Lingerie Review: Avocado “Jewel” Bra in 70H

I started off the year with a proper Avocado extravaganza by introducing you to their basic range Essentia. I was so happy with the range and when Avocado told me that they were sending me another style to try you must guess I was over the moon. When Essentia was a simple style for everyday wear, the Jewel in A-cut was a whole another story. Here’s how I liked this decorative little number…

  
The Design: After trying out something rather simplistic I was pretty smitten to get testing something really exquisitely designed and unique. Though the colouring may feel a bit autumnal to some, I find it rather lovely combo for spring as well. I am not a huge fan or brown but as the hue turned out to be a lovely dark caramel with red accents, I was actually rather pleased with the result. The styling is very European with stunning large embroidery and I am glad to see it done by the Polish brands as well as I’m used to seeing such styles with French lingerie in particular.

The shape is same as with my A-cut Caprice bra (click for the review!) so rather rounded yet natural. The breasts hang on a rather natural level so you won’t get that pushed up look with this bra! For me, this makes the bra a great option for everyday wear even though the design looks more night-appropriate. The bra cups are constructed of three parts with one vertical and one horizontal seam and the straps are attached to the top panel of the cups. The coverage is medium level and I would say it suits well under most regular t-shirts, even with a plunging neckline.

The Fit: I have always felt that Avocado makes great options for every breast shape and I still think that to be pretty accurate. I am lucky enough to suit both their A- and K-cuts pretty well so again, I have no real complaints about the fit. I went for the size 70H with the Jewel as well and have been pretty happy with it, even though the cut seems a bit shallower near the centre core. If you are very full all over then do take that into consideration! The cup edge feels a tad tight across my larger breast but doesn’t cut in so it’s not a real downside for me. However, the cup construction makes my boobs look a bit smaller than they actually are so I actually dig the style the most for that feature! It’s a true heaven on earth as you try to cram your tits into a dress that’s suitable for a 36″ bust when your actually 41″ (and I do that a lot).

The band is lovely and snug for a 70 and even though I am 65 (UK 30) with most brands, the Avocado 70 fits me very well. The wires are again pretty much perfect and the cups seem to have enough depth to them even though I do get a teeny tiny bit of wrinkling at the bottom.

Comfort: As the wire width and length is spot-on for me, the whole bra seems to be a very comfortable piece to wear throughout the day. I can easily wear the bra at home too, just lounging around, without feeling that I have something super restrictive on. The band features three hooks and eyes so it feels supportive and comfy even after loosening up a bit. The straps are half-adjustable so this may be something that you want to take into consideration if you are very tall or petite.

Avocado makes all their lingerie Poland with a love to details and quality, so I suggest you take a good look at their English website, here (click!). The prices are rather similar to other European luxury brands but do guarantee a good quality bra and a superb fit, alongside the massive size range Avocado offers (EU 60-95 C-L). They have a sizing system of their own so do check out the size chart on their website before ordering!

The lovely team at Avocado has also asked me to deliver an important message to you. They will be raising their prices a bit very soon for wholesale related reasons but they would like to offer a little discount to their returning customers. If you are a returning customer you will get a 10% off your future orders so basically the prices will stay pretty much the same 😉 The Jewel bra will still cost 72,25€ for a while so snatch it up real quick if you are new to Avocado!

What do you think of the bra? Do you like the colours for spring or do they suit autumn better? Let me know your thoughts in the comment box!

Suomeksi: Moikka kaikille! Tänään mulla olisi arvostelussa vähän koristeellisempi Avocadon rintaliivimalli nimeltä Jewel. Avocado on yksi lempparimerkeistäni laadun ja mukavuuden puolesta, ja tässä tyylissä riittää lisäksi vielä ihasteltavaa kriittisemmällekin silmälle. Vaikka karamellin ruskea ja punaisen eri sävyt tuntuivat aluksi melko syksyisiltä, on stailaus kuitenkin todella sievä myös kevättä ajatellen. Erityisen kauniilta värit saattavatkin näyttää juuri hieman ruskettuneella iholla!

Tästä A-mallista minulla on aikaisemmin ollut testissä merkin Caprice-liivit (linkki arvosteluun!), jotka ovat edelleen tuolla laatikossa hyvänä vaatekaapin peruspilarina. A-malli on hieman plungen ja balconeten välimaastoa muistuttava hybridi, jossa olkaimet kiinnittyvät rintsikoiden kuppien yläpaneeliin. Peittävyydeltään rintsikat ovat keskiluokkaa eli sopivat hyvin esim. ihan perus t-paidan alle.

