Panache Andorra Plunge Review (And Plunge Bra Musings)

I've had my ups and downs with plunge bras. And by that, I mean I've had a lot of downs with plunge bras. The shape of my boobs (full on top and fairly close-set) means that I constantly display 900% more cleavage in a plunge bra than I want to show. I always strive to strike a balance in between no cleavage and a level of cleavage that makes me feel a little overexposed. This photo from Bravissimo's website of the Fabulous Fuschia bikini shows approximately the cleavage level that I personally aim for:

Lovely cleavage!

I love the fact that this bikini top allows her to show this deep cleavage without requiring her to show a lot of the center or sides of her boobs as well. But displaying this subtle shadow of cleavage when you have a lot of upper volume can be a bit tricky. I find that wearing anything with a deep v-neck can lead to a situation in which I am literally showing over half the volume of my boobs in addition to just the cleavage that I'm aiming for.

A supportive plunge bra is really the answer to everyone's hopes and dreams on this front, because theoretically such a bra would dip down enough in the middle to get that shadow of cleavage, but rise high enough to cover enough boob volume to still reign in the girls and give a feeling of support. I've tried a decent number of plunge bras. You can see my review of the Cleo Molly here, the Curvy Kate Elegance here, and the Bravissimo Thea here if you scroll down. I've also owned the Freya Deco, which looks like this on me:

I find that the Deco gives me way too much cleavage for a casual event. Even though it fits me pretty well in a 30GG (yes, I know the back band is riding up a bit), I always felt like it was most appropriate for a very high-energy party or club evening. I've long been searching for something more low-key for everyday. I'd love to be able to wear a v-neck top to class, to lunch with friends, or on a casual date and not feel that I'm making too much of an 'impression'.

The Curvy Kate Elegance was an unmitigated disaster:

 The Cleo Molly was better--okay but not perfect, but it worked much better on my best friend, so I passed it on to her.

My answer, for awhile, was the Bravissimo Thea. As you can see, it gives me a lot less cleavage than the Deco:

However, I also found that the Thea would decline in shape throughout the day. This is something I experience with Curvy Kate balconettes, too--the shape looks great in the morning, but catch a glance at yourself in the mirror around lunchtime and you'll be shocked to see a pointy, downward-facing look. The Thea just couldn't wrangle my boobs consistently unless I shortened the straps a lot, and when I did, I had the same problems I have with the Deco--too much 'push-up' effect and too much cleavage for my comfort.

So I wanted to try the Panache Andorra Plunge. Now, you may remember that I tried the Andorra "balconette" (which is actually a full cup) and was surprised by how well it worked:

The Andorra's success in the full-cup shape I dread came from the side-support panel and the stretchy top section that supported me without cutting in. Because the Plunge version of the Andorra has these same features, I was hopeful that it would have the same success. I ordered it in a 30H, hopeful that it would fit me in the same size as most Cleo bras and also the same size I tried in the Andorra full cup.

And I was really pleased with it:

As you can see, the cleavage level is moderate, but not super-high. Best of all, it gives a REALLY nice rounded shape from the side, better than the Andorra full cup, and it stays like that throughout the day:

The top section is stretchy, which is good for my shape. My upper breast area is very firm, even hard, and has a lot of volume, so I need either something that is cut very open there, or something that has enough stretch to handle my shape. The Andorra delivers the stretch. Because it's stretchy rather than very open, it would also work on those with less stubborn volume in the top. In that way, it's a bra that could work for a wide range of shapes. My one worry with this sort of stretchy material is that those with softer texture might find it does not provide enough support or stability.

I also love the back band on the Andorra Plunge. Not only does it have three hooks, unlike my beloved Cleo bras, but it also sits at a wonderful angle, lower than your typical British bra band. Because of that, it fixes the problems I detailed in this post, sitting like this:

...rather than like this:

The lower angle eliminates back bulges and is much more comfortable and supportive for me.

As for cup size, I think the Andorra Plunge runs true to most Panache and Cleo sizing. For me, I always need a 30HH in Curvy Kate and Bravissimo bras, so this 30H runs more generous than those brands with are tighter and less forgiving in the top. I would say, though, that it's a fraction smaller than Cleo bras like the Marcie, and therefore it's walking the narrow line of needing to size up as someone who is often in between a 30H and 30HH. I do need to slip a finger along the underwire a few times throughout the day to readjust on my larger (left) side, as the upper volume presses down on my minimal lower volume and causes creasing, like so:

This isn't the first bra where I've dealt with this problem. I have it in the Panache Confetti, too. Since it only happens on one side, I find it's something I can deal with to a certain extent with a bra that serves a necessary function. In this case, the Andorra Plunge is so great in terms of shape, support, and comfort for a plunge bra that I'm willing to look away from this creasing issue until such time as I can find something better. Plunges in general aren't highly compatible with my shape, so I'm not really expecting that I will find something better than this one. A great shape and the really startling comfort level of this bra make it a keeper for me. But it's definitely not taking the place of the Cleo Lucy or Panache Sienna as my 'perfect' bra.

I did, however, find that the more recent teal color ran a tiny bit smaller in the cups. For me, this miniscule size difference was enough to send it over the edge in terms of fit, and caused the teal Andorra Plunge to fit me poorly, shift throughout the day, and to not give as nice a shape as the fuschia color. So if you are on the very edge of sizes, as I am, you may find that you would rather take a larger size in the teal color of this bra. Unfortunately for me, it only goes up to an H cup, so I can't size up to a 30HH.

In general, I think the Andorra Plunge is one of Panache's triumphs, and also one of their best-kept secrets. I'm hoping it will gain popularity and get a bit more buzz as time goes on, because I think a lot of people would appreciate the nice shape and comfort given by this low-cut bra, and I don't want to see it get discontinued. However, I'm disappointed by my experience with the teal shade, as I'd hoped the Andorra Plunge could become a mainstay in my bra collection. I'm planning to try the Spice color that will be coming out in this coming Autumn/Winter collection, and I'll report back on my experience with the sizing.