Bluebella MORE Review: “Calypso” in 32G

Hi lingerie folks! Hope the spring has been treating you well. We are now less than two months away from the wedding and we are also moving on Easter, so needless to say I have been a busy woman. Everything seems to be happening at once, but I think I’m probably not alone – it’s just the way life works itself out. I haven’t forgot about you though! I have exciting reviews coming up, both clothing- and lingerie-wise, so do hang in there!

Today I am reviewing something from a very exciting new collection from Bluebella MORE range. The MORE by Bluebella is a collection for us fashion-forward full-busted ladies and it now starts with 30 bands as well! The range is still only up G-cup though, so I needed to cheat with  the sizing this time as well – don’t judge me! However, let’s keep buying and wearing MORE, and maybe in the future we’ll get those H-cups 😉 *Disclosure: This set was provided me free of charge by Bluebella. All opinions are my own!*

The Design: Picking something from the Bluebella MORE ss18 collection was a hard task – there were so many things I was intrigued by, I really wanted to have it all. This is rare these days, as I am a picky lingerie consumer and hardly find myself getting so excited over a whole collection.

I usually pick something non-padded as it is more wearable to me, but having tried some non-padded MORE lingerie already, I went for the padded half-cup shaped Calypso. Take note: this was never supposed to be even remotely everyday-wearable to me, but something more to wear in the boudoir or maybe on stage. Thus I was not too fussed about the fit or shape of this bra.

I like how low cut the bra is, as most bras in my size range tend to go higher up my chest. I like having options so thumbs up for the low-coverage, definitely! The one thing that really drew me in with this set was the harness-brief though and the beautiful thick lace decorations of the set. The adornments really make a statement and the aesthetics are both strong yet romantic at the same time. Also, I am always a sucker for the combo of cream and black.

Fit: As the MORE range goes up G-cup, I had little choice with the size of the bra – either I was going to compromise on the band being too loose or the cup being too small. I absolutely HATE too loose bands, so I decided that for a boudoir bra it wouldn’t hurt to wear it in a slightly too small cup size. BUT… As you can see, the cups are not slightly too small 😀 In theory the cups should be only a cup size too small for me, but as this bra runs both small and shallow in the cup, it seems like I would need two cup sizes more to have all my breast tissue lie nicely in the cups. Overall, I would advice to go up a cup size in this bra, if you can. The band is on the snug side, so if you find yourself between sizes, do go up a band as well.

Frankly me and the bra weren’t a great match shape-wise either as I need narrower wires and deeper cups. It’s really the same issue as with most Curvy Kate padded balconettes. However, this does not stop me from wearing such styles from time to time – it’s not meant to be the most practical bra so let’s not expect a perfect fit from it either. Also, the fact that it doesn’t suit me does not mean it won’t suit anyone. I can think of a number of people this would be pretty much perfect on (I am looking at you, Miss R!). Also the shape of the bra is quite nice – it’s not square-y like some half-cups in D+ sizes and I think in a better size the construction of the bra would be highlighted much better.

Comfort: As the bra is a wrong size for me, I haven’t worn it out much so it’s a bit hard to say whether it’s super comfy or not. Only time would tell that and I cannot really wear a bra two cup sizes too small several hours in public – anyone my size would know the experience is awkward and uncomfortable. Based on the feel of the garment and the materials I would say the bra is a rather comfy one – the elastic parts are sturdy and wide, the band has three hooks and eyes, and both the inner and the outer materials are nice to touch.

When it comes to the bottoms of the set, I tried a couple of sizes but unfortunately neither of them fitted me at all. I got a size 12 and 14, but for my body type (hourglass with a bit of tummy), this panty did not feel comfortable or flattering on. I reeeeally wanted it to work and was conflicted to whether review the panties at all, but I think you should be always aware of what you are buying so there won’t be any disappointments. What didn’t work for me were the strappy parts of the panties – they are not elastic at all and thus won’t conform to my body the way I would have liked them to.

I have seen bloggers wearing the panty successfully (here some pics on the lovely Charlie of Big Cup Lil Cup) but they have a slimmer body than mine with a flat tummy. I know some people don’t mind if their pants create more curves but at this point, I am not that comfortable with extra tummy rolls which the straps create by digging into my skin. This was not corrected by a bigger size as the size 14 was otherwise too big for me (the crotch area bunched up significantly) but the straps still dug in. What I think I’m going to do is to sew a loop on some other black knickers, so I can wear the beautiful harness with another panty (luckily the harness is detachable!).

