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

Wishlist of Whimsy

It is Sunday night, the house is dark and quiet; most people are in bed. Sleepy and bedtimely music is playing on YouTube, and I have to be up at 6 am tomorrow. I am compiling a vauge wishlist of what I fancy at the moment. Its mostly Mimi Holliday (http://www.damaris.co.uk/), because, really, what other brand would you want to wear whilst listening to Birdy (http://www.youtube.com/user/OfficialBirdy)?

Without further ado:

.

The Bisou Bisou padded super plunge bra (http://www.damaris.co.uk/fully-padded-super-plunge-plunge-bra-silk-lace-bisou-bisou-cherie-ss13-60-mimi-holliday), in pink satin. It is ridiculously girly and pampered, like a french poodle. Speaking of French, The matching French Shorts are delectable



The Bisou L'Amor Super plunge bra in silk satin. It is delicate, whispy and so, so luxurious looking while still being affordable. And, um cleavage. (http://www.damaris.co.uk/bra-lingerie-mimi-holliday-silk-coral-mimi-holliday-ss13-300-bisou-bisou-lamour-lingerie)




The Bisou Bisou pearl lace silk satin maxi bra. This basically looks like a fuller coverage, unpadded longline (http://www.damaris.co.uk/maxi-bra-silk-lace-ss13-160lg-bisou-bisou-pearl-mimi-holliday). And the description cites thicker straps as a bonus.



The Bees Knees lace super plunge bra. I think the black and white is quite classic, and the higher white lace looks more supportive than other super plunge styles. I am not a fan of bunny imagery, however, I find it degrading. It can be found here : http://www.asos.com/au/Mimi-Holliday/Mimi-Holiday-Bees-Knees-Fully-Padded-Super-Plunge-Bra/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=2635137


I HAD to include this Nenah bra by Lascivious. It is just so cool, with its cut outs. It is simultaneously bold, daring and very, very retro. I wouldn't even be able to fir into the 30DD, which is the nearest size to my own offered, but one can dream, right? (http://www.lascivious.co.uk/nenah-bra.html)



And...Back to Mimi Holliday. This Whizz Bang silk satin comfort bra is certainly not quite as cleavagey as the rest of the Mimi H bras I have been coveting. It nevertheless looks beautiful, young, a little wacky and very dreamy (not to mention comfortable) (http://www.damaris.co.uk/mimi-holliday-lace-fluoro-neon-wizz-bang-ss13-361-bows-fluro-summer-pink-green-silk). Windie reviews some Mimi H comfort bras on her blog, undiegamer; http://windiegardie.wordpress.com/2013/06/03/mimi-holliday-elferine-and-tinkerbell-comfort-bras-reviewed/.



The SM Burek, by Ewa Michalak. I love the pale, neutral colour tone that lets the detail of the bra become the focus. (http://www.ewa-michalak.pl/product-eng-430-SM-Burek-.html)

Night night.
Xoxoxoxo,
Princess

#DiversityInLingerie

Bikini by Kookai

This is not my most flattering photo. I am pretending that I am all earthy and beachy and yoga-ey, like some hip, healthy specimen of a human. I am not. Despite numerous deviations from the 'norm' of how a female should look (lack of stomach muscles, exaggerated lordosis of the spine, hyper-extended knees and WHAT is with my posture?), there are also aspects of me that conform to some unspoken 'norm' of beauty, the tan, the skinniness, and me being so young.

So what does this illustrate? That I am alive, healthy, and grateful for the body I was given. I am not pointing out flaws or good points as if they somehow define me, because they don't. I remember the first time I realized that ones body could be a 'flaw'. I was 14 and opened a magazine and saw an article which helped you make your 'flaws' more appreciated, or some other backhanded title. Was having thick eyebrows (like me) a 'flaw'. Was pale skin a 'flaw' that needed bronzing (at the time it hit me as reverse racism) a flaw? Why where chubby legs bad, did that mean that your genetics had programmed a lesser you with shameful legs?

I think that people everywhere have been making a stink about abolishing the representation of one kind of very white anglo-saxon, skinny 'normal' for too long, and it's time not for the representation of 'curvy', 'real' women at the expense of those WASPY models, because they are also real, but for a representaion of the population as a whole. Especially in lingerie. You either have a very Americanised, skinny, small-breasted model, like so:

Courtesy Victorias Secret

Or if you do not buy from a mainstream brand, with core sizes, and buy full busted bras (like me and my 28f/28ffs), then you have models with hips and breasts that are often over an F or even G cup. Yes, full bust brands may be representing ONE sector of the market, but what about girls who wear full bust sizes that DON'T have 'big boobs' (like me), or hips (me again), or who more voluptuous than the full bust models?

