BiuBiu "Etna" Review

I’ve known about BiuBiu ever since Thin and Curvy wrote her original post about their clothing, and I’ve also seen glowing reviews from FullerFigureFullerBust and Sophia Jenner. I’ve often looked at BiuBiu's website and lusted over the adorable styles, especially their tops.

But I never tried BiuBiu before because, strange as it may sound, I actually don’t struggle that much to find clothes I can wear in normal stores. I think that’s mostly due to the fact that I don’t mind showing off my lumps and bumps in stretchy knit clothes—it’s woven styles, and fancier or more professional looks, that are often harder to find for curvy bodies on the high street. I’ll do more posts in the future, though, on my tricks for finagling a fit in mainstream stores.

I decided to try BiuBiu, though, when I saw their Etna top. It’s an empire-waist babydoll top, which means it is one of the several styles that I would never be able to find in normal stores: the “designated boob room” top. I loved the Etna, so I followed the size chart on their website and ordered it in a 36 BB/BBB. Behold:

BiuBiu Etna

BiuBiu Etna side view with belt

I love the ¾ length sleeves—I consider it one of the most flattering sleeve lengths, because it draws the eye to the waist. I also really like the colors and the neckline is a perfect depth—as low-cut as it could be without becoming too cleavage-y.

One thing to know, though, is that you probably will need to wear a waist belt with the Etna top. A few people I know who have tried it said that without a belt, it bagged over their stomach, giving them a pregnant look. I actually found that mine mostly bagged in the back, but either way a belt really helps make the look more flattering. Although it looks fine from the front for a more relaxed, casual style, I think the belt makes a big difference to the side view.

Etna without a belt.

I actually hardly ever wear waist belts—because I have SUCH a short torso, they often end up showing off the wideness of my hips, rather than the narrowness of my waist (plus my waist doesn’t look that narrow from the front anyway). But, because of the more relaxed cut of the bottom part of the Etna, I found the waist belt was very flattering. Unfortunately, I’ve found I need to pull the top down a lot because the empire seam keeps moving up to show above the belt, a look that isn’t ideal. I’m going to need to find a way to secure the belt to the top; perhaps a snap affixing it to the back of the top. However, I should clarify that this isn’t a fault with the top; it’s because the boob section is a TINY bit too small for me. I knew when I ordered that I was a little bit outside the listed measurements for 36BBB, but it’s still a good fit; it’s just that the top doesn’t QUITE have enough space to traverse my boobs and reach where the belt should be. I’m hopefully that adding the snap will fix this minor issue. Even if it doesn’t,  I like the top enough that I don’t mind pulling it down every hour.

I’m not used to wearing clothes that are cut for my bust (like BiuBiu or Pepperberry) so when I do, I’m often startled at how they show off my boobs. That is, they make my boobs look the size they are: big. It’s a bit of an adjustment but hey, I can’t ALWAYS hide my shape in high street clothes. I did find that when I first tried the Etna, my boobs visibly hung over the waist belt. You can see that more in this photo.

The effect was lessened by changing into my 28HH Cleo Lucy, which gives me more lift than any of my other unpadded bras. It also worked well with a Curvy Kate Tease Me, but unfortunately the ribbons showed through the top, as seen below, so that may not be a feasible option. (I continue to long for a nude lace Tease Me. Ultimate Dream.)

In my opinion, it looks longer on the model on the website than it is in real life—I was expecting it to be nearing dress-length on my short torso. But I actually prefer this length, because it’s long enough to wear with leggings, but short enough to wear with a short skirt in the summer.

My only other annoyance with this top is that I wish they hadn’t continued the yellow spots on the upper section. On my right side, the shape they form makes it look a bit like pincers are groping my boob from below. From what I can tell though, the shape the pattern takes on the upper part of the top is more or less random, so not everyone will have this issue.

For me, the greatest measure of whether I like an item is whether I am willing to overlook its small flaws. As you might have noticed from my blog, I am pretty picky and small details can really ruin my opinion of a garment! But with my Etna top, I find I am really happy with it, even though there are a few details that could be better. BiuBiu really impresses me as a company, I would recommend their clothes to a friend, and I will most likely order from them many more times in the future. 

