A Rival for the Deco Bra

As some of you may remember, last month I reviewed the very lovely Parfait by Affinitas Charlotte bra. At the end of my post, I talked about their beautiful Casey bra too, and how I was very keen to get hold of that particular style. I am an absolute sucker for a blue bra (particularly the lovely light blue of this one).

Well, the wonderful Cha from Large Cup Lingerie (who I believe is the only UK retailer to currently stock the Affinitas Charlotte bra) very kindly did some digging, attempting hunt down the Casey bra for me. She really knows how to unearth those hard-to-find bras, because sure enough, I am now the proud owner of a gorgeous light blue Casey.
I cannot recommend Large Cup Lingerie highly enough – rarely have I ever asked a company for help finding a certain item (that they do not usually stock), let alone have them hunt it down for me and keep me very well-informed along the way. Remember that LLC also offer free worldwide shipping, so if there is a particular item of lingerie you are after, they should be your first stop for information, without a doubt. As always, their customer service is beyond reproach. Click here for more information about their site.

Parfait by Affinitas – Casey – 32G

So, on to the review. As the title suggests, I think we may finally have found a rival for Freya’s very own Deco bra. The Casey is lightly padded (in a very similar style to the Deco), and gives a nice smooth cleavage, again, much the same as the Deco. The colours are fairly limited, it only comes in light blue and nude, but despite this, looks-wise it is actually very elegant. The cups are overlayed along the sides with a beautiful lace of the same colour – this definitely gives it a little something extra so it doesn’t feel quite like your run-of-the-mill everyday bra.

Parfait by Affinitas – Casey – 32G

The sizing however, is very different to that of the deco. I have this in a 32G, the same size as I have my Charlotte bra. The cups are very generous, and I think possibly I would even have chosen to size down. In any case, this is good news for H-cup girls, as it means they may not necessarily be outsized by the brand. I found the 32 band true to size, not overly loose like the deco, and not too tight either. The straps are fully adjustable, with the standard 3-hook clasp at the back. I felt wonderfully supported in this bra, and it passed the wear-test with flying colours, causing no discomfort whatsoever.

Parfait by Affinitas – Casey – 32G

If you’re looking for a deco alternative, keep the Casey in mind, it does not dissapoint. As ever, I really do hope Affinitas consider increasing their size range. They have such a charming selection, I really think branching out a bit further would give them a lot more business.

Curvy Kate – Smoothie Bra

I’m also very much looking forward to the release of Curvy Kate’s Smoothie bra which will be released later this year. Not only does it look like another rival Deco bra, but it goes all the way up to a J-cup! Exciting news!

Love

Sophia xxx

Parfait by Affinitas

Affinitas are a brand I was not previously familar with, so when I heard about them from some fellow big busted girls, I had to see what all the fuss was about. It’s safe to say their beautiful selection of lingerie is nothing short of stunning. The set that caught my eye in particular (and Becky’s too, who reviewed it on Invest in Your Chest)  was the Parfait Charlotte set. It comes in red/black as well, but it was the peach/black that really stood out for me. The Parfait range is probably my favourite from their selections, but there are so many beautiful items it’s hard to choose! 

Parfait by Affinitas – Charlotte – Peach/Black

It’s taken quite some time to get hold of this little gem in my size – I contacted numerous companies asking for assistance, including Affinitas themselves, but they just brushed me off suggesting different styles or colours instead. They were at least friendly and polite which is great, but didn’t solve my problem especially as I had my heart set on this particular version of the Charlotte.
The one wonderful company that went above and beyond to help me on my quest for the Charlotte bra, was Large Cup Lingerie. I have heard of them before of course, but never realised quite how brilliant they really are. They are the reason I have this gorgeous set in my possession, and they have very quickly become one of my go-to online shops to buy from.  I cannot fault their customer service, and their online site reminds me a lot of Leia Lingerie, with an outlet section with lots of discounts, yay!

The Charlotte set has a beautiful vintage feel to it; the modest peach colouring combined with the burlesque-style black and satin panelling makes you feel a million dollars as soon as you put it on.
When it arrived in the post, I raced to put it on and headed off to work. I think it must have done incredible things for my confidence, because I received three lovely compliments throughout the day, and the only difference was the bra set!

Parfait by Affinitas – Charlotte – Peach/Black

It is lightly padded with 3 hooks at the back, and fully adjustable straps. I chose to get a 32G; I had heard that the band ran tight, and found that indeed true. It was perfect in the 32, and in fact it’s very comfortable. In the first 5 minutes I thought the label would become really scratchy, but I completely forgot  it was there from that point on, which is very good news (I hate to cut out labels). The cups do run small, so the centre gore was very slightly lifted in the middle. I suspect perhaps a GG would’ve been a better fit, but crucially, it wasn’t uncomfortable, nor did it bother me, and there didn’t seem to be any four-boob syndrome going on.

You will notice in the pictures of the bra, that by the end of the day, my breasts had shifted about, so there is a bit of space at the bottom – once rearranged however, the space goes away again, which is a similar issue I have with the Deco bras. It doesn’t cause any problems, it just means you need to check every so often that everything is sitting where it’s meant to be!

Parfait by Affinitas – Charlotte – Peach/Black

I had a choice between regular or high waisted briefs; I opted for high waisted – given the beautiful retro style of the set, I think they go wonderfully with the bra. I got them in a Large, and they were a perfect fit, very comfortable too. 

I’m amazed actually that such a ‘bedroom’ set is so pleasing to wear. I wore it for the whole day, and didn’t have any real fit or comfort issues at all. 

You can buy this set here from Large Cup Lingerie, and they offer free shipping worldwide!
If you’re in the US, you may also have some retailers near you that stock Affinitas (lucky you). 

I’m still lusting after some of the other Parfait by Affinitas bras, and the next one I have my eye on is the Blue Casey bra…it looks like a light blue Deco, wow!

Parfait by Affinitas – Casey – Pale Blue

Love

Sophia xxx

Freya, Fantasie, Fauve, Elomi and Huit 8: Autumn/Winter 2012

Eveden Lingerie Group

I was absolutely thrilled to be invited to the Eveden Group Press Event, showcasing their upcoming Autumn/Winter collections out later this year. They had lots of eye-catching new lingerie, activewear and lounge wear to show, from brands Freya, Fantasie, Fauve, Elomi and Huit 8.

