Pages

Sunday, October 14

Lingerie Shop Along - My Results

As a trigger happy participant of the Lingerie Shop Along, I bought 5 bras from www.brastop.com.  Overall, I'd say this was successful in buying bras but also figuring out I was one of the 80% of women not wearing the right size. 

I did take pictures of myself, but I have to say they suck.  It was apparently rather chilly in the room and some of the bras are a bit sheer for public consumption.  So let's split this up into the three groups.

The Good

Sophia by Freya
Lucy by Flirtelle

 
Let's start with what I'm keeping.  Lucy is the best fit out of all of my purchases, in part because I bought a larger cup size.  Sophia isn't a perfect fit but it's good enough it took some time to really feel the poking of the underwire on the right (larger) side.  I really should go up a cup size but I wore it long enough that it's mine for now.  It's not bad, it's just not great.

The sports bra is something I am comfortable sharing here.  Comments in the bra reviews suggested the fit was snug so I stayed with what had been my band size and I'm glad I did, this is freaking snug.  With my ankle being sprained, I haven't had a chance to take it for a test run (literally) but based on single leg hops and the feel, I could bungee jump and they wouldn't move.  I am pleased on a functional level, but I can't figure out how the hell you're suppose to do this bra up on your own.  See how there are two black bars across the top and bottom of the open circle?  Both are hooks and eyes.  They are too wide to hook both from the front and swish it around, the bottom I can do up on my own, but my arms do not reach that high and still have the angle to do up hooks and eyes.  Maybe I'll figure it out with practice, but Mr. Lina had to help me out.



And talk about compression.  There is a reason I can buy bras from these sites specializing in larger cups.  Does this look like a large cup to you?



The Bad

I have known for a bit that I need to cup up so to speak.  I've made bras in a larger size only for them to be too big.  In the past, my bras have been 38 D.  I'm 35" at the band so I wasn't adding quite 4" (or the 5" they would have suggested) but I thought I'd try some 36" bands because I liked how tight my last self made bra was.  I also knew to go up a cup size.  So the sports bra is a 38D, the other 3 are 36DD and the Lucy is 36E. 

Monet Plunge by Freya

 
The problem with Monet is the 3rd and 4th breast that I get.  There is a seam line that is pushing into my breast.  Although the Sophia bra is a little small but not too bad, this is clearly too small on first glance.  Sadly, they are sold out on the 36E.  But it is really pretty, if you wear a 32DD or 32F, you may be luck.

Which leads us to...

The Ugly

Oh dear, this bra was not made for me. 

Vivienne Tshirt bra by Bestform

First, I don't mean the bra is ugly.  It's quite lovely, the detail at the band and straps is really pretty.  The molded cup is not thick enough to hide the fact that it was cold but it would provide a nice seamless look under a snug shirt.  The problem is fit and shape and well, everything.  My breasts don't really do that nice cleavagy thing where you'd measure the high bust.  It's like I'm flat and suddenly there is breast tissue.  So when this bra won't change shape and wants to do whatever engineering pushes it up, this is what happens:

 

See how I end up with this shelf of breast within the bra?  It just goes flat and the bra sits higher than my armpit.  It's just hundreds of ways wrong.  Even Mr. Lina was raising an eyebrow and saying things like "that looks weird".  It's just not for me.

In all, 3 bras to keep, two to return and a lot learned as to what suits and what doesn't.  I'm pretty sure Freya would be a good fit in a 36E.  I'd try that brand again.  

4 comments:

  1. Great post! Where to begin... I'm glad Flirtelle works on you. If it does, the world of Curvy Kate may be your oyster. BTW, I own an earlier colourway of the Sophia and I have to say that it's the outlier in fit for Freya styles. It has the worst support of any of their bras, IMO. So keep that in mind. It's really pretty but I won't buy it again.

    Your breasts look full on top (the bottom pic with the molded bra notwithstanding) so you will have to be sure to get Freya balconettes in the size that gives enough space at the top of the cup. And read reviews about those Freya styles that are less good for full on top breasts. I do think this is an issue of right size vs right shape but keep that in mind.

    Oh, and that bottom pic is why I loathe molded, padded bras. There's no communication between the fabric and the breast. So the fabric can't find any drape.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do see what you mean about Sophia having less support. That said, the upper cup is essentially sheer and Mr. Lina liked the look of it a lot. I don't think it will ever be my first pick of bras, but it's okay.

      I think my Flirtelle excitement is that it's the only one I bought in the right size. The lower cup will actually keep its shape when I'm not wearing it, that's pretty firm. But anyone wanting the upper cup to stop jiggles won't like this cup.

      I haven't sent back the two bras yet in part because I am slow to the post office and also I'm not sure what I want to do - just get my money back or trade for a different Freya since the size up on the Monet isn't available.

      Delete
    2. I suggest you size up in another Freya. Bras I Hate has some good reviews of many bras, including some Freyas. (The blogger has recently changed the name of her blog to Bras I Hate and Love.

      Delete
    3. Yeah, I think that's the route I'm going to take. I'll check out her blog, thanks for the reco.

      Delete

Thanks for your comments, I love to have a two way conversation. I seem to be getting a lot of spam from anonymous users and am turning off the ability to comment that way. I really would like to hear from you so if you do want to add your two cents without an OpenId, email me at seraphinalina at gmail dot com.