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!

Introducing Bluebella More DD+ Range – Review of “Asteria” in 32G

If you are a lingerie lover like myself, there is a chance you have heard of Bluebella. They are a woman-lead lingerie business in UK who sell mostly their own house brand and offer a fantastic selection of contemporary and boudoir-inspired lingerie pieces. I was over the moon when I first found out that they were coming out with a DD+ collection called “MORE” and in no time, there it was on their website. I was lusting after the strappy pieces that so many full-bust brands are still lacking in their collections and after a couple of days of scribbling a wishlist for myself, the lovely people at Bluebella contacted me and asked if I wanted to try a set from the new collection – and of course I did! I opted for the Asteria set in 32G and size 12 bottoms and here’s how I liked them…

Editor’s note: These pics are in black and white as the whole set is completely black and I liked the femme fatale look of it! Hope you don’t mind, my dear readers 😉

The Design: The Asteria bra is made completely out of black mesh, golden metal parts and black elastic strapping to finish off the look. The bra is double lined (as opposed to the bottoms which are completely sheer) but still remains a bit sheer – the materials feel very supportive and I love the sleek styling choices with the strappy bra strap/ back design. The whole set looks and feels much more expensive than it actually is – the bra costs an affordable £36 and the panties £18. The bra band features three hooks and eyes and the bra straps are attached to each other at the back with a small hook closure. This can be a bit tricky when getting the bra on and off (I usually ask my bf to help!) but it looks stunning when closed!

The shape of the bra is phenomenal for such a new DD+ brand – I have never seen a new full-bust brand making such rounded yet naturally curving bra cups so I am truly astonished. The shape of the bra reminds me a bit of the SM shape by Ewa Michalak but not as much in-your-face and forward-projecting. Even with the extravagant strappy styling this bra is a great everyday option as the shape of it is natural and the cup design so simple it goes really well even under a thinner jersey material.

Fit: I went for the 32G with the bra as Bluebella did not offer any 30 bands and the cups stop at UK G-cup – I am glad I didn’t have the option to choose otherwise though! This size is absolutely perfect on me and I wouldn’t change it even if I had the choice. The thing is, my underbust measurement has recently ballooned closer to 32 (probably due to both BodyPump and some pizza-loving, hehe) and the Asteria bra band only stretches up to 32″ or so. So I would advice to size up with the band if you are between sizes! The cups seem to run a full cup size big, so I would suggest going a cup size down with them. This is great news to any GG-ladies out there!

The cups are very well constructed and quite deep and narrow for a British brand design. I would say they are actually a perfect fit for me! The wires encase my breast tissue fully without being too high, wide or rigid, meaning the bra stays comfy throughout the day. The centre gore tacks me well and comes just high enough to keep my boobs from falling out of the bra but also low enough to go well under most of my shirts and dresses.The straps are half-adjustable but I haven’t really even done any adjusting on them as they were the perfect length for me straight outta box.

Comfort: Ever since I got the bra set (which is not that long ago) I have been wearing this set A LOT. It is very comfortable and stays that way for so many hours, I don’t even want to take it off when I get home. It makes me feel both physically and mentally amazing! The materials are high-quality and the straps stay up really well due to the hook-closure design on the back. My only real gripe with the bra is that the cups are a bit high on the sides which makes the edge near my armpit chafe against my skin a tiny bit when lying on my side (you should never sleep in your bras anyway but I took a nap the other day in this bra – oopsie!). However, in regular use (ie standing up) the bra does not irritate my skin at all.

I got the Asteria bottoms in size 12 and it was definitely the right choice for me. If you consult the size chart, you will probably get the bottoms size right as it pointed me at the right direction. My hip measurement is 40″ and the size 12 is meant for 39″ hips – even stretching it with an inch the bottoms fit me well and I love how they compliment the set with the strappy side design. The rise is also a good one for me – it’s a bit higher than eg with Cleo which is ideal in my opinion.

If you would like to get to know MORE yourself, please check out Bluebella’s online store for that. The shipping options at Bluebella are extremely cheap – only £3,95 to US and free if you spend over £30 – so I would definitely take the plunge and order something to try out! I am quite sure you won’t be disappointed 😉 The size range is 32-38 DD-G and the panties come in UK sizes 8-16.

