Ewa Michalak BM Tajemniczy Ogród 65F

I mentioned in a previous review that I had tried all Ewa Michalak styles currently available in my size range except for the SF and the BM. Well, I can cross the BM off that list-all that's left is to try the SF. About two months ago I emailed Jaimie to see what BMs she had in stock/on order. She mentioned the Tajemniczy Ogród, and although I thought it looked like a grandma floral, I did place an order for one. I read a review that said it was comfortable and I liked that it had tulle on the top instead of lace. I thought that that would give a smoother line under clothes (spoiler-it does!). The day after I ordered it I sent Jaimie another email asking if there was any way I could add a thong to my order. I wasn't expecting to be able to since this batch of orders was already in production but Jaimie was able to convince Ewa to make one for me! The only blip in my ordering process was wait time: Jaimie tried something new to prioritize customer orders over stock so she sent in 3 orders, I think. According to the newsletter, Ewa just held on to these orders as they were produced and shipped them all at once at the end instead of as they were completed. So while I should have gotten this bra weeks ago, I didn't receive it until today. This is frustrating but I hope others don't avoid ordering from Jaimie because of Ewa's decision.

When ordering the BM, for whatever reason it is generally suggested to size down. I think this is because it's stretchy? In any case, I decided it was common advice for a reason and I did so. I'm glad I did because this fits perfectly! My biggest gripe (as usual) are the straps are too wideset. The band feels a little tight so I wear it with an extender. The extender also helps to eliminate some of the wrinkling I get in the bottom of the cups. I'm seriously in heaven with the gore/wing/wire width situation of the 65FF and in an ideal world I'd have the depth of a 65FF with the construction of a 65F. The pattern of the bra extends all the way to the back as does the little lacey frill at the bottom. The stretch tulle at the top is simply folded over. BM styles are made with a laminate fabric that I was afraid would be stiff or itchy/uncomfortable. That is not the case. This bra is so comfy I don't want to take it off and the thong is simply adorable. The entire set gives off ballerina/soft/sweet vibes. I also didn't realize how much of my room you could see so I apologize for any mess. I'm trying to figure out a better spot for photos.

Because of the tulle at the top, this bra isn't as supportive as some of my other options. I'm okay with that because I have only one speed most of the time and that's slow so I'm not often in need of mega support. You can kinda see the wrinkling here on lefty. I *love* how low this gore is-only 2 inches! And the uplift is great! I wish the strap bows were a little smaller because I figure they'll show under my tank tops as usual. It's hard to tell but in my size range the BM is a 3 part cup. 

These cups fit perfectly. A 65FF would definitely be too big. Again, I love the low gore, narrow and short wires and short wings a 65F gives me. 

What I love about Ewa's bras is the shape. It's pretty consistent: round but with a subtle peak. Not too much immediate projection but I can handle it. 

The cups/straps are joined together in the same way that the SM bras are.

I wanted to buy the brief originally but I'm firmly pro-leg elastic since the ruffled hem used on this brief would ride up. Luckily for me Jaimie was able to rustle up this thong because it's so cute. I love all the bows and the use of the sheer tulle for the sides and back. I'm not sure if the double layers will hide well under tighter clothes but I think I can put up with that. These are a 38 I think because I heard they ran looser. I'm all over the place in Ewa's underwear: I've tried everything from 36-40. Some of the 38s were too tight, some of the 40s were too big and the 36 oddly fit. I usually order a 40 unless I hear it runs loose since I prefer my underwear to be a little too loose then too tight.

This is such a beautiful girly set and I'm glad I took a risk on it. It's super comfortable and I couldn't ask for a better fit. If you want to get your hands on one, Ewa Michalak is on vacation right now but Jaimie at Bra Obsessed might have some in stock and Zathiya doesn't appear to have any. 

Dreams and Underthings Bralette in 30FF

Yes, another bralette! And this one is my best fit yet. The woman who runs Dreams and Underthings, Laura, also makes bralettes! I've been eagerly awaiting the opening of her Etsy store which is where I bought this from. She has regular and midline bands as well as a lace option. I chose the midline band which sadly doesn't work as well for me as I had hoped (not through any fault of the bralette). You can choose the colours of your bralette, accents and straps/elastics. Before I ordered I got in contact with Laura to ask her three questions: how does the band run, how do the cups run, and can I please get shortened straps. Laura was prompt and courteous in her replies: band runs pretty true to size, if you're between cup sizes definitely size up and yes, she can shorten straps!

So with Laura's advice in mind, I ordered a 30FF. Dreams and Underthings' bralettes are made using UK sizes and some of you may notice that this is a cup size larger then other UK bras I've reviewed. Those were a little too small which was what had prompted my asking how the cups run. I had a lot of fun deciding on what colours I wanted. I ended up with grey for my main colour, navy for the straps/elastics/trims and red as an accent. The fabric is extremely soft and comfortable. I put it on and made a trip out and I forgot I was wearing it. I love the shape and how surprisingly supportive it is.

It is a two-seam triangle cup. It is relatively high coverage but I don't mind. I think this style works best with higher cups: it's more supportive. It gives a relatively east-weast appearance but I don't mind that at all. In fact, that's kind of what I want out of a bralette. A relaxed and not super projected, boobs in your face look. Look at all that lift this bralette manages to give though! The gore doesn't tack which I expected but when I pushed it in the shape didn't change much and I had no quad, making me glad I chose the 30FF. Despite the gore not tacking, my breasts remain very well separated which is perfect for the summer. No more gross boob sweat from them touching all afternoon! The cups are lined in this super soft red fabric which was a lovely surprise and is also rather firm which I suspect is what makes this bralette so sturdy and supportive. This also provides more nipple coverage if that is something that concerns you.

Oh yeah, look at that shape! So round and so lifted. I was so excited to put this bralette on and notice that my boobs stayed in the cups like they're supposed to. I was afraid that they would travel down into the band trying to find room for my projection but this bralette is very well designed in regards to that. The cups are rather wide at 7 inches which is about 1.75 inches wider then I need but it doesn't really bother me too much since the wings are so low and non-irritating. It also doesn't seem to impact shape or support but I wonder if Laura would narrow the cups on my next one-I plan on trying the regular band length next.

Laura went the extra mile and designed her bralettes with my favourite kind of back-the leotard back. I think that this style back just looks so much nicer and more polished and