Freya "Marvel" Review

The long-awaited Freya Marvel finally arrived on my doorstep today. Ever since I saw this bra previewed on Stanikomania many months ago, I knew it was going to be great. Despite Freya's nervousness about the design, I wasn't nervous. I could see that this was a first step at bringing the innovation and genius of Freya Swim constructions into their bra collection. Well, I was right. It's great. You may all go back to your homes now, there is nothing more to see. Just kidding--here is the bra:

You may notice that this bra is slightly different from the bra that was marketed:

In this photo, the purple mesh at the top of the cups is transparent. In real life, it's sitting on top of the cups themselves. Some companies' product photos reflect this change, others don't. I like it better with the transparent mesh, but that's okay, Freya. It's a minor detail.

What really matters is the most important photo, the side view!

YUP, THOUGHT SO! This bra gets a solid gold A+ for shape. It combines a few features of 'good shape' that are rarely found together: it is simultaneously

a. very rounded and slightly minimizing
b. very uplifting
c. 'perky' in shape (that tiniest touch of elf shoe)

Most bras that are very rounded and slightly minimizing tend to sit a little lower on the chest, while most bras that have extreme uplift tend to give a different, more projected shape. The elusive but delightful 'perky' shape is hardly ever found on a bra that is also slightly minimizing. The subtle mix (elements of each) is enchanting.

This bra is very open on the top, which makes it well suited for full-on-top ladies who need space there. I am convinced that it will also work well for full-on-bottom boobs. The shape is not stiff or tight/closed in any area, which is a good sign of potential versatility. The fact that it has that little hint of a 'green shape'--the perkiness--is another clue that it may be FOB-friendly as well as FOT-friendly. I really encourage anyone with that shape who tries it to comment and let me know if this is the case.

I got the Marvel in a 32H, which is pretty much my size in everything right now.

The band on this bra is great. It has a healthy level of stretch, which means it won't feel too stiff for those of us who like looser bands, and it won't feel too loose for those who like firmness. It's made of a lovely thick material, not the crappy mesh you find in most bra bands.

Who is this bra NOT suited for? Anyone who hates wide wires. The patterned part is ALL cup, so you can see that the wires do go pretty far around. (That's what bending them is for.) It will also not work for ladies who need a lot of projection and depth in the cup. It's not as shallow as the padded half-cups, though. A mid-level of projection should still be okay to try this bra.

In the photo above, you can see the feature that makes this construction a little unusual: a side-sling, typically found on some full-cup bras to add uplifted. I know these photos suck, but the feature I'm referring to is the seam that goes straight down the side of the cup. It's my professional opinion that this seam functions fairly similarly to the vertical seams in a half-cup and, as such, doesn't put this bra in a separate category from your standard half-cup construction. I don't mean that as an insult, though. There is very little selection in the unpadded half-cup category, and this is a really strong contribution to it--likely the best that currently exists. 

I want to note that I am aware this review is more 'gushing' than what is typical for this blog. That tone comes from a place of long-standing frustration with Freya's nervousness regarding newer, better styles. They always tread carefully with innovative, exciting designs, while continuing to thoughtlessly produce their generally weak GG-K balconies with flimsy wires, weird bands, extremely full coverage, and disappointing appearances. They have no fear about releasing something that is known to be not-great, but they always tremble with terror at the release of something that is practically guaranteed to work better. Their expansion of the padded half-cups to H ended up taking on the tone of some sort of cover-up, it was so little marketed. The Marvel also doesn't go above an H, though it would work well past that. There have been times recently when I've gotten the sense that Freya is being run by the underpants gnomes:

...that or they have just grown too big and bureaucratic to allow new ideas to have their moment in the sun. To be fair, I feel the same way about Panache (though the Jasmine was a big breakthrough for them). It seems like there is a lot of red tape to get through and playing it safe has become the norm. That's why I'm writing such a gushing review of this new, excellent design. I want people to be able to benefit from bras like this--first because I think a lot of people will like it, and second because I want THIS kind of design to become the norm.

Anyway, I'll get off my soapbox now. Please, anyone who tries this, comment to let us all know how it goes--whether good or bad. Every piece of information helps!

