Lumingerie-Exclusive: Lilah

*Disclosure: This set was provided me free of charge by Lumingerie. All opinions are my own.*

Edellisessä postauksessa Mervi vinkkasi haastattelussaan, että Lumingerie suunnitteli yhteistyössä Gorsenian kanssa 10-vuotisjuhlamallin, joka pohjautuu Gorsenian suosittuun Victoria-malliin. Gorsenia kutsuu mallia “kokokuppiseksi”, mutta itse miellän mallin toppaamattomaksi kolmipalaiseksi balconeteksi (oliko tuossa jo liikaa sanoja?). Sukelletaanpa siis arvostelun pariin pikimmiten!

In my previous post Mervi tipped us off that Lumingerie designed a 10 year anniversary bra style with the Polish bra manufacturer Gorsenia. This style is based on the rather full-coverage three-part cup balconette (what a word monster!) style Victoria. Let’s dive into the review!

The Design: Gorsenialta löytyy periaatteessa kolme “päämallia”: kokokuppisempi balconette (kuten Lilah!), puolikuppinen toppaamaton balconette ja topattu pystysaumainen balconette. Lilahin malliksi valittiin ensiksi mainittu, sillä siitä on saatavilla isoin kokovalikoima ja malli sopii monelle eri rinnan mallille. Väriksi valikoitui musta ja lila, sillä nämä värit näkyvät Lumingerien nettisivuilla vahvasti ja yhdistelmä on freesi mutta samalla hillitty.

Liivi on muuten jämäkkää kiiltävää neulosta, mutta kupin yläosa on läpinäkyvämpää pitsiä, jossa voi nähdä toistuvan sydänteeman. Keskellä komeilee ihastuttava lila bling-koriste. Lilahin muoto on todella kaunis ihan niin kuin muissakin Gorsenian malleissa – tämä toppaamaton kokokuppinen balconette kohottaa todella hyvin rintaa ja tekee sen kauniin pyöreäksi. Ulkonäössä ei siis mitään moitittavaa!

Gorsenia offers a selection of three types of bra shapes: more full-coverage balconette (just like Lilah here), a half-cup non-padded balconette and a padded “two-cakes-on-a-plate” style balconette. The first one mentioned was selected as the shape for Lilah as it is a rather universally well-fitting shape with a vast size range. The colours are black and violet as these are Lumingerie signature colours but also a great fresh yet subtle combination.

The bra is made of a sturdy material but it has a nice see-through upper panel with a repetitive heart-motif. The centre gore features a lovely violet fake gem. The shape of Lilah is just beautiful – this full-coverage balconette style lifts your tits up like no else and makes them nice and rounded!

The Fit / Istuvuus: Itse omistan kolme Gorsenian liiviä tällä hetkellä ja kaikki ovat oikeastaan eri kokoisia – jaiks! Koot ovat 65I, 70I ja 70J, joten lähimaastossa ollaan, mutta toki on hyvä tiedostaa, että aina ei heti ensimmäisellä tilauksella koko nappaa. Siksi tällaiset arvostelut ovatkin juuri niin käteviä! Tällä kertaa kooksi valikoitui 70J, joten voisin sanoa Lilahin olevan hieman niukkakuppisempi kuin joidenkin muiden Gorsenian mallien.

Koossa 70J on ihanan napakka mutta kuitenkin mukava ympärys ja kuppi istuu justiinsa eikä melkein. Kupin yläpaneelin pitsi jää hieman pystyyn kupin keskiosasta – tätä ei kuitenkaan pidä luulla liian ison kupin merkiksi, vaan se on ainoastaan kupin pitsin ominaisuus, joka katoaa kun liiviä sovitetaan paidan kanssa. Ei siis syytä huoleen 😉 Gorsenian kaarituet istuvat minulle kuin nakutettu, sillä ne ovat juuri sopivan kapoiset eivätkä ylety liian korkealle kainaloon. Kokomatkalta säädettävillä olkaimilla saa mukavasti säätövaraa liiviin niin pitemmille kuin lyhyemmillekin naisille.

I now own three Gorsenia bras and they are all different sizes – yikes! The sizes are 65I, 70I and 70J, so close to each other but it is good to acknowledge that sometimes you have to go a bit back and forth with the sizes to find the right one. That’s why these kind of reviews even exist! This time I went for a size 70J, so I would say Lilah is a bit snugger in the cup that some other Gorsenia styles.

The band in size 70J is lovely and snug, yet very comfortable. The cups fit me really well and the underwires are quite narrow, but not too much to pinch me in my breast tissue. There is something I need to say about the cups though – the lace on the upper panel sticks out a bit but this does not mean the cups are too loose, it’s just a feature of the lace and will be invisible under clothing. The straps are fully-adjustable which always solves a bunch of fit issues for taller and shorter girls alike.

Comfort / Mukavuus: Lilah on kokonaisuudessaan todella mukava setti – tähän vaikuttaa tietenkin Gorsenian hyvä istuvuus juuri minun vartalolleni, jolloin esim. hiertävistä kaarituista tai epämukavasti pyörivistä ympärysnauhoista ei ole vaaraa. Tein liiville ultimaattiseen “mukavuustestin” – eli otin siinä päikkärit! Oikeastihan kaarituellisissa liiveissä ei saisi nukkua, jotta kaarituet pysyvät uomissaan ehjinä, mutta pienet silmien lepuuttamiset sohvalla sallittakoon 😉 Siinä sohvalla pötkötellessä oikeastaan huomasin juuri sen mitä mukavien liivien kohdalla pitääkin hoksata: nämähän eivät tunnu päällä oikeastaan miltään.

