Cleo "Sadie" Longline Review

The Cleo Sadie Longline has recently become available on Brastop.com and Amazon.co.uk at discounted prices so I thought I’d give it a whirl. I like the idea of a longline bra because it has more hooks, which helps prevent awkward lines under clothing. It also provides more overall support because there is more substance to the band, which is good for avoiding back pain.

Although the Sadie Longline actually comes in a 28 band, it only goes up to an H cup, so since I normally wear a 28HH or 28J, I decided to try a 30H (equivalent of 28HH). I figured even if it didn’t fit it could be useful for a review.

The 30 band actually was a pretty good fit on me! But that’s NOT because the band runs small—it’s because of my ribs. My ribs are stubborn buggers and they stick out right underneath where a regular bra band hits. Therefore, since the longline goes down far enough to have to wrap around that part of me, a 30 band was actually an appropriate fit for me in this style. It looks a little loose in the photo, but that is only due to the top layer wrinkling very slightly over the inner layer of fabric. 

I’m not saying I wouldn’t have preferred a 28 band if the cups went high enough, but this worked pretty well. If your ribs bulge out right under your bra band and you’d need to size up in the band to get the right cup size, you might end up with a workable fit despite sizing up.

The cups were a good fit on me too—I usually find with low-cut half-cups that are fairly open at the top, I can wear a 28HH instead of my “normal” 28J. The 30H (as the equivalent of the 28HH) fell into this category. I think most people, though, would do best sticking with their normal cup size.

The padded cups are made with vertical seams, a construction I like because it gives great uplift and shape. Normally I’ve seen these cups made with three sections, but the Sadie (like Cleo’s Juna and Poppy bras) has just two. I think it works well and is a little less minimizing in front than the three-section cups I’ve tried.

Overall I was actually pretty impressed by this bra. It was a fairly easy, non-fussy fit which gave nice shape and support. The back band hardly cut in at all and streamlined my silhouette (my darn ribs often look a bit bulgy/lumpy in normal bras). I think the back would still be visible under a thin shirt, especially where it cuts in at the narrow point of my waist, but it would not show under a sweater, as too-thin bands can. I also love that it’s plaid and that the plaid is continued all over the cups, front of the straps, and band.

The only thing I hate about this bra is that it’s orange. I know loads of people who love and covet orange clothing, and particularly orange lingerie, but it’s just not my personal favorite. I don’t know how long the longline trend will last, but here’s hoping that Cleo will someday make this one in a different color—and hopefully a few more cup sizes!

In unrelated news, check out my "Fairy Bra Mother" letter at Hourglassy! 

"Vintage" Bras: A Trip Down Memory Lane

I am a huge ultra-nerd when it comes to bras. I’m so keen that I could probably name the brand and style of any Freya, Panache, or Curvy Kate bra from the past few years. I wish there was a trivia game focused on big-cup lingerie.

Occasionally, I get nostalgic for the “golden oldies”—great styles of the past, especially the ones I never managed to get my hands on. Let’s reflect:

I first discovered Freya through online searching when I thought I was a 34DD. I was really a 30GG, but at the time even 34DD seemed so hard to find in the US that Freya was a godsend. This bra, the Freya Tallulah, stuck in my mind as the perfect, ultimate dream bra.

I never ended up even trying one on, and I can tell from the seam construction that the style probably wouldn’t suit me. But I still have a love of light blue and black bras that dates from my discovery of this bra. I also LOVE the model in the photo above—she is so mesmerizing.

Freya had a few more bras that I drooled over for years. The Iona bra was one I was especially fascinated by:

I also loved the Maisie, partly because I think this model is so darn cute:

I ordered the Maisie but sadly, because it was constructed like the Arabella and Eleanor, the shape did not suit me.

Speaking of Freya’s Arabella bra, I will forever get misty-eyed over the Oyster colorway…

Who cares if the shape doesn’t suit me.

Some of the bras I get most nostalgic about are old colorways of bras I own today. For instance, I’ll probably never find the two-toned version of my beloved Panache Confetti:

I WANT it!!!

And then there’s this awesome flame color of the Panache Sienna, which I believe was a Bravissimo exclusive:

It’s almost impossible to find catalogue photos of this bra online, but here is a larger image from Bratabase. 

