Bluebella MORE Review: “Calypso” in 32G

Hi lingerie folks! Hope the spring has been treating you well. We are now less than two months away from the wedding and we are also moving on Easter, so needless to say I have been a busy woman. Everything seems to be happening at once, but I think I’m probably not alone – it’s just the way life works itself out. I haven’t forgot about you though! I have exciting reviews coming up, both clothing- and lingerie-wise, so do hang in there!

Today I am reviewing something from a very exciting new collection from Bluebella MORE range. The MORE by Bluebella is a collection for us fashion-forward full-busted ladies and it now starts with 30 bands as well! The range is still only up G-cup though, so I needed to cheat with  the sizing this time as well – don’t judge me! However, let’s keep buying and wearing MORE, and maybe in the future we’ll get those H-cups 😉 *Disclosure: This set was provided me free of charge by Bluebella. All opinions are my own!*

The Design: Picking something from the Bluebella MORE ss18 collection was a hard task – there were so many things I was intrigued by, I really wanted to have it all. This is rare these days, as I am a picky lingerie consumer and hardly find myself getting so excited over a whole collection.

I usually pick something non-padded as it is more wearable to me, but having tried some non-padded MORE lingerie already, I went for the padded half-cup shaped Calypso. Take note: this was never supposed to be even remotely everyday-wearable to me, but something more to wear in the boudoir or maybe on stage. Thus I was not too fussed about the fit or shape of this bra.

I like how low cut the bra is, as most bras in my size range tend to go higher up my chest. I like having options so thumbs up for the low-coverage, definitely! The one thing that really drew me in with this set was the harness-brief though and the beautiful thick lace decorations of the set. The adornments really make a statement and the aesthetics are both strong yet romantic at the same time. Also, I am always a sucker for the combo of cream and black.

Fit: As the MORE range goes up G-cup, I had little choice with the size of the bra – either I was going to compromise on the band being too loose or the cup being too small. I absolutely HATE too loose bands, so I decided that for a boudoir bra it wouldn’t hurt to wear it in a slightly too small cup size. BUT… As you can see, the cups are not slightly too small 😀 In theory the cups should be only a cup size too small for me, but as this bra runs both small and shallow in the cup, it seems like I would need two cup sizes more to have all my breast tissue lie nicely in the cups. Overall, I would advice to go up a cup size in this bra, if you can. The band is on the snug side, so if you find yourself between sizes, do go up a band as well.

Frankly me and the bra weren’t a great match shape-wise either as I need narrower wires and deeper cups. It’s really the same issue as with most Curvy Kate padded balconettes. However, this does not stop me from wearing such styles from time to time – it’s not meant to be the most practical bra so let’s not expect a perfect fit from it either. Also, the fact that it doesn’t suit me does not mean it won’t suit anyone. I can think of a number of people this would be pretty much perfect on (I am looking at you, Miss R!). Also the shape of the bra is quite nice – it’s not square-y like some half-cups in D+ sizes and I think in a better size the construction of the bra would be highlighted much better.

Comfort: As the bra is a wrong size for me, I haven’t worn it out much so it’s a bit hard to say whether it’s super comfy or not. Only time would tell that and I cannot really wear a bra two cup sizes too small several hours in public – anyone my size would know the experience is awkward and uncomfortable. Based on the feel of the garment and the materials I would say the bra is a rather comfy one – the elastic parts are sturdy and wide, the band has three hooks and eyes, and both the inner and the outer materials are nice to touch.

When it comes to the bottoms of the set, I tried a couple of sizes but unfortunately neither of them fitted me at all. I got a size 12 and 14, but for my body type (hourglass with a bit of tummy), this panty did not feel comfortable or flattering on. I reeeeally wanted it to work and was conflicted to whether review the panties at all, but I think you should be always aware of what you are buying so there won’t be any disappointments. What didn’t work for me were the strappy parts of the panties – they are not elastic at all and thus won’t conform to my body the way I would have liked them to.

I have seen bloggers wearing the panty successfully (here some pics on the lovely Charlie of Big Cup Lil Cup) but they have a slimmer body than mine with a flat tummy. I know some people don’t mind if their pants create more curves but at this point, I am not that comfortable with extra tummy rolls which the straps create by digging into my skin. This was not corrected by a bigger size as the size 14 was otherwise too big for me (the crotch area bunched up significantly) but the straps still dug in. What I think I’m going to do is to sew a loop on some other black knickers, so I can wear the beautiful harness with another panty (luckily the harness is detachable!).

Thank you for reading the review and let me know what you think of the new Bluebella MORE offering, which can be found here! The Calypso bra (UK 30-38 DD-G) costs an affordable £38 and the harness panty (UK 8-18) sets you back at £24.

Happy Easter everyone!

 

Lingerie Review: Freya “Fancies” Bralette

How are all my lingerie enthusiasts doing? I started my new year with a mild flu and I am already dying of boredom – I want to go out and do stuff like hit the gym and go to burlesque practices! Now that I am staying inside for a while, I might just blog. I am actually quite excited for year 2018 when it comes to basically… everything! That means blogging as well. I am just a bit afraid that people are not interested in my blog anymore – I do hope there are some of you left there! At least most my subscribers are patiently waiting for my posts as I don’t think many have unsubscribed yet. Thank you a thousand times for that!

