The Freya Lacey may not be a new or exciting bra, but it’s definitely a gorgeous one – plain enough to blend in under clothes, but with enough little details to keep her cute and fun! So, when I got the chance to try her out courtesy of Large Cup Lingerie, I clearly had no choice!

Cha, who runs Large Cup Lingerie, was a huge help with sizing. I opted for a 30J in the balcony bra, and, since I wasn’t sure what size I needed in the briefs, Cha very kindly offered to let me try the shorts in both M and L. The set arrived speedily and beautifully wrapped – getting tissue wrapped lingerie in the post is one of my favourite things, it’s like getting a present!

I think it’s safe to say, I really do love this bra! The combination of cream and mocha, the delicate polka dots, the scalloping on the band, the tiny buttons, all such subtle details that turn a basic bra into a beauty! In terms of fit, I found the 30J to be just slightly small in the cups, but from experience, the extra space from a larger cup tends to be lost under my armpits. Also, the central gores on Freya bras often don’t lie flat in larger cup sizes, which can make the cups slightly larger than if the gore tacked properly. So, this considered, I believe a 30J is the best fit in the cups for me. The wire width is also fairly spot on in this size, and could perhaps be just a hair narrower.

New out of the packaging, the fully stretched band measures just over 31 inches, so it runs fairly loose. Not a problem for those on the upper side of a 30 band, but small 30s may need to size down to get the best support. I already need the bra on the tightest hooks, so I’d prefer a 28JJ/K, but sadly this bra only goes to a J cup on a 28 band. On me, it gives a nice, naturally rounded and uplifted profile, which is what I personally favour for everyday wear! The weak wires combined with my close-setness mean it gives a slight cleavage on me, but in lower cup sizes (with firmer wires) it should give more separation.

It has the usual three sets of hooks and eyes, and very wide (over an inch) comfort straps. Not the best choice for a vest top, but, in my opinion, hugely comfortable and supportive. The pattern continues onto the band and the straps, which I am always a fan of – so many manufacturers stop at the side boning! However, it does mean that the straps are only half-adjustable, which may be a problem for some. I did get some slight wrinkling at the bottom of the cups however much I adjusted, so I think that’ll have to go down to a shape issue. The cups are somewhat high-cut compared to some of my other bras, but not unwearably so – just something to keep in mind if you favour low-cut styles!

With approximately 41 inch hips and usually fitting into a size 14, I found the shorts to fit best in size M. As with the bra, I love the tiny details on these – I love the use of buttons instead of bows! It’s just a touch less feminine, which is always good considering the huge lack of androgynous lingerie on the market. Finally, I love how this set can just pass as nude – considering how my current “nude” bra is in fact bright yellow, I’m sure this will blend in much better!

That’s all from me, for more reviews of the Lacey, check out Invest In Your Chest, Undiegamer and CurvyWordy!

I hope that everyone has enjoyed my little giveaway! Once again, I’d like to give a huge thank you to my readers, sharers and supporters, and to the sponsors of the giveaway – definitely a fantastic few!

Now, drum roll, please!

A £50 voucher for Large Cup Lingerie: Tiina Repo

A top or shirt from Urkye: Patricia Tran

One bra band tightener from Rixie Clip: Chrystine Robinson, Elika Roohi

A £30 voucher for Esty Lingerie: Adena Morgan

All winners were selected at random by the Rafflecopter software. All winners have been emailed, and the companies should be getting in touch with you soon. Congratulations to all who won, and thank you to all who entered. I hope you stick around!

Confetti image courtesy of ba1969 on stock.xchng

Spring is quite possibly my favourite time of year, not least because I can’t wait for the snow to disappear! And while it’s not quite here yet, lots of lingerie brands are now releasing their Spring/Summer collections, which is good enough for me!

Bravissimo released their Early Spring collection just a week or two ago, and there are definitely some gems in there. Sadly for me, a grand total of 2 Bravissimo’s-own styles were available in my usual size of 30JJ: an ivory Lola Luxe basque, and the new Darling Heart bra, neither of which quite appealed to me. Sizing down to a 30J, however, there were three bras that caught my eye, and which just might work!

The first bra I had to try out was the Betsy Bow in a 30J, which is based on the older Primrose style. For some reason, Bravissimo have cut the size range down for  this bra: instead of the usual 28DD-J, 30-38DD-K, it is available in 28F-H, 30DD-J, 32-38DD-K. I really don’t know why they’ve done this, and I’m definitely not the only person upset about it. Personally, I think this is one of the most beautiful bras they’ve released in a long time, so I’m very sad to have been sized out! So, I thought I might as well try it out in the closest available size…

Sadly, I just can’t quite squeeze myself into it! Though I can often size down in half-cups or plunges, balconette styles are nowhere near as forgiving! The Primrose, which it is based on, ran about a cup small, so it was always going to be a long shot!

It is between 1-2 cups small for me – I’m leaning towards it being fairly true to size, though those between sizes may need to size up. The band is nice and firm, the straps fully adjustable, and it sports a sturdy three hooks and eyes. I’m also happy to see that the additional lining is a very subtle, non-contrasting colour! I really wish it had the usual size range, as I seriously do love this bra. The shell colour, the polka dots, the profile, the little purple bows, it’s adorable and vintage-esque at the same time! But, and it’s a heartbreaking “but”, it’s just not going to happen for me.

The next bra I tried out was the Purity in a 30J, Bravissimo’s offering to the moulded t-shirt bra market. Going up to a J cup for 28-36 bands, it’s definitely worth a try for anyone sized out of the Deco, Smoothie etc ranges.

This is a bra that, though it looks good from the front, just wouldn’t quite work on me. Though Brav staff have reported that it runs large in the cups, it’s definitely at least one cup too small for me. Combined with what seems to be a shape mismatch, I don’t think it’s meant to be! I found I had spilling towards the centre, and a huge amount for spilling at the sides (see below)  - I would say it runs true to size to a cup small, at least in the black. The cup also seemed to buckle at the bottom from the weight of my breasts, though obviously it was made for someone smaller.

The band felt nice and firm, the straps are fully adjustable, and it has three sets of hooks and eyes. The wires seem wider than on any of my other Bravissimo bras (even the JJ/K ones), which explains why most of my boobs seemed to be in my armpits. In terms of shape, on me it gave a very round, very flattened, wider look. It’s a world away from the narrow, upfront, naturally rounded shape I normally get from Bravissimo!  Obviously, the shape is not quite me, but those that favour a minimised, smaller-from-the-side look will love it. I thought the armpits and the central gore were fairly low, though obviously not as low as a plunge. Saying that, I did get a decent cleavage, most likely due to the small cups! The cups are constructed of a standard, somewhat rigid foam material (less rigid than the Smoothie), and seem like they would be fairly full coverage in a better fitting size. So, alas, another bra that didn’t fit me! I was starting to lose hope…

The last bra I tried was the Paradiso Plume in a 30J, a half cup bra in a vibrant feather print.

Does my face say it all? I think my face says it all  I can’t even remember what I was going to write now, I’m in another world staring at its loveliness! This is the first of Bravissimo’s half-cups to go up to a J cup, and I’m so pleased it’s this one. It’s obviously slightly small in the cup, but this is going to have to be another one of those I-really-shouldn’t-but-just-look-at-it cases. I mean, look at it! I love the tiny bows going up the straps, the adventurous print, the bright pink lace, aagh! I want to marry this bra! And I love the colour scheme, it reminds me of liquorice allsorts! I’m sorry, I just can’t stop gushing about this bra!

Onto the specifics! In terms of sizing, considering how much overspill I have, I think it’s true to size in the cup – definitely a good thing, as apparently the half-cups have been getting smaller over the past few seasons. It has four part vertical cup construction, which seems really supportive and uplifting, and fully adjustable straps. It’s quite low cut, which should be great for low, straight necklines, though some may not like quite how horizontally the cups are cut! As with the other two, I found it nice and firm in the back, and it also has a three hook fastening. On me it gives a very rounded shape, with some forward projection (obviously most of them is pushed skywards)! I thought it brought my breasts nicely forwards and upwards, no armpit spillage in sight, and giving a fabulous Marie Antoinette cleavage. The wires could be a hair narrower, but they’re fairly standard width for Bravissimo! And, for the last time…Just look at it!!!

Looking at some of the other new items (i.e. the ones I have no chance of fitting into!), I’m loving the cream lace colourway of the Moulin Rose (DD-HH), the vibrant red Satine (DD-J), and the “ditsy star print” Starburst (DD-J)! There are definitely some stunning designs, and I love that Bravissimo are always developing new cuts and trying to provide the essentials for full-busted women. But please, Bravissimo, please don’t start cutting down your size range! The women wearing 30 bands and below with J+ cups are quite possibly the ones who find it hardest to find bras – I find myself increasingly wearing slightly loose bands for this reason. Not to mention the sub-28 band and K+ women, who no doubt have it much harder than I do. I admire your dedication to bringing out new styles, but please don’t forget the women who need it most. If anything, size ranges should be expanding – please don’t start going backwards!

Anyone remember my long-term love affair with emerald green lingerie, particularly Bravissimo’s Boudoir Beau? Well, guess what I just got?