Thank you for reading the review and let me know what you think of the new Bluebella MORE offering, which can be found here! The Calypso bra (UK 30-38 DD-G) costs an affordable £38 and the harness panty (UK 8-18) sets you back at £24.

Happy Easter everyone!

 

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: Freya “Fancies” Bralette

How are all my lingerie enthusiasts doing? I started my new year with a mild flu and I am already dying of boredom – I want to go out and do stuff like hit the gym and go to burlesque practices! Now that I am staying inside for a while, I might just blog. I am actually quite excited for year 2018 when it comes to basically… everything! That means blogging as well. I am just a bit afraid that people are not interested in my blog anymore – I do hope there are some of you left there! At least most my subscribers are patiently waiting for my posts as I don’t think many have unsubscribed yet. Thank you a thousand times for that!

Today I am bringing you some new year loungewear/ bralette action. We all know the hot potato in the full-bust world has been the praised bralette trend that most of us cannot really take part in – bralettes are traditionally geared towards more small-busted people and thus the breezy light undergarments are something we don’t really have access to. However, over the past year or so a few brands have come up with bralettes that actually work for more full-busted women as well! The first bralette I got to try was the Freya “Fancies” collection bralette. Cha at Large Cup Lingerie heard about my interest to try a good full-bust bralette and offered to send me a couple to try. I was super excited and here are the results…

The Design: The Freya “Fancies” bralette comes in many different colourways, the newest one being the adorable Orchid colour which is very vibrant in flesh. I got to try the red and turquoise bralettes in sizes Small and Medium and kept the red Medium one for myself in the end. The Small turquoise bralette is with my friend Eeva and she thoroughly enjoys it as a UK size 30F/32E in regular bras. The Fancies bralette is available both in brights and in neutrals, so if you like a more toned-down shade such as black or navy, Large Cup Lingerie and Freya have you covered.

The bralette comes in regular dress sizes XS-XL and is supposed to fit a plethora of cup sizes. The bralette is a pull-over style which means it is not fastened at the back – this can be a tricky design decision for us small-band-big-cup needing women, but the materials are quite stretchy and thus the pull-over feature is not too bothersome. The bralette is made out of firm lined mesh and stretchier lace and the straps are pretty similar to a regular bra, just narrower than regular Freya bras would have in big cup sizes. The straps are fully-adjustable which means the style will suit both shorter and taller women alike.

The look of the bralette is quite simple but I like the simplicity with the fun colourways. I would love to see some prints, and different types and colours of laces though! Compared to other full-bust bralettes, I think the Fancies bralette is actually rather sexy which is always an upside for me.

The Fit: I wear bras in a range of 30-32 GG-HH at the moment so I have a big bust and still quite a small band size. I know a friend of mine who wears 2-3 bigger cup sizes than me and she wears a Large in the bralette, so I pretty much knew the Medium would fit me. However, Cha was so kind to send me both Small and Medium so I could compare them to each other.

The size Small was pretty good in the band (not tight whatsoever) but the “cups” were at least a couple of sizes too small. I would say the size Small bralette would best fit someone with a 30-32 band and cup sizes DD-FF, maybe G. The Medium is a bit of a reach with my usually 32GG bust, so I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone with a bigger bust than mine. If I could put together size Small’s band section and size Large’s cup section, that would probably be the ideal fit for me. However, the Medium is definitely not bad and I literally wear the heck out of this thing almost everyday (I need more of these…)!

I would like to remind everyone that this is a bralette, NOT a bra that lifts and supports your throughout a long day at work. My breasts are rather self-supporting, so I don’t feel like I need more support when lounging around at home. However, if your breasts are soft and bigger than mine, I wouldn’t expect too much of this bralette – it truly is only something to keep the boob sweat at a bay and make you a bit more comfortable at home than your average bra.

Comfort: Yes, it is the most comfortable thing I have put on my boobs in a while! Of course – it is a rather well-fitting full-bust appropriate bralette after all. The materials are fine on my skin but if I was completely honest, I would rather have a cotton lining inside the bra than the same mesh as on the outside. I think the mesh has been an aesthetic choice mostly, as it gives the bralette a more sheer sexy look to it.

The Fancies bralette is very stretchy and I like the slightly taller band that lies nicely on the ribcage rather than distributing the weight of my chest only directly under my bust. I have protruding ribcage which means my upper ribs stick out a bit more than usual, so I love the stretchy lace longline that works well with both bones sticking out and bloating that comes with the unfortunate IBS I suspect having.