Surrounded by beautiful Swarovski crystals, the lingerie looked stunning. Eveden stated that the collections ‘took inspiration from the mesmerising hues of the Northern Lights, where ice cold skies of frosty blue and arctic mint green merge against warmer strokes of purple, red and gilded gold’. I couldn’t agree more, it was a wonderful display, which unbelievably, included a lingerie ice sculpture!

Freya and Fantasie are two of my favourite brands, so I was especially excited to see their new collections.

Freya:

Freya – Ginny

I liked the mix of blues, browns and whites to create a more vintage feel.

Freya – Carys Longline

Freya – Piper Longline

I was really pleased to see more longline bras, similar to the Nieve in their collection last year.

Freya – Piper

Freya – Taylor (this time in charcoal and teal!)

Freya – Rosie

Freya – Marina

I adored the colours on the Marina bra, it’s definitely one I found myself wanting to take home. This is the balcony bra which goes all the way up to a K cup! There will also be a half cup padded version available up to a G.

Freya

Freya – Gem

Freya – Dionne

This cute leaf print on the Dionne is going to be absolutely perfect for autumn. I can’t wait!

Freya

Freya

Freya – Deco Hatty

Freya – Martha

Freya

Freya – Deco Honey

I fell in love with the Honey Deco at first sight. The bright fiery red (which actually has a slight orange hue to it) matched with the delicate lace really adds something extra to a favourite staple bra. This is also the bra they chose for the ice sculpture, and it looked incredible.

Deco Honey Ice Sculpture

Deco Honey Ice Sculpture

Freya – Patsy

Freya – Ivy Longline

Another longline; the Ivy bra has a very autumn feel to it.

Freya – Ada

Freya – Ada

I LOVE the Ada bra. It has a really fun tattoo design with a ‘Freya’ motif, and goes up to an H cup. Definitely one for my wish list.

Freya – Deco Soft Cup

You’ll be very excited to hear that Freya have now brought out a soft cup version of the deco, and it comes in a 28 band. It might seem like a soft cup won’t give you that stunning cleavage that the deco is so well-known for, but check out their model wearing the Nude version. There’s plenty of cleavage there, and she mentioned it was one of her favourites to model.

Freya Active:

Freya Active – Underwired Sports Bra – Black Samba

Freya Active – Performance Wear – Sports Top and Capri Pant

As well as their ever popular sports bra, Freya Active have brought out their own Performance Wear now too. It uses a special polygiene technology that keeps the clothing odour free!

Freya Swim:

Freya Active Swim – Soft Suit – Ultramarine

Freya Swim

Freya Swim – Phoenix

The Phoenix was my favourite of the bikinis, the colours just look fabulous together, not to mention there is a matching kaftan.

Freya Swim – Kansas

Kansas is the perfect name for this style; it looks like Dorothy packed up her things and went on a tornado-free beach vacation!

Freya Lounge:

Freya Lounge Wear

Freya Lounge – Marina – Long Sleeve Top & Pant

Freya Lounge – Piper – Cami Top & Short

Fantasie:

Fantasie – Josephine

Fantasie – Susanna Basque

I adored this new Susanna Basque from Fantasie. It is an absolutely beautiful design with a sexy black lace overlay.

Fantasie Swim:

Fantasie Swim – Mauritius

This Mauritius set is especially versatile because it has all sorts of mix and match bikini briefs/tops/tankinis to go with it – both in black or the lovely bold dot print. It also has a sheer black (with dot print sleeves) matching Kaftan.

Fantasie Swim – Costa Rica

Fantasie Swim – St Lucia (left) and Trinidad (right)

Fauve:

Fauve

Fauve – Marla

Fauve – Coco

Fauve – Evangeline

The Evangeline set looked wonderful – the red and nude lace together works beautifully. It comes in both a padded half cup, and a moulded plunge bra too.

Fauve – Emmanuelle

Fauve – Sabine

Fauve – Marla

Fauve – Veronique

Fauve Lounge – Genevieve

A sexy lounge set from Fauve!

Elomi:

Elomi – Maggie Babydoll

Elomi – Maggie

Elomi – Valentina

Elomi – Paloma

Elomi – Briony

The pinks in the Briony are just lovely.

Elomi – Betty

Elomi Swim – Fiora

Huit 8:

Huit 8

Huit 8 formerly only catered up to a DD cup, they have now expanded their size range to an E. Here’s hoping that in the not too distant future they reach to G, and maybe even all the way to K! We can dream anyway .

Huit 8

Huit 8 – Equivoque

Huit 8 – Rumeur

Huit 8 – Rumeur

Huit 8 Swim:

Huit 8 Swim

Huit 8 Swim – Pepsy Pretty

Huit 8 Swim – Tropic Toffy

I am very excited about the upcoming collections, and impressed with everything on display. Freya do offer a little more than the other brands, but I loved the new Fantasie and Fauve lingerie too. Elomi caters specifically for the fuller figure which makes them both popular and unique, whereas Huit 8 is a timeless French style usually more suited to a slimmer figure.
It was also great to see that Freya are expanding their Active range even further, especially with the olympics coming up, it’s bound to be a big hit. It was a pleasure to meet the team behind the brands, (and they looked after us so well, I was especially fond of the cake!) and great to catch up with fellow bloggers; Fuller Figure Fuller Bust, Undercover Lingerista, Curvy Wordy and Lily Bo Bombs I’m sure we will all be saving our pennies to purchase some of this lovely lingerie later this year.

Love

Sophia xxx

The Bra that Changed my Life: Flirtelle Sublime

As some of you may know, the lovely Kitty from Undercover Lingerista is holding a competition for the one year anniversary of her lingerie blog, and what a competition it is too. To enter, you need to write a blog post about the bra that changed you life. As soon as I heard about the competition, I thought about which bra really had changed my life.

It didn’t come to me straight away. I sat for a little while with a cup of tea and pondered the many bras I own. I sifted through my underwear drawer considering what each bra had done for me, what it had meant. My first thoughts were of my fabulous trusty deco bras, useful and brilliant for pretty much any occasion, but useful wasn’t quite what I was looking for.