Freya "Patsy" Padded Half Cup (H-cup!) Review

I'm back :)

Freya recently made a (very quiet) decision to extend the sizes of their padded half-cup bras to H (previously they only went to G). I was thrilled to hear this, because the vertical-seam design of the padded half-cups is perfect for giving a round shape. Since Freya's balconettes tend to give a pointy shape on lots of people, I was happy to see them giving more attention to a better seam structure. Unfortunately, Miss Underpinnings recently reported that (after only about a week of these bras being available in H-cups) they're already limiting the number of bras that will have this extended size range for next season. Boo, Freya. Don't be frightened of adding a mere TWO cup sizes to a successful shape. We want these bras and we will buy them if you make them. I'm hoping my review can highlight the fact that these bras are here, they work, and they're great! If we all go and buy one, maybe Freya will see that there is indeed demand for this shape up to H cups. That's my shameless plug.

To start with, I've always loved the design of the Patsy but never bought the unpadded balconette because it's famous for giving a very pointy shape. I always lusted after the half-cup, but wasn't sure if I could take in a 34G to make it work. I love the new "Ballet Pink" color, the first to go to H, and couldn't buy it fast enough. I decided in the end to get a 32H instead of a 30H, because I was afraid these would run a little small in the cups. (The band doesn't matter much to me because I've recently gained weight and a 32 band is fine for me now, though I've preferred a 30 in the past.)

I was right that the cups run a little small, and the 32H was perfect for me in the cups. I'd recommend going up a cup size if you have a lot of upper volume or if you are usually between sizes. For those with lower fullness who are consistently the same cup size, normal cup size should be okay. 

The gore on this bra does NOT lay flat on me. This is not ideal, but also not unexpected as Freya is not known to have the strongest wires. I don't mind very much because my boobs are firm enough to not slip around, and in some ways it actually makes the bra more comfortable. However, if you are a perfectionist about gores lying flat, or if you have boobs that tend to spill over into the middle, the gore in these higher cup sizes may be an issue to be aware of.

The shape from the side is stellar, exactly what I look for. The Patsy (and by extension, the Freya padded half-cup shape in general) gives a bit more lift than Cleo's Juna-based half-cups or Curvy Kate's Showgirl half-cups. It is less low-slung than those and consequently a little less minimizing, but still holds everything closer to home than most balconettes do.

As you can see, the underwires are a little less wide than many British bras in this size range. They're not as narrow as most Polish bras, though.

The padding is thin, which I'm glad about. However, when combined with the patterned mesh overlay, it's also a little 'rustle-y'.

I love how the pattern is continued on the straps and around the entire band. It's such a cute bra, just the thing I've been hoping to own for years.

As you can see from the above photo, the apex this bra gives me is a bit low (which matches my natural apex, actually, but looks slightly different from the visual apex I get in Cleo bras). This supports my theory that the Patsy half-cup may actually work for both upper AND lower fullness. Half-cups often work only for those with upper fullness and gape on those with lower fullness, but I feel that the Patsy could work well for both. For those without upper fullness, the shape will curve back in where the bra ends, giving an uplifted round shape. For those with upper fullness, the shape ends up being a little longer and lower--actually mimicking the real shape of full-on-top boobs. I'm kind of into this.

One more note about this bra, though. It is VERY shallow. Those who have a lot of projection and need deep cups will not find this bra serves them well.

If anyone else has tried the Patsy half-cup up to H, or even in the previously existing lower sizes, let us know in the comments if it worked for your shape!

Mass Review Of GG+ Cup Bras

This past weekend I took a trip to the bra store that originally fitted me into my correct size, Zoe and Co. There are two locations, one in Westerly, RI and the other in Concord, NH and if you’re anywhere near either of those places, I recommend a visit. Here's their website--they recommend making an appointment for fitting. The customer service is really impeccable. They check every bra for proper fit and write down your name and size so they can remember you next time you come in. Going there is always a wonderful experience. The prices are higher than online shopping, but in my opinion the excellent customer service is worth it if you can afford it.

I didn’t have my camera with me at the shop, but I tried a lot of bras and thought it would be helpful to share my thoughts on fit even without photos. Unless otherwise noted, all the bras I tried were a size 30H.

Fantasie Smoothing: There are two versions of this bra. The 4510 (Smoothing Molded T-Shirt Bra) is a true molded bra.

 

4510 (Smoothing Molded)

The 4500 (Smoothing Full Cup) is just plain fabric that is ‘molded’ into the shape of boobs, and thus seamless, but doesn’t have the stiffness or padding normally associated with a molded bra.

