Plus Size Bra Review: ‘PL Gazeta’ by Ewa Michalak Revisited

While I never completely reviewed the PL Gazeta that I ordered months ago, I briefly mentioned it in my insider tips post. I never reviewed it because I found it unwearable. The wires were very flimsy, the depth was off, and the band was insanely tight. Ewa herself saw the post, and when I placed my most recent order, she offered to remake the bra for me with better underwires. While I did not pay for this bra, all opinions are my own.

Image courtesy of Ewa Michalak. This is the CHP style, available in various sizes. You can custom order this in other sizes and styles at EM’s discretion for an additional charge.

The remade PL Gazeta that I special ordered is a size 95JJ and this is the result…

Features: Half adjustable staps, 3 sets of 3 hooks-and-eyes, PL shape, padded inserts for asymmetry, bow on gore, cute heart appliques on straps, at side, and on closures, narrow wires, lightly padded cups

Fit: The fit on the remade PL Gazeta is 10000000000 x better than the first one that I received (which I still have). The gore lifts ever so slightly, and there’s no way that this would fit with the pads in it. The band is still quite snug, but I’m sure it will loosen with wear. I find that I have to loosen the straps all the way in order for this bra to not feel like a straight jacket. It’s a tight puppy.

Support and Shape: The support is really nice and what I expect from the PL bras. The shape is good, with a lower apex than the S bras.

Look and Feel: I LOVE THIS PRINT SO MUCH. AND THE HEARTS. WHY DOESN’T EVERY BRA HAVE THESE HEARTS?! And oh, my cleavage looks amazing. That is all.

Other Thoughts: This is a much improved fit thanks to EM remaking the bra for me. I love the playful girlyness and print on this bra, and it’s so stunning to look at.

Overall Grade: B…it would be higher if the darn thing wasn’t so stinkin tight…. 

Other Reviews:

Cecily at Miss Underpinnings

Leah at Hourglassy

-Nicole

Plus Size Bra Review: ‘S Tęczowe Kfiaty’ by Ewa Michalak

As part of my recent EM order, I also picked up this gorgeous bra that I will simply refer to as S Rainbow Flowers in a size 95JJ. This bra is available from EM in various sizes up to a 95JJ for 149.00zł or about $49.50

 

 

 

 

 

Features: Half adjustable straps, 4 sets of 3 hooks-and-eyes, ribbon detail on gore, padded inserts for asymmetry, lightly padded cups, french leavers lace on cups and band, higher bridge for softer breasts

Fit: The fit on the S Rainbow Flowers is quite nice. I would say that the depth is a tad bit smaller than my recently reviewed S Porcelanka. In addition, the band on this bra is a bit firmer than the S Porcelanka, though not uncomfortable by any means. I wear this on the first set of hooks. The gore lays almost flat and floats just the teansiest at the very top of the gore. As with all EM bras, the wires are a bit narrow and low for me, but I am able to pull all of my breast tissue into the cups.

Support and Shape: Nicely lifted and shaped with a higher peak than the PL style.

Look and Feel: The lace on the band is kind of itchy, but other than that I have no complaints. When I first saw this bra I really did not think that I would like it. The colors are very bold, but I wanted to try this bra anyways. When I pulled it out of the box I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved the print. It’s really quite gorgeous. I also love that the print is carried on to the straps, as this adds a really nice touch to it. I also love the ribbon detail on the gore.

Other Thoughts: While I prefer the S Porcelanka to this bra, I really love this one too. It’s very secure and I like that the band is more firm as I will get more wear out of it. It’s a truly wonderful looking bra.

Overall Grade: A+ easily a staple in my bra wardrobe.