The Sublime Bra

I thought back to the girl I was before I entered Star in a Bra last year, before I started writing this blog, before I knew what a well-fitting bra even looked like. There was only one bra that stood out in my mind like a beacon. Only one that despite not being my size anymore, I have still kept; the one I cannot bring myself to give away. As soon as I realised this I raced to go and dig it out…but alas, it was nowhere to be found. My heart absolutely sank, I couldn’t believe that I could not find it. My little moment of grief over the lost bra really showed me how important it was.

I did eventually find it; the Flirtelle Sublime bra – oh how I love you.
Of course I do have this bra in two other colours and sizes, because it is a staple in my wardrobe, and I would be lost without a version of it that didn’t fit.

Now let me tell you my story of the Sublime.

Flirtelle Sublime – Brastop

After joining a wonderful and private women’s group on facebook (about bras and clothes for a bigger bust), it was quickly pointed out by some very insightful women that I was wearing the wrong sized bra. I listened to everything these women told me, their suggestions of sizes and styles, of colours and brands – they convinced me to take a leap out of my comfort zone, and try a completely different size.
Being nervous of fitters and usually overwhelmed by lingerie shops, I decided to buy online, and bought three different sizes in the hopes that at least one would fit.

When they arrived, two of them were a bit hit-and-miss, but the one that fitted perfectly was the trusty and beautiful Sublime bra. Up until this point, I had never ever owned an unpadded bra before. Those of you who know about bras will understand that if you don’t know your correct size, it’s almost impossible to squeeze yourself into an ill-fitting unpadded, but very easy to squeeze into a padded bra, no matter what the terrible sizing.

I could not believe my eyes when I saw how well a bra could fit. The shape, the style, the COMFORT! The size was a 32FF and I had been wearing mainly 34 DD’s and E’s. I was so overwhelmed, that I didn’t take it off for the whole day. From then on, it was my go to bra. It’s a great everyday bra for work, it’s very comfy to lounge around the house it, and it looks cute too.

The first picture I took of the Flirtelle Sublime bra

After a quick rummage through my old photos, I stumbled upon the first picture I took of it; taken about 5 minutes after trying it on. I look at this picture, and still remember that elated feeling of happiness and relief at finally feeling like there were bras out there to fit me. I knew very little about bra sizes before this, especially when it came to my own body. I am still ever so grateful to the women of PAC (you know who you are) for pointing me in the right direction.

I don’t think any woman should feel daunted by the prospect of a bra fitting, but so many do, and I remember that feeling well. It has taken me a long time to get over that fear, but now that I’m on the otherside, I can see how important a proper fitting is, which in fact, was why I started this blog in the first place.

From wearing badly fitting bras and clothes, and feeling hopeless, to great fitting bras and feeling confident! Here are a few pictures to illustrate my bra-fitting journey.

Bra disaster – Uncomfortable – Perfect Fit – Comfortable

About 10 months or so after I discovered the Sublime, I wore it again to take some photos of the whole set. I realised that this bra I had worn and loved so much was getting really small for me, and it was probably time buy it in a new size.

Flirtelle Sublime Set – Chocolate

Just for fun I tried it on today when I finally found it…well I guess now it makes a good example of what a too-small bra looks like!

Sublime – Chocolate – 32FF

I have a black version in a 30GG, which is my current size, and fits perfectly. It is a really sturdy supportive bra, and I highly recommend it (in addition to the fact that I love it regardless).

Sublime – Black – 30GG

I also have a white Sublime in a 30H from when I got a little bit bigger. It’s too big for me now as you can tell, but I keep it just in case.

Sublime – White – 30H

I will probably love this bra forever, for helping me become the woman I am today. The Sublime bra not only showed me the way forward, but has been with me through everything since. I know some people will say “it’s just a bra” but it’s more than just a bra to me; it’s a symbol of how far I’ve come. It was the making of the ‘me’ I am now.
I think that also means it’s time for me to give it away, to a better home than I can give it, and who knows, maybe it will help someone else as much as it has helped me.

If you have any bras you want to give away, remember you can donate them to one of Against Breast Cancer’s Bra Banks.

I really look forward to hearing about the other bras that have changed people’s lives!

Love

Sophia xxx

PL Malachit vs. Ashlee Sorbet

I don’t often wear padded plunge bras because I feel more comfortable at work in my unpadded ‘comfy’ bras. However, on a night out, a plunge bra is often called for.

On the whole, I loyally stick to my collection of deco bras (of which I have many). They are trustworthy, effective, and I know I won’t develop uncomfortable bra pain half way through the evening.

Over the past 6 months or so, I have branched out and tried bras from Polish lingerie company Ewa Michalak – as of yet, I have not been disappointed with their products. Recently I bought the PL Malachit bra from Ewa, and around the same time, tried on the new Ashlee Sorbet Deco bra from Freya.

In style, they are not that similar, but in function, they most definitely are. They both seek to enhance cleavage, they look gorgeous, and they are solid supportive staple bras in any woman’s collection.

PL Malachit – 70G (32G)

I read a great review of the PL Malachit, and was immediately inclined to purchase one myself. It is a beautiful teal colour, and has padded inserts that can be used to correct asymmetry.

It really is a very uplifting bra, I didn’t find myself needing to readjust, and it gave me more cleavage than even my decos. The band runs tight – I got this in a 70G (32G) but I felt even this size was tight on me. The cup was pretty much perfect size. With the inserts in there was a little overspill, but fit perfectly when I took them out.

PL Malachit – 70G (32G)

One of the things I find most surprising, is that the lace and material doesn’t really show much under my stretchy tops. I mean fair enough you don’t get the absolutely flawless seamless moulded deco bra effect, but it looks great nonetheless.

The Malachit, is, without a doubt, my new favourite ‘night out’ bra.

I was very excited to try the Ashlee Sorbet Deco, because the colour looks like candy, ice cream and summer holidays all rolled in to one; I’m not surprised they named it Sorbet.

Freya Ashlee Deco – Sorbet

It did not disappoint me. I actually found it smaller in the cup than the standard deco (much the same as Freya’s Carly bra was) but the band seemed the same as usual. Here I’m trying on a 32G, as they didn’t have a 30GG in store – it fit wonderfully anyway.