Today I am bringing you some new year loungewear/ bralette action. We all know the hot potato in the full-bust world has been the praised bralette trend that most of us cannot really take part in – bralettes are traditionally geared towards more small-busted people and thus the breezy light undergarments are something we don’t really have access to. However, over the past year or so a few brands have come up with bralettes that actually work for more full-busted women as well! The first bralette I got to try was the Freya “Fancies” collection bralette. Cha at Large Cup Lingerie heard about my interest to try a good full-bust bralette and offered to send me a couple to try. I was super excited and here are the results…

The Design: The Freya “Fancies” bralette comes in many different colourways, the newest one being the adorable Orchid colour which is very vibrant in flesh. I got to try the red and turquoise bralettes in sizes Small and Medium and kept the red Medium one for myself in the end. The Small turquoise bralette is with my friend Eeva and she thoroughly enjoys it as a UK size 30F/32E in regular bras. The Fancies bralette is available both in brights and in neutrals, so if you like a more toned-down shade such as black or navy, Large Cup Lingerie and Freya have you covered.

The bralette comes in regular dress sizes XS-XL and is supposed to fit a plethora of cup sizes. The bralette is a pull-over style which means it is not fastened at the back – this can be a tricky design decision for us small-band-big-cup needing women, but the materials are quite stretchy and thus the pull-over feature is not too bothersome. The bralette is made out of firm lined mesh and stretchier lace and the straps are pretty similar to a regular bra, just narrower than regular Freya bras would have in big cup sizes. The straps are fully-adjustable which means the style will suit both shorter and taller women alike.

The look of the bralette is quite simple but I like the simplicity with the fun colourways. I would love to see some prints, and different types and colours of laces though! Compared to other full-bust bralettes, I think the Fancies bralette is actually rather sexy which is always an upside for me.

The Fit: I wear bras in a range of 30-32 GG-HH at the moment so I have a big bust and still quite a small band size. I know a friend of mine who wears 2-3 bigger cup sizes than me and she wears a Large in the bralette, so I pretty much knew the Medium would fit me. However, Cha was so kind to send me both Small and Medium so I could compare them to each other.

The size Small was pretty good in the band (not tight whatsoever) but the “cups” were at least a couple of sizes too small. I would say the size Small bralette would best fit someone with a 30-32 band and cup sizes DD-FF, maybe G. The Medium is a bit of a reach with my usually 32GG bust, so I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone with a bigger bust than mine. If I could put together size Small’s band section and size Large’s cup section, that would probably be the ideal fit for me. However, the Medium is definitely not bad and I literally wear the heck out of this thing almost everyday (I need more of these…)!

I would like to remind everyone that this is a bralette, NOT a bra that lifts and supports your throughout a long day at work. My breasts are rather self-supporting, so I don’t feel like I need more support when lounging around at home. However, if your breasts are soft and bigger than mine, I wouldn’t expect too much of this bralette – it truly is only something to keep the boob sweat at a bay and make you a bit more comfortable at home than your average bra.

Comfort: Yes, it is the most comfortable thing I have put on my boobs in a while! Of course – it is a rather well-fitting full-bust appropriate bralette after all. The materials are fine on my skin but if I was completely honest, I would rather have a cotton lining inside the bra than the same mesh as on the outside. I think the mesh has been an aesthetic choice mostly, as it gives the bralette a more sheer sexy look to it.

The Fancies bralette is very stretchy and I like the slightly taller band that lies nicely on the ribcage rather than distributing the weight of my chest only directly under my bust. I have protruding ribcage which means my upper ribs stick out a bit more than usual, so I love the stretchy lace longline that works well with both bones sticking out and bloating that comes with the unfortunate IBS I suspect having.

All in all, I am super pleased with the Freya Fancies bralette and am planning to get a few more in the future, so this one won’t be in the wash all the time 😉 Head over to Large Cup Lingerie and check out their impressive selection of colours! The bralette costs a very affordable £20 and you can also buy a pair of matching panties from the Freya Fancies collection for the price of £14.

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. 

Lingerie Review: Tutti Rouge “Sukki” in 32GG

Hi lovely readers! Yes it’s me, I’m alive. No, I haven’t stopped blogging. And I won’t! From this on however, I will be blogging when I actually feel like it, not just because I have to. I have been having a bit of existential crises with a lot of things, the blog included, and have resorted to a decision that things need to happen on my terms from now on. I cannot promise any particular publishing dates to brands anymore as there are far too many things happening in my life right now. But brands are like friends – you know the good ones stick around even when times get rough.

Today I am reviewing the lovely Sukki set from the ever-so-sweet Tutti Rouge. They were gracious to gift me a set a few months ago and I have now tested it many times and have a conclusion for you, finally… Let’s jump onto the review!

The Design: The Sukki style is a namesake to a burlesque diva and a pinup model Sukki Singapora. She is a stunner and her style is very fierce, reminiscing of the likes of Bettie Page – thus the styling of my photos as well! The strappy design originates to the classic Marlies Dekkers bras but yet is not a blunt copy, the straps and the whole style is done “the Tutti way”. However, I do feel this is a sexier style compared to Tutti Rouge’s previous designs and am happy to see them offering something sultry and even racy alongside the cutesy ruffly things.