Malliltaan ja istuvuudeltaan Jewel on minulle melko lähellä täydellistä, sillä sen ympärys on napakka ja kupit melko lailla oikeaa kokoa. Liivien keskiosan läheisyydessä ei ole ehkä niin paljon tilaa kuin sietäisi, mutta tuplatissi loistaa onneksi edelleen vain poissaolollaan. Kooksi valitsin tässä mallissa oman perinteisin Avocado-kokoni eli 70H, joka piti kutinsa jälleen kerran (kokotaulukkoa kannattaa kuitenkin vilkaista, sillä mitoitus on aika lailla omaa luokkaansa). Kaarituetkin olivat todella soppelin mittaiset ja levyiset, joten kokonaisuudessaan ei valittamista!

Jos mielit kokeilla Avocadoa, vielä lopuksi pari vinkkiä tilaamiseen. Avocadon hinnat nousevat aivan lähitulevaisuudessa, joten tämäkin kaunokainen kannattaa ostaa heti pois kuleksimasta! Jos kuitenkin olet jo vanha asiakas, ei huolta. Avocado on luvannut palaaville asiakkaille 10% alennuksen myös myöhemmistä tilauksista, joten jälleen kerran kanta-asiakkaat palkitaan 😉 Suomeen postikulut ovat n. 10€ luokkaa ja paketti saapuu yleensä perille noin viikossa.

Mitäpä mieltä sinä olet tästä ihanuudesta? Sopiiko väriyhdistelmä mielestäsi myös kevääseen? Jätähän alle kommenttia!

Winter Flowers from Poland – Review of Kris Line “Sicilia” in 70H

Hi everyone! How is December going? Mine has a been a very busy and rather stressful one but gladly I had some time to take pictures today for you to put up this review. Today I’m talking about a Kris Line soft style bra called “Sicilia” which is part of their lovely AW14 collection. Kris Line kindly sent me this set for review, so I could compare it to the other padded style I have from them, the Marilou Deco (click for the review!). Here’s how I liked the soft bra and the matching bottoms…

The Design: I was so pleased to see Kris Line coming up with a lovely cherry blossom embroidery/print for winter as it’s usually regarded as a spring-appropriate print. I LOOOOVE cherry blossoms and actually haven’t seen them much on bras which makes this style rather unique. Also the colour combo is both sophisticated and cute at the same time but I could imagine it being made in eg a blush colour for spring season.

The shape is super rounded and it definitely rivals the likes on Cleo which expert in this kind of round in-your-face look. I have been a fan of the look for a long time and it looks fabulous under clothing. The cups are made of four parts with one horizontal and two vertical seams which give the cups their uplifted rounded look. The bra is most close to a balconette shape but has a quite a lot of coverage to it too – this would definitely be a good choice under a modest sweater.

Fit: I would say the fit of Sicilia is rather comparable to Marilou as I fit into the same size with both of them. I have actually noticed that the cups are so deep that I almost don’t fill them properly and my other cup on my smaller boob wrinkles a bit on the apex. However, I don’t feel like a different size would solve this as I am rather full on top and need the extra space there.

I opted for a size 70H with Sicilia but I am now pretty certain that band-wise, I could now go down to 65 (UK 30) as I have lost a bit of weight. The band seems to be running true-to-size but is maybe on the smaller side of 70, just like most Polish bras. The band features three hooks and eyes making it still sturdy and wearable regardless of it being a bit too big for me. The underwires of Sicilia are perfect again and I feel like Kris Line is better for me wire-wise than some other Polish brands, as the too-narrow wires are not good for breast tissue nor comfort in the long run.

Comfort: My first Kris Line bra Marilou was a success on the comfort level so my expectations were high when I waited for Sicilia. The soft micro fibre of Marilou is still my favourite but Sicilia comes close with it’s comfort. The sturdy mesh does not make my skin itch at all and the band is sturdy enough to feel good even when being a tiny bit loose. Also the band features four (!) sets of hooks and eyes, meaning I can tighten it a lot as I go. The straps are half-adjustable but I find them to be a good length for me anyway (for reference, I am 5’6 and have a long torso).

The knickers (or as the Polish say, Figi) looked tiny again but I found them to stretch as much as the Marilou bottoms. I opted for my regular size Small but am thinking of going for Medium next time as they are looking a bit tight and I want to see if the M would be a better choice. So overall, I would say the bottoms run a tad smaller than with UK brands. The materials are so comfy again and I am so glad the bottoms are made of the same micro fibre as my Marilou set.

All in all, I have fallen in love with another Kris Line set and can’t wait to get introducing their SS15 collection to you soon. I already have the brochure with me and there are so many styles especially in hues of blue and pink which I adore. The Kris Line Sleep collection is another winner for next season and I hope to get trying it sometime in the future – the designs look so comfy and steaming hot at the same time!

If you would like to buy Kris Line and are from USA, I would suggest Zulily. Kris Line pops up there quite regularly and the prices are great! Remeber to check out the size chart from my Marilou post to get the correct size from the start. However, if you’re European I would say your best bet is Brastop, they have a lovely selection of Kris Line with reduced prices.

