Wednesday 22 January 2014

Tutti Rouge "Liliana" Review

Tutti Rouge's Liliana bra has filled a massive void in my life and I can't get enough. Here's the gang:


I know, I know, I have SO many of these. So what's the secret to my great love for the Liliana? Well, it's two-fold. First off, the Liliana is THE BRA that I have been lusting after for years in terms of appearance. It's the sort of bra I bought back when my size was common and I had options. The vanilla with pink ribbon, particularly, brings me back to a simpler time when finding a bra was never hard. The Liliana's existence gives me the option to actually buy the type of bra I want.


 

The second reason I love the Liliana is the shape. Specifically, the very minimized shape:







I have to wear scrubs at my job, and those who have worn them know that scrubs tend to be baggy and are not very bust-friendly. Despite this, I love the concept of scrubs because they are so egalitarian and simple. The Liliana bra gives me a way to make peace between the two opposing viewpoints.

For reference, this is what my scrub tops look like with a regular bra (Cleo Lucy in this case):


My boobs look nicely uplifted, but this also creates the issue where my whole body appears to be the width of my boobs. I know not everyone shares my feeling on this, but it makes me feel that my boobs are on show in a way I'm not comfortable with, as well as making me appear larger than I am.

Here is the same scrub top with the magical Liliana bra:


In this photo you can see that my boobs are not as lifted, but they are also less noticeable. The result is a more compact overall look. You still can't see my waist, but I look like anyone else in scrubs and feel much more comfortable.

In addition to being the best 'scrubs bra', the Liliana also has this effect under drapey tops and slightly baggy t-shirts that would otherwise be unflattering. It gives me the ability to wear outfits I would have previously not chosen.

On the other hand, the Liliana does NOT look very good under fitted dresses because it just doesn't lift the boobs high enough on my short torso. It has its roles and that is not one of them.

Now, you can see by my large collection that I find the Liliana bra essential for day-to-day life. And I am delighted to have access to it. But this also makes me feel a little nervous. In certain ways, leaning so heavily on the Liliana to minimize my boobs feels regressive. It feels like I am going back to a time in my life when I had very strict standards for which bras I felt comfortable in. I occasionally fear I am relapsing to that dislike of my boobs when I regret wearing a bra other than the Liliana because I've gotten used to a smaller look. In a way, bras that minimize the boobs can be a crutch--a substitute for accepting one's own body. That said, I would NEVER deny the necessity of such a bra for people who, like me, haven't always been psyched about having larger-than-average boobs.

In terms of sizing, the Liliana is fairly small in the band. I wear a 32HH and it fits similar to a standard 30 band, or maybe in between a tight 30 and a 32. I wear the same cup size in the Liliana as I do in all Tutti Rouge's bras--one cup size up from what I normally wear in other brands. However, the Liliana is more shallow, so some people might find they need to size up from their normal Tutti Rouge size. In fact, Tutti Rouge is now emailing customers who order the Liliana to inform them that it runs small. I don't necessarily agree that it is any smaller than their other bras, but it is certainly shallower, and therefore is not suited to anyone who needs deep cups.

On another note, when I ordered my most recent round of Lilianas, the wonderful people at Tutti Rouge included a HAND-WRITTEN NOTE and a FREE PAIR OF UNDERWEAR. I don't usually get so into specific companies, but I was very touched by this--particularly because I ordered incognito, so they did not know I am a blogger when they sent me free underwear. The pair they included was the Liliana Brazilian brief, and I can vouch for the fact that it is insanely comfortable. I wouldn't have ever thought to try it if it hadn't been free, but I recommend it to those who like matching sets.

21 comments:

  1. what am I looking for in a bra if I have more volume on the bottom?

    ReplyDelete
  2. I used to work in this http://www.amazon.com/Greys-Anatomy-Junior-Pocket-Scrub/dp/B0042A6HT2 and I'm a 32GG/H. It fit everything pretty nicely and still allowed for freedom of movement. I never had a problem with my boobs being squashed down.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the tip! I'm required to wear Cherokee brand, though if I can find a perfect color match I think no one would notice. I just tried one of Cherokee mock wrap tops and it did NOT work well, but I think I got the wrong size.