How To Talk To Busty Women About Their Boobs

I am a big believer in compliments. We all take what we can get, so we shouldn’t be stingy with what we give. I really think that if you like anything about a person—their dress, their shoes, their eyes, their body, their laugh, their personality—you should most certainly tell them right away. But this can get a bit thorny when it comes to specific body parts, such as boobs, because we all have a fair amount of cultural baggage about the topic. I think when compliments go awry, seem backhanded, or sound creepy, the results can actually end up increasing the insecurity of busty women who are struggling to come to terms with their bodies. I don’t think the right answer is to avoid mentioning boobs at all. A more generic compliment will never go amiss, but I know from experience that it can be confusing if no one ever mentions the feature that seems most dramatic, especially for teenagers. So I thought I would compile a list of pointers, based on my experiences of what works and what doesn’t work.

I want to make it very clear that I am writing this with the assumption that you are talking about big boobs with your friend, not a stranger or someone you are romantically pursuing. If it is either of the latter, you should probably ask yourself why you are talking to this person you hardly know about her boobs. No matter how you treat the topic, bringing up a specific body part with someone you don’t know well is likely to come off as rude and/or threatening. Stick to the nonspecific: “You look great.” For complimenting a stranger, “You are beautiful” is probably one of the less threatening phrases you can choose.

Here are my tips for broaching the subject with a friend.

-Do NOT assume that just because a woman has big boobs, she is confident. A lot of times, it is the opposite. It is also kind of awkward to say you’re jealous if you’re a female and have smaller boobs than your friend. You may think it sounds like a compliment, but depending on her size and your size, she may be jealous of you for not having to find a tricky size and clothes to fit, or simply because she may prefer your appearance. This is a discussion that can be had, and both parties should be careful not to deny the other’s experience. In the same way, if you are decidedly NOT jealous of your bustier friend, be careful about how you bring that up; busty women, like all women, do not have a magical confidence shield that makes them impervious to insults.

-It’s better to use terms that refer to glory rather than size. Terms like “massive”, “enormous”, and “huge” may sound like simple facts, but they also have subtle connotations that can really embarrass someone you’re trying to compliment. Saying something is “big” is not the same as saying that it is “good”. Better words: “awesome”, “epic”, “amazing”.

-If you do want to talk to your friend about the size of her boobs, depending on your relationship that is probably okay, but make sure to put her at ease by prefacing the discussion with a compliment. Otherwise she may feel as though she is being dissected and examined.

-Some women will be happy to discuss their body if the topic is approached in a way that makes them feel comfortable, but others just don’t want to talk about their boobs no matter what. If you pick up on signs of that, it’s best to move on to a new topic. 

-The majority of busty women do NOT want you to grab their boobs even in the course of a scientific discussion of them. Some women will be fine with it, and in certain friend groups it is normal and affectionate, but this is one of the most common complaints I’ve heard from my friends who have big boobs. Just because they are big does not mean that boobs are public property. It’s her body, so follow her lead.

-It comes off as kind of weird if you ask to see what her bra looks like when it’s off her. If you’re genuinely curious about the physics and construction of it, okay, but if you want to see it just to laugh at how silly it looks, keep in mind that this is a bit insulting. Wearing bras on your head is only permissible when the owner of the bra starts it.

-If you DO see her bra lying around with the laundry and you are a smaller-busted female friend, or a male friend who has mostly seen smaller bras, try hard not to express shock or hilarity at how large the bra looks to you. Bear in mind that when she sees your bras, she is equally likely to find them absurd and laughable yet she probably (hopefully) refrains from saying anything about it. We are all just used to seeing bras in our own size so other sizes look kind of funny and bizarre, and I think this is something that is best left unsaid on all sides of the equation. Once again, it’s better to stick to “cute” rather than “huge” or “tiny”.

-My final tip is to remember the old cliché, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” Big boobs aren’t everyone’s favorite thing, obviously, but if what you want to say to your busty friend isn’t a compliment, it’s better to avoid the topic altogether. But if you DO like your friend’s body, I think it’s really great to say so, especially if she is insecure or hasn’t heard it a lot. 

