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. 

Late Summer Offerings from Signature by After Eden – Review of “Bilbao” & “Alicante” in 70G

Hi everyone! How are things on that side of the screen? I am all good just been extremely busy taking part in my first pinup pageant (which went decently, I was the 1st runner up!) and settling back to work. I must say, working with special needs kids can drain the life out of you at times. This is why I have been battling a lot with how to use my time between a full-time job, starting my uni work for this year, seeing friends and keeping up with my hobbies as well. Now everything is getting back to routine so I have more energy to blog again. Hope that makes you as happy as it makes me!

Today I will be bringing you a couple of lovely styles from the SS16 collection of Signature by After Eden, Bilbao and Alicante. The SS16 collection at Signature included two colour schemes, pink and blue which were kind of two different collections altogether. I wanted to introduce you to a set from both of these collections, so here goes! *These sets were generously provided by Signature. All opinions are our own.*

The Design: As per usual, Miss E will be assisting me with the review so be so kind to welcome her back to the blog! I picked out two sets that felt appropriate for her age and preferences (young, laid-back & fun!) and decided to go for Bilbao (the blue plunge bra) and Alicante (the pink strapless balconette). These styles are incredibly appropriate for summer – the first one being a great option under low cut tops and the other under strapless and spaghetti strap tops. The colours are light yet not too cutesy and pastel-y – the shades of pink and blue remain vibrant and look gorgeous against a tanned skin. These t-shirt bras are adorned with a moderate amount of lace and thus are perfect for everyday wear.

The profile of both of the bras is very rounded and looks a bit similar to most American bras, to be honest – American women are known to love rounded padded t-shirt bras which is why I am wondering whether Signature will be expanding their sales to other parts of the world in the future. These bras are also very appropriate for young girls in general – they are not overtly sexy or super-padded but have a lightly padded moulded cups that give you modesty and a nice shape under most of your clothes. The bra is also constructed to be supportive for a fuller bust as it includes both a wider band and sturdy fully-adjustable straps to give you a better overall fit.

The Fit: I asked for the samples in Miss E’s regular Signature bra size 70G (32F in UK sizes) but exchanged the bottom size from Medium to Small as she preferred a snugger fit. The Signature bras run a tiny bit large in the cup, which is why the bra cups are gaping a bit on E’s smaller boob. However, I would always advice to choose your bra size according to your bigger boob which is why I wouldn’t have gone smaller in the cup with these bras anyway. However, if there were an option of 65H, I would definitely give that one a try as Miss E is more of a 30 band than a 32. Signature makes very few 65/30 bands at the moment as they are targeting their full-figured customers more, which is a bit of shame on our behalf. Wearing the band on the second tightest set of hooks works pretty well for E though, so we are not complaining that much.

I would say Miss E is a full-allover shaped gal, which is why she would perhaps need a tad more space in the bottom part of the bra cups; this makes me think Signature would probably suit better someone who has more full-on-top boobs. However, the denting on the bottom of the cups (the so-called orange-in-a-glass phenomenon when your boobs can’t sit at the bottom of your cups as there is not enough space) is not super bad and in my opinion, isn’t even a crucial thing to note when talking about a fit of a bra. What does matter more, in my opinion, is how the wires sit on your body – as you can see, both of the bras tack Miss E’s sternum at the front and encase all her breast tissue, which is important when trying to avoid migrated breast tissue. With the Alicante the wires are significantly taller though, which is discussed more in the comfort section of this review.

Comfort: As with the very first review we ever did on Signature, there is significant difference in comfort level when it comes to these bras. Signature still has a challenge in front of them: how to make their balconette bras more comfortable and yet still supportive. The problem with Alicante is simple – the straps are placed way too widely on the shoulders and the underwires come too high up at the sides, which makes a non-working combination that rubs the heck out of your armpits. Personally, I think the strap placement could be fixed pretty easily, so maybe that could be something to consider in the design team. However, as a strapless, the Alicante works well and does its job without sliding down and rolling around.

The Bilbao on the other hand works well in all circumstances and stays comfortable during the day without the strap placement issue. Besides that, both of the bras are crafted lovingly from the softest materials, made with amazing supportive bands (with four sets of hooks and eyes I might add!) and easily adjusting straps. They work well for both plus size and more petite gals, as well as tall and short girls who benefit from the fully-adjustable straps. The panties are comfy and gorgeous as well and are great for everyday wear; even though they are not completely seamless, they are a nice basic pattern that gives them a flattering shape and a sturdy feel.