Suomeksi: Moikka moi kaikille! Mulla ois tällä kertaa teille postausta puolalaisesta merkistä nimeltä Kris Line, jonka rintsikoita arvostelen nyt toista kertaa. Kris Linella on ihan valtava valikoima kokoja ja malleja, ja tällä kertaa esittelyssä olisi heidän pehmeäkuppinen Sicilia-malli, jonka Kris Line ystävällisesti lähetti minulle koossa 70H.

Sicilia on todella suloinen ja hyvinistuva ilmestys: pelkäsin hieman, että osuuko koko tällä kertaa kohdilleen, sillä olin kuullut juttua, kuinka Kris Linen rintsikat ovat välillä vaihdelleet koiltaan aika reippaastikin. Sain kuitenkin huokaista helpotuksesta, sillä tämä malli vastaa kooltaan aika hyvin aikaisemmin kokeilemaani Marilouta. Kupit ovat minulle kuitenkin todella syvät, mistä johtuukin tuon toisen kupin rypistyminen. Elikkä te jotka kaipaatte syviä kuppeja ja kapeita kaaritukia – tässä olisi aika potentiaalinen malli! Kris Linen kaarituet eivät kuitenkaan ole yhtä kapeat kuin monilla muilla puolalaisilla merkeillä, joka onkin allekirjoittaneen kannalta ihan hyvä juttu. Liian kapeat kaarituet kun pistävät ikävästi rintakudokseen ja painavat päivän mittaan kivuliaasti.

Ympärysmitaltaan Kris Linen rintsikat ovat melko normi-luokkaa eli tämä 70 jää minulle jo vähän löysäksi viimeaikaisen painon tippumisen vuoksi. Onneksi ympärysnauhassa on kuitenkin neljä riviä hakasenkiinnittimiä, joilla saa kiristettyä ympärystä aika kivasti! Olkaimet ovat vain puoliksisäädettävät mutta toimivat ihan hyvin tällaisella 167 senttisellä ilman mitään ongelmia.

Kokonaisuudessaan Sicilia on todella toimiva setti materiaaleineen ja pyöreine muotoineen ja sopii hyvin ihan peruspaitojen alle. Jos oma Kris Line setti kiinnostaa, niin paras paikka sitä lähteä metsästämään on brittiläinen verkkokauppa Brastop. Sieltä löytyy melko hyvä valikoima malleja ja hinnat sekä postituskulut ovat kohdillaan. Kokotaulukko kannattaa kuitenkin tsekata edellisestä Kris Line postauksestani, sillä kuppikoot menevät vähän eri lailla tässä merkissä!

Florals for Christmas – Review of Bravissimo “Satine In Bloom” in 30H

I have always been a huge Bravissimo fan – even before I actually popped into their store in Liverpool I knew they were famous for their fitting service and a lovely selection of the best brands for a fuller bust. When I finally fulfilled my lifelong dream of living in UK, I knew I had to make a visit to my nearest store in Bold Street (the absolute best street in Liverpool btw!). The ladies at the store were very helpful and also gave me and my American fellow Leah a bra fitting that took my dear friend from being a 34C to her “real” size of 30F. Leah ended up walking out of the store with a classic Bravissimo in-house style “Satine” which looked so lovely on her.

Fast-forward to today, I finally got my chance to try this classic style myself when Bravissimo contacted me and asked if I wanted to try Satine for myself. Seeing it on Leah I knew it would be a great sexy addition to my lingerie collection, so of course I said yes! Here’s how I liked the new Satine In Bloom by Bravissimo’s house brand.

Excuse me for the headlessness, my straightener just resigned itself and I was wearing toilet paper rolls on my head 😀

Design: Satine is usually a quite simple yet sexy style – it always comes in a shiny satin-y material and a plunge shape – but this time I was thrilled to see it in such a pretty floral print. The print looks a bit Asian-inspired which made it feel a lot more unique and the colouring was just lovely – different tones of China red and pink splashed on the granite grey background. I was so pleased to see the vibrant shades come alive when I saw the bra in flesh; the pics on Bravissimo website or even mine don’t do the colours true justice.

The shape of the bra is a true plunge; the cups are made of three parts with one vertical and one horizontal seam. The look of the bra is very uplifted and also quite natural on me. The cups look a tad pointier than some of my other plunge bras but work well with most of my dresses. This is the exact kind of style that I am always looking for: something very low-cut that doesn’t show under plunging necklines. The cleavage is not super prominent so I see Satine as a great option for everyday wear as well.