Panache "Harmony" Review

I realize that awhile back, I promised a commenter that I would do a review of the Panache Harmony, and then I forgot—sorry! I know I’ve mentioned the Harmony a lot in this blog, and it’s one of the most widely available bras in sales and on eBay, so it makes sense that I should say a few words about it. It’s also the bra that I’ve worn the most often and know the best. I don’t wear the Harmony anymore but it served a crucial purpose for me for over a year of my life.

I actually bought the Harmony the first time I ever got fitted, but I didn’t wear it much because it really minimized my boobs, plus it tended to start cutting in throughout the day. But remember my late-onset boob-hatred that I mentioned in my last post? As soon as that struck, I went running into the arms of the Harmony. The reason it had cut in wasn’t that it was too small, but because it is designed for wider-set boobs than mine, which are quite close together, so it pulled to the sides over the course of a day. Once I learned how to alter the center gore, I made the Harmony mine.

When I reunited with my best friend after my switch from Freya to the Panache Harmony, she said in surprise “What are you wearing that makes your boobs look so small?” I think most of what I was “wearing” was a terribly hunched-over posture, but the Harmony soothed me enough to keep me in my body for those months when all I wanted to do was escape out of it and run away from my boobs.

This brings me to the primary function of the Harmony. It really helps if you hate feeling huge and just want to look more average. I know a lot of people never want to make their boobs look smaller, but if you do, please try this bra. The construction of it really makes your boobs very compact and in my experience, makes them look smaller than anything else will, and that’s what I would recommend this bra for.

To explain what I mean about the construction, think about the “apex” of a bra, the point furthest away from your chest. When people say that cups have more “depth”, they are saying that the apex is further away, so you will get more projection. In contrast, the Harmony has an apex that is a lot closer to the chest, so your boobs get much less projection than you’d get in, say, a Freya balconette. The tissue is even distributed as close to your body as possible without any constriction (of the type you might get in a compression sports bra—not too healthy for long periods). Because of the distribution and lack of depth, the underwires on the Harmony, as with any bra without much depth, have to be wider so there is somewhere for the tissue to go. Wide underwires aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but they shouldn’t hurt if you bend them to your shape.

This bra is fairly high under the armpits, which is good if you are trying to deal with tissue migration, but not so super if you are petite and have problems with bras rubbing your armpits.

For my full-on-top boobs, the Harmony is a great fit once I’ve altered the center gore, because it is so low-cut and so open on top. The rose-patterned lace that forms the upper section might even gape on people with boobs that are full on the bottom, so if you often have problems with gaping, this might be a good bra to try in a size down. Personally, I need a 28J in bras that have a larger or tighter upper section, but I can wear a 28HH in the Harmony, just like I can in the Confetti.

I also really like the way it looks. It’s the furthest thing away from a “sad bra for massive boobs” (phrase cribbed from a review of a different bra on Bravissimo’s website). It’s low-cut and relatively pretty. It used to be available in more colors than you can find it in now, but even in the black, white and nude I think it is a really flattering basic.

It doesn’t give as round a shape as similarly-fitting bras like the Sienna, Brooke, Frances, and Confetti, which is why I don’t really wear the Harmony much anymore. The shape isn’t pointy at all, rather the opposite, it’s just kind of… bra-shaped rather than orb-shaped. (Very difficult to explain.) But I still think of it as one of the best bras that exists. It really got me through a tough couple of years and in the future if I’m looking for a work bra or something plain and nude, that’s where I’ll turn.

I’m sorry that I don’t have good pictures of myself in the Harmony—all my Harmony bras are in the States, so when I get back in June, I’ll add photos to this review. In the meantime, here are three photos I snapped in my dirty mirror last year. Despite the horrible quality, I think you can see what I mean about how small it makes my boobs look in comparison to how they look in a lot of other bras—I’m the same size in these photos as I am now.

This is a 30 band, hence why it's riding up.

I also want to note that the Harmony balconette I’m reviewing here is different from the Harmony full-cup, which looks like this:

The Harmony full-cup is actually pretty good for a full-cup bra, but it’s very different from the balconette, and I personally wouldn’t recommend it as highly (or at all, but then again I hold a grudge against full-cup bras. I know some people like them).

I also want to mention that the Panache Melody is supposedly “based on” the Harmony but actually isn’t really similar at all other than the fact that it, too, gives a fairly minimized shape. The fit is pretty different, though. Check out my review for more information.