      Delete
  3. Wow! That black/red colorway seems dangerous and therefore caught my eye immediately!

    I've read your blog for a long time and I remember you customizing your scrubs to appear more like yourself and to show more what you look like (and I miss those customizations!) Now however it sounds like you'd try to hide in those scrubs and even complimenting or favoring a bra that'd help for that good...? The bra looks way too good for that state of mind! :) So try and keep your cheers up no matter what kind of job you do! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are probably right! The alterations I did in the past were actually on a different work uniform, a polo shirt. I think scrubs would be harder to alter due to the lack of stretch, plus I feel that they are sort of supposed to look baggy. But who knows... maybe I will try my hand at it someday.

      Delete
  4. I'm so happy you updated your blog! :D I'm totally stoked that you did a post on the Lilliana. I've been lusting after this bra and wanted to know more info on it. The colors are absolutely gorgeous, especially that black one! The Lilliana, to me, seems like the perfect bra appearance-wise. The shape it gives is exactly what I look for in bras.
    Again, I'm soooo glad you updated! Keep the exlellent reviews coming!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! Sorry I was gone so long, and thanks for sticking around. Have you tried the Liliana yet? If not, hopefully you'll share my love of it!

      Delete
    2. Nope I haven't been able to try it :( what size would you recommend? I'm having a lot of trouble becuz I'm going thru breast growth/shrinkage and still don't know what works for me yet. We have similar breast shape but I'm about 2-3 cups smaller. The bra that fits me best is the cleo lucy 28HH and recently I've been getting quadboob AND gaping on the bottom of the cups. My boobs are also very high on my chest. Should I go smaller/bigger in cup size?

      Delete
  5. Those bras look so pretty! Bummed that this brand seems to only go to an F in a 38 band :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They actually do go up to a HH in the 38 band--it may just be that those sizes were sold out on the websites you were checking. I just checked Tutti Rouge's site (the Big Cartel one) and Large Cup Lingerie and both have options up to HH in the 38 band. Large Cup Lingerie tends to stock limited sizes but often can get a different size for you if you email them.

      Delete
    2. Ah I see my mistake! I was looking at the Betty and not the Liliana. Silly me :-)

      Delete
  6. If you could, could you post pictures in other color ways? I am planning on purchasing this, but I don't know which one to get.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I will try to! In the meantime, you can also see enlarged photos of the different colors on Tutti Rouge's Big Cartel website (just the site where they sell their own bras). The pale pink ('blush') colorway is a top secret (?) exclusive I discovered on Simply Be, starting at 34 bands.

      Delete
  7. I am so stoked to read your blog about this bra I just ordered one I feel better knowing how comfortable it will be

    ReplyDelete
  8. If I go up a band size from my usual, do I still need to go up a cup size in these? I mean, usually 34D = 36C in volume, right, so to get the same as a usual 34D, and 34D would suit, or would it be DD? Just not sure how to convert, IYKWIM.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I recommend going up a band size and a cup size. So if you normally wear a 34D you may want to try a 36DD. For me, I typically would wear a 30HH, 32H is the same volume as that, but I go up to 32HH in Tutti Rouge.

      Delete
  9. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I wear a 36H in curvy kate's princess. What would you suggest i try for this bra?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi, I just came across this post. I am from ENELL and doing a study about women in professions that wear scrubs, and the bras they wear underneath. I would be very interested in hearing your feedback. I would leave you my email address, but I'm uncertain of the risk of spam picked up others by doing that, but please do call me at 1.800.828.7661. Thanks -Kristen

    ReplyDelete
  12. I see now that comments are moderated, so let me give you my email address to contact me directly. Kristen.Harrison@enell.com

    ReplyDelete
  13. Nice blog, I suggest doing more pictures on other bras with tops on to show the effect of appearance.

    ReplyDelete