The style of the bra is a padded balconette with a three-piece cut-and-sew construction. This is amazing, as most molded bras don’t fit me very well. The decorative straps are optional: you can wear the bra without them but I sure as hell don’t – they are gorgeous! My only gripe with the decorative straps is that they are a tiny bit loose on me and even though they are meant to be fastened to the inner circle of the strap “ring”, I wear the hooks on the outer circle to keep them as tight as I can. Otherwise unfortunately, they will detach on themselves.

The pattern of the overlay “mesh” is lovely and simple and I like the styling of the bra general. The balconette shape is very open at the top, so this bra will definitely suit girls with more breast tissue on the top part of their breasts.

The Fit: I am quite impressed with the fit part of this bra! Tutti Rouge has been a bit of a hit and miss for me in the past but I think that they are finally getting it all together and the sizes have been more standard compared to the bigger UK brands such as Panache and Curvy Kate. I am wearing a 32GG in Sukki and it’s a pretty much perfect fit for me. As you can see, the bra is gaping just a tiny bit on my smaller boob but this is expected, as it’s a padded bra and thus does not conform to my shape like an unpadded bra would. But as you know, you always buy a bra with your bigger boob in mind 😉

The bra band is nice and wide and I like that it is a bit on the snugger side of 32, as I am still between sizes 30 and 32. With Tutti Rouge in general, I usually go for 32 these days. The Jessica is on the looser side for me in that band but I do prefer some breathing room as I swell up a bit during the day usually (thanks, IBS!). The cups are pretty deep for a UK brand bra, which is impressive and I don’t get any obvious collapsing at the bottom of the cup. The wire also meets my breast root nicely and is not as wide as with some of the TR bras I have tried in the past (mainly some versions of the Betty and Rosie). The straps are fully adjustable and are adjusted at the front, which I think is a cute little touch as the adjustable hearts are more visible this way.

Comfort: The Sukki bra is a very comfortable bra for a padded one – as you know, I prefer my bras without any padding, but when I do wear padded bras (mainly when I do burlesque) I like them to be softly padded, with good construction and a great shape. This one ticks all the boxes and it has all its fit aspects on point – no need to compromise on style either!

The bottoms are quite comfy as well – I might go as far as to tell you, they are one of my favourite panties when it comes to low-rise ones. The rise is comfy and flattering on my body and there is plenty of room for a bigger butt at the back. I wear a size Medium in these and I would say I could even go down for a Small. To be honest, I may be between sizes as per usual! However, I am pretty content with the Medium and they are so comfy I can even work out in them. Great plus for me, as I work out 5 times a week these days!

If you would like to give these a try, the Sukki set is sold on the Tutti Rouge website for £39.50 for the bra and brazilian panty for a £15.50. This set also comes with a high-waisted brief option so if you are about that vintage life, knock yourself out! The sizes for the bra are 28-38 D-HH, so plenty to choose from there.

Lingerie Review: Tutti Rouge “Jessica” in 32GG

When Tutti Rouge first came out with their Jessica set, I was super excited to get my paws on the style – who could resist something as versatile as a non-padded bra with removable cookies?! It took a bit of time from me to finally lay my hands on this product, but as I finally did, I was so happy but not for the reasons I was suspecting. Here are my thoughts on this probably world’s first non-padded bra with not one but two different sizes of boosters!

From top to bottom: Jessica with Tutti Super Booster, Tutti Booster and without boosters 

The Design: The Jessica comes in three different colourways at the moment – the black and cream option which I am wearing in the pics but also in ivory (excellent option for brides!) and orange-y red. I like each and every colourway but for autumn, the black one is very classic and appropriate. The look of the Jessica is quite sexy yet playful: it features a lovely stretchy lace overlay, some ribbon over the wires and a tiny rose at the centre gore. Tutti Rouge is famous for their smallest adorable details that they put in every single of their styles. The shape of the bra is a balconette plunge in my opinion and I love how low-coverage it is as this feature in particular makes it so practical for me personally. The cups are constructed of three pieces with one vertical and one horizontal seam and the upper panel of the cups is quite stretchy to accommodate my some fuller breast tissue at the top of one’s breasts.

The thing that did not work for me with this bra were the Tutti Boosters. They come in two sizes, one with a pocket to insert the other one if needed/wanted. I don’t want a lot of cleavage most of the time, but when I do, I would have thought that this style would be a good option. However, it seems we are not very compatible with the bra in that department – the Boosters seemed to just widen my boobs and make them look pointy which is not something I find particularly attractive! I think this might be a compatibility issue as I have seen some other bloggers rocking their boosted Jessica bra. When I wear this bra, it is always without the boosters and that way, it is almost perfect in every way!

The Fit: I shall be reviewing the Jessica bra without further notes on the boosters, as with them the bra did not fit nor look that good on me. As a regular non-padded bra it is a whole another story though! I have been wearing this bra constantly for so many reasons: it is lightweight, flexible if I feel bloated, the wires sit on me at the right spot and both the cups and the band are spot on. It also goes under even my trickiest necklines, eg the Pinup Girl Clothing “Birdie” dress.

I went with the 32GG with the bra as Tutti Rouge bands tend to run a bit on the snugger side (I would say they are rather comparable to Cleo) and I like my bands comfortable because of my skin issues. This was the right choice – I can comfortably wear the band in the loosest set of hooks and it still feels supportive enough.