Panache also has a few bras that I never got to try, but which I believe would suit me amazingly. For instance, the Verona:

I’m not sure what the size range was but it looks like an awesome precursor to the Confetti.

I’m fascinated by this old Panache bra, the “Tropical”.

The cup is made in only two sections total, so the bottom part is all one piece, instead of two as is common now. I have no idea how this construction would behave in real life—would it give a good shape? Could it support in the higher cup sizes? I find myself thinking probably not, as Panache has phased out this cup construction and I haven't seen anyone else using it recently.

Did you know that before there was Cleo, Panache had a “younger” brand called Frilly Intimates? This is their "Mitzi" bra.

Finally, I can’t leave Curvy Kate out of the mix. Their history is easier to track, since they are a newer company, and a lot of their older styles are still available on Brastop. But it’s rare to find photos or mentions of this early Black/Ivory Princess:

I just love two-toned bras. This is another colorway that I would go far out of my way to get my hands on.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this trip through memory lane. Here’s hoping these brands keep up the good work and keep making bras awesome enough that I’ll miss them when they’re gone. What bras do you miss? 

Flirtelle "Sublime" Review

I recently ordered the Flirtelle Sublime because I’d never tried any of Flirtelle’s stuff, even though their bras are usually very inexpensive on Brastop. As Curvy Kate’s “sister brand,” the structure and sizing is like that of Curvy Kate, so I ordered my normal Curvy Kate size of 28J.

You can see the bra looks nice from the front. I was happy to see that the sheer upper section didn’t appear too vast and didn’t make it look like “a lot of bra.” The overall look is actually quite delicate.

Sadly, the bra itself is far from delicate. The bottom sections are made from a VERY thick material. Since it is marketed as satin, I expected a thinner, smooth, shiny fabric. In reality, the fabric of the Sublime felt to me like sailcloth, or something you could make shoes out of. In addition to being very thick, it was also somewhat course to the touch, without the buttery-smooth texture that usually goes along with satin. I am easily turned off by textures I dislike so this bra was no-go for me from the second I touched it.

My only other issue with this bra was the fact that I got a very slight bit of wrinkling along the seams, which you can see in the photo below, meaning it was the slightest bit too big. I think, though, that a cup size down might have been too small, and the wrinkles did not show under a shirt.

Overall this bra is not terrible, but the thick fabric caused me to hate it. For those who don’t mind a thicker fabric, this may be a nice bra to try—I imagine it could even be used as a sports bra because of its ultra-supportive material.

I have a theory that the Curvy Kate “Lottie” shares this very thick fabric, as it is listed in their catalogue as having a “Strengthening laminated lower cup," and in pictures it looks like a similar fabric to the Flirtelle Sublime, though the shape is different.

The same phrase “Strengthening laminated lower cup” is used to describe their upcoming “Gia” bra, which is a shame as I really love this cherry/blush color.

Of course, not every bra will suit every person, but I wanted to blog about the Sublime (and the Lottie and Gia) because I think people should know what they are ordering and in my opinion the Brastop website is not very clear in their description of the Sublime. I also think, though, Flirtelle has more to offer that I would like better—the Vineyard, Divine, and Dahlia bras all look worthy of a try-on. 

H&M Bras--Look, Don't Touch: Guest Post by Eternal*Voyageur

Today I'm excited to bring you my very first guest post! This post comes from a blogger who has been a big inspiration to me. 

   Eternal*Voyageur helps others break out of the Bra Matrix at Venusian*Glow. She also shares DIY skin care experiments, how she got her dream hair and style tips. When she's not blogging she hoop- dances, thrifts and backpacks with two little people.

You can find Eternal*Voyageur on Twitter, @eternalvoyageur, and on Facebook.

H&M Bras – Look, Don't Touch 

    My boobs still hurt every time I wander anywhere near the H&M lingerie section. Now, in case you are wondering why I go there anyway: I search there for cheaper briefs that match the bras I buy online (and am too cheap to order a matching brief with). However it's a challenge to focus on pretty briefs without cringing too much as I watch girls browsing through the deceptively beautiful bras hanging so innocently on the hangers. You see, once upon a time I was one of them. 