Other Reviews: 

Georgina at Fuller Figure Fuller Bust 90H

-Nicole

2014 Swimwear: Torrid Skirted One-Piece

 

 

 

Image Courtesy of Torrid….sorry for the size. Available in sizes 0-4 for $78.50

Well, it’s definitely that time of year again…..retailers are churning out their newest styles, colors and designs of swim suits to get you amped up for warmer weather. I’ll be honest….the ridiculous weather in Ohio is really starting to get to me. And any day that it’s 40 degrees feels like summer (that’s really how cold it has been here). As I write this post, there’s a winter storm warning (Titan, I am told), with the threat of schools being closed on Monday.

But I digress…. I’m always on the hunt for a good swim suit. When it comes to fit in the boob area, I am usually fairly lax with regard to swimming. As long as my nipples are covered and I have no fear of falling out, I don’t typically care how much cleavage there is. Also, I prefer one piece suits. This is a personal preference of mine. I also like skirted suits cause I am self conscious of my tummy and can hide it this way…

So imagine my sheer joy when I saw Torrid’s latest swim suit a week ago….(pictured above). While I wasn’t thrilled about the price, I loved the color and the shape of the suit. I decided to order it and give it a try.

Cute? Check. Color? LOVE. Shape? Pretty good. Fit???? Wellll…..

I ordered this in a 3 which is Torrid’s equivalent of a 22/24, roughly. I find that I currently wear about a 20 in Torrid’s jeans, and typically a 2 in their tops. My intention in ordering the 3 was so that I would have more boob room. Well…..when I went to put this suit on I was super surprised. Now, I know that this suit is specifically marketed as a hip concealer….but how can it conceal them if it’s impossible to get on? I really struggled to get this suit up over my hips, and the top only stayed up once I put the straps on (the straps are completely detachable). Not a good sign.

Also…the other fit problem….

Now I don’t consider myself to be tall, but if I remember anything from always having my measurements taken for ballet back in the day, I have a longer-ish torso. The problem with this suit is that it is too short in the torso area. In this photo, I simply took a wide step to the side and lifted up the skirt. You could clearly see my underroos. Now, if I didn’t have underroos on, this photo would be downright indecent for public swim time. Unfortunately, this makes the suit completely unwearable for me and I will be returning it. Remember, I’m only 5’4″, so this is pretty bad!

I also found that the straps very easily came unhooked (as you can see in the photos), which would be a problem for active swimming.

Pros: Color, shape, skirted silhouette

Cons: Length of torso, runs small, straps come easily unhooked

-Nicole

BONUS photo….a nod to Zoe over at Weirdly Shaped’s post about thinspo photos....

My thigh gap 🙂

Plus Size Bra Review: ‘S Porcelanka’ by Ewa Michalak

Photo courtesy of Ewa Michalak

The S Porcelanka is available in various sizes, up to a 95JJ. Price is 149.00zł, which is about $49.50

I purchased the S Porcelanka in a 95JJ (42JJ) as part of a recent order, and an attempt to discover if any of the other EM models will work better for me. I went into the order fully disclosing my identity (after my most recent problems with delivery of an order). When I made note of who I was, EM offered to send me a replacement PL Gazeta which I will revisit in a later post. Anyways, I paid for this bra 🙂

Features: Half adjustable straps, four sets of 3 hooks-and-eyes, narrow wires, higher bridge for – as EM calls it – “difficult breasts” – sweet crystal on the gore, lightly padded construction. This does NOT have inserts for asymmetry.

Fit: This is probably the best fit I have ever had in an EM bra; honestly. The wires are a tad narrow and low for me, BUT because the cups are deeper and the gore/bridge is higher, I am more covered and locked in. I have worn this bra to work (WHAT?!) and have not had to adjust at all throughout an 8 hour day of teaching/sitting/wrestling children. I would say that the band is big, but I need to take that with a grain of salt. I haven’t taken my measurements lately, but I have lost 16 pounds and have been working out quite regularly, thus changing the fit of a lot of my bras. Anyways, I’ve found that I can already wear this on the tightest hooks and HAVE to in order to keep the wires in place on my body. I will have to alter this and/or order a smaller size at some point. I would say that the band is comparable to the PL Charlie – which is slightly stretchy.

