Bra Research on the Dublin High Street (Part 1)

I am very sorry I haven't been updating. I have been overwhelmed with college work. However, a few weeks ago I went out to buy a toaster and I of course got completely sidetracked!

I checked out Debenhams, Marks and Spencer, Penneys (Primark) and New Look (they're all on Henry Street! Can you guess how much I love that street? In the first post I will cover Debenhams and M&S, then onto Penneys and New Look

Debenhams

The first bra is the Panache Zara, which makes me wonder how long its been rotting away in my local Debenhams, a 30G. This bra just did not fit. Plunges don't seem to work on me, and the three part cup construction gave me a lumpy shape. Bzzzzzt. Next!

Next up is this pretty pink number, but it was a 28FF. Whoops. I only noticed when I took the picture. It's no longer on the Debenham's website, so no picture.

Thirdly was this beige vertical seamed balconette, in 32G. This is part of my theory that they fit me better than plunges. It was too shallow for me, basically. Urgh.

Fourthly, I really liked this bra. It was a 28G or 30G. It was too small. I would have loved to try a larger size because it gave great lift and was very secure (I felt I could go for a run in it). It looked a lot like the after in the author of Seins ou Sphinx's handiwork here.

Yes, there's more. I, against my better judgement tried these molded bras in 30G and 32G... just no. I don't think I should have bothered.

Marks and Spencers

Wow, that's a lot of bras... to add pain to this there was an a man at the changing room desk... urk. Anyways, first up.

First up, the red and flowery bra. I really like this bra. I think it could have fit alright, but it was too small at only a 34F (I think).

Rosie for Autograph Silk Padded Plunge DD-G Bra with French Designed Rose Lace bra, sizes between 30D - 38G, depends on your local M&S

This bra is from the Rosie Huntington-Whitely collection, in 32G. It's a weird bra... vertical seams but plunge. It doesn't work. Really pointy. And I like pointy. But it was a bullet bra. Seriously. If you think Freya is pointy, then you need to see this bra. No. Avoid.

All the other molded bras could not fit me, too wide wires, too shallow, even in varying sizes. Such a shame as they were pretty good value.

The next numbers, the white and purple bras, were lovely. I really liked them. But they did not fit my larger boob. I would recommend them for narrower wires, decent projection and a tight band!

I hope this filled some of you guys bra fixes!

:)

Bra Review: Gorgeous at Debenhams Provence Lace Bra in 30G

 

I couldn't actually find a stock photo of this bra. I know it is in their DD-K range of bras. If you want to see stock photos of something similar go right ahead.
 

The label actually lies because this bra was actually 7.88! Yeah, 75% percent off!

The one day I go up to visit Dublin (I suppose I had to make an effort to see my boyfriend), Debenhams was having a Blue Cross Sale. I'm not really one for falling for the gullible thing that just because something is on a sale that it is a bargain. However, Debenhams had finally got their act together and had moved all their discount bras to one section and that extra 20% off rocked! Even in Arnotts the bras were on sale! This is like my heaven.

So I tried on all the 30Gs. I have come to the conclusion that in the Gorgeous range I am a 32G / 30GG, because the 30Gs are really small. I am noting 32G because I have found their 30GGs just way too wide wired, but the 32Gs okay, but too loose to truly test. When I get a Rixie Clip, I will report back. Remember I have one breast larger than the other, so that's a pretty annoying factor in my purchases (nothing bloody fits both sides aragh argh).

Review:

Looks: 

Overall, I have to call this bra a "meh bra". I like the lace's unusual pattern.

I really like the geometric theme.  Sadly, overall, I think it looks a too much like an old lady would wear it. 

Feel: 

This bra doesn't feel particularly soft or particularly rough.

Shape: 

Horrid. Round at the bottom, then more naturally pointy at the top. A combination that just doesn't work. It reminds me of what Hater at Bras I hate calls the Curvy Kate "upside down 7".

Other Features:
In-built side-support panel which made the bottom half the bra have a nice shape.

Straps: 

Too far apart, even after I shortened the bra. I wanted to tighten them so the bra could actually lift but it was simply impossible as it would just make the bra cut into my armpits. They are fully adjustable.

Fit:
What kind of bra is this? I really am asking. Is it an balconette or full-cup bra. The wide strap placement and the half-cup design would make me think it was a balconette. On the other hand, the odd fact if I could tighten the straps enough, it would look like a full-cup, with a round shape. 

