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

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

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

Plus Size Bra Review: Elomi ‘Renee’

Image courtesy of Elomi Lingerie

 

The Renee is available in sizes 34 G-JJ, 36-42 E-JJ, and 44 E-G for about $70.00 from various retailers

When I tried this bra, I ordered it in both a 38J and a 40J; I decided that the 40J was the best fit of the two I received.

I think I would have liked to see what a 40JJ did for my side fluff that seems to be a problem, however I did have empty space in the top of these cups and the problem would only have been exacerbated more with a bigger cup size.

Features: Fully adjustable straps, bows on straps and gore, 4 part cup construction, banded bra, floral print, 3 rows of 3 hook-and-eyes in the 40J and the 38J.

Fit: To me, this seemed like a whole lot of bra. However, I would say that the band of the Renee runs truer to size than most Elomi bras, as the band did not stretch as much as I would have expected. The straps are more centered on the cups (instead of more to the outside of the cups), and I think that this is why the bra cuts in so much in the arm area; I like a more wide set strap because I have fairly broad shoulders I guess, and this centered strap placement didn’t really appeal to me. Although, it was nice to have the weight of my breasts set differently on my body. As mentioned, there was some gaping at the top of the cup.

Support and Shape: The support in this bra was very secure, and the shape is what you can expect from Elomi’s banded bras (think the Libby as well).

Wire Height and Width: No complaints; the wires were comfortable under my arms, and were a good width for covering all of my side tissue.

Look and Feel: I was a little disappointed with this bra. The stock photo on the model makes the Renee look a little Victorian and sexy with the sheer upper panel of the bra. However, I think this must be a feature in the smaller cup sizes because the Renee in a 40J was fully lined, even in the top cup. To me, the bra looks a little less delicate. Also, the material used is similar to the material that Elomi uses for the Betty bras (starchy, less flexible, and heavy), and I think the material mutes the pretty flower print, making this bra look almost rather depressing.

Pros: Centered straps are great for people with narrow shoulders, the support is spot on, and the banded portion provides that bit of extra support.

Cons: The press photos are misleading in that the larger cup sizes are fully lined, and the material is (personally) not my favorite.

Overall Grade: A-

**I’m gearing up to celebrate the blog’s 1st anniversary, so please keep your eyes open for contest details in the next couple weeks! 🙂 ***

-Nicole

Plus Size Bra Review: Tutti Rouge ‘Liliana’

I know that there are tons of TR Liliana reviews out in the blog world right now, but none in my size range. And, I’ve seen the comments made that the bands are snug and the cups are small. So here I am to weigh in.

I ordered the Liliana from Bravissimo in a size 38J. As you’ll see in photos, the cups are definitely too small. But the bra is just so damn cute!

Features: Three part cup construction, lower half light padding, fully adjustable straps, lower center gore, gorgeous detailing

Fit: Obviously, the 38J is about 2-3 cup sizes too small for me, sizing me out of the range completely. I figured it would be a crap shoot for sizing, but I wanted to try it anyways. The straps were a good width for me, and contrary to what others have said, I feel like the 38 was spot on; not as tight as Panache bands and not as loose as Elomi or Freya, but just right (very Goldilocks and the three bears comfy). I am not filling out the bottom of the cups, meaning that they are quite shallow. This isn’t really a problem that I am used to having.

Support and Shape: From the front, this bra looks so nice…..and you can kind of see how it would give a really nice rounded shape from the side. The support is really, really great. The padding on the lower half provides a nice, comfortable level of support.

Wire Width and Height: Just spot on 🙂

Look and Feel: I mean….c’mon. How cute is this bra? And the materials are really, really nice.

Pros: Lower center gore, charming design, comfortable straps, wires, and cups….and literally the most comfortable bra I have *EVER* had on my body

Cons: Cups are shallow; I would suggest going for your CK or Bravissimo size if you want to try this (versus say a Panache, Freya or Elomi size).

Other thoughts: I think that, if Tutti Rouge were to expand their size range, they would have a HUGE customer base because all of their styles are super cute and flirty/fun. The size range for the Liliana is DD-J, but I would say that a realistic representation of the size range of this bra is more like C-GG/H most likely. I have yet to see this fit anyone over an FF, and so I feel confident saying that this is not a viable option for ladies that are H+ in the cup range. Which is a shame because this bra is fabulous. It’s possible that others are finding the band to come up snug because they cannot swoop and scoop all of their tissue into the cups, but this is just speculation.

Overall Grade: B+ (A+ for style!)

OTHER REVIEWS OF THIS BRA:  Sophisticated Pair, Lingerie Lesbian, Sweet Nothings, Fuller Figure Fuller Bust, Busts 4 Justice,  and The Lingerie Addict

-Nicole

***Also, I have this bra, still with tags, and would like to sell it. So anyone in the 38GG/H/HH range that might be interested in it, please contact me using the form below 🙂 ***

Name(required)

Email(required)

Comment(required)

Submit

Δ

Plus Size Bra Review: Elomi ‘Rita’ Multi-way Bra

I tried this bra both in a 38J and in a 42HH (to account for there being no 40J)…..The bra reviewed here is a 42HH. The cups in the 38J were too small for me.

 

 

Features: 4-part cup construction, fully adjustable straps, 3 sets of 3 hooks and eyes, wide center gore, J-hook option for racerback, scalloped detail.

Fit: The cups in the 42HH are a smidge too big for me, which is better than being too small. Also, the band is too big on me, and this tends to ride up throughout the day. The gore does not sit all the way flat, mostly due to the cups being a bit too big and there not being enough tension on the wires.

