Lingerie Review: Gossard Harmony in 32G + the Teddy

Hi everyone! Sorry about being less active this month here on the blog – I gotta confess that I haven’t been feeling my best and the job hunting + uni work has been fierce. I am kinda depressed that I still haven’t been able to find a summer job and it’s nearly May – meaning I have no idea how I’m going to pay my June’s rent. I have been in so many interviews but the problem seems to be that I am over-educated for the jobs I’m applying for, and then again, have no diploma to take on a job that would require a higher degree of education (it’s my fourth year in uni and I still have two more to go…). On the positive note, my beach vacation is drawing closer and closer which is a lovely thought in the midst of extreme anxiety.

However we are not here to talk about my anxiety today! I have a lovely new set of bra, panties and a teddy to show you from Gossard and I am guessing you can’t wait to read another review! So here we go… *This set was gifted to me by Gossard. All opinions are my own.*

The Design: Gossard “Harmony” is one their new spring launches that oozes the fresh air of spring with a delicate almost toilé-like print. The colours are very subtle yet quite interesting – you can’t really see all the beautiful shades of grey, blue and purple from the pictures, but trust me, the colours are far more pretty in flesh! I also find the colour combo very interesting as it is not something we usually see from Gossard this time of the year. I really like the way they are mixing it up a bit and trying out some unusual lighter spring colours for this SS16 season. The styling is otherwise very simple and there is only some slight folding and stitching on the cup edges.

The shape of the Harmony plunge bra is very similar to other Gossard plunge styles this spring meaning there is quite a bit of bra to it (if you know what I mean?) and shape is quite uplifted and round, yet natural. To me, it feels again like a bit too much fabric, but what can I say, I do wear one of the largest sizes they offer. Compared to eg the Desire bra I tried a few months ago, this one feels a bit lighter though in construction can be worn without adding too much bulk under regular clothing.

The Fit: I went with my regular Gossard size 32G and size Small bottoms and wasn’t disappointed this time either. The size is definitely right for me, but to be honest the fit of the Gossard plunges is not the best for me anymore. I am not sure if it’s my shape that has changed but I do still have some older Gossard bras in my bradrobe and they fit me quite nicely, which brings me to the conclusion that there must have been some changes to the patterns as well. I think the new patterns would perhaps be better on someone with less fullness at the centre and also at the top, as I feel like the bra is cutting a bit into my upper breast tissue even though being the right size for me. As you can see, there is also slight gaping where the strap meets the cup which indicates that the bra is just the wrong shape for my boobs. Pity, but will be a great fit for someone with perhaps more fullness towards the armpit area and the lower half of their breasts.

It’s a bit hard to see where the wire goes in the pics with the busy print and all, but I assure you that wire-wise this bra is a much better fit for me than Desire. The wires hit me at the right spot and the cups are overall quite a nice depth for my boobs. There is only tiny bit of space left on the bottom part of the left cup (note that my left boobs is fuller meaning it requires more depth) meaning it is not quite deep enough but definitely not as shallow to deem it a bad fit. The band is the right size for me though I have come to the conclusion that Gossard must me making their bands a bit bigger nowadays, meaning it does not run a full band size small anymore. I would say this one is right between 30 and 32 bands.

Comfort: Great materials, simplistic styling and fully adjustable bra straps makes this set a winner for many gals out there looking for the perfect spring-appropriate everyday set. The material choices are very sleek and soft to the skin, meaning this is a set that can be worn for several hours without any discomfort. The straps are again placed a bit too far-apart for my body and liking, but for someone with a bit broader shoulders, it wouldn’t be an issue.However, the straps are also made of simple elastics that are sturdy enough to hold well no matter what.

The bottoms that come with the set are one of the most comfy I have tried this spring and thus they are on regular use even when I’m not wearing the matching bra. I like how “basic” they are – just regular short-style bottoms that go well under almost anything. The size is perfect for me with these, so I would say they run true-to-size compared to other Gossard knickers.