Freya Ashlee Deco – Sorbet – 32G

It gives great cleavage, and I would definitely recommend it, as I always do with a deco. But, with a choice between the two bras, I went for the PL Malachit. If only they had the Malachit in Sorbet, now that would be stunning!

Love

Sophia xxx

The Pink Bra Challenge

As you may remember from my previous blog posts, I have been wearing a pink bra everyday throughout October 2011 (Breast Cancer Awareness month), to help raise money for Breast Cancer Care.
Today, Halloween, is the last day of the pink bra challenge, and I will shortly reveal which bra I chose as my favourite for the final day – which was actually a very tough choice.
But first, as promised, I will give a review of every bra I wore. The total number of bras amounted to 15, which excluding today, equates to each bra being worn twice during the month. I only owned two pink bras beforehand, and through scouring the internet, and from the help of some very generous companies solidly supporting the cause, (thank you Panache and Lembrassa!) I now have a much wider selection to review for you all. If you haven’t already shopped with Lembrassa, you should definitely go and check out their store; fabulous bargains to be had.

I have already reviewed the Curvy Kate Princess and the Panache Cleo Lucy in a previous post, but I will add the reviews on here amongst the others anyway. The reviews are posted in no particular order, and go from left to right.

First up we have:

Think Pink!

Curvy Kate Princess 32G – I found the Princess slightly tighter than some of their other unpadded styles (such as the Emily) so the 32 I have is just about right for me. I’ve always loved the pretty details on the cup, Curvy Kate certainly do a great job of making their underwear beautiful to look at; the embroidery is stunning. I’d give it a comfort level of 7/10.

Panache Tango Plunge 30GG – This is a very comfortable everyday bra. The 30 band is a bit too tight on me, but I’m sure after a bit of wear it will loosen up – it’s definitely tighter than Panache’s Cleo range. The Tango is undoubtedly a staple bra in many a busty girls’ wardrobe, it’s a well-loved favourite. Comfort I’d give it 7/10 (probably 8/10 once the band loosens up).

and

Panache Cleo Lucy 32G/30GG – The Cleo Lucy was a bra I already owned in a 32G, however, I got the chance to try out a 30GG which was a much more comfortable fit. Panache’s Cleo range does tend to be slightly looser in the band than their Superbra range, which is nice for me as it means a 30 is the perfect fit. It is a beautiful style and very comfortable. 8/10 for comfort.

Next up, we have:

Think Pink!

Freya Deco Lupin 30G – The Deco is one of my all time favourites of course. I do love the padded plunge style for a night out, but it’s probably not an everyday bra for me, even though it is for some. As I may have mentioned before, they run loose in the band and big in the cup. I bought this Lupin version in a 30G, and it was a perfect fit, although loosens quickly. The Lupin is an older style of the deco that I had never managed to get my hands on before, but luckily I found one in my size on ebay. Comfort level, 8/10.

Fantasie Evie Balcony 30GG – I love love LOVE this bra. It’s just SO comfortable. It’s made of a sort of mesh-like material, and the fit of this 30GG is just perfect. It very slightly gapes on my smaller breast, but not enough to cause any problems. Fantasie, like Freya often run slightly looser in the bands. I had a lovely fantasie bra a while back which I sadly had to give away because the 32 band was just way too loose after a month, however, I wasn’t so familiar with the brand sizes at that point in time. Comfort I’d give 9/10, verging on 10/10!

and

Keia Annette 30GG – This is both a bra and a brand I have never tried before, so sadly my size was a guess for this, and unfortunately I got it wrong. The 30 band was so tight I had to use a bra extender just to get it on. The cups would’ve been fine, but the straps were only partially adjustable (more like only 1/4 actually), which is usually fine for me, but it just didn’t work at all with this bra. I needed far more lift for it to fit properly. The one redeeming feature, is that is is very pretty; lovely embroidery. Comfort 3/10, with the correct back size probably only 5/10 because of the strap issue.

Following on from those bras, we have:

Think Pink!

Curvy Kate Thrill Me 28HH – This is an older version of the immensely popular Curvy Kate Thrill Me, which I managed to pick up in an odd size. As the Thrill Me is a little loose in the band and small in the cup, I usually wear it in a 30H, but this was the only pink one I could find, and it was a 28HH – amazingly it fits very well, tighter in the band than I’m used to, but lovely all the same. I usually don’t like pink and orange mixed together, but this bra does look very beautiful, as their Showgirl range often does. As much as I love them, even in the 30H I have never found them very comfortable, but definitely wearable. I’d give it a 6/10 for comfort as it’s more of a bedroom set.

Caprice Primavera Plunge 32G – Veering off my regular track, I decided that it would be nice to delve a bit further into the bra world, further than just my tried and tested favourite brands. This is a bra by Caprice. Now, despite her appallingly amateur and badly photoshopped pictures that she uses to advertise them with, I decided that as a larger chested woman perhaps she could make a decent bra. Wrong. The one good thing I have to say about this bra is that is looks beautiful. The pretty pinks and satiny bits look lovely which gave me high hopes…until I put it on. It has padding in the lining, non-removable padding that is sewn in meaning it’s part of the cup. That made this G far too small, and I got the dreaded ‘four-boob’ syndrome with the cups. The back was 32 which was tight and felt like a 30, so that was fine. Generally not for me, but I’m glad I’ve tried it – it may work well for a smaller size. Comfort, 5/10.

and

M&S Per Una 32G – A surprisingly comfortable and nicely cut bra; the cups are cut quite low and wide, which is unusual but not in a bad way. It fits well in a 32G, which makes sense as I have heard M&S styles tend to be on the tight side. Although the bra is quite plain to look at, I think it’s value is in being an everyday bra. I would possibly consider buying some of their ‘per una’ range again, but so far this is my first experience with it. Comfort 7/10.

The next three:

Think Pink!

Panache Melody Balconette 30GG – Strangely even though the Melody is part of their Superbra range, I found the 30 to be as comfortable as the Cleo range. I really loved this bra; it’s very soft and silky and feels very nice on. After this photo was taken I adjusted the straps when I got to work and it fit even better. Definitely a favourite, comfort level 9/10.