Overall the bra is not the sturdiest I have tried but then again, not all bras are meant to be. Sometimes we just want the best comfort and only a subtle lift to our bustline and especially when I was working with kids, this bra was a holy grail status product for me. The one thing I have to say is that the cups run on the generous side a bit when worn without the boosters, as TR has clearly added some space to the bra for them. This suits me fine and I can’t see the bra gaping but it does effect the “pull” the bra gives to your bust.

Comfort: This bra is a winner for its comfortable materials, flexible wires and a lightweight feel. I would say it’s especially practical for those who fluctuate in size during their cycle or suffer from bloating like I do (go to hell, IBS..). The straps are fully adjustable, meaning the bra will suit more tall and petite girls as well – however, the straps are placed a tiny bit too widely for my liking, even though I haven’t had to pull them up too much during wear.

The panties were a bit of a disappointment – it is truly sad as for the most part, I have always enjoyed Tutti Rouge regular briefs and shorts! As I saw them first I was thrilled as they were so pretty and in size Medium, they should have definitely fitted me. And they kinda did, but they are just so non-stretchy that I can’t really wear them without discomfort, especially while sitting down. I don’t know what has happened with the panties in the recent TR collection – the elastics are not elastic enough and the mesh part is just way to rigid. I would say that if you are more flat-bottomed than I am, you could possibly wear these even just for bedroom, but for my booty, they were a no-no.

Even though the knickers were not a hit with my body, I really did enjoy the bra and think it’s worth the £38 price tag. If you want something cute and low-cut with stretchy materials, this bra is for you! The size range is pretty admirable too: the bra comes in 28-38 D-HH and the panties in XS-XXL.

Bespoke Corsetry: Review of Vollers Made-to-Measure Corset

There is nothing like getting a lingerie item made to your own specific measurements: it feels like the ultimate luxury, having something so close to your body fit like a dream. So you can imagine my delight when the legendary Vollers Corset Company contacted me and asked if I wanted to review a corset from their selection. Of course I did! Knowing I wouldn’t fit into the measurements of their regular overbust corsets, we immediately decided to have a corset made to my measurements specifically. I was over the moon! After a couple of weeks of making my corset and sending it to me in a lovely luxurious wrapping, I finally placed my paws on this beautiful garment. As corsets take time to test, I have owned this piece for a few months now but I hope I can be a bit more thorough with my review because of that.

The Design: I wished for something similar to the Eye Candy corset as it was a classic sweetheart neckline with a Jessica Rabbit-ish look to it! I had seen a couple of other bloggers wearing similar styles and had fallen head over heels in love with it. I also really wanted an overbust corset, as that was something quite impossible for me when buying corsets off-the-rack – so it was kind of a once-in-a-lifetime kind of opportunity. I would say that the Eye Candy style is more of a quarter-bust style as it does NOT cover even half of my bust. I know my bust is quite big to be contained in an overbust corset, but it is also a matter of breast shape; my bust has a lot of fullness on the top part of it (ie above the areola) which means there will be naturally more overflow with these sort of corset styles.

I had no idea what colour my corset would be, but I wished for something golden, as I thought is was a great colour for both spring and autumn and would fit perfectly under a little black or red dress during the Christmas party season. The Vollers team decided to make my wish come true and paired the gold with a classic black. The laces are black to be as modest as possible and the golden grommets are carefully hidden with an extra fabric trim at the front. The curve of the corset is quite impressive which is always a huge upside when it comes to corsets – however, if you want something extra curvy and decide to go for bespoke Vollers corset, I would advice you to give the design team a bit smaller waist measurement than you actually have. This will ensure you can tight-lace and even waist train in your corset and won’t have to change your corset size too soon.

The lower part of the corset is not my favourite style though – the rounded “hem” makes my belly look more rounded than it is and does not flatter my body type the best way. I would have probably needed something a bit more straight/horizontal line to fit my body – now the hem of the corset curves upwards at the sides which is not ideal on my body, as I would love some compression and definition especially on my upper hip/lower belly area.

The Fit: The corset I received features 16 steel bones, ten panels , a waist tape and five busk closures to close it at the front. As I knew better with this corset, it being my second, I knew that I had to close it at the front starting from the middle busk closures and then working my way up/down from there. This corset was a lot easier to close and open compared to the True Corset which I reviewed here – I think that might have had something to do with the Vollers corset being an inch or so bigger at the waist, which made it easier to loosen it up before trying to put it on. As this corset is made to my very own measurements, I could choose the size between regular corsets sizes 24 and 26, which made the waist size absolutely perfect for me. I only wear corsets for special occasions, so I won’t be closing the back anytime soon, but as this is the right size for me, I can still tighten the corset the way it won’t show any skin under the modesty panel.

My biggest gripe with this corset, as with the previous one from True Corset as well, is that  it is undoubtedly too short for me. I have an extremely long torso that would need a suuuuper longline-style corset, which the Vollers corset unfortunately is not. This is a preference thing though – some like their corsets short and sweet, whereas I like mine to go seamlessly across my whole upper body. I feel like the shortness of the corset is pushing my middle body fat towards my lower belly and thus creating more bulk there, which is not the most desirable affect, especially with wiggle-style dresses. Also, it gives me less boob coverage when being so short, as I can’t hike the corset up more and risking my lower body having even less coverage.

