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!

Lingerie Review: Katherine Hamilton Intimates “Louise” in 32GG

Many of you might remember me introducing you to Bosom Galore a couple of years back – Katy, the owner of the brand, has been super blogger-friendly from the get-go and thus the brand name spread through the lingerie blogosphere rapidly. Quite soon after the launch Katy decided to re-brand Bosom Galore and named it Katherine Hamilton Intimates, a brand with a stronger look and even more luxurious vibe to it. The relaunch of the brand took a while – but we all know that anything that’s good is worth the wait. A couple of months back Katy sent me a set from her new collection and I was delighted to see the brand had definitely grown into something bigger and better – the unsure teenager had become a strong independent woman. *Disclosure: This set was sent to me for review purposes by Katherine Hamilton Intimates. All opinions are my own!*

The Design: The first moment I saw Louise, I was sold. Who doesn’t like strappy designs? Well, I do! The idea behind the black strappy is not something particularly new, but I like how Louise does it is its own sophisticated simple way – there is only one strap going over the upper boobage and the magic of the bra is really the amazing shape and comfiness it provides.

The cups are constructed of three parts and they form a subtle plunge shape, even though the actual gore of the bra is on a balconette level. The centre gore doesn’t have any bows or ruffles on it which is why I don’t even mind it peeking from my shirt necklines. The cups are lightly padded but it is a cut-and-sew bra still, it provides a much better fit than most moulded padded bras. The shape with the Louise bra is also round and uplifted, which reminds me a bit of Ewa Michalak PL bras.

The Fit: I am always a bit skeptical when it comes to padded bras, for the reasons mentioned above; the padding usually tries to mold my breast tissue to the shape of the bra, not the other way around as it should be. With KH Intimates the road has been long and Katy has wanted to make everything on-point as her price tag is a bit higher than with some of the biggest full-bust brands. It’s definitely a luxury brand, so mishaps are a no-no.

The wait was long, but now it seems KH Intimates has got it right – the sizing seems pretty much on par with other UK brands with the exception that the Louise band seems to be running on the snugger side. I went for my second most used size 32GG and it is the perfect size for me. The cups run true-to-size and there is much more depth than with most other – especially new – British brands. The underwire reaches under my armpit so it’s a bit too wide for me, but this doesn’t cause me any discomfort. The centre gore tacks my sternum and the cups are deep enough at the bottom which prevent the cups from denting and collapsing under my breast tissue.

Comfort: When I first put the Louise on, the band was on the tighter side for 32 and reminded me more of a 30-band. However, it has since stretched out a bit and I can now comfortably wear the bra on the loosest set of hooks. I have even had this on for a whole night of dancing and partying and never once did I regret that choice! The materials are sleek on the outside but the lining inside the bra is 100% cotton as with the previous Bosom Galore bras – this is fantastic for us girls with skin conditions!  The straps are bit on the slippery side so I would perhaps think about the material choice on them, but otherwise the bra is pretty much spot-on when it comes to comfort.

I surprised myself with opting for the thong this time – as you know, I never ever wear thongs! However, the bra is a bit sexier so I figured it would be nice to have something skimpy as co-ordinates. I went for the size 12 and it fits me really well and I actually think it’s quite flattering too. You can never have too many strappy panties, I think!

The Louise set is available on the KH Intimates website – the bra retails for £78 and the thong costs £34. The size range is especially kind to those with a smaller band size – the band sizes start at UK 26! The whole size range with Louise bra is 26-36 D-HH and the panties UK 6-16. What do you think of KH Intimates and the Louise set? xx

Lingerie Review: Ewa Bien “Daria” B103

It has been a while since I tested Ewa Bien bras myself: they are actually visually one of my top favourite brands but unfortunately, most of their beautiful bras stopped at G- or H-cup in Polish sizes. As someone who wears 70J in their bras, this made the brand out of reach for me. When I reported this problem to Ewa Bien and though I understand the limitations when it comes to bra manufacturing and running a business successfully, Ewa Bien team took my advice and plea, and added a couple new full-bust appropriate styles to their collection! This is amazing, as making J-M cups is not always the easiest nor the most cost-effective thing to do. Today I am trying out their new B103 style in Black/Grey Daria. Here’s how it turned out for me! *This bra was sent to me by the lovely Ewa Bien team. All opinions are my own.*