The Teddy: I received the Harmony teddy to go along with my lingerie set but unfortunately, with my curvy hourglass figure it was not the best match. I received the UK size 12 to make sure it fitted me in a relaxed way but again, my boobs, butt and long torso were a bit too much for it – it wasn’t too small but the waist hit me at an awkward spot. I would say the loungewear runs a bit smaller than eg their bottom sizes so do size up for a more comfortable fit. However, the biggest problem with me + the teddy seemed to be my super long torso, which made it too short for me to wear without the bottom part riding up my crack (hehe). With heavy heart, I gifted the teddy to my bestie Jo and she was happy to give it a test run. Turned out, it was quite lovely for her body shape regardless of the fact that she would have probably been better off with a size 10.

The thing with the teddy is that you have to loosen up the straps quite a lot to get a more comfy fit with it – at first, it was too short for Jo as well! When we noticed the straps needed to be loosened a lot, it fitted so much better and now it’s totally wearable. Take into account though that Jo’s torso is much shorter than mine and she is also a couple of cm’s shorter than me (I’m 5’6). After getting the fit right, Jo has been super happy with the teddy and has been wearing it on a regular basis as it is such a comfortable piece to lounge around in. The materials are the same as with the lingerie set; super soft satin that is light to wear even in the hot summer months.

If you are interested in getting a second opinion on the set, here’s a review of it on Comics Girls Need Bras! The set and the teddy is sold on Gossard online store for £34 for the bra (30-38 A-G), £16 for the shorts (XS-XL) and £39 for the teddy (UK 8-16). How do you like the Harmony set? Are you gravitating towards lighter colours now that it’s spring? Let me know in the comments below! xx

Sunday with Samanta – A479 Goshenit in 65E

Hi everyone! It’s another end of the month and I am happy to introduce you to one of my newer guest bloggers and my little sister, Emma. A few things about this lovely specimen: we are both gingers, love food and lifting – but those are pretty much our only similarities! As you can soon see, we also look quite different; Emma has a lot straighter figure and is more petite all over. I LOVE showcasing different body types on my blog which is why I am happy to have my lovely sis here! This time we are bringing the Samanta A479 style in 65E. This particular style was originally meant for Jo but it was too small for her – so I figured Emma would be just the right size. Let’s take a look at the ensemble! *This set was gifted to Emma free of charge by Samanta. All opinions are our own*

The Design: The Goshenit is a beautiful style part of the Samanta Glamour collection – it is a set with a beige base and an a blue heavily adorned overlay. The style is quite universal to all ages and thus suits a 20 year old as well as a 50 year old lady, in my opinion at least. The bright indigo blue is one of Emma’s favourite colours which is why this set was a jackpot for her personally.

The A479 is a push-up style bra for smaller busts and thus also runs a bit smaller in the cup than some of the other Samanta bras. It goes up to F-cup in 65-bands which is an equivalent to a British E-cup. The bra could give you intense cleavage depending on your bust shape but Emma’s bust is a bit shallow meaning the bra brings the boobs up and front but don’t create a super over-the-top vavavoom effect. The style is a “bandless” true plunge which is great for low cut tops and dresses. The push-up padding of the bra is not detachable like with most Samanta styles which is something to be considered if you are not always into the more enhanced look.

The Fit: As said before, the size Emma is wearing is a EU 65E which is 30DD in UK sizes. Usually Samanta bras run a bit big in the cup which is why I thought this would be a good size for Jo but it seems this particular style, the A479, is running quite true to size in the cup. Emma is now pretty much exactly 30DD with most brands and the 65E Goshenit fits her like a glove! The moulded cups are great for Emma’s shallow-ish breasts (she does not usually fit well into non-padded bras actually!) and the low-cut push-up style is something that Emma likes wearing when it comes to her everyday bras. You can see a tiny bit of gaping in the top picture above but I assure you it is only due to her posture. The cups are perfect for a more shallow breast shape and the underwires encase Emma’s breast tissue beautifully without being too narrow or wide.