All in all, I am super pleased with the Freya Fancies bralette and am planning to get a few more in the future, so this one won’t be in the wash all the time 😉 Head over to Large Cup Lingerie and check out their impressive selection of colours! The bralette costs a very affordable £20 and you can also buy a pair of matching panties from the Freya Fancies collection for the price of £14.

After Eden D-cup & up: Carlissa & Cendrine in 70E

Finding your perfect size and shape match with bras is a pretty tough job – sometimes people think it’s just a matter of trying on a few styles and then finding the perfect bra that suits your particular tastes and shape the best. In reality, it can take years to find the styles and brands you like and even then, your tastes may change. Eeva is a friend of mine who I bravangelized this year and we found out that her best size is something between a 70E and 65F. She has never thought of being a busty gal, but alas, you don’t need to have a notably large bosom to be above D-cup!

When I first fitted Eeva, we noticed that padded plunge-balconettes were defintely a great match for her. Now, the task was to find a brand that would make something in her size, that would still be to her taste and has a good selection of padded plunge-balconettes for her to try. Enter: After Eden D-cup and Up (previously known as Signature by After Eden). *After Eden generously gifted these sets to Eeva, all opinions are our own*

The Carlissa set in 70E and a size Medium thong.

The After & Eden D+ range bras are something probably many gals who enter the full-bust world want: they are cute and sexy, very similar to core sized bras in stores like Aerie and Victoria’s Secret but come in a better size range. These particular bras go up to F-cup, but in general many D-cup & Up bras go up to an EU G-cup. The size range is geared more towards the busty plus-size gals, as the band sizes go up 42 (EU 95) and 44 (EU 100), but there are still options for the slender customers as well.

Even though these styles in particular don’t include the 30-bands, Eeva is well off with the 32 band and the many hooks and eyes ensure that the bra can be properly tightened up, if the band gets loose over time. This is definitely one of the strengths of the range – the bra bands accommodate a lot of size fluctuation which is not something I can say about most bras. The shoulder straps are also pretty versatile and can be adjusted almost fully.

The Cendrine set in 70E and a matching thong in size Medium.

When I asked Eeva about her breast shape, she would describe it as more full-on-top (FOT) – this means her breast have more full breast tissue above the nipple than below it. In my experience After Eden D-cup & Up bras are especially well-fitting for FOT gals, as they are pretty open at the top. The underwire of the bra hits Eeva at the right spot and I would say the wires are a medium lenght and and quite low near the armpit area.

For the price tag (25 € for the bra in sale just now!), these bras last in wear and tear for quite a while and the detailing (rose gold hardware!) is cute and looks like good quality to me. The materials are soft and pretty comparable to anything you would find in a high street store – not luxury but also not cheap either. The panties are also well-designed regarding rise and materials which makes them equally easy to wear as the bras.

If you would like to snag these sets for a very good price, head over to the After Eden webstore now. The Carlissa and Cendrine sets are sold for 25 € for the bras and 9€ for the thongs. 

Lingerie Review: Tutti Rouge “Sukki” in 32GG

Hi lovely readers! Yes it’s me, I’m alive. No, I haven’t stopped blogging. And I won’t! From this on however, I will be blogging when I actually feel like it, not just because I have to. I have been having a bit of existential crises with a lot of things, the blog included, and have resorted to a decision that things need to happen on my terms from now on. I cannot promise any particular publishing dates to brands anymore as there are far too many things happening in my life right now. But brands are like friends – you know the good ones stick around even when times get rough.

Today I am reviewing the lovely Sukki set from the ever-so-sweet Tutti Rouge. They were gracious to gift me a set a few months ago and I have now tested it many times and have a conclusion for you, finally… Let’s jump onto the review!

The Design: The Sukki style is a namesake to a burlesque diva and a pinup model Sukki Singapora. She is a stunner and her style is very fierce, reminiscing of the likes of Bettie Page – thus the styling of my photos as well! The strappy design originates to the classic Marlies Dekkers bras but yet is not a blunt copy, the straps and the whole style is done “the Tutti way”. However, I do feel this is a sexier style compared to Tutti Rouge’s previous designs and am happy to see them offering something sultry and even racy alongside the cutesy ruffly things.

