Panache "Envy" Review

I've been eager to try Panache's new Envy bra. Being based on their extremely successful Jasmine bra, I figured it would be a good one. However, I heard initial reports that it was different from the Jasmine, so I was worried it wouldn't deliver. However, this weekend I got the chance to try the Envy in a store and I was blown away by how great it is. I haven't tried the Jasmine (shameful, I know) so I can't report back on the differences, but I can say that this is a great bra that I'd highly recommend.

Here's the front view. Like the Jasmine and its ancestor, the Andorra, the Envy has a modified full-cup construction with a side support panel and stretchy upper section.

The combination of the uplifting side support and the stretch in the top means that these bras don't suffer from the problems that regular full-cup bras have. However, I still get a very slightly pointed shape in the Andorra full cup. That was NOT the case in the Envy:

This is one of the best shapes I've ever seen--held close to the chest and extremely rounded. At first I couldn't believe the shape I was seeing, so I did some bouncing around, but it seems like this is the real deal.

I tried the Envy in a 30HH and 32H. The cups run true to the size I currently need in Panache, Freya, Curvy Kate, Bravissimo and Cleo bras (though I can still wear a 30H in Cleo Marcie), so I would say the cups are true to size. The band felt a little firm to me in the 30, as I'm more of a 32 now. I would say the band is also true to size and is made of a lovely high-quality material like the Andorra rather than the typical crappy mesh.

I'm really impressed by this new offering by Panache. Because of the stretchy upper cups, it will work well for both full-on-top and full-on-bottom types--it works to combat both cutting in AND gapping. I'm really glad to see Panache beefing up their collections (which have been a bit weak in recent seasons) with such a well-constructed bra.

Tutorial: Shortening a Bra Band

When it comes to bra fitting, I have a philosophy of independence. I want myself and all women to know their shape and what fits them without needing to rely on commercial interests for that advice. I also want myself and all women to be free from the sometimes tiny constraints of the full-bust market--that is, I want us to be able to work with what is available, even when it is not good, to move  past the limitations of the market so we can get what we need. That is why I am an advocate of knowing how to sew--sewing is power, and if you know how, your bra world opens up to include models that wouldn't otherwise work for you. Sewing and alteration enable us to improve fit faster than the glacially slow evolutions of the brands themselves.

For those of us who wear smaller band sizes, we often find ourselves frustrated that the bras we want don't go up to high enough cup sizes. You need to go up a cup size to keep the same volume when you go down a band size, but most bras cut off at a certain cup size across the board. So a brand will claim "We can't make this bra above a G cup", when actually, the 38G that is produced has the same cup volume as the 30J they refuse to manufacture.

I've heard a lot of people cautioning that taking in a band can be disruptive to the fit of a bra. However, I disagree. Think about it--within most brands, the cups are usually not 'scaled' from size to size--that is, the cups will be identical across the sister sizes. All you do when you take in a band is remove the length that has been added. There are, of course, inconsistencies that will arise with home alterations; however, in a general sense, there is no reason you should not be able to alter a band--even many sizes--and still get a good fit. The only real sticking point comes if the point where the strap hit the band is significantly changed. If you find this is the case, you may actually like the results--it's nice once in awhile to have your bra straps sit somewhere slightly different--or you can take in fabric on both sides of the strap to even out the position. I did not find this to be an issue.


I'm a huge fan of Freya's padded half-cup shape, as seen in my review of the Patsy. However, I've been unimpressed with their lack of speed and enthusiasm in expanding the cup sizes for this shape, so I decided Freya's padded half-cup would be a good model to use for this post.

In this tutorial, I'll show you how I turned a 38FF Freya Daphne padded half-cup into a 32H. Since I modeled the alteration after a bra with the same shape, I was able to be quite confident that it would work for me. If you are altering a bra that you haven't tried in the correct band size, be aware that cups can seem bigger when you try on a loose-banded bra, so make sure the bra you are altering has enough room in the cups. You should also model your alteration after a bra with similar cup width and similar level of stretch in the band; otherwise the results may be different than you would like.

I did this alteration on a machine, since it's much faster. However, this alteration can also be performed by hand--you just need to use a small enough stitch to hold in the mesh.