The first and foremost question we need to ask with this piece is however, does it support my boobs? Well, in short, it really does. If you scroll down to the last picture of this review, you can see me wearing the corset under my Collectif Dolores dress without a bra on. The corset gives me a very Marie Antoinette like shape – kind of like a shelf-boob – but there is no discomfort with the bust flopping around or moving painfully inside my dress. The cups are big enough to hold all the volume of my lower breasts and there are no unsightly bulges to make people guess I have crammed myself into a too-small OTR corset. It doesn’t flatten me out either but makes my waist and bust ratio look deliciously curvy.

These pics have been taken a few months apart – this means there may be some slight changes to my body and how the corset looks on it.

Comfort: This one is always a bit tricky for me when it comes to reviewing corsets – some people claim good corsets are never uncomfortable and you will be able to breathe pretty normally with one on. To be honest, this is not the case with me. Even with a bespoke corset, I have hard time wearing it for several hours as it constricts my breathing, movement and eating habits. Disclaimer: don’t eat a normal warm meal when wearing a corset! It will instantly make you feel sick and you will need to take your corset off, especially if you are a beginner. As someone who lost her corset virginity only a few months ago, I cannot say for sure if the comfiness aspect will improve over months of wear, but I am pretty sure me and corsets are not meant to be full-time lovers. I also think this is a lot due to my ribcage shape which is very protruding and thus fights the shape of the corset. However, bones are flexible and will get used to corseting over time.

The materials of my Vollers corset are definitely premium quality and feel good against a bare skin – I know you are supposed to wear a liner or a cami of some kind to prevent your corset from greasing and getting sweaty, but I don’t wear them for a full day ever, so I am not too concerned about that. With my Vollers corset, I can clearly see that the quality is overall supreme, and it is lovingly stitched to the very last detail to make its wearer feel extra special.

Overall, my experience with the Vollers bespoke service was excellent, even though I forgot to mention a few details that would have helped them to create an even better fitting garment for my body type per se. If you are looking to have something made just for you, make sure to tell them each detail that they would need to take into consideration when it comes to your corset. Bespoke corsets cost always a bit more than their OTR equivalents, so make sure that the makers have all the information they need – this will ensure that at the end, you will have a perfect luxury product for your special occasions.

If you are looking to invest in a reasonably priced, well-made made-to-measure or off-the-rack corset, I would be happy to recommend Vollers for both purposes and budgets. You can find their look book here and  get an idea what would suit your body the best way. To have a corset especially made for you, you can contact Vollers by email. However, they do offer most of their corsets in sizes 18″-38″ which is a very impressive size range on its own. Have you ever considered buying a bespoke corset? After this review, would you be tempted to? Let me know in the comments! xx

Lingerie Review: Avocado “RV Lorca” in 70H + GIVEAWAY WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Avocado is one of those brands that if you like the kind of classic European style lingerie with great materials and high quality, you are destined to find THE bra from their collection. Their e-shop is also full of different bra shapes that can be matched to pretty much any breast shape out there, no matter if your boobs are more full on top or bottom. Today I am introducing you to a fairly new style, RV as in Round Versatile, developed in the massive revision of all the Avocado patterns that took place about a year or so ago. I got my hands on a prototype of the model back then, but as it wasn’t the final product, we decided not to review it on the blog. Now, I am happy to tell you all the details, so keep reading! *This bra was generously provided by Avocado, all opinions are my own!*

The Design: The RV is supposed to be the style replacing the old A-shape, which was quite rounded, yet a bit flattening (which was something I actually liked about it!). This style on the other hand is meant to give more forward projection, which is something most full-bust ladies can appreciate. The straps are attached to the top part of the three-part constructed cups and the shape of the bra is a true balconette. In my opinion, this style really challenges the good old Panache “Jasmine” which is a cult favourite among bra bloggers and full-bust customers alike. If you are looking for the same projected yet rounded shape in a more luxe wrapping, I would definitely recommend Lorca in RV!

The Lorca style is absolutely beautiful and even though we are not in Xmas season yet (though it’s definitely autumn in Finland already) this is a piece I could see succeeding especially well later in the autumn as a festive piece under the LBD. It’s lightweight and looks gorgeous under tight-fitting dresses but also works as a wow-piece to wear in the boudoir. The delicate stretch lace with the hues of bluish grey finish off the set beautifully and make the set fit far better than it would have with more rigid embroidery.

The Fit: I know it’s a big promise to say this bra fits similarly to Jasmine, but it is the truth. Except for sizing, as that is again quite unique to Avocado and I would always suggest consulting their size chart to find out your perfect fit with them. I am wearing my regular Avocado size 70H in the pics and again, it was a good choice for me. I do have to say though that the band with Lorca seems more like a 65 band so it runs almost a size smaller than my other Avocado bands (or perhaps half a size). Do size up if you are between band sizes!

The cups are absolutely perfect for me size and depth-wise. They contain all my breast tissue but are also a tiny bit too wide and the underwire ends up too far in my armpit with the RV-shape. I have noticed a slight difference with Avocado’s wire width since the revision, and to be honest, I would personally prefer the older wires as they were the perfect fit for me. However, you can’t always have it all. The cups would probably fit both FOB and FOT breasts as the top part is made completely out of stretch lace, which accommodates a plethora of breast shapes and even a-symmetry.

