Total Babe: new Freya reviewed

Posted on June 3, 2013 by busts4justice

Freya Lingerie: Babes in the Wood
When I saw Freya‘s new Babes in the Wood bra, I knew I would love it. Their unpadded half-lace style is one of my favourites ever – I always know what fit I’m getting, it always suits me, and the prints always add a touch of flair to my everyday days. Freya’s Dionne is one of my current favourites and I fully expected Babes in the Wood to be the same.

Except… she’s not. Yet. Though Freya are usually great at cookie cutter bra styles, Babes in the Wood runs much bigger than Dionne. I was so startled by the excess of fabric that I actually double checked the label; and I even put my Dionne on to double check my boobs hadn’t suddenly deflated. But no, it is definitely a bigger cup – I’d need to size down to at least a 30FF to get a proper fit.

In every other respect, she’s brilliant. Firm back, soft fabric, and a beautiful and delicate tree print I love. Babes in the Wood has got everyday classic written all over it… just not in my everyday classic Freya size.

Babes in the Wood is widely available in sizes 28 D-J, 30-36 D-K, 38 D-J.

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Cleo’s Melissa bra reviewed!

Posted on May 29, 2013 by busts4justice

Melissa by Cleo | Panache

I don’t know whether it was the scalloped red frill or the primary colour palette, but something about Melissa by Panache’s younger brand Cleo called to me in this soggy dog of a Spring. There’s something infectiously cheerful about this bra. There is something incurably damp and sorry about my commute. I needed her.

With her bright blue fabric, bright red frill, and cute berry print, in my usual 30G Melissa is the very epitome of perky. She’s extremely firm in the back and gives an almost artificially round and firm uplifted shape at the front. The cups are true to size (although perhaps shallower at the bottom, which creates that amazing apple-shaped cleavage), and the skinny straps help make it feel daintier than a standard boulder holder.

Sadly, she’s not for me. Although I love shape and the brightness, Melissa is taller in the centre than I find comfortable on my short and bony ribs. And it could be the rainy day blues talking, but something about the way the popsicle cute print looks on my body that makes me feel ancient….

There’s no question she’s a cracking little bra – but sadly, Melissa is not for me.

Melissa is widely available in sizes 28D-38J.

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All new royalty: Curvy Kate’s new Princess reviewed

Posted on May 21, 2013 by busts4justice

Curvy Kate Princess Orchid

Not long after writing this review of Curvy Kate’s Princess bra did team CK reach out to me to let me know that the fitting nuances I’d noted in my review – namely that it ran slightly small – would be resolved in the new season Princess style. Quite a promise from a brand who does typically run slightly large: but is it true?

Interestingly enough, it is. Although the band could be a little bit firmer, the wide three-hooked support gives good support while the cup fits much ‘truer’ to size than previously. The underwire tracks perfectly, and though pastel purple isn’t usually my cup of tea I have to say this is my favourite Curvy Kate bra to date.

It’s not just the fit. The style is slightly different too: the cups seem closer together in the center – much more comfortable for a close set girl like me – and it doesn’t have the same outwards east-west pointing as it did before.

In many ways, Princess seems to have been engineered precisely to my tastes. It suits my figure better, it’s infinitely more comfortable on my ribs, and gives my favourite rounded everyday shape. Good news for me – although I wonder what old die hard fans of the style will make of it. Have any of my Curvy Kate loving readers tried it yet?

Curvy Kate’s new orchid purple Princess is available in an extended range of sizes from 28-40 D-K, 42-44 D-G.

 

 

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Brayola & your boobs out: Fit or Not

Posted on May 14, 2013 by busts4justice

Fit or Not: BrayolaI don’t upload pictures of my boobs/bras to my blog, but I have huge respect for the bloggers who do [big up Georgina Horne and Cheryl, amongst others]. In showing their diverse figures and how various styles and shapes work on their bodies, they not only provide a useful resource for women but promote body confidence and help present a more balanced spectrum of shapes and sizes.

When it comes to bra fitting, there is no better technique than getting in to a changing room and taking your top off with a professional fitter. But when that fitter/amateur blogger is on the Internet, separated by countries or even continents, how they give advice that is genuinely meaningful when they can’t see exactly what’s going on? And if you’re not one of the Georgina Horne’s of this world, how do you give a remote stranger a visual on your boobs in a world where a Tweet can last a lifetime?

