Guest Post: Review of Panache “Portofino” Swimsuit in 30GG by Comics Girls Need Bras

*This is a guest post written by the lovely Wen from Comics Girls Need Bras. The swimsuit was kindly provided by Panache, but as my big butt prevented it from going past my hips, I decided to gift it to a fellow blogger I admired. Even though Panache was generous to provide us with this swimsuit, all opinions are our own! Many thanks to Wen for the review, she was a darling to jump in and help a damsel in distress.*

As a full-busted woman I’ve struggled for a very longtime trying to find a decent swimsuit that I could wear in any occasion either at the school swimming pool or on the beach. Usually the more simple option is a black or blue wireless swimsuit. The issue with these products is that they contain your breast tissue in a very unnatural way. This could be as uncomfortable as painful because the Lycra flattens your breasts. Even if everything stays in place, the result is rarely elegant because these pieces are basically created for a smaller bust. So when Mette asked me if I would like to review the Panache Portofino swimsuit, I was more than interested! I’ve tried some Panache Sport products and I knew that they usually do a great job hiding the wires of these kind of products to give a smooth look while they still perfectly do the job! However I had never tried any underwired swimsuit and happily, this experience hasn’t been disappointing!

The Design: To be honest when I saw the Panache Portofino swimsuit for the first time on Panache stock pictures I didn’t find it very attractive. It was a simple blue and white swimsuit that I wouldn’t have bought by myself. Then I received the parcel, and the feeling when I put it on was completely different…

First of all, it fits ! This is always a victory when you receive a garment by mail and it fits you well. Second, I LOVE my body in this swimsuit! The design makes me think of the show “The love boat”. It looks perfect for cruise holidays! In my opinion this range has something chic, old-fashioned and I really like its nautical inspiration.

You may have noticed that it seems to be 2 sets of straps: the inner pair is for the invisible “bra” which is hidden inside the bodysuit. That means that the actual straps are not fully adjustable and I have to say that I usually have troubles with half-adjustable straps. In this case, they are quite short and I don’t have to shorten them so much (on these pictures I had forgotten to shorten one of them and I didn’t realise it before I saw the pictures on my laptop). So, the inner bra is basically made like a non padded balconette bra with a good coverage and three-part cup construction.

The ruching in the front seems to make the belly area look more structured. Indeed, the draped fabric paired with the white edge accents at the top of the swimsuit makes it more elegant and flattering. The back also adds a nice finish to this piece with its deep keyhole and its lovely branded gold plate and I was happy to see that the metal finished on the straps are gold too. The plastic closure is easy to use and the « band » feels true to size. I was afraid that it was not “young”enough but finally I’m really happy with the design of this piece. It makes me feel like a really elegant pin-up.

The fit : Mette sent me the Portofino in a 30GG and I would say that it fits me pretty well. However I’d like to try a 30G for comparison. The wires are really wide and sit very low under my inframammary fold. Also the inner cups are a bit too big for my breasts : I had the same impression with Panache Sport bras but as this doesn’t show from the outside, I am not 100% sure if a 30G would fit or not. It is not something I can feel when I wear the swimsuit. It doesn’t bother me, I just notice it when I put it on. So I believe that the bust part of this swimsuit is on the larger side.

One positive thing about the wires placement is that the central gore is very very narrow. This is very good for my close set-breasts and overall, this swimsuit still manages to give me a great support and a natural, yet round shape to my bust. The body is perfect for my usual UK size 10 and it covers everything the right way. The bottom part while providing a great coverage has a nice cut which makes my legs and butt look just fine. I was very surprised to be honest, since I usually think that one-piece swimwears make my legs look shorter and flatten my butt in a weird way.

The only thing that bothers me is that it is not easy to put on. Every time I am afraid to damage it when it passes through my thighs and butt, so the first time I was afraid that it was too small. Fortunately, when I finally put it on properly, the fit is amazing and I don’t have so much to complain about.

Comfort: I think that I am going to wear this piece very often this summer! I love bikinis of course,but wearing a one-piece swimsuit has always given me a sensation of freedom! Let me explain: wearing a properly fitting swimsuit, you can do whatever you want, run, dance, sleep, swim, and while every sensitive part of your body is covered, you are free to move your four limbs! That’s how I feel wearing the Portofino. This piece follows the curves of my body and allows me to move without having to adjust it every now and then.