Ann Summers Lamora 32G – While this is a very nice looking bra, I didn’t find it particularly comfortable. Ann Summers don’t seem to go below a 32 band, and this 32 was sadly too loose. Not only that, but the cups felt small, and the centre gore of the bra wasn’t sitting flat – G however is the largest cup size they make. A good idea in theory, but I think we all know Ann Summers really need to expand their sizes, vastly. Comfort 5/10.

and

Panache Cleo Bonnie 30GG – The first thing I noticed about the Bonnie bra, was the lovely pattern. It is very beautifully embroidered with lots of different coloured detail. I was really sad when this bra didn’t quite work for my shape. As with all the Panache Cleo styles, it fit just right for me in a 30GG. However, a mixture between where the seam lies between the top and bottom of the cup, and the type of material used, meant that the seam was too tight across the breast, causing a line in the middle under clothes. It’s important to remember this is probably more to do with my shape than the bra, because it really is a very lovely bra, and I was very sad that it didn’t quite work for me. Comfort 7/10.

Last but not least, the final three:

Think Pink!

Gossard Candy Camouflage 32G – Unfortunately I always ALWAYS fail with Gossard bras. It doesn’t stop me trying again on occasion, but so far, never any luck. This is a 32G; the band is far too loose, the cup is far too big, or actually ‘long’ (that’s how it feels) but yet the centre gore doesn’t lie flat (usually an indication of a small cup). In my opinion this style is really badly designed, and I don’t really know who it would work for – I would try it in a 30GG, but I’m not really convinced that would be any better. Comfort 4/10.

Freya Jolie 28H – As is very common with Freya bras, this band runs loose, so I got this in a 28H as it runs (in my opinion) even looser than the majority of their bra bands. That being said, I LOVE the Jolie bra. The cup is very comfy in this size, but as I’m fuller on the bottom than top there is a slight dimpling in the top of the cup, but not enough to cause discomfort. In fact, it’s so comfortable I can wear it all day long without any problems. Also, while I love the split cup pattern that most DD+ bras have, it has become increasingly hard to find an unpadded bra with the same pretty pattern over the entire cup, like the Jolie. Comfort level 9/10.

and

Freya Eloise 30GG – The Eloise reminds me of the Jolie bra, nice shape, comfortable, but again as I’m fuller on the bottom than top, I still get that slight dimpling in the top of the cup. This is a 30GG and it fits very well, although the band is still a tad loose, although not as loose as the 30 band Jolie was! I really love the pattern, it’s cute and girly, and really made me want to wear it. It’s also feels very nice on, comfort level 8/10.

So there you have it, 15 pink bras with 15 reviews…but which was my favourite? Well, to be honest I had 3 favourites, but I picked one in particular to wear for my last pink day, on Halloween.

The Panache Melody was my first choice for today, closely followed by my second; the Fantasie Evie, and my third; the Freya Jolie.
I would recommend Panache as a brand very highly, they really care about their customers and make some really fabulous lingerie as you can see.

I have loved doing this and being able to support Breast Cancer Care. I do hope more people will still donate to the cause; my Just Giving page can be found here: Donations Welcome.
Just because Breast Cancer Awareness month has come to an end, doesn’t mean they don’t still need your support. Think Pink, and don’t forget to Coppafeel every month. Here is my Coppafeel t-shirt, which as well as reminding me to check, I also love for lounging around in!

Coppafeel T-Shirt

Love

Sophia xxx

P.S I’m looking forward to a change of bra colour tomorrow!

All the pink bras that were given/donated to be used in the Pink Bra Challenge were donated to Breast Cancer charities.

All images used: © Sophia Jenner

My Search for a Nieve that Fits

I have long been a fan of Freya and their beautiful selection of bras, so when I heard about the new Nieve bra, I could barely control my excitement!
It has a beautiful floral pattern which is both feminine and sexy, and there was a longline version – it sounded too good to be true…
I’d been waiting with baited breath for them to arrive in stores. Leia lingerie was my first choice to purchase the Nieve bra from, as they have always been both friendly and reliable, not to mention they come highly recommended by my good friend and fellow blogger Georgina Horne.

Freya Nieve Bra

Sadly, the longline Nieve bra (which was my favourite of the two) starts at a 30 band, and only goes up to a G cup. This is no good for me, as I usually wear 30GG in Freya, and occasionally 30H. So, I went for my second choice, the balcony Nieve unpadded – this version both starts at a 28 back, and goes up to a K cup.

A few days later, I was overjoyed to see the package waiting for me after work, but my happiness was short lived.

Freya Nieve Balcony Version - 30GG

I am of course used to Freya bras being slightly looser in the band than other brands, but I found this bra to be the loosest 30 band I have ever tried. It felt like a 34 band – even on the tightest hook I could pull it at least an inch away from my chest. Not only that, but I really felt the shape of the bra let me down, it both separated and barely gave any lift, so unfortunately I sent it back, and didn’t bother exchanging for a 28.

I was really quite miffed about all of this, and I felt cheated out of the beautiful supportive longline version of the Nieve that I had been dreaming about purchasing for so long. I decided that I would buy one anyway, just to at least try it and see what I was missing.

Nieve Longline Bra

Leia speedily sent me the longline bra in a 30G, a cup size down from my usual. Well, I have to say, this bra is beautiful! It is the polar opposite of the balcony version. It’s sleek, lightly padded, lifting, and with a very firm supportive band (it has 7 hooks!) I loved it the moment I put it on. Not only is it a great bra, but it looks a little like a crop top too. I felt it could even be worn under a loose shirt, so long as you don’t mind a bit of cleavage!

Freya Nieve Longline Version - 30G

Of course, the only blindingly obvious downside, is that it was too small in the cup for me, if ONLY I could have it a cup size up, then I wouldn’t have breast tissue bursting over the top and out the sides.

So why is it that Freya can make such a stunning bra, yet leave us bigger busted girls with a useless unsupportive balcony version? Well, I headed straight over to Freya’s facebook page to ask them for myself.

Before I even wrote anything, I was quite surprised to note that the model in their profile picture, was in fact wearing the balconette Nieve, and I can safely say it didn’t look anything like that on me! Not only that, but this model is at the very most a 28 band girl – there is no way it could have fitted her or given the support she appears to have in the photo.