 

4500 (Smoothing Full Cup)

The non-padded Smoothing Full Cup gave quite a good shape, actually, though pretty low and somewhat minimized. Unfortunately, though, the cups go up very high and therefore I found it would lose a lot of practicality for the stuff I wear now, although it would work well with button-down shirts.

The padded 4510 also gives a good shape, but very different—quite ‘perky’ and with a lot of projection, which gets smaller in the tip of the cup so it isn’t too visually overwhelming. Not my favorite shape on myself—a little too in-your-face—but very attractive. However, since my boobs don’t have that much projection, the tips of the cups were empty even though a size down would have been small everywhere else. Since it’s a very stiff molding, it held its shape even with the empty area, but the whole thing just felt a bit like a contraption on me.

Both the 4510 and 4500 are a shade that is a bit too dark and too yellow-toned to be a perfect nude for me.

Fantasie 0993 (Classic Specialty Full Cup): 

Another beige bra from Fantasie, this one with seams. This oldie-but-not-goodie is similar to the Belle, but uglier and, if possible, even WORSE in terms of shape. I’ve never seen my boobs so pointy and flattened. Kinda like a spade shape:

I can’t think of anyone who would seek this shape. I’m officially renaming it the Fantasie Ugh-Get-It-Off-Of-Me.

Masquerade Coco: 

This one in a 30H was a perfect fit on me. My fitter was basically in raptures over it. The gore sat perfectly, the cups perfectly hugged my boobs. I’d say this bra fits pretty much identically to the Delphi (also like the Rhea, but Coco and Delphi have thinner padding) and is a good alternative to the Delphi for those looking to avoid its massive foamy straps. I would have gotten this one except I’ve finally learned that I will not really wear a padded bra; which is a shame as this one is beautiful.

Panache Fern:

 I tried this on in two colors without any hopes that it would work for me, as it’s the dreaded full-cup shape.

However, the Fern is nicer than some others with the same seam pattern. The shape was not stellar on me, but not nearly as bad as the Tango full-cup or a Fantasie full-cup. This is the sort of bra that I might have bought in high school before I was so picky about shape.

Panache Tango II Full Cup: I already knew that I hated this bra, but I tried it one more time for kicks. UGH UGH UGH. This bra is one of the bras that depresses me most.

To start off, the band runs really tight and the cups have absolutely no flexibility or stretch in them, so putting it on is like being suctioned into a cardboard bodice.

Secondly, the shape is just a huge ‘no’ for my boobs. Because they’re full on top, there isn’t any way that I’m going to get a natural ‘curve back in’ at the top (which happens for boobs with less upper fullness, as there’s less tissue there) which combined with the flat lift of the bottom would give a decent shape. Instead, the tissue at the top is flattened into a ski slope and my boobs become a behemoth-ish downward-pointing triangle. 0 out of 10 stars, would not recommend. I wouldn’t even necessarily recommend the Tango Full Cup to people who don’t have upper fullness (even though it will sometimes look better on them than it does on me) just because there are so many bras that will be nicer than this one on just about everyone.

The one exception is if you try on the Tango Full Cup in a store and the shape is nice on you; then you’re in luck, because it comes in zillions of colors and Panache obsessively brings out new versions of it every season. Tango Luxe! Tango Spirit! Tango Two Tone! Idina! Tango Accenti! Ugh smother me with a sock. I wish they’d give this much attention to their best bras, like the Andorra and Sienna.

Panache Tango II Plunge: 

I tried this one again just so I could nail down my impressions for the blog. It’s a LOT better in terms of shape than the Full Cup, and I like how flat the gore sits and how little cleavage it shows. But the cups just have too much depth to them for me, without having enough space to compensate everywhere else (especially in the top), which results in a pointy shape. I would say this one can definitely work for some shapes though.

Cleo Maddie: 

Cleo’s new molded bra that goes up to an H. Don’t get too excited, though. Sadly, this is no true H; the 30H was at least two cup sizes too small for me. Size UP in this one! It runs much smaller than the Juna etc. I’d recommend two sizes up from your size in Juna.

Curvy Kate Tempt Me: 

I knew this wouldn’t fit me in a 30H, because it’s the same cut as the Elegance, which was absurdly tiny on me in a cup size bigger. However, the Tempt Me does run a little bit bigger in the cups than the Elegance; I could probably fit a 30J in it, whereas I’d need a nonexistent 30JJ to fit in the Elegance. Of course, this is always going to be a bra that shows loads of cleavage, it has very little space in the bottom (even for me, who has very little boob tissue there), and it’s kind of an odd shape with tons of bra in the upper corners. But good for showing tons of cleavage in deep V-necks—just make sure you size up.

