Custom-Made Lingerie by Impish Lee – A Review

Hi there folks! How are you doing? I am doing fabulous, just started my own business so been busy busy busy! I am now doing burlesque full-time, which means teaching classes and workshops, performing and producing. I am absolutely having time of my life! Still, I would like to keep the ol’ blog alive and get back to you from time to time. This time for an excellent reason!

Recently I got approached by the amazing ladies at Impish Lee, who I have written about in the past as well. Since then, the brand has grown to be quite an Instagram phenomena with its body positive imagery and a fresh take on luxury lingerie. I have been a fan since day one (thanks to my friend Jessica at Warning, Curves Ahead!) and now I got to try one their custom-made sets myself. I was so excited! *This set was sent to me as a gift by Impish Lee. All opinions are my own.*

The process of ordering from Impish Lee is a bit different, if you go for a custom-made set. When I say custom-made, I mean that the customer is able to put together a completely original look choosing all of their own materials and colours. The sizes are not custom per se, but the brand has a pretty good selection of sizes going up US J-cup. Their size calculator seems to be up to par as well, even though calculators may not work for everyone, as we well know.

Impish Lee offers ready-to-wear sets but if you have the chance to try them, I would gladly recommend trying the set customizer. Their variety of fabrics, colours and design choices is very vast and I had a ton of fun choosing my exact materials! Impish Lee offers 16 different top options and 11 bottom options, meaning there is a lot of things you can do with your design. I went with a balconette bra and high-waisted short, as it was obvious to me that a set this special was going to end up on stage – I don’t like skimpy costumes on stage so I wanted go for a more retro flirty look with the pants.

The materials range from more everyday fabrics like modal to luxurious velvets and shiny options as well. I decided to use velvet as my main fabric choice, because of the rarity of it in full-bust lingerie. I loved the rich shades of fuschia and burgundy and decided to pair them with a classic black ornament pattern. I decorated the set with a couple of cute bows and that was it!

The Pricing of the set depends on what you choose as your garments – meaning that more simple designs such as tank tops and thongs are less expensive than longline bras and underskirts or shorts. This way you can alter the price of your set and get something custom-made depending on your budget. However, custom lingerie is never cheap and nor should it be. Impish Lee produces its designs ethically in USA and it’s a woman-led business creating something very unique in a vast size range. This alone makes it worth every penny.

The Quality of the set is also very noticable – there are no loose ends or cheap materials and overall the set feels very well made. It is sturdy and offers me good support. The velvets are very plush and overall the materials feel great on my skin, even with a bad skin condition. The cups have a fairly good amount of depth to them, which is rare for an American brand. The straps get a special mention with this bra, as they have been placed quite well for a balconette bra. These don’t fall off my shoulders and still, the bra is not a full-cup but a true balconette. Other brands, listen and learn! The shape of the bra is also quite lovely, yet more on the natural side so not ultra round. This may put off some customers but I really like the shape the bra gives me.

The Sizing of the brand is a regular US sizing, meaning it’s pretty similar to EU-sizing after F-cup. As a result from the calculator, I got a 32I but resulted in ordering a 32J according to my ususal size. This is a rough equivalent to a size UK 32GG. I was right with my choice and am happy with the size! The pants go by US sizing as well, so keep that in mind if you are more familiar with EU or UK sizing. For example a US 8 is a UK 12.

My overall experience with the brand as people and as lingerie-makers has been extremely positive. They were darling even with all my hassles with the Finnish customs office (which is a absolute dumpster btw) and have been very helpful along with the process of making my own set. I cannot recommend this company enough! I know I blog extremely rarely these days, but when I do, I like to promote brands that actually earn it. This was definitely one of them!

What do you think of my colour and material choices? What would you choose for your very own custom set? Let me know in the comments!

 

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!

 

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!

Moda Lingerie Preview: Best of Lepel, Charnos & Lepel London

Hiya everyone! My trip to Paris is drawing close and I would still like to preview a few collections before we move on to AW17. Today I am bringing you some of my favourites from Lepel, which is an all time favourite for small- and full-busted gals on a student budget.

LEPEL

Soooo, I’m trying this pic collage thing out, don’t judge me! I just thought it may be a more compact way of showing my favourites. If you want to see the designs in more detail, I think you just need to click on the individual pic on the collage.