Housujen kohdalla havainto oli sama, tosin liian pienenä nämäkin housut toki kuristaisivat jykeviä reisiä ja muhkua peppua. Tämän kerron siksi, että Gorsenian housuissa on todella niukka mitoitus ja minä valitsin näistä L-koon itselleni. Referenssinä tähän se, etten käytä mistään vaatekappaleesta kokoa L, vaan olen enemmänkin kokojen S ja M välillä riippuen merkistä. Housuissa on oikeassa koossa kuitenkin mukava korkeus (ei ihan lantiomalli siis!), vaikka tietenkään suosikkini eli korkeavyötäröiset mummopöksyt nämä eivät aivan ole 😉 Haarakiila on sopivan levyinen itselleni (eli leveähkö) ja housut ovat melkoisen joustavaa materiaalia.

Jos näillä puheilla Lilah alkoi kiinnostaa, kannattaa suunnata Lumingerien kauppaan laittamaan tilausta sisään! Lilah-liiviä (39€) saa koissa 70-100 D-M, ja pöksyjä (19€) M-4XL.

Mitä mieltä olet Lilah-setistä? Jos itse suunnittelisit uniikin setin, minkälainen se olisi? Laitappa kommenttilootaan viestiä ja kerro! 

As a whole, Lilah is a very comfortable set indeed – this is obviously partly because Gorsenia bras fit me so well, there is really no fear of  pinching underwires or a rolling bra band. I gave the bra the ultimate test – I took a nap in it! I know, I know; you really shouldn’t sleep in your bra as the wires might snap for all the tossing and turning, but a small nap on the couch wouldn’t hurt, right?!  As I was lying on the couch I noticed the one thing that really needs to be noticed when a bra is truly comfortable: it doesn’t actually feel like… anything at all!

With the panties, I can say the same thing, but in a size too small these panties would be uncomfortable on thick thighs and big booties. I say this because these suckers run SMALL! I picked a size Large for myself, and I can tell you I have literally no clothes in size Large in my wardrobe otherwise and I usually take a Small or a Medium when it comes to panties. So be sure to size up with these! In the right size, the panties have a nice rise even though they are not high-waisted, which is something I would personally prefer. The gusset of the panties is wide which is something I always like and the material is smooth and stretchy.

If this review inspired you to try the Lilah, you can find it in the Lumingerie webshop here. The bra (€39) comes in EU sizes 70-100 D-M and the panties in M-4XL (19€).

What do you think about Lilah? What would YOU do if you could design the perfect unique lingerie set? Shoot me with a comment in the comments section!

Easy-Going Pinup Perfection: Bolero Beachwear “Lola” Dress Review

*Disclosure: This item was provided to me by Bolero Beachwear free of charge. Opinions are my own!*

I don’t know if I have told you this before – I may have not, to be honest – but I study and work two jobs at the same time, which makes doing my makeup hair and putting an immaculate true-vintage outfit together sometimes impossible. On days when I have to rush from one work place to another, I rather put my hair up neatly, do some basic mascara and a lippie and put on a stretchy comfortable dress that can take the rush.

A few months ago, my pal Patricia from Bolero Beachwear sent me a couple of dresses to brighten up my autumn days and I was happy to discover once again that her designs are an absolute must to my wardrobe. The first dress that I have actually worn a lot during these months is called Lola and she is a lovely autumnal version of my beloved Bolero halter retro dress.

Lola features a classic circle skirt (not full though, if you are a vintage-enthusiast, you know what I mean) attached to a fitted bodice and some 3/4 length sleeves. It can be dressed up or down and here I have styled it with a smart casual twist.

Pics by Perttu Luomala Photography

The Lola dress features a Ponte di Roma material which is quite warm and thick to combat those winter winds. The winter in Finland has been rather mild this year (and ever-so-dark, thus the difficulties to take blog pictures…) so I have basically lived through it just wearing my usual dresses and fleece stockings (Pretty Polly makes some great ones, click here!). The Lola dress also has 3/4 length sleeves, which is always a plus when it comes to winter-appropriate dresses.

When it comes to sizing, Bolero Beachwear dresses are rather generous and great for size fluctuation or bloating. I don’t really go on a scale but sometimes use a measuring tape and my waist size fluctuates around 28-29 inches and has done so during the past few years. These dresses don’t have rigid waistbands that start to dig in after a lovely restaurant meal and they can easily just be slipped over your head while dressing. I am wearing a size Small in the emerald green Lola, which fits me well, even a bit generous.

The proportions of the dress are pretty much spot on for me: the waist is not too short for my torso, there is plenty of room at the bust to accommodate my 32GG’s and the dress hits me right at the knee, which is a very flattering length (and appropriate one for a vintage gal like myself) for someone like me with a 5’6 frame. The quality is again topnotch: there are deep pockets to carry everything from your phone to your credit card and the top part of the dress is fully lined.