Breast Reductions - A Topic Close to the Heart

I read a couple of amazing blog posts this week regarding breast reductions. Check out "The Pressure to Get a Reduction" and "Minimizing Big Breasts: Bras Vs. Breast Reduction Surgery via Slip of a Girl". Reductions are a bit of a hot-button issue for us busty women, with so many different viewpoints and so many possibilities for feelings to get hurt. For this reason, I’ve avoided writing about it until now, even though I spend a lot of time thinking about it. Many women are happy after having reductions, but there are also cases where a proper bra fitting could have produced this same happiness without major surgery.  I also think that a lot of women get reductions ostensibly to deal with back pain, when really what they are dealing with is disgust with their body. I don’t mean to de-legitimize this disgust, but I do want to examine it. The disgust manifests itself in various ways, and is caused by various cultural forces. Although I now believe that this can sometimes be a legitimate reason to get reduction surgery, I wish it was less common as a cause, because I think a lot of the disgust (particularly the part caused by cultural forces) is fixable.

I used to desperately long for a reduction when I was 18-20. My mom was supportive but suggested that I think it over for a couple of years. I am so glad I waited, because I ultimately came to love my boobs, and plan to keep them for life. But much more importantly, I eventually realized that the reasons I had wanted a reduction were all wrong.

It began in my first year of university. After years of being happy with my body, my boob-self-esteem suddenly hit rock bottom. During one conversation with people (mostly females) living in my hall, they crowded around me saying “Oh my God, your boobs are so huge! What size do you wear? Can we look at your bra? Can I touch them? God, they’re just so BIG!” No one in the room said anything like “Your boobs are huge! That’s cool!”  or “Your boobs look good!” I get so mad when I think back on this. It is unacceptably rude to dissect and discuss a single part of someone’s body without at least offering the comfort of a simple compliment. As it was, I ended up feeling like a zoo animal.

In another incident, the best friend of my bitchy roommate purposely walked in on me when I was braless and then ran up and down the hall screaming “You guys, I saw her tits!”

In another conversation, this time with the males living in my hall, each and every one of them declared that big boobs were overrated and lame and they only liked big butts. I didn’t even like these morons but the mere fact that they all happened to have the same preference convinced me that it was universal.

I started to do internet searches of things like “Are big boobs attractive?”, but all that would come up were articles or posts trying to reassure girls with small boobs that their bodies were perfectly attractive, so it did the opposite for me. At that point I had still never heard anyone say “You have a nice body” or even “You have nice boobs”. All I had ever heard was “huge”, “giant”, “massive”.

These factors combined to cause what felt like a deluge of hatred for big boobs from everyone I talked to. I embarked on an overly intense diet to try to make my boobs smaller, adopted a curled-over posture that hid my boobs, and I suddenly couldn’t handle the sight of myself in my old bras.

At this stage, I wanted a reduction because I felt like a monster; my insecurity was verging on body dysmorphia. I thought I would never have a boyfriend because guys seemed to hate big boobs so MUCH. If someone I was pursuing romantically was uninterested, I would immediately assume it was because of my boobs. I wrote in my journal that I did not want to “inflict” the sight of my body on anyone I knew. I never even got catcalls or pervy comments, other than the few distressing incidents I’ve just detailed (mine was the opposite, I suppose, of the stereotypical experience).

These factors were the only reasons I was so disgusted with my body that I wanted a reduction, and once I grew out of my body hatred, I realized my insecurities weren’t founded. There are loads of people, both male and female, who love big boobs or at the very least know how to be polite about the topic—those people just weren’t talking as loudly as the people who treated me like a zoo animal. The most important realization was that I myself am one of those people who like big boobs—I like all boobs, actually. I still feel sad about the fact that no one told me my body was nice when I was young enough that it would have really made a difference to me. But I guess people were trying not to make me feel uncomfortable. Unfortunately, the result was the opposite.

Because of my experiences and the fact that I ultimately came to love my body, it really saddens me to read about girls getting reductions when they are as young as 16 or 17 (even younger in some cases). So many of those girls never get the right guidance or the right length of time to properly make a serious choice which is for life. The worst is when women get reductions without ever learning about proper bra sizing—someone who should be in a 30GG will obviously be miserable in a 38DD but lots of women never learn that, and doctors don’t know that.