This is an alteration that likely can be removed without damaging the bra. As always, though, alterations are performed at your own risk.

Here's the fit of the 38FF Daphne before alteration:

 

As you can see, it is massively too big in the band and rides up; the cups are therefore not supportive.

To begin, I compared the bands of my 38FF Daphne and 32H Patsy to mark how much material needed to be taken in.

 

I then folded the band over itself and pinned it in place. At this point, you should double-check against the bra you're using as a model to make sure the band has the proper length.

 

 

My next step was simply to sew this fold in place, all the way around so the stitching forms a rectangle. The most important areas to secure are the horizontal seams that will actually hold the alteration in place, but the vertical seams add strength and keep everything in place. I used a small stitch to secure the mesh material, and I used a dark thread so it is visible for the tutorial.

That's all! I didn't cut any material out, but simply folded it inside so it does not show when the bra is worn. With this strategy, it actually helped that I was taking in a band so many sizes too large--there was enough material that the fold can lie completely flat. If you are taking in just one band size, you may find the fold a bit bulge-y and want to do it the other way, so it is on the outside, for comfort.

Here's the fit of the altered Daphne:

Cardigan Geometry: How to Highlight or Disguise Your Boobs with a Cardigan

With September drawing to a close, we're getting into Autumn weather. I wanted to talk a bit about the various ways that cardigan sweaters (jumpers) can be worn. Cardigans are often considered to be one of the 'tricky' items for full-busted ladies, and as a result companies like Pepperberry have made them with extra boob room:

Pepperberry V-neck Cardigan

This is great if you're looking for a sweater to wear buttoned-up, but that's not how I like to wear my cardigans. I prefer to wear them open. What I'm about to suggest is a little unorthodox, but hear me out.

The key to flatter a full bust with an unbuttoned cardigan is to SIZE DOWN. You should think in terms of buying a size that would NEVER button over your boobs, and maybe wouldn't even button over your waist. The function here is to eliminate flapping, bagginess, and shapelessness that can come as a result of wearing an unbuttoned cardigan. When the size is significantly 'too small' for you, the entire body of the cardigan will sort of contract around/behind you and just gently lurk around your body without any issues of draping or hanging. I tend to be a size Medium in tops, but I favor an Extra Small in cardigans for this reason.

When sizing down this much, you can just let the cardigan hang down under your arms and it will look fine. But you can also pull the top of the cardigan over your boobs and let it sit there. Here's where things get interesting. Cardigans that have a gently tapering neckline--or in other words, what would look like a V-neck if buttoned, will play up, highlight, or create the illusion of an hourglass figure.

In this diagram, you see the lines that are created. The cardigan tapers in at the waist, and out at the neck and hips.

While some of us like to highlight an hourglass figure, others of us prefer to conceal or downplay the size of our boobs. I'm definitely one who has plenty of days where I want to balance out my boobs and disguise the comparative smallness of my waist. To achieve this look, use a square-neck or boat-neck cardigan--one where it buttons all the way up to the neckline.

Compare the different lines created by this cardigan. The smallest opening is at the bust, and it gets more open through the waist and hips. This visually tricks the eye into seeing the bust as smaller.

How do you like to wear your cardigan? Do you like to play up or camouflage your boobs? If you have any thoughts or other tips for cardigan use, let us know in the comments!

Curvy Kate, Flirtelle, and the "Upside-Down Seven" Shape

I started this blog about two years ago with a huge pile of Curvy Kate bra reviews. At the time, the brand seemed like the best new hope for full-busted women--a fun brand with a great social media presence, cool contests, great colors, and a cheaper sister brand, Flirtelle. Yet now, even though all of those things are still true, I feel let down by Curvy Kate--particularly their unpadded balconette bras. I don't mean to suggest their unpadded balconettes don't work for anyone. That's far from true. But there are pervasive problems, which tend to intensify in the bigger cup sizes. The specific problem I want to address now is an issue of fabric tension. It is, I believe, largely responsible for the fabled "upside-down seven" shape.

What's the upside-down seven shape? It's a phrase that was coined by Bras and Body Image in this post and quickly entered the lexicon on Bratabase and other forums. It essentially refers to a shape where the upper curve of the breast takes on an extra angle where the bra ends. The profile in the bra beneath points too far down as a result.

