A Review of the Freya Adelphi

Today we have a special guest post from That Bra Does Not Fit Her. She normally wears a size 28FF/G and this is her review of the Freya Adelphi bikini – just in time for summer!

When I first started looking at full-bust swimsuits last Christmas, I immediately fell in love with the Freya Adelphi.
The print is adorable: ferns, poppies, and other tiny flowers and leaves along with unique colors. When it went on sale at ASOS, I decided that I needed to have it! Unfortunately, there was only a 32F left in stock—I normally need a 28FF/28G, but I figured I would just alter the band, since it was just a triangle bikini top. I got the tie bottoms to match, and it was on its way!

It actually was a pretty good fit, even with the large band and cups. I don’t think this is a reflection of the top running small, rather of the flexibility in sizing for the triangle tops. I can tell that it’s a little big in some places, but the fit doesn’t bother me:

If I could have gotten my usual size of 28FF or 30F, I think this would’ve fit better. However, I am happy with the fit and I wear this swimsuit all the time, even though I still haven’t gotten around to altering it. It gives a pretty good shape even though it’s a triangle top with no underwires. It’s not super rounded, but it’s not pointy either (and I’m usually pretty picky about “pointy” shapes!) I’ll also make a note here that my breast shape is primarily shallow and full-on-top, so my biggest fit problem is usually bras cutting in on top and wrinkling at the apex. I’m not sure if I would get quadraboob in a smaller size, because here the apex is rather empty, even though the top fits well. I think that, again, this type of top is fairly flexible in size and shape.

The only thing I wasn’t thrilled about was the tie bottoms: they were fairly high-waisted compared to my usual cheap Target bottoms (which was nice), but very narrow. This created a sort of strange, tall, inverted triangle look, and were revealing in a way I’m not used to. It sort of made my butt look taller, which might be someone else’s cup of tea, but not mine. I’ve noticed that this is a common shape for Freya swimsuit bottoms, but I’m not sure if the other style would have been better. I wonder if it’s a shape that appeals to people who are a bit older than me, and is just different than I’m used to. I ended up swapping the bottoms out for a pair of white American Apparel swimsuit bottoms that I got on sale.
If I ever get around to my list of alterations, I may use the fabric from the bottoms to make the bottoms match better, but for now it’s fine for me!

There are also some cute little metal “beads” on the end of the string that say “Freya” on them. I think they’re cute, although I suppose I wish that they were plastic instead of metal, because they get cold and land on my back.

Overall, this is a pretty fantastic swimsuit! I’m personally not a fan of the bottoms, but that may just be my personal preference (I’m picky about how my bum looks!) There are no glaring fit or shape issues, and the top does a good job of supporting my bust. Plus, the print is just lovely. I would keep the top even in a very wrong size because I just love looking at it!

A great review from That Bra Does Not Fit Her. Ahh if only I had the energy to put on a bikini right now

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

Freya – Blog Star Competition Two!

Last year, Freya launched their first Blog Star competition where they searched the nation for new and exciting blogging talent. Well, they’ve done it again!
Freya have launched their second Blog Star competition, and you could be in with a chance to join their blog panel, and contribute to their ‘fitting talk’.

Freya Blog Star Competition

To enter, all you have to do is pick out your favourite style or styles from their AW12 collection, write a short paragraph on what you like about it and why, and upload a photo to go alongside your description. Freya give an example on the entry page to give you some ideas. You can upload either a mood-board or a photo to back up your thoughts on their collection.

You have until the 15th of July to get your entries in, and the finalists will be announced on the 17th July.

Click here to find more details and to enter the competition.

Good luck girls!

Love

Sophia xxx

Debenhams – Celebrating 10 Years of Gorgeous Lingerie

Gorgeous Lingerie 10th Anniversary

The Debenhams Gorgeous range of lingerie is something that often gets overlooked. While we bigger busted girls run straight to Panache and Freya, we forget that actually there are some really lovely (and purse-friendly) other options available. Gorgeous do cater for the bigger bust, and I am impressed with their range of sizes and styles.

I saw a beautiful bra on their facebook page recently that really caught my eye. It was pink and girly and just overall exceptionally pretty.