Comfort: As the bra band is a tiny bit too tight for me, I am not sure whether it is quite fair to even review the bra’s comfort level. I would love to say it is absolutely heaven on me but you know how it is with too-tight bands – they try to strangle you and with a bra this beautiful you stay in that abusive relationship and keep wearing the set for pretty’s sake. As a result, you get a stabby centre gore and nasty red marks on your body (which are btw not always painful but in this case, you bet they are). However, the materials are heavenly and I really appreciate the stretch lace which always adds up to the comfort level of a bra. Just remember to go up a band size with this and you will fine, as it is a well-designed bra with fully adjustable straps and all.

The Lorca bra came with a classic brief in size Medium which was a bit too large on me even though I was recommended a Medium or even a Large in Avocado back in the day when I asked them about the fit of their panties. However, I have come to the conclusion that Small is a far better option for me with their bottoms as these sag a tiny bit at the front when I wear them. Other than that, the Lorca classic briefs are a very flattering style with the perfect rise for me personally (not as low as Cleo yet not that unflattering mid cookie pouch style). They are also made of the same comfortable high quality materials as the bra and contour perfectly to my curvy backside without any muffin top or cutting into my butt.

The Lorca set can be bought at the Avocado online shop, here. The bra comes in sizes 60-95 C-K and retails for 64,12 €. The classic briefs come in XS-XXL and set you back with 22,12 €. Avocado ships internationally so even if you are not Polish, you will have no problem getting your hands on their beautiful lingerie!

Now for the fun part! I have yet to announce the Curvy giveaway winners, so here they are. *drum roll*

The Australian winner of a set of their choice is… Kath!

The international winner of a set of their choice is… Victoria T.!

Congrats for both of you! The winners have been emailed and you have exactly one week to get back to me to claim your prize. I would like to thank everyone who took part in the giveaway and may the odds be ever in your favour, so maybe next time 😉 To conclude this post, I would like to ask a small favour from everyone who have read this far: would you mind liking THIS picture on Facebook and thus voting me as the next Miss Midnight Sun Pinup? This is my first pinup pageant and I am super nervous yet excited. If you would be so kind to cast me a vote, I would be more than grateful ❤ TIA!

Lingerie Review: Ewa Bien B132 “Fantasi” in 65E

In the full-bust industry you rarely bump into anything truly different – the last time that happened to me was when Playful Promises launched their D+ collection last winter. When Ewa Bien sent me their new SS16 catalog I was super excited for one style in particular – the Fantasi. Even though I could not wear any of their bras as I am just outside the size range, I knew I needed to see this beauty on someone – so I practically told Jo this is a set she needed to review, no discussion of it. Luckily, she agreed with me that this was something super unique and the whole thing was settled! Here’s how we liked the B132 Fantasi in Black… *Diclosure: This bra was generously provided by Ewa Bien. All opinions are our own!*

The Design: The B132 Fantasi is a soft non-padded balconette bra which is made out of a thin embroided fabric with a touch of heavy black strapping and piping. This cage-style bra shows under almost any top or a dress, so it is definitely not for the faint-hearted! The cups are also completely see-through which may be a downside for some – but then again, if you minded see-through cups, you probably wouldn’t be opting for this set anyways!

The cups of the soft balconette are constructed of two parts that connect with one vertical seam. This is very common structure in smaller sizes when it comes to balconette constructions but can also be made in bigger cups, like with this Avocado bra I recently reviewed. This style of balconette gives two cakes on a plate -style cleavage and leaves room for fuller breast tissue at the top. This style is a bit too open at the top for Jo, but it still looks fantastic, especially as a boudoir piece.

The Fit: We first requested the Fantasi in 65F just like with the other Ewa Bien bras we have reviewed so far. However, this one ran a whole cup size large, so we ended up swapping it for 65E which is a rough equivalent to 30DD in UK sizes. This is a size Jo wears with Gossard, so it’s safe to say you need to size down in the cups with this particular style. The shape of the cups is very open at the top too, which is not ideal for Jo’s full-on-bottom breasts and still leaves the cups gaping a bit. This bra is meant for more “night-out”  purposes, so this was not a huge issue, but if you are more FOB and looking for an everyday bra, you might want to skip the B132 shape altogether.

The bra band of the B132 Fantasi on the other hand was a bit firmer than with the previous Ewa Bien styles Jo tried. This was a positive surprise, as Jo is very petite and usually would require a 28-band instead of 30. However, it is still a bit loose on her and if there were an option of 28/60 band, she would definitely want to go for that. The wires of the B132 were quite perfect for Jo though, which makes this bra a better fit for her that it otherwise would be. There is also just the right amount of space at the bottom of the cups, so I would say this bra is perfect for those with a narrow-to-average breast root and breasts that are evenly full allover.

Comfort: As the B132 Fantasi is a completely see-through style with a thin yet sturdy cup material, it is an ideal bra for the hottest of summer months. The elastics that form the caging on the decolletage are very stretchy and move around easily with the body and the metal parts are high quality, so no itchiness there at all either. The straps are fully adjustable, which is always an upside especially if you have a longer or shorter than average torso length. As said before, the wires are also just the right length for Jo, which is always a big factor when it comes to your bra’s comfort level.