Hello, new favourite set! Yes, it’s an AW12 item which means it’ll probably go in sale imminently, but I couldn’t risk it going out of stock – God knows when the next emerald green J+ bra will come along! Please please please bra companies, more emerald green! Anyway, I’m not going to go into my usual spiel of why I love this bra, because I think it’s pretty clear. It’s emerald green, c’mon But I absolutely love the big bows on the gore and shorts, and I think the black lace details are just so sophisticated and sexy, particularly on smaller cups with no extra lining. As for the shorts, I think the fact that I own them shows that I absolutely adore them, as at £17 a pair, I’m much more the type to mix and match! In this case, I thought I might just have to treat myself!

I have the bra in a 30JJ and the briefs in a medium, and I would say that I could quite possibly go down a cup – it’s definitely on the generous side! It still seems to fit quite well in this size, but I think a cup down would give a slightly more rounded shape than I currently get. My hips are about 41-42 inches now (size 12/14 in most clothes) and the briefs are a good fit in a medium, so they seem to be true to size.

Apologies for the slightly wonky front view! Like most Bravissimo bras, I found it to give a lot of uplift and forward projection, bringing me front and centre. It gives a naturally uplifted, slightly pointed shape, though I think it would slightly rounder in a cup down – it might be worth trying a couple of sizes to get the best fit. The band feels like a nice, firm 30, and it sports the usual three hook fastening, along with fully adjustable straps. The gore and wire widths feels fairly standard for a Bravissimo balconette, which I tend to find just about spot on for me. Overall it is a really lovely bra, sure to be a firm favourite with those who get along well with Bravissimo! Ideally I’d like to try it in a 30J, but a lot of sizes have sold out now, so I’m glad I got this while I could!

Here’s hoping there’s a similarly fabulous colour next season!

A while back Freya announced the expansion of their Freya Active line up to a K cup, and I got my paws on one of their sports bras in December. So, this is a review that’s been a long time coming! As far as I’m aware, there are only three sports bras up to a K cup: the Freya Active Underwire, the Royce Impact Free and the Bravissimo Inspire. The Inspire has only just come onto the market, so I haven’t had a chance to try it yet, but I can review the other two!

The main reason I’ve been dithering about posting this for so long is that I’ve made videos for both bras doing a bounce test, and I’ve been weighing up whether it’s worth the trolls and pervy comments! But, I’m sure it’ll be found useful, so I’ve decided to include the videos, though you might want to up the quality on each one. For comparison, I first did a bounce test in a regular, well-fitted, balconette bra. This is the Boudoir Beau, reviewed here:

The first sports bra I got was the “nude” Freya Active Underwire in a 30JJ, my usual size. So far it’s only available in nude, black and white, but hopefully this will change at some point!

The Freya Active Underwire is an encapsulation style sports bra. The cups are constructed with a horizontal seam straight across, which tends to give a pointed shape with a low apex on larger boobs, though I didn’t find the shape too bad. The unadventurous colour and pointed shape mean it’s not really made to be outerwear, so I’d definitely chuck a top on before going to the gym in this! It has wide, padded comfort straps, and four sets of four hooks and eyes. I also really appreciated the Coolmax fabric and mesh panels, designed to wick away sweat during exercise. I found the combination of sweat-wicking fabric and separation was great for keeping cool!

In my initial trying on I believed it was true to size in the cups and band, but a zumba session later, I found I had empty space in the cups (due to the too-wide wires) and was wishing for a tighter band. I measured the stretched band as 31.5 inches, and, given the empty space at the sides, I think I would ideally wear a 28JJ in this. However, in a 28 band, this stops at a G cup. Yes, really. So, since I can’t return it any more, I’ve had to wear it on the third set of hooks with the straps tightened to get better support.

In terms of bounce reduction, it’s definitely a huge improvement from a regular balconette bra, though I’d like to try with a cup down. Due to where the neckline is, I have some tissue escaping on top, which I don’t really like during exercise.

I think it would be perfect for me if the neckline was a bit higher, and the band was more true to size. I would also love to see it in more fun designs and bright colours – for instance, I love the Jet and Magenta colourways of the H-cup versions. Overall I’d say it’s a definite improvement from a regular bra, but I wouldn’t wear it for high impact activities.

The second sports bra I have is the Royce Impact Free. I had heard that it runs small in the cups, while the band runs either small or true to size (depending on the colourway). With this in mind, I decided to try out a 30K in the Grey Marl.

Unlike the Freya, this is a compression style bra, so it doesn’t have “cups”, as such, and there is no separation. This means it has a mono-boob effect, which isn’t for everyone! Because it works through compression, it is quite minimising from the side, and it gives a fairly rounded shape. It has padded comfort straps which are quite close-set on the front, though I found they kept moving outwards at the back. I think this may be because the sides taper to the band very suddenly. Combined with my flared ribcage, the straps aren’t kept central very well, and are going to move out!

It has the standard three sets of three hooks and eyes, and a velcro cover so the bra can be worn as outerwear (if you’re so inclined)! Personally I’d be pretty tempted, as I think it’s stunning for a sports bra. Saying that, it kept getting some odd puckering along one of the seams, making it look like your nipples have popped out to say hi. Which, I assure you, mine hadn’t – it’s the seam! Also, a lot of people have reported having trouble with the velcro curling up, though mine hasn’t started doing this yet.

It sports a very wide band, which I think is great for extra support. At first, I thought the band was far, far too small – I needed assistance to get it done up! After some trial and error, I found it was much easier to do it up and then put on the straps and place my breasts into the cups. I measured the stretched band as 29.5 inches, so it’s on the small end of a 30. However, at least in my case, I think it has to be to give the best support. Once I had worked out how to put it on without strangling myself, I found it to be a fairly good fit all over. I’d be tempted to try a cup down just to see, but as far as I can tell, this size is fairly spot on!

Compared to the Freya, I found this bra much better for bounce reduction. Due to the high neckline, I had no tissue escaping, and I felt much better supported. I was a bit annoyed, actually – I had bought this on a whim and wasn’t expecting to keep it! Others may not like the high neckline, as I imagine it would be hard to cover with a vest top or similar. But, in my size, it really does need to be this high for support and coverage. The downside of the Royce is that it doesn’t have sweat-wicking fabric, and as it’s a compression bra, you’re very much smooshed together. This meant that I got a lot sweatier exercising in this bra!

So all in all, my main problems are the lack of sweat-wicking material, and the wide strap placement at the back. I think I’m going to try using a strap converter to turn it into a racerback, as this should relieve the problem I have with the strap placement. Aside from that, I think this is a pretty great bra. Most reviews I’ve read didn’t particularly like this bra, but I’ve found it to be the best sports bra I’ve tried. Who would’ve seen that coming?

Today’s post is going to be a bit different from the usual. A couple of weeks ago, my niece turned 4. I’ll be honest, I find it quite hard to pick presents for my princess-loving nibling! I like giving her something a bit different from the mountains of pink, so I usually try to find her something princess-with-a-twist, and this time, it seems I picked a pretty good one: a Princess Merida dress with a bow and arrow set.

When she opened it, she was so excited to find a princess dress, but she had no idea what the bow and arrow was. After I explained what it did, and I showed her a picture of Princess Merida wielding it, she couldn’t wait to try it out. So I started showing her how to use it. Obviously it’s just a toy, and it isn’t all that sturdy, which means you have to hold it a very specific way to shoot it, and the arrows only go a few feet.

While I was trying to show her how to use it, I started hearing comments from a couple of men standing behind me.

“What’s this, a girl teaching a girl?! Hahahaha! Well that’s never going to work!”
“What does she think she’s doing?! Having a bit of trouble there, love? Want me to take over?”

I ignored them. When she got the elastic lined up and tried shooting it for the first time, the arrow slipped sideways.

“Ahahahah! Well, what did we expect from a girl? Leave it to the men next time, eh?”

Forgive the language, but what the fuck? Really? I am teaching a 4 year old girl how to use a bow and arrow. She has never done anything like this before, and it is hard to get right. And these two absolute asshats think it’s appropriate to stand there ridiculing both of us on the basis of us being female?

Let’s get one thing straight. Comments like this are not a joke. Society constantly bombards us with messages of what we’re supposed to be, how we’re supposed to act, what we should enjoy. If you say things like this, a child will not think you are joking. You are telling her that she is, at core, incompetent, because she is a girl. You are giving her the impression that it is absurd for women to be smart, or to be able to teach or explain. They knew nothing about me, and they assumed that I was stupid because I am a woman. You are telling her that she is expected to fail at anything she attempts that isn’t regarded as a female pursuit. You are telling her that anything she does, a man will be able to do it better.

I told her to ignore them, but I could see the seed of doubt forming. The look of confusion, then unease, the wondering if she should really be doing this. And it doesn’t stop with the use of a bow and arrow, something that (let’s be honest) doesn’t have many real-world applications. I’ve heard similar comments whenever she tries to play with her brother’s toys: lego is for boys, girls don’t play football. Even just looking around at the shops, the message is clear: Construction toys, science toys, sports and superheroes fill the boys’ section; Kitchens, dolls, cosmetics and princesses fill the girls’, something that infuriates me no end!