Curvy Kate Wild: 

Another bra with this same shape, but ran just slightly larger than the Tempt Me. To my surprise, I hardly got quad-boob in this one, although the cleavage levels were far greater than necessary for any event in my life. But if I really wanted show-stopping cleavage (no, thanks—I don’t) this would be perfect in a 30HH. I’m not a cleavage person, but if you are, I’d recommend the Wild over the Tempt Me for a better fit (and it’s cute!).

Cleo Darcy: 

No surprises here, this fits just like the Juna, Rihanna, Ellie, Sadie, etc etc.

Royce Charlotte Soft Cup: 

I tried a wireless bra for the heck of it. The shape, of course, was heinous—sort of like an upside-down elf shoe—

…but I was interested to note that the cups actually did separate my boobs, so if I was living alone in a dark cave with no mirrors, I could comfortably wear this to bed. The band runs pretty tight on this one.

Do I believe that any wireless bra can give a nice shape? Not really—maybe a molded one—but it’s interesting to know that you actually can get separation without wires.

Curvy Kate Princess: 

I’ve reviewed this one before, and it’s a bra I have a thorny history with. The new purple color is beautiful, though. I tried it in a 30H, which I know is always one size too small for me in Curvy Kate balconettes, but this one was actually bigger than the old red Princess in the same cup size. So the Princess, like the Cleo Lucy, has actually gotten a little bit bigger over the years, which is good for those who need just a smidge more space in the cups. It’s not by any stretch a full cup size bigger, though.

Curvy Kate Daily Boost: 

Again, I knew the 30H they brought me was going to be one cup size too small, but all I really wanted to verify by trying this one was that it gives the same shape as the unpadded balconettes. It does. So this one is kind of a no-go for me; Curvy Kate’s bras with this shape just don’t make my boobs round enough or lifted enough for my tastes. It’s definitely a comfy bra though. Try it out if you like Curvy Kate’s unpadded balconettes and crave some padding.

Masquerade Deity: 

This is a newish padded plunge. It’s structured similarly to the Cleo Molly, but a little different; it gives a more rounded shape from the side than the Molly right off the bat. The satin material is gorgeous and luxurious. Padded means “not for me”, but I’d highly recommend this bra for those who like padding. I’d say it’s similar to the Bravissimo Satine but runs a cup size bigger.

Curvy Kate Gia: 

Again, these balconettes aren’t for me, and again it was a size too small, but even from that I was pretty impressed. The shape it gives is actually nicer than the other Curvy Kate balconettes I’ve tried. Pretty similar, but nicer. However, I’m not crazy about the thick material on the lower cup; it makes a really bulky seam across the boobs. But I guess it’s a good compromise between padded and non-padded.

Freya Fever bikini: My mom offered to buy this for me and I wasn’t about to refuse because this one looks CRACKERJACK on me in a 32GG. Better than the Siren bikini, because there isn’t that little bit of wrinkling along the seam. The gores on these plunges sit so unbelievably flat against my chest. The band on the Fever is tighter than the Siren or Cha Cha.

A real photo of me in it, since I own it now!

I also tried on the Fever bikini in a 30H, but I found that the structure is changed in this size (most of Freya’s plunge bikinis only go up to GG, but the Fever theoretically goes up higher; however, it’s an altered structure). The 30H had the straps placed closer to the middle and designed so that the top edge of the cups would hold the boobs in more. In my size range, this alteration isn’t necessary, and it’s not as cute as the normal plunge (it’s more practical/‘sporty’ looking). But the different design for bigger cups still fit well and gave a great shape, so it’s not a deal breaker; I just prefer the 32GG for that reason. I also didn’t note a huge departure in band size between the 30 and 32 just because there is so much Lycra involved.

I’ve been wearing my Fever bikini as a bra for the four days straight because frankly, no one is currently selling a bra that fits me as well as this bikini, much less one that gives SUCH a wonderful shape and is SO comfortable. I’m in love. 

Ruby Pink/Keia Simone: A big surprise from this one! I tried it in a 32GG and actually bought it.