The style of the bra is a padded balconette with a three-piece cut-and-sew construction. This is amazing, as most molded bras don’t fit me very well. The decorative straps are optional: you can wear the bra without them but I sure as hell don’t – they are gorgeous! My only gripe with the decorative straps is that they are a tiny bit loose on me and even though they are meant to be fastened to the inner circle of the strap “ring”, I wear the hooks on the outer circle to keep them as tight as I can. Otherwise unfortunately, they will detach on themselves.

The pattern of the overlay “mesh” is lovely and simple and I like the styling of the bra general. The balconette shape is very open at the top, so this bra will definitely suit girls with more breast tissue on the top part of their breasts.

The Fit: I am quite impressed with the fit part of this bra! Tutti Rouge has been a bit of a hit and miss for me in the past but I think that they are finally getting it all together and the sizes have been more standard compared to the bigger UK brands such as Panache and Curvy Kate. I am wearing a 32GG in Sukki and it’s a pretty much perfect fit for me. As you can see, the bra is gaping just a tiny bit on my smaller boob but this is expected, as it’s a padded bra and thus does not conform to my shape like an unpadded bra would. But as you know, you always buy a bra with your bigger boob in mind 😉

The bra band is nice and wide and I like that it is a bit on the snugger side of 32, as I am still between sizes 30 and 32. With Tutti Rouge in general, I usually go for 32 these days. The Jessica is on the looser side for me in that band but I do prefer some breathing room as I swell up a bit during the day usually (thanks, IBS!). The cups are pretty deep for a UK brand bra, which is impressive and I don’t get any obvious collapsing at the bottom of the cup. The wire also meets my breast root nicely and is not as wide as with some of the TR bras I have tried in the past (mainly some versions of the Betty and Rosie). The straps are fully adjustable and are adjusted at the front, which I think is a cute little touch as the adjustable hearts are more visible this way.

Comfort: The Sukki bra is a very comfortable bra for a padded one – as you know, I prefer my bras without any padding, but when I do wear padded bras (mainly when I do burlesque) I like them to be softly padded, with good construction and a great shape. This one ticks all the boxes and it has all its fit aspects on point – no need to compromise on style either!

The bottoms are quite comfy as well – I might go as far as to tell you, they are one of my favourite panties when it comes to low-rise ones. The rise is comfy and flattering on my body and there is plenty of room for a bigger butt at the back. I wear a size Medium in these and I would say I could even go down for a Small. To be honest, I may be between sizes as per usual! However, I am pretty content with the Medium and they are so comfy I can even work out in them. Great plus for me, as I work out 5 times a week these days!

If you would like to give these a try, the Sukki set is sold on the Tutti Rouge website for £39.50 for the bra and brazilian panty for a £15.50. This set also comes with a high-waisted brief option so if you are about that vintage life, knock yourself out! The sizes for the bra are 28-38 D-HH, so plenty to choose from there.

Lingerie Review: Ava “Ines” in 70I

Ava is one of those brands, which I quite rarely review but every time I do, their bras pretty much fit me like a glove. Their availability is not as good as with some other Polish brands such as Kris Line or Ewa Michalak but I am fortunate to live in the same city where the Lumingerie lingerie online store is based – so I have access to many Polish brands that are carried nowhere else in Finland! I popped in at the Lumingerie storage to say hi to the lovely owners, and Mervi decided to put together a bag of goodies for me, the sweetheart she is. This particular set has been very much on demand, so if you see your size on the web store, grab it while you can (psst, they also offer free delivery within EU)!

The Design: The Ines is a non-padded balconette style which reminds me a lot of Panache and Cleo bras – in fact, it’s something that Panache and Cleo would create if they made a love child together. What I mean by this, is that the shape of the bra is beautifully rounded as with most Cleo signature balconettes but the construction is a bit more elaborate to offer a tiny bit more support, especially around outer breast area. The cut of the bra is called “Side Support Bra” at the website but it is still not too full-coverage which is something you would typically expect from a Panache bra.

The style of the Ines set is quite young and hip yet sexy – the leopard is still very much on trend and the black/raspberry colour combo keeps it sassy. The stretchier lace upper panel compliments the bra beautifully and brings together the four-piece cup construction.