Full-Bust Pinup Fashion Haul

I love fashion. Sometimes, as you may have heard me say it, fashion does not love me. I am in a constant struggle to find clothes that actually fit me. And I am not talking about t-shirts and jeans. You know, I am not a t-shirt and jeans kinda girl! Even if there are a few brands out there that make full-bust appropriate fashion, I have to say not many of them explore some more structured styles as they are a bit trickier to make. Don’t get me wrong – I love simple stretchy dresses as well since they are great for days when you just want to be comfy, but I do like to wear some pretty extravagant tailored pieces as well.

Along the way I have tried many clothing styles – I was one of those weird kids who wanted to be all at once and I do have quite a few style regrets as well. I mean, who thought it was a great idea to put on a tiny doll hat on your head? Apparently, I did. Even though I did have some phases of ridiculous clothing choices, I became infatuated with vintage styling years and years ago. I think I was probably 14 when I told my mom I wanted to look like Dita Von Teese and I still remember what she replied: “Darling, it’s only a crap loads of slap and hair dye.” Which is kind of true, I guess (hehe).

I finally became dedicated to the pinup / vintage style about a year ago – actually when I first started my Instagram (which is btw a great source for some awesome pinup inspiration)! I started to order more clothes online where I could actually see the measurements in a size chart to determine if something would even remotely fit me. Rule of thumb is that if the size chart says 34″ in the bust section, then it most likely will not fit (hehe)! A girl can dream though… However, I have stumbled across some brands that cater for fuller busts as well, so here’s a little clothing haul for you gals that struggle to find nice fitted clothes for you boobies!

Pinup Girl Clothing: Bella Donna Dress in Italian Landscape (+ Forever 21 cardigan + Face Stockholm glasses + Sophisticated Lady hair flowers)

To warn you right off the bat, most of these dresses are Pinup Girl Clothing aka PUG. Why? Because their sizing just usually works for me and I don’t have to worry if I can zip these dresses past my boobs. The first dress I ordered from PUG was their Evelyn (which I could perhaps review later?) and then came the long-sleeved Heidi. However, it’s been a while since I got them so I wanted to introduce you to my latest purchases.

I decided to buy the Bella Donna dress (now sold-out in this print) in Medium with some gift money I had and as it was in the PUG final sale section, I knew I had to get it for my upcoming bday in November. The dress finally came, about a month before my big party and to my shock horror, it was too small. I was devastated and had a horrible tantrum over it as I had checked the measurements before clicking the dress into my cart. After I had tried it on, I knew I had to measure it to make sure – and surprisingly enough, the dress DID come up too small for the size chart. It measured about 13″ flat at the waist, meaning it was probably sized like a normal PUG Small. Well, I ain’t Small in their size chart, so no wonder it didn’t fit.

However, when you engage in the pinup community, you usually learn all sorts of tips and tricks, so I had heard that some of the PUG dresses could be ironed through and stretched, so the fabric would stretch to meet the size chart measurements. I did this to my Bella Donna and after that it fitted VERY SNUGLY but fitted anyway, so I could finally zip it up (and I also went on a more healty diet but didn’t lose an inch lol). The boob department is boned with this particular dress and it’s great for girls who are a bit more well-endowed. I am a 30H so quite busty and it fits me but does quad-boob a bit, so not the most modest of dresses on me at least. However, I can wear it with no bra on which is great and liberating!

What I really like about this dress is that its straps are fully-adjustable so you can make it fit your body a bit better than most dresses with regular spaghetti straps. I have loosened them up a bit as I am long-torsoed and this dress is made for short-torsoed girls especially. I find that the waistline of the dress still comes up a bit high for me, but I am not super fussy about it as I think it looks great anyway!

Pinup Girl Clothing: Jenny Dress in White Harlequin Print (+H&M cardigan + home-made swan brooch +  a vintage scarf)

The Jenny dress is the original version of the PUG Bella Donna and it features a lower waist line, thinner straps and a more simplistic styling without the ruffles. It comes in so many prints and colours and is regarded as the basic pinup girl wardrobe staple every PUG lover should own. I got this dress as a birthday present from my boyfriend and even though he cringed a bit at the print first, he did love it when he saw it on me.