Debenhams – Floral Dot Bra

The photo of this bra on their website doesn’t remotely do it justice. It really is a lovely set, and I can see it being very popular.
This particular style only goes up to a G-cup – which is still something considering most high street stores don’t even go that far.
But, don’t give up hope yet, they do have other styles in bigger cup sizes…

Some of the Gorgeous range bestsellers are actually their full-cup bras, and one of the best things about them, is they go all the way to a J-cup!
Don’t be put off by the fact they do not cater for a 28 band; their bands are actually very firm. I probably couldn’t fit into a 30 band in the Gorgeous range – I always find 32 just right.
However, I do hope at some point in the future as they expand, they will delve into the 28-band range – even though their bras are tight-fitting, there are still girls scouring the net for 26 bands.

The first bra I tried was the Gilda pink embroidered mesh full-cup bra.

Debenhams – Pink Embroidered Mesh Bra

It is unpadded and underwired, and has soft satin-like cups with a scalloped mesh trim. The straps are fully adjustable, but they’re also quite firm, so you won’t need to adjust them all that much. As I mentioned before, the band is very firm, so even the 32G was a nice sturdy fit on me. The cups are generous, I prefer to have a bigger cup for my larger side, so I wouldn’t size down, but some may prefer to.

Debenhams – Pink Embroidered Mesh Bra

It is a beautiful dusky pink colour, the shape it gives is perfectly rounded, with none of that tear-drop or pointy-ness that some unpadded bras can cause.

Debenhams – Pink Embroidered Mesh Bra & Brief Set

It comes with lovely matching briefs in the same style, with the satin-like finish on the front, and soft mesh at the back. I got a size 14 and found them pretty true to size, and very comfortable.

I can honestly say, this is one of the more comfortable bra sets I have tried. It is the kind of bra you could wear all day long, and completely forget it’s even there.

The next bra that I tried was the Provence white embroidered mesh full-cup bra.

Debenhams – White Embroidered Mesh Bra

Now while they are a similar style, the white bra has a full mesh cup with embroidered trim, rather than the satin-esque cup of the pink bra. This is just as lovely, especially as the detailing is beautiful, and it feels very cool to wear (which is brilliant for this warm weather we’re having!) The fit is much the same as the pink bra; fully adjustable straps, firm band and generous cups. It is another really comfortable and useful everyday bra.

Debenhams – White Embroidered Mesh Bra

I’m actually very impressed with these two hidden gems, they are going to make my days at work a lot more easy going

My only criticism isn’t about the bras themselves, but rather the fit on their models – on their website there are a lot of arched bands in the photographs, and I do have a little bit of concern regarding what their customers will assume a well-fitting bra looks like. In any case, I cannot fault their fabulous range.

Next time I’m in Debenhams I definitely won’t be racing to the branded section, I’m much more likely to be saving my pennies and checking out what other lingerie the Gorgeous range has to offer!

Click here to check out Georgina’s review of the Gorgeous range on Fuller Figure Fuller Bust.

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

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.

Top Bikini Picks for Summer

During my very short and sweet holiday, away from cloudy England and on to beautiful higher climates, I got a chance to test out my new bikinis.

The First bikini on my list, is the Freya Zodiac. Unfortunately, since I bought it earlier this year, my size has increased, and it is now to small for me. So, the only picture I have to show you, is one I took after I first bought it. Sadly, on holiday I couldn’t bring myself to wear something that was too small (not in front of others anyway!)

Freya 'Zodiac' Bikini

However, I did go for a quick dip in the pool with it very early one morning, while no one else was around. I can safely say that it water tested very well; it didn’t try to slip off and was comfy to swim in. Not only that, but it has a lovely pattern with bunnies and cats on it, which I love. The bikini briefs also have a flap that you can fold down, or pull up to cover your tummy if you so choose. I found it quite true to size, I tend to wear my bikinis in 32 rather than 30, as I don’t want too much squidgy-ness when in public.

The one down side that I find with most Freya bikinis, and in fact, most bikinis in general, is that there is a very limited size choice for briefs. They come in XS, S, M, L and XL. Knowing how unlikely I am to fit into most bikini briefs, I always opt for XL. I can tell you that these are the equivalent of a size 14-16..which is not very big at all for an XL. I really wish companies would expand their swimwear, not only in the brief department, but over G cups as well! I have many frustrated H, J and K cup friends who really struggle to find decent swimwear. Fantasie is one of the few brands that do – good on them!

This however, this is a small downside for a very lovely bikini. I would definitely recommend it.

