Lingerie Review: Parfait “Elissa” Longline in 32G

Spring and summer are time for romance and weddings – shoutout to a fellow lingerie blogger Becky who married her boo a couple of weeks back! As I have probably never worn white lingerie since primary school and never really introduced you to bridal options in DD+ here on 2COP, maybe it was time I reviewed something plain white for your curvy bride-to-bes. When Parfait asked if I wanted to try something from their SS16 collection, I decided to give their Elissa range a try. Here’s how I liked the set…

The Design: On the Parfait website the Elissa longline is named as an unlined wired bralette; to me, bralette indicates a wireless bra which is why I’d rather call the piece a longline bra. This particular longline features six rows of hooks and eyes and four bones on the band; two at the front and two on the sides. This keeps the longline from flipping up and moving around and also gives the piece a bit of structure. The cups are constructed of three parts, one vertical and one horizontal seam. The shape of the bra is quite natural, so a bit pointy and goes very well under my vintage dresses.

The style of the bra is very pretty even though I am not a big fan of white lingerie. I chose this set so I could break my own boundaries and I do actually like it a lot – there is nothing too juvenile or basic about this set, it is sophisticated enough for bridal wear but also smooth enough to be worn on regular everyday basis. The lace on the band and the upper part of the cups is very beautiful and a tiny bit stretchy to maintain a pretty good fit.

The Fit: As most Parfait bras only go up to G-cup, I decided to opt for size 32G with Elissa and see how it goes. Usually 32G has been a pretty good success with Parfait and I was right again – the cups are a teeny tiny bit too small as my boobies are bulging just a bit over the cup edges. However, I would say this bra suits more full-on-bottom breast anyway, so maybe we were just not meant to be. You can also see a bit of wrinkling on the bottom part of the cups which I have no clear idea of where they came from. Maybe it’s a shape incompatibility issue? If you have ideas, please let me know in the comments! If I had the chance, I would have loved to try a 32GG with this bra to see if it would solve some of the fit problems.

The longline band of this bra is quite tight for a 32. I would say it stretches up to exactly 32″ so if you measure 32″ or 33″ I would suggest sizing up to 34. I can just about do this up but not on my own so that is definitely something to consider when opting for your size! The underwires are quite wide for me so if you are more wide-rooted this may be the bridal bra for you! However, I am not too bothered by the wires as they don’t rub me or chafe my armpits at all.

Comfort: My history with longlines is not the most smooth one – the ones that have been here from the start remember that infamous Fauve “Bronte” review where I complained about the bones on the bodice that rubbed and stabbed me all over my torso and armpits. Not a pleasant experience! Since then I have been hesitant to try longlines. I needn’t have worried this time though – the Elissa is a pretty comfy little number even with the four bones on the band. Sure, it will never be a comfortable as a bra without extra wiring but the bones don’t poke me all around like with Bronte. The materials are also quite soft and the lace does not cause any itching even when being so close to bare skin on the bottom half of the band. The straps are fully-adjustable so they suit many body types with ease.

I got the bikini brief bottoms with the set in size Small and I would say Parfait really knows how to make comfy panties. These run quite true-to-size but they have some give at the back because of the stretch lace. If I could suggest something to Parfait, I would ask them to make a deep suspender belt to match this set or perhaps a high-waisted panty with garters.

All in all I think this would be a fantastic set for any full-busted bride out there, if you don’t need a strapless bra under your dress. Longlines are usually a pretty good choice under a party dress anyway, as many women like the smoothing ability they have – I am looking at you ladies who are neurotic about back fat! If you would like to get yourself an Elissa set of your own it comes in sizes 30-40 D-G and S-2XL and you can find it on Kohl’s and Classic Shapewear . The longline bra retails for $54 and the bikini briefs for $25. What kind of lingerie did you wear/ are you planning to wear on your wedding day? Let me know in the comments! xx

Lingerie Review: Gossard “Lustful” in 30DD

One of our favourites from the Gossard SS16 collection was definitely the Lustful VIP range which is a style that features a beautiful ombre-colour and unusual pairing of bright purple and subtle lilac. When Gossard asked whether Jo would be interested to try the style, we couldn’t have been more happy: it is one of the most gorgeous sets we have encountered this spring. I am personally a big fan of Gossard VIP collection anyway – their designs always manage to look very on-trend yet unique and luxurious for a pretty good price as well. Let’s see how Jo enjoyed her new set!

Design: As said, the Lustful set utilizes an ombre technique that looks absolutely stunning with this unique colour combination. I have not seen many lingerie brands doing ombre that much, not at least with their lace which makes the dip-dye effect of the bra subtle yet effective. The colours match beautifully, when on the other hand they clash just a bit with the other one being so jewel-bright and the other almost a grey-ish pastel. The style of the straps is effective with the bright purple colour yet there is no lace nor embroidery or silky textures to them, allowing them to be fully-adjustable. The back of the bra features the signature Gossard gateway bra band with only one row of hooks and eyes.