The Fit: When buying Ava bras, you need to remember that their cups run on the bigger side. I would actually go as far as saying they run exactly one cup size big, as my usual European bra size is 70J and this bra fits me very well in 70I. The cups are still very spacious and could perhaps even endure some period size fluctuation. The band is firm in 70 and is rather something between UK 30 and 32 than a solid 32. To be frank, the Ava 70 band is a perfect fit for me: I am exactly between 30 and 32 with Panache and the Ava 32 (70) band is just snug enough to feel comfortable yet sturdy on my body.

The cups of the Ines are quite deep as you would expect from a Polish bra. However, the underwires are not particularly narrow, which is something you need to consider if you like your wires are narrow as eg with the likes of Ewa Michalak. I would say The Ava wires are quite close to Samanta and Ewa Bien wires, which is a rather good width for me personally.

Comfort: The way I see it, there are two ways to judge if a bra is comfortable enough for everyday wear: A) after the “breaking-in period” (the few times when you wear the bra for a first time and then wash it) it shouldn’t “feel” too much while wearing it, and B) it stays put when you are active. The Ines ticks both of the boxes, especially the latter! Don’t get me wrong – you will totally feel it when you wear it for the first few times and the centre gore especially tacks my sternum very firmly. However, the bra does “loosen up” a bit after a few wears and thus becomes more comfy over time. The sturdiness is still there though – this bra lifts heavy! It stays and feels supportive no matter what, which is a sign of a well-thought-out full-bust bra.

The Ines hooks at the back with three hooks and eyes in the bigger sizes and features fully adjustable straps which is always a great feature regarding comfort. This means the bra can be adjusted no matter the shape or the size of a person wearing it. It also comes quite high on my armpits but as the materials are not scratchy, I actually enjoy it as it means my breast tissues near the armpit area is fully encased.

The Ines bra comes with two different types of panties – regular short-style knickers and a thong. Obviously, I went for the shorts, as I like my panties to cover a bit more and feel comfy no matter what. My only issue with the knickers is that they are cut quite small – I thought I would be fine with size Medium as my size hasn’t changed for the bigger in many months but it appears, that Ava does run very small with their knickers. Sure, I can wear the Mediums but I wonder if the Large would have been a more flattering look. That thought in itself feels peculiar to me as I usually still wear Small-Medium with all other brands!

As mentioned in the beginning of the post, this set is flying off the shelves, so if you want to get your mittens on it, don’t wait! You can find the English website for Lumingerie here. The Ines bra (65-105 D-L) costs an affordable 39€ and the cute panties (S-XXXL) 19€.

Suomeksi: Heippa kaikille! Pitkästä aikaa laitan tulemaan myös suomennosta postaukseen, koska tämän postauksen tuotteet on sponssannut ihana kotimainen alusvaateverkkokauppa Lumingerie. Lumingerien varastohan sijaitsee täällä meikäneidin kotikaupungissa Oulussa, joten välillä piipahdan siellä ihan vain kahvittelemassa ja ihailemassa sesongin uutuksia. Tälläkään kertaa en lähtenyt kotiin tyhjin käsiin, vaan mukaan tarttui Avan ihanan pinkki leopardi-kuosinen “Ines” setti, jonka Lumingerie lahjoitti minulle arvostelua varten. 

Ava onkin minulle jo tuttu niiltä ajoilta, kun olin viimeksi kesätöissä Lumingeriella ja muistelin heidän mitoituksensa olevan hieman reilumpaa kuppien suhteen. Muistini ei pettänyt minua vaan niinpä koon 70J sijasta mukaan lähtikin 70I, joka vastaa brittien koissa n. 32G:tä. Puolalaiset merkit ovatkin tunnettuja hieman syvemmistä kupeistaan mutta myös tiukemmista ympäryksistään, joten vaikka moni brittimerkki istuu minulle myös koossa 30H (65H), niin tämä kaunokainen on aivan riittävän tukeva jo 70-ympäryksessä. Ympärysnauha on myös ihanan leveä, joten se tukee hyvin aivan arkikäytössä.

Alushousuja tähän settiin löytyy kahta mallia: stringiä ja tavallista boy short-mallia. Meikäläisen mantra on “Mitä mummompi, sen parempi”, mitä alkkareihin tulee, joten tiedätte varmaan kummat mulla lähti matkaan. Näissä kannattaa myös kiinnittää huomiota kokolappuun: puolalaisten pikkarikoot on aikas niukkoja, joten suosittelen ottamaan ainakin koon isommat tämän merkin kohdalla. Mun kooksi valikoitui M, mutta veikkaan että L:kään ei olisi ollut hassumpi. 