Fit: As the Bravissimo team told me they would like me to try the Satine I was a bit hesitant at first. Not that I don’t love the style – it’s just that extreme plunge shapes like this tend to cut into my upper fullness. However the result was clearly not that bad when I tried the bra on – it was a little tight on my bigger breast but definitely not so much to doom it as a bad fit. I still think the bra would suit best someone with a little less upper fullness so you full-on-bottom ladies, do try the Satine! The cups were deep enough for me though and I really like how projected my boobs look in them. The cup on my bigger boob folds a tiny bit at the bottom which tells me it’s not quite deep enough there but that is very common with my other padded bras as well and doesn’t bother me at all.

The band of the bra is super comfortable and supportive! I have been having some issues with brands making their bands too narrow for my 30GG/H bust to feel supported and I am so happy Bravissimo makes their GG+ bras with three hooks and eyes. The band felt very snug at first but loosened up a bit as I wore it a few times.

When it comes to sizing, Bravissimo house-brand seems to running on the smaller side. I am still very solidly between GG and H and I decided to go for 30H based on the feedback I saw online. Many of my busty sisters have tried the Satine and reported its cups to run small-ish which is why I went for my bigger size. I am so glad I did as the bra fits me quite well even though the shape is rather closed on top! The band however seems to run true-to-size so a lovely snug 30 fits me really perfectly.

Comfort: From all aspects of the Satine set, the comfort takes the trophy home. I actually was stupid enough to do some intense dancing around our apartment yesterday without a sports bra on but I actually did quite well with Satine as it’s a sturdy little number with a comfy band and wide-enough straps. Even though I was shaking it to the Anaconda, like hardcore, my boobs didn’t fall out of the bra and or punch me in the face while jumping. Also the straps haven’t fallen off my shoulders a single time so that’s definitely a plus!

What I was very thrilled about this bra set was the thoughtfully picked out materials – the cups are lined with cotton (always a plus for me!) and the satin feels amazing to touch. I also adore the panties; they cover my butt really well and still manage to look sexy with the back being completely made out of mesh. The rise is perfect and my usual size UK 10 fitted me spot-on.

All in all, I am pretty impressed with the Bravissimo house brand and Satine in Bloom! From now on I won’t be hesitant to try other styles as well. If you are on a lookout for something cute and sexy for Christmas, do give Satine a chance; it comes in sizes 28-38 DD-J so the size range is amazing too. The bra retails for affordable £32 and the brief for £16.

Has anyone of you tried Satine and how did you like it? What about other Bravissimo styles? Let me know in the comments! xx

Suomeksi:

Bravissimo on Brittiläinen alusvaatteiden jälleenmyyjä, joka on niittänyt mainetta myös oman brändinsä sievillä alusvaateseteillä. Kun sain Bravissimolta pyynnön kokeilla heidän uutta kukkaista versiotaan “Satine”-klassikosta, olin tottakai iloinen saadessani kokeilla minulle ihan uutta merkkiä. Bravissimon liikkeessä olen toki käynyt asuessani Liverpoolissa, mutta heidän in-house merkkiään ei ollut tullut vielä kokeiltua.

Olin hieman epäileväinen Satinesta mallina, sillä olin melko varma ettei sen dramaattinen plunge-malli sopisi minulle ollenkaan – suurin osa rintakudoksestani kun on jakautunut rintojeni ylempään osioon ja tämän vuoksi alasdippaavat plunget ovat välillä hieman vaikeita. Otin kuitenkin haasteen vastaan ja olin positiivisesti yllättynyt kokeillessani Satinea – kuppien reuna painoi hieman rintojeni yläosaa muttei kuitenkaan saanut aikaiseksi jäätävää tuplatissiä! Koon puolesta voisin kuitenkin neuvoa ottamaan vaikkapa kuppikoon suuremman, sillä moni on kertonut Satinen olevan kupeiltaan hieman pienehkö. Tätä neuvoa kannattaa noudattaa varsinkin jos olet kahden kuppikoon välillä niin kuin minä! 

Kaiken kaikkiaan Satine on kuitenkin todella jämäkkä malli – olen tanssinut se päällä olohuoneessa ilman minkäänlaista vaaraa tissien karkaamisesta ulos rintsikoista. Jämäkyyden takaavat erityisesti leveä ympärysnauha sekä kauttaaltaan säädettävät olkaimet. Myös materiaalit ovat kohdallaan: kupit ovat vuorattu pehmoisella puuvillalla, joka ainakin meikäläisen kohdalla on suuri plussa! 

Jos oma Satine-setti kiinnostaa, voi sellaisen tilata suoraan Bravissimon omasta verkkokaupasta. Kokonainen setti kustantaa yhteensä 48 puntaa eli n. 61€ ja postikulut n. 7,5€ eli paljon vähemmän kuin suurimmassa osassa muita englantilaisia verkkokauppoja! Kokoja löytyy ympärysmitoista 60-85 ja kupeista UK-koot DD-J (EU-koot E-M) Tästäpä siis kaunis setti vaikkapa kuusen alle – vai mitä olette mieltä? 😉