These considerations were only part of the reason why, after my phase of body hatred passed, I was extremely negative about reductions and believed that practically no one needed one. I’m glad I didn’t write a blog post about the topic back then because my viewpoint has evolved a lot since. I realize that although I was lucky enough to outgrow my disgust with my body, that sadly won’t happen to everyone. The cultural forces that helped remove my disgust with my boobs were just an unpredictable combination of factors, same as the forces that produced the disgust. When my love for my body was fragile and newly-formed, it was hard for me to deal with the idea of reductions because I felt that someone getting one for reasons other than crippling back pain was passing a judgment on MY body. If they wanted smaller boobs because they found their bigger boobs unpleasant, then I felt they must think that my boobs and my body were ugly and disgusting too.

But I realize now that it is unreasonable to reject the suffering of a woman who feels trapped in an alien body just because doing so might be beneficial to MY self-esteem. The bottom line is that it’s not about me. It’s not even about aesthetic standards of beauty, because there is no single aesthetic for what is attractive or acceptable. Feminism is about CHOICE.

A woman who wants smaller boobs can choose to have a reduction, just as a woman who wants bigger boobs can choose to get implants, finances allowing. In the same vein, someone who is attracted to busty women can choose to date busty women, and someone who is attracted to smaller-chested women can choose to date smaller-chested women. Besides, traits like breast size are very rarely foremost in people’s considerations of whom they love or value. None of the choices I have described are directly equivalent to a judgment on “the other” body type. Everyone feels differently and has their own preferences. If one person prefers something different from my body type, it doesn’t mean that everybody feels the same. It’s not a war.

Starting Points

You might notice I’ve created a new category for posts called “Starting Points”. I think this is important because not everyone is at the same point on their journey towards bra happiness and boob happiness.

When I started this blog, I decided to proceed with the assumption that everyone who ended up here would already have some idea of their size, or at least would know that there are sizes above DD. But it’s unfair to assume that awareness of the sizes implies knowing your own size, plus we all need to re-check once in a while.

A great post that has a comprehensive overview of the whole topic is "The Bra Fitting Revolution" at Barbara Rae's Rants. However, she doesn't say much about 'swooping and scooping', so go read her post, and then come back and read what I have to say.

The most important thing about bra fitting is to achieve a stable, comfortable fit where the band is tight enough to provide support and the cups are large enough to fit your breasts. The band should be straight across your body, not riding up, and the center gore (the part of the bra between the cups) should be sitting flat against your body.

To figure out your band size, measure around your underbust--the place right under where your boobs end. Do it in front of a mirror and make sure that the tape measure is sitting horizontally straight. This measurement will help indicate your band size. If you want a tight fit or have very heavy boobs, you'll want to try a band size that is the same as your measurement in inches (so if you measure 30 inches around, try a 30 band). If you want a slightly looser fit for comfort, without sacrificing stability, add 2 inches to your measurement (so if you measure 30 inches, you'd try a 32 band). Don't be afraid to try multiple band sizes. If your measurement is not an even number, you can either add or subtract one inch to get your size, depending if you'd prefer a tighter or looser band.

Band size is important to figure out, but cup size is MOST important. You can find more detail on that in my post here. Most women will find they are wearing a size that is too small. A great starting point to figure out your cup size is the Sophisticated Pair bra calculator.  Another good one is the Curves and Corsets calculator. These two are the only calculators I've found online that are fairly accurate. Based on what these calculators tell you, you'll want to order A TON OF BRAS. Order bras in the suggested cup size, one size smaller, and one and two sizes bigger. (Don't worry, you're going to be returning most of them.) You need to try a lot of different shapes and sizes in order to figure out what works. Bravissimo, Figleaves, Brastop, and Large Cup Lingerie are good places to start looking for bras.

When you try bras on, YOU MUST 'SWOOP AND SCOOP' your tissue to figure out if the size is correct. Basically, reach into the bra cup and pull up all the tissue. You'll find that a bra that might have looked too small will now fit; a bra that might have seemed like it fit will be revealed to be too small. You must swoop and scoop every time you put on a bra to make sure your breast tissue is being supported and lifted, not crushed and damaged.