The Jenny dress also features the same boning as the Bella Donna and thus I can easily wear it without a bra. This dress was advertised to me as specifically bust-friendly but with this print, I have to disagree. I mean, if you would be like, say 30FF, I would be quite fine but 30H is another thing. Also, the size Medium is very small with this style as well – so I would advise to size up with Jenny’s if you are not interested to iron and stretch them! Mine measured again 13-13,5″ at the waist, laid flat, so I had to stretch it a bit to match my 28″ waist. Not horribly inconvenient but a bit of a hassle anyway. As I live in Finland, exchanges are not really possible for me so I need to make everything work as they are. (I have to say though that my Evelyn and Heidi fit more true-to-size and no need to stretch them at all!)

Pinup Girl Clothing: Jenny Dress in Orange Border Print (+ Bolero Beachwear bolero + Sophisticated Lady hair flowers)

I know it’s a bit boring to review two of the same dresses in the same post but let me tell you, there is a difference between two of these! I got this Orange Border Jenny from Retro Glam (a Canadian pinup retailer) at the Black Friday sale and even though it did add up a bit with the taxes and custom fees, I am super glad I got this dress as I have been drooling over it for months.

The Orange Border Jenny was almost as tight as the Harlequin one so I did stretch it a bit but not as much as the Harlequin. The waist zipped up even before stretching but I did some work on the torso to make it more comfortable and now it fits really well! The bust department of this particular Jenny is much better though than with the Harlequin one, as it seems a lot higher and thus can contain a lot more boob. I am not sure why this is, but no clothing brand is completely consistent with their sizing. I also like the orange belt that came with the dress as it makes the ensemble a bit more unique than most other Jenny dresses.

Lady Vintage London: Swing Dress in Red Lips Print (+ Poinsettia hair flowers from Sophisticated Lady)

I had been wanting to order from Lady V London for a while and when about two months back they had one of my favourite prints (this gorgeous Red Lips one!) on sale + free shipping, I could not resist the temptation. Usually Lady V dresses are around £45-55 which is not a very high price, but as I need to pay for international shipping and the Euro/Pound conversion rate is crap at the moment, it really adds up and I didn’t want to pay that much for a dress I did not know would even fit me. When the price of the dress went as low £19 I was ready to take the plunge and ordered this beautiful dress in their swing style.

What I was really afraid of, was the sizing of the dress. I had heard Lady V dresses were quite bust-friendly, but when their size chart stated that UK size 10 had bust room for 34″ boobies, I almost lost my hope. However, I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best as I did not want my waist to be swimming in the dress – and it worked! This dress is amazing for my boobs – my only gripe with the fit is that the waist line is a bit too high for my body/taste but then again, I am a long-torsoed gal. The material is lovely stretch cotton and the zipper is good quality, meaning no broken zippers for trying to yank the the zipper past my boobs. If I would have to say one bad thing about the quality of this dress, it would be that unfortunately the colours run a bit in the wash and you might end up having red-ish spots on your dress unless you wash it with a colour catcher.

This would be my autumn/winter haul and I will get back to any new bust-friendly dresses as I get to buy some more! Which one of these was your personal favourite? Let me know in the comments below! Lots of kisses and happy holidays to everyone! xx

Getting to Know Signature by After Eden – Review of “Sophia” and “Grace” in 32F

A couple of weeks back I wrote about the new After Eden sister-label which is created for fuller busted and also fuller figured girls. As I mentioned in my latest post about the brand, even though the range is targeted for girls with bigger band sizes as well, the brand does make their bands in 32 and even 30 in some styles. When the head of marketing for Signature and After Eden, Paul, contacted me and asked if I would like to try some of their lingerie, I jumped at the chance even though I knew I wouldn’t be in their size range exactly.

When the beautiful “Sophia” and “Grace” sets arrived at my door, I was so exacted I ripped the packaging open and was faced with two gorgeous bras accompanied with both briefs and thongs for both of them. I instantly tried on the bras with both fear and excitement – would they fit even though being a couple of cup sizes too small to begin with? I had indeed heard that Signature would run big so I was hopeful. Unfortunately, the bras came about two cup sizes too small for me, so I would have needed a 32G with them. Then something struck me – I had just bravangelized one very sweet and gorgeous young girl who would be perfect for both the brand and the size. Let me introduce to you: Miss E and Signature!