They’re all little things. A kitchen joke here, a casual “leave it to the men” there, an amused look of surprise when a girl is interested in a stereotypically male-pursuit. Adults may be able to separate these jokes from reality, but kids haven’t yet developed the perspective to do so. Individually, these jokes might be nothing. But they add up, and together they create an environment where our children learn the realities of sexism from the moment they begin to talk. It perpetuates a culture in which the things that we can and should do are dictated by gender. And it normalises the idea that women are lesser simply because they are women.

I don’t pretend to think that this post will eliminate sexist jokes and thereby conquer sexism, but please, consider the things you say around children, and realise that sexist comments can have a much greater effect than you would think – even if they’re “just a joke”.

Back in June, I reviewed all of the unpadded Curvy Kate sets I owned, and I also mentioned that I had bought the Thrill Me in Jade/Fuschia in a 30J, which fit more like a 30HH/32H. Well…that was a bit of a slippery slope. I’ve since bought more sets and, since I took lots of pictures for my SIAB entry, I thought I’d share a few.

The Jade/Fuschia in a 30J, size 14 shorts. The set that sparked my love for this set, in all of its ruffley, jewel-bright, two-cups-too-small glory…sigh.

The second set I acquired: Grape/Jade in a 30J, for which I own both the thong and shorts in a 14. Once again, it fits two cups too small for me, it has a stretchy band, and I still absolutely love it. I don’t know what it is with me and ruffles, or the Marie Antoinette style cleavage, or this combination of vibrant purple and jade, but whatever it is, it means that I am hopelessly in love.

And finally, the Azure/Plum in a 30J, size 16 shorts. A bit different in this much more subdued colour, but still just as gorgeous. I found all three bras to fit pretty similarly. For anyone wondering if they could get away with going down from their usual size (or anyone who wants a laugh…), here are the various stages of bra wear. As soon as I put it on (and stuff my boobs into the cups)…

After a few hours of wear…

And if I scoop and swoop properly…

And that, children, is why we shouldn’t stuff ourselves into bras that are clearly much too small. Yet of all the people who should know better, I just can’t help myself. It’s like lingerie Stockholm syndrome: no matter how badly it fits, no matter how many times I hastily tuck my nips back in, I constantly convince myself that the fit isn’t that bad, that it’s okay to carry on wearing. Not to mention my burgeoning desire for more Tease Me sets. Gulp.

Sadly (or should that be luckily?), Curvy Kate has already discontinued the Thrill Me, and the Tease Me is going the same way after SS13 not in AW13 but should be back in SS14, making room for new styles. You’d think this would encourage me to step away from the Showgirls, but if anything, it just means I’ve started looking for them everywhere so I can stock up before they disappear. Problem? Me? Nah.

As I said, these were my SIAB entry pics. Obviously I didn’t get through, but on a related note, voting for the top 10 has just opened. If you haven’t voted already, go check it out here!

As most of my readers will know, I consider my blog to be primarily a lingerie and feminism blog. However, at least on my wordpress, feminism posts have been far and few between – my blog focus is usually on bra fitting and reviews. What I haven’t mentioned is that I consider bra fitting itself to be a feminist issue, and today I thought I’d take a minute to give a few reasons why.

Starting with the simple, the most obvious function of a bra is to support. This is particularly important, of course, for sports. In the words of Beckie from Busts4Justice, a well-fitting bra is “the difference between a sedentary life filled with self-consciousness and discomfort and an active one filled with trampolines”. For exercise, a well-fitting bra is absolutely crucial for many people, and yet most of them go without. Unsupportive bras mean bouncing and ligament pain, which discourages women from physical activity, thereby keeping them less fit. Putting it like that makes it sound like a huge conspiracy, but that is one of the results of bad bra fitting being so widespread, and a clear reason to see bra-fitting as a feminist issue. Poorly-fitting bras can also cause health problems in day-to-day life: from the well-known issue of back pain, to blisters and cuts from rubbing.

Image from Shock Absorber

Of course, there are much more complicated issues when it comes to bra-fitting. Numerous body image issues are caused, both directly and indirectly, by poorly-fitting bras. The vast majority of stores fit people into wrongly sized bras that are unsupportive, cause quadboob and add back fat, which is a problem in itself. But when these sizes don’t work, instead of changing their fit methods, the bra industry releases “miracle bras” (which never help) to get rid of aforementioned sagging, overspill and back fat. People who don’t realise that poorly-fitting bras are the cause of these things are further exploited by companies looking to profit, and when these “miracle bras” don’t work, they come to believe that their bodies are just “wrong”. They begin to think that bras that fit well and look nice are impossible for them. For many people, the appearance of their breasts and the trouble finding clothes can lead to insecurity about their looks, and often hatred of their breasts and body. Body dysmorphia is a huge problem alone, but when it is either caused or worsened by something that should be so easy to change, I can’t help but find it incredibly saddening.

Image from Victoria’s Secret

On a somewhat similar note, I feel bra sizing can play a huge role in body acceptance. I feel that accepting that you should wear (for example) a 30HH, rather than a 36DD, can be one of the biggest things you can do when it comes to accepting your body. Women are constantly told they need to be smaller, to be daintier, to take up less space, and bra sizing hasn’t escaped this. Many bra manufacturers seem to want us to believe we should all fit into 32-40 AA-E (DDD), and that if you’re out of that range, you must either be a porn star, a child, or a freak. I know women who have cried upon being resized, because of the messages they’ve absorbed about breast size. This image, which I’m sure everyone has seen, is exactly the kind of thing I’m talking about. Cup sizes over an E carry a weird stigma where those who wear them are simultaneously sexualised and ridiculed. Those with big breasts are too often assumed to be stupid, or accused of being “attention-seeking sluts”, solely because of their bra size. I don’t think I need to start on how fucked up that is.

Image from “Bra-Meter” app

I feel that learning how bra sizing actually works means separating your breasts from all of the messages and labels so commonly associated with various cup sizes. It means realising that your bra size isn’t constant, that these labels are arbitrary, and that your size doesn’t define you. When you understand bra fitting, you start to deconstruct the size-shaming and slut-shaming associations, and you realise that your breast size has nothing to do with who you actually are. And personally, I can’t see how that doesn’t relate to feminism.

If you’d like more information on proper bra fit, check out this article on Busty Resources. For a more appropriate view of the bra alphabet, and for examples of properly fitted women, check out this article by Fuller Figure Fuller Bust.

As anyone who has learned about proper bra fitting will know, there are some bra sizes that are hardly manufactured, if even made at all. In particular, women who need sub-28 bands and J+ cups will often have difficulty finding their size.  Ewa Michalak are one of the brands, or perhaps even the only brand, that will make these sizes on demand, but in the highest cup sizes there has previously only been one choice of style: the Ewa Michalak plunge bra (PL). However, EM have recently released a new style, the “S”, specifically designed for large breasts. The style is intended to provide better support and uplift than the PL, bringing the breasts up and centre. I’ve found the S to be a huge improvement, so I decided to properly compare the two styles. This is a very picture-heavy post, so there will be a page jump after the S review.

This is the S Wiśniówka, the first S bra to be released, and my new favourite bra. It’s fairly basic in terms of appearance, but I’ve found the comfort, fit, shape and support to be absolutely outstanding. I had read that the S bra runs about half a cup bigger than the PLs, so I opted to try this bra in a 30JJ (65JJ). My UK size is usually a 30JJ, but it’s worth pointing out that I seem to have had a growth spurt recently, and am now between a 30JJ/K. The band feels like a fairly standard 30, stretching to about 30.3 inches. I feel I could do with sizing up in the cups - I don’t have any overspill, but it is cut quite open on top, so I do have a touch more Marie Antoinette style cleavage than I think there’s meant to be. I have also noticed that my boobs seem to push the cups down a bit throughout the day, another sign of them being too small. I’d say I could wear either a 30JJ or 30K, but the 30K would probably fit better, it would just be more full coverage.

While it isn’t made to give show-stopping cleavage, the construction is more stable and supportive. Some people have found to be very pointy, but I haven’t found this at all – it seems to give a very uplifted, natural profile. The strap placement is slightly too wide, but it’s definitely an improvement over the PLs, something I’ll go into further down the page! The centre gore is nice and narrow, and about the same height as Bravissimo’s balconettes (~2cm higher than a PL). The wires are about the same height under the arm as a PL, but the wires are very narrow, so the highest point is further forwards. This means the sides of the bra are significantly lower than bras with comparable wire heights, which is great considering how high some full-bust bras are cut. It has four columns of 3 hooks and eyes and fully adjustable straps, although I actually found the straps were very short, so that might be something to keep in mind if you need long straps.

It really is a lovely bra, and definitely worth a try for anyone who didn’t find the PLs to work on them. One good thing is that just about every size has been made and tested on a person to check the construction is sound, but this does mean that some sizes might be unavailable until they’ve been tested. Band sizes go from 24-46, and the cups are 32E-32KK and all corresponding sister sizes. The bad is that EM prices have recently gone up, and they’ve added a 20zł surcharge for any custom order sizes. This meant that for me to order just this bra, after postage and charges, cost £37 (177zł). Some people might find it worth it, some might not, but it’s something to keep in mind. Personally, I think a padded bra in my size range with this construction is definitely worth the extra cost. Anyone reading from the homepage, click the read more to see an in-depth comparison of the PL and S construction.

