Lingerie Review: Ewa Bien B132 “Fantasi” in 65E

In the full-bust industry you rarely bump into anything truly different – the last time that happened to me was when Playful Promises launched their D+ collection last winter. When Ewa Bien sent me their new SS16 catalog I was super excited for one style in particular – the Fantasi. Even though I could not wear any of their bras as I am just outside the size range, I knew I needed to see this beauty on someone – so I practically told Jo this is a set she needed to review, no discussion of it. Luckily, she agreed with me that this was something super unique and the whole thing was settled! Here’s how we liked the B132 Fantasi in Black… *Diclosure: This bra was generously provided by Ewa Bien. All opinions are our own!*

The Design: The B132 Fantasi is a soft non-padded balconette bra which is made out of a thin embroided fabric with a touch of heavy black strapping and piping. This cage-style bra shows under almost any top or a dress, so it is definitely not for the faint-hearted! The cups are also completely see-through which may be a downside for some – but then again, if you minded see-through cups, you probably wouldn’t be opting for this set anyways!

The cups of the soft balconette are constructed of two parts that connect with one vertical seam. This is very common structure in smaller sizes when it comes to balconette constructions but can also be made in bigger cups, like with this Avocado bra I recently reviewed. This style of balconette gives two cakes on a plate -style cleavage and leaves room for fuller breast tissue at the top. This style is a bit too open at the top for Jo, but it still looks fantastic, especially as a boudoir piece.

The Fit: We first requested the Fantasi in 65F just like with the other Ewa Bien bras we have reviewed so far. However, this one ran a whole cup size large, so we ended up swapping it for 65E which is a rough equivalent to 30DD in UK sizes. This is a size Jo wears with Gossard, so it’s safe to say you need to size down in the cups with this particular style. The shape of the cups is very open at the top too, which is not ideal for Jo’s full-on-bottom breasts and still leaves the cups gaping a bit. This bra is meant for more “night-out”  purposes, so this was not a huge issue, but if you are more FOB and looking for an everyday bra, you might want to skip the B132 shape altogether.

The bra band of the B132 Fantasi on the other hand was a bit firmer than with the previous Ewa Bien styles Jo tried. This was a positive surprise, as Jo is very petite and usually would require a 28-band instead of 30. However, it is still a bit loose on her and if there were an option of 28/60 band, she would definitely want to go for that. The wires of the B132 were quite perfect for Jo though, which makes this bra a better fit for her that it otherwise would be. There is also just the right amount of space at the bottom of the cups, so I would say this bra is perfect for those with a narrow-to-average breast root and breasts that are evenly full allover.

Comfort: As the B132 Fantasi is a completely see-through style with a thin yet sturdy cup material, it is an ideal bra for the hottest of summer months. The elastics that form the caging on the decolletage are very stretchy and move around easily with the body and the metal parts are high quality, so no itchiness there at all either. The straps are fully adjustable, which is always an upside especially if you have a longer or shorter than average torso length. As said before, the wires are also just the right length for Jo, which is always a big factor when it comes to your bra’s comfort level.

The bottoms are very innovative with a strappy kind of styling and a higher rise that reaches the middle of what we call the “cookie pouch”. I would have personally preferred them a bit higher if I was wearing them, but Jo really enjoyed them this way as well. All of the Ewa Bien panties we both have tried have come up quite small so that is something I would consider hard when opting for you panty size – especially with a style like this, which may create some bulges on the hips if you are wearing a too-small size. Jo is wearing a size Small in the pics and she usually goes for XS with most brands, so go at least a size up with the bottoms, if not two (especially with more rigid materials, such as rigid mesh). Overall the set is a comfortable and beautiful ensemble, which may not be your most practical for work etc, but suits perfectly your date nights, girls-nights-out and boudoir occasions.