To increase your success, it's best to also educate yourself on breast SHAPE as well as size. For this, check out my posts on figuring out the shape of your boobs, more detailed information on the same, and figuring out what shape you like to get from a bra. These posts will likely also help you figure out what bras to try.

You can also check out my brand overviews on Freya, Panache/Cleo, Curvy Kate. More overviews to come on Bravissimo, Fantasie, Tutti Rouge.

A lot of people will tell you that the only way to get properly fitted is in a shop, but that isn't realistic for everyone. First of all, real professional lingerie shops with good size ranges are very difficult to find, especially in America. Second of all, if you don't have a vague idea of what size should work for you, how can you tell if a fitter is doing their job correctly? You don't want to be victimized by a mediocre fitter. If you live in New England, definitely go to Zoe and Co; I can vouch for them that they are amazing, attentive, respectful fitters. Intimacy is another good, trustworthy store to get fitted at. If you live in the UK, Bravissimo is the ideal starting point for a fitting. Regardless of where you go, it's always a good idea to go in armed with some information.

Assorted tips and hints:

Beware of any website, store, brand, or size calculator that uses "American bra sizing"! There is no such thing as a standard of sizing in America. Most brands that market to America and reputable stores in America will usually use UK sizes. That is, in proper UK sizing, the cup sizes are AA, A, B, C, D, DD, E, F, FF, G, GG, H, HH, J, JJ, K, KK, L. Each size is one size bigger than the one before it--there is no such thing as "half sizes"; some of the cup sizes are just called by a double letter while others are called by a single letter. One really odd thing I have seen is that certain online retailers only stock the single-letter sizes, as though they believe that the double letters are "half sizes" (they aren't!). Be cautious with retailers like that. If you see anyone listing sizes in a way different than what I've listed above, be careful when ordering from them because what you get may not be what you expect. If you encounter an American bra whose cup size is listed as "DDD", this is the equivalent of a UK size E.

If your bra has underwires that feel too wide, or the wires are digging into your ribs, it’s probably because your body isn’t constructed out of flat planed surfaces. Be sure to check out my post on bending the underwires to fit your body.

If a new bra has itchy bits on it from the rough edges of seams or threads in small areas, try rubbing at that itchy part with a nail file so it becomes smooth. Often this will solve the problem. If the tags are itchy, save time and just cut them off.

If a bra has a ribbon bow that’s too long and you want to trim it, but don’t want it to fray, cut it and then gently dab at the end of the ribbon with clear nail polish. That will seal the end so it can’t fray.

If you’re a student and your back hurts from long hours sitting in lectures and the library, try studying in bed. You’re worth it. (Sadly, this doesn’t apply to office jobs unless you work from home.)

Read this article on Boobius Maximus to learn how to recognize bad bras from good bras, and to pick out bras similar to ones that have worked for you in the past. This is the biggest wealth of information EVER contained in a single blog post. Read. It.

Also from Boobius Maximus, the bra alteration that can revolutionize your bra collection for FREE.

A great classic post from Thin and Curvy about good versus bad reasons to have reduction surgery. 

How to Figure Out The Shape Of Your Boobs

I had a question in my comments regarding breast shape and how that can affect bra fitting. My post on “What Exactly is a Good Shape?” was an importing starting point for this, but I think it’s also pretty important to share a bit of the background to that post. Because I’ve tried so many bras and the shape of my boobs is very stubborn and frustrating, I’m very aware of it. Figuring out your shape is something that tends to happen gradually the more bras you try. But for trickier shapes, or for those who haven’t tried as many bras, it can be more difficult to figure out what shape you are. Once you’ve figured out your shape, you’ll be better equipped to choose bras that will suit that shape.

If you have boobs that are full on top, you will find that you struggle with bras cutting in across the top, especially when there is a ribbon or tighter detail there. In some cases this just means the cup size you are trying is too small, but women with full-on-top boobs will often have this problem even if the bra fits otherwise or is even too large everywhere else. Full-coverage bras can be very hard to fit into properly for those with this shape. If you find that you fit lower-cut bras in a certain size, while bras that have tighter upper section across the top cut in and give a “four boob” effect, you might be fuller on top and more suited to bras that are lower-cut or more open in that part. Stay tuned to this blog for reviews of bras that will work well, as this is the shape I have.