What I love most about Bolero is the passion and care Patricia puts into the designs: all of her clothes are easy to wear, care and to travel with and she is one of the ethical producers or modern-day clothing staples. All of her designs are made in the USA, which is always a definite upside for a person who is concerned about unethical consumerism in today’s world. These clothes last and the materials can be washed time and time again without them wearing out easily.

If you are interested in the Bolero Beachwear offering, take a look at their webshop here.  The Lola dress costs $150 and will definitely be a staple in any pinup girl’s wardrobe. My Bolero dresses always gain compliments when I take them out and I love that I can look stylish and feel comfortable at the same time!

If you want to see more Bolero, stay tuned! Another more summer-y review coming soon 😉

Lingerie Review: Ewa Bien B151 “Maruni” in 70J

Hey loves! How is spring treating you? Mine has been busy busy busy, as you may have noticed from my absence here at the ol’ blog. Today I am bringing you some goodies from Poland again: Ewa Bien sent me these lovely things a few months ago and I am “a bit late” with introducing you to Maruni B151, which is a new semi-soft full-bust style from the brand. This bra style goes up to Polish L-cup, which is a rough equivalent to UK HH-cup. I asked for bigger cup sizes and that is what I got! Here’s how I liked the style…
The Design: I chose Maruni as my B151 design as it spoke to me with its beautiful colour and lovely embroidery. There is nothing juvenile or “too” girly about Maruni – it is something that will probably speak to women who are past the cutesy period of buying ruffles and bows (however, some of us are never over it!) and want something that makes a statement. Maruni reminds me of a beautiful jewel with its design and thus it takes its place is my “better” underwear drawer.

The shape of the B151 is a regular semi-soft style, which is something Polish brands are proud of and will keep as their staple cut in many collections. I know exactly why: many women enjoy the sturdy feeling and shaping of a padded bra but the fit can drive you crazy, if the cut is not perfect for you. Enter: seams and non-padded top part. The thinner layer of fabric usually conforms to ones breast shape better than stiff padding and will suit a plethora of breast shapes. This particular bra has a three-part cup construction with a rounded shape and a balconette-style cut.

The Fit: I asked for 70J as it seems to be my regular size with Polish and other EU-sized brands, and I had worn it with Ewa Bien bras in the bras. As you may remember, I reviewed one other bra of theirs a few weeks ago, which was in the same size and fitted very well.

This was no exception: the size was pretty much spot-on, regardless of the band fitting a tiny bit smaller than with my other Ewa Bien bras. I would personally not size up with it, but I would say the material is a bit more restricting so take that into consideration if you are between sizes and want to stay comfy. I like my bands on the stretchier side as I do not wear my bras out easily and want them to feel comfy from the get-go. However, if you don’t have tons of bras like yours truly, you may prefer a more rigid band material for some extra staying-power.

The cups are a really good size for me and the semi-soft style ensures that the bra fits my upper breast tissue with ease – however, the material is not very stretchy so if you are more full-on-bottom, there may be some looseness if you are between sizes for example. As the fabric is very thin, the looseness wouldn’t show as much as with a fully padded bra though. The cups are quite deep but also on the wider side, so I would imagine this could be a great bra to someone both plus size and big-busted.


Comfort: The B151 seems like a great basic style for full-busted women who want some extra bit of luxury to their everyday lingerie. The materials are excellent quality and the set is overall pretty comfortable, depending on whether you like your bra bands stretchier or not. Personally I would have felt comfier in a stretchier band that would have been a smidge wider as well. The common trend in Poland seems to be that even full-bust bras need to look as dainty and elegant as possible, hence the lack of wider bra bands and full-cup options. This is fine by me, but I do enjoy a wide band in my everyday bradrobe as well. The straps are strudy and 3/4 parts adjustable which is a bonus; however, they could be a bit more closely placed in my opinion.

The bottoms of this set, which I received in C410 short style and size M, were quite practical and comfortable. The sizing is true to Polish brands and thus a bit on the smaller side for us used to UK-sizing. The M is a rough equivalent of size Small in UK, and still a bit skimpy. This particular style was cut rather low so I would compare it to size 10-12 Cleo hipster panties (hope that makes sense?). Overall still, great style for everyday wear for those who like their panties cut low!

If you would wish to give this style a go, it’s now on sale at the Ewa Bien online store for 139 zl for the bra (sizes 65-100 B-L) and 68,60 zl for the short bottoms (sizes S-XL). Still plenty of sizes left so do snag a set for yourself as well!

Lingerie Review: Cleo by Panache “Della” in 32GG + THE GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Hi everyone! So sorry for not posting for a while – life got in the way and I had a very exciting job interview, an exam (first one in three years!) and a dance performance to practice to. So I hope you will excuse me! As a little consolation, I have decided to announce the blogiversary giveaway winners today before the review. The winners have been informed by email already and asked to get back to me in a week’s time. If they fail to do so, another winner will be picked. Congrats to everyone and if you did’t win – well, there is always next year 😉

THE WINNERS ARE…… *drum roll*

For the Playful Promises “Cordelia” set… Amber

For the Signature lingerie set… Sian A., Kelsey, Cat J.