Support and Shape: The support is great; the wires are comfy once in place, and as with all EM bras, the support and shape can’t be beat. I find that I prefer the shape of the S bras to the PL just as a personal preference. It feels more lifted, with a higher apex than the PLs.

Look and Feel: I love this bra for its simple beauty. The accent on the gore is just enough to make it special, and the lace is nice too. It’s a nice basic bra that is super comfy.

Other Thoughts: This is the first time I have had problems with strap placement on an EM bra. I think a large part of this has to do with the band being too big for me. Sometimes when I wear this, the straps will flip because they are so close to my inner arm. Other than that, I don’t have any issues with this bra.

Overall Grade: A+ This is easily my most favorite, most wearable EM bra.

Other Reviews:

Izzy at Voluptuously Thin
Caroline at Curvy Wordy

-Nicole

Insider Tips for International Orders Series: Ewa Michalak

I believe in everyone being educated about the brands that they shop for. As we all know, bras are an investment. We are only willing to drop $40+ on something that we know will fit, when the benefits outweigh the risk. With this in mind I decided to start my latest series: Insider Tips for International Orders. In this series, I will compare various non-US businesses with regard to customer experience. I hope that this series helps you in navigating the world-wide web of bra ordering! 🙂 -Nicole 

 

So, before we get too deep into this post, I figure I should put up a sort of guidelines to determine what’s important to consider when choosing to order internationally:

• Item cost
• Delivery (shipping) cost
• Return policy
• Customer service
• Are there any hidden fees or taxes (i.e. customs fees)?
• Quality of product (make, fit, consistency)
• Customer feedback on products AND service
• Resale potential if unable to send back

The businesses I want to compare for this series are: Ewa Michalak, Comexim, What Katie Did, and Bravissimo. While I won’t be able to speak to each qualification that I’ve listed here for each business, I want to provide some information for my readers that is useful. To start off the series, I wanted to analyze Ewa Michalak’s customer service experience.

Ewa Michalak

We all know the bras by now (at least I think we do). Ewa Michalak is well known for their impressive size range, and padded bras that are unseen in US and UK markets. But other than pretty bras that we don’t see from US and UK retailers, what goes on under the surface of Ewa Michalak’s customer service practices? Let’s consider with the list….

• Item cost: Most of Ewa’s bras range from 119.00-169.00 zł which equates to $39-$55. This is fairly comparable to most US and UK companies and is what I consider to be actually on the lower range.
• Delivery cost: Delivery to the US is listed as 45.00 zł which equates to $15. I’ve paid similar shipping rates from Bravissimo.
• Return policy: Special orders are non-returnable; returns are accepted within 10 days of receipt of delivery and buyer must pay return shipping. Paying for return shipping is not unheard of, but the # of days to return is almost laughable as EM’s orders take anywhere from 2-4 weeks just to receive them.
• Customer service: Here is where things get a little dicey. I’ve heard a lot of good things, but I’ve also heard a lot of bad (I’ll include my own personal experience at the end of this post). The help team can be contacted through email. Barring time differences and language barriers, it’s somewhat of a toss up what you will get. Also, let’s not forget “Strapgate” and Ewa’s own attack on how US and UK bloggers are wearing her bras and the subsequent backlash. Ewa decided to get rid of 28 bands because she believed that customers were wearing her bras too tight….however, customer demand made the brand include 28 bands again. Also, they started to charge an extra 20 pln for any custom order (they did not use to do this, as late as December 2012). The brand also has a reputation for non-delivery on orders with them being sent back to Poland for whatever reason.
• Hidden taxes or fees: As an international customer, your only option for payment is PayPal. Ewa charges you a fee for this. Ewa also charges the EU based VAT tax (23%) on bras, shipping, and the PayPal fee -click on the photo below to enlarge it. I have never been charged customs fees to receive any EM order, so I’m not sure at what point the US will slap you with customs fees. Here’s the invoice for the PL Charlie that I ordered in Nov. 2013:

• Quality of Product: EM is notoriously known for fit and construction consistency issues. This is why so many international customers engage in bra fit support groups to try and determine what size they need to order from EM. Additionally, EM as a brand fits their customers somewhat differently to the way that many other people fit themselves, and as such there is confusion about size to begin with. Speaking from personal experience, I have ordered and received bras that were the same size and style, but fit vastly different and were made at a different level of quality….case in point:

This is the custom PL Gazeta (95J) I ordered and my PL Charlie (95J) together with the Charlie on top. The PL Gazeta’s wires are significantly wider, and the cups are shallower. In addition, the wires in the Gazeta are incredibly flimsy; I could bend them almost in half without worry of them snapping. Also, remember the fail that the PL Burgund was? 

Reality: I custom ordered a bra that I thought I would love, but due to consistency issues, the bra does not fit and is – what I feel unwearable – and also non-returnable. The PL Gazeta costed me $80 including shipping et al.

• Customer feedback on products AND service: Feedback on products is typically positive. If your boobs get on with the narrow wires and cup shape of EM, their bras are going to be really good for you. There’s always a lot of hype about the prints and designs that EM sends out, and there is a reason. Service, again, can be dicey. I’ve read many times complaints about the tone of emails which trends toward snarky, as well as an inconsistency with what is available for custom order and what is not (i.e. seeing that some products come in a certain size and then being told that you can’t order a similar item in that size). I have personally had both of these things happen to me – snark and confusion.
• Resale potential: As mentioned, custom orders are non-returnable…so what happens if your bra doesn’t fit? No worries! There is a lot of demand for EM bras, so resale potential is typically pretty high, specifically on eBay, Bratabase and the Clothes for Boobs Facebook group.

A special note about the VAT tax and paypal fees: 

I recently had a complete order sent back to Poland (you know, the order I was really looking forward to with the SM nana and the S grace???). I was told that in order to get my order in the US, I would have to pay for reshipment. Let’s get down to the nitty gritty here – I would have been willing to pay for reshipment of my order had I not already overpaid for my order. What I mean is that this specific order totaled up at 639.36 zł. ($210.49). Remember that EM charges the VAT tax  – 23% – on each item. Let me show you:

On this specific order, between the VAT tax on each item, plus the PayPal fee (including VAT tax), I paid an extra 142.32 zł, which is equal to $46.85….. And oh goodness, seeing that number makes my blood boil. Why does that number make my blood boil? Because the VAT tax is a tax on items purchased by members of the EU in the EU. Meaning that international businesses should not charge US or Non-EU customers the VAT tax. Now, I’m not sure what the statutes are about this, but it doesn’t sit well with me and many others because it appears to be downright shady.

Again, case in point:

Thanks to a fellow blogger for providing this example for me.

So take away information on this post:

• There are certain risks to ordering from Ewa Michalak (customer service, language barriers, custom fees, VAT tax, and the potential for your order to be sent back w/out you knowing)
• They have a limited return policy
• Bras are made with narrow wires and deep cups, so if this doesn’t suit your shape, you are taking a gamble
• Prices are comparable to British and US brands
• There is some inconsistency with quality and fit

 

What about you? What kind of experiences have you had in ordering from Ewa Michalak?

Plus Size Bra Review: Panache Sports Bra

**This bra was provided by Panache Lingerie for review purposes, in support of the 2014 Sports Campaign. This does not impact my opinion whatsoever**

 

Panache Sports Bra, available in continuity and fashion colors. Sizes 28 DD-H, 30 D-H, 32 C-H, 34-38 B-H, 40 D-GG for $68.00

This will be a quick review from the standpoint that this bra did not fit. As I do with all quick reviews, I’ll write my pros and cons, talk about the features of the bra and go from there. Unfortunately, I was not able to test out whether this bra lives up to all of the hype (reducing bounce, etc.), but I will write what I can.