I gotta say that I felt pretty suspicious of this one at first because it is so different from the kind of bra that usually works for me. It’s cut the same way as the Tango Plunge, with an altered full-cup construction in which the bottom sections still do not come up to meet the strap, but are angled diagonally instead of straight across. Not a seam structure that’s ever worked for me, except in the Andorra Plunge, which has side support. Plus, I’ve tried Ruby Pink/Keia bras before and they all failed on me, though I hadn’t tried one with this structure (the ones I tried before were proper balconettes). Finally, the vast top section is not something I’m used to. But despite the odds, this bra seems to work really well on me. The shape is what I look for: round and compressed. I’m not sure yet if the shape will change over the course of a day; the top section is made of mesh that has a good bit of stretch, but no elastic. I find that the use of a fabric that can distort, but doesn’t have any stretch to snap back to shape, can result in a bra whose shape declines over the course of the day—starts the day round, ends the day pointy. That’s a concern that time will reveal. But the thing I was so excited about was that this nude bra that finally MIGHT be my long-awaited well-fitting nude bra is actually CUTE! It has pom-poms and glitter. POM-POMS AND GLITTER. This is the kind of bra I’m waiting for from Cleo; only time will tell if it can meet that standard with wear. Full review to come.

Freya Siren Bikini Review

I recently become aware that the site Large Cup Lingeriealways has free international shipping, plus they have a great outlet section. They mostly just sell Freya and Fantasie items, but I was on the lookout for another bikini, and I was thrilled to see how low their prices were for Freya’s Siren bikini.

I’d had my eye on this bikini for awhile, having tried it on in a shop once and loved it. I am also pretty picky when it comes to swimwear designs, and this is one of the rare patterns that catches my eye.

The bikini top has a plunge shape and is constructed with two sections and a vertical seam—similar to Cleo’s Juna bra and several other Freya bikinis with the same plunge shape, including the Fusion, Fontana, Waves, etc.

Freya Fusion Bikini Top

Freya Fontana Bikini Top

Freya Waves Bikini Top

I think vertical seams are one of the best ways to construct a bra, especially for giving a round shape. I got the bikini top in a 32GG. It only goes up to GG, but as the equivalent of a 30H (the smaller of the two cup sizes I normally wear) I hoped this size would fit fine. You might remember that I don’t worry as much about a tight band when it comes to swimwear since I usually just lie out and read a book in my bikinis.

Don't make my mistakes--remember to reapply your sunscreen.

The 32GG ended up being perfect in the cup, which means it runs a little bigger than I was expecting. If you're sized out by just a half size or a single size, you might be able to squeeze into this one. It was big for me in the band, but I guess that’s no surprise since I cheated and got a 32. This one runs true to size in the band, unlike many swimsuits which run smaller because of all the Lycra. I will need to take in the band to feel more stable in it. I think the band runs a little bigger than the band on the Fantasie Ibiza bikini I reviewed earlier, since I felt that the 32 was an okay fit in that one.

The shape from the side is really great—very round.

I also like the fact that it is a bit lower-cut. Since it’s a bright white shade with sassy animal print, I was always intending this to be a flirtier, sexier bikini than my Fantasie Ibiza, and the extra cleavage plays into that. The gore also sits flat, which is a pleasant surprise considering the band is too big.

The biggest annoyance I have with the Siren top is that the seams are pretty bulky. It's not padded at all, but there seems to be a lot of stuff going on in that seam. It shows under tops and I noticed the seam became very prominent when I was lying down on the beach. I wonder if the cups were even too big for me and that's why the seam was taking on a mind of its own because it wasn't being pulled against my body. However, the cups are spot on when I'm standing so I wouldn't want to try a smaller cup size--although I find myself tempted by the notion that I MIGHT fit into a 30GG in this style of Freya plunge bikini, as I do in the Deco. I think the 30GG bikini would be about a half size too small, though. 

As for the bottoms, I was a little unsure what size to order. I normally need a medium for my hips, but a small for my butt. I didn’t want any cutting in on the sides, so I chose the medium. 

I think either size would have had some problems. If I got the small I would have had visible love handles. But with the medium, it is definitely too big on my butt. Swimwear also gets even bigger when it gets wet, so I’m going to have to work some magic to ensure I won’t find myself pantsless after a wave washes over me. The trick I usually use when I have this problem is to take in the crotch section a bit. This pulls down the back of the briefs so they sit where my diminutive butt is and won’t get baggy. Doing that also makes the briefs sit a bit lower on the hips, which I like. I think for people with a more average sized butt in relation to their hips, going with your normal bottoms size should be fine.