The bra is very low cut, a true demi-cup with a balconette shape and one vertical seam at the front. The Lustful bra gives a sexy “two cakes on a plate” cleavage while still remaining quite work-appropriate with its rounded yet not massively uplifted shape. The lace on the cups is very stretchy meaning it can fit a multitude of breast shapes, both FOT and FOB.

The Fit: Jo went with her usual 30DD with the Lustful bra and again, we came to the conclusion that she is currently right between 30DD and 30E with Gossard. Her left boob is trying to say “Hello!” every now and then with a minor nip slip here and there but it’s nothing to bother Jo and she is happy with the size. The style is very low cut so especially if you are more full-on-top and between sizes, you may want to size up. Otherwise the style fits Jo beautifully with just enough cup depth and wire width for her. I still own a similar style in 32G (the old Temptation set) which I still love and wear for special occasions! So I would say the Gossard half-cups suit bigger busts as well.

The band of the bra is very much true to size for Gossard, so a little on the tighter side compared to other British brands. The centre gore tacks Jo’s sternum well while still remaining comfortable; it is quite low though so if you have a lot of softer breast tissue at the front, I would suggest opting for something else.

Comfort: The materials are premium with this sets as it belongs to the VIP range: the satin that is featured both on the band and the bottoms is super soft and the stretch lace is something that is always loved by women with a-symmetrical boobs (which is around 80% of women btw). The whole ensemble is beautiful to touch and thus a great set for both everyday and boudoir wear. The fully-adjustable straps make sure that the bra fits both petite and taller ladies, which is always an upside. The only gripe with the bra is the same as with other Gossard bras that only feature one row of hooks and eyes: the band is so flimsy it tends to rolls around and move a bit, exposing the hook and eye closure to the skin and thus rubbing against it a bit, causing minor irritation. While the band itself is rather supportive even while being so narrow, the fore-mentioned problem is something that could be solved by just half-an-inch wider bra band.

The bottoms that match the bra are quite flimsy as well but very sexy with just the elastic strings at the sides. To be fair, it is not the most flattering look on everyone which is why I am not personally a fan, but Jo seems to pull it off effortlessly nonetheless (I guess it’s because of her round hips). As a set the two pieces go together really well and I can imagine most girls wearing this as something to spice up the bedroom in a less conservative (ie not black and red) way.

The Lustful collection is available now on Gossard online store – the bra retails for £39 (30-38 A-E) and the thong for £20 (XS-XL) which is quite nice for such a high-quality luxurious set. If you are not a fan of super skimpy undies, there is also a brief available to match the bra. How do you like the ombre colour on the Lustful set? Have you seen any other brands doing this kind of dye? Let me know in the comments!

Lingerie Review: Gossard “Desire” in 32G

I am a big fan of longline bras/ bustiers in theory – they are lovely to look at but in practice, they usually kill my sensitive skin and prominent rib cage. When I first saw the Gossard’s new “Desire” longline that went up to G-cup, I could not resist though! I had to get my hands on the piece right away when it released and luckily, I am in pretty friendly terms with Gossard after blogging for them for two years now. The lovely Laura from Gossard was happy to send me this new V.I.P.-range set to review, so let’s enjoy the beauty of it! *This set was sent to me free of charge by Gossard. All opinions are my own.*

Design: The Desire is a beautiful classic VIP range style with lovely eyelash lace adorning the cup and the band edge. The colour combo is very stylish and sultry – the black lace and mesh are sewn onto a blush beige/pink underlay which makes the set a perfect romantic gift to your beloved one (if romantic lingerie happens to be her thing)!

The style of the longline is a pretty traditional plunge shape with no additional push-up padding to enhance the cleavage – the shape of the cups does all the work on its own! The cups go quite high up near my shoulders compared to my other Gossard plunges which makes it a great style to combine to v-neck tops and dresses. The cups are moulded so there is no seams on sight and some great roundness to the bust line.

Fit: When it comes to moulded cups and longlines it gets a bit tricky with my breast shape. Even though I do have quite “easy” boobs (meaning most bras fit me better than most other girls in my size range) but moulded cups are still something that don’t quite like my bust – but I am pretty sure they are not a great match with anyone’s boobs unless you can get the cup depth and wire width exactly right (molded cups don’t mold into your own breast shape but try to make your boobs mold into the shape of the bra). As you can see, there is some space at the bottom of the cups which tells us that the Desire bra is just a bit too shallow for me to fit perfectly.

