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!

 

 

Update on Bras also a great quote.

My Deco arrived within 3 days - pretty impressive! Thanks ebay seller and Parcel Motel! I'm waiting until my Ada arrives now. (it was shipped Thursday but you know weekends and the post!)

I'm pretty pleased with my Deco though!

Also this from The Pervocracy:

Men feel about their penises, I imagine, the same way you feel about your breasts.

No, actually, I have this thing called a vagina, thanks.
Breasts are important erogenous zones for lots of people (including me!), but equating breasts with penises is depressingly common, and seems to stem from two wrong-headed ideas:
1) Things that stick out are the important bits!  Vaginas are all hidden away and mysterious, and thus couldn't possibly be an important part of a person's sensuality or body image.
2) The stereotypical heterosexual man finds breasts more attractive than vaginas.  Therefore, women must find their own breasts absolutely fascinating.

Finally something expresses exactly how I feel about breasts. :)

You know you read too many lingerie blogs when...

Feel free you keep this as 'Lingerie Blogger Bingo'

1. You are always tearing out chunks of your hair in rage when you see the following: a). Side-boob, b.) riding up back bands c.) incredibly small straps on your larger busted friends (don't they hurt?)

2. All the bras in shops seem laughably, laughably small (even if you are smaller busted and they fit you, you're just that indoctrinated). For example, you think DD bras are nothing more than pasties.

3. You see your favourite bloggers sizes in shops/online and wonder if they would like that bra.

4. You consider a 32 back bras to be if anything, rather large comparatively on the size scale - the inverse of your friends/chain stores opinion.

5. You scoff at in store fittings and think of Busts4Justice.

6. You know the latest trends... because you've spotted them in the lingerie world.

7. You consider discovering your best well-fitting bra as the most ultimate beautiful revelation. You play them out in your head like the sob-stories on X Factor.

8. You refit your friends and go bra shopping/browse bras online with them.

9. You want to meet all your blogging heroines.

10. You dream of going to an event run by your favourite lingerie company.

11. You have a lot body confidence. (I had this already, though I'm not a big cleavage fan).

12. You see 24H and see it as a bra size, not 24 hours.

13. Poland? Is that were Kris Lane, Ewa, Biu Biu and Urkye are from aren't they?

14. You can recognise bras from your favourite brands in designer shop windows.

15. (Suggested by friend/sort of cook at my house) If you are in a relationship, you're the one obsessed with lingerie models.

16. You know the true meaning and value of a central gore.

17. You are no longer ignorant of what a sternum is.

If I wrote an intro post it would look like this

What you actually need to know about me:

BRAS!!! *goes up a to lingerie shop's window and licks it*

Every time I walk past a beautiful specialist lingerie shop. I am so mad about bras and I look in the window and I ream off every full-bust bra they stock (sadly, I am less of an expert of their maternity range). My friends find my talent a tad disturbing so I have decided to bring my love to the internet.

I am saddened that through my year of adoration of bras and lingerie in general that I have came across there no Irish bra blogs. At least where I am based, Dublin, the retail sector, while expensive for a college student like me, is there and thriving.

I have seen blogs from Russia to Spain to Brasil and so many British blogs too. I am taking this into my own hands. I hope I can inject some 'craic' into bra knowledge and lingerie adoration. I don't want to keep my interest as something I cannot express. I am going to seriously ask the question Dougal posed: "how's your bra"? (I hope that didn't alienate half my readers right there).

Here are my aims:

1. Further bra fitting knowledge. (I am not going to post my own instructions, all I can say is take all measurements without a bra on and fuck everything you think you know about bra fitting)

2. Research into and analyse the Irish bra and general lingerie industry in Ireland, particular from a youthful perspective - all lovely lingerie is marketed to older women, while young women it's all beige foam domes!
 2.(a). My first project will be an assessment of bra shops on the North and South side of Dublin.

3. Post clothing and bra reviews.
 
For the sake of reference, at the time of posting my measurements are 5 foot 7, 38/27/35 - with 27 being both my waist and underbust. I am usually a 28GG bra - though sometimes I would need a 28H or a 26H. I would rather someone burn my skin than be shoved in 34DD hell.

Finally, I would like to say this is not a place for the following things:

1. Smut. Fuck off. I don't desire it.

2. Body snark - I am not too thin/not curvy enough, nor is anyone else. This is not a place for that. My readers should respected.

3. "You should be happy to have problems with bras". I will smother you with a bra if you say that. As you sleep.

4. Saying that your bra is okay as it is. Perhaps it is but I severely doubt you couldn't do better. Please keep an open mind. No one knows or cares what kind of bra you wear. A lot of I know think I'm small chested because I like covering them up and are surprised when I make jokes about giving other busty women boob-hi-fives! ;)

Yours,
Street