The Design: The B103 is meant for the fuller bust as it goes up to Polish M-cup, equivalent to UK J-cup. This is an amazing size expansion for a family-lead brand, that doesn’t yet have the audience of Panache and other huge brands. In Poland however, businesses such as Ewa Bien are very popular and Polish women trust in their country-women’s knowledge on bra-making. No wonder – the shape you can get with a Polish bra is unrivaled and Ewa Bien is no exception.

The shape with the B103 is very uplifted and it has a great deal of immediate projection, which is something many women look for in their bras. The cups are constructed of four parts: it has the traditional three-part cup construction but for added support, there is a side sling to bring the breasts even more forward. This prevents the breasts from splaying towards my sides, which is something I can always appreciate.

The Daria style seems to be something that Ewa Bien is making as one of their core styles for bigger cup sizes. The style is also available in other cuts which doesn’t have the massive size range, but they do make it in one other full-bust style, the semi-soft B151. The Daria also comes in two colour combinations: Black/Cream and Black/Grey, of which I chose the latter one. Grey has recently become one of my favourite colours in both clothing and underwear and I love the sophisticated combination of black and grey a lot.The cups are completely see-through which is nice if you are looking for something a bit sexy for your everyday bradrobe.

The Fit: The B103 is quite a regular balconette style cut, with a 3/4 coverage. Personally, I would prefer something a bit more revealing like the styles I tried a couple of years back from Ewa Bien, but I have no issue wearing this bra either on a regular basis. The cut still suits a variety of necklines and is a great basic style for everyday wear.

I am wearing my regular Polish size 70J (UK 32GG) with this bra and I am very happy with the size – the band is stretchier than with many other Polish brands but this suits me fine as I like my bands comfortable. The fastening happens with three hooks and eyes and the band is wide enough to feel comfortable and supportive on someone with my body type (ie. small band, big cups). I would say the size runs very true-to-size if you have tried Polish or other European brands before. If you are between band sizes, I would advice to size up with most Ewa Bien styles.

My only gripe with the fit is the wires – however, wires are the one part that are highly personal when it comes to what fits your body the best and I prefer wires that are medium-to-narrow width. This style is a bit on the wider side for me, but not alarmingly so. If I could, I would have them just one cm narrower, that’s all. The depth is absolutely perfect for me, and I like how it contains me fully top, bottom and sides without any extra bulging.

Comfort: This set is made of very comfortable materials and it’s lightweight which makes it easy to wear almost under anything. The top part of the cups is a bit stretchy so it suits many breast shapes without being too restricting for a full-on-top girl like me. The band is comfortable and the whole ensemble is very sturdy if you need to be active and walk/move around a lot during the day.

The only thing I am having issues with, are once again the straps. Even though they are rather wide and comfortable themselves, they are placed a bit too widely for my body type. This makes the bra cup’s edge chafe my armpit just a little, which is not ideal if you want your bra to “feel like nothing”. Overall, I would say this bra style is meant for someone a bit wider than me, when it comes to breast tissue distribution, shoulders and rib cage.

The panties are, in a very Polish manner, quite snug in sizing. I went for the size Medium which does fit me okay, but I would perhaps prefer something a bit more covering. However, the C511 style is a classic Brazilian so it’s not even meant to cover a ton. Great for feeling a bit cheeky, quite literally!

If you would fancy giving this new full-bust style a go, you can find it on Ewa Bien’s own online store. The B103 bra (219 zl) comes in Polish sizes 65-100 B-M (enormous size range, right?!) and the C511 briefs (109 zl) come in sizes S-XXL. What do you think of size expansion and the Daria? Let me know in the comments!