For the Curvy Kate lingerie set… Ruth H.

For Tutti Rouge lingerie set… Kimberley R.

For the Cleo lingerie set… Coline T.

I hope you will all enjoy your new lingerie sets ❤ Now, we need to get on with a review that I am actually super glad to write – I haven’t reviewed any Panache nor Cleo lingerie in a while even though they are definitely one of my favourite lingerie brands. When the lovely Tia from Panache asked me what I would like to review from the spring collection, the Della stood out to me as something a bit different. It was the most Barbie-like design I had seen in a while, and as a living Barbie princess (hehe!) I was instantly drawn to it. Let’s see how we got on with Della!

The Design: As said, the Della looks exactly like something a Barbie doll would wear under her clothes – pink, leopard and all around sweet with a sexy edge. The style is quite simplistic actually – there are no additional lace, bows or ruffles anywhere, just a combo of a killer print and contrasting black trimmings on the wiring, straps, cup edges and the bra band. This set does not need the ruffles – it’s girly and powerful at the same time without any extra touches. The Della bottoms also feature some badass suspenders which is always a plus when it comes to styling the set in a few a different ways.

The shape of the bra is pretty much what Cleo is known for – immaculate roundness that will look amazing under any dress or a shirt, unless you prefer something super natural of course. It is the same shape that made Cleo “Marcie” famous and will continue to win over hearts as something quite unique in the full bust world! The style of the Della is a balconette, meaning the cup edges form a rather straight horizontal line and the centre gore comes up quite high on my sternum. I have to be honest – this is not a bra to wear under low-cut shirts as the gore will show but I do love it with more covering necklines.

The Fit: I was super curious to try Cleo now that I haven’t tried on any of their bras in over a year. My last Cleo bra was a yellow Marcie in 30G which was already a bit tight and small in the cup – which resulted in me in trying a 32GG this time. I was a bit hesitant as I knew that sometimes Panache bras can run on the generous side with the cups but I decided to cross my fingers as this is one of my most common sizes to wear with British lingerie brands. Luckily, I got it perfectly right and the 32GG fitted like a dream! I actually didn’t even remember how well Cleo and Panache bras fit me in general so I was almost crying happy tears to discover my old love for Cleo’s rounded and amazingly deep cups.

What really sets Panache apart from other UK full-bust brands is especially their wire width and cup depth. Personally, I find most British bras too wide and shallow for my shape and thus I am always happy to find some brands taking their own route with this matter. Sure, even Cleo is not the most narrow and deep brand on the market but it is definitely a winner among its rivals in the British full-bust market. For me the cup depth and the wire width of this bra were quite perfect and I have no complaints whatsoever!

When it comes to sizing, I would advice to think carefully what your personal comfort preferences are regarding bra bands. I have found Cleo 30-bands a bit too tight for me so I have decided to take the 32 from now on, even though I can hook it into the tightest set of hooks after a few wears. I just prefer my bands a bit more comfy. However, even if you are between sizes, you can choose to take the smaller option if you like your bands tight – this is definitely a preference thing. The cups of the Della bra run true to size so I would advice to go with your regular UK size with them.

Comfort: In addition to superb fit, I have nothing bad to say about the comfort aspect of Della. The materials are sturdy enough to keep everything in place and even though the band only features two hooks and eyes, the strong power-mesh makes up for it very well. Even the high underwires haven’t caused any problems for me so I am a happy peanut! I do have one downside to report about the bra though – once again, like with most bras I own, the straps are placed a bit too far apart for me personally. However, they are made of a sturdy material, meaning they do not fall of my shoulders constantly, but only a couple of times a day. So not too bad, I would say! Sometimes brands make super cute and sexy bra straps with satin-y materials and those are just a nightmare to me.

The bottoms I opted in a size 12 as I know that Cleo runs on the smaller side with their panties – and I was again quite right! The 12 fits me spot-on but I do wish that these would come up a bit higher. They are meant to be a high-waisted briefs so I would like them to go up to my belly button, whereas now they only reach the middle way of my cookie pouch. Not the most flattering look for me I might say! Also, with this rise the panties do roll down my tummy a bit when sitting which is a pet-peeve of mine. The styling of the bottoms is stunning though and I am glad Cleo had included some suspenders to make the bottoms more sexy and versatile. If you are not a garter-kinda-girl, you have the ability to take the them off and just wear the bottoms as-is.

The Della comes in a whopping size range of 28-28 D-J so there are plenty of sizes to choose from! The bottoms come in sizes 8-18. This set is not very widely available online yet but you can already find it on Breakout Bras, if you would like to give it a try.

How do you like the new Cleo offering for ss16? Are you a fan of their rounded shape? Let me know in the comments below! xx

Ewa Bien Size Comparison and Review: Fago B111 and Suria B111

When it comes to new brands I try it’s always a bit of hit and miss with the sizing. Even with a decent size chart you never know what’s the brands policy on eg. band sizing. Most Polish brands appreciate a really comfortable fit which means a girl who’s used to tight UK bands can be left with band that feels way too loose for her preferences. My hard and fast rule has been to size down a band size from the recommended size by the brand and it has so far worked well. As I measure 75 cm under my bust, most brands would put me in the 75/34 category but I prefer a 65-70 bands and could never feel comfortable in a 75 band. This is why I decided to try a couple of sizes from Ewa Bien in the same bra model so I could compare the fit and tell you what I think about it. Let me introduce you to Suria and Fago in model B111! (These bras were gifted for me for review purposes, all opinions are my own.)

