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!

 

 

Bras in Tesco - Florence and Fred Collection?

This week, I was intrigued by a selection of bras in my local Tesco Store.

I haven't found a selection this large in Dublin (well, in the Jervis centre store, the stores in the suburbs don't even stock clothes at all). They have a lovely selection of bras in 'larger' sizes (obviously they sell smaller bras in the totally the right size for their customers 34A etc. but who cares about that, so does everywhere else)... 34DD - 36FF (skipping FF so G in their system) bras. I admit I remember my local stocking a very pretty 34E bra before. But they have them pride of place at the front of the store at the bargain basement price of 10 euro!

My mother fits into their size range, so I'm hopefully in the process of getting her feedback on them.

Reviews are scarce... seriously a review saying: "it snapped in the washing machine on the second wash like it had been chewed by a bra-hungry beast."
Wow, is that wit or something... cos if you actually wash anything with regard to its label you know that bras should be handwashed. So you disregarded care instructions - which of course destroyed something - then gave it a bad review?

Bratabase doesn't have much information, either.

http://www.bratabase.com/browse/tesco/

These bras were right down my alley, lovely bright colours and lacy! They didn't look industrial at all.
I believe, from my research on their website is that they are "Bra Queen" bras (which could be the designs I saw) which is a new range for them designed by the same person behind Ultimo (which I've found a bit flimsy :s). I will investigate further when I have the chance!

Points for using a model that probably would fit into their size range though I see a lot of a breasts escaping at the sides...? Bra Queen Louisa Guipure Fuller Bust Bra

For those interested:

http://www.clothingattesco.com/bra-queen/icat/bra-queen/

http://www.clothingattesco.com/dd+-bra/icat/dd-bra/?sort=pdxtmagicnumber&parentCategoryRef=dd-bra&order=desc&q=*&brand=F%26F

I hope this is a sign I will get into blogging again!

Some interesting things I've noted:

Quest for the Perfect bra was in Galway and has posted some reviews (I've actually never been to Galway myself!) but here it is: http://questfortheperfectbra.wordpress.com/2013/06/10/bra-shops-in-ireland/

Until next time!