S Lolitka bra, image courtesy of Ewa Michalak

I bought a few PLs in a 30K about half a year ago, which I reviewed here. At the time I thought that I had the wrong size and could do with going down to a 30JJ, but I have since realised that they are actually too small in the cup. The main issue with the PLs is that the pattern isn’t really graded between sister sizes – a 36G and a 28J have the exact same cups and strap placement at the front, the only difference is the band length. While the straps might work at a 36G, as the band gets smaller, the straps become too wide set, resulting in serious armpit irritation. What happened in my case is that because the straps were so wide set, I couldn’t physically shorten them without being in pain, so I left them loose. This resulted in a poor profile/uplift, as well as the too-small cups being disguised. For comparison, I’ve taken pictures of the PLs to show the issues.

The PL Black. On the left is how I’ve been wearing it, with the straps nearly as loose as possible. I think it’s quite clear that the profile and uplift leaves much to be desired. On the right is what it would look like if the straps were slightly more central. While the shape would clearly be improved, you can see I now have minor overspill, suggesting that if the straps were more central and tightened I would actually need a bigger cup.

The top shows the gapping at the strap. I previously thought that this gapping meant that the cup was too big, but as you can see from the other angles, I fill the cup everywhere else. The gapping is actually because the straps are too wide set and the cup is too tall. The bottom shows the height at the underarms (standing normally, arm slightly back, hands on hips). Again, the straps are loose here, as I can’t comfortably wear them any tighter, but even at this level of looseness you can see the sides are much too high. This height results in irritation throughout the day, as I can barely move my arms forwards without the strap/cup cutting in. The straps need to be more central and the cups need to be less tall.

PL Czerwona Panterka, also in a 30K. I thought I should show all of the above with the straps tightened to where I’d actually need them. The profile is improved on the left, but I now have overspill before I even think about changing the strap placement. With the straps tightened and the cup held slightly further in, there is significant overspill – I would likely need a 30KK/L.

Again, the deceptive gapping at the straps, and the now noticeably high underarms. Tightening the straps to where they need to be results in the underarm/strap severely digging in, resulting in red marks after just a couple of minutes of wear. It is now very clear that the side of the cup is too tall, and there is actually wrinkling around the underarm because there is just too much material at the top. I have found all of my PLs would need a bigger cup, with the armhole lowered and the straps moved to be more central. This is a do-able alteration, one which I believe the wonderful Zoe of Weirdly Shaped has done and will be sharing at some point. If I ever do alter my PLs, I’ll be sure to share the results!

The S bra for comparison. The straps are still slightly too wide set and could do with being slightly more central, but it’s nowhere near as much of a problem. There is no longer gapping at the strap, and it is significantly lower at the underarms, so it’s far more comfortable.

The cup construction itself. At this cup size, the PL is made with 3 vertical panels and one horizontal panel across the top. The cups are a fairly flexible, lightly padded fabric. The depth is split fairly symmetrically across the cup with a rounded, subtle apex. In the bottom right picture, you can see the apex is about in the middle, and the cups are deep at the bottom.

The S cup construction. The S is made with two vertical panels, and one horizontal panel across the top,  with a clearly defined apex where the three panels meet. Compared to the PL, the vertical panels are slightly taller, so the apex is higher. The depth is concentrated towards the centre and the cups are shallower at the bottom, pushing the breasts up and centre. I believe in higher cup sizes there are three vertical panels, which both ensures the cup is strong enough for larger breasts and makes the apex less defined, giving a very round shape (as seen in Braless in Brasil’s review). The cups are a fairly stiff, lightly padded foam, though I believe other S bras are made with a material similar to my PLs.

At the moment, I seem to be getting overspill in all of my bras, so at time of writing I believe I might be closer to a 30K. I think I would ideally need a 30K in the S and a 30KK/L in the PL, so I would say the S runs fairly true to size. I have heard success stories from people with firm and soft breast tissue, and from people with upper and lower fullness, so it’s quite possibly worth a try for just about anyone with a mid to narrow root. For those who don’t like padded bras but are sized out of other brands, there is also the SM style, an unpadded bra with the same cut. Reviews so far suggest it fits similarly to the S, though I haven’t tried it personally. More S styles have been released since I bought this, including the S Ptyś, a green polka-dot bra which I am pretty sure I’m going to end up buying!

For more reviews of the S bra, check out XL Hourglass,  Braless in Brasil, and Voluptuously Thin (here, here and here).

This post is part of The Modesty Panel, a series focusing on the concept of modesty from the perspectives of various bra bloggers. Each of us has experiences, beliefs and assumptions about modesty that influence how we blog about breasts, and this week we are taking the time to share our views. Make sure to check some of the other posts out!

When I was 16, I was still at that inbetween phase with clothes, where you haven’t quite found what you love or really works on you . I loved colours and patterns, but as a teenager with big boobs, I was pretty limited in the shirt department. I mostly stuck to plain vest tops with pretty skirts, so my usual outfit was something like the below. It was pretty, comfortable, cool in hot weather…basically, it ticked all the boxes. The only “problem” is that it showed a bit of cleavage. Which, for a 16 year old in the middle of summer, really wasn’t a big deal.

Me at 16

After class one day, I was walking home with my then-boyfriend, when we passed a group of guys. You know the type – loud, obnoxious, and as I’m sure you can predict, they started making lewd comments at me. It wasn’t new. It’s something I got used to pretty much as soon as I hit puberty. I could write a whole post on catcalling alone, but that isn’t what I want to talk about today. My boyfriend was furious. Not because I had been harassed, not because I can’t even walk down the street without being blatantly objectified and disrespected. He was furious because of what I was wearing. Because my top showed some cleavage, he accused me of looking for attention. My boyfriend of nearly 2 years decided that I must want to be catcalled. He called me a lot of names I won’t repeat, and demanded I start wearing t-shirts.

All of that because I was wearing a vest top. Sure, I could change what I wear, and it might result in a few less comments. But why should I have to? What’s so wrong with my breasts? Why was the problem me?

Dressing modestly isn’t itself problematic, but it being seen as the only acceptable choice is. I have no qualms with people covering up, and I have no qualms with people showing skin. Neither is inherently liberating, and neither is necessarily better than the other. What I do have a problem with is when modesty is used to control women’s clothing choices, to make judgements about someone’s character, or used as justification to view them as lesser.

Image via Sabrina Tamayo

One of the most infuriating things to me is that those who are comfortable showing a little more skin are assumed to have no self-respect. Even worse, there are then people who say, “If you don’t respect yourself, why should I respect you?”, which is one of the least logically sound things I can think of. Everyone deserves a basic level of respect, and denying it by using something as trivial as skirt length, which can tell you absolutely nothing about someone’s morals, character or self-worth, is absurd. If someone dislikes me or disagrees with me, I would hope it is due to something of actual substance. When someone says “have some self-respect”, what I actually hear is “behave in a way that I deem good enough for me to respect you”. It’s really nothing to do with how much self-respect someone has. It is a judgemental statement, made to shame people for having different preferences or standards.

To me, self-respect is about putting myself first. It means I don’t wear clothes I’m uncomfortable in, just because other people think I should. It means caring about my health and well-being. It means I don’t have to smile and bear it when people are rude to me, or maintain relationships that are bad for me. It means knowing what I deserve, and that I deserve to pursue it.

In no way does it mean I have to dress conservatively. As someone who shares pictures of herself in lingerie in her spare time, I think it’s pretty clear that I’ve never really been a fan of modesty. I’m not insecure, and I’m not looking for attention or validation. I just don’t see what the fuss is about. It’s just a body, and if I want to wear clothes that emphasis my boobs, I will. Likewise, if I feel like covering up a bit more, I will. Neither option says anything about me as a person, and I refuse to let anyone tell me how I should dress. What I wear is nobody’s business but mine – even if it’s not “modest”.

For more posts on modesty, check out the links below:
Boosaurus 
By Baby’s Rules
Hourglassy
Red Hair and Girly Flair
Sophia Jenner
Sophisticated Pair
That Bra Does Not Fit Her

Back in November, I was lucky enough to win a prize in Invest In Your Chest‘s blogiversary giveaway: a £50 voucher to a new lingerie retailer, Curvature Boutique, situated in Essex. I had planned to visit the store, but plans fell through, and with me being a terribly forgetful person, it took me a few months to get anything sorted out. Luckily for me, the lovely Kirsty was endlessly patient and helpful, and sorted out sending the items to me, along with a few little bits and pieces – I particularly love the corset-shaped charm!

Unfortunately for me, the only full-bust brand they stock is Curvy Kate, so none of the bras were going to fit me. So, I opted for a variety of knickers and hosiery, which arrived boxed and wrapped lovingly in pink tissue paper. And, on a sunny day, what better to do than wander round the garden in your undercrackers?

I usually wear a size 14 in most clothes, but I got the Curvy Kate Tempt Me high-waisted shorts in an 18. I was expecting them to be a least a little big, but it seems CK run smaller than I thought, as these are a very comfortable fit. I paired the shorts with the black Scarlet Seamer tights in a large.