I tried sizes 65K and 70J (which are sister sizes) in the Ewa Bien B111 model. The model is a low-coverage balconette with a three-piece cup construction and VERY see-through cups (a massive YAY for me, I am all for no double lining!). The shape this model gives me also very Polish: uplifted, quite rounded in-your-face kinda boobs, if you know what I mean. The black Fago is in size 65K and the band feels definitely a bit snugger than the Fago B150 I tried in 70J. However, the difference isn’t that big so I actually feel I can comfortably wear them both without any discomfort.

Oddly enough, both of the B111 models feel exactly the same on me nevermind the size difference. I suspect this is due to the fabric choices of the different styles – the Suria’s materials are a lot less stretchy than with Fago which leads both the bra band and the knickers run a bit on the smaller side. I would advice to take this into account when opting for you Suria size as the band feels exactly as tight as the 65 with Fago! Also do take this into account when opting for your knicker size with Suria – the materials are truly quite rigid so size up a whole knicker size with this style!

When it comes to fit, I need to disclose one thing: as you can see, I haven’t quite pulled up the Suria to where it should be and this causes the bottom of the cups to look a bit off. However, I assure you the fit is exactly as good as with Fago and the model seems consistently constructed with both bras. All in all, I am in love with how this style fits me! The lower coverage option is always good to have even when you are a lady with a large bust – it just makes some clothing choices so much easier and makes you feel a lot sexier than in a full-cup bra. As you can see, the uplift and fit still look great – it’s a total misconception that full-bust women NEED a lot of fabric in their bras. BUUUULL-SHIIIT, I say. You CAN make beautiful bras with less fabric and still keep the girls supported (and just a side note – these bras are beautiful as heck, right up my street!).

As you can see, the straps are detachable which is one feature I am quite baffled with. It doesn’t really bother me or affect he fit anyway. I recall that the other strap has come undone twice now that I have worn these bras several times, so not too bad (and the occasions were the kind of situations when I had run or done something extra active). So to be honest, I don’t really have an opinion on the straps – if you do and have tried these kind of bras, please let me know your thoughts in the comments.

All in all the bra is quite comfy, though as with the Fago B150, the wires are a bit on the wider side for me. This doesn’t really bother me that much as the cups still seem deep enough and the fit stays superb (when the bra is pulled high enough though!). I am very pleased with every aspect of Ewa Bien lingerie – especially with the aesthetics that really speak to the princess in me. I just wish Ewa Bien will start making their fashion styles up to J-K, as I really feel like these shapes work well for us full-busted gals as well. If you want to read about the brand and the ordering process more, do check out my Fago B150 review here.

Suomeksi: Viimeksi esittelin teille yleisesti merkkiä nimeltä Ewa Bien ja arvostelin heidän Fago B150-mallinsa. Tällä kertaa tarkoituksena olisi pureutua B111 malliin ja vertailla hieman kahta eri kokoa – kaikkihan me tiedetään kuinka vaikeaa varsinkin kahden ympärymitan väliltä on valita (vai olenko yksin tämän ongelman kanssa?). Sain siis testattavakseni Ewa Bienin Surian ja Fagon heidän B111 toppaamattomassa balconette mallissaan. Itseeni kyseinen malli vetoaa erityisesti ulkonäön puolesta, se on ihanan tukeva malli kuitenkin läpinäkyvillä ja “matalilla” kupeilla – voisipa mallia jopa kutsua half-cupiksi.

Musta Fago on koossa 65K ja sininen Suria koossa 70J. Halusin kokeilla näitä sisarkokoja siksi, että saisin selville kumpi ympäryskoko olisi parempi – itse kun olen yleensä kahden eri koon väliltä. Näissä kahdessa mallissa oli kuitenkin erona eri materiaalit, jotka vaikuttivat myös kokoihin. Mustan Fagon ympärys on periaatteessa  pienempi kuin Surian, mutta käytännössä liivien koko tuntuu samalta. Ai miksikö? Koska materiaaleilla on vaikutusta siihen kuinka hyvin liivit “antavat periksi”, voi 65 ja 70 ympäryksen välillä olla hyvinkin pieni ero. Surian materiaalit ovat paljon “tiiviimmät” eivätkä anna periksi yhtä paljon venyttäessä kuin Fagon. Kannattaa ottaa tämä huomioon ja ehdottomasti ottaa se isompi koko Surian kanssa sekä ympärysmitassa että alushousuissa! Itse valitsin alkkareista koon M ja se vastasi aika tarkasti meidän suomalaisten kokoa S.