I think the worst thing I’ve experienced with a swimsuit/bodysuit is when the torso part is too short and makes it uncomfortable because your butt systematically tries to eat it. I didn’t experienced that with the Portofino. The inner bra and lining are made from a very soft mesh and although the crotch is slightly too wide for my body, the legs elastics are quite stretchy and I don’t feel any discomfort.

In a nutshell, I am very satisfied with this piece and I think the whole Portofino range can work, aesthetically-wise, for gals of a different ages, since it is very elegant and pretty! If I could put my hands on the bandeau swim top in my size I’ll be glad to give it a try ! The details of this range are freaking amazing ! If you would like to give the Portofino a try, you can find it on Figleaves for $78 and the size range for the product is 30-38 D-K.

xoxo,

Wen

Swimwear Review: Curvy Kate “Siren” Swimsuit in 32GG

Hi everyone and greetings from Split, Croatia! After a few bumps on our road (our Helsinki-Oulu flight was cancelled so we stayed a night at the Helsinki airport) we finally got back home and I have to say, even though it was one of the most awesome trips I’ve ever been to, it is always lovely to be home. Without further a do, I will introduce you to a beauty I had with me on the shores of Split – the amazing Curvy Kate “Siren” one-piece swimsuit. This little number was kindly sent to me by the Curvy Kate team, but all opinions are my own!

The Design: How amazing does the coral shade look against the turquoise ocean?! Bloody damn amazing, if you ask me! I have been lusting after this particular swimsuit since I first saw it at Moda a while back. The scallop cut details remind me of Ariel the little mermaid and also give the suit its playful and pinup-y look. There is also a waistband at the middle which gives the swimsuit a more structured look and nips you in at the waist. The coral colour would look amazing on someone a bit more tanned than me (I know, I am white as a chicken throughout the year!) but I think it suits us paler girls as well and looks especially good with ginger hair like mine – and CK’s own model Lottie!

The shape of the Siren is based on the Curvy Kate “Luxe” strapless bra (which I’m still yet to review though I do own one!) which has been a big hit among many full-busted gals out there. I first did not like the whole thing: but apparently, I had bought the wrong size of 30GG with the Luxe (I bought it in a hope of less coverage – bad decision!) which meant the too small cups were pushing the bra down and thus it felt a bit comfortable on me. Now, I sized up to 32GG with the Siren – first of all because I like my swimsuits a bit looser in the bodice and back – and the bigger cups fitted me much better and gave me a lovely rounded shape. There is also some leeway to make this suit fit your body the best way possible with some detachable straps and laces on the hips to adjust the rise of the leg. At the back there is a regular (though a bit wider) bikini clasp to close the band.

The Fit: As I said, the 32GG was definitely the right choice for me with this one-piece. I consulted Chantelle at the Curvy Kate HQ whether I should go for 30H or 32GG and she recommended that I would size up in the band with this one, as it ran a bit tighter than your usual CK bra. This holds quite true and also, we need to remember that most brands do make their swim tops a bit tighter in the band to remain supportive when getting wet ie stretching out. The whole bodice was very comfortable on my body in the 32-band so I would say it suits someone in the UK 10-14 range the best (I am wear mostly 12 these days).

When it comes to cups, the Siren runs very true-to-size for Curvy Kate. So I would suggest taking your regular UK bra size unless you prefer your swim top bands a little bit more comfy like I do. The wires are actually quite narrow for CK which is a pleasant surprise and the cups also quite a lot deeper to contain all my full breast tissue. I love how stretchy the whole bodice is and also the way the sides can be adjusted by pulling the laces a bit – I personally prefer a a more ‘vintage’ look with a lower leg but especially if you have curves on your hips, the sides would look fabulous with a higher leg as well.