This year’s Lepel core collection wasn’t one of their biggest, but they revamped a couple of their basic styles with new colour combinations and introduced two new styles, Poppy (obviously the one with the Poppy print) and Maisy (the lacy one with a raspberry tone). Interestingly, the Poppy looks very similar to something we already know – the Tutti Rouge first edition Betty, which was exactly in the same print as this one, with a slightly different colour scheme. I am not saying this is a copy, but I do think this is not a very original design from Lepel, which is a bit disappointing. However, I do like the print still and it will be a nice option for young gals on a budget who want to have the same look as with the TR Betty, but can’t find it in the Poppy print anymore.

The Maisy on the other hand is a rather beautiful little number and reminds me a lot of the Charnos collection. The Lepel team told us that the collections are and will be more linked to each other from now on and this is clearly visible when looking at the whole collection range.

The styles that got revised yet again were the Lilly (in the sparrow print) and Fiore, which have been winners in the market for a long time. I am pretty excited for the Fiore bodysuit myself and will be happy to tell you that it will go up to G-cup! All of the styles pictured above will be available in a size range of 30-38 B-G, with some of them including A-cups in band sizes 32-36. I think this is pretty impressive for a such an affordable brand and do keep in mind that their cups run a bit on the larger side usually! The Lepel team is continuing their trend of two-toned Fiore, which I love, and I am excited to see what they have come up for autumn – teal and purple, perhaps?

LEPEL SWIM

“Sailor” and Aloha, sizes 30-38 B-G

“Flower Power” bikini and swimsuit, “Tropics” swimsuit and bikini & “Deckchair” bikini

When Lepel core collection seems to shrink a bit year by year, Lepel Swim is alive, growing and well. They must be doing something right as their swimwear collection is and has always been one of the biggest and the prettiest I have seen on the market during the past four years! There is something for almost every taste – pretty florals, sporty mesh and net materials, stripy pinup styles.

My personal favourites from the collection were the stripy Sailor (which comes in a swimsuit, moulded triagle bikini going up to G-cup and a regular wired balconette bikini) and the rather classic yet a bit exotic Tropics, which is the black style with colourful tropical flowers on it. The best part of Lepel Swim collection is that it too is very size-inclusive and offers multiple bikini top and bottom options within one style. As you can see, the Tropics comes in a padded bikini and a swimsuit, both going up to G-cup.

Regarding sizes, the Lepel Swim collection has been generous towards us full-busted gals – most of their styles come in UK cup sizes and up to G-cup, with the exception of three styles going up to H-cup this time! This is fantastic news and a good start for the brand to start adding more sizes to their collection. H-cups will be available eg in the Flower Power print seen above and made in a non-padded halter-style wired bikini top.

LEPEL LONDON

“Charlie” black bodysuit and wired bra set; “Bea” triangle bra set; “Sophia” bodysuits in blue, red and ivory; “Caitlyn” triangle bra set; “Tamara” in Ivory

Lepel London was such a tease, as always, as they only carry cup sizes with some of their styles and when the products are cup-sized, they only go up to UK D- or F-cup. Every season I wait for a size expansion and it never really comes! Maybe this time? If it happens, I will be the first to report you!

The one style that I still love is the Tamara, which goes up to F-cup but this season, the clear winner of the show was the Charlie, pictured at the very top. This combo of a bodysuit and bra set (only going up to D-cup though…) is absolutely breath-taking and I love the corset lacing detail at the back. It’s such a beautiful shape so I hope you small-busted girls will snatch it up and I can live vigorously through you…

The bodysuits in general are aesthetically the strength of the Lepel London collection as they look pretty luxe but are still quite affordable. The one weakness this collection may have is the size range though – and I am not even talking about cup sizes. Most of Lepel London pieces are made in UK sizes 6-14 which is US 2-10, and in my opinion, they are ruling out many plus size customers with this decision. I would increase the sizing up to 18, which is only two sizes bigger, and I think it would still make a huge difference.

CHARNOS

Bailey Bridal set (32-38 B-G); Sienna in Ivory/Gold (30-38 B-J); Suzette in Rose (30-38 B-J),Olivia in Black (30-38 B-E); Violet in Ivory (32-40 C-J)

Nothing super new on the Charnos front; the Charnos collection seems to be mainly about recolouring their old favourites such as Rosy, Violet and Suzette and the colour scheme stays rather muted and light. The Violet is once again one of my favourites, as it is the perfect everyday bra for girls who need G+ sizes and bigger bands. I also really like the new bridal set as it seems like a more rounded option than Charnos’ previous strapless styles. The one stand-out selling point of this range is the size range – there is only two styles that don’t go up to J-cup, which is phenomenal taking into consideration that Charnos started with only a couple of G+ styles a few seasons ago.