Freya Fan Page Profile Photo

Here is what I asked Freya on their page:

“Dear Freya, I’m a 30GG and have been in love with the Nieve bra long before it was available. First I tried the balcony version in 30GG, and I couldn’t believe how loose the band was, it felt like a 34! Just for the hell of it I decided to try the longline version in a 30G – it is a stunning bra, with a much more realistic fit than the balcony version. Of course, it is too small for me, so I’m debating whether or not to keep it. Can you please tell me why the longline bra starts only at 30, and doesn’t go above a G cup? It’s such a shame for bigger busted or smaller-backed girls.”

Here is Freya’s reply:

“Hi Sophia, I am glad that you love Nieve. Regrading the sizes, the Freya design team found that the longline doesn’t give enough support above a G cup as the cups are based on our padded half cup shape so less covering than a balcony bra. Freya are always working on extending size ranges and collections. Love Freya”

However, they neglected to respond to my query about a smaller band size.

Following that, another girl commented on my post asking this:

“Will you perhaps be getting the Nieve longline bra in 28 sizes? I simply adored the style when I saw it online, but saw you only start from a 30. Is there a reason why you can’t make the longline in a 28? Would you perhaps consider making the style in that size?”

Again, Freya neglected to respond to her.

I have received an explanation now for why they don’t go above a G cup in the longline bra, but I’m not really satisfied with the answer. If the ‘design team’ found it doesn’t give enough support, then why haven’t they created one that does? Why not have another version of a longline bra specifically made for G cup and over? And why do they imply all G+ bras have to be balcony style? I have plenty of GG-H bras from Ewa Michalak in the half cup style!

In this day and age, with women continually finding out their correct bra size, and realising they need something entirely different to what is easily available on the high street, Freya should at least have the decency to give their customers an explanation. If your back size equals a UK size 8 or below, you will most likely need a 28 band or smaller, some need 26 bands or even 24. Not only are there plenty of women around of that size, but teenagers who need them too.
What are we to think when Freya are alienating big cups and small backs, but still using these 28/26 backed models to advertise bras that we know don’t fit them?

Freya have a lot to answer for, especially when other companies are continually advancing and trying to listen to their customer’s wants and needs.

On Panache Lingerie’s facebook page, a girl commented asking if they will be offering size 26 bands in the future.

Panache responded with the following status question for their customers:

“With the focus now being on fuller figure ranges and an increase in back sizes, is there also a need for smaller back sizes as per Izabela’s comment below?”

I was really impressed that they actually listened to one of their customers, then took the initiative to ask the rest of their fans and find out! That’s a sign of a lingerie company that really cares about the products they make, and the customers who buy them.

Hot Weather and Big Bras – Not a Match Made in Heaven…

So we all know that bras can be a pain, even at the best of times, but what do you do when the thermometer suddenly rises into new uncharted realms of heat? You start to resent all those pretty new bras you just splashed out on, and consider leaving them behind in the drawer.

For the bigger busted girl, this is less of an option. A lack of support can lead to some serious breast swinging action, usually taking someone’s eye out in the process…often your own.

I thought I’d tell you how I have partially managed to deal with this issue. It’s not something that can ever really go away completely, but there are definitely ways to make your life a little more bearable.
If the weather has suddenly taken a very warm turn, and perhaps it’s a work day and an M&S Secret Support top just won’t do, here are a few tips that have helped me.

First of all, if you can, pick some bras with a high cotton content. I find that gives my skin a little more room to breathe and cool down in the heat. The wonderfully sexy Showgirl  Range by Curvy Kate has a 100% cotton lining, so they are a great padded bra option for a hot summer day. As for unpaddeds, Fantasie Lingerie do some lovely cotton mix bras; their Anna and Gabrielle ranges are especially popular.

 

A good idea is to put on some light moisturiser before you get dressed in the morning. Nothing thick and heavy, just something thin and cooling. My personal favourite at the moment is Garnier Body Tonic Hydrating Firming lotion. It’s fairly inexpensive, easy to get hold of from any Boots or Superdrug, and smells wonderfully fresh and lemony.

Garnier Body Tonic Hydrating Firming Lotion

Putting this light layer of moisturiser on eases your warm skin, and makes putting on your bra that little bit easier. It also means your bra shouldn’t rub or irritate you quite as much throughout the day.
I would also recommend making sure your bra band is nice and tight – this may sound odd when it’s hot and you want loose clothing, but being more supportive it won’t get the chance to wiggle around too much or cause you unnecessary irritation.

Another option, is to wear a strapless bra. A badly fitting strapless can be really uncomfortable – before I was fitted, I avoided them like the plague, but nowadays I have a lovely Freya Deco strapless, that works really well for me in the heat. I wouldn’t say that the deco bras are actually best type of material to wear during hot weather, but for me it does the job, and I do find that my chest feels a lot cooler in a strapless. Another strapless I have been recommended numerous times (but haven’t had the chance to try it yet) is Ewa Michalak’s Czarny.

Freya Deco Strapless and Ewa Michalak Czarny Strapless

Ewa Michalak is a great Polish lingerie company that I was recently introduced to. Their bras are so soft and light, and a lot of them are made using cotton in the lining, and thin soft materials (even in their padded bras) so I barely ever notice I am even wearing anything with them. I currently only own two, but I will definitely be ordering more in the future.

Ewa Michalak CH Toffik and PL Black

Above on the left is the CH Toffik bra; a padded balcony half cup, with a very vintage look which I love. It’s really comfortable, and the band is really supportive (slightly on the tight side, but not in a bad way for me personally).
On the right, is Ewa’s PL Black. A really lovely plunge bra. I was again surprised at how soft the cups were, and almost thought it wouldn’t be supportive enough. Another tight band, but as I measure 30-31 underbust and this is a 32 back band, it seems to work for me.

Cheryl over at Invest in your Chest has written a great review of lots more of their bras, including the aforementioned very popular Czarny strapless bra, so you may find some more useful information there.
Also, Brittany from Thin and Curvy has finally found, in Ewa Michalak, a company that can make her the 26 bands she’s been looking for; her review is definitely worth a read.

If you do decide to order from Ewa, don’t be put off by the site being in a foreign language. There is a UK flag at the top, which if you click, will translate the majority of the site for you, and each bra costs between £20-£30. You can check the conversion of ZLs into £s on google if you are unsure. The check out is with paypal, so again, it’s pretty secure.