Comfort: I cannot praise this swimsuit enough for its comfiness! When thinking about swimming in it – cause I did swim even though the Adriatic was a bit cold at first – I cannot really think of anything that would have bothered me, at all. The Siren stayed on like a dream even without straps and did not move an inch on my body. I am used to lifting and adjusting my other strapless swimsuits so it was kind of a miracle that I did not have to pull the upper part of the suit up at all. Here’s where I have to stress that the right size makes all the difference with strapless bras and swimsuits – if you skimp on the size, it is no doubt going to end up feeling a bit uncomfortable and you have to make adjustments during your swim and especially when getting out of the water.

Some gals are a bit afraid of swimsuits with wires as they feel it makes the suit look a bit “old” and “granny-ish” but also feel uncomfortable. With the Siren swimsuit the wires are hidden inside the suit so they won’t appear on the outside but will give you phenomenal lift without anyone knowing there’s hardware in your suit! The wires are also the perfect length and width for me personally (I have a pretty average breast root) so I had no trouble with them poking or rubbing my armpits in anyway.

If you are looking for a cute pinup-appropriate swimsuit for a full-busted curvy figure, I would definitely recommend the Curvy Kate Siren. It is truly one of the best swimsuits I own and I am sure to wear it multiple times this summer! If you would like to give the Siren a try, it comes in sizes 28-38 D-J and retails for around £50 on SimplyBe, HerRoom, Figleaves & Brastop.

Moda Exhibition: Preview of Lepel & Charnos SS16 + Lepel London AW15 Collections

Ah, Lepel. You always manage to steal my heart somehow, whether it comes to new shapes, colours or prints, you are my one true love and this new SS16 season changes nothing. Yes, you did cheat me this time with not making my size in some of your most fabulous styles but I will forgive you as my love is unconditional.

Haha, that’s it for the love letter but strictly speaking, Lepel did up their anté again this season which always seems to surprise me as I definitely thought they could not have done better after this summer’s fabulous styles (such as the Minnie) – but they certainly did. I also feel like the summer season is always a bit stronger for Lepel – they do lovely summery prints on their core styles but also, their swim is the one that really impresses me time after time. This time, there was also one lovely surprise in store to make the new season a jackpot – a completely new range called Lepel London. To learn more about each of their range and my personal faves, keep reading! (All styles go up to G unless stated otherwise, also this is not the complete collection because that would have made a heck of a long post!)

LEPEL

  
Fiore Full-Cup, Fiore Plunge, Lilly Rosette, Daisy, Victoria Balconette, Victoria Moulded Plunge (up to F) & Matilda

The Lepel core collection consists of some of their oldies-but-goodies in new colourways but also some more recent additions to their basics such as Fiore. Personally I am always up for new cuts and shapes but this time, I was instantly smitten with the apple green shade of Fiore and will sure be giving this old lady (hehe) a try when the new colourways launch. Lepel had adopted lovingly the new orange/pink colour trend for SS16 which is actually one of my ultimate favourite combos of all time. The Victoria, another older style of Lepel, will be available in this candy-like combination next spring and I will be sure to get my hands on it!

The Lilly Rossette is a fun take on Lepel’s basic balconette bra and the fit is also revised this time, so I am intrigued to see how it does after some alterations. In fact, I am quite impressed with this specific style with Lepel, as it always comes in such vibrant and surprising prints for each season, this AW season including a fun strawberry print (a must-have for me!). When it comes to newer styles, the turquoise Daisy is a lovely plunge option for us fuller busted ladies as well and if the blue hue is not your thing, it will also be available in white. The lace of Daisy looks fresh and young and the style seems a good basic addition to accompany the older Fiore style.

CHARNOS

Violet (up to J), Sienna (up to J), Cherub & Bailey

As Steve (the very charming head of marketing at Lepel!) mentioned last time we went to Moda, Charnos and Lepel collections have started to become more alike, with some designs overlapping the collections a bit style-wise. This was even more clear with Charnos this time, with Sienna being the star of the show with it’s graphic jungle print and stunning colour combination of yellow, green and bluebell. I have personally never been a huge fan of Charnos but with the new younger prints and sexier shapes, I am definitely intrigued to try something from the collection. Also the materials seem very on point with this particular collection – I mean, who doesn’t love stretch lace? (We all know that I am a fan!)

