It feels strange coming back to the very serious business of boobs after a fortnight of grief-tinged catatonia, so perhaps it is fitting to find my way back with a brand new-to-me brand and bra: the Charlotte padded plunge, from Affinitas’s Parfait collection.
First things first. The pants. Look at these beasts. I do love a high waisted knicker, and though there is a brief option, these high waisted beauties are just fantastic. Not only is all the detailing (big satin bow, panelling, black piping) gorgeous, but they are Spanx-lite snug too (for extra support). Mr B4J was rather baffled by the size (“They’re MASSIVE” he said, possibly concerned by the scale of this new elasticated obstacle), but I loved them – lovely over the bum and they nip perfectly in at the waist. They do however run extremely small – so size up from your usual Freya etc size or risk garotting your buttocks off…
And the bra itself? I think it’s beautiful. Affinitas really haven’t done it justice with the above picture: it looks stunning on soft curves, and an altogether more convincing pin-up look when not accessorised with a 90’s lads’ mag duck face pout. I’m not a huge fan of a big shiny cup, and Charlotte sidesteps glare with a matt finish cup with a cute bow and a touch of satin pleating around the sides to make it a little bit more special.
The band is firm, the wires comfortable, and though the straps are so long you can tighten it all the way to the top of the cup if you need to (perfect for those who struggle with straps at both end of the spectrum…). Though technically the plunge style, it gives a balconette-y shape and cleavage – with enough oomph to turn a ‘bottom heavy’ boob like mine in to a ‘toppling over’. Which brings me to the only flaw: the cups run small. Ideally I’d trade some of this rather distracting, jiggling cleavage for a 30GG and a center gore that could sit flat. Alas, G appears to be the limit of Affinitas’s capacity for now. I may have to wait for my perfectly parfait Parfait bra.
That said, some lingerie just looks so good on I’m not sure it matters if it’s 100% perfect. After all, who needs day long support when you can barely leave the bedroom?
Charlotte by Affinitas’s Parfait collection is available in sizes 30-40 D-G.
Huge thanks to the FREE INTERNATIONAL DELIVERY-ing legends at Large Cup Lingerie for brightening up a tough couple of weeks with this gift wrapped packet of loveliness. FREE INTERNATIONAL DELIVERY! You rock x
Busts 4 Justice 
try the fiona parfait its a beautiful fit slight higher but a fantasic mouded style cup four colours too .I sell both these bras to both all age groups AS WELL THE GUYS WENT CRAZY FOR THE HIGH WAISTED BRIEF IN BOTH STYES,
Ooo good tip, maybe I will! And I think high waisted knickers are the sexiest thing ever – I think there’s something very powerful about being so covered up x
I love this bra. It does not fit, but I keep it anyway. Out of their entire line, the Charlotte runs the smallest, something I heard was to be fixed with the next season’s leopard print version. The other styles may work for you where this one is small. The bikini brief also runs small, as does the rest of the line when it comes to bottoms. And the price, can’t ask for better when you are shopping in the US.
They definitely have a fan in me, I just wait for the day that they expand their size range.
That’s interesting to know. I am so excited by this brand – will be watching them very closely as they grow! x
I sell the red and black one in my store but all my ladys of all ages love it.I tell them they should go up a back and a cup with charlotte, it still works very nicely and my customers love it to bits they love all the ranges I do in affinitas and parfait .
I can’t wait until they are able to start doing bigger cups, I never need to hard sell anyhting from this company as she does the banding wider than most companys no matter what cup size you wear so ladies feel it supports better and no more hang over curves either, it just snuggles them fantastic she does up to a 40 back too, she will knock lots of the market with her products beautiful design fabrics prices keep up the good work.parfait
I would love to see this brand open up a few new cup and band sizes. They make such gorgeous lingerie.
Sigh, I love this bra (and the bottoms) and I just hate that they don’t come in my size yet. 😉 I’m really hoping they manage to expand to at least H cups soon being that I really want to try them, the bras (and price!) are amazing! 😀
I own this in the red/black option! I agree about it running small–I think it runs small in the cup and the band as the 30 is almost too tight on me (I never have that problem!). The one I own is about 2 cup sizes too small at this point since I have it in one size smaller than I now need, but it’s strictly a bedroom bra, so that’s not too much of a disaster, lol.
Hello Kay,
I sell this bra everyday sucessfully but I always measure my ladies with a tape measure so I can assertain their actual real back size and always with this design by parfait take them up a back size and cup size to obtain the perfct fit for the bedroom and to wear on any occasion as my customers of all ages love it even the gents they think the 60 brief design is sexier more is sexier as it leave more to the amagination and suspence .
Parfait designs and AFFINITAS are amazing can’t wait till they eventually do larger cups so I can experience what my customers are getting I am so jealous.
Helen Fitz the Lingerie Boutique Dumfries Scotland uk.,
This bra is so pretty! I love the black striping! 🙂 I really want to get it (in the red), but my only worry is that it wouldn’t be that good for asymmetrical breasts. My right is about 1.5 cup sizes smaller than the left… Plunge bras work really well for me, but balconette ones not quite as much. I simply can’t fill out the right side once the left is big enough. Do you think this one would work okay? I’m also a pretty small 30 back (27.5″ ribcage).
Although this is technically a plunge style it does give a balconette style cleavage so you may find it doesn’t work as well as a more plungey plunge style. That said, with your ribcage being smaller (I’m a 29 wearing 30) you may find the bra doesn’t truss you up quite so much. Are you able to give it a try? Large Cup Lingerie don’t charge for delivery, so you’re not having to fork out twice if you need to do any returns. Let me know how you get on! x
I decided to pass on this one. I really do prefer tighter bands, and I lost a bit of weight recently, which put my ribcage at 27″. Not quite worth the hassle of ordering online, especially when it’s only a “might fit.” But I did notice some Ewa Michalak styles that have a similar retro vibe, so I think I’ll spring for one of those. 🙂
hello Erin what you need is glamour pads for your breat difference fo rthe one breast as they are small light weight sponge shapes to help fill out and give you confidance to wear any style of bra but the moulded is the best for your smaller breast so they can look identical they come in two sizes you can use the smaller or the bigger or the two together you hold them in with tit tape to the bra where no movement or fallout but always choose the cup for the bigger breast.
this parfait bra is amazing for women who have this problem its quite common I see it every week in my store its about giving themself the visual experience they deserve rather than wear mouded heavy bras with dresses tops to under the chin you can show them off with pride like any woman if she chooses to do so .
the box comes with instructions as how to position them in any shape of bra and what effect you are looking for too.
Helen .
Thanks for the suggestion! I will definitely look into getting some. I don’t mind the visual difference, it’s just annoying when my bra only fits half of me. It sounds like the pads should fix that though.
I ordered this bra online over a year ago. Ordered a band size up and didn’t go down a cup size due to so many reviews saying it ran tight all over. Tried it on and yeah, it looked great, nice fit. I was very impressed. Wore it to work (6 hours that day) and ended up bleeding from the soft tissue near my arms being rubbed raw by the straps. That has never happened to me before. Don’t know why it happened to this day. Threw the bra in the trash as soon as I got home. Very odd. (32G, ordered 34G, naturals)
It really does come up small in the cup. I’ve just tried on my usual size (30FF) in the balconette version of this style and actually laughed out loud at the absurd overspill that this created! I’d need to go up at least two cup sizes to make this fit. I’d suggest that those ordering online order several sizes to have any hope of getting one that fits
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