A Bravissimo Racer Back top and Cami Top

Last but not least, if you have more of a choice in what clothing you can wear each day, I would really recommend the Bravissimo cami tops and racer back tops. They have built in supportive bras, and a set of hooks underneath so you can adjust it the same way you would with a regular bra. Because the bra is built into the top, the feeling of wearing one mostly disappears – I personally feel a lot more free in them, and consequentially have no concerns about my bra showing or irritating me while I’m at work. They come in all sorts of sizes and styles, but the cups do run large.

Bravissimo Grey Cami Top with Built-in Bra

This Bravissimo cami (above) is a size 32FF which is actually a size smaller than my regular, but it still feels like a 32G or even 32GG. If you can’t afford to buy one directly from Bravissimo, they do crop up quite often on ebay, so it’s worth having a browse every now and then, just in case.

A few last minute slightly more obvious tips are: drink lots of water to keep you cool, wear unpadded bras when you can (as they are generally much lighter/thinner), and wear clothes made of cotton and linen as often as you can, as this lets your skin breathe and deal with the heat more effectively.

I hope this helps, and if you have any keep-cool tips of your own, feel free to comment below!

Love

Sophia xxx

Christina Hendricks – Bra Size Controversy

I have so much to say about the lovely Christina Hendricks, it’s hard to know where to start.

First of all, it’s important to say that I personally think she is a stunning, elegant and very talented woman. She rocks what she’s got like no one I have ever seen. Half the world has gone Christina mad, the other half seem to dislike her purely because she flaunts her curves – not sure I understand how that can be a bad thing, but anyway.

She has always been someone I admire, especially because I can be insecure about my own curves. Far less now than I used to be, but I think it’s a difficulty that a lot of women face.

The one thing that irritates me no end however, is the topic of Christina’s bra size. There are all sorts of apparent ‘facts’ circulating about her being something like a 36DD or a 38DDD (in the UK, DDD is not a real cup size). If she really measured 38 underbust, that would makes her a UK size 16-18 – something she is most definitely not. If I was going to guess, I would say she is probably a 32H or HH – or something along those lines. I often see her practically bursting out of her outfits, and it makes me think she has a lot of difficulty finding both bras and clothes to cover her bust.

Christina Hendricks

Sometimes it becomes more obvious that a bra just doesn’t cover her assets, and she’s gone for something in the wrong size. Of course she still looks gorgeous, but it does appear she might burst out of those dresses any second.

The sides of Christina’s breasts are not being fully encased by her bra.

Even more disappointing, is how companies using her in their advertising campaigns, also cannot seem put her in the correct size. Here are a couple of shots from magazine shoots with Christina. Below on the left, the cup is clearly miles too small for her, and you can see the underwire is actually sitting on the breast tissue. On the right, the centre gore of the basque is not remotely flat, and is being pushed out because the cups are again, too small.

Christina modelling in badly fitting underwear.

It is made more difficult to guess her size because unfortunately, I have noticed, she often wears a bra that is at least a few cup sizes too small, pushing her breasts up much more than her correct bra size would. This fact was actually pointed out to me by fellow blogger Brittany from Thin and Curvy.
We have both decided to test this theory out ourselves…and show you the results!

Wearing a ‘DD’ – four/five cup sizes too small.

Above I am wearing a DD – a size which some lingerie companies (who incorrectly use the ‘plus 4′ band method) actually recommend I wear.
You can clearly see that it is miles too small for me – but I do have the ‘Christina Cleavage’ effect.

Wearing the correct bra size ‘G’

For a fair comparison, I have used a deco bra, (which is good if you want to show a little cleavage anyway). This is in my correct size, and you can see that the amount of cleavage on show is far more toned down and appropriate – I say appropriate, but in real life I would probably wear a top underneath for modesty!

Brittany wearing a ‘DD’ – five/six sizes too small

Above, Brittany who normally wears a 26HH, tried on a size 30DD – this is apparently her ‘correct’ size according to Victoria Secret’s online bra calculator. Here is what she had to say on the subject:

“I had bought this Fantasie 30DD bra because it was on sale and I thought it might fit my little sister. It occurred to me that it is the same size that I would be according to Victoria’s Secret’s method of measuring that they have on their website, so I decided to try it on just for fun to see how awful it would be. It was just as bad as I expected, but what struck me about it once I had it on, is how much my cleavage looked like Christina Hendricks!
I have often wondered how she achieves such massive cleavage, since I have pretty full, close set breasts and mine never look like hers even with the best plunge bras. Now I know how she does it. Of course, this bra looked horrible from the side and cut into my breasts painfully. I feel very sorry for her, and anyone who goes around wearing such a badly fitting bra.”

What makes the ‘too-small’ bra idea even more bizarre, is that obviously on the set of ‘Mad Men’ (which I love by the way) Ms. Hendricks has clearly been fitted into proper garments of the correct size. Now fair enough, I don’t know what sizing method they use, perhaps it’s vintage sizing which would probably render us even more confused, but you’d think she might have been given a little information about sizing.

Joan Holloway – Mad Men

There is of course, the possibly that Christina is well aware of her correct bra size, and perhaps in her own free time she wears a HH and is perfectly content – I could quite easily imagine that she might put on a smaller size for public appearances, to show off her famous assets. Either way, I wouldn’t judge her for doing that. Why not show them off; she has a truly fabulous figure. I only hope that she really does know her correct size, and spends the majority of her time wearing the right one, otherwise she will end up (if she isn’t already) very uncomfortable and probably in a lot of pain.

Something I discovered today, is that Christina Hendricks plans to bring out her own line of swimwear. Again, it is yet another article stating she is a 36DD, click here to see it. I fail to see how she can design her own range of swimwear for a larger bust, when she isn’t wearing the correct size herself.

There is actually a photograph out there of Christina in a swimming costume that does imply she has a lot difficulty finding her size – a problem a lot of us busty women face. Soon I will be compiling a list of all the best places to shop for large cup bras internationally – hopefully this will help anyone having trouble (the way Christina possibly is) find well-fitting bras too.

I really hope the world can start to understand that a DD isn’t necessarily a big cup size and definitely not the biggest, not to mention that the band measurement must be taken into account.