    A long, long time ago, when I was very much stuck in the Bra Matrix, H&M was the place I would go to pick out pretty and inexpensive bras. Except I never actually bought any. I just admired the to-die-for colors, the sweet and the sexy designs. So I spent some pleasant moments picking and armful of the prettiest 34C bras from the shelves. And then some not-so-pleasant moments trying them on in the changing room. 

     Even back then I knew something wasn't right – the difference is that I blamed my boobs for it. If only they had the right shape and size! Then they wouldn't look so sad and forlorn in these beautiful bras. Obviously, beautiful bras are meant for fuller, perkier and, to put it succinctly: more “normal” breasts than mine. Don't laugh – those were the times I thought that the photoshopped-and-stuffed- into-too-small-cups boobs of Victoria's Secret models embodied the perfection of mammarian beauty. 

      Most of the time the bras I tried on at H&M ended up back on the store shelves, since what's the point of buying gorgeous bras if I didn't have the boobs for them? Still I was always back after a month or two, with the persistent hope that something would change. Because these bras are just so pretty and cheap! 

       A lot did change, but it was not my boobs. I broke out of the Bra Matrix when I found out I should be wearing 30D. I still remember the first time I tried on a bra in that size: I couldn't stop admiring myself in the mirror – I actually had boobage! I haven't looked back since then, and neither have my breasts: they vastly improved in shape and consistency, and now I even “grew” a cleavage. And I ended up helping to fit other women, in bras that come in 90 sizes. 
      I still go and look at the pretty H&M bras, because they are such a pleasure to look at. But only to look at, not to wear. 

      So, H&M bras, now I take my revenge and analyze you with the cold, unforgiving eye of one who has experienced well-fitting bras. I find you guilty of: 
• A miserable size range: the smallest band size is 32, and that comes only in A cup (really? Really?!?). This means H&M bras correctly fit, what, 1% of the population?
• Oh, sorry, my bad. You can get a 30 band at H&M, in the kids section. It comes in an A cup, heavily padded (why? why?!? To distort the young girls developing breast tissue while at the same time giving them insecurities?) 
• The H&M padded bras are so padded, they should be called quilted. Is this meant to be a protection against winter cold? In case we decide to wear them on a polar expedition? 
• The underwires often decide to make a bid for freedom and escape out of the bra. 
• In the push-up bras the pads seem to take up most of the room in the cups. 
• Most of the bras are flattening, when seen from profile. Especially the push-ups. 
• The bands can be snug, but stretch out very quickly with washing. (Still, the quality is much better than that of Triumph.)
• The H&M bra size calculator  tells me to “pull the tape tightly around your body below the bust and if it is an odd number add 5 inches, if it is an even number add 6 inches”. Their guide would put me in a 32 band, that is two band sizes more than I need to be wearing (I wear 28 bands these days). Such a loose band would obviously give me no support. 

       So when I see girls browsing through the shelves of the H&M lingerie section, I cringe because I know that in the changing rooms these girls will stuff their breasts into wrongly size cups, prematurely aging their breasts by distorting the tissue. And most of these girls will compare their their boobs to the orbs on catalogue photos and sigh, believing that something is wrong with their bodies.

Sometimes Panache Drives Me Crazy

I’m having a bad bra day today. I’m beginning to realize that I never wear my Curvy Kate bras. I don’t like the shape they give; it’s too much like the blue shape in my past post. This goes against the natural shape of my boobs, which isn't very comfortable, so I never reach for them--I usually reach for my Panache bras instead. Realizing this, I went out in search of some more Panache bras I could buy, but I hadn’t realized what a wasteland their new collection would be for me.

Here’s what they’ve got: The Sienna, a wonderful bra which I already own, which comes in just one color.

The Melody, which is an okay bra; I might buy it again in this nice pink color, but it’s not awesome.

These bras give a good shape because they have the construction shown on the left in the diagram below--the outside bottom section comes up diagonally across the cups. Because it meets the straps directly, it gives more lift from the bottom and also helps keep the boobs out of the armpits.

In the shape on the right, on the other hand, the outer bottom section does not come up to meet the strap. The result is a shape that is less compact, lower-slung, and often fairly pointy, even sometimes pointing in different directions--the east-west look. It's an older, less engineered construction, one which Panache continues to use for a dizzying number of their styles.