The Fantasi set can be bought on Ewa Bien online store and the bra (sizes 65-80 B-G) will set you back at 199 pzl, the strappy bottoms (S-XL) retail for 105 pzl. In total it makes about 70€ which is a reasonable price for such a gorgeous set! What do you think of risque styles like this – see-through cups and all? Let me know in the comments! xx

Sunday with Samanta: Zorza A330 in 65E

Technically, it will be Monday in 5 minutes or so but as it will be Sunday for a few more hours in States, I can still write my Sunday with Samanta post, right? 😉 It has been a long Easter Sunday and I just couldn’t bring myself to blog before midnight – so typical of me! However, today we are bringing you the Zorza in A33o by Samanta lingerie. For new readers, Samanta is a Polish brand that creates beautiful lingerie for many different sizes, shapes and budgets. Today, we see a style targeted for smaller/ average-sized breasts, that is the A330. *This set was generously gifted by Samanta. All opinions are our own.*

The Design: The A330 is a Samanta model that goes up to EU G-cup in the 65-band – thus it’s made for smaller and more average sized breasts to give them more volume and cleavage. The A330 was especially designed for softer breasts but is definitely suitable for firmer ones as well, which Jo absolutely proved while testing the bra. The bra features detachable push-up pads but even without them, it gives a subtle hint of sexy cleavage. The shape of the bra is very rounded and forward-projecting, just like with most Samanta bras I have encountered so far.

The Zorza is a style part of Samanta’s Pret-a-Porter collection which is a mid-priced core collection alongside of “Young” and “Glamour”. The collection offers beautiful styles with subtle yet luxurious detailing and quality materials – with a lower price point than the Glamour range and yet more “grown-up” sophisticated designs than the Young range. The Zorza style is definitely something you would wear for a Friday night out – it’s sophisticated, yet steaming hot and features some feminine embroidery to seal the deal. The embroidery on the cup edge resembles a lot of sunflowers which go perfectly with the beautiful roses and bows that adorn the set.

The Fit: Jo received the Zorza in the same size as the Anvers she reviewed last time, that is 65E (UK 30DD). She reported that the size was quite similar to the Anvers A475 bra but to be a bra nerd, I must say the cups seem a tiny bit smaller (or perhaps shallower?) and the band is a bit stretchier, not necessarily smaller than with Anvers. I would say that if you want to wear this bra with the push-up pads in the bra, do size up a cup size. The band stretches out a bit during a whole day of wear and thus Jo usually tightens it up a bit at the end of the day by hooking the bra to a tighter set of hooks. However, we need to keep in mind that Jo’s underbust measurement is around 26″ so the 65 band would be too big for her in the first place anyway.

Again, the length and height of the underwires is pretty much perfect for Jo but this time the cups seem a bit shallower than with other Samanta bras. This is quite usual for push-up bras so if you are fan of the shape, do give this beauty a try. The centre gore of the bra is very low and narrow so if you have smaller close-set breasts or find high centre gores painful, this style would be prefect for you.

Comfort: When comparing to Anvers, the A330 Zorza bra is definitely a lot skimpier and thus perhaps not as supportive and everyday-appropriate. Don’t get me wrong – it’s still one of the best push-up bras out there, but as it is targeted for smaller breasts, it is not meant to do any “heavy lifting”. The straps of the bra are a bit thinner and the whole ensemble is quite delicate – thus it is most appropriate for date-nights to look and feel sexy. However, the straps are fully-adjustable and the band features two hooks and eyes, so you can definitely wear it at work as well as it is not made out of strings only! The materials of the set are a bit scratchier compared to Anvers but still feel nice against skin and don’t itch even after a long day of wear.

Jo also received the M300 suspender thong in size Small and even though the tag says “thong” the style is definitely more of a Brazilian brief. This makes sense though – apparently actual thongs are not super popular anymore in Poland which is why Samanta offers their customers a more popular and fashionable choice, that is the Brazilian. The rise of M300 is a bit weird on Jo to be honest – not high or low enough to look the most flattering on her, but I do know some women would find this particular rise absolutely perfect. In my opinion though, these would need to be a bit lower to maintain the sexy look of them and also to not bunch up on Jo’s body, like they do now. However, the suspenders hold stockings really well and are a nice touch, if you want something a bit more special. They are also detachable which makes the set more versatile for everyday wear.