Now, the tricky thing with the upside-down seven shape in Curvy Kate/Flirtelle is that there are two different stages where it can occur. The first stage occurs when trying a cup size that is too small in these brands. A large number of people will always get this shape if their cup is too small.

Upside-Down Seven Shape in a too-small Curvy Kate

So what's the next step? Size up and shorten the straps. And, to some extent, this works. That's why my initial reviews of Curvy Kate's unpadded bras were so positive once I found my size. I bought a ton of them and happily wore them... UNTIL...

Do you ever catch a glimpse of yourself in a mirror when you're not expecting it and suddenly realize "I NEED TO GET RID OF ALL MY BRAS"? That's what happened to me. Midway through the day, my Curvy Kate balconette had lost its lovely morning shape and my boobs were pointing at the ground.

What is behind this mysterious loss of shape throughout the day?

Bras and Body Image had it right on when she commented "It seems like the bottom section of the cup is not large enough to really give a well-rounded shape." Flipping this around, I believe the problem is that the upper section of the cups is TOO BIG. The top section is responsible for some shaping, but the bottom sections do the lion's share of the lifting. That's why bras where the bottom sections connect to the strap give better lift than bras where only the top section connects. When the bottom sections of a bra end too low, particularly if they end below the apex of the breast, the resulting vast expanse of fabric in the upper section often fails to achieve the desired lifting and shaping results.

With Curvy Kate and Flirtelle, though, there's more to it than that. The crux of the issue is their use of a fabric that DOES NOT STRETCH but CAN DISTORT. Let's get our terms straight here. When you grab the fabric in the top of a Curvy Kate balconette, you'll find that it can 'stretch' in all directions (along each grain and also diagonally to the grain). However, this isn't really stretch because there's no elastic in the fabric. That means it can change shape... but it can't change back. By contrast, the stretchy fabric in the top section of the Panache Andorra or Jasmine stretches, but it has the elastic to be able to bounce back and hold its shape even while adjusting to your shape. Other bras have no ability to stretch or distort in the top section. This tends to result in a trickier fit as it has to be perfect, but once you've found it, these bras won't change shape throughout the day. But fabric that distorts, but doesn't stretch, will embark each morning on a slow march toward loss of support. That's why you sometimes find a bra that looks great at first, but stops looking good later. It's not that you were temporarily deluded, it's that the bra actually changed.

For Curvy Kate and Flirtelle balconettes, the distorting fabric combined with the too-large top section means that these factors become a huge problem. For me, it's been enough to put me off these balconettes altogether. Let's look at how the shape changes on a Flirtelle Dahlia balconette.

At first, it's looking good:

Still looking pretty good:

Starting to look a little weird:

Not looking so good now:

By the last photo, I'm in full-on upside-down seven mode. And this is just after a few MINUTES of vigorously leaping around to simulate the effects of a day of walking and living life. In my opinion, it's really a shame that this issue with Curvy Kate and Flirtelle balconettes has persisted so long, so maybe it's time we start talking about it. These balconettes need firmer fabric that doesn't distort, or a little bit of elastic to fight those effects; or failing that, an upper section that is cut smaller. Please comment if you've had this problem with Curvy Kate. Was it solved by sizing up or did you find it persisted? I'm also curious to know if this problem is unique to full-on-top (FOT) boobs or is also experience by full-on-bottom (FOB) and balanced boobs.

Why Do Full-On-Top Boobs Look Pointy in Full-Cup Bras?

One of the most irksome aspects of the HerRoom bra shape quiz kerfuffle was their suggestion that full-on-top breast shapes would be suited to full cup bras. I've constantly asserted since starting my blog that that's not the case. But I never really explained WHY NOT, and I want to provide some visuals so people who are frustrated by this problem can grasp the central issue.

By now, you may be familiar with my "bra seam structure graphic".

The full-cup bra seam structure shown in the diagram isn't good at shaping boobs. But despite this, lots of people get a nice shape in full-cup bras and really like them. But others (hint: full-on-top ladies) tend to get a really pointy shape, and hate these bras. What's the secret behind this?