Kaiken kaikkiaan olen todella tyytyväinen Ewa Bienin alusvaatteisiin ja toivonkin, että merkki tekisi tulevaisuudessa myös isompia kokoja heidän “fashion”-malleistaan. Mielestäni molemmat B150 ja B111 mallit sopivat oikein hyvin myös isommille rinnoille ilman minkäänlaisia ongelmia istuvuuden tai tuen kanssa. Jos haluat lukea lisää Ewa Bienistä ja miten heiltä voi tilata, kannattaa tsekata tämä postaus aiheesta 😉 

Lingerie Review: Ewa Bien “Fago B150” in 70J

I know many of you have been super excited about the Polish lingerie reviews last year and as promised, I will keep up with them this year as well with some new brands and also oldies but goodies that I already love. This review belongs to the first category – today’s post is all about a lovely Polish brand called Ewa Bien. Ewa Bien has been in business for over 25 years but I only found out about them when I became familiar with Miss Underpinnings, who visited Poland to meet all the biggest manufacturers in the industry. I instantly fell in love with Ewa Bien’s amazing aesthetics and knew I got to try their lingerie one day. Lucky me, Ewa Bien was so generous to send me a few sets to try and review for you, so here we go!

The Design: There are not that many styles in my size in the current Ewa Bien collection as I am definitely in the larger end of their size range and only a few styles are made up to European K-cup. However, I do appreciate that the bras for the fullest of busts are breath-takingly beautiful as opposed to being too basic or frumpy. The colour black is accompanied by a lovely sparkle that adorns the embroidery and the scallop edge of the cup is a thoughtful little detail.

The B150 is a semi-soft style which seems to be a very popular one for Polish brands. I find myself wearing mostly unpadded bras on a day-to-day basis but I like to have the option as half-padded bras seem to fit me a bit better than completely padded ones (don’t get me wrong, I do own many well-fitting padded bras as well!) The Fago B150 seems to sport a bit wider wires than your regular Polish bra and the shape is also a bit different, meaning a lot more naturally shaped as opposed to what I can the “Polish orb”.

The Fit: Well this is what you all are itching to know, right? 😉 I went for the size 70J as that was the suggested size by the Ewa Bien team – and it was spot-on. I always feel like the semi-soft shape leaves a bit of room where the seam crosses my breast but it seems to be due to the construction rather than the bra being too big. I was also offered to try the size 65K so I could compare it to its sister size, so I promise you a size comparison in the next Ewa Bien review!

There has been a lot of talk about the bands being quite stretchy when it comes to Ewa Bien but their team has obviously been working hard to rectify this situation and it seems they have managed to improve the fit tremendously with some sturdier band materials. My 70 band fits me well without riding up or feeling too loose. It’s stretchy enough to be comfy but snug enough to support as it should. The band features two hooks and eyes but is still wide enough not to feel too flimsy.

When it comes to the cups I feel they are a rather regular depth and size. The size is similar to a UK 32GG with a bit snugger band and the cups seem to be a good equivalent to GG. As said, the wires are definitely a tad wider than eg Ewa Michalak or even Kris Line, so probably the widest Polish wires I have encountered so far. The wires don’t go all the way up to my armpit which is a definite upside as I loathe poking underwires! Overall, the fit seems to be a good one for me and the depth also spot-on at the bottom of the cups, which usually tend to fold a bit as most brands make their cups too shallow at the bottom.

Comfort: Most people complain that too wide wires can cause a lot of irritation and discomfort during the day but I would say this is usually due to too LONG wires, meaning the wires go too high up on the sides which cause them to poke the armpit area. Even though the Fago seems a bit too wide-wired to me, it doesn’t cause any discomfort during the day and I quite forget that I am wearing it in the first place.

The Fago B150 features stable straps meaning the straps are sewn onto the bra as opposed to being removable as with most Ewa Bien bras (you will see this feature on the other style I received) The stable straps make the bra a bit sturdier and reliable when it comes to those everyday situations when you run for a bus or do some other intense activity on a short notice. The straps are half-adjustable which is a pet peeve to some girls out there that are quite petite or tall but I would say there is still plenty of room to adjust, as I am wearing my adjusters in half way up the strap.

When it comes to the panties, I tried them in a size Medium which seems to be my most comfortable fit with most Polish brands. I do feel European brands make their bottoms a bit snug so I would definitely size up from your regular British size! This was a good choice with Ewa Bien too and I felt the short style was super flattering and comfy. The materials are dreamy too – especially the cotton lining of the bra and the velvet-y backside of the shorts. 10/10 for comfort it is then!

If you would like to try Ewa Bien, you can head over to their e-commerce shop and place an order that way. Ewa Bien shop does not take credit cards or Paypal payments from international customers but will contact you via email to sort the bank transfer and your shipping costs out. The Fago bra for example costs 188 Polish Zlotys which is about $50. Not too bad for such a luxe piece, huh? How do you like Ewa Bien lingerie? What about the Fago set? Let me know in the comments! xx

Suomeksi: Nyt olisi taas puolalaisia ihanuuksia luvassa, sillä esittelyssä on tänään upea luksusmerkki Ewa Bien. Vaikka rintsikkakokoni on Ewa Bienin kokovalikoimassa sieltä suuremmasta päästä,sain kokeiltavaksi heiltä kolme eri settiä, joita merkki valmistaa ihan EU K-kuppiin asti. Kookseni valkkasin 70J:n joka tuntuu melko hyvin vastaavan UK-kokoa 32GG.