All in all, I really like the SS17 Lepel collection family, though I wish they would concentrate more on unifying the size ranges across all of their collections. The bodysuits seem to be on trend now so I am really looking forward to seeing their new collections and whether there will be more in bigger cup sizes available in the future.

Hope you enjoyed this preview and are excited see what’s up with the Paris show in just two weeks! I will try to post stuff straight from the show so do follow me on Facebook and Instagram at @2cakesonaplate to see the gems of the show!

Introducing the New Ewa Michalak SF Semi-Soft Cut

Happy new year 2017! A year of better bra blogging for me, I hope. Every now and then full-bust brands claim to have come up with “a new revolutionary” shape or a cut, that they are trying to sell as a cure for every bra problem in the world. This is not one of those times, as Ewa Michalak comes up with a new shape every now and then in all quietness. They make no fuzz about it, yet many gals wearing a D+ cup size swear by her bras. I can see why – EM bras are known by their incredible shape and narrow wires that are not rivaled by many. Today I would like to tell you about the new SF shape they came out with just recently.

I received two styles called SF Trapez and SF Czerwona Pantera, the latter hasn’t been released yet though, but I thought you would like to get a complete idea of the new style. When you think of a semi-soft cut, made popular by Polish bra brands, you automatically think of a style with padding at the bottom and a sheer or a lacy top that accommodates your upper breast tissue. However, the Ewa Michalak semi-soft, shortened to SF, is a style which is actually not padded AT ALL, just reinforced at the bottom to gain a sturdier feel to the bra.

I was a bit worried when I thought that I was going to get yet another bra with padding, but I actually think this is a brilliant way of making sturdier bras without adding bulk. The bottom part of the cups is double-lined with strong poly-blend material which is rather stiff and thus holds its form better than some flimsier materials. The cut is rather similar to the soft full-bust style BM, but offers just a tiny bit more support in my opinion. The shape is very rounded and uplifted, which is something I always enjoy about Ewa Michalak bras.

As the SF style is pretty much based on the BM, the sizing works similarly with it as well. I received both of the styles, SF Trapez and SF Czerwona Pantera in 70G, which seems to be a pretty good size for me with both of them. I would say though that even them both being a same cut, they are not exactly the same when it comes to fit. I prefer the red and black SF Czerwona Pantera as it feels a tiny bit larger in the cup and band than the Trapez. As you may notice in the pics above, the Pantera (which is how I will refer to the black and red bra from now on) covers my tissue a bit more from the sides and thus contains my boobs better.

As said, the band of the Pantera is also a bit stretchier so I like it better than the Trapez one. However, the Trapez isn’t bad at all, just needs a longer breaking-in period. Both of the bras feature a stretch lace on the top panel of the bra, which is great for a variety of breast shapes. The depth aspect of the bras is just about right to me and thus you cannot see any dents at the bottom of the cup, nor gaping at the top. As the Pantera covers my armpit area better than Trapez, I would go as far as saying it has become one of my top three bras of the year!

The materials of both of the sets are a bit more “basic” than my other EM bras – instead of luxurious embroideries and sheer mesh, these bras are made of something stronger and everyday-appropriate. They are pretty and even sexy, but there’s no extra hassle to make them feel too precious and delicate to wear under your everyday wardrobe. The straps are fully-adjustable which contributes to the practicality aspect of these bras. The bands have three hooks and eyes, and four rows of them, which is great in regards of durability.

The panties that come with these bras are as uncomplicated and sweet as the bras. Both of the styles feature the same stretch lace that is featured on the top panel of the bras, and the materials are nice and light-weight as they should be with comfy panties. These were both a size UK 12/ Polish 38 and they fit my 40″ bum very well. Even the thong is super comfy, as the rise hits me at the perfect spot and the materials are stretchy enough to hug my curves. I also really like how wide the thong is at the hips, it is such a flattering cut.

Out of all the EM styles, I would say the SF is my new favourite. I love wearing it regularly and it is one of their styles which does not try to stab me in the breast tissue. If you would like to try the SF, you can find eg the SF Trapez here at the EM online store. The Trapez is almost sold-out at the moment, but I would suggest taking a look at their new SF Roma (189 zl) which is a beautiful colourful style with a full size range of 30-44 E-JJ.