It’s hard to tell in photos, but the leopard print on the Siren actually has a border of silver glitter on each spot. 

I hadn’t realized that when I ordered it, but honestly, I’m down with it. I’d recommend this bikini if you want a bit of shimmer and glitz this summer. It really makes me feel gorgeous, which is pretty important when you’re half-naked on a beach, if you ask me!

Freya "Antoinette" and "Amy" Review

I have a lot of reviews to do as I’ve had a bit of a bra shopping spree. I’ll be leaving the UK to go back to the US in three weeks, and of course it will be more difficult to access good bargains, so I’ve been taking them where I can find them over the past month. I’ll try to space out the posts a bit, but I do want to try to get them all up soon to help others who are trying to order online.

Freya’s Antoinette bra is an older style that they don’t make any more. I used to own it in these pink patterned and blue/black patterned colorways, but those are very rare and difficult to find anymore.

However, there is pretty good availability of the black, red, and nude Antoinettes on Brastop and eBay at really good prices.

I got the red Antoinette in 30H. As you may remember, I’ve started wearing 30 bands recently because my 28s were aggravating me. The band on the Antoinette is very firm and feels a lot tighter than other 30 bands, especially compared to Freya’s more recent styles. (I’ve found it is more or less true in general that Freya’s older styles had much tighter bands than the new ones, but not across the board. For instance Freya’s older Arabella and Jolie bras always had bands that ran looser.)

The shape I get in the Antoinette is quite good. It’s not mind-blowingly round like the shape I get from my Panache Sienna or the Masquerade Rhea I tried a few weeks ago, but it is fairly round and actually make my boobs look smaller than the Panache bras I've clung to for years. In addition, it gives more support from the top without totally squashing my full-on-top boobs so it reduces bounce a lot more than the Panache Sienna/Confetti and is therefore a better everyday bra in the long run. (Yes, I admit it.)

I also got this bra in black, again in 30H.

Obviously these bras are both somewhat plain, but in a pleasant minimalist way, I think. They are well-suited to being T-shirt bras due to the lack of any decorations sticking off them. The Antoinette doesn’t work very well with sleeveless or strappy tops though. I’m accustomed to wearing my bras with thin camisole tops, and I don’t mind having my straps showing, but the straps on the Antoinette are not only extremely thick, but really ugly. They have the criss-crossed rope detail I mocked in this old-school post and, although they are very comfortable on my shoulders, I do really wish they were thinner or at least prettier.

I also picked up Freya’s Amy bra in a 30HH.

For all intents and purposes, this is the exact same bra as the Antoinette (as opposed to bras like the Clarissa, Pippa, etc that are very similar but have tiny differences). The obvious difference here is that I got it in a size up from my Antoinettes simply because that’s what was available in this long-discontinued style. I’m including it in this review mostly to show the difference between the two cup sizes, not because I expect many people will stumble upon this older style for sale. Because I’m between sizes in the Antoinette/Amy, both sizes fit. In the 30H it is just almost cutting in at the top edge, while the 30HH Amy is a better fit and gives a slightly nicer shape but covers too much skin, making it more difficult to wear under tops. If I was choosing which size to get, I’d probably go with the 30H. I’m finding that in most cases where I am between sizes, I do prefer to go with the smaller possible size because in the larger size it often seems as though the whole frame of the bra is just slightly out of scale for my body.

The pattern on the Amy is pretty ugly, let’s be honest. I always had thought from product photos that it was a feather pattern, but up close it’s a tacky, dated floral:

However, the shape I get in the Amy is really superb so I am willing to overlook this...

Similarly, I am willing to overlook the clunky straps on the Amy and Antoinette bras just because I find this bra a really easy fit. It’s one of the few styles of bras that I haven’t had any need to alter at all, and I’ve found myself reaching for these bras over and over in the morning. The Antoinette is a really simple choice and a great bra. It’s also versatile. My best friend has boobs with the opposite shape to mine and the Antoinette is her favorite bra. It’s one of my favorites too.