Ewa Bien on yli 25 vuotta vanha yritys, joka toimii perheyrityksenä monen muun puolalaisen alusvaatemerkin tavoin. Mallistot koostuvat herkullisista väreistä, ihanista eurooppalaisista kirjailuista ja säntillisestä liivimallijärjestelmästä – taattuun puolalaiseen tapaan. Tänään testissä on Ewa Bienin B150, joka on tarkoitettu erityisesti suurille ja jo jonkin verran elinvoimansa menettäneille rinnoille. Tämä tuntuukin olevan yleinen kohderyhmä semi-soft mallisille rintsikoille, joiden topatun ja toppaamattoman osan yhdistelmä tarjoaa hyvän tuen myös ei-niin-elastisille rinnoille. Itse olen vielä nuori ja oikein rintsikoiden vuoksi rintani ovat suht hyvässä kuosissa edelleen (painovoimasta huolimatta), joten en välttämättä ole tätä ominaisuutta paras arvioimaan mutta kelpo rintsikoiltahan nämä muuten vaikuttavat!

Ympärykseltään Ewa Bien on melko samaa luokkaa muiden puolalaisten merkkien kanssa – voi siis olla että tarvitset kokoa suuremman ympäryksen, etenkin jos arvot kahden koon väliltä. Itse sijoitun nykyään juuri kokojen 65 ja 70 väliin ja puolalaisten merkkien kanssa 70 on melko varma valinta (poikkeuksena kuitenkin Kris Line ja Samanta, jotka ovat mielestäni hiukkasen löysempiä). Kupit puolestaan ovat melko normaalia kokoluokkaa, joten niissä kannattaa pysytellä siinä totutussa koossa. Istuvuus liiveissä on hieman erilainen verrattuna muihin puolalaisiin liiveihin: Ewa Bienin kaarituet ovat selkeästi leveämmät ja liivin muotokin on hieman luonnollisempi. 

Jos oma Ewa Bien setti miellyttää, voi heidän alusvaatteitaan ostaa joko heidän oman verkkokauppansa taikka sitten Funky Ladyn kautta. Funky Lady taitaa toimia pääasiallisesti Etelä-Suomessa, mutta jos sinnepäin on menoa, käykää ihmeessä piipahtamassa! Kokeilullahan sitä löytää aina parhaimman istuvuuden 😉 Rintsikat kustantaa euroissa vähän alle viisi kymppiä Ewa Bienin nettikaupassa, joten ei todellakaan paha hinta laatuliiveistä. Jos haluat kuitenkin jättää tilauksen tuota kautta, ei EB valitettavasti hyväksi Paypal- tai luottokorttimaksuja. Jos kuitenkin teet tilauksen, otetaan sinuun Ewa Bieniltä yhteyttä ja saat enemmän tietoa pankkisiirrosta ja postikuluista!

Lingerie Review: Comexim “Irish Coffee” in 70J

As you all may know by now, I have been very keen on Polish bras lately; they have certain European appeal to them and even though the sizing can be confusing, when you get the fit right it usually is spot-on. One Polish brand I was yet try was Comexim which I had heard so many great reviews on. This is why I was so happy when the owner of Zathiya lingerie online boutique contacted me and asked if I wanted to try out something from their collection. Zathiya is still a very new company but is already dedicated to serving their customers in a best possible way to find the best possible fit with their bras. It is an American company, so you US girls will be happy to know that there will now more Polish lingerie available to you! Today I will reviewing the lovely Irish Coffee from Comexim in 70J.

The Design: Irish Coffee is a regular Comexim padded plunge-balconette style bra with three-part cup construction. The style is very fresh in the full-bust lingerie scene – I have literally never seen any other brand doing dark brown. To be quite honest I am probably the biggest hater of brown in general but this colour combo is so sweet I absolutely fell in love with it. The name says it all – this truly is a creamy Irish Coffee blend with a little coral sweetness to it, in a from of cute bow adorning the centre core. The hues are very chocolate-y and creamy, just the way I like them.

The shape of the cup is super rounded and uplifted and creates a very in-your-face type of cleavage. As a fan of epic cleavage, I really love this feature of the bra. When wearing Irish Coffee I actually feel like my boobs are defying gravity – almost like floating on my chest. The bra features a lovely thin lace overlay which can show through the thinnest of clothes but is pretty invisible under eg. thicker cotton blends.

The Fit: When I first took the bra out of its parcel, I was very hesitant it would fit me – it looked so tiny compared to my other bra in similar sizes. However, I soon noticed that this was due the bra construction; the cups were so deep and narrow it made the bra look smaller than it actually is. When putting it on I found out the size was absolutely spot-on and cup depth was like heaven; rarely have I seen such deep cups that would not crease at the bottom for the lack of depth.

I went for the size 70J as I had went through some social media discussions and determined that I should go by the Comexim size chart but then sister size down in the band. The Comexim size chart puts me at 75HH which is a sister size to 70J. As I am more of a 70 with Polish brands usually, I decided to go for my usual band size and a cup up. As you can see from the size chart below, Comexim does include the HH-cup though they don’t do any other double letters and they drop the “I” altogether. This means the sizing is AGAIN very unique and I suggest you do some research to determine your own size. A good place to start would be the “Clothes for boobs” group at Facebook or other lingerie blogs that have covered the sizing.