People with boobs that are more full on the bottom are likely to have more luck with bras that have a tighter upper section, like Bravissimo’s Alana and Dotty Spot or Freya’s Arabella. On the other hand, these women might find they need to size up with bras that give a lot of uplift by pushing the bottom of the breast tissue, like Curvy Kate's Thrill Me and Tease Me styles. Women with this shape will also have an easier time fitting into full-coverage bras, though they may find that style doesn’t give as much support and uplift as they’d like. I have no scientific data on breast shape, but from people I have talked to, and my observations of bra designs that sell well, I believe the full on the bottom shape may be the most common shape.

Other women have boobs that are more full on the sides, which I imagine would mean they are better suited to wide underwires; or full in the middle, in which case you might find you 'fall out' of plunge bras in the center. Or, some people’s shape might combine several of the shapes I’ve described. If you've tried lots of bras and have never noticed any of these effects, you might have a balanced shape that doesn't skew to any one direction, which could be good, and mean you fit in a lot of different styles.

If you haven’t been able to try on a lot of bras, you can also start to guess your breast shape based on the shape of your boobs without a bra. See if you can tell where most of the volume of your boobs is, and where they are most firm. For instance, my full-on-top boobs have the most volume on top, and that area is also very firm compared to everywhere else. Your monthly breast self-exam is a good time to investigate your shape while you’re at it.

You also may be able to tell your shape based on the appearance of your boobs without a bra. Although once again this is not scientific and won’t be true of everyone, boobs that are full on top tend to look more like the figure on the left without a bra, while boobs that are full on the bottom tend to look more like the figure on the right.

One last point is that some boobs are close together, while others are set further apart. If you have close-set boobs, you might find that you get a lot of cleavage without trying and need a narrow center gore, or to alter wide center gores so they don’t cause discomfort. If your boobs are wider-set, you might find it is harder to get cleavage when you want it, and you might find it is difficult to find plunge bras that work for you—Cheryl at Invest In Your Chest has talked about this difficulty.

I hope this post is useful to anyone who is working on finding the right bra for her shape. Of course, like any such guide, this is only a starting point. The main point I want to make is that there is no “wrong” shape for breasts. Every shape is normal and attractive, and every shape deserves a bra that fits well. There are lots of different kinds of bras out there, and especially as the market is growing, there will be something out there for everyone. The more you know, the better luck you’ll have. 

Curvy Kate “Emily” in Flame (Review …ish)

This will be a quick post; I just wanted to share my answer to a question I’ve had for ages. Exactly what color is "Flame"?

 I’ve long considered buying Curvy Kate’s Emily bra in this color, but I wasn’t sure if it was red or orange, or in between, or a bit of both. It seemed to look a bit different in every photo I’d ever seen of it. Personally, I love red, but I’m not so crazy about orange, which was why I was so curious that I ordered the bra.

The answer? As you can see, it's highly dependent on the use of flash, but I’d say it’s more red than anything else. It's a shade of red that is slightly tinted towards coral or orange, but to my eyes it falls solidly in the category of red. For a much better visual aid, here’s a photo of the Flame Emily next to my red Princess, which is a classic pillarbox shade of red:

As you can see, the two colors are not that far off. However, the Flame Emily does have embroidery in orange, so I think it will satisfy fans of orange as well as red.

As for the fit and shape… well, last time I reviewed the Emily I wasn’t very kind to it. But that was unfair, since I had tried the Emily in one cup size up and two cup sizes up, but never in my actual size. In my normal Curvy Kate size of 28J, the Emily was a good fit and actually gave better shape than the other Curvy Kate bras I’ve tried. It’s still not open on top like a Panache balconette, but the top section is much looser than that on the Angel or Princess. In fact, the material makes it a lot like the Ella, which is the Curvy Kate bra I found the easiest fit. The Emily is, like the Ella, pretty forgiving and I think it’s a good Curvy Kate bra to start with if you are still trying to find your size in the brand.

The shape from the side is pretty good, not mind-blowing. It’s still a little more triangular than I’d like, and not as round as the shape I get in my favorite bras (Panache Sienna and Confetti, Cleo Lucy and Brooke). It’s not a terrible shape, just kind of average on me. I would consider this more an everyday bra than a sexy number. Of course, sometimes that's what you're looking for.