Even though Charnos has now taken a bit younger approach to their collections, the shapes and styles remain mostly very classic and appropriate for a more mature taste. There are also some very popular trends shown in this SS16 collection, including what I call the “Marie Antoinette vibe” – think pale lace, ruffles and light-coloured wallpaper prints. The Bailey, which is a completely new style for Charnos, fits the bill exactly and is a lovely more romantic option for the Charnos fan, if the loud prints are not your cup of champagne. Also, who doesn’t love tassels?! Tassel panties, y’all, everyone should own a pair.

LEPEL SWIM
       
Sun Kiss, Riviera, Venice Beach, Surf Balconette & Bandeau (UK 8-16), Hawaii, Sunset (UK 8-18), Helena & Lagoon Bandeau (UK 8-18) + Swimsuit (UK 8-18)

With Lepel Swim, I always pretty much go “Come to Mama, all of you!” because DAMN these designs are awesome. I don’t even know where to start as there are literally so many favourites in this swim collection. There is something for everyone: sport luxe style, Tiki pinup style, fabulous prints and colours with some more solid & classic styles as well. What really hit me hard were the Surf and Venice Beach balconette bikini tops which were fantastically styled with some contrasting trims and summery colour combos. However, if I would pick something to suit my everyday style, I would go for the Hawaii bandeau bikini because OMG LITTLE TIKI PINUPS, can I just die??? This style could definitely do with a high-waisted bottom option as I can imagine many modern day pinup girls enjoying this print.

When talking about new shapes, Lepel Swim has now introduced a moulded triangle bikini top up to G which seems very promising from what I have seen of it. The specific style is called Riviera which comes in tankini and a mini-longline bikini top as well but the triangle top is a totally new innovation to me at least – or has anyone else heard of an unwired triangle bikini top up to G-cup? I don’t think so! Even though the style is quite basic to my taste as least, I would love to try out this little number just for the science – these tatas haven’t seen a triangle bikini in years! On the model though the style looked really nice and the shape was fairly rounded yet natural.

LEPEL LONDON
       
Claudia (up to DD), Paloma in Black and Red (up to D), Tiff in Orange and Baby Blue (up to D), Georgie longline & padded bra (up to D), Chelsea Diamond in Black and Turquoise and Tara (up to DD)

Now, if the Swim didn’t blow your mind, this certainly will. The Lepel London range is something that was created for this AW15 season in collaboration with ASOS to offer the Lepel customer something a bit more hip and young, trendy and sexy at the same time. The collection features a lot of key trends for the fall and upcoming spring season as well –  strappy styling, orange and blue tones, longline cuts and eyelash lace. Super-duper stunning, to say the least!

What really did put me off with the range was the cup sizes though – up to DD?! How dare you! I think I actually told Steve to fuck off at this point when I heard they wouldn’t be going up to G (yap, that professional I am…how awkward) BUT to my excitement, ASOS really pushed the brand with the size range and it will expand in the future. The SS16 collection of Lepel London will include F-cups and MAYBE, POSSIBLY the G-cups will be introduced later in AW16. I was kinda promised that. And team Lepel, I will literally murder you if that does not happen! (haha, JK…) Cause yes, that much of a fan I am of this collection.

What really stands out to me with this collection is how it takes all of the key trends and mixes them in with a great fit and affordable prices. These pieces are not supposed to be the “luxury” range of Lepel, but a more fun, on-trend version of their original style for the same price point. This makes it affordable to any uni student out there – even Jo, the goddess of saving herself, stated that she would buy some of the pieces from the collection in a heartbeat as with such a beautiful product and a low price – why not? If not for the necessity, then just for the fun.