Both of these sets are ON SALE right now, so if you live in Netherlands, you can snatch the Alicante set up for a mere 31€ and the Bilbao set for 33,50€. If you live somewhere else, 4AllWomenLingerie ships worldwide and offers a wide selection of Signature! The sizes go from 70D to 100G, S-XXXL. How do you feel about molded t-shirt bras such as Alicante and Bilbao? Do you prefer non-padded bras like me? Let me know in the comments below! xx

Lingerie Review: Lepel “Lyla” in 36DD

Hi dear gals! March is already here and spring is around the corner – meaning some of us will be wearing lighter-coloured clothing and starting to reach for lighter-coloured bras as well (at least if your skin tone is light). Tis the season of women going on endless hunts of the perfect nude bra to wear under those crips white t-shirt and blouses – so we are bringing you an option for you pale babes out there! Today our guest reviewer will be the ever-so-lovely Miss T, who I asked to review something on the blog to bring more body diversity into 2COP’s array. Miss T is a gorgeous raven-haired gal who usually wears a UK 36DD-E and is giving you her thoughts about the Lepel “Lyla” in Beige today.

The Design: Lyla belongs to the basic offering of Lepel and comes in beige, black, white and French Navy colour. We thought about showing this beige option here on the 2COP as it is something that pale-toned women like ourselves would appreciate – it’s the perfect shade of pale beige for Miss T, not too pink, not too yellow but a creamy neutral shade. The styling of the Lyla is quite simple yet pretty with the smooth cups, cute bow at the front and some lace on the bra band to make the design more feminine. This was exactly what T was looking from her basic beige bra so she was very happy with the looks!

The shape of Lyla is a traditional Lepel moulded balconette which personally doesn’t suit me at all – I have tried the Lilly, which is a similar shape and unfortunately the fit wasn’t the best for someone with upper fullness. However, Miss T’s shape is quite different from mine; her breasts are more on the shallower side, meaning there is no need for super deep cups or narrow wires. The shape of the bra is very rounded yet natural and looks like a great affordable option for a beige t-shirt bra.

The Fit: With size, it is always a bit of hassle to come to a conclusion when the person hasn’t tried a specific brand before. Miss T had a little bit of experience with Lepel a couple of years back when she ordered the plunge Fiore from Figleaves – and sadly it didn’t fit at all size-wise! Her breast size hasn’t changed much in these years and with my experience of Lepel fitting tight in the band and big in the cup, we decided to go for a 36DD. Unfortuntely I did not remember that Lepel’s Lilly (Lyla’s printed sister) was a bit looser on the band so with Lyla as well, Miss T could have easily gone down to 34. This however, is a preference thing as well – I like my bands quite comfortable and T prefers hers very snug. The 36 is wearable but for longevity of the bra, the 34 might have been a better option.

The cups are quite the right size for Miss T, even though her left boob (which is usually the bigger one!) is bulging a tiny bit when standing up with a good posture. This is something that happens quite often with moulded bras – the bra doesn’t stretch or conform to your breast shape but tries to mould your breasts into the shape of the bra. Otherwise the cups fit quite nicely – the width and depth of the cups is pretty much perfect for Miss T and the coverage is low enough to be practical under most regular t-shirts and blouses.

Comfort: For comfort Lyla gets a clear A! This set is great for everyday wear and for long working days – the materials are super soft and smooth and the wires don’t chafe or poke Miss T at all. The straps are fully adjustable meaning it’s a great option for shorter girls as well. The straps do fall off the shoulders now and then so if you are very narrow, that might be something to think about. The band is quite stretchy which is something to think about fit-wise but is also a pro when you think about comfort – I personally prefer stretchy bands as they allow for more movement.

The bottoms are a size 18 and a bit too large for Miss T – usually Lepel bottoms run true to size but the Lyla briefs are made of very stretchy lace and Polyamide/Elastane combo so if you are between sizes, we would advice to size down. The rise is quite high so something Miss T prefers and finds comfortable for everyday wear. If you don’t like as much coverage, there is also the option of Brazilian brief which is perfect under the most skinniest jeans and pencil skirts!

