Lingerie Review: Maison Lejaby “Crystal” Padded Demi-Cup Bra in 32D

As summer has arrived in pretty much anywhere else but Finland, I decided it is time to introduce the perfect lightweight summer bra to you, my dear readers – The Crystal by Maison Lejaby. Now, I must warn you this little beauty only goes up to DD which is why our lovely 2COP guest blogger Jo will be introducing it. However, I thought it would be lovely to showcase some smaller/average-bust options on the blog as well! Here are our thoughts on the Maison Lejaby Premium Collection continuity style, Crystal. *This set was sent as a gift to Jo from Maison Lejaby. This does not affect her or my opinions on the set.*

Design: Crystal comes in various shades for each season, this ss15 season being the time for a lovely coral-like pink. As Jo is a bit on the paler side when it comes to skin tone (not as white as me though), the peachy colourway works as a pretty good “nude” on her too. The only thing that takes away from the practicality of the set, is the lace that is pretty prominent under very thin top materials. However, this feature can be used as an asset too – why not pair it with something a bit see-through for a night out with the girls?

The shape of the bra is rather pointy yet not very notable under regular t-shirts, especially a bit looser ones. The top panel of the bra is made of very light stretch lace which is amazing for any breast shape – particularly full-on-top boobs. Jo is more full on bottom, but rocks this style equally well. The coverage is pretty low meaning there might be some nipple (gasp!) showing through the lace (a feature neither of us is that scared of…). The star of the show however, are the lovely Swarovski crystals at centre gore, which add a nice feminine touch to the set.

Fit: As most Maison Lejaby styles do not carry 30 backs not even talking about 28’s, we decided to ask a size 32D for Jo. What can I say, who doesn’t compromise sometimes? (I know I do -naughty me!) As we knew Maison Lejaby runs large in the cup, we decided go for the D, which is technically a cup size smaller than Jo usually wears (meaning 30E/28F). The size guess was pretty much spot on! Even though the band is definitely a rather regular 32, it does not ride up Jo’s back as her bust is not particularly heavy. She does wear the band on the tightest hook which is by no means the best solution, but as I said, the fit is still reasonably good. Also the cups fit her really well with no gaping or bulging as the stretch lace is such a forgiving choice of material.

The wiring is a lot narrower than with British brands, which makes Maison Lejaby a good choice for Jo – she is rather petite all over with her bird’s bones so too wide/high/dense wires tend to poke her in the armpits and even her ribs. With Crystal the wire width and length seem to be spot-on which makes the bra a better fit for Jo despite the loose back band.

Comfort: As I conducted with my ML “Feline” set (click the link to read the review!), Jo came to the same conclusion with Crystal – Maison Lejaby knows how to make comfy lingerie. It is no wonder though, as they have been in the industry for so many years and clearly, some serious bra-making knowledge has tagged along since the 19th century. Everything from the materials to flexible wiring has been perfected to the very last detail which makes the higher price tag of the garments absolutely worth it.

Jo was also sent the size 1 knickers (translates to UK 8 and US 4) which finish off the set beautifully with the same amount of comfort and style that was put into the bra. The stretch lace is again there to save the day – these panties are great when you need something seamless! Also to praise the bra even more, the half-adjustable straps are just the right length for Jo who usually suffers from too long bra straps (petite ladies, take note!).

All in all, this set definitely scores an A+ when it comes to comfort – it is the perfect light-weight bra for hot summer weather and is equally great when lounging around at home.

If you would fancy to give the Crystal a try, it is sold at least on Amazon and House of Fraser for a reduced price. However, the style is a continuity range which will be available this autumn in Love Red colourway in addition to basic colours Black, Lily and Cashmere. What do you think of the Crystal? Let me know in the comments!

Lingerie Review: Maison Lejaby “Féline” in 32G

You might remember me raving about Maison Lejaby a couple of months ago (click for my latest post on ML!) – when I last visited London I had the pleasure of trying on a few pieces at Mimi & You Lingerie boutique and I fell in love with their designs. During the same visit I did travel up to Birmingham where I had the chance to chat with Maison Lejaby’s UK & Ireland coordinator who introduced me even more to this lovely brand. Fast forward to today, I am now reviewing my first Maison Lejaby set here at 2COP. Maison Lejaby was so kind to send both me and Jo a set from their Elixir and Premium collections and today, I am reviewing the lovely Féline bra set from Maison Lejaby Elixir collection. Enjoy!