When it comes to Miss E’s regular bra size, she is usually something in the 30FF-G bra range and wears a 30G in Parfait “Charlotte”, for example. She is a very sporty young girl so she’s quite fit and small around her underbust area, meaning 30″ band is the best option for her in most bras. As Signature bras start usually at 32 (excluding their continuity style Anna which starts from 30) I was a bit hesitant if the bras would come up too big for her small frame, but luckily they fitted quite nicely. The Signature 32 bands seem to be quite snug, especially with the black flock print “Sophia” (49,99€), as it can be converted into a strapless. This particular bra also features some silicone strips going around the band, to keep the bra up when worn strapless.

The gorgeous snake-print “Grace” (44,99€) was a bit on the looser side compared to Sophia, so Miss E is wearing the bra in the second tightest set of hooks and eyes. Speaking of hooks and eyes, there is four sets of them on each bra which is absolutely amazing! The bands are pretty wide and thus supportive and they feature three hooks and eyes in each row. The metal parts of the Signature sets are done in such a beautiful way – they are gold in colour and look very expensive and luxurious taking into consideration how affordable these sets actually are.

The cup sizing is pretty similar to any other mainstream brands, if not a tiny bit more generous than eg with Freya or Curvy Kate. Signature uses EU-sizing as they are a Dutch brand, meaning the UK size 32F translates into 70G in their own size chart. As we know Miss E’s regular size is 30FF-G, the 32F is a sister size to 30FF, making me think these the cups are a bit bigger than a 30FF would normally be. This is great for E, as she is between FF and G in the first place.

As I tried these bras on myself, I noticed the cups are especially closed at top with Sophia – this happens quite often with strapless bras but it’s also a brand spesific thing; for example, Freya is great for full-on-bottom boobs, Cleo is great for full-on-top breasts. I would say E’s breasts are pretty full allover, meaning the fit of Signature is quite good for her (actually, most bras fit well with evenly-full breasts). There is no bulging or gaping and both of the bras fit smoothly.

When it comes to wiring, the underwires of Signature seem to be in line with most British brands – they are rather wide but not as much as with eg. Tutti Rouge. I would compare their wires to most Curvy Kate bras – great for people who need average to slightly wider wires. The Sophia and Grace are a bit different to each other in this sense as well – the Sophia is a bit wider when it comes to wires and also has a bit more widely-placed straps. E mentioned the straps right away went she put on the bra – they were chafing her armpits a bit. However, the bra is great for its strapless feature and is something that will probably be a good choice under a spagetti strap top which is something E wears from time to time. The straps are fully-adjustable with both bras which is always an asset for taller or more petite girls.

The centre gores are a bit wider as well with Signature, so if you are close-set, you might want to consider this. E seems to be pretty average-set with her breasts so there seems to be no issue with the gores and they are tacking her sternum pretty well. The Grace bra is a bit lower with its gore area and seems to be sporting a nice practical plunge balconette shape that is great for everyday, especially combined to the smooth t-shirt finish.

The materials and styling used with the Sophia and Grace sets feels and looks absolutely luxurious. The Grace set is finished with beautiful stretch lace that makes the panties so much more comfortable to wear – both the thong and the shorts leave a seamless finish and match the bra nicely. The bottoms are a bit higher than what E is used to but she seems pretty happy with them anyway – the rise is actually quite flattering and is something most women would find comfortable.

The Sophia is made of quite thick power mesh sorts of material which is adorned with a velvet-y like flock print. The basic black looks so amazing with the print and contrasting textures and is suitable under most clothing as the print is not too prominent, unless you are wearing something super thin.