Central gore lightly tacks. The wires were too wide. I had orange in a glass.

Overall:

Just meh. Not suitable for full on top, because of the strange difference in shape from the top and bottom halves. I bent the wires so it's less painful. As usual, I spill slightly out of one side. I'm keep this bra too wear under many layers of clothes to hide the horrible shape. I need to size up, but then the wires and straps would just be too painful. I don't think this bra would give a very good shape, perhaps it might on those who are full on bottom.

Even post alterations (tightening band and bending wires to fit my body), little difference was made in shape.

Bra Review: F&F Harmony Lace Fuller Bust Bra in Pink, 32G (32FF)

F&F Harmony Lace Fuller Bust Bra in Pink, available in sizes 32DD - 40G (40FF UK sizing) with no gaps. 

You may remember that I was intrigued by my local Tesco's bra selection. I know from previous experience is that extended sizes get put on the market here in Ireland, then vanish. Why? Because no one fits into them when you encourage your potential customers to wear a band 4 inches too big and a cup about 4 sizes too small... Just like all the poor 28 bands that are no longer in Marks and Spencer's. 

What was I saying... OMG I actually managed to grab one! FIVE EURO! I'm still pretty confused and pissed about their measuring advice, but I'm just going to block it out and go for a sister size of my own. I usually wear about 28GG, I decided to have a look at their 32FF. It's labelled 32G, as they skip FF.

So the bra:

I really like this bra, so I'll have to ignore Tesco's *sigh* utter crap. I have to review this. The bra blogosphere needs me. Tescos / Florence and Fred bras are really under-reviewed. There's about 3 on Bratabase.

Review

Looks: Wow, maybe it's just be but this bra is stunning. Lovely vivid pink with simple lace pattern. Maybe some people might think the fabric looks flimsy though. I think it looks just light. The lacy cups would be visible under tight fitting clothes. I usually wouldn't point this out, but the back band is this lovely shiny silky fabric and it looks like it wouldn't cling or dig in. It seems like an odd aesthetic choice to have this great feature on the back but with the lacy cups on the front.

Feel: This bra feels stretchy - I correctly guessed that the cups are Nylon. It's not really a soft to touch bra, but I love the silky feel of the back mesh.

Shape: Very round, very forgiving stretchy cups. I couldn't tighten the bra as much as I would have liked but I liked the shape very much. 

Other Features:

This bra has a side support panel which is made of nylon. The back has 3 hooks.

Straps: I feel they are kind of thin - 0.5 inches. They are half adjustable, but it would not be hard to take apart and lengthen as the second half of the strap is the same as the front half.

Fit:
Very wide central gore, which did not tack (I wonder if it would if it was taken in?). I think it could be taken in very easily.

The cups were too wide for me (but not particularly wide overall in my opinion).

I think I should try the 32F rather than altering this bra because the cups are very stretchy and thus I think I could get away with a size smaller.

Overall:
If you're in the size range of this bra, check it out! The stretchiness is very forgiving for asymmetry. It's only available online in a 40F though. Don't take the last 32F in my local Tescos!

 

 

Rant on Tescos Fitting Suggestions

I love the idea of selling bras with fitting advice on the back, but not shite like this.

Let me measure as they say. Okay my underbust is 29 SO I'll have to add 5 (why? :S). So that's 34 (oh that's conveniently in their range unlike the 28GG/30G I usually wear). Now for my overbust. In their defence their little model woman drawing is not wearing a bra so I won't wear a super small bra for this measurement (like I usually see with these kind of terrible guides) and go with overbust standing up right now. Okay, 37.5.

34 + 0 = 34 inches = A cup (0 inches?)
34 + 1 = 35 inches  = B cup
34 + 2 = 36 inches = C cup
34 + 3 = 37 inches = D cup
34 + 4 = 38 inches = DD cup

Okay, so I'm a 34D or 34DD. Oh God. God. GOD.

ARREGUITGWRTUB43RGIR VREIHRGBG1I3P5Y

I used to wear 34DD pre-measuring myself. 34DD is waaaaaay too small.  I've never worn a 34D. I actually 'have' a 34D though. My friend left at my house me when I fitted her to a 30E/F.

Let's have a look.