Lingerie Review: Ewa Michalak “BM Bordeaux” in 70G + A SALE!!!

Ewa Michalak has been one of my favourite full-bust lingerie brands and continues to be so – it is just a bit of gamble whether their wires are too narrow for me at times. This depends on greatly the particular EM bra and style of the bra which is why I was happy to receive some of the newest Ewa Michalak styles a few months ago. I had the privilege to try multiple styles at once and I am grateful for it, as I found true gems. Today I will the reviewing the BM Bordeaux, which is a brand new style at Ewa Michalak in a full-bust appropriate shape “BM”. *This set was kindly sent to me by the Ewa Michalak team. All opinions are my own!*

The Design: The BM Bordeaux is a non-padded balconette shape and similar to the older SM shape that also includes smaller cup sizes. If I know correctly, the BM is a bit deeper in the cup to accommodate a fuller bust, and thus many can buy a cup size smaller with it. The style is very similar in looks compared to SM but seems to have a bit more support on the sides to bring the fuller breast tissue up and front. Ewa bras are very well-known for their exquisite uplift and forward-projection, and the BM Bordeaux does not fail us either – the shape is very round yet not unnaturally so and the profile is great under any shirts and dresses.

The style of the Bordeaux range is very sexy as the bra’s upper panel is quite sheer and the whole bra is covered in beautiful black/burgundy lace. The glimpses of burgundy are not easily shown on camera, so trust me that they are more visible in flesh! I like the colour combination and the classic look of the bra and I think it’s great for someone who wants something traditionally feminine yet a bit daring.

The Fit: As I mentioned above, the BM style runs a bit deeper in the cup which usually results some people to buying a smaller cup size than usual. My most common size with EM is 70GG at the moment, but I do think the 70G is just enough for me in the BM. The upper panel of the bra is stretch lace, which is great for me personally because of my upper fullness, and thus the bra conforms beautifully to both of my boobs, even though they are not exactly the same size. As you can see, there is no bulging on my bigger side either (the one facing camera in the pic above)!

The band of the BM Bordeaux is on the tighter side of 70, but I can still close it and it has stretched over the many times I’ve worn it already. However, I have tried a couple of BM bras in my bra blogging career, and both of them have been tighter in the band than my SM and the new SF styles. This is something you need to consider if you are between sizes! The width of the BM wires seems to be better for me though, so I would say they are maybe a smidge wider than with the SM bras. This is perfect for me, as the SM bras I’ve tried have stabbed me in my breast tissue after a few hours of wear – not something anyone enjoys!

Comfort: As I was sent four different sets in total – with one BM bra, two SF’s and one PL – it is easy to compare each one when it comes to comfort. There was one set that I would set apart particularly but it has not been released yet so this is why I can’t tell you yet which one it is! The Bordeaux however is not a bad one either – my only gripe with it is really is that the band is a bit a rigid at first and needs a bit of breaking in. But I do like it, and have worn it on an everyday basis, so there is really nothing else I can say about this bra. It’s not the most heavenly on your body but not the worst either! Besides, I would say this is something many women would reserve for boudoir use only.

The panties are very comfortable for me in UK size 10 and I am glad I got to try them this time, as the last time EM sent me samples, they did not include panties at all. However, I have always been a big fan of both of their briefs and EVEN… dun, dun, duuuun! THONGS. I know, who am I even? But yes, even their thongs get an A+ from me. These regular Bordeaux briefs were not any different; they are cute, sexy and yet so very comfortable I can wear them even though they are not high-waisted. The lace on the back is quite stretchy, they are a flattering rise and have a super cute key-hole detail on the back. If you get the bra, please invest in the panties as well – they are absolutely amazing!

For your luck, Ewa Michalak is running a sale TODAY. You heard it, today only! There are plenty of stuff even 50% off, so go and grab some goodies while you can. The Bordeaux is one sale as well, so I would heavily suggest to snatch it up – and maybe something else as well? My other golden tip is to get your hands on their new SF bras, they are pure gold. The Bordeaux bra (132 zl) comes in EM sizes (a bit different than most full-bust brands, so check the size chart!) 30-38 E-JJ and the panties (55 zl) in UK 8-16. The prices are now down but the EM products are always great quality even for the full price and I cannot recommend them more for girls who need deep cups and narrow wires, and still want to look cute in their lingerie.