I measure about 31″ underbust and wear a band size 30 to 32.
Brittany measures 24″ underbust and wears a band size 26 (finding a 26 or a 24 band is a struggle in itself, you can read more about that on her blog).
In my personal opinion, Christina doesn’t look much wider than either of us, in fact she looks to be about my measurements (or smaller) underbust. Does that sound like someone who should be wearing a 36 or 38 band? I don’t think so.

Simply Ill Fitting

It’s taken me quite a while to write this post, because I wanted to place an order with Simply Yours first, so I would be able to talk about their positive aspects as well as their size chart. I haven’t been able to get hold of anything lately due to lack of funds, but whenever I have ordered from Simply Yours in the past, it has always been a pleasure. They are one of my favourite ‘Plus Size’ companies, and the two models I recognise best; Erika Elfwencrona and Laura Catterall, are not only curvy, but simply stunning as well. They are a friendly and helpful company and I would always recommend them.

However, I, as well as many other lingerie bloggers, do take issue with their sizing chart. They recently wrote a blog post which was a reply to queries on their fitting method of adding 4 inches. The post is called ‘Bra Fitting Blog Post Reply’, and you can read it by clicking here.

Simply Yours Sizing Chart

Above is a Simply Yours sizing chart (inside the catalogue) that was posted to me, along with a free measuring tape. They use the outdated method of adding 4 inches on to your underbust measurement to get your correct band size. This actually comes from back in the 50s where the ideal hourglass measurements were 36-24-36, so inches would be added to the band size as ‘vanity sizing’. Not only that, but the materials used in the 50s were much firmer, stiffer and less pliable than they are today – meaning there would be no wiggle room if you did have a size that was too tight. This is no longer the case nowadays; stretchy material is used for everyday bra bands in order to give maximum comfort and support.
I normally measure 31″ underbust, which means according to the Simply Yours size chart, I would be advised to wear a 36 band size. The size I actually wear currently is 32G or 30GG; here I want to demonstrate why that is in fact the correct band size for someone of my measurements, and why I don’t believe that adding 4 inches is appropriate.

Measuring Underbust - Wearing Freya 'Mischa' 32G

Today, as you can see from the picture above, I measure closer to 30″ underbust – this does however vary for me depending on time of day/month, but I generally measure between 30-31″ at all times.
(I also measure 39 over bust, and generally I wear a 32G in most bras, but a tape measure is not always going to be accurate for every person. For example, even if you had those exact same measurements, it’s still possible to be a slightly different cup size, because it really depends how your breasts are shaped as well, and what feels comfortable for you).

First I’m going to demonstrate a 36 band bra (please excuse the blurry first picture).

36F

36F

A 36F equals the same cup volume as a 32G. As you can see, I can easily pull it out more than a handful from my chest, and it is very clear that the bra is not supporting my breasts at all, and frankly, not doing me any favours.

This next bra is a 34FF (again, the same cup volume as a 32G).

34FF

Now, while it’s not as loose as the 36, it’s still not supporting my breasts as much as it should be – 80% of the support comes from your bra band, so it really does need to be tight to keep your breasts properly supported. Otherwise, you will find that the shoulder straps are doing most of the lifting, and you will most likely end up with a lot of pain. Again, I can pull the band away from my chest much more than is necessary, and when I used to wear this bra, it would constantly ride up my back.

Here is a 32G. Almost perfect size.

32G

As you can see, the centre gore is flat against my chest, there is no gaping in the middle, my breasts are properly supported AND lifted, and the back does not ride up.  The back band looks almost spot on.
In reality, I am wearing this bra on the tightest hook, as is often the case if you are an intbetween size (like my 31″), then you never know whether you will need a 30 or a 32, and in this case, 30 would’ve been a better fit – particularly as I measure 30″ today rather than the usual 31″.
The reason for this, is that you should always start wearing you bra on the loosest hook. Over time they will stretch with wear, so you will need to tighten it up by moving on to the furthest hooks. This way your bra will last much longer, and who doesn’t want that?!

Just for comparison, here is my 30G Carly Deco bra.

Freya 'Carly' - 30G

The deco bras do come up smaller in the band and cup than other Freya bras, which is why I chose a 30 rather than 32, and a G rather than a GG. Although, as I say, all my bras are a mixture between 30 and 32 because really it depends on the brand, and what feels comfortable for you.
As you can see, I can still fit the recommended two fingers perfectly under my bra band – this is how you know you’re wearing the correct fitting bra, (and NOT by being able to pull the band 2 inches from your ribcage as Simply Yours suggests – that would be too loose).

What surprises me most about the Simply Yours size chart, is that they say it is a general guide. But why make it TWO sizes (4 inches) above your underbust measurement? Surely just one will suffice as a guide?
Their answer is that “the underband numbers don’t directly relate to your body measurement” – so I decided to test this. Now bear with me…

Freya 'Arabella' 32 - Band Measurement

Here I measured my Freya Arabella bra, which is a 32 band (it’s important to note that I only purchased this bra a month ago, so it’s NOT a well worn loose one).
Now lying flat, of course the band doesn’t measure 32 inches, because the band is made of stretchy material in order to support your breasts. Upon stretching it out, you can see it does in fact measure 32. Might I also add, that to take this picture and attempt to stretch the bra, I was using my knee and right hand, which means the bra wasn’t even stretched out as much as it could be – this particular bra probably stretches to at least 33, or 34 inches. This makes the point made by Simply Yours, null and void in my opinion.

Too many women in the world are known to be wearing a band size too big for them, in the fight to stop this, Simply Yours are not doing their part. If I were clueless about band sizes, and looked at their chart, I would still be walking around in a bra two band sizes too big. What they fail to remember, is that as a well known professional and popular company, women will believe what they have to say; I know two years ago I would have.

In any case, it is important to add that I am only criticising their fitting methods, not Simply Yours in general. I do value them as a company, and continue to be a loyal customer.

If you want to be fitted correctly, and don’t fancy the idea of trying it yourself, my recommendation would be to book a bra fitting at a Bravissimo store – they always do a great job.

For more opinions on why not to add 4 inches, check out the lovely Georgina Horne’s fitting video here.
Not to mention, Becky Williams at Bust’s for Justice post about it here.
And, last but not least, Cheryl Warner at Invest in your Chest here.

Love

Sophia xxx