The Lyla goes up to only E-cup so it’s a great option for more smaller and average-sized ladies – the size range also includes eg sizes 30B and 30C which are quite hard to find anywhere. This could definitely be a great first bra for a young girl, so take note moms! If you would like to order your own Lyla, you can do so on the Lepel online store. The balconette bra sets you back at affordable £24 and the briefs at £12. How cool is that?!

How are you preparing for spring? Do you see a shift in your bra preferences? Let me know in the comments!

Sunday with Samanta: A475 Anvers in 65E

It has been a while since I did a “Sunday with Samanta” post – it’s understandable, the holidays came in the way of both me and the Samanta team, so we put the feature on hold for a couple of months. We also ran out of styles that would come in my size, so we had to figure something else out first to showcase the Samanta styles that fit the more average and small busts out there. This was however, not a problem. As most of you know I operate with an array of guest bloggers with different body types – to give you a teaser, in addition to Jo and Miss E, I will be adding Miss T and my sister Emma to our happy company very soon! However, let’s start the series of more moderately sized Samanta bras with a review of Anvers in style A475 (49,70 €). *This set was generously gifted to Jo by Samanta. All opinions are our own.*

Design: The Samanta’s A475 is a style targeted to small and medium sized busts, going up to EU H-cup in the 65 band. That is an equivalent to UK FF-cup. The style is a smooth push-up t-shirt bra which brings the girls together and facing forward (= loads of projection!), instead of splaying them towards the sides of one’s torso. The push up padding inside is not detachable but yet very light to give you only a slight boost to your own breast size. It also gives a lovely rounded shape and an alluring cleavage, modest enough for most casual work places but also visible enough for a nice boost under a plunging neckline when sipping for cocktails at after work.

The Anvers style itself is a beautiful painting-like floral printed ensemble which features the smoothest materials on earth and some pretty dotted mesh to make it even more pretty. This is definitely one of my personal favourites from the Samanta AW16 collection and even Jo is very much pleased with the looks of this set despite not being a huge fan of floral prints in general.

The Fit: To warn you off right off the bat, this is going to be an overwhelmingly positive review. So if you feel like you can’t trust a super positive review where the set has been gifted, I am so sorry, but there is nothing I can really do about it at this point. This sets fits LIKE A DREAM on Jo and she actually told me it’s now probably her favourite bra of all time and Samanta her new favourite lingerie brand. And she, my dear friends, is an honest son of a bitch, to say the least! I opted for the 65E for Jo after weighing in for a while – Samanta bras usually run a bit large in the cup so I figured that she might like the same size with them as with Gossard (for reference, Jo’s best size with British brands is 28F or 30E). The British 30DD is a rough equivalent to a Polish 65E.

Jo got four different sets to try for the next few months and each of them fitted a bit differently – with the Anvers being the best of them in style and cup depth. Jo has full-on-bottom boobs, which means, there is not much breast tissue on her upper half of the boobs – her shape fitted perfectly in the A475 style and there is no empty room on the bottom nor the top half of the cup. The wires are a perfect length and height for Jo and the gore sits flat on her sternum. The only complaint that we have (which is not really a flaw) is that the band is a bit too big for Jo’s ribcage – this however, is not surprise as she measures 26″ under her bust and thus would fit better in a 28 band with most brands.

Comfort: The A475 is a very smooth t-shirt style bra which is why there are not a lot of extra seams or lace on show. This is great for wearing the bra every day to work and under the very thinnest materials. The underwires are exactly the length and height Jo needs, which is why there is no poking or any sorts of discomfort because of them.

I have sometimes had trouble with Samanta straps being too widely-placed for me but Jo found that they were spot-on for her. In fact, the feedback that I got both from Jo and my sister Emma (who will be reviewing another Samanta style next month!) was super positive especially regarding the straps – they seem to be firmly placed on the shoulders without falling off a single time during a busy day at work. Even though the straps with the smaller sizes are a bit thinner than what Jo is used to, she still found them very comfortable and sturdy. They are also fully-adjustable and detachable, meaning the bra can be converted to a multiway and will suit an array of body types and heights.

Jo also received the M300 brazilian briefs (19,70 €) (or thong, as the Samanta website states) with the set, which we opted in a size Small – I am two dress sizes bigger than Jo which is why I thought the Small would be perfect for her instead of the Medium I tend to wear with Polish brands. The materials and the style of the brief is very convenient under tighter jeans which is why it makes a very nice option for Jo in addition to her collections of actual thongs. The back of the brazilian features a lovely see-through dotted mesh that makes the ensemble even cuter.