Design: To be honest, I was very nervous about Lejaby picking something for both of us and sending them to review as a complete mystery. I am a bit picky when it comes to my lingerie – there are some things I absolutely dislike so I was so anxious about getting something as a surprise. On the other hand, I do love surprises which made me very intrigued about the contents of my parcel. When it finally arrived in the post office and I ripped the packaging off I was so happy to be facing a set of sophisticated animal print in an unusual grey colour. Also the texture was lovely and unique – there were some bigger leopard spots at the top part of the cups which seem to raise ever-so-sligthly from the otherwise sleek fabric.

The construction of the bra is a very traditional plunge-balconette with a three-part cup and medium coverage. Féline gives me a decent amount of uplift and a very natural shape – this is a bra that I would recommend to anyone who wants something subtle under their clothes. It gives a rather rounded yet natural look and works well with most of my outfits.

The Fit: I asked for a size 32FF as this was the one that fitted me the best in another styles from Lejaby. However, as the parcel arrived I realized I had been sent a 32G instead of an FF so I was a bit nervous about the fit. These things happen sometimes when I get sent samples – someone accidentally sends me a wrong size and sometimes they fit, sometimes they don’t. In this case, the mistake was a blessing in disguise – the 32G fitted me super well! I do notice some slight gaping on my smaller boob but as we all know so well, the bra size should be opted by the size of one’s bigger boob. The unpadded style of the bra ensures though that the gaping in in no-way notable under shirts and dresses which makes it also a practical little number to wear for everyday. The 32G compares roughly to a regular, even large-ish British 32GG so this brand and particular bra run about a cup size or a cup size and a half bigger than usual!

As Maison Lejaby only makes 30-bands in a few styles, I was sent a bra with a 32 band instead. For a French brand, Maison Lejaby seems to be running very British when it comes to their bands – that is, very true-to-size. With my 30″ underbust measurement the band is in all honesty a bit loose but doesn’t ride up in the back even when worn in the loosest set of hooks. However, this may not be your sturdiest bras anyway – the materials are very stretchy meaning the whole ensemble is super comfy yet not the kind of to run a marathon with. In my opinion the band would be best for someone with a 32″ rib cage so on me, it is not the best size. However, I have worn this bra over the last couple of months each and every week so you can imagine how comfy it really is!

The underwires of Féline are a rather standard ones for a French brand – not as wide as with British bras but not as narrow as Polish. This works for me very well as my boobs are a very average width and don’t require super wide or narrow underwires.

Comfort: As mentioned before, the Féline is VERY comfortable and a stretchy little sucker. The band, the cups, the wiring and the straps are all made with comfort in mind – this makes the bra to adjust to your body and feel comfy when moving around. Even though this takes a bit away from the sturdyness of the bra it does give you a sense of not wearing one in the first place – which is something I aim for when I am at home chilling and still want to feel supported.

When it comes to the underwires, the Féline does a great job by staying low under the armpits to avoid any unpleasant chafing against your arms or pinching in the flesh under them. The wires are also just flexible enough to keep you comfy even riding a motorcycle, which some of you know to be my ultimate test for my bras (by the way, thank heavens for the mc season starting just now, I missed you Honda-babe <3). The straps can be quite stretchy as well but nothing near eg the Comexim “Irish Coffee” (click for the review!) I own. The straps are also rather long so if you are even slightly more on the petite side, this could cause you some problems. I have adjusted mine to the tightest they can go and this is the right length of straps for me with Féline.

I was also sent the Brazilian brief in size 2 to match my Féline bra. My bf is probably the biggest fan of Brazilians so he was happy and to be honest, for a Brazilian this panty is a rather comfortable little number. The size 2 is a french size which translates roughly to a UK size 10-12 (not sure though, enlighten me if I got it wrong!). The back of the Brazilian leaves a seamless finish so if you are a great jeans-wearer, this could be just the knicker style for you.

When it comes to getting your hands on Maison Lejaby, I would say your local brick and mortar boutiques and department stores are the best to look into. I tried to look for Féline online and found this one place where you can get your hands on it for a reduced price even. The online store is a french one called Les Dessous Chics but it translates mostly to English as well and sells Féline bra for a rather great price of 53,83€. Even though Maison Lejaby is a bit more in the luxury category both for quality and price, the course of the pound is horrendous to anyone who doesn’t live in UK. This actually takes the Maison Lejaby pretty close to its British rivals when it comes to € price and sometimes even a more affordable choice compared to other full-bust mid-priced bras.

How do you feel about Maison Lejaby? Have you tried them and if so, how do you find the quality and fit? I would love to know a second opinion to mine so let me know in the comments! xx