Tätä settiä ei ole enää montaa jäljellä, joten jos hyvinistuva, kaunis ja vieläpä edullinen alusvaatesetti kiinnostaa, nyt kannattaa katsoa vieläkö omaa kokoasi olisi jäljellä. Rintsikat löydät (koot 65-105 D-L) täältä ja alushousut (S-XXXL) puolestaan täältä. Lumingeriella postikulut, vaihdot ja palautukset on ilmaisia, joten jos merkki ei ole vielä tuttu, voi liivejä tilata vaikka parissa eri koossa ja laittaa vääränkokoiset takaisin!

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: Ewa Michalak PL Lśniąca Scarlet

Happy March! How are you guys? Feeling spring-y already I have been centered around art, wedding-stuff (I found a dress, yay!) and some unfortunate drama in a project I was working on so it’s good to take some time to sit down and spend some time with the ol’ blog. Also, the blog giveaways are coming so don’t fret! 2COP is a hefty toddler now and just turned four, which is something we need to celebrate 😉 However, today we are bathing in some scarlet goodness, which is the Ewa Michalak PL Lśniąca Scarlet. This set was generously provided me by Ewa Michalak, but all opinions are my own!

The Design: The PL Lśniąca Scarlet is a classic PL-style from Ewa, which means it’s a padded plunge. The design features seams though, which gives the bra its signature well-constructed feel and improves the fit for a padded bra. As someone who doesn’t enjoy padded bras as much, I wasn’t even surprised that I still liked this particular bra – it’s the absolute royal of the padded bra family and I wear it each time I want to feel uplifted and oomphed to the max. The cups feature removable cookies, which is great if you want something extra, have a-symmetry or change a bit in size during your cycle.

The style of the bra is not the most ornate I have seen in the Ewa Michalak collection, but it still manages to appear striking with its colour and satin-y materials. This bra can easily be worn under t-shirts (with a darker colour, of course) but it’s still appropriate for boudoir as well. What’s not to like!

The Fit: The PL bra is not unfamiliar to me and thus I pretty much knew it would fit me in my regular size of 70GG. I don’t find EM sizing to be that different from British D+ brands, maybe just a bit tighter in the band, so I usually go for my looser band size 70 (UK 32). Picking a size is pretty easy for me personally, as the EM team usually does it for me when I provide them with my usual size. Ewa Michalak bras are infamous for varying in fit and size, which is why it pretty much depends on the style whether I go for 70G or 70GG, or even H. This one runs very true-to-size though, which always makes the shopping experience a bit easier.

I have literally no bad things to say about the fit of the PL Lśniąca Scarlet: everything just seems to fall into place perfectly. The cups encase my breast tissue well when I insert just one of the pads into my right cup (my left boob is bigger). The cups are just deep enough for my breast tissue to sit in them without the cup foam collapsing at the bottom (very usual with most padded bras if there’s not enough depth at the bottom of the cup) and luckily the wires are not too narrow for me with this particular EM style! I am so happy, as this trait with Ewa bras has always been a bit of a hit-or-miss with me.

Comfort: In addition to being well-fitting, Ewa bras are usually a pleasure to wear all-day, as the materials are well-thought out. The PL bras are always lined with cotton to feel comfortable against the sensitive boob skin (I am sure most women relate to boob itch, don’t you?!), which is something I wish every lingerie brand did with their bras. It also makes the bra much more comfortable during the summer months, as sweat does not play well with artificial fibers, in my personal experience. The straps are pretty well placed with this style, I would say and they are fully-adjustable, which is great for tall and petite girls alike.

The Lśniąca Scarlet “high-waisted” panties are not the highest I have seen, but still proper cute and sexy. The lace on the back could a bit stretchier in my opinion and if you have a more rounded butt than me, I would suggest sizing up. For reference, I have 40″ hips and these were a size 38/10. These are perhaps not your everyday panties but are sure to make some hearts flutter, if that is what you wish for!

The Lśniąca Scarlet can be bought at the EM online store, which you find here. It’s made-to-order which means it can take 2-3 weeks to make and after that the product will be shipped to you. If you can’t find your size in the drop-down menu, the EM team will be happy to make a custom size, however those are non-refundable and cannot be exchanged. The price for a custom sized bra is 20 PLN higher than the regular price of the bra. The bra (in regular sizes 30-44 A-JJ) costs 189 PLN and the high-waisted briefs (36-48, UK 8-20) cost 69 PLN.

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!