The tights are firm and structured with a lovely Cuban heel, and go perfectly with the briefs. I wore them together here with my Trashy Diva Courtney coat dress and some heels, in a very Dita-inspired outfit!

The next items I chose were the Curvy Kate Tease Me suspender shorts and the nude/black Scarlet Seamer tights, which I’ve paired with my matching Tease Me bra. I chose the shorts in a 14 and the tights in a medium, though I think I’d prefer them in a 16 and a large respectively. Obviously the bra is much too small, but I’m hanging onto it anyway, especially now I have these shorts!

That last picture looks so elegant, but between you and me, I’m actually falling over because of the heels Again, the tights are well structured and reinforced, though I think the black modesty panel isn’t the best for sheer briefs.

One item I knew I had to had: the Vixen May fishnet tights with a bow backseam, worn here with the high-waisted briefs.

These tights are so lovely! They make me want to throw on a corset and dance around with some oversized feather fans. I found them to fit fine, as fishnets are usually pretty forgiving. Unfortunately the bows don’t seem to be too well attached, and a couple had fallen off within 10 minutes of putting the tights on. I might attempt to re-attach the bows, as they’re just too pretty to give up on!

Finally, the Curvy Kate Tempt Me suspender shorts in a 14, matched with black Scarlet Seamer stockings in a medium. Again, I think I’d prefer a 16 for the shorts, but they were still gorgeous and surprisingly comfortable. I do get some cutting in at the hips, but I seem to get that in just about anything that isn’t high waisted!

I absolutely love stockings. Somehow, for me, they’re one of the items that I own quite a few pairs of, but never really end up wearing. That said, I liked these stockings more than I expected to. Compared to pairs I’ve had before, I found them firm and well-constructed, but generously sized and comfortable.

All in all, I’m very happy with these pieces! I spend so much of my time looking for and at bras, it’s a lovely change for me to have a few different things from the world of lingerie. If you’ve been following me on tumblr or facebook, you might have gathered that I’ve had a sudden growth spurt in the boob department recently, putting me somewhere in the 30KK region for most UK brands. Which means that at this moment in time, I have absolutely no bras that fit, so it may be a bit quieter around here in terms of bra reviews. In the meantime, I may end up doing a few posts like this!

Aside from bras, do you have any lingerie loves?

Items purchased with a voucher to Curvature Boutique. Though most of the items were free, this is not a sponsored post and all opinions are my own.

Over the past few months, I’ve undergone a size change, going from a 30JJ to approximately a 30KK. This means that, outside of custom orders, my options are now very slim. For now, I thought I’d review some of the bras that I’m getting by with. All of these bras can be found for £12-£16 each on Amazon and eBay, and the briefs are usually between £4-£8 per pair.

One of my current favourite bras, the Cleo Marcie in a 30J. This fit me best when I was around a 30JJ, but it’s still wearable due to a combination of not scooping properly, the open-on-top cut, and the stretch material. Ideally I think I would currently wear a 30K in this, but it is still very comfortable and supportive in this size. I got the briefs in a size 14, which I found to be a comfortable fit on my 42″ hips. I love the blue bows, different meshes and the side ruffles, though I think the cut could be more flattering at the back.

The band runs quite loose, stretching to around 31.2 inches, so small 30s may need to size down. I personally need to wear it on the tightest hooks, but I have been told that the band runs firmer in the lower cupsizes. I found the wires to be relatively narrow, and the gore fairly standard. It is stretchy on top, which means I think it could suit a range of shapes. The main issue I have with this bra is the strap placement, as the straps are placed quite wide at the front, which can irritate my shoulders/upper arms. It gives a fairly round and somewhat minimised profile, the kind Bras I Hate would love, but I would personally prefer to be deeper. The bra features Cleo’s standard two-hook fastening, and the straps are fully adjustable, although I did find the straps quite hard to adjust due to the textured material.

To demonstrate what the bra looks like if I actually scoop and swoop. I think it’s clear I could do with about 2 cups up, but for now I can usually get away with stretching the upper lace and tucking back in. This usually just gives Marie Antoinette style cleavage, along with slight quadboob and spilling toward the centre.

Another issue, this one due to depth. The seam is very rigid, and the fabric has more give on one side, which means that if you need more depth than the bra allows, there is bulging on one side of the seam. However, I have had luck stretching the seam, so this becomes less of an issue over time. Overall, I do love this cut and would very much recommend trying it out. Based on my knowledge of other Cleo bras, I would probably suggest a cup down from your Zia/Lucy size, or the same as your Alexa/Olivia/Melissa size.

The bird print Cleo Meg, also in a 30J. I loved this bra as soon as I saw it – the swallow print, the deep blue colour and the red accents are all just perfect. You can’t see it very well in my pictures, but there is also a lovely little swallow-shaped charm on the gore, which I think is just adorable. Sizewise I found it similar to the Marcie, so like a slightly generous 30JJ, however the shape is completely different.

I found it slightly firmer in the band than the Marcie, stretching to about 30.8 inches. Compared to the stretchy, layered fabric of the Marcie, the Meg is made with a stiff fabric, which may partly explain the tighter band. As with the Marcie, I wear the Meg semi-adjusted, with similar results. It features the usual two-hook fastening and fully-adjustable straps, but I’ve been having an entirely different problem than with the Marcie – the material doesn’t seem to have much friction, and I find myself having to re-tighten the straps throughout the day. The strap placement is also too wide, something I find fairly often with Cleo. This, combined with the smooth material, means that they are very prone to slipping off my shoulders.

Semi-scooped and fully scooped. Though it is gorgeous, the shape seems to be very hard to fit. Meg has a lot of space at the apex, and then curves back in at the top. Rather than the super-round shape most expect from Cleo bras, this results in an odd, almost square shape. Even in a cup that is clearly too small, I still get wrinkling at the apex. All in all, though it is a stunning bra, it might be hard to find a good fit in for a lot of people. For those that think it would work, I would suggest trying it in your Marcie size.

Another 30J Cleo Marcie, this time in the wonderful aquamarine colourway. I found it to fit fairly similarly to the red, so I can’t really add much. In this size, it gives the same round and minimised profile, and it is just as comfortable and supportive.

One issue that does seem to be improved is the seam rigidity – though I do still get slight bulging above the seam, it is much less than in the red. Finally, I’m sure I don’t need to say it,  but I love the appearance of this bra. The colours are just too perfect!

We’re still in summer, but I’m already very excited for the release of Cleo’s AW13 collection, which will include a babydoll version of the Marcie (yes!) and the new Lily, an improved version of Meg. Aside from a size expansion, what more could you ask for?

Kris Line are a Polish brand, stocking bras in 65-100 (30-44) bands and A-KK cups. The brand has their own sizing system – each cup in Kris Line is based on a 2cm increase, compared to a one inch difference in UK brands. They also use an I cup between HH and J. I have been curious about Kris Line for a long time, but due to being a Polish brand, their bras are often very hard to find at reasonable prices in the UK. Recently, Brastop have got quite a few older season models in stock, including a couple up to a K cup.

The first bra I decided to try was the Selena Semi-soft Balconette, a half-padded underwired bra in green. Brastop skip the I cup, so a KL 70JJ is listed as a 32K to correspond with UK cups. I am around a 30KK in UK brands at the moment, so I decided to try the 32K to get a good comparison with UK brands. The measurements of both of the bras in this post are displayed at the bottom.

Appearance-wise, I found this bra to be much more beautiful in person – the lace under the cups is just stunning. Despite being listed as green, I would say this is more of a muted turquoise. The bra also has removable padded inserts which add quite a bit of volume, which would be good for those between sizes.

Sadly, it is very much too small in the cups. A UK 32K is a sister size of my current 30KK and should theoretically be okay in the cups, but I found the cups to run very small – I don’t think the side pictures capture quite how much quadboob I have. I had also heard that Kris Line bands often run small (partially why I tried the 32), but I found this band to run loose at just under 33 inches. I believe this bra is about 3 cups small on me, and 1-2 bands big. This, combined with comparing the measurements with other bras on Bratabase, leads me to estimate this bra as fitting like a loose-banded UK 32H/HH.

Fit issues aside, this bra is really wonderful and I am so sad it doesn’t fit. The wires are gloriously narrow with a low, narrow gore which is perfect for my close-set boobs. The wires also seem to be quite firm and stable, so they stay fairly vertical at the sides rather than distorting as the band stretches. The sides are also nice and low (no armpit digging!), and the straps are the widest and comfiest I’ve seen. It seems to give a very uplifted, somewhat pointy profile, though that may be different in the right size cup.

The second bra I decided to try was the Promenada Unpadded Balconette in a 30K (KL 65JJ).

Once again, this is a really stunning bra, far more gorgeous than it first looks in the official pictures. The embroidery on the cups is delightfully sophisticated, and the lace edging is lovely. I also love the embroidered straps and the patterned navy mesh.

Unsurprisingly, this is also too small in the cups. I have huge amounts of overspill, and there is some empty space at the bottom that I can’t fill due to the cups being too small. The cups feel about 4-5 sizes small, and the band stretches to just under 32 inches. Using the same method as before, I would say this fits like a loose-banded UK 30H/HH or a firm 32GG/H.