What do you think about Anvers? Are you feeling the winter florals trend? Let me know in the comments! Also, if you wish to get your hands on this set, do check out Samanta’s online store and for US customers, ask for a shipping quote by sending them an email. Have a great rest of your Sunday, gals! xx

Sunday with Samanta – Model A470 “Beryl” in 65J + A DISCOUNT CODE

Is it already the end of April? I may sound like a granny but recently time has flown by so damn quickly. Today I am bringing you the April’s “Sunday with Samanta” feature with a first moulded Samanta bra I have ever tried. When opting for the model, we decided to keep reviewing the more full-coverage models of Samanta, but next month will definitely be something a bit less covering. Today’s Samanta cut is “Beryl” (retailing for 63€) which is designed specifically for a larger bust. Keep reading and don’t forget to check out the discount code at the end! *Disclosure: This set was sent to me by Samanta for review purposes, all opinions as my own*

Design: When picking my next Samanta set, I was determined that at some point, the Beryl would definitely be on my list. Gladly, as the head designer of Samanta suggested the A470 model for my next review, I knew this would be the time to give this lovely combo of ink blue and gold lace a twirl. I am a big fan of both blue and gold since as a combination it whispers royal elegance. I was particularly keen on the lace which is absolutely breath-taking and somehow very European again – something that Samanta is well-known for. When the parcel arrived at my door, I was so happy to see that the design was even more beautiful and elaborate in flesh.

When it comes to the shape, the  A470 covers the breasts almost completely leaving them looking seamless and rounded under regular t-shirts. The A470 Beryl is a gorgeous bra to wear for boudoir purposes, but it’s true value is measured by how practical and gorgeous it is at the same time. If you are looking for the in-your-face kind-of look of the Freya “Deco”, this is not the bra for you but it is a great option to achieve a smooth and natural look to your bust line.

Fit: I opted for my regular Samanta size 65J with the A470 and the size seems spot-on again. As someone who has experience of Samanta bras in three different models, it seems that at least within the selection of bras in same cup depth they do run quite consistent along ranges. As the first A925 model I tried was a bit too roomy in 65K, I am really staring to think that my true Samanta size with the deeper models is 65J. This is a rough equivalent to a British 30GG which is my preferred size with deeper British bras as well (I wear a 30H with shallower cuts).

The band of the A470 Beryl is very comfortable yet snug in 65 (UK 30) band and I feel like Samanta has put a lot of effort in the comfort aspect of the underwear. Sometimes brands make their bands of otherwise stretchy materials but then add a rigid trimming to the band edge which takes away a lot off the comfort level of the bra; Samanta however crafts their bras with care to the last finishing touches, so every aspect of the bra fits and feels great. The cups are deep as mentioned before and fit well my full-on-top bust without any bulging, gaping OR folding at the bottom, which has been my problem with moulded padded cups for whole my life. The centre gore doesn’t tack completely (there is about 2 mm space from my sternum) but so far, this hasn’t affected the support or the fit of the bra notably.

Comfort: Thinking about the comfort aspect of the set, I must say Beryl has been so far my favourite set from Samanta. The materials are absolutely lush, as mentioned before, and the lace of the bra and the panties is very soft and stretchy. As opposed to the previous styles Mintaka and Aurora, the materials of Beryl are also ever-so-slightly stretchier and there is no rigidness to the lace which could restrict your movements or feel scratchy against skin. The straps of the bra are also very comfy, 2 cm wide and half-adjustable – which of course affects the wearability of the bra depending on how tall or short-torsoed you are. I am 5’6 with a rather long torso and wearing the straps adjusted half-way, so I would estimate them to be rather accommodating to various torso lengths.

The wires with the A470 model are typical to Samanta – quite an average width so just about perfect for me. If you find other Polish brands’ bras too narrow-wired for your liking, you could definitely wear Samanta rather comfortably, unless you have very wide breast roots and need wires going farther into your armpits.

For the bottoms I opted for the D300 model – the so-called boxers (retailing for 29,70€) – which is a classic more covering style of bottoms. I am not a huge fan of thongs and even Brazilians make a wee bit uncomfy, so this style of bottoms has been my favourite so far from the Samanta bottoms selection. The D300 is super comfortable and the lace comes out gorgeously popping out over the blue base, creating a great co-ordinate to the more subtle bra style.