From top down, Primark or Newlook 34D, Newlook 34DD and Cleo 28GG. An interesting fact about bras is that every time you go up a cupsize, the bra gets 1 inch bigger. Another interesting fact is that 34DD can fit 2 apples not 1. Why is it so big? Because my boobs stretched out the cups. Yes. YES. A 34DD. Yep. I measured to a 34DD that I've since gotten rid of.

If they're doling out this advice to someone who has a 10 inch difference between her underbust and overbust (leaning forward...), which clearly is a lot of boob right there, no wonder the extended sizes are on sale. ¬¬;

For example, my mother, who fits into their range - 34FF (34G in their sizing), would need a 38 band and about a D cup too! No wonder they're on sale, all their potential customers already fit into the 34A - 38DD crap size range everywhere bloody sells!

Secondly, that 0 inches thing though... I don't get that. 0 inches means no boobs. As in the amount of boob is nil. If it's higher than that, say 0.5 to 1, then that's usually an AA cup, and 1 inch is an A cup. Why that's there is that you can say get this problem:

Let's say the two measurements I took were these.

Example 1:

Underbust: 27
Overbust: 32

Okay, I'll add 5 to my measurement. Okay, That's 27 + 5 = 32. Okay, that's 0 difference. An A. Well, actually it makes no bloody sense! Let's try these measurements:

Example 2:

Underbust: 27
Overbust: 31

Okay, I'll add 5 to my measurement. Okay, That's 27 + 5 = 32. Okay...I'm a -A cup... So erm, how does she have boobs if her measurement is less than zero...

...
...
...
...

Now those women, the way I measure them, I would get at least 28DD (she could measure higher when leaning forward) and for the second example, 28D.

Go to Tescos, and measure yourself and discover you have minus boobs!

Bra Review: Freya Ada and Freya's Wide Wires.

I apologise for the severe delay in the Ada review. As for the Deco I am reminded of obsessedwithbreasts.blogspot.com 's comments when she who lost her Deco which was the size of a violin case in a one bed apartment. Mine has vanished too!

I want to discuss Freya's different shapes. Miss Underpinnings has categorised them here: http://www.missunderpinnings.com/2012/08/full-bust-review-freya-shapes-ellie.html. I love Freya but I have accepted I can only fit into their Plunge Balconies. Specifically because of their stretchy lace. My left breast is nearly one whole cup larger than the right, and wow, does non-stretchy lace become a disaster fast!

I have discovered their Plunges just do not work. At all. No matter what size.

Let me show you with pictures:

Here are four Freya bras, from left to right we have: Freya Lacey, 28FF, Freya Naomi 28G, Freya Ada 28GG, Freya Tara 28H.

What do we notice? Well, the H is bloody massive compared to the rest!

I need the depth of the 28H but not those horrific wires. Why the massive increase between the GG and H. I can actually fit into the Naomi, but even with the stretch I still kinda pop out...

So, enter the 28GG Ada. Only not so much. It's barely bigger than the Naomi. The gore barely tacks despite being a size bigger. Hell, look at that picture. Gives you can idea? Argh, it's super small. It just doesn't fit!

I'm pretty disappointed, as I can't size up, the 28H is too big! It's a bit like the problems Sweets posed in this review: http://sweetnothingsnyc.com/2013/04/24/review-morning-meadow-by-freya/. Only I would say I have a worse problem because the right breast is smaller than the left.

I'm pretty disappointed that the plunges just don't work. It doesn't seem like much thought was but into the 28H - it's not that much bigger than a  28GG. Yet the 28GG is barely bigger than the 28G!

Urgh!

I've heard the Ada runs a bit tight in the band. I would agree.

Looks:

It's no beige horror. Aesthetics are 1st class here. I usually hate white bras because they give me a flashback to minimisers but in general I would say that this bra is clearly an exception. An excellent use of white as it should be in a bra. Not all over, but young and fresh. Also the fabric doesn't seem like it would go grey, or at least it the gorgeous pattern would look okay with a greyer shade.

Feel:

Not super soft or cosy. Feels just like any Freya. Pretty boring.

Shape:

Very pointy, but I don't actually find that a problem, but busting out is such a problem it's not a good one at all!

Fit:

Just doesn't fit. Gore does not tack.

Straps/Other features:

There really isn't much to say. The straps have a fancy black trim, which I like. The straps are wide, usual Freya fare.

Conclusion:

Too small because of a shape clash. Wires felt slightly too wide, but the cups were just too small. Back to the drawing board.

Shortening a bra band for the scared!