The Promenada has all the same good features as the Selena: narrow wires, low/narrow gore, low sides and comfy wide straps. It seems to give a slightly pointed, naturally uplifted shape, the kind that I personally favour for everyday wear. I would compare it to a 32H Bravissimo Alana, but with slightly narrower wires/gore.

Assuming the 2cm-per-cupsize estimation is accurate, a possible way of estimating cup size would be by manually calculating between your UK cupsize in inches and KL cupsizes in 2cms. For example: I currently need around a KK cup in most brands, which is the 16th UK cup. 16 cups → 16 inches → 40.68cm → 20-21 cups, which suggests I would need around an M in KL sizing. Using this for the above cups: a JJ is the 15th KL cup. 15 cups → 30cm → 11.8 inches → 11-12 UK cups, which would be an H/HH. That is pretty much what I estimated these bras to be, so that calculation could be worth doing as a part of choosing a size.

I can’t speak for any of the other Kris Line bras, but for anyone in my size range, I don’t think it would be worth trying either of these bras. However, for anyone who wears a HH cup or under and prefers narrow, deep cups, these bras seem like a very good choice, though I would definitely recommend going down a band size and going up (I imagine) at least 2 cups. The sizing is the main issue – aside from that, they are very well-made, hugely comfortable, and undeniably gorgeous.

As I mentioned in my last post, I’ve recently gone up to around a 30K/KK. I have been getting by in Cleo bras, but I’ve also tried quite a few bras over the past few months. None of the bras in this post are really successes, but I decided to review them anyway for anyone in K+ territory who was considering them.

The first bra I decided to try was the Bravissimo Alana, one of the only bras readily available up to an L cup. I have tried the Alana before when I was a 30JJ, so I knew that the Alana runs about a cup small and I would probably need a 30L. Unfortunately, despite going to an L cup in 32-40 bands, it only goes to a KK in a 30 band (and only to a J in a 28 band), so this is a 30KK.

As expected, I found it to be too small in the cup, resulting in significant overspill along the top. What did surprise me is how much of a difference there is between the 30K and 30KK – the 30K Alana was one of my favourite bras, mostly due to how comfortable and well constructed it is. With just one cup up, I found the straps to be unbearably wide, the wires too wide, the gore too high, and the sides are far too tall under the arm. I can’t tighten the straps enough without the straps/cups digging into my arms/shoulders, and I also found the band to run surprisingly loose. The Alana features the usual 3 hooks and fully adjustable straps, along with a fairly narrow gore. Ideally I’d need a 30L for cup volume, but even if the size was being made, I think the straps and armholes would be unbearable. A 30K in a regular Bravissimo balconette would be far more preferable and should fit the same as this, so I wouldn’t recommend buying the Alana in this size.

The next bra I decided to try was the Bravissimo Boudoir Beau, which is available in 28 E-J, 30-38 DD-K. I have tried this bra in the past and found the cups to be slightly generous, so I thought it could be worth trying a 30K in the Ivory/Raspberry colourway.

Once again, despite being a stunning bra, I found this to be too small in the cup. The cups were definitely deeper than the 30KK Alana, but it also seems to be more closed on top, resulting in an extremely pointy, projected shape but with the same amount of overspill. Due to this, I would think this bra may be more successful on those who are more bottom heavy. I found it to be quite east-west, and I didn’t seem to be able to get a very uplifted shape however much I tightened the straps. I found the wires to be quite wide (Brav wires tend to stretch easily), and the gore fairly standard for Bravissimo (narrow but tall). The band seemed like a true to size 30, and the bra sports the usual 3 hooks and fully adjustable straps. As with most bras, I found the straps to be slightly too wide set for my frame, but they seemed fairly standard for Bravissimo – definitely not as wide as the 30KK Alana, and the sides didn’t seem as tall either.

One that was recommended for me to try, the Panache Ariza, which is available in 30-38 D-K. I was told that it ran tight in the band and generously in the cups, with narrow wires and deep cups.

Despite the reports of the band being tight, it’s worth noting that the band seems to get looser in higher cup sizes – this fits more like a 32 band, so I’d say it fits like a “standard” 32JJ. The wires are very sturdy and do not distort when the band stretches, so they are quite narrow when on. However, I wouldn’t say the cups are particularly deep in this size – it doesn’t bring you up and centre, it’s more of an hourglass-from-the-front bra. The cups also don’t seem particularly generous, as I still have overspill, especially if I hold the gore flat. I found the wires to be uncomfortably tall, both at the gore and sides, to the point that I’m considering unpicking the wire channel and shortening the wire. The gore doesn’t tack on me, both due to its height and the too-small cups. I might try bending the wires to see if it relieves the armpit digging/floating gore, but I don’t know if it’s worth me buying any more of this style. Apparently some other colourways are lower at the arm, which might be worth looking at for anyone in the size range. One good thing about this bra is the strap placement, as they are significantly closer together than anything else I’ve tried. However, the straps are also quite thin compared to most other bras, which can be quite uncomfortable. Ideally I think I’d need a 28L in this bra, though I would definitely need lower sides for it to be a success.

So far, I have tried bras that I hoped would run big in the cup or small in the back. The other current options for K+ bras would be looking for more bras that are readily available above a K cup (such as the Bravissimo Alana or Panache Melody), custom orders (some possibilities are Ewa Michalak or Louise Ferdinand), or altering the band of a sister size. I am also looking forward to the launch of Edwards & Millers, a luxury line who plan to stock 26-34 DD-M. Hopefully when I find a few more bras that fit I will be able to cover more of these options in depth!

Last year, Curvy Kate came out with their first selection of swimwear. It wasn’t without its problems, but there were some stunning offerings. This year, Curvy Kate has released another gorgeous selection of swimwear, with some adjustments to improve the fit. Since Brastop is offering 40% off CK swimwear and free shipping for this week, I decided to try a few new pieces.

This is the Caribbean Curves bikini in a 30JJ, which I bought last year. Though I have reviewed this before, I thought I would share it again due to size change. I found this bikini too big in the cup last year (as a 30JJ)  and thought I’d need a 30HH/J, and I now find it to be slightly small in the cup. Based on this, I think this runs approximately 1 cup big.

The main issues I had with this bikini were the very long straps, very high sides, wide gore and square back. I also found the wires to be slightly too wide, but that’s a common complaint for me. I found the shape to be better than I had got in any other CK bra (slightly more rounded/uplifted).  I was willing to overlook the issues for the support and appearance, and I still found it quite comfy.

I also (finally) got my hands on the matching side-tie briefs in a size 14. I found them to be a very flattering cut, and I think the long, thick ties are gorgeous. Ideally I think I would wear a 10/12 in these as I get some excess material, but unfortunately these sizes weren’t available. A shorts version is also available.

Another set from last year: the Bondi Breeze bikini in a 30K with size 12 shorts. I decided to try this set so I could accurately compare this year and last year’s bikinis in the same size. I found it fairly comparable to the Caribbean Curves, though obviously with slightly bigger cups, but it seemed like the extra space was in all the wrong places for me. The gore was slightly wider and higher, and the sides also slightly higher. The tall sides made this size just a bit too uncomfortable for me, so I think I will be returning this set.

I would say this fits like a 30KK, but I still get some overspill at the centre and gapping at the straps due to the shape not being quite right for me, so the overspill wasn’t much improved. I found the shape to be good and the material very comfy.

The shorts in a size 12, which I found quite comfortable, if a little low at the back. I believe there is also a tie-side option for the briefs. I do quite like this bikini – it’s very chic and minimalist, but still with some adorable details. I think it could definitely be worth a try for those who like the style, though the tall sides are something to be aware of.

One of this year’s offerings, the Pebble Padded bikini in a 30K with size 12 shorts. Can I just say how excited I was to see a polka dot K-cup bikini?! Polka dots are one of my biggest weaknesses, and blue tends to be a great colour on me, so I knew I had to try this set out. I was happy to find that the fit has been vastly improved from last year, which can be seen by the measurements (see bottom of page). I noticed that the gore height has been reduced by about 2cm, and the wing height has been reduced by around 4cm, a vast improvement. I also found the band to be more true to size, whereas last year the bands ran somewhat small. All in all, I found it far more comfortable.

As expected, I have some overspill towards the centre, but it doesn’t seem too bad – I find bikinis tend to have more give once wet anyway, so this will likely be fine with wear. The bikini seemed very comfortable and supportive, which is always fantastic news. The cups seemed deep enough, they were just slightly too shallow towards the centre for me. I really liked the shape it gave on me, which seemed like an improved version of last year’s. The cups are visibly lower at the sides (although I would personally still prefer slightly lower), and I don’t have any gapping towards the straps. A smaller improvement I noticed is that the band is slightly wider, which means that the clasp is sturdier and doesn’t pull diagonally, as well as being slightly more comfortable. One small issue I had was the shape at the bottom of the cups – it seemed as though the cup curved slightly inwards before projecting out, which meant I couldn’t get my boobs to go into the very bottom of the cup.

The matching shorts in a size 12, shown here with the sides down and fully tightened. The size 12 seems to be a good size for me, and I really liked the tie sides – I think the shorts are much more flattering on me with the sides fully tightened. I thought these shorts were a bit taller than last year’s shorts, so they came up a bit higher at the back. There is a tie-side option available for those who like less coverage, and there is a moulded cup version for lower cups. All in all I love this bikini, and I think I’m going to have to hang onto it.