The bottoms are very innovative with a strappy kind of styling and a higher rise that reaches the middle of what we call the “cookie pouch”. I would have personally preferred them a bit higher if I was wearing them, but Jo really enjoyed them this way as well. All of the Ewa Bien panties we both have tried have come up quite small so that is something I would consider hard when opting for you panty size – especially with a style like this, which may create some bulges on the hips if you are wearing a too-small size. Jo is wearing a size Small in the pics and she usually goes for XS with most brands, so go at least a size up with the bottoms, if not two (especially with more rigid materials, such as rigid mesh). Overall the set is a comfortable and beautiful ensemble, which may not be your most practical for work etc, but suits perfectly your date nights, girls-nights-out and boudoir occasions.

The Fantasi set can be bought on Ewa Bien online store and the bra (sizes 65-80 B-G) will set you back at 199 pzl, the strappy bottoms (S-XL) retail for 105 pzl. In total it makes about 70€ which is a reasonable price for such a gorgeous set! What do you think of risque styles like this – see-through cups and all? Let me know in the comments! xx

Lingerie Review: Curvy Kate “Tease” Cami in 30H + GIVEAWAY

There are certain styles in the full-bust bra market that will always hold their place in my heart and one of them is the infamous Curvy Kate “Tease” ie the former Showgirl range style Tease Me. Tease Me in cherry/blush was my first extremely well-fitting bra and it made me feel fabulous as well – I had never felt so sexy as I felt in that set. All the ruffles and the delicious colour combo that was actually recently brought back by Curvy Kate, last season to be exact. With the Tease bra set, they also launched the Tease Cami which is lovely ruffly version of the classic romantic balconette style bra. Today I am teaming up with the folks of Curvy, an Australian D+ online retailer, who offered me to try the new Tease Cami in Berry/Black and have also promised to gift two of my lovely readers a set of their choice from the Curvy store selection. Here’s how I liked my old, renewed favourite!

Design: As always, the Tease design is absolutely beautiful and I love all the beautiful ruffles, embroidery and jewel-tone colour combos it comes in. The new cami version is cut open at the front in a way some Disney princesses have their skirts (hehe) and the edge of the hem is adorned with a flowy ruffle. I would perhaps prefer this style in a longer babydoll cut but I do like this one as well. Also the hem part could be a be a bit more voluminous to create more creases and thus be more covering. The colour combo of the new season Tease is quite dark for a summer season but it is created for “bedroom purposes”, so it fits the bill.

The style of the cups is a true padded balconette which is constructed of three pieces and two vertical seams. I have always liked this cup construction and it gives me the perfect Marie Antoinette sort of cleavage. The former Tease bras have been very open at the top making them perfect for FOT breasts but I can see a slight change in the pattern with this particular colourway – it’s a bit more closed at top, meaning it will suit more full-on-bottom shaped breasts now (with me, it seems to create a slight quadboob on my bigger breast).

Fit: I opted for size 30H with the Tease Cami as it is my regular Curvy Kate size – however, I do still have a ss14 Tease in my bradrobe which still fits me at 30GG. I have to report a few differences with these two products, so you can make the right choice with the Cami, if you are thinking of buying one! First of all, the band of the Cami is significantly smaller than the regular CK bands I have tried in the past. Even the Scantilly Peek-a-Boo which is a newer model from the CK sister range fits like all of my previous CK bras – so this is not something they have changed with all of their bras, I think it’s more of a one-off style that happens to run smaller ie more true-to-size in the band. Curvy Kate has been infamous for making quite stretchy bands so far, so all of you petite girls go and buy this beauty right now if you are a CK fan!

The cups are also quite a bit smaller than with most of my CK bras – which I own a plenty! Most of my Curvy Kate bras fit me perfectly in either 30GG or 30H, I would even go and say they are quite generous in cups these days. However, this time the cups proved to be quite small! I would even say they run a full cup size small, so definitely size up with these. If I had tried these in store, I would have loved to have tried a 30HH or a 32H, as I prefer my bands comfortable when lounging (as let’s be honest, this is not a bra for everyday wear at work). Also, as said above, the cups are quite a bit closed at top and the centre of cups is rather shallow, so people with less fullness on top and the centre might enjoy this style more than my boobs. The wires of the Tease are actually pretty decent on me and don’t reach far in my armpit like most of my non-padded CK bras.

Comfort: I believe I have said before here on 2COP that CK Tease has always been my go-to bra for comfort – its soft padding and stretchy band make it easy to wear even around house or being a bit more active than usual. As the Tease Cami provides a firmer bra band than usual, it’s not as comfortable as my Tease bra but still feels good on to wear for lounging purposes. I like this style more than the classic Ritzy babydoll as its wires sit on a better spot for me personally and thus they don’t poke me in the armpits.

What I really like about Curvy Kate is that they make their boudoir style pieces with the same comfort level as their regular everyday bras – who says you can’t be comfy when lounging around or getting frisky in the bedroom?! I refuse to compromise with my comfort level no matter the scenario, so I appreciate CK’s dedication to make all of their sets both beautiful and extremely comfortable.

If you would like to try the Curvy Kate Tease Cami (up to J-cup!) for yourself, the Curvy online store has it on sale for 72 AUD which is a great price. I also really appreciate Australian full-bust shops as they are working in an incredibly demanding field in their country – so show Curvy some love, will you! Curvy would also like to show their love to you and gift two lingerie sets for a raffle! Here comes the important rule: there is one raffle for international readers ie all of you and another for my Australian 2COP readers. 