The bra was provided to me in a 40GG as this is the biggest cup size that the bra comes in for a 40. As I’m wearing anywhere from a 40HH to a 40JJ at the moment, it’s easy to see why this did not fit. When contacted by Panache, I was told that this bra runs large in the cups, of which I would agree. But still not big enough.

Features: Padded straps and hook and eye closure, thick band with moisture wicking properties, lightly padded cups, racerback option, padded underwires, 3 sets of 3 hooks and eyes

Pros: Cups run big, band is thick and supportive, padded straps, racerback option, lift and shape is nice (versus other sports bras that can make you look uniboob or unsupported), and above all….very comfortable. Also, they have lots of different color combinations that range from classic to funky. I love it.

Cons: I would say “limited size range”, but the size range is really quite impressive. I’m just selfish in thinking that this bra should come up to a J cup at least because (1) I think Panache could do it, and (2) I desperately want to wear this bra every single day of my life. Other than that, I have no cons.

I really wish that this bra had fit me because it’s super, super comfortable, and I know that I could imagine myself wearing this bra all the time. In comparison to my Elomi Energise, this bra has very comfortable wires, band, etc. The Panache Sports bra goes above and beyond in the comfort department, and I think it makes it very wearable. If you blind folded me, put me in a closet, and told me to choose which of these bras I would want to wear to work out in, the Panache Sports bra would win. Hands down. Now I just need it two cup sizes bigger.

Keep in mind that I was not able to try this bra will doing any sort of exercising, so it’s possible that the pro and cons lists would have varied slightly had I been able to really put this bra to the test. However, if you’re looking for more information about how the bra holds up in a workout, check out any of the reviews listed below.

Other Panache Sport Reviews:
Brastop – compare and contrast post with various sizes featured
Bras I Hate & Love (30H in violet/fuchsia)
Bra Nightmares (40GG in pink)
Bravolution (28H in grey/purple, with comparison to Freya Moulded)
By Baby’s Rules (28GG in black, 28H in pink)
Fuller Figure Fuller Bust (32FF in grey/purple, guest review)
Full Figured Chest (34H)
Obsessed With Breasts (30H in black)
Petite & Plentiful (28E in grey/purple)
Pretty and Petite (28F in pink)
Sophisticated Pair (32E and 30H, both in white)
Stack DD+ (30H in violet/fuchsia)
Undercover Lingerista (28FF in violet/fuchsia, with comparison to Freya Active, Shock Absorber, and Pure Lime)
UndieGamer (28FF in grey/purple)
Venusian Glow (28DD in grey/purple & 28E in violet/fuchsia)
Voluptuously Thin (32GG in grey/purple)

-Nicole

Being Fat at the Gym, pt. 1

**Potential Trigger Warning: The word “FAT”, Workouts, Self-Esteem**

To provide a little background to this post, I joined a gym in May of 2012 – hurray for a 2 year pre-paid membership – and started working with a personal trainer in June of 2012. I worked with the trainer for 6 months until my sessions ran out, and I recently started working with the same trainer, privately. 

I’ve never considered myself to be athletic. In fact, I would describe myself as wholly un-atheletic. Not athletic in the least. And I was never athletic as a kid….not really, at least. I was in ballet for 12 years of my life, played soccer, and sometimes ran….but I stopped doing ballet when my instructor told me I was too fat to be in ballet (add that to the list of things that you should NEVER say to a 12 year old…), and started to focus more on music and academics.

In college, I made friends who were athletic, and I tried to be motivated. I think I thought that if I was around athletic people, their motivation would rub off and would in turn motivate me. Yeah, that’s not really the way that it works. I think I can count on two hands how many times I went to the gym during my 4 years of undergrad.

It wasn’t until I met my husband that I became conscious of my level of inactivity. He used to be overweight and had become quite the bit of a runner in the process of working off the weight. He actually had hit his lowest weight right around the time that we met (December 2009….god that’s forever ago!). He was and always has been loving and supportive of my own goals, and whether I want to be active or not. He never pushed me to become more active….but when I met him, I thought…. “You know. I don’t want to be fat anymore.”

