning to suspect it has less to do with the gore itself than it does with how other parts of the bra are fitting. (It happens regardless of gore height.)

The 30 band is quite stretchy, but feels snug enough. (I just looked at the pictures I had my partner take from the back and I was shocked to see how tight it appears. And that I apparently have previously undetected back fat. I'm slim but out of shape. I don't know if it looks so tight because I've been wearing it all day or what. It DEFINITELY does not feel like it fits as tight as it looks.)

I need a lot of support and this does actually pull my boobs up to where I think they ought to be and allows them to have a natural looking slope. I will probably try it in a 30D, just to see, since right now I am trying so hard to figure out my actual size in something that fits.
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nude colorway

Updated on Jan 03, 2016 Flag this