Here’s a link to the international raffle: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b3aac76b17/?

And here to the Australian one: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b3aac76b18/?

The raffle is open from now on to 15th of July 0:00 GMT and the prize is subject to availability. If you win, you can choose any two piece lingerie set you wish, excluding Primadonna and Scantilly sets. Please complete the tasks in the Rafflecopter widget to gain as many entries as you can! There will be two mandatory entries: commenting on this blog post by answering a question stated in the widget (which set would you choose from Curvy’s selection?) and also by subscribing to Two Cakes on a Plate. Other entries are optional but will increase your chance to win! The winners will be contacted by me soon after the raffle and if the winner(s) fail to reply to my email after a week’s time, another winner will be drawn. Good luck everyone – get entering 😉

Lingerie Review: Ewa Bien “Ratri B230” in 65F

Summertime requires some pretty light-coloured lingerie – at least if you go by the spring trends which include pastels every single year. Even if you are not a fan of pastels with your outerwear, it is refreshing to revise your lingerie collection every now and then with pieces that are a bit different from your regular wardrobe. Today we are reviewing the Ewa Bien “Ratri” in B230 which is beautiful summer-appropriate set for any fair gal out there. *Disclosure: This set was gifted to Jo by Ewa Bien. All opinions are our own!*

Design: The Ratri B230 is described as a push-up balconette, which I think is a Ewa Bien’s description for a regular padded balconette with one vertical seam right in the middle of the cup. This construction can be hard to get right, but it seems that Polish lingerie brands are masters of it. To be honest though, the one vertical seam does not help a lot when it comes to bigger sizes, so at least two seams are needed to form a better shape with say, FF-G+ sizes. However, Jo is wearing a Polish 65F which is a 30E in UK sizes, which looks great with even just one seam. The shape is very rounded, not rectangular at all like some bras with the same construction. The coverage is quite low, which is great for more open necklines – the true balconette style also creates a perfect Marie Antoinette cleavage which is the doing of the amazing uplift the bra offers.

The styling of the set is lovely – it’s a creamy yellowish beige that looks beautiful against the Finnish skin tone. However, it is not fully beige so under the whitest thinnest fabrics it might still show through! The embroidery is very delicate and has a nice rococo vibe to it. The bottoms are actually really cute too – even though they are made with a very practical Brazilian cut, they still manage to look very girly while the detailing is absolutely on-point, to say the least.

The Fit: As you may have already deducted from the pics above, the B230 was not the best fit for Jo’s breast shape. This is not the fault of the bra, it just wasn’t meant to be! The B230 is a rather shallow and wide balconette shape for a Polish brand, but then again, Polish are famous for trying to cater for multiple breast shapes, even within one brand. Jo likes her bras quite like me; moderately deep and with average-width wires. This balconette shape reminds me more of the regular “British” shape of bras – a bit too shallow and wide for most breast shapes. However, let’s not forget that there are people who definitely need these kinds of bras, so there is a market there.

The sizing with the B230 Ratri was pretty much on par with most Ewa Bien bras, if not a little on the smaller side with the cups. I would perhaps suggest sizing up in the cup if you are between sizes! The 65-band was quite loose for Jo, but that is understandable as her underbust measures around 26″ (so she is better off with a 28/ 60 band with most brands). She is wearing the bra in the middle set of hooks meaning a 60 band would have been a better choice with this bra. Unfortunately, Ewa Bien does not offer 60 bands quite yet, but let’s hope that is something they will consider in the future!

Comfort: As the fit of the bra is not the best for Jo, nor is the comfort aspect of it either. This is something that we like to preach here at 2COP – the right size AND the right style are crucial to one’s comfort when it comes to bras, so something that does not fit your body, will not likely be as comfortable as a bra with eg the right length and height of underwires. With the B230 Ratri it appeared to be exactly the wires that were the problem for Jo: they were cut too high and shaped wider, which meant they wouldn’t sit at the right spot for her. Jo is tiny, so she needs her cup height pretty low near the armpits to avoid chafing and with this particular style, the wires and the cup edge were just too high for her body.

If I could think of someone who the B230 would be perfect for, I would probably say someone who wears a bigger band size and small to average cup size, and someone who has shallower breast shape with a wide breast root. This someone could perhaps be one of our own guest bloggers, Miss T. Even though this is a balconette shape which are usually very open at the top, this particular style is actually quite closed at top, which is why it does not require a lot of fullness at the top part of the breasts. What I think suits everyone with this bra though are the straps – they are fully adjustable and detachable meaning you can make them work for a variety of body shapes and heights.

As said before, the true highlight of the set are the panties though. They are beautifully made and look amazing on Jo – they are also quite practical and have a seamless look at the back, if you don’t mind the little bow. The lace on the legs is placed well with just the right width and also with the softest stretch lace material that will adjust to your body, no matter its shape.

If you think this set could work for you, please check out Ewa Bien’s online store to make a purchase with them. The B230 Ratri goes up to H-cup with the smaller band sizes, so it’s actually quite full-bust friendly unless you have crossed the FF+ barrier like myself. The bra sets you back at 159 zl and the Brazilian briefs at 89 zl.  If you are based in USA, the easiest way to order would probably be through Luxury Goddess, who offer a great selection of Polish brands for US customers. What do you think of the B230 Ratri? Let me know in the comments!