After some failed attempts with Weight Watchers, counting calories, and just trying to be more active, we both gained 40 pounds leading up to our wedding in October 2011. I’m skipping a lot, I know, but I’m trying to get to the point here. I don’t know what it was….but I remember waking up one September morning and thinking “I need to go workout. I need to lose this weight. I am tired of being miserable.” That was when I had reached about 315 pounds, and it was a month before the wedding.

Joining a gym is hard. Besides the obvious reasons ($$$, time, travel), for a fat person, it can feel like being a fish out of water. The first time I hopped on the elliptical at the gym, I felt like everyone was looking at me, thinking “Why is she even trying?”….and maybe there were a few people thinking that. But I would guess that most people were more focused on their own workout and weren’t paying attention to me.

I think the hardest thing for me has been working out with my trainer. When I work with my trainer, I’m very exposed. When I workout on my own, I can go into the “cardio theater” and workout in the dark, where no one can see me. When I’m with my trainer, we are on the main floor of the gym, using various weight machines, and using mats in the middle of the floor for ab work and such.

During those times, I feel very exposed and self-conscious. After all, laying on the floor doing jackknife crunches highlights every single bit of fat that I have on my body. Nevermind that it’s one of the absolute best ab exercises you can do…. I just feel like a marshmallow that’s being squished together from both sides. And I’m usually laying on the floor right next to the doors for the women’s and men’s locker rooms. I feel like I should be saying “Oh. Don’t mind the fat girl on the floor covered in sweat and barely able to breathe!”

That’s probably really negative.

Being fat at the gym does not have to be a source of anxiety and stress. I mean, the reality is….you’re there to workout and to be healthy, right? Everyone has to start somewhere, and the fear of other’s perceptions isn’t going to help you do what you need to do while you’re there. The reality is that NO ONE looks attractive when they are working out (okay, well, maybe some people do, but let’s talk majority here…) and everyone has their own goals that they are working on.

What about you? How do you overcome self-esteem issues when trying to better yourself? Have you ever felt this way at the gym? Let me know in the comments! 

-Nicole

What’s in store for 2014?

As the blog ventures ever closer to its second birthday, I’ve been thinking a lot about where I want the blog to go, what I’ve done, etc. etc.

I started this blog in June 2012 to write about my experience of being a plus sized woman with large boobs. At the time, there was a fairly core group of bloggers that were fairly prominent in the community, and I felt as though my size range wasn’t being represented as much. And so I started the blog. It’s been a journey, I’ve “met” some incredible other bloggers, and I have been so happy to have the blog be an outlet for my own fit frustrations, to help other women with fit, and to think critically about social issues that impact me every day.

However, as we put our toes into the waters of 2014….where will the blog be going this year? I’ve thought for some time, at great length, about putting the blog to rest. Unfortunately it’s been something I haven’t been able to keep up with and I’ve felt a lot of guilt about that. What I think I need to do is to stop thinking of the blog as homework. I need to get it back to something I enjoy doing as a stress relief that I look forward. It has felt like somewhat of a burden at times, to maintain!

The reality of blogging is that we (when I say we, I mean most of us) bloggers do this for free. I don’t get paid by any company to review bras and I certainly don’t make any money off of anything on the blog. I very rarely get items sent to me to review. For this reason, it can be hard to maintain content. Limited funds + weight gain = variable bra sizes and an inability to purchase things to review. My husband and I are saving for a down payment on a house, so bra shopping hasn’t been a #1 priority. But I digress.

Making money off of the blog has never been a goal of mine, and I didn’t set out to start a blog purely for the freebies. If those were my goals, I would be sorely disappointed! Rather, I set out to blog because I felt – and still feel – that I have a worthwhile voice in the community. Admittedly, my views have changed significantly since starting the blog, and I have matured quite a bit with regard to my opinions, etc., so things have been different. But I am still a plus size, full busted woman who experiences fit issues on a daily basis.

So what’s in store for 2014? 