I chose my regular Gossard size 32G with the Desire and think the decision was quite good. However, if I could try a 30GG, I would as the band is a bit looser than with most other Gossard bras I have tried (except for Gypsy). I think this is because longlines are pretty supportive even without a super snug band though, so I am definitely not complaining. However, I can comfortably fasten the band to the tightest set of hooks, which is not the ideal situation if you want to get the most life out of your bra. Conclusion: definitely go with your regular British band size and a cup size down with this bra! The band features whopping seven hooks and eyes which is great though and adds so much support to the whole ensemble. Also, the wide back band smooths any back fat rolls you might encounter with regular bras, so I know a lot of girls will enjoy this asset 😉

Comfort: I was a bit worried about the boning aspect of the longline but I needn’t have worried! I love how the boning (there are six additional bones in the band) is flexible enough to move with my body but also sturdy enough to keep the band in place. Sometimes longlines tend  to roll at the band if not reinforced with heavy boning but I think we have a pretty happy medium here! The underwires of the bra are a bit wide and high for my taste but but not horribly so to make me not to wear it. To be honest with you folks – this bra is mostly for boudoir and special events so I don’t need it to be that most practical working horse type of bra anyway!

What I like about this bra especially are the straps this time. Gossard has moved Desire’s bra straps inwards a bit more than with most of their bras, which is a huge improvement for girls like me who sometimes experience bra straps slipping off the shoulders. The straps are also fully-adjustable which is great for both more petite and tall girls alike!

What I really loved about this set are the panties (got them in my regular Gossard size Small) – holy cow these bottoms are sexy, comfy and practical at the same time! I know they don’t look like that but they really do good a job in my wardrobe at least. As you know, I wear a lot of pinup style dresses and with them, petticoats are essential. With petticoats though comes the problem of seams itching my tummy which is why I love high-waisted knickers! These particular ones are just high enough to please me but also feel sturdy on my tummy and look sexy even when not being the skimpiest panties on earth. I also love the detachable garter straps as they seem like good quality to me – something I will love when the weather gets warmer in the spring (no stockings for me at the moment, hrrrrr!).

If you would like to give Desire a try, you can get the set on Gossard online store for £42 for the bra (available in sizes 30-38 A-G) and £34 for the deep short (sizes XS-XL). The set comes with brazilian suspender brief as well, if high-waisted knickers are not your cup of tea. 

How do you like the Desire? Have you found a full bust longline in your size that works? Let me know in the comments, I would love to know! xx

PS. If you would like to read my article about how to buy lingerie/bras for a sensitive skin, head over to The Lingerie Addict blog! Definitely a good read for someone with eczema or psoriasis.

Moda Lingerie & Show: Signature by After Eden SS15 Collection

When a new full-bust brand pops up on the market, I always get super excited – especially if the company has years of knowledge making comfy bras in core sizes. When I first saw Signature – After Eden’s sub label for fuller figures and busts – I was so excited and wanted to browse their stand at Moda thoroughly. Their stand is usually one of the nicest to visit anyway – last year it was bubbly, this year cheese which I am a great fan of (well who isn’t?). As we were having a taste of the snacks, we got to meet the brand’s head of marketing Paul, who runs the company’s marketing department from Netherlands, where After Eden was originally founded.

I thought showing you the new Signature Spring/Summer collection would be so appropriate because *drum roll* we are having some of their pieces reviewed here at 2COP soon! I am also introducing a new guest blogger of mine, miss E. But I won’t tell you any more just yet! However, let’s get into previewing the collection first!

 
From top to bottom: Sevilla, Anna & Granada

This ss16 collection is Signature’s third collection and thus, it is interesting to see how the fit of these garments actually is, as making sizes A-D is completely different from making sizes D-F. Yes, indeed, the collection only goes up to UK F-cup so far, but as we have seen with other brands such as Playful Promises, full bust sizes are extremely time consuming to create and also, a great risk for companies that are not used to making them. This is why most companies start small and then continue to expand their size range when the demand is big enough. However, this requires the products to get sold on their full price which can sometimes be really difficult in this financial situation we are in.

Oh well, let’s not talk about the grim details anymore! Where Signature still lacks in cup sizes, the bands sizes are quite generous for such a new brand. Most of their styles are intended for the fuller figure customer as well and the band sizes go up to 42-44 in even with F-cups Their classic style Anna, which comes in both padded and non-padded version, starts at 30 band which is a nice start to include smaller band sizes in the collection.

 
Top to bottom: Malaga, Barcelona & Balboa

The new summer collection consists of two colour schemes: daring pink and blue harmony – very appropriate considering those truly are the trend colours of the season in addition to bright oranges. The summer collection is a bit more girly and age appropriate compared to this autumn season but that means the collection is very approachable for girls who are perhaps plus size/ full-busted and want something pretty and comfy to wear on their everyday. I am happy that out new guest blogger is 18 yo which makes her the perfect reviewer for Signature (however, she will be wearing a 32F so not a plus size but a small band/big cup combo)!

One of my favourite sets from the collection is nothing basic or too girly though, and that is the amazing Malaga. Malaga takes on the contrasting trim trend which was mainly brought to the full bust market by Parfait. I love how the contrasting trimmings are combined to a lovely feminine lace and a delicious cotton candy shade. Also, I am big fan and collector of suspenders, even though I actually rarely wear them.

If you are interested to see the autumn collection for yourself and grab a few goodies, you can do so on the Signature website. The price range is around 40-50 € for the bras and 15-20 € for a pair of knickers so not bad at all! You can find the online store here.