How do you feel about the new Lepel collections? Are you as excited about Lepel London as me? I would love to hear your opinions, so let me know in the comments! xx

Moda Lingerie & Swimwear Show: Introducing Moontide & Piha Swimwear

When it comes to swimwear, I tend to be extremely picky – I hate triangle bikinis, can’t stand tacky 90’s patterns and a tankini is a definite no-no. I like my swimwear cute, comfy and retro-inspired which makes my hunt for the perfect swimwear a bit tricky. Not to mention my size – someone in the 30-32 G-H range ought not be too fussy, but what can you do! However, now and then I come across brands with exactly my kind of aesthetics and one of those brands were Moontide and their sub-label Piha at the Moda tradeshow. One thing that made the brand instantly more appealing to me was that the Moontide range actually goes up to G-cup with some styles. Let’s dive into this swimwear giant a bit more…

Tulip, Poppy & Bauhinia in their fantastic tropical floral prints (all from their SS14/15 collection)

Moontide was founded 35 years ago in Auckland, New Zealand and is now one of the leading fashion-forward swimwear-only brands in the world. When going through the Moontide website, it’s easy to see that in addition to fabulous fashion styles the brand is extremely confident about their fit. The passion towards well-fitting swim pieces is pretty obvious which makes me a new fan of the brand. The fuller-busted customers have been thought of too; there is a separate logo for the so called “cup fitting” pieces, which simply states “CF”. These pieces are either sized in bra sizes (with some styles going to up F/G) or offer a separate full-bust fit (this feature is mainly used with the one-piece swimsuits). Even though this kind of sizing cannot cover each and every bust size, it’s a good way to acknowledge that there is indeed a demand for more boob room among us gals with fuller busts. To be honest, I would be quite intrigued to see how well the full-bust version of the swimsuit would hold up my ~GG boobies!

When it comes to styling, I find the Moontide to be an instant winner – I mean, who can resist a good floral or juicy summer brights? Well I certainly can’t. My favourite of the new collection pieces (pictured above) would definitely be the yellow one with the black and white rose print as it’s such a lovely vintage-inspired style. These pics are however only my favourites, so if floral and super bright colours are not your thing there is also lots of black and white monochrome, stripes and abstract prints on offer. I have previously worked as a gardener and a florist which should explain my love for all sorts of floral prints 😉

Even though I have pictured above only Moontide swimsuits, they do offer also a wide array of other cuts to choose from. To be honest, I have never seen such a variety of different styles when it comes to a single design of swimwear! Most Moontide swim pieces come in an array of tops, bottoms and even a couple of different onepiece styles so everyone can make their pick and be happy with it. As a lover of onepieces I would love to try their “Twist”-style swimsuits with the fuller bust fit as the whole design seems very flattering allover.

Piha (which, funny enough, means ‘yard’ in Finnish) is a sub-label of the more mature Moontide brand. Even though Moontide’s designs could probably appeal to any age group depending on one’s personal style, Piha is clearly directed to a younger audience with a love for clashing colours and pop-art kind-of prints. The size range of Piha is much smaller, only accommodating up to D, but I am really hoping and wishing for a bigger size range in the future – these pieces would definitely rival the likes of Cleo and Freya in the full-bust swimwear market! However, I do understand the limits of making cup sized swimwear/lingerie as you do always need to make a profit. Just hoping Piha could someday make a profit of us bigger-busted gals as well 😉

If you are interested in the brands more, I suggest you visit their websites for more info. Also, the brands are sold world-wide so if you are still in a need of proper swimsuit for the upcoming summer, do check out the likes of Asos, House of Fraser and Simply Beach to find your favourite style. The Moontide and Piha websites have both a very impressive list of stockists and online retailers stocking their designs so you can pick one according to your own location!

How do you like the Moontide and Piha designs? Do you think Piha should extend their size range eg. up to G as well? Let me know in the comments!

Lepel Swim “Minnie” Range – Swimwear for a True Pin-Up Diva

First of all, I have to start this post with a little (or actually a massive) disclosure. I have been struggling with my body image for years and even after recovering from anorexia, I am still nervous about people’s views on my body. It took me an INCREDIBLE amount of courage to post pictures of myself with my tummy and everything on show and this is why I ask you to kindly keep your opinions to yourself if you don’t like what you see. I think all of you have heard the phrase “If you don’t have anything nice to say, keep it to yourself” 😉 Thank you in advance of taking my mental health into consideration!

Now, onto the actual post! When I first saw the Minnie swimwear range at the Moda exhibition at the Lepel stand last August, I wanted to run away with every piece of it and never look back. Literally, I screamed of excitement and everyone at the stand must have thought that this girl is pretty nuts. You know this happens to everyone – you just see something so YOU and you can’t help but make a little happy-dance to celebrate it. Fast forward to this spring and I was talking to Lepel about this and that and BOOM – they decided to gift me the whole Minnie range for me to review at the blog. Imagine my delight – it was obviously a happy-dance time again! Here are my thoughts on the whole range… (Btw, if anyone wonders, I made the hair flower piece myself.)