I wanted to write this post for the people who say they can't sew.

Here's a story that is very long and barely on topic.
In Secondary School, I was an excellent Home Economics student. I loved the subject! If you have the option to study it or learn more, I would recommend it! The subject combines sociology, consumer studies, food science, cookery and even a bit of crafting! It's very broad, but very rewarding as a subject. I swear it overlaps with pretty much everything I've done in college so far, and at the oddest times! As I adored the class so much I was excited for sewing classes.

Only I was terrible.

Sadly, a portion of the exam was based on a sewing project. And I couldn't sew. I have very poor hand eye co-ordination. I can't tread a needle. I kept on tearing fabrics. I nearly broke the school's sewing machine (I was banned from touching it.).

My teacher took my aside and told me I was doing the Childcare Project (I didn't get a choice!), a written alternative assignment for the exam, otherwise I would sabotage my chance of getting my A.

I got an A in both that Junior Cert and my Leaving Cert exams (which thank God had no sewing part!) in Home Economics, and I acknowledged I couldn't sew. Just couldn't. Incapable.

If it hadn't been for the bra fitting community, maybe I never would have tried again. But I've tried. I'm still pretty bad, but I can do it. I thought myself using books from the library and guesswork.

So, I'm going to show you that someone who has been repeatedly told to back off from the needles that you can do it! It feels great! I've patched up some of my clothes already.

I am shortening a bra band in the same way as MsMandrakeRoot is in her tutorial here:
http://www.reddit.com/r/ABraThatFits/comments/1ffet8/as_requested_a_picture_tutorial_of_how_to_shorten/

I am not adding anything to her tutorial, I'm just showing myself doing to to show it's possible even for the challenged sewers. So I would look at her tutorial!

Here is my victim!

An unknown Freya Bra in 36F that I found in a charity shop for 4 euro! My mum is a 34FF, a sister size.

Quite a mystery. I couldn't find this lovely bra on Bratabase. If anyone does know the name, please tell me. I'd love one that is a little smaller in the cup for myself.

Okay, first we need sewing stuff. You only need the basics:

A needle

Strong thread (I used red polyester thread)

A seam ripper

Scissors (I have this little fancy thing you can use to cut thread with that allows you to use one hand, but scissors will do!)

Big old fabric scissors for when you get angry and have to hack through elastic.

A ruler or some of those fancy ones you get in a sewing box you use for hems (something I have yet to master). Mine's clearly from a geometry set...

Fabric chalk

Pins

Optional:

A pencil

Paper. I recommend using highly confidential stuff flipped onto the other side.

A needle threader, if you're not like me and constantly breaking the damn things.

If you wish, using your paper and a pencil that poorly shows up on a camera, trace around the bra shape.

Okay, how much are you going to take off. Oh God this is scary. I mean, I've done this before and it's still scary. Be brave. It's only 4 euro down the drain.

I opted for 2 cm. Which turned out to be too little. So I erred wrong. Oh well. But regardless, stay with cutting off a little bit. 

Mark off the amount you are going to cut off. Then you can trace around the shape so the bra wing will stay the same shape. Also you can compare the sides before cutting them off so they are the same amount.

Okay, I've marked of the amount I'm going to cut off. I can do this.

Use the seam ripper to detach the eyes or hooks at the end.

ARGH I gave up and used scissors. Too hard. The sewing at the end of this was very hard to cut off.

Well. It could be more mangled. At least I'm cutting this end bit off.

At least this bit looks okay.

 Now for the elastic at the side and the strap.

I found that reaching under the stitches and moving forward actually worked quite well.

Looking good!

I've accidentally ripped out some elastic here

This is very hard to take off, so I resorted to cutting.

Finally free!

Look, I'm using the pattern I made earlier. :)

I shouldn't be trusted with these.

No going back now!

Pin the elastic back into place.

Sew! Use a non-straight stitch or it'll rip. It should be a zig-zig stitch according to my books but alas I don't own a sewing machine... Here's the top. Leave room to put the strap back!

Now the strap! Just slot it back into place. Not backwards though!

Now the hooks or eyes. Make sure it's not backwards! I drew the right attachment on the paper so I would remember.

Make sure to do both sides!

Hey, that wasn't horrific! Barely any sewing and nothing too complicated! Check out the tutorial by MsMandrakeRoot and have your own go!

Now, who needs Home Economics lessons? I need money for bras.