All in all, we are both very impressed with Signature and I can safely say that it is a good option for young girls out there who are looking for their first full-bust bras. Signature is sold on their own website but unfortunately, they only ship to Netherlands at the moment. However, if you live somewhere else and want to give this brand a try, do let the brand know about it! I am sure they would be eager to hear enthusiasm from their international fans and let you know about any retailers near you 😉

Moda Exhibition – Preview of the AW14 Eveden collections

Hi dear readers! Today I continue previewing the lovely new AW14 collection and next up is the Eveden brands; Freya, Fantasie, Fauve and Elomi. I will be focusing more on the first three since I’m not plus size and have no idea how to review that kind of bras, from a construction point of view. But, I will have a treat for you Elomi-fans in the end of the post since I saw this beeeeautiful bra that I wanna show y’all. 

Freya 

I have always been most fond of Freya when it comes to Eveden brands; it’s their most youthful line with bright colours and quirky prints which makes it a great option for 20-something girls like me. The past couple of seasons however I have not seen that many deligthful designs from them which is why I was super-eager to see if they’d come up with something fun for the AW14 collection – and I was not disappointed. Decos had become even more lovely in their animal prints and bright jewel tones and neon colours had reached the Freya collection as so many others seen at Moda.

The Freya’s best seller Deco range had gained a few more members and renewed some of its old styles into new colourways. What especially caught my eye this season were the amazing Deco Charm in the new Fuchsia shade and also the more everyday look of Deco Spotlight, which I adored for its beautiful lilac shade. I also love how Deco has finally been turned into a animal print version which is a nice welcome to full-bust world. This pattern was also seen in a other collections but maybe in a more evening-wear way. The leopard-print Deco brings a nice sassy addition to one’s everyday look which is what I really like about it.

What really struck me about the Deco range this time was the fact that there was something for everyone; I could easily see me, my mom and my sister wearing certain pieces which is awesome regarding the popularity of the range amongst women of all ages, tastes and styles. Deco is truly an every-occasion style which can camouflage both into everyday and evening-look. In one sentence; all of my friends who I’ve introduced Deco to, have loved it to death.

With their other new styles I really felt like Freya got back to pleasing the young eye; it has all the neon brights and fun prints we are used to seeing from it. I find myself already leaning towards the more adult-appropriate lingerie but to see such nice colourways made me truly happy for those Freya girls who have been waiting for them the past couple of season. I would also say the designs were very girly; something I would have loved to wear as a busty teenager a few years ago.

What really caught my eye from the whole Freya lingerie collection was the new Pansy longline with adorable little violets on it! I would die to get my hands on that bra and am absolutely gutted I still have to wait until autumn to get my mittens on it. However, this design is exactly what my lingerie wardrobe craves – something fun yet quite sexy and feminine. I think the print is gorgeous and trendy and it’s definitely my favourite Freya design of all times (yes, even better than the Arabella!).

Freya Swimwear 

Oh hell yes! With their swimwear collection Freya hit the jackpot since it brings the funky 60’s and 70’s trends to swimwear world as well. I have seen dresses on high street with these kind of prints which is why I loved how Freya had made the perfect pair of bikinis to wear under those retro pieces I have been lusting for. Also the colours were amazing – I love a good portion of red and the shade was so appropriate for summer, a very bright hue with a dash of orange in it. So me!

Fantasie and Fauve are both brands I admire from a far partly because of their more grown-up styling and partly because of their also more grown-up price range. I love Fauve’s Bronte for its luxurious design but must say that I had terrible comfort issues with it according to my excema and bony ribcage. Otherwise my boobs got pretty well on with the fit but that’s about all I can say about Fauve. Lovely designs, just not for me.

Grown-up doesn’t have to mean boring though and I loved some of the styles Fantasie and Fauve presented for next season. I was especially thrilled with the unusual colour combinations and the amazing water colour prints that I saw. These brands are probably not something my super-traditional mom would wear but great for someone in her 30’s – the collections were luxurious but still quite young and fashion-forward with a feminine touch.

 

 

Last but not least Elomi which is very well known and loved in the lingerie-blogging world. I have not been following the brand too keenly because I don’t fit into their size range but this beauty above just stunned me with its sexiness. I love how Elomi had several options for different tastes; something for the wild and something for the sultry. I think this brand just upped their ante and with this design it hit the jackpot and probably will be a popular choice among their target market. I could easily see a couple of my dear friends lusting over this gorgeous design and the padded cups will make it even a more bet-safe hit.

Here were my Eveden favourites, now I’d like to know which ones were yours! Let me know in the comments xx