The last set I tried, the Horizon Padded bikini in a 30K with size 12 foldover briefs. As expected, I found the fit and measurements to be pretty much identical between this and the Pebble bikini, so it was similarly comfortable and supportive. I think this bikini is a very stunning set, and I think the pattern is quite quirky and cute.

I had the same slight overspill, and I think the slight emptiness at the bottom is more visible in these pictures. The cups seem to take this shape even before putting them on, so it seems as though it might be more of a manufacturing/storage thing. The properties are all pretty much the same as the Pebble, though I did find the shape to be slightly better in the Pebble bikini for some reason, which I think is most visible in the angled picture. I’m not entirely sure why that would be!

The foldover shorts in a size 12. Sorry for the lumpiness in these pictures, I was wearing them over my pants! I found the briefs to look most flattering on me completely folded down. I found that they rolled down and bunched up if I half folded them, due to my belly. I saw how stunning CurvyWordy looked with them worn unfolded, but unfortunately they hit a very unflattering point on me if worn like this. Again, there is a tie-side option available (which I think would be comparable to these in terms of coverage), and there is a moulded cup version for lower cups. I would personally love a super high waisted option, as I find this is usually the best look for me. I do really love this bikini, but unfortunately I just can’t afford to keep both of them! So, I am definitely going to hang onto the Pebble, though I might have to snap the Horizon up again in the future.

Overall, I am so happy about the new selection of swimwear. Last year has some great offerings, but Curvy Kate seem to have really knocked it out of the park this year. I love the designs they’ve released this year, but I think something even better is how they’ve listened to customer feedback and improved the fit – something a lot of companies could learn from. I am sure many women will be happier with the improvements, and I can’t wait to see what they’ll come up with next year.

A few months ago, Bravissimo released their Summer collection. There weren’t many pieces in my size range, but one in particular caught my eye: the Cherry Fling. Featuring gingham bows and cute cherries, it’s a stunning retro-inspired bra that I knew I had to try! As a current 30K/KK, I first tried this bra in a 30K (pictures/review here), which was too small in the cups for me. I also found the 30K to run tight in the band, so it fit more like a 28KK. With this in mind, I reordered in a 32K.

I think you can see in the pictures, but this is a much better fit! As I hoped, the band was nice and firm, so it fit like a more true-to-size 30KK. Others have also said they found it regular in the band, so it seems this bra may have a lot of variation between sizes. I found the bra to give the usual upfront, naturally uplifted/rounded shape that I’ve come to expect from Bravissimo. There is some slight wrinkling at the bottom of the cup, but this does disappear with further adjusting. The cup is made of a denim print laminate material, similar to the kind used for the Dotty Spot, which I find to be a very sturdy, supportive choice. As with many other Bravissimo bras, there is extra lining in the upper section for HH-K cups, but as it’s a sheer white material I didn’t think it detracted from the look of the bra.

I found the wires fairly standard for Bravissimo: a somewhat high but narrow gore, with mid-width wires. I have a relatively narrow root, so the wires are about 2-3cm too wide for me – not wide enough to be uncomfortable, but it does cause some wrinkling at the side. A lot of bras in my size range have cups that come up too high under the arm, but I found this bra to be better than many others. It still isn’t particularly low, but the underwires don’t dig in and the sides of the cups don’t irritate my shoulders, so it’s a win in my book! The bra sports the usual fully adjustable straps and three hooks and eyes, which are two things I always look for in a bra. I’ve got to say, I’m very pleased with this bra! It’s hugely comfortable, the appearance is just perfect, and most of all, I’m so happy to finally have a bra I don’t quadboob in! All in all, I would definitely recommend this bra, especially for any fans of 50s-inspired fashion.

The Cherry Fling is currently available for £29 at Bravissimo, with a size range of 28 E-J, 30-38 DD-K. For another review (and a fabulous cherry-chocolate ice cream recipe ), check out this post on Sweet Nothings.

As a bra blogger, I spend a lot of my time perusing the world of lingerie. In particular, I have recently developed a huge love for robes - La Lilouche, Claire Pettibone, Gilda & Pearl, Jenny Packham…a girl can dream! Unfortunately most of these items are out of my price range, but that doesn’t stop me from daydreaming of evenings filled with feathers and silk. Recently, I have been looking around for more attainable options, and soon came across Camille Lingerie.

Camille stock a variety of affordable lingerie, including both their own bras (32-42 A-FF) and Royce Lingerie (28-40 D-K), but what I most liked the look of was their range of wraps. Luckily for me, Camille very kindly offered to send me an item of my choice, and I decided to try out their luxury peach satin bath robe in a size 14/16. I found this size to be a good fit over my bust, though I did find the waist and shoulders were slightly big due to my narrow frame.

I wore the robe here over a set of black lingerie, just to lounge around the house. I found the robe to be a good length on me, and the tie waist is perfect for giving me some definition. The material is very silky and light, which means that this robe has become a staple for me in hot weather – I love being able to cover up, keep cool, and still look fabulous. Obviously it isn’t quite as glamorous or luxurious as the robes I fantasise about, but I dare say it’s an excellent choice for now.

I was worried at first that the embroidery on the shoulder would make the robe look somewhat dated, but upon receiving it, I have found that it sets off the look of the robe quite nicely, giving the robe a more sophisticated, vintage look. Lastly, as a huge fan of all things peach, I think it goes without saying that I love the colour! There is something about this shade that I just adore for lingerie, and robes are no exception.

Is anyone else a robe fan? What’s your dream robe?

Item provided for review by Camille Lingerie. Though I received this free of charge, this is not a sponsored post and all opinions are my own.

Recently, some other bloggers and I have been thinking about diversity in the world of lingerie. At the moment, it is extremely rare to see full-bust lingerie modelled by anyone who does not fit the usual mould – namely white, young, able-bodied, feminine, conventionally attractive, moderately curvy, slim cis women. There is little to no representation of women of colour, plus size women, women with visible disabilities, older women, women with other body types, trans* women, women with body hair, or women with scars/cellulite/stretch marks. For this reason, we would like to start a campaign: one asking for Diversity In Lingerie.

#DiversityInLingerie

We would like to encourage lingerie-wearers of ALL bodies and backgrounds to join in with this. As a white, able-bodied, hourglassy cis woman in her 20′s, I would say bodies similar to mine are already fairly well represented, so I am not participating to ask for more models that look like me. By participating you can show the lingerie industry that, yes, you would buy lingerie from a diverse group of models, not just the ones currently shown. To be clear, this is nothing against the body types currently shown – all women are real women, and all bodies are good bodies. Rather, we would like to see a bigger range of models, so that ALL people can see someone they can relate to and identify with when looking for lingerie.

Jessica Abidde (Kiss Me Deadly)

What really sticks out to me is that there is a huge discrepancy between everyday women and the average lingerie model. 14% of women in the UK are POC, but less than 7% of Bravissimo‘s items are currently modelled by POC on their website, and Freya and Panache‘s latest collections are modelled almost exclusively by white women. The average women’s waist size in the UK is around 33 inches, but on Brastop‘s selection of new styles, 95% of the sets shown are modelled by women with undoubtedly smaller waists. When it comes to older women, women with visible disabilities, trans* women, or women with body hair, representation is basically non-existent.

Kelly Knox (Britain’s Missing Top Model)

Starting from now, if you would like to join the campaign, just take a picture of yourself alongside the hashtag #DiversityInLingerie. It doesn’t have to be in lingerie or even include your face – you can be fully clothed, in your undies, whatever you like. Then, post it on as much social media as you can and make sure you type the hashtag in the text accompanying your post. You can also email it to June at Braless in Brasil to put on her blog, or feel free to add it to my (or another blogger’s) facebook page or to send it anonymously through a message. The more people participating the better!

Pitcha (Chrysalis Lingerie)

Finally, here are some amazing articles that discuss the importance of diversity and representation in the lingerie industry far better than I ever could:

• What It’s Like to Be a Woman of Color in the Lingerie Industry
  
• What It’s Like to Be a Lesbian in the Lingerie Industry
• What It’s Like to Be a Woman with a Disability in the Lingerie Industry
• Token Diversity: A Step Forward or a Way to March in Place?
• Why Lingerie for Women is Ageless and an Ode to Helen Mirren
• Fashion Doesn’t Need to Make Women Feel Like Shit in Order to Make Us Go Shopping

Throughout today, other bloggers will be coming out with their own posts and pictures, so make sure to check out Braless In Brasil’s post for the links! What do you think? Will you be participating?

Recently, the lingerie world has been buzzing after a certain announcement from Parfait by Affinitas. Until now they have stocked 30-40 D-G, but in June they announced that they would be expanding three styles up to a K cup for AW13: the Charlotte, Sophia, and Alexis babydoll. I was very excited by this announcement, and upon release was lucky enough to get my hands on two of them, the second of which I will be reviewing in a few days.