What Freya Has To Offer (Brand Overview)

What is Freya good for? A lot, in fact. I’ve given them a lot of crap in this blog, but it’s silly not to acknowedge their strong points and the fact that they’re the best brand for many people. As part of my section “Starting Points”, I want to go over some of the ups and downs of the brand and hopefully provide direction for those who haven’t tried them before. Since it’s been a couple years since I wore Freya regularly, I’m not quite as updated as I could be on their most recent styles, though I’ve tried many of them in stores. So if you have knowledge that I lack, please add it in the comments!

Freya’s classic balconette are easy to wear, and give good shape for medium-sized boobs and full-on-the-bottom boobs of any size. They also seem to be a good fit for various other shapes but these classic balconettes are often not the best for full-on-top boobs, though it’s possible to make it work.

Freya’s unpadded bras tend to come up higher in the cup, which for larger cup sizes can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming visually. I’m beginning to come around to the fact, though, that the look isn’t bad, there’s just more fabric. It’s actually a bit retro without the pointy shape. Compare my 28J Freya Clarissa to my 28J Panache Confetti to see what I mean—the Freya clearly covers more of my chest, and makes my boobs look bigger, but it still looks cute, just different.

Freya Clarissa, left; Panache Confetti, right.

These higher-cut bras also tend to go hand in hand with higher center gores, but this is more true of the older styles than the newer ones. Some of Freya’s newer styles, like the Trudie and Beau, have center gores that sit a bit lower.

The extra coverage makes Freya bras a bit more reliable than other options, actually. These balconettes will reduce bounce you might get in lower-cut bras while walking around—something that I find embarrassing, so I’ve been reaching for my Clarissa a lot during this heat wave to reduce bounce in warm-weather clothes. The downside of the higher-cut cups is that they will show under low-cut (or in my case, even medium-low-cut) tops. This is actually something that I find cute and flirty for casual situations, but I can see how it would be a bit of a bummer for more serious or businesslike occasions.

One of Freya’s best shapes can be found in the bras modeled after the Antoinette—the Clarissa, Charlotte, Katie, Adele, Lucy, Pippa, and Claudia. 

Antoinette

Clarissa

Claudia

Lucy

Katie

Pippa

All of these bras are discontinued, but you can still occasionally find them, especially the Antoinette, on eBay. The shape given by this bra is very round. Full-on-tops may need to size up or the top edge will cut in. I’m personally not sure which newer Freya bras, if any, follow this model, but I haven’t tried any on in shops that are identical. (I find myself wondering if the current Daphne style is similar?) Because these bras have the same fabric on all three parts of the cup, I find that they remain flattering even in the biggest cup sizes, whereas the bras with lacy upper sections sometimes grow unflattering as the cups grow.

The balconettes with the upper lace section (Pollyanna, Estelle, Latisha, Nancy, Faye, Edith, Luisa, Naomi, etc) are a very similar fit to the Antoinette-esque shapes for full-on-bottoms and will give a similarly good shape. 

Latisha

Naomi

Estelle

Pollyanna

These styles are also generally more forgiving for full-on-tops because the lace has a tiny bit of stretch, so sizing up may not be necessary. The Zara, Tara and Beau bras with the stripes instead of lace also fit fairly similarly to these, in my experience. 

Zara

Tara

Beau

When I tried the Sadie, it also gave a similar shape though the upper section is mesh rather than lace. This one reminds me of their older Mimi style, with a butterfly pattern, from way back when. The Mimi gave excellent shape, so I'm happy they've revived it. If you liked the Mimi, you may also like the Sadie!

Sadie

Mimi

The older Greta was also similar and was one of my favorite bras at the time that I owned it. 

Greta

The Lauren is yet another style that fits similarly. 

Lauren

In my opinion, the biggest drawback to these upper-lace-section styles and the similar designs is that they have a tendency to look less flattering on bigger cup sizes, in contrast to certain Panache balconettes and the Curvy Kate Showgirl bras, which tend to look fairly similar across sizes. Because the lace on these Freya bras is usually a different color or texture, and that section gets expanded hugely in the bigger sizes, it tends to maximize the appearance of your boobs if you are just looking in a mirror with the bra on. Obviously not everyone will care about this, but it was always a big disappointment for me when I saw how different my bras looked from how they looked on the model. Because of this, in my Freya heydey I tended to prefer to seek out the styles that had the same fabric all over the cup. I want to note that the Lauren, although it looks sort of like the same fabric all over the cup, actually isn’t—the texture isn’t continued on the upper section, and I found it looked a bit silly on my larger size because of that. (I’ve seen it looking beautiful on others of a similar size, though, so maybe the style just didn’t suit me for other reasons.)