The band of Irish Coffee felt really good so I would say, you should definitely go for your regular Polish band size. For reference, I wear 70 with Ewa Michalak and Avocado as well, but would need a 65 with Kris Line and Samanta nowadays (it depends totally on your preferences as well, you might prefer your brands either looser or tighter). The wires seemed very narrow at first but there is something about them that really makes them comfy even though I don’t cope with very narrow wires in general. Maybe it’s the flexibility of the wire material; some wires can be more rigid than other and the Comexim wires were a great length and flexible enough for me.

Comfort: When I first got the Irish Coffee set on, I literally thought I was in lingerie heaven. As the fit was spot-on, the comfort kind of followed the same pattern and felt divine as well. The band was just stretchy enough to feel comfy and the straps were super flexible and full-adjustable to add another great feature to the bra. As I mentioned in the fit part, the wires felt very comfy too and I can easily wear the bra for several hours without any discomfort.

Even though I did love the stretchy bra straps at first there is a small downside to them: as they are super flexible, they also tend to fall off my shoulders quite a bit, especially combined to other slippery materials. Overall the bra is so comfy though the strap thing is only a minor thing I would change about it and the bra still gets a lot of wear on a regular basis.

I opted for the matching panties in a size Medium which seems to be my most accurate size with Polish brands at the moment. With the bottoms I would also suggest going by the size chart as it worked well when I gave it a try. The panties feature a soft mesh back and a lacy front and also tiny cute suspender-like thingys at the front. I would describe them as low-to-medium rise so very flattering on yours truly! I’d reckon these bottoms are one of my favourites for everyday wear as fit well and feel so comfy on at all times.

If you would like to get your hands on your very own Irish Coffee set, you can head over to Zathiya and snatch one up for $50 for the bra $18 for the panties. Definitely not a bad price for such a lovely well-fitting set of lingerie! In addition, you will get a 10% discount off your order with code 2cakes10 😉 Sizes go up to a Comexim L-cup which translates roughly to a UK HH. So, what do you think of Comexim and Irish Coffee in general? Have you tried any of their lingerie yet? Let me know in the comments!

Suomeksi: Kuten blogistani on voinut jo tovin huomata, on blogissani vilahdellut aika monta puolalaista alusvaatemerkkiä viime vuoden aikana. Trendi jatkuu tänä vuonna: puolalainen estetiikka ja istuvuus kun ovat aivan omaa luokkaansa ja iskevät ainakin meikäläiseen aivan kympillä. On kuitenkin vielä monta merkkiä, joista en ole blogissani ennen kirjoittanut, joten tänään olisikin tarjolla jotain ihan uutta herkkua: nimittäin brändiltä nimeltä Comexim. Comexim on tunnettu etenkin rapakon toisella puolella todella tinkimättömästä laadustaan sekä huippuistuvuudesta, jota ei myöskään hintalapun numerolla ole pilattu. Tänään arvostelussa olisi Comeximin “Irish Coffee”, joka minulle ystävällisesti lähetettiin jenkkiläisen Zathiya alusvaateverkkokaupan toimesta.

Comeximin mitoitus on taas jälleen kerran ihan omaa luokkaansa, aivan niinkuin muillakin puolalaisilla merkeillä. Comexim sisällyttää taulukkoonsa HH-kupin mutta jättää I:n kokonaan välistä. Itse olin aiemmin kokeillut Comeximin 70HH kokoa Lumingerien varastoja penkoessani (mikä aarreaitta!) ja tiesin tuon koon olevan hieman liian pieni. Tutkin hetkisen merkin kokotaulukkoa ja päädyin kokoa isompaan eli 70J:hin. Kokotaulukon mukaan ympärykseni tulisi olla 75 mutta puolalaisilla brändeillä on taipumus suoraansanottuna kusta silmään ympäryssuositusten kanssa: he ovat tottuneet löysähköihin ymrpäyksiin, mikä ei mielestäni kuitenkaan palvele suuririntaista naista. Otinkin minulle suositellun 75HH:n sisaruskoon 70J:n, sillä ympärykseni on normaalisti puolalaisten merkkien kanssa 70 (brittien koko 32).

Koko sattuikin onneksi nappiin, vaikka liivit näyttivät luonnossa ensin melko pieniltä. Pienen ulkomuodon salaisuus oli kuitenkin kapeissa kaarituissa sekä todella syvissä kupeissa. Jos siis tarvitset syvyyttä kuppeihisi, tätä merkkiä kannattaa ehdottomasti kokeilla! Vaikka kaarituet näyttivät todella kapeilta ensin, olivat ne päällä kuitenkin mukavat ja kroppani kesti käyttää näitä rintsikoita useita tunteja putkeen.

Kokoja Comeximilta löytyy rutkasti, joten isorintaisempikin nainen löytää näistä melko varmasti kokonsa. Lisäksi, jos tilaat suoraan merkiltä (heillä on myös oma verkkokauppansa!) on Comeximin mahdollisuus toteuttaa erityistoivomuksia kuppien mallin ja koon suhteen. Englanninkieli heiltä taittuu ehkä hieman niin ja näin mutta palvelu on ystävällistä ja apu vaikeampiinkin toiveisiin löytyy varmasti. Mitäs mieltä te olette Comeximista ja tästä syötävän suloisesta setistä?