As we a are slowly but surely growing our Sunday with Samanta feature, I wanted to give you, my dear readers, something special regarding it as well. For this reason, Samanta and I have created a special discount code for anyone wanting to try the A470 model for themselves. The code “METTE” (my first name actually, if you care to know) is valid from today until next week’s Sunday and gives you a great discount of 20% off your A470 bra. If you do decide to use the code, let me know what you ordered and later on, how it fits! I would so love to hear your thoughts about the model and Samanta in general as well 🙂 Also, if you have any questions about the fit or ordering process, let me know – I try to be of help as much I can. Have a lovely time shopping gals and most of all, have a great Sunday 😉

Suomeksi: Moikka kaikille! Kuun viimeinen sunnuntai pyörähti taas käyntiin, eli meillä Kahdessa Kakussa se tarkoittaa Sunday with Samanta -arvostelua 🙂 Tällä kertaa Samanta lähetti meikäläiselle testiin ihanaisen Berylin A470-mallissa, joka on ulkomuodoltaan ja rakenteeltaan peittävä muotoonprässätty t-paitaliivi. A470 jatkaa sarjaamme lähes kokokuppisista liiveistä ja kuten mallit A925 ja A922, se peittää rinnasta n. 90%. Meille suomalaiselle juuri tällainen liivi onkin se mieluisin ja erityisesti malli on aikuisen naisen makuun sopiva. Lisäksi A470 on suunniteltu erityisesti suurille rinnoilla, jotka vaativat syvemmän kupin.

Beryl on kaikinpuolin juuri sitä, mitä niin moni nainen haluaa – sileää kuppia, hillittyä mutta kaunista värimaailmaa ja vain hieman pitsiä piristämään muuten peruskäytössä olevaa liiviä. Itse kaiken maailman pitsihörsylöitä rakastavana en sileäkuppisia liivejä juuri harrasta, mutta Berylissä yhdistyy käytännöllisyys ja kauneus niin upealla tavalla, ettei se jätä esteetikkoakaan kylmäksi. Lisäksi materiaalit ovat Berylissä niin pehmoiset ja joustavat, että se on mukavuudeltaan sopiva käyttöön kuin käyttöön.

Samanta käyttää kokojärjestelmänään EU-kokoja, jonka vuoksi valitsin kookseni perinteisen 65J:n, jota käytän erityisesti syvempien kuppien kanssa. Ympärys 65 on hieman joustavampi kuin useimmilla eurooppalaisilla ja varsinkin puolalaisilla merkeillä, joten jos olet kahden koon väliltä, suosittelen ottamaan sen napakamman vaihtoehdon. Kuppien koko riippuukin sitten niiden tilavuudesta ja varsinkin näissä malleissa, jota olen itse päässyt testaamaan, on kuppi ollut tilavuudeltaan suurehko.

Päällä setti istuu ja tuntuu kaikin puolin mukavalta, ja sen takaavat Samantan huolella tehty suunnittelutyö sekä materiaalien valinta. Muotoonprässätty kuppi antaa rinnalle luonnollisen muodon ja saumattoman lookin t-paitojenkin alla. Myös kaarituet ovat Samantan liiveissä hyvin kohdallaan allekirjoittaneella – ei huolta liian kapeista tai leveistä tuista, vaan ne asettuvat juuri oikeaan kohtaan hieman kainalon etupuolelle. 

Mikäli A470 näyttää ja kuulostaa siltä, että se voisi sopia juuri sinulle, olemme Samantan kanssa sopineet viikon voimassaolevasta alennuskoodista jokaisen Sunday with Samanta- postauksen yhteydessä. Nyt huhtikuun viimeisen viikon aikana on voimassa alennuskoodi “METTE“, jolla saatte A470-mallista mukavat 20% pois hinnasta. Nyt kannattaa siis ostaa omansa pois, sillä Samantan hinnat pyörivät enemmän siellä luksusluokassa! Laadultaan Samanta kuitenkin yltää ehdottomasti kalliimpienkin luksusmerkkien tasolla, jollei ylemmäskin, ja rahoilleen saa taatusti vastinetta, vaikka useampi kymppi rintsikoista voikin aluksi kirpaista. Koodilla esim. Beryl-liiveille jää hintaa vain 50,40 €, mikä ei ole enää ollenkaan paha hinta laadukkaasta liivistä 😉