Emma measures 29″ under her bust so she usually wears a 30 (=65 EU) band comfortably. She is quite muscular for her size so there is not much squish on her ribcage area and while she is between band sizes, she will rather size up than size down in the band so there won’t be too much pressure on her ribs. She is also working as a baker and a pastry chef which requires a lot of physical work – hence she needs a bra she can breath and move in but which will also keep her supported through the long working days. The Samanta 65 band is tad on the looser side for her but she wouldn’t still go for a smaller size as she appreciates comfort like I do. She is still wearing the bra on the loosest set of hooks which is always a good sign after a few weeks of wear.

Comfort: So far the two ladies I have personally introduced Samanta lingerie to – Emma and Jo – have both tremendously enjoyed their bra sets as they are pretty, well-fitting and damn comfortable. The Goshenit set got the ultimate compliment from Emma; it feels like you are not wearing anything underneath your clothes, in a good way. The materials are soft and top quality and they wash well without the colours fading or band stretching out. The straps are half-adjustable (with a multiway function) but as Emma is on the petite side (a bit over 5’4 for reference) she hasn’t had any problems with them being too long or falling off the shoulders. The only tiny gripe with them is that the adjusters slide down a bit after wearing the bra for a while and need to be adjusted now and then.

Emma got the B300 Goshenit briefs with the bra and I opted for a size Small in them. Again, these were supposed to be worn by Jo but luckily Emma and her are about the same dress size! The briefs area great fit for her and look sweet in the see-through style they come in. They are a bit more of a brazilian than a regular brief so they don’t offer tons of coverage – but I am quite sure Emma is not bothered at all! All in all the whole set is a beautiful and comfy little number which has quickly become on of Emma’s favourite sets of all time.

If you are interested to give Samanta a try, you can find their online shop here. The A479 comes in sizes 65-80 A-F and the B300 bottoms in S-XXL. The Goshenit bra retails for a 73€ and the briefs for €36,30. As this style belongs to the Samanta Glamour range it is a bit more expensive than some of their other lingerie but I assure you that it’s worth every penny! xx

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

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.

Smoothie update: The summer shade Blush

Hi gals! Hope you had a wonderful weekend, mine was fine but nothing special happened. Yesterday was a bit more fun; I visited IKEA with my mom and sister and we had great time! Another fab week startin but the weather is like crap here (greetings to my British fellow bloggers and readers, I hear your weather is awesome atm).  

Well, to the point. As I told you before (or did I, I don’t remember?) I have all the colours of Curvy Kate’s lovely seamless Smoothie bra. It’s one of my favorite bras and the one I reach for when I need my bra to be as invisible as possible. The first time I reviewed the bra I had it in the magnificent Rasberry colour in 30FF which is probably my favorite of the colours. However I desperately needed a nude bra as well so of course I went for the Blush Smoothie version when I had the chance.

Design: The looks of this bra still make me happy to wear a seamless or even a nude bra. The shade of the beige is definitely not as pink as in the pic above, it’s actually rather beige. For my fair skin it’s a bit dark-ish but it does not show under clothes as you can see from the pictures of me in that off-white shirt. (Love this shirt btw, it’s from Cubus and cost about 5 quids on sale!)

Fit: When I first tried on the the Blush Smoothie in 28G I noticed how tight it was in the band compared to other CK bras in 28 bands. The cups were also a little smaller than I expected, surely not as big as in its sister size but not a whole size smaller. I don’t quadboob at all but it sure feels more restricting than the my Raspberry size. The band stretched a bit after a few wears but before that it was a tad small for me as the hooks and eyes started to pull out of their seams.

Comfort: If I could re-choose my size with the Blush I’d definitely go for 30FF for comfort reasons. This bra is ok after a few wears when it comes to the band but I found other problems when it came to this particular size. CK doesn’t really scale bra sizes to fit differently on women with different sizes. As you may guess a woman with dress size 16 does need different proportions on her bra than a woman with dress size 8.