All in all, the Samanta “Zorza” is a lovely style up to EU G-cup (UK F-cup) which would be a perfect pairing with a festive little black dress or a v-neck top. If you are interested to order the Zorza for yourself (or why not for your partner?) take a look at the Samanta online store. The A330 bra sets you back at 59,70€ and comes in 65-85 A-G and the suspender brief is priced at 39,70 and comes in size S-XL. How do you like the Zorza? Have you tried Samanta bras yet? Let me know in the comments below! xx

Sunday with Samanta – A479 Goshenit in 65E

Hi everyone! It’s another end of the month and I am happy to introduce you to one of my newer guest bloggers and my little sister, Emma. A few things about this lovely specimen: we are both gingers, love food and lifting – but those are pretty much our only similarities! As you can soon see, we also look quite different; Emma has a lot straighter figure and is more petite all over. I LOVE showcasing different body types on my blog which is why I am happy to have my lovely sis here! This time we are bringing the Samanta A479 style in 65E. This particular style was originally meant for Jo but it was too small for her – so I figured Emma would be just the right size. Let’s take a look at the ensemble! *This set was gifted to Emma free of charge by Samanta. All opinions are our own*

The Design: The Goshenit is a beautiful style part of the Samanta Glamour collection – it is a set with a beige base and an a blue heavily adorned overlay. The style is quite universal to all ages and thus suits a 20 year old as well as a 50 year old lady, in my opinion at least. The bright indigo blue is one of Emma’s favourite colours which is why this set was a jackpot for her personally.

The A479 is a push-up style bra for smaller busts and thus also runs a bit smaller in the cup than some of the other Samanta bras. It goes up to F-cup in 65-bands which is an equivalent to a British E-cup. The bra could give you intense cleavage depending on your bust shape but Emma’s bust is a bit shallow meaning the bra brings the boobs up and front but don’t create a super over-the-top vavavoom effect. The style is a “bandless” true plunge which is great for low cut tops and dresses. The push-up padding of the bra is not detachable like with most Samanta styles which is something to be considered if you are not always into the more enhanced look.

The Fit: As said before, the size Emma is wearing is a EU 65E which is 30DD in UK sizes. Usually Samanta bras run a bit big in the cup which is why I thought this would be a good size for Jo but it seems this particular style, the A479, is running quite true to size in the cup. Emma is now pretty much exactly 30DD with most brands and the 65E Goshenit fits her like a glove! The moulded cups are great for Emma’s shallow-ish breasts (she does not usually fit well into non-padded bras actually!) and the low-cut push-up style is something that Emma likes wearing when it comes to her everyday bras. You can see a tiny bit of gaping in the top picture above but I assure you it is only due to her posture. The cups are perfect for a more shallow breast shape and the underwires encase Emma’s breast tissue beautifully without being too narrow or wide.

Emma measures 29″ under her bust so she usually wears a 30 (=65 EU) band comfortably. She is quite muscular for her size so there is not much squish on her ribcage area and while she is between band sizes, she will rather size up than size down in the band so there won’t be too much pressure on her ribs. She is also working as a baker and a pastry chef which requires a lot of physical work – hence she needs a bra she can breath and move in but which will also keep her supported through the long working days. The Samanta 65 band is tad on the looser side for her but she wouldn’t still go for a smaller size as she appreciates comfort like I do. She is still wearing the bra on the loosest set of hooks which is always a good sign after a few weeks of wear.

Comfort: So far the two ladies I have personally introduced Samanta lingerie to – Emma and Jo – have both tremendously enjoyed their bra sets as they are pretty, well-fitting and damn comfortable. The Goshenit set got the ultimate compliment from Emma; it feels like you are not wearing anything underneath your clothes, in a good way. The materials are soft and top quality and they wash well without the colours fading or band stretching out. The straps are half-adjustable (with a multiway function) but as Emma is on the petite side (a bit over 5’4 for reference) she hasn’t had any problems with them being too long or falling off the shoulders. The only tiny gripe with them is that the adjusters slide down a bit after wearing the bra for a while and need to be adjusted now and then.

Emma got the B300 Goshenit briefs with the bra and I opted for a size Small in them. Again, these were supposed to be worn by Jo but luckily Emma and her are about the same dress size! The briefs area great fit for her and look sweet in the see-through style they come in. They are a bit more of a brazilian than a regular brief so they don’t offer tons of coverage – but I am quite sure Emma is not bothered at all! All in all the whole set is a beautiful and comfy little number which has quickly become on of Emma’s favourite sets of all time.