Wire Height and Width: The wires are a normal width for Elomi bras, and a little bit higher than some of their other styles like the Abi or the Valentina.

Support and Shape: The support and shape of this bra is similar to what you can expect from Elomi bras; always more wide and less pronounced than other brands (like Panache or Ewa Michalak). The racerback option really gives great lift when you use it. I REALLY dislike the floppiness of Elomi’s bands; basically, the material for the band is really, really, really stretchy and even in a super snug or super big band size, their bands roll on my body. I need a firmer material (like with the Panache Sculptresse Bellise) that will tack to my squishy parts better. I literally have to have the band on this bra sit higher up on my back (away from my rolls) in order for it not to flip as bad.

Look and Feel: The materials are soooooo soft and cozy. I love the scalloped detail as it makes this bra flirty and fun.

Pros: Racerback option, color (hello PINK!!), style

Cons: The material is so loose and stretchy that it wrinkles a lot. The straps are fairly stretchy and long, which is different for Elomi.

Final Thoughts: I wear this at work a lot because it’s comfortable for a long day moving around. I will note that while the racerback gives a lot of support, I would recommend finding a good spot for your J-hook connection (it is adjustable), because if it is in the wrong place, it can put all of the weight of your breasts on your neck.

Overall Grade: B+

This bra is currently on offer at Nordstrom in limited sizes for about $40.00.

-Nicole

Plus Size Bra Review: Bravissimo Betsy Bow

I tried the Betsy Bow bra from Bravissimo in a 38JJ and in a 38K; The 38JJ was too small in the cups. Here are the photos of the 38K

 

 

Features: Fully adjustable straps, 3 part cup construction, bows on straps and gore, 3 sets of 3 hooks and eyes in a 38K, wide wires, low under arm

Fit: The fit in the 38K was actually perfect. The gore laid flat, the cups were smooth and did not cut in, and I filled out the bottom fairly well. I was really happy that Bravissimo’s wires worked so well for my shape. The band in the 38 was comfortable and was supportive.

Support and Shape: The shape in the Betsy Bow is very up front, swooped up looking, with quite a bit of projection. Overall, I returned this because I was not a fan of the shape. Also, because this is a 3-part cup construction with low wires on the side, my migrated tissue would not stay put. I really need a 4-part cup construction with side slings or at the very least with taller wires on the sides. The straps were really quite stretchy, which I was surprised about.

Look and Feel: The bra itself is quite adorable. I love the bright magenta in contrast to the shell color of the bra. The materials were soft; the lower part of the cup was a sturdy material that provided more support. The upper cup does not have any stretch at all, so if you are full on top, you will probably want to size up.

Other thoughts: Overall, I was really surprised by how small Bravissimo’s bras run in the cup. I also tried the Darling Heart (which I will review soon) and it was too small in a 38K. I thought that Curvy Kate won first place in small cups, but Bravissimo is taking 1st place. If you want to try this, I would suggest sizing up 1-2 cup sizes from your “normal” size (i.e. Panache size).

Overall Grade: B+ 

-Nicole

Plus Size Bra Review: Ewa Michalak ‘Pl Burgund’

The PL Burgund is not available anymore on EM’s site, but this was a bra that I had received from Bra Nightmares to try, as part of my first attempt with EM’s bras. This is the PL Burgund in a 42J (95J)

My photos:

The PL Burgund OVER the stalowka 

The PL burgund on its own

Burgund over the Stalowka

 

The photos for this review are a bit different because of all of the fit issues that I had with the Burgund.

Measurements of the Burgund:

• Flat band: 33″
• Stretched band: 41″
• Cup Depth: 15.5″
• Cup Width: 9.25″ 
• Gore height: 4.5″
• Wing Height: 5.25″
• Wire length: 14.5″ 

Features: Fully adjustable straps, NO padded inserts, bow on center gore, four rows of three hooks and eyes

Fit: I don’t know where to start. It really just didn’t fit, and I think the pictures show that quite well.

Support and Shape: The straps were really stretchy, and I think the cups were made badly. They did not support the weight of my boobs at all. When I layered this bra with my PL Stalowka (40J), the shape was so much better.

Other Thoughts: I did end up selling this bra. It went to a good home. I did like that there were four rows of hooks and eyes, as opposed to the standard three as that was a first for me. However, I know that quite a few women found this bra to be a miss, so no surprise there.

Overall Grade: D-

 

Brief Review: Ewa Michalak PL Carmen

 

 

The PL Carmen by Ewa Michalak is available in select sizes on the EM site, for about $35.

Because this bra is on offer with select sizes listed, I ordered this bra in a 38JJ. Obviously way tight for me, but I was able to try it on with an extender.

Here are the bratabase measurements for the PL Carmen in this size:

• Flat band: 28″
• Stretched band: 36″
• Cup Width: 8″
• Cup Depth: 15.25″
• Cup Separation: 0.5″
• Wire length: 14.5″
• Gore height: 4″
• Wing height:  5.5″

 

 

 

 

I did not keep this bra as it did not fit me. The center gore did not lie flat, and the band was too snug. I loved the look and feel of this bra, but the fit was just so off for me.

I’m not going to write up the full review that I normally do for bras simply because this did not fit, but take note of the following reviews that other bloggers have written (whom also loved this bra!)…

• Curvy Wordy
• The Full Figured Chest 
• Bras and Body Image