My next review is for the Pour Moi Azure bikini. As  beautiful as I find it with its striking cobalt colour, and as much as I want to give it a good review, I just can’t. When I first bought this bikini, I found it huge in the cup. I immediately sent it back for a smaller size because it swamped me. On getting the correct size, it was a better fit…in the cup at least. The problem is, the back does not give any support whatsoever. I ordered a 32, which near enough makes no difference, as it is a tie back bikini, and even the 32 didn’t have that much extra tie -up material. No matter how tight I tied the back (and I had help from someone tie-ing it as tight as possible), I could still, every time, manage to pull the front of the band inches from my chest. I took a good look at the design of this bikini, and saw that the tie back straps and the band were separate pieces of fabric feebly stitched together. Because of this join, the back half cannot pull the front half any tighter.

Pour Moi 'Azure' Cobalt - Unsupportive Band

What a shame to have such a huge design flaw in what would otherwise be a fabulous bikini. I went in the sea with this on, swam for about 5 minutes; on my way out, my other half had to run over and adjust me, because everything had already fallen out underneath!

Pour Moi 'Azure' Cobalt

The top appears fine in the picture, before you start to move around or swim in it. If you plan to stay completely still the entire time, then that is the only time I would recommend this bikini.
I really did like having the option of tie-side briefs though, because that can work for so many different sizes. 

Next, is one I wouldn’t normally go for, but I took a risk anyway. A La Senza bikini. Generally I’m not a fan of La Senza bras, their sizing is usually off, and anything above a DD cup appears to be badly designed, or designed by someone who does not have a larger chest. They also incorrectly measured me; never a good sign.

However, I’m more open in terms of their swimwear, and spied a very pretty bikini, the Marbella, which I was pleased to discover came in a GG. I actually really liked it, and even though it had a similar build to the badly designed Azure bikini, because this time it had a clip-up band and not a tie back, it wasn’t a problem. It’s lightly padded which I liked as it gave me a little added support. It was also very uplifting, but without huge amounts of in-your-face cleavage.

La Senza 'Marbella' Bikini

At the time I couldn’t afford the briefs as well, so I made do with a pair of white tie side briefs that I found on ebay for £2. I quite like mixing and matching bikinis, I’m not really a person who tries to match their underwear either, so for me, anything with a complimentary colour will do.

La Senza 'Marbella' Bikini - Ebay Briefs

Last but definitely not least my favourite bikini of all; Freya’s Pier bikini. For a while it only came in red, green and black, all very lovely colours. However, I opted for the new pink pier! I have trouble resisting something sparkly and new to the lingerie/swimwear scene, so I pre-ordered it as soon as I could. It has not let me down. I love the way it’s made; it gives a little bit of cleavage, whilst being very supportive and comfortable. It has a clip back, which is always my preference, and the cutest ruffles on the edge of the bikini top, and on the sides of the bikini briefs. Again, the only downside is that I need to order XL briefs again, and they didn’t have my preferential tie-sides. I actually wore my Slinky Dip bikini bottoms (mentioned in a previous post) with it, just so I could feel a bit more relaxed in the briefs.

Freya 'Pier' Pink

I spent most of my holiday in this bikini, and I found it very comfortable to swim in. Not only that, but because of the wonderful support, I found that even though it lacks padding, when I untied the neck straps and wore it as a bandeau bikini, it worked perfectly!  The one thing I cannot quite understand though, is why Freya can’t make this in bigger sizes. I’ve been looking at the design of it, and it seems more than feasible. I tell you Freya, the sales you would get if you brought this out in something bigger than a GG!

Freya 'Pier' Pink

This is a thoroughly worthy bikini, and a staple swimwear item for any larger cupped woman. If you don’t already own this bikini, you should go get one now!

One other bikini that I tried on in store, and loved, but couldn’t get in my size, is the Freya Waves bikini. It is really bright blue and beautiful, but in store I couldn’t find anything bigger than a G. I felt that bikini ran small as the 32G was so tight on me in the cup; in the correct size, I have no doubt it will be fabulous.

Freya 'Waves' Bikini

Hopefully this will be useful to anyone searching for a good bikini this summer, and if you are looking for some entertaining summer reading, I very much recommend Caitlin Moran’s ‘How to be a Woman’. Beckie over at Busts for Justice recommended it to me, and it had me laughing out loud for a great deal of my holiday!

Love

Sophia xxx

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