If you are interested to give Samanta a try, you can find their online shop here. The A479 comes in sizes 65-80 A-F and the B300 bottoms in S-XXL. The Goshenit bra retails for a 73€ and the briefs for €36,30. As this style belongs to the Samanta Glamour range it is a bit more expensive than some of their other lingerie but I assure you that it’s worth every penny! xx

Sunday with Samanta: A475 Anvers in 65E

It has been a while since I did a “Sunday with Samanta” post – it’s understandable, the holidays came in the way of both me and the Samanta team, so we put the feature on hold for a couple of months. We also ran out of styles that would come in my size, so we had to figure something else out first to showcase the Samanta styles that fit the more average and small busts out there. This was however, not a problem. As most of you know I operate with an array of guest bloggers with different body types – to give you a teaser, in addition to Jo and Miss E, I will be adding Miss T and my sister Emma to our happy company very soon! However, let’s start the series of more moderately sized Samanta bras with a review of Anvers in style A475 (49,70 €). *This set was generously gifted to Jo by Samanta. All opinions are our own.*

Design: The Samanta’s A475 is a style targeted to small and medium sized busts, going up to EU H-cup in the 65 band. That is an equivalent to UK FF-cup. The style is a smooth push-up t-shirt bra which brings the girls together and facing forward (= loads of projection!), instead of splaying them towards the sides of one’s torso. The push up padding inside is not detachable but yet very light to give you only a slight boost to your own breast size. It also gives a lovely rounded shape and an alluring cleavage, modest enough for most casual work places but also visible enough for a nice boost under a plunging neckline when sipping for cocktails at after work.

The Anvers style itself is a beautiful painting-like floral printed ensemble which features the smoothest materials on earth and some pretty dotted mesh to make it even more pretty. This is definitely one of my personal favourites from the Samanta AW16 collection and even Jo is very much pleased with the looks of this set despite not being a huge fan of floral prints in general.

The Fit: To warn you off right off the bat, this is going to be an overwhelmingly positive review. So if you feel like you can’t trust a super positive review where the set has been gifted, I am so sorry, but there is nothing I can really do about it at this point. This sets fits LIKE A DREAM on Jo and she actually told me it’s now probably her favourite bra of all time and Samanta her new favourite lingerie brand. And she, my dear friends, is an honest son of a bitch, to say the least! I opted for the 65E for Jo after weighing in for a while – Samanta bras usually run a bit large in the cup so I figured that she might like the same size with them as with Gossard (for reference, Jo’s best size with British brands is 28F or 30E). The British 30DD is a rough equivalent to a Polish 65E.

Jo got four different sets to try for the next few months and each of them fitted a bit differently – with the Anvers being the best of them in style and cup depth. Jo has full-on-bottom boobs, which means, there is not much breast tissue on her upper half of the boobs – her shape fitted perfectly in the A475 style and there is no empty room on the bottom nor the top half of the cup. The wires are a perfect length and height for Jo and the gore sits flat on her sternum. The only complaint that we have (which is not really a flaw) is that the band is a bit too big for Jo’s ribcage – this however, is not surprise as she measures 26″ under her bust and thus would fit better in a 28 band with most brands.

Comfort: The A475 is a very smooth t-shirt style bra which is why there are not a lot of extra seams or lace on show. This is great for wearing the bra every day to work and under the very thinnest materials. The underwires are exactly the length and height Jo needs, which is why there is no poking or any sorts of discomfort because of them.

I have sometimes had trouble with Samanta straps being too widely-placed for me but Jo found that they were spot-on for her. In fact, the feedback that I got both from Jo and my sister Emma (who will be reviewing another Samanta style next month!) was super positive especially regarding the straps – they seem to be firmly placed on the shoulders without falling off a single time during a busy day at work. Even though the straps with the smaller sizes are a bit thinner than what Jo is used to, she still found them very comfortable and sturdy. They are also fully-adjustable and detachable, meaning the bra can be converted to a multiway and will suit an array of body types and heights.

Jo also received the M300 brazilian briefs (19,70 €) (or thong, as the Samanta website states) with the set, which we opted in a size Small – I am two dress sizes bigger than Jo which is why I thought the Small would be perfect for her instead of the Medium I tend to wear with Polish brands. The materials and the style of the brief is very convenient under tighter jeans which is why it makes a very nice option for Jo in addition to her collections of actual thongs. The back of the brazilian features a lovely see-through dotted mesh that makes the ensemble even cuter.

What do you think about Anvers? Are you feeling the winter florals trend? Let me know in the comments! Also, if you wish to get your hands on this set, do check out Samanta’s online store and for US customers, ask for a shipping quote by sending them an email. Have a great rest of your Sunday, gals! xx