Another category of Freya bra is their padded half-cups. A lot of their balconettes come with a padded half-cup version that has three vertical sections on the bottom and an upper section, but since the sizing is much more limited, I've never been able to try one. They seem pretty promising for those who can fit them.

Padded Half-Cup Naomi

Padded Half-cup Lauren

Then there is the Arabella bra and its knockoffs—Lyla and Eleanor. These bras are sheer in the smaller cup sizes and have only a sheer upper section in the larger cup sizes. 

Arabella

Eleanor

Lyla

There are also some semi-sheer bras that are similar in shape, such as Eloise, Roxanne, Nina, Halle, and Alexa.

Roxanne

Alexa

Eloise

Nina

Halle

The Arabella and the bras like it often don't work as well for full-on-top boobs because the upper section is just too tight and tends to cut in unless you size up. Those whose boobs are fuller on the bottom, though, however, will get a really nice, perky, uplifted shape in these.

The Jolie bra is fuller-coverage and the cups go up higher towards the straps. It is popular among those who wear it as a basic bra and it has come in some pretty cute colors over the years, some of which you can still find on sale. I’ve never tried it myself, but I have heard from others that the band can run a bit big.

 Jolie

Finally, the Deco family is one of Freya’s strongest offerings. This may be the bra with the most universal popularity in the D+ community.

Deco

Frida

Lydia

Carly 

Taylor

The regular Deco bras run about a cup size big, as do the Frida and Lydia versions, but the other versions (Carly, Crystal, Taylor, Ashlee) run truer to size, so a bit smaller than the regular Deco. The Deco also has a frustratingly limited size range. It only goes up to a GG, and it seems like everyone who wears a size above that just tries to cram themself in, or buys a bigger band size and takes in the band. Personally, I would hope to see the Deco developed up to a J, but I don’t see much action from Freya towards this. The massive fanfare surrounding the addition of the 28GG (ONE more cup size in ONE band size) proves that any sizing changes for the Deco are probably going to be miniscule and rare, which is really a shame. I’m lucky enough to actually fit perfectly in a 30GG Deco even though I usually wear a 28HH/28J, but I know many people who would really benefit from expanded sizes (and I’d probably get a 28H if they made one. Decos are almost always full price, rarely go on sale, and the colors do tend to sell out; if you want one, you typically have to invest. They are also subject to some tearing of the foam cups near the center gore after lots of wear. The bands are very well made, though, and don’t seem to stretch out much even with daily wear. These bras will typically give a lot of cleavage, which can be good or bad depending on what you’re looking for.

It’s good to know that Freya bras sometimes get a bit dodgy after HH cup, when they do go up that high. The underwires get weak, the whole structure seems off. This is especially true in their recent Nieve balconette style, which is the same as the current Edina. (The Nieve and Edina longline styles are more like the padded half-cups I mentioned above.)

Nieve balconette

Edina

I have tried both of these bras and found that they gave a pretty good shape, similar to the shape given by the upper-lace-section styles. I liked the Edina better than the Nieve but I agreed with the general feeling that they weren’t the strongest bras nor the most supportive for higher cup sizes.

In general, though, Freya doesn’t really make any bras that are actually dowdy, and it’s pretty simple to see if the cup is too small (unlike Curvy Kate, where it is the shape that indicates whether you’re in the right size, as I’ll write about in a later post). So even if you don’t get your Freya fit spot on at first, you still won’t feel like a granny or hate yourself. For this reason Freya is probably the best starter brand and should be investigated by anyone who has just learned their size. The sizing is relatively similar between Freya and Panache, so it’s pretty easy to move between the two. The biggest difference in terms of fit is that Freya center gores are generally narrow while Panache center gores are generally wide. Freya is a better option for closer-set boobs.

Freya bras are a often harder to find at sale price than Panache or Curvy Kate. Leia Lingerie’s Outlet section is the best source for sales, and their regular section has one of the best selections of current-season styles. For those not in the UK, Figleaves tends to stock current Freya styles, and in the US you can sometimes find them at Nordstrom.

Of course many of the bras I've written about have subtle differences that will cause them to fit people in different ways, but I still hope this can at least serve as a starting point to send people in the right direction. I've also been unable to include anywhere near every bra Freya has made, but hopefully seeing which bras are similar will be helpful.