Courtesy Curvy Kate

 No, its time to quietly represent everyone, skinny or not, dark, tanned, alabaster white, eyebrowed, stretch-marked, hesitant and brash. It's time to stop making a big fuss over how 'diverse' a company is being, and how praiseworthy this is. Women are more than the sum of their body, diverse or not. Please just get on with offering what we, as the clients want; a representation of everyone (after all, a companies clients are not cookie-cutter people. Ewa Michalak, http://www.ewa-michalak.pl/, is especially good for this) within advertising campaigns, make a range of skin coloured bras for everyone (I have money. I will buy them! As a side point, it is Ewa Michalak's Toffi bra, http://www.ewa-michalak.pl/product-eng-91-Strapless-Toffi.html, that fits my darker than 'average' skin colour). And then let us quietly get on with our lives, in a world that is just a little more inclusive and pleasant.

Xoxoxox

Princess

Cleo Foray and Ewa Michalak lust list

After my little annoyance at my boobs (why you change sizes yet AGAIN?) I got over myself and went online to get new bras in my guesstimate size 28F. Assuming that I am still growing, not knowing my correct size for SURE and being kind of broke (I should stop harping on about that. Maybe just a savvy consumer. Environmentally conscious minimalist shopper. Whatever) I ordered two bras from Bravissimo, the Zia and the Juna, both by Cleo.

I think they are both going to work ok, but neither gave me an Ahhhhh moment. To be honest, the couple of Freya bras I own or have tried on have been more comfortable, just due to the fact that the bands are a little looser, making the gores more comfortable (less digging). This is making me reconsider the necessity for 28 bands for my 27 inch torso, I mean, comfort-wise band 30s are less gore-problematic, but still annoy me due to their shifting bands, and the fact that the cup is sometimes distorted over my too small frame. Also, Freya gores do not seem to come up as high. There are no boobs on my sternum, wire go away! You hurt my boniness!

What was right with the Juna:
The colour was just fine, too pink toned to be any kind of realistic nude, and too pale for me, but that shade could well suit some people, and it was still skin-coloured. The lace at the top of the cups was cute, it was well formed. It contained all my flesh (ughh, what a horrible word!), the wires and cups sitting just so.

But the bad:
Let me note that most of this stuff diminished with wear. It was noticeable the first day I wore it, and has been decreasing, with the exception of the shape the bra gives me. After a few washes and wears the bra should be fine. Ok. First off, the gore. WHY S HIGH??? At least in the 28  bands, for us with bony rib cages, make it lower! I could feel it as I breathed, or folded forward, but now he feeling is much less acute. Also, the seam between the top of the cup and the elastic is somewhat visible under clothing,but whatever, I really couldn't care. I wear a bra. You see the seams and are aware of the fact. BOOM. The tag was also a tiny bit itchy, but I will rip it out, so no biggie. The band felt fine, but angled up just a little, ie was not flush with the ground, which is a little odd. Other than that I can't fault the bra. Its a good everyday bra, which is what I wanted and got.

Construction, the half cup style did NOT work for my top heavy breasts. There is too much flesh above the top of the cups, without cleavage, just subtly there under my collar bones, and a little bulging, or disturbance of the nice, clean shape, above the rim of the cup. As I mentioned, the gore was too tall, and thus irksome. Perhaps I could have gone up a cup size. Coupled with the fit of he Zia I think I am a large 28F, small 28FF. Size established, I now want to buy ALL this stuff from Ewa Michalak!

Like:

The Satine. It is an S style with a tighter band, and looks good for everyday.\


The Onyx (PL) with matching panties, which are basic and black with cute detail. I just want a basic, well constructed Ewa bra.


Dammit,so cute WANTIT this Burek bra, but it starts at a 30F, and I may be sized out.


The Rokoko is gorgeous, and the matching panties have ruffles on the butt, but the set is REALLY expensive.


This 3D Lolitka bra, or the S bra n the same material. Unfortunately, they are both sold out in anything that could be my size.
I emailed the brand to ask about sizing, and reminded myself that I should really review my current EM set.

Back to the Juna. Shapewise, the look was projected, but not extremely so. It was not circular and blob like, like t-shirt bras, but a bit natural. The shape was fine. And there you have it!

I will be reviewing the second bra I got, the Zia, wen I can be bothered.

Xoxoxo, Princess