The first set I tried was the Charlotte Padded Plunge, which now comes in 28-40 D-K. This has been my dream set for a long time, so when I won a £50 LCL voucher in Fussy Busty‘s blogiversary giveaway, I immediately knew what to get! I seem to have settled at a 30K in most bras at the moment, but I had heard that the cups ran small, so I opted for a 32K. I’m currently a UK 14-16 with 42 inch hips. and I opted the matching high-waist briefs in size L. The briefs didn’t quite reach my natural waist, and were also a bit snug on my hips, so I could have done with a size up. As I had some money left from the voucher, I also got the red high-waist briefs in a size XL, which I found to be a much comfier fit.

The Charlotte has three-part cup construction with outer side-support panels, which is good to give an upfront and rounded shape. It is cut tall at the sides and comparatively low in the middle, so it’s something of a cross between a plunge and a balconette. I find it gives me a modest, “soft hills” sort of cleavage. The cups are a lightly padded, matte material, while the front of the band and side-support panels are a shine satin. I would describe the colour as a buttery pecan, so it’s a fairly good nude colour for pale, yellow-toned skin like mine. For those with pink-toned skin, there is also a dusty rose colourway that could work quite well. Black piping on bras is one of my favourite design features (so sophisticated!), so I think it goes without saying that I love the look of this bra. The straps and band elastic are black, which adds to the boudoir look, but it does mean it can’t be worn as a nude bra under light clothes. I feel it strikes the perfect balance of sexy and supportive to be worn as both a bedroom and everyday bra, and the colouring would work fine under most darker clothes.

Previous runs of this style were described as tight in the band, but I found mine to be fairly true to size, stretching to roughly 32.5 inches. Despite me usually wearing a 30 band, I still find this bra wearable – I think the stable four-hook band combined with my V shaped ribcage means the band rides up much less than the average 32 band would. I found the cup volume to be fairly good, so I would say that it runs about a cup small. The cups seem to be fairly mid-depth all over (neither deep nor shallow), which meant that I had slight overspill at the centre and slight gapping at the straps, due to me being centre-heavy, but it isn’t enough to make it unwearable. I would say this bra is best suited to those with either lower or even fullness. I am fairly close-set, so the moderately tall gore (11cm) doesn’t quite lie flat on me at the top. The wires measure as mid-width, but they didn’t distort when the band stretched, making them more narrow to mid-width when worn. I do personally prefer slightly narrower wires, but others will have different preferences, and they are by no means unwearable. My favourite thing about this bra has to be the super-thick comfort straps, which measure in at an impressive 2.7cm, compared to the standard width of 2cm. The thick straps are a very welcome change, providing much needed relief for my shoulders.

The main issues I had with this bra were the side height and cup height. The cup itself is quite tall around the strap, which I think emphasises the gapping I get. I think the issue that will affect most people is the side height, which is 14.2cm in this size. I would consider anything over 12cm to be quite tall; for comparison, most of my bras have a wing height of around 11cm, and the tallest wing height I’ve ever tried was 16cm (CK SS12 bikini in a 30K). So far everyone I know who has tried this bra has found the sides to be a problem, including myself.  Due to the comfortable padded material I didn’t find the sides to dig or rub, but I did find the height itself slightly uncomfortable. The height also meant that my arms pushed the cups down slightly when worn, so the cups do end up sitting about 1cm below my root. I think the height could be a dealbreaker for anyone with high-set breasts and/or a short root. I have considered altering the sides to be lower, but as the wires are also tall, I am not sure this would be possible without altering or replacing the actual wires.

Overall, the cup construction is outstandingly sturdy – it really is like sexy scaffolding, as it manages to be both a heavy lifter and a sultry set. I do wonder if this sort of construction would work well for a strapless, as even with the straps off, it is extremely supportive. All things considered I would say the Charlotte is fairly successful on me, but I really think it could work for a larger range of people if the centre was slightly deeper and the sides were slightly lowered. Despite the issues I found with the Charlotte, I think Parfait are a very promising company, and I hope they can take the feedback they’ve been given on board for their future collections. I really am so pleased to have more options around my size – now I just have to find it in red

Read more reviews:
Sophisticated Pair (30J, Dusty Rose)
The Full Figured Chest (34J, Red)
Quest for the Perfect Bra (30H, Dusty Rose)
Boosaurus (28H, Red)

For those in the UK, the expanded sizes of the Parfait Charlotte are available from Large Cup Lingerie for £30 (peach colourway only). For those in the US, the Charlotte is available from Beautyfull Bras for $36 (all colours). The items in this review were purchased with a voucher to Large Cup Lingerie. Though most of the items were free, this is not a sponsored post and all opinions are my own.

As I mentioned in my last post, Parfait have recently expanded three of their bras up to a K cup for AW13: the Charlotte, Sophia, and Alexis babydoll. I have reviewed the Charlotte here, but I was also lucky enough to get my hands on the Alexis babydoll. This is the first babydoll to be made up to a UK K-cup, so I was very excited to try it out.

The Alexis now comes in a size range of 30-40 D-K, and is currently available in both Black and Ivory. I received this in my current usual size of a 30K. I didn’t get the matching briefs with this, but there is both a bikini brief and an unbelievably stunning high-waist brief available if you do decide to get the whole set. I found the babydoll to be a good length on me – just long enough to add mystery, but short enough to be flirty. The keyhole back gives a peek of skin, while the neckline of the bra gives somewhere between a plunge and Marie Antoinette style cleavage. I am sure some women will want a babydoll for bedroom attire, so I was quite happy to see the cleavage I got from this.

The cup construction of the Alexis is not something that I would have ever expected. Most full-bust bras are constructed with multiple panels, but the Alexis seems to just be one piece of sturdy black lace, with a dart at the bottom to shape the cup. This results in a rounded lower cup with a flatter section at the top. I was surprised at the fairly round shape this cup construction gave me, which I think is down to the inner side-support sling. It seems as though the sling (which joins the bottom of the cup to the strap) is giving most of the lift and support in this bra. The sling is made with a lightly padded material, whereas the cup itself is completely unpadded, which gives the bra a very sexy appearance. The straps and band are made of a standard black elastic, while the wings and front of the band are layered with a black shine satin, similar to the kind used in the Charlotte.

Unfortunately, I didn’t find the sizing of this piece quite right for me. While I usually wear a 30K at the moment, I believe I would need at least one cup up and at least one band size down in this, so I think this fits more like a loose-banded 32J (or a Panache 32HH). It is definitely loose for a 30 band, stretching to almost exactly 33 inches, making it one of the loosest 30 bands I’ve ever tried. Though the cups might not look too small in these pictures, I should point out that I didn’t fully scoop, as scooping properly resulted in significant overspill. This means that I would probably need more like a 28L, but as this set doesn’t go below a 30 band or above a K cup, my best option would probably be altering a 32K. Unlike the Charlotte, which I found supportive despite the 32 band, this band rides up even on the tightest hooks. I would say the cups run similarly to the Charlotte but the band is looser, so this 30K fits perhaps like a 32JJ Charlotte would. The cups seem to have the same sort of depth distribution, so they are too shallow in the centre for me and slightly too tall around the strap.

The wires measure as mid-width, but due to them not stretching with the band they are quite narrow when on, making them a good width for me. I have the same problem I had with the Charlotte of the sides and gore being too tall for me, with the wings measuring at 13.2cm and the gore at 11.7cm. With the Charlotte, I found that I had empty space at the bottom of the cup which I thought was due to my arms pushing the cups down, but I don’t seem to have that problem in this bra. What I did notice is that the wires themselves are shorter than the wire channels by about 2cm, so you can move the wires either more towards the gore or the sides. Due to the unpadded material this means the excess material can be folded down, effectively lowering the height. I have fewer issues with high sides than high gores (due to being close-set), so I pushed the wires into the sides after taking these pictures, which made the gore a fairly reasonable height for me. You could also have the wires somewhere in the middle, giving an effective side height of 12cm and a gore of 11cm (both of which would be quite average measurements for most of my bras).

This bra has a square back rather than the leotard back that most full-bust brands choose, something that is quite new to me but didn’t seem to give any problems. The straps seemed to be quite close-set at the back, but this might partially be due to me fastening the bra on the tightest hooks. It has a deep full-band, fastening with four sets of hooks and eyes, and the straps are wonderfully thick and supportive at 2.7cm. In terms of appearance, I think this piece drips glamour – there are some tiny details, like the crystal drops on the gore and the shine satin panels on the band, that just add a little bit more sophistication.

Despite the fit issues I have with this set, I am considering holding onto it, just because a babydoll around my size is such a welcome first (although I am looking forward to some of the other new babydolls popping up soon). I am hoping that the overspill will just look like mega-cleavage with some of my lower-cut/straighter necklines, and if it doesn’t I can always keep it as a bedroom set. It is possible that my experience isn’t quite the norm, so it may still be worth a try for those who who need 30 bands and/or J+ cups – I just wouldn’t be too hopeful. I imagine this will be a safer option for those who need at least a 32 band and at most a J cup, as there will be more space to play with the sizing. As far as I know, the expanded sizes of the Alexis aren’t being sold in the UK yet, something that will hopefully change soon! For those in the US, the Alexis babydoll is available from Beautyfull Bras for $59 (Black or Ivory).

Item provided for review by Lingerie PR. Though I received this free of charge, this is not a sponsored post and all opinions are my own.