Lingerie Review: Parfait “Darlene” in 32G

Even though Parfait by Affinitas collection is not the biggest on the full bust market, Parfait has nonetheless acquired a steady staple status as being the most promising American full-bust brand, going up to K-cup with their cult favourite bra Charlotte. I have been lucky enough to have met with the brand’s reps several times during these years of lingerie blogging and they have always been super supportive of my blog. This winter, even during my non-inspired phase and not-that-frequent blogging, Parfait has still wanted to keep me in the loop with their new styles. Today I am bringing you some more snow-queen-off-duty realness (which seems to be this winter’s theme here over at 2COP!) and introduce you to the new beautiful Parfait set, called Darlene. *Diclosure: This set was kindly sent to me by Parfait. All opinions are my own.*

The Design: Darlene is a rather unique sort of bra to me personally as its shape is something between a full-cup and a balconette, but it is also nor seamed nor moulded but something in between – does anyone actually have a name for such a cut?! There is one seam going across the bottom half of the cups but it only reaches the apex of the cups giving the otherwise moulded fabric a bit more uplift. Completely moulded non-padded bras have a reputation of not being very uplifting and thus attractive shape-wise (at least I like my boobs lifted, huh?).

The shape of the Darlene is still rather subdued so it’s not “up your chin” type of boobs, but a more natural look, almost a bit minimized if you ask me. The one thing that I would change about the bra is that the cups don’t necessarily bring my boobs closer together, which is something I would prefer. However, the balconette neckline is quite nice under wide necklines such as my Pinup Couture peasant tops. The bra is very appropriate for work as it does not offer much cleavage, which suits me well as I work with kids and need to look “appropriate”.

The look of the bra is quite subtle and elegant, and I like that is not your average t-shirt bra even though it works pretty well for that purpose. The lace lies flat under most tops and there are no extra ruffles to show through – yet the ensemble is still pretty and not too boring.

The Fit: I have a pretty “wild” history with the Parfait sizing – starting from 30G a couple of years back, trying 30HH at some point and now settling into 32G/GG. My Darlene is a 32G as most Parfait bras are not made in 32GG which would probably be my best size with them. The Parfait bands are said to be on the snugger side and this holds true with most of their styles – however, Darlene seems to run rather more true-to-size as opposed to eg Elissa which was the latest Parfait I tried last spring. I enjoy the Darlene’s band quite a bit – it is supportive with three hooks and eyes yet it is still rather comfy.

The cups are true-to-size as well – which unfortunately mean that they are just a tiny bit too small for me, mainly on my bigger boob. You can see the edge of the cup cutting into my full upper breast tissue, but I have forgiven the bra for this as it is a great shape under certain tops I already mentioned above. The cups are actually otherwise very flexible and thus if you are more full-on-bottom, you might enjoy this bra even in a smaller cup size.

Comfort: Even the look of the bra oozes: “I’m so comfortable! Wear me to everywhere!” The materials of Darlene are lightweight which is always a plus for me – I don’t need any more bulk to my bust and the Darlene works perfectly when I need a bit of minimizing to my bust line. As said, the bra cups are quite stretchy which will be a good thing for ladies who fluctuate in breast size during their cycle or have a bit of asymmetry.

The cups of the bra are a bit too shallow and wide for me, but the too-wide underwires are not a problem per se. I take more issue with the strap placement, which is sadly a bit too wide for me and leads up to some minor chafing in the armpit. If you are more broad-shouldered and wide overall, this may not be an issue for you. I wish Parfait would take into consideration the strap placement when going back to their designing table, as otherwise, this bra is very comfortable indeed!

The bottoms are a bit of a pass to me, as they are not exactly my taste to begin with. I always give a low-cut brief a chance – after all, I do have some really nice low-cut panties as well – but this time the sizing was a bit off for me and the Small felt just a bit too snug. I would say the Darlene panties feel a bit smaller than eg the “Charlotte” briefs. They are cute everyday knickers for someone who likes a super basic low-cut brief, but I prefer my panties a bit higher to feel comfortable and covered.

If you would fancy to treat yourself a bit for Xmas, you can find the Darlene set at Bare Necessities for 33,70 € for the bra (sizes 30-40 D-G) and briefs for 14,29 € (sizes S-XXL).