Charlotte Bra and High Waisted Briefs

Despite receiving my Tutti Rouge sets only a month ago (http://diamondsandsteel.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/tutti-rouge.html), I had since become desirous of the Parfait Affinitas Charlotte set, in the new size range, which had expanded to include 28 bands. I ordered the Charlotte plunge in red, 28F, and the high-waisted briefs in XS, last Wednesday, here: http://www.beautyfullbras.com/Parfait-by-Affinitas-Charlotte-Bra-NEW-EXTENDED-SIZES-28-40-D-K-3-Colors_p_42.html.

The Aftermath laying on my bed

The package arriving on Friday the next week was exceptionally quick for Australian, and cheap too (for Australia, at $9.80, calculated, quite fairly, as a percentage of the purchase cost).

Aesthetically, the set is really nice. There is both shiny material, and matte, as well as black trimmings and bows. The set is not whimsical, girly, and fussy, as lingerie is wont to be, instead being somewhat solid, assured looking almost... but nevertheless very pretty! Coupled with the high waisted panties there is a very retro, pinup feel, which suits me well. Upon trying both pieces on, I, not having tried on anything by Parfait-Affinitas before, was struck by how well made and non-scratchy (very important!) they were. Please excuse the photo-quality,btw, they were done at night, and whether with flash or without, the colour has been distorted. In reality it is a rich, deep, flattering red, more like what the official pics show.

 The front of the panties

 And the back

 The back of the bra

 Interior of the cups

 Part of he band, made of some nice mesh

 Bow and ribbon at gore. Also notice the contrasting stitching

Size wise, the briefs were firm for me at the tummy, but, having ordered an XS, I was not surprised. My waist has been biggering, from 24" to 25 or 26 inches, or S territory, while my hips remain at 34-35", or XS territory. I don't like to size up because I like to have panties firm on my butt, not gaping around and potentially getting caught in my butt crack.

Alas, the bra just didn't fit. The band was firm, comfortable, and lay parallel to the floor without digging or causing discomfort. Apparently the earlier Charlotte models ran very tight, so it seems this has been corrected. I really wanted to try this bra after hearing that the cups where deep, and wires very very narrow, just like the Polish bras, but not Polish (obviously). Since shipping, returns and figuring out sizing was such a nightmare for me the one and only time I ordered from Ewa Michalak, I wanted to try the wire shape in the non-polish Charlotte. The wires are VERY narrow indeed, maybe 2 cm narrower than this standard-cupped 30E (same cup size, due to sister sizing).

Wire comparison

The cups are also somewhat deeper than usual, though not outstandingly so. Again, note the comparison to the 30E.

Simply, the bra was too small, through no fault of it's own, I just took the incorrect size. Nevertheless, it was not uncomfortable or irritating. I am at my largest of the month atm (tmi, but I am just being accurate!). I would guesstimate a 28FF or very narrow 28G, as I suspect I have put on weight these holidays. Case in point, today heralded 3 slices of cheesecake and 4 peanut butter cups. Nevertheless, I would say that the bra runs a little on the smaller side cup-wise. The too-smallness of the bra is also exacerbated by my very full-on-top breasts, which make the quadra-boobage all the worse.

The singlet sits right on the top edge of the cups. This is my smaller side

And larger side. The visibility of the cups is more due to the shittiness of the singlet than their size

 I am debating if I should exchange it for a 28FF, which could fit me at smaller times of the month, and still provide cleavage, or if to size up even to a 28G.

Aforementioned cleavage. Sometimes too-small bras have advantages! And yep, that awful tan-line is from wearing my black Panache Sport to the beach, because I don't like wearing non-supportive bikinis, and am too broke after these holidays to buy a proper wired one.

In going up to the 28G, I am afraid the cups might dig into the top of my  armpits (I have high-set breasts). Also, I might sacrifice the narrowness of the wire.

Xoxoxo,

Princess

Panache sport

Panache Sport review:



Hi all,
I have a couple of articles in mind, but I am super busy with exams and an artwork I am trying to complete by TOMORROW. Hence I write this from the lovely location of my kitchen table, whilst eating.
I am quite into running, and so obviously a good sports bra is a must. Health implications aside, going without a good sports bra would hurt, and be a little indecent. Coming of the back of a size ten compression bra (hello uniboob), I was so impressed that I bought  the Panache in black and then a few weeks later in red.

The black one is a size 30E, and given that this allegedly  runs a little big in the cups, It fits very well. The band stretches to 29", and  I have worn it quite a lot. This is OK, as I have a bony rib-cage, and so the size down would have felt constricting. In any case, the band does not ride up my back, and stays put.
It also gives me a really great shape, projected, with a hint of cakes-on-a-plate cleavage, despite being a sports-bra, and works it's non-bounce magic even on smaller boobs, not withstanding that it was made for much heftier engineering.

What do I not like about the bra? The straps are either a tad too long worn normally at the tightest setting, or hurt my neck and shoulders at their loosest clipped  the racer-back feature. The wires also sometimes irritate my sternum and rib-cage, but I think this is the hazard of having a bony rib-cage and running wearing a tight, wired item, however well-padded the wires are.
Sometimes I get gaping at the top of the cup as my size fluctuates and becomes lower, and, aesthetically, this could be fixed by going down a cup size. It still gives the same support, so I don't particularly care.
It is interesting for me to note that the top hook of the first set of hooks on the black bra, which I have ad longer, is pulled out quite a lot further than the bottom two hooks, which indicates the inverted triangular shape of my rib-cage.
Sometimes, after prolonged wear, I can 'feel' the bra, but I have yet to find a perfect bra that this is not an issue with.

Below are some photos of me in the red bra, showing you how nice the shape is. Sometimes I even wear this bra under normal clothes. Of course, the op must not have itty-bitty straps or a low neckline, but hey-ho.

Being so impressed with the no-bounce nature of the black Panache sport, the shape and the comfort, I went  and bought the same bra in red, without trying it on. Sure it will fit, its the same thing! WRONG! If the black one was a very tight 30 band, the red one ran a full size bigger! It stretched to 31" (being a size 30 band). Perhaps this sizing inconsistency was due to the black one shrinking when it was dyed. Perhaps they have slight construction differences. I don't know. There is no puling on any of the hooks on this bra, and sometimes it slips around a little, leading me to think I should have gotten it in a 28F.
The red one also has longer straps, which I can comfortably do up in  racer back, giving me more support than the red one, and eliminating ALL bounce save for the little bit of flesh that is present over the top (that sexy hint of sport cleavage).