Brayola think they’ve cracked it. With their new Fit or Not app, women can upload anonymous (if they want to be) photos of themselves in their bras and Brayola’s fit experts will give their professional verdict. And if that verdict isn’t good, they’ll give constructive and clear instructions to help you find a better match.

And that’s not all. Before you see the expert verdict, you’re invited to rate the picture “fit or not”. The expert’s reveal helps educate a wider audience, and spread that good fit further.

It’s not perfect by any means – a heavily airbrushed and extremely dodgy photo pulled from Figleaves (or similar) scores a good fit despite being 2D’d out of recognition – but the advice on the ‘real’ pictures seemed solid and I have truly applaud Brayola for trying something totally innovative and totally different in the minefield that is online fitting advice. Plus, it’s weirdly addictive. I keep looking for familiar chests from the boob blogger sorority….

Play Fit or Not at Brayola.com.

*****EDIT

After a couple of more plays, I spotted some off advice on non-stock imagery to. I’ve sent the below to Fiona at Brayola: looking forward to hearing back.

 

Hey Fiona, hope you are well.

Loving the concept of Fit or Not – quite inspired solution to online fitting advice.

I was wondering though – it falls down on a couple of dodgy expert calls. Like on Playtex Secrets 48B, the advice is to try a different brand – when clearly the advice should be try a much smaller band and a much bigger cup. And on Victoria’s Secret 36DD, it says the band looks great but actually you can clearly see from the right breast that the underwire isn’t tracking properly and the breast is resting on chest tissue rather than the bra.

I think it’s nearly there but would just benefit from some revisiting. I also wonder if ‘how it should fit’ link under each expert opinion that visually explains how a bra should look (Bravissimo do this excellently if you need pointers) would make it a more useful and much more important tool for women online.

 I look forward to hearing from you on the above. Please let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help. 

Beckie

http://www.busts4justice.com

www.facebook.com/busts4justice

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HOTMilk Luminous maternity bra: guest review by Kaela

Posted on May 12, 2013 by busts4justice

HOTMilk Luminous Maternity Bra

So after a few weeks of being pinched and poked by my normal bras I finally gave in and did some shopping.  Like any other hot topic, there are many different ideas of the best way to dive into these new found glory times of heaving bosoms; but like with many challenges, trial and error is the quickest way to learn what’s best for you.  And it never hurts to get an expert’s opinion first.  I contacted Pudding Lingerie and had an over the phone fitting with one of their service reps which was great.  She talked me through band size, cup size, what’s increased so far, what logical steps I could take to get a bra that would last me through more than a few weeks and most importantly, what I wanted out of a bra.  It was an educating conversation that left me feeling more confident on trying new styles and sizes.

Based on this conversation, my reading and logical deduction, it seemed
smartest to go with a nursing bra.  While I’m not nursing now I will be soon enough, so why not buy something that will be functional for more than just a trimester?  I had visions of something white, something lacy, something demure but sexy, dare I say ‘hot mom’-ish…?  On paper the HOTMilk Luminous for all intents fit the bill: it’s pretty in pictures, it has lace detail, it’s a nursing bra and, something new for me, there is no underwire which I figured would be my biggest challenge.

Do you remember that time, when you walked in on your grandmother/aging aunt/family friend at a pool party and caught them in just their skivvies getting changed?  And you were embarrassed and awed at the same time… but most of all just OVERWHELMED by the sheer size of their underwear?  In this bra I feel like the one wearing the big pants.  Surprisingly to me the lack of underwire was not an issue at all, the bra fits comfortably around my frame and supports well. But for someone with my chest size (36F), there is no definition in the cups – causing the breasts to be pushed together to make one long bump with a sweaty crease in the middle.  And the middle!  There is a pretty little bauble which, because of the lack of definition in the cups, sticks out further than anything else and makes a funny little bump in the front of my chest, even in a loose fitting top. I’ve worn the bra a few times to give it a chance and while I’ll put it aside for when nursing has become a reality, it’s not one I will choose to wear regularly.   I think for a smaller chested person this might be a great bra to work with, it’s just not for those with more than a handful.

What I want – what I need – is the same thing I expect from my husband; to feel supported, to feel pretty, to feel sexy during this alien invasion of my body.  He’s done a great job of it, this bra, while supportive, has missed the mark on other counts.

The hunt continues.

Thanks to Pudding Lingerie for helping Kaela out with the fitting, and the HOTMilk Luminous to review.

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