If you don’t know, Panache is sponsoring a fitness campaign for the beginning of 2014, of which both Amy and I have offered to participate, as well as a couple other bloggers. What will this entail?

• We will each review the Panache Sports Bra
• We will be creating workout motivation playlists on Spotify
• We’ll be pinning workout related things on Pinterest (speaking of…did you know we have a pinterest account for the blog?!)
• And I know at least I will be writing about my fitness escapades on the blog

More than anything else, we would love for our readers to get involved as well! Use #supporteverymove to share anything related on Facebook and Twitter and we will share as well 🙂  I’m pretty excited about this and I hope you lovely readers are too!

With all that being said, I wanted to let you all know that posts from me will be more personal and may not always have anything to do with lingerie. If this is not your cup of tea, I’m sorry. Use the search functions or our categorized lists to find what you are looking for and simply gloss over everything else. In order for me to reengage and find a happy place with the blog, I want to open myself up to talking about other topics (in the downtime when I have no money for bra purchasing). It could really be anything, but will very likely be related to fitness/healthy eating, lingerie, travel, etc. I will also be delving into more of my own self-esteem issues to try and face them head on and work on them this year. I will also put a trigger warning at the top of any of these types of posts so that you can decide ahead of time if you should read them.

As always, myself and Amy are ever so thankful for our lovely readers and we really would have no reason to keep the blog alive other than you guys! 

Happy New Year!

-Nicole

 

 

 

Plus Size Bra Review: Ewa Michalak ‘PL Charlie’

I have come out of blogging respite to bring you a review of one of my new favorite bras 🙂

I recently purchased and received one of Ewa Michalak’s AW bras, the PL Charlie

The PL Charlie is available up to a 42JJ for about $55 + shipping

On my first run, I ordered this bra in a 95J (42J). I have gained some weight as noted in a previous post, and the weight gain has impacted my band size and also my cup size. The Stalowka that I have in a 90J is okay in the band, but too small in the cups and I have not worn it in a long time.

Anyways, here’s the photos of this gorgeous piece of lingerie…

Sorry for the grainy quality; blogging for a year and a half and still taking selfies!

Features: Fully adjustable straps, four rows of three hooks and eyes, insertable cookies for extra padding or to correct asymmetry, button detailing where straps meet cups, big white ribbon bow on center gore, narrow wires

Fit: The gore is nice and flat in this size, and the cups contain all of my breast tissue. I emphasize the word breast tissue, because even in this new EM size that I am trying, I am still running into the problem of the wires being too narrow + too low for my armpit fat to be pulled into the cups. It’s not uncomfortable by any means, and my weight gain has resulted in quite a bit more armpit fat…BUT, the cups fit, and I don’t get any spillage of actual breast tissue. The band was immediately comfortable on first try on, and I do think that I will have to tighten up very early on into the life of this bra.

Support and Shape: As with any EM bras, I get a much more lifted and forward facing shape than I do with any other brand of bras that I wear (Curvy Kate, Elomi, etc.). The support of the PL is definitely more of a relaxed, jiggly cleavage kind of support though. It has its place. The shape is nice and rounded and lifted.

Look and Feel: Menswear inspired pieces are always a welcome change of pace to the normal florals and jewel tones that we see in most lingerie collections. I really love the print, and I really love the buttons and bows on this bra. It’s classy but sexy. The inside of the cups are lined with cotton, which I think is a nice touch.

Other thoughts: This is really nicely made. I love EM bras for their style, support and shape, but the caveat that I always have to cope with is the narrow wires (which I don’t need/want), as well as the limited functionality of these bras for me. I work with children, and this level of support/cleavage is not warranted nor is it comfortable for a long day at work. However, these bras are fantastic for dresses, sexy time, etc. I have a hard time spending $55 on a special occasion bra….but I do love this and it is worth it, at least to me. I do love that there are four rows of hooks and eyes, as I feel like I will get more life out of this bra as it is worn.

Overall Grade: A …. I would grade it an A+ except for my own quirks with the brand. 