For instace, the dubious Tango, multiply available this season in Really Boring, A Bit Boring, and Has Cool Satin Bits On It But Still The Same Bra Really. Compare the lift and shape the black Tango Classic gives, below, to the shape the Sienna gives, at the top of the post--it's the same model.

Then there's the uncomfortable Eliza, perfectly constructed to give no uplift at all.

The Andorra, which I know is popular; it is constructed like the Eliza but with the addition of side panels which I’m not convinced would really help give any lift or shape. I’ve never tried it, though, so I can’t disparage it. There’s also this other sort of dull bra (the Emily) that’s made the same way, with the side panels.

Andorra

Emily 

A few molded T-shirt bras with uninspiring size ranges.

The Ariza, which I’ve never tried; I know from the Eliza-like construction, though, that it won’t give much uplift. You can even see that it’s not giving any uplift on the model.

And then everything else in the collection is constructed in that SAME way!

Fern

Carmel--This one even looks like an angry Furby face!

Loretta

Elsa

Paloma--a bit of flame on the pants there...

Eden--Slightly different but still no cigar!

None of them except the Melody and Sienna have bottom sections that come up to meet the strap--the essential construction to give lift and round shape in a three-section cup. It’s like Panache is phasing out the rounder shape, in favor of the old-fashioned ballistic-missile shape. Why is this happening? Who is sitting in the boardroom making these choices? Is this really what the customer demands?

Panache "Sienna" Review

In my opinion, Panache’s Sienna bra is one of their greatest triumphs. If you’ve had success with their other bras, then this bra will seem like heaven to you. Before anyone gets excited, though, here are two things to know:

It runs small in the cup. The specialty store I go to in the US always brings this bra to their customers in a cup size bigger than their normal size. I would similarly recommend that everyone go up one cup size in this bra. 

It doesn’t come in a 28 band. Sadly, this beautiful bra, which gives me the best shape of any bra I’ve ever worn, does not come in my actual size. Since it runs one cup size small, I’d want a 28JJ instead of my normal 28J; instead, I have to be satisfied with a 30J. I don’t like to advise “sister sizing” since it can cause back pain, so if you wear a 28 band normally, I’d only recommend getting this bra if you feel comfortable with the idea of altering the band later. I’ve started on the tightest hook, and as soon as it stretches out, I’ll need to take in the band.

That said, this bra is really beautiful. It’s popped up in various colors over the years…

…but I think this recent Navy/Plum color is the best I’ve seen.

This bra gives me the shape I consider ideal.

I love the fact that the overlay is a rich navy blue, rather than black, which can look flat next to other colors. The plum underneath is a beautiful satin—I just wish I could feel the texture of it. I also love the fact that the lace continues on the band. In general, the look of this bra is very luxurious and sophisticated, in contrast to the cute/fun bras I usually wear, so wearing it makes me feel like I'm doing something special for myself.

I like a round, compact shape to my boobs, and Panache is the brand that really knows how to deliver this. Sadly, they are also the brand that makes bras that are bewilderingly, almost criminally uncomfortable. The Sienna, like most Panache bras, has very wide underwires. After bending them into the shape of my body, I found the bra comfortable, except for one problem—the casing of the underwire is very stiff at the center gore, and since my boobs are close-set, it tends to poke a lot right at the top corners. This painful problem has lessened a lot with wear, but during an unfortunate incident when I slipped down some steps wearing my brand-new Sienna, the wire actually cut me a little. I know this wouldn’t have happened if not for the fall, but again, I have to ask if it is really necessary to make bras with materials that could draw blood in any situation.

Let’s just say, the Sienna is great enough that I’m willing to overlook the fact that it literally stabbed me. I can promise there is just about no other bra I would say that about. 

If Your Boobs Are Bigger Than Your Budget...

This is just part of my bra collection—as you can tell, I own way more bras than just the basics. Since I’m obsessed with lingerie, I tend to buy a lot of it, order a lot of it, return a lot of it, and keep a lot of it.

Unfortunately, as a student, I don’t have the biggest of budgets for this activity. And as you might have noticed, bras in bigger cup sizes have a nasty habit of being quite expensive at full price. So I sustain my lingerie buying partly by budgeting more in other areas, and partly by shopping around obsessively for the best available bargains. Here are my tips to get as much as you can of what you want while spending as little as possible. I've listed most of the prices in UK pounds, but my tips include what to do in the US.