The wires were definitely a bit wide for me but what really bothers me is the way the cups come REALLY high up on my arm pits in this size and they really rub my sensitive skin. It’s not super uncomfortable and I endure it since I don’t wear white clothes everyday. However this bra is not really an ideal option for girls with petite upper body.

Hope this was helpful for girls looking for a nice nude bra. All in all Smoothie is great but really needs some trying on before buying since the fit is a bit of hit-and-miss. Tuesday is statistically the the most miserable day of the week but try to have a good one! xx

THE strapless bra by Debenhams

Hello, I’m back to business and ready to review again. As I promised you, I have three bras to review since my trip to Dublin. As you all may know Dublin and Ireland in general have a great selection of British clothing chains and department stores which are known to be great for gals with fuller bust. You can simply compare three worldwide chains: H&M, Forever 21 and Oasis. First one is Swedish which mean practically no boob room. Second one, American: no boob room whatsoever. Third one: British heaven on boobs. I could literally move to Britain or Ireland just for their fashion industry. But yeah, more about that later since I bought a LOT of clothes that need to be introduced to you.

I already knew that stores like Debenhams and M&S would carry my bra size even though they don’t carry 28 backs. That was quite ok cause I learned that for me their 30 backs were just fine, depending on the style of bra of course. I opted for two bras at Debenhams: one push-up that had a fun print on it and one pretty basic strapless. Both were by their own label (called Gorgeous) so I was curious to see how they differed from my beloved Freyas, CKs and Cleos. 

Design: I actually hated the idea of a plain boring NUDE strapless so when I saw this bra hanging on the wall I was like “HALLELUJAH GOD HAS HEARD MY PRAISES!” After considering the black colour for a while I decided to go for it since I hardly ever wear anything pastel coloured or white. I also adored the beautiful lace on the bottom half of the bra which makes it look super-luxe. 

The shape of the bra looked also great, very rounded but not like two big balloons. I usually tend to get a kind of droopy or a downwards pointed look from strapless bras so I was in heaven when I tried it on and it looked amazing under clothes. The bra comes with two straps so it’s really versatile and can be worn as a regular bra also. 

Fit: This bra is a 30FF which is my regular size so I can tell you that Debenhams bras are pretty consistent on sizing (I tried on a bunch of bras so it was proved). One thing I noticed though is that this bra’s band was a little tighter than usual but I think it’s due to the fact it is a strapless and CANNOT move around. It had also those small silicon strips on top and on bottom of the bra to prevent it from sliding down. 

I have worn this bra twice now and both times it did not move around during the day. The band is very sturdy, almost like a 28 back. The foam of the bra was quite thick so that must be considered when buying a bra for a certain outfit/dress since not all dresses can handle this much foam. It actually adds a bit of volume to my own breasts which I don’t personally mind but someone might, so be warned. 

To me the thickness of the material was actually a plus since my boobs tend to lack fullness on their bottom half and that is what usually causes some folding of the cup. In my case it’s not too narrow wires that cause the orange-in-a-glass effect, it’s just that I can’t usually fill the bottom part of molded cups. This bra’s material was so stiff and the shape was so good that I didn’t experience any folding whatsoever and was really pleased the way the bra looked on me even in the end of a day.

 

Comfort: I must say this bra is comfortable enough but it could have a bit narrower wires. As I removed the bra I noticed some red marks about 1 cm away from my breast tissue which was a bit sad but not enough to part me from this beauty. The wires also come up quite high so I suffered from poking on my ribs. It’s not that bad though so I probably try to bend the wires a bit and see what happens. 

Apart from the tricky wires this bra is pretty comfortable for a strapless one. I didn’t have to adjust it at all during the day since it did not move around or slide down. The silicon strips were quite invisible as well and did not cause any itching or rubbing. 

For a 37 e bra this black beauty was great value for money and is so far the best and the prettiest strapless I’ve ever tried on.