The Minnie One-Piece Swimsuit

I don’t go swimming an awful lot as I find myself pretty bad at it – I just never really learned the best techniques and opted for running, dancing and gym as my choice of sports instead. But when I do visit a public swimming pool for actual working out purposes, I do prefer a one-piece to give me the best support and the minimal risk of falling out of my swimwear when being a bit more active. Also, I hate the kind of sporty swimsuits that give zero support to my breasts and usually look really outdated as well. In one sentence: I like my swimsuits supportive AND pretty. This is exactly why I love Minnie: it features sturdy underwires, great cut, padded cups and an option to wear it as a halter neck or a strapless version. Not to mention how cute the whole ensemble is!

As I have worn Lepel quite a bit during the last year or so, I knew my best bet for the size would be 32G. This was spot-on as per usual and I was very happy with how big the cups were – almost a bit too big for me! I would say the real UK size of the swimsuit would be closer to a 32GG-H so this is definitely good news for people who thought they could not fit into the Lepel size range. The cups have a pretty vintage-like shape to them so if you like super rounded cups, this might not be for you! I however LOVED the styling and the fit so the piece was absolutely perfect. The band (there is a separate one!) and lower part of the swimsuit felt like a regular 32 and as someone between 30 and 32 bands at the moment, I could have had it a bit sturdier but the swimsuit does its job nevertheless.

The Minnie Bikini Top and Skirted Pant

Y’all, this bottom is the BOMB. I am not a huge bikini person as I have a bit of a tummy and it’s the part I am a bit insecure of. However, I really did forget all that when wearing this combo: it’s so perfect at hiding my cookie pouch line that I praise hallelujah for it each time I put it on. Also, how freaking cute is it?? I mean, skirted. red. bikini bottom. Enough said, to me at least! I felt like a true mermaid when floating around in it at the pool and it’s also the comfiest little number I have worn for swimming. The rise is perfect, the colour is perfect and the styling is PER-FECT. As you might have guessed by now, this one was definitely my top favourite of all the bottoms included in the range.

When it comes to the bikini top, the sizing is a bit different from the swimsuit in one thing you definitely need to consider when buying: the band is TIGHT. I mean, I would say the 32 fits more like a very snug 30, meaning it’s not the easiest to close if you are more of a true 32-band gal. However, if you do buy a size too snug, I would suggest rinsing the band before putting it on – this will give the band more stretch and will make it easier to close the clasps. Again, the cups are very generous and the bikini top can be worn both halterneck or strapless. Both ways work for me fine and even as a strapless the suit and the bikini top stay put without readjusting them every 5 minutes 🙂

The Folded Bikini Bottom and the Bikini Brief

If the skirted pant is not your thing – a little too cutesy or young – there are other options as well that you can consider when opting for Minnie. I received the folded bikini pant and the bikini brief and even though they haven’t been as popular with me, I can see a whole lot of girls and women choosing to go with their more laid-back, subtle look. The folded pant is very low-cut so take that into consideration if you are opting between the two! The bikini brief is not cut as low and features a matching red bow instead of the red fold edge. Both are real cute and match the top equally well but still, the skirted bottom wins my heart over 10-0. All of my bottoms were a UK size 10 and fitted my 39″ hips very well.

What do you think of the range darlings? Are you as smitten with it as me? Also, do you prefer a one-piece or a bikini? Let me know in the comments! If you wish to get yourself your very own Minnie bikini set or a swimsuit, you can now buy them online at Lepel’s online shop. If your size isn’t listed there, I am sure other online stores will be stocking them soon enough as well. To mention one stockist, Very.co.uk already has the range sold on their site! The one-piece (UK size 30-38 B-G) sets you back at £40, the bikini top (UK sizes 30-38 B-G) at 30£ and the bottoms ( UK sizes 8-18) £14-18 depending on the style you go for. Not too bad, huh? 😉