Brastop.com is a great source for bargains, especially if you just want a bra and don’t really care which bra. They have a range of prices, but everything is always discounted, and there are always at least a few bras under £10. The best thing about Brastop is that they have a huge number of styles and colors available even in very high cup sizes and very low back sizes.  Brastop is best for fashion colors of Curvy Kate bras from past seasons--the continuity colors don’t make it onto Brastop. If you want black, white, and nude, try their own brand, Flirtelle, which has the same fit as Curvy Kate. There are also some options from Panache, Freya, etc. They don’t sell out of sizes quickly, so you can really mull it over. And to get the most out of Brastop, you should wait for periodic free shipping or half-price international shipping. Unfortunately, you will have to pay your own return shipping costs, which is a major drag especially if you’re not in the UK.

Amazon.co.uk is a good source for discounted prices on current-season Curvy Kate bras and some sale prices on past-season bras, including Panache and Cleo. For some reason, the current collections of Curvy Kate always seem to be marked down to £18-£20, so if you can’t wait to have a new color or model, check here. They also have some crazy bargains on older stock, which will occasionally beat out Brastop—it’s worth comparing both. The best thing about Amazon is that they usually have free shipping and free returns on bras for UK addresses. But sadly, if you’re in the US, you can’t buy bras from Amazon even if you log onto their UK site—I don’t fully understand why, but some legal issue prevents them from shipping to the US.

Debenhams.com is another decent source for random sales on current lines. They don’t have a huge number of items in the upper size ranges, but there are a few, and I’ve found some good bargains on Cleo bras from them. They also offer free shipping in the UK. They do ship to the US too, but that will cost £10, which will probably cancel out any bargain you find.

Ebay.com is always a great place to check. If you’re in the US, this is the site that will save you the most money on bras, even though most of the time you’ll still have to ship from the UK. Ebay sellers nearly always offer cheaper international shipping than you’ll find anywhere else—often just about £3. To get started, just search “bra” and your size—for instance, “bra 28J”. If you don’t want something used, look for items with “BNWT” (brand new with tags) in the title. You’ll usually find a selection of Panache, Cleo, Freya, and Fantasie bras, occasionally with some Curvy Kate thrown in there. These are generally sold by well-rated, established sellers and are either overstock, styles that never ended up getting produced, or factory seconds (bras that are slightly inconsistent in some way, but not damaged or useless). Keep in mind that certain bras seem to cycle through, so you might come up with six sellers stocking a red Freya Estelle but none stocking a purple Jolie, and then if you check a month later there will be nine purple Jolies. If you have a very small back/large cup, you will probably find mostly boring Panache styles in uninspired colors. But if you are willing to put up with this and keep searching, you can usually get bras for around £12-£15. There are also sellers who are just regular women like you, selling bras that don’t fit them right. These bras more often require bidding rather than Buy It Now, so I personally steer clear of them, but if you like bidding on eBay you can sometimes get a great bargain this way.

Edited to add: Leia Lingerie's Outlet section is usually the best place to buy Freya bras, often at really amazing discounts--some are under £10. Sometimes you can even find the matching panties for £3-£4, meaning you can ignore my warning below. Leia Lingerie also has Fantasie and Fauve items. Unfortunately, they only ship to the UK and because of the form you have to fill out with your billing address, it can be tricky to use a US credit card even if you're living in the UK, so it's best to have a UK card along with your UK address.

My final tip for a low-budget lingerie obsession is to not buy the matching underwear. Even on deep discount, these undies are usually never less than £6. If you’re willing to poke around you can get at least 2 or 3 pairs for that price. In the US, Victoria’s Secret 5 for $25.50 panties are amazing, especially the ones with lace around the waist. You can save even more if you buy single pairs at Marshall’s, TJ Maxx (that’s TK Maxx for you UK ladies), and those somewhat trashy-looking mall clothing stores with neon lighting. I know some people like to have sets that match perfectly, but if you don’t mind trying something new, it can be quite fun to do some shopping around for fun colors and patterns that coordinate and nearly match. Since underwear is a wear-once-before-washing type of item, you might find that it’s more fun to favor quantity over quality here.