Other Reviews of this Bra: Miss Underpinnings (65G) 

I did decide to order this bra in a 95JJ (42JJ) to see if I could tuck any more armpit chub into the cups…BUT I also started working with a personal trainer again, so I’m hoping that I don’t really need a 95JJ in the long run. I also have an SM Nana, S Grace, PL Gazeta (SQUEAL!), and the matching panties for the PL Charlie on their way, so expect reviews hopefully, fingers crossed, before the new year.

-Nicole

Corset Crazy

Last year, I had the chance to try a corset for the first time at the Ohio ren fest, and since then, I have really wanted to try a corset again and maybe make a purchase.

Fast forward to this year. I went to the ren fest a couple weeks ago and got to try this corset:

check out http://www.ren-fashions.com for similar corsets

 

I really loved the look of it, but I felt like it was a little too long for my torso (it was kind of sitting on my boobs), and I wanted more of a dramatic effect (and it was $325). I turned to my fellow boob bloggers and talked about different places to order corsets from and Caroline over at Curvy Wordy mentioned Orchard Corsets to me. I instantly fell in love with their selection and decided to try their longline under bust corset first.

 

with Elomi ‘Eva’ bra; Longline underbust corset, size 40 in Maroon; $74.00

 

With Parfait “Charlotte” review forthcoming…

I love the way that the hips are gored on this one, and it gives such a dramatic shape. Orchard Corset utilizes a 3 silhouette level to classify their corsets by the type of shape that they will give. This under bust is a level 3 to provide the most dramatic shape….and I think we can agree that it does! I love that it comes up high on the back, which smoothes everything out very nicely.

As much as I loved it, I wanted to make sure that one of the other styles wasn’t a better fit for me. The top of this corset ever so slightly dug into my boobs, so I wanted to try the regular length under bust corset

 

While this is the same shape and silhouette level as the longline under bust, I have to admit, I was rather underwhelmed by this corset. I’m not sure if it’s because it doesn’t come as far down on my hips or what, but I’m not in love with it. Also, because it is shorter length in the back, there’s a major back roll. No bueno. 

The next corset started as an experiment, at least in my mind. I wanted to try an over bust corset. Could an off the rack corset contain my sweater puppies?!

Over bust corset, size 40, in green satin

 

Swoon. I LOVE this color, and I love the shape. Are my boobs somewhat precariously placed in this corset? Yes. Do I care? Hell no. It is an amazing feeling to feel as though your boobs are floating. That’s what this feels like. The weight of my large breasts is taken on by the structured corset. Seriously. Best feeling ever. Also, it has a decent enough height in the back so that it isn’t cutting in to fleshy tissue. Just an FYI, Orchard Corset says that this will work for up to a DD cup. Well, my JJ cups are definitely pushing the barrier here.

Keep in mind that these corsets are done up by me and are on the first wear. You should always season a corset; meaning gradually get it used to your body before you lace it tightly on your body. As a corset molds to your body, you’ll be able to see more waist reduction.

Even though these aren’t seasoned, I am getting pretty good shaping in these corsets.

My real motivation behind wanting to get a wellfitting corset is so that I can do a steampunk costume for Halloween this year 😀 But anyways….overall, I highly recommend Orchard Corset for superb quality off the rack, steel boned corsets at an amazing price (they range from $59-99). Free shipping (that comes within two days of your order) tops off a great customer service experience. The only thing I don’t like? Having to pay return shipping. But they have a generous 30-day return policy, which I think is an important part of really figuring out which corset will work for you, especially because you may find that after your body gets used to the corset and vice versa, you may need to go down a size to get the best results. I am definitely returning the regular under bust corset – even though I love the color – and am going to ruminate about the other two as long as I can.

I’m not big on shapewear and would not wear a corset on a daily basis, but I think I am corset crazy. I’ve got the fever 🙂 Now to convince my husband that I need to keep two of these….

What about you? Have you tried a corset before? If not, do you ever think you would?