Review of the Ewa Michalak “SM Mgielka” in 70G

I was very hesitant to make my first order on Ewa Michalak but after my boyfriend got his first paycheck from new his job, he decided to take the plunge for me. I have never had an Ewa bra before meaning the sizing worried me. I had heard the bands usually run a little small so I went for my regular Polish band size 70/32. With a little help of my blogger friends (thanks to y’all <3) I decided to settle for a size 32G which is a sister size to my usual 30GG. The EM sizing guide would put me somewhere near 75FF/G but as a believer in firm bands I decided to stick to my best guess meaning 70. My boyfriend was also sweet enough to buy me the co-ordinates so you’ll hear the comments on both the bra and the panties. Let’s see how SM Mgielka worked for me!

The design: First of all, as you can see the bra is completely sheer so if that’s not your thing, don’t consider. However, sheerness is SO my thing and I absolutely love this set for it! Excuse the nipples btw, women have them and I don’t see the reason to cover them (so get over it). The design of the bra is very striking with the thick black seaming going around the bra. I don’t own much black lingerie anymore but I do love it once it’s beautifully crafted! I think Ewa has managed to design a beautiful not-boring black bra to fill full-bust market’s gap for sexy sheer lingerie and I’m very happy that I gave it a try. I also adore the huge bow on the front, so cute!

I think the shape of the bra is one of the best I can get in a non-padded bra. “SM” in the bra’s name stands for a unpadded balconette, a one that gives more coverage and uplift for a medium-to-large bust. For me this is actually one of the bras that give me a little less coverage than my average bra so I would be very interested to try some other Ewa Michalak styles as well (I already have my eyes on the PL Slowianki!). The shape is quite naturally curved but extremely uplifted because of the well-placed seaming and the three-part cup construction.

The Fit: The fit of the bra is very good except I probably could have gone up a cupsize meaning I am probably somewhere between 70G and 70GG. My smaller boob is completely fine but I just feel like the upper panel of the other cups is pressing my bigger boob a bit. However, I’m not spilling out notably and the bra feels good on. Even wearing it for the whole day there is no spillage whatsoever. The shape of the bra however might be a bit better suited for someone with lower fullness. However I feel like the bra gives me such great uplift I can’t part with it and would welcome many more SM bras in my lingerie wardrobe!

The band of the 70G feels snug yet quite stretchy meaning it is about the same as eg some 30-band Curvy Kate styles I own. So with this style, if you are between sizes or prefer looser bands for comfort, I would go up from your regular British band size. The wires are very narrow which are just wide enough for me, if they would be any narrower I think they would stab my breast tissue. The cups are medium depth in my opinion so they are quite spot on for me.

Comfort: This bra is so comfy! I feel like the band is just stretchy enough for me to not even notice that I’m wearing a bra and the wires come so low they don’t poke under my arm. The wires feel quite flexible too so they don’t stab my ribs nor my sternum painfully even though the gore lies flat as it should. The mesh and the lace are probably not the most conventional or best material for someone with excema but so far I haven’t had any discomfort regarding them. The straps are placed well for me and stay up hrough the day without readjusting. Also I like the little detail of the strap attaching to a wider sling on the top of the cup.

The Co-ordinates: The thong is so cute I knew right away it would be my choice for the co-ordinates! There is also the option of a classic brief but I really like the thicker upper panel of the back of the thong which flatters my butt greatly and gives more coverage than your average thong. The big bows are so darn cute and I’m also a big fan of the ruffle! This thong is also very comfy and feels great even under the skinniest jeans. The crotch area is quite thin so do think about that if it generally bothers you with panties. However, it’s not the most skimpiest thong I’ve ever seen so I’m quite happy. The lace edge at the top part of the thong is not stretchy at all so do keep that in mind when opting for a size. I got mine size 8/36 and it fits perfectly!

All in all, I’m very impressed with my SM Mgielka and am already drooling over some other styles, including PL Slowianki and the new sweet SM Bialy Bez. Also the prize of this set is not bad at all! I paid about 55€ for mine including shipping. To Finland, it took only four (!) days to deliver so I was quite happy about the speedy delivery as well. Also Ewa’s team kept me posted on everything that happened regarding my order so I wasn’t left wondering at any stage of the process.

Has anyone of you tried Ewa and what do you think of her bras? Also, if you have an opinion, should I try the 70GG next time, just for comparison? I would love to hear so please do drop me a comment! xx