To start with, let's look at the sort of photos I usually DON'T post to this blog: my own full-on-top boobs looking really sad in a full-cup bra.

From the front, the Panache Loretta in a 30H fits well:

But from the side, you see the truth.

(Seeing this photo and keeping in mind the hefty percentage of bras that are made with this construction,   you might begin to realize why I named my blog "Bras I Hate.")

Now, in the first stages of putting this bra on and swooping/scooping, it appears to mostly fit but not suit my shape. But a few minutes of jiggling around make the problems worse...

And worse...

I know what you're thinking--you need a bigger size! In a way, yes, but largely no. Sizing up in this sort of bra WILL eliminate the bulging, but it will make the shape even worse and will create more and more extra space in the apex of the cup. Clearly this isn't a bra structure compatible with my shape. The problem? Full-cup bras provide a lot of support in the top section without enough openness. This tends to have a 'squashing' effect on those who have lots of tissue there. Combined with the lack of lift from the bottom, the shape is very downward-facing and pointy.

Why is it, though, that ladies with full-on-the-bottom boobs can still often get a nice shape in this sort of bra even though there isn't much lift from the bottom? Let's examine some graphics.

Here's what happens to full-on-top boobs in a full-cup bra.

The large amount of tissue that needs to sit outside the bra forms a really steep slope that, combined with the way the bra lies, creates this shape that most of us don't desire.

Here's what happens to boobs with lower fullness:

The gentler slope at the top of the boobs meshes well with the intended line of the bra's profile, and the result is a perky 'green shape'.

I hope this is enlightening to anyone who wonders why full-cup bras work or don't work on their shape. For those who don't like full-cup bras, don't worry, there's hope--balconettes and half-cups.

Bras I Hate & Love Tries Tutti Rouge!

I've been dying to try the new brand, Tutti Rouge, ever since I first saw the product photos. Recently, I was fortunate enough to be loaned a few of the styles by the lovely Erica over at A Sophisticated Pair. I tried the Liliana in 30HH, the Betty in 30HH, and the Birds of a Feather in 32HH. My immediate thoughts are really positive. I figured I was going to love this brand, and I did. The bras are lovely in person and are really well-made, which is nice because they are also fairly affordable. I expected that I would need a larger cup size and band size in this brand, and I did. My conclusion is that I would fit a 32HH in all the styles I tried. Since I usually wear a 30H in Cleo and a 30HH in other brands, that's 1 band size up and 1-2 cups sizes up. I would recommend most people try a size up from their normal size in this brand. From what I have heard, the bands run tight in the smaller size region and start to run larger in the upper band sizes due to increased stretch, so if you wear a 34/36 band or above, you likely won't need to size up in the band.

Now let's see the bras...

Here's the Liliana in 30HH. Liliana has a three-piece balconette construction with padding in the lower two sections.

It's too small, but the shape is perfect for my boobs. This bra gives a very rounded shape. It keeps the girls really close to the chest, and as such is pretty minimizing. This bra is going to be GREAT for anyone who wants their boobs to look a bit more subtle but still really rounded.

I actually liked the partially-padded cup construction. I don't dislike padding as much as I once did, but having the top section unpadded really helps minimize that bulk that some of us dislike in padded bras. I had heard that this top section was stretchy, but I didn't find that it had much stretch to it.

The Liliana won't work for those who need deep cups and a lot of projection. It's just cut too shallow for that shape. If you have shallower boobs and like the 'purple shape', try the Liliana.

Next up, the Betty in 30HH. This bra has a half-cup construction with vertical seams--a shape guaranteed to give lots of uplift and never look pointy. Unlike most half-cups that have two seams, the Betty just has one:

Apologies about the antique mirror.

Again, this bra is one cup size too small, but the shape works for me.

It's so uplifting that it almost works as a strapless (and no, my boobs aren't self-supporting):

Half-cups typically work best for full-on-top boobs because the upper tissue can sit outside the cup. Those with full-on-bottom boobs can still get awesome cleavage in half-cups but might need to size up. I think the Betty will work for both types.

Like the Liliana, it is somewhat minimizing, so it's good for those of us who like that. Because of the nice cleavage it gives, though, this one will also appeal to those who like to give their boobs more visual oomph. In terms of size I think it runs about the same as Curvy Kate's Thrill Me and Tease Me half-cups--in other words, a little small.

It's cuter in person than it looks online, with the ruffle detail and cool modern-looking flowers. In this colorway, it's almost a little too twee for my tastes, but it's going to be coming out in red/black and a blue shade next season. I think I'll find myself tempted by the blue.

Next, I tried the Birds of a Feather bra in 32HH.

This one was the perfect size and fit, but didn't work for my shape. It has a full-cup construction with a side support panel, and like the Liliana the bottom sections are padded. Full-cup constructions usually don't work for full-on-top boobs because the upper tissue tends to make them look pointy (a topic I'll be posting about later this week), but sometimes they can succeed with a side-support panel. This one didn't have quite enough lift to avoid the pointy look on me, and also had some extra space I couldn't fill at the bottom:

I need this much lift.

If I had less upper tissue, though, my boobs would curve back in a different place, which would eliminate the pointy look. This bra will likely work better for full-on-the-bottom ladies. It also has a little too much depth for me, so there's a bit of empty space where my boobs are too shallow to fill the cups. So women who have more depth and projection to their boob will fare better with the Birds of a Feather bra, even though the Liliana probably won't work for them.

Overall I'm really happy with Tutti Rouge's launch. They started right off going up to a HH cup in all their bras, which fills my heart with joy. Since they run a little small in the cups, I hope to see them expand up to K or higher in the future, and with their clear enthusiasm to go to higher cup sizes straight off, I'm guessing they probably will at some point. I also like the fact that Tutti Rouge offers a range of different constructions and cuts so that different shapes will be able to wear the brand. Trying this brand felt sort of like the way I WANTED to feel trying Curvy Kate for the first time (sorry, Curvy Kate--expect a post about THAT next week!). I'd recommend Tutti Rouge (in a cup size up!) to fans of Cleo and Freya who want to expand their horizons.

Curvy Kate "Desire" Multiway Bra Review

Due to the miserable lack of options for multiway bras above a G cup, I was understandably excited to see Curvy Kate coming out with a bra that can be worn as a halter or cross-back. When I found the Desire for sale cheaply in a 28J, I decided to try it out.

I knew I would need an extender with the 28 back as I am more like a 30HH or 32H in Curvy Kate now. Even with an extender, this is a small 28 band.

The bra doesn't come with an additional strap to become the halter strap. Rather, the normal straps are long enough so that one can be made into a halter strap. Although I worried the straps were too easily adjustable and thus would slide out of shape, I didn't find that to be a problem.

The bra is very low in the armpits, which I know some of you will like, and others will dislike.

Beyond these factors, though, I'm very sorry to say that the Desire is disastrous. And not just disastrous on me; the bra itself has a MAJOR issue that will need to be corrected before this bra can be remotely marketable.

You can see from the front that the bra looks to be a pretty good fit. The gore is nice and low but lies flat.

The issue arises when you look at the side view. Somehow the foam in the padding is distorted. It squishes in about an inch from the top edge, and then flares out. Even with my aggressive upper fullness, my boobs can't fill that huge flare at the top when they are being squished in just an inch underneath.

Indicating the place where the foam squishes inward

A better view of the edge flaring out

The best photo I captured of the overall distorted shape

I'm pretty baffled by this shape snafu. I'm sure this is not how Curvy Kate INTENDED for the cups to be shaped, because this is not a shape that will work for anyone. Check out another review of this bra from a blogger with a completely different shape to witness how problematic this issue is. It also suggests that I didn't just get a 'dud', but rather than this is a persistent issue--at least in the upper cup size range. I'm really hopeful that Curvy Kate will take quick steps to resolve this. As is, I can't even re-sell the bra in good conscience because I very much doubt it will work for anyone. Instead, I'm going to try to do some alterations on the bra to make it work. I still really want a halter bra just to have the pressure moved to a different place on my shoulders on some days, and I'm wondering if taking a dart in the top of the cup could help with the shape. I'll update when I've figured something out.

Has anyone else tried this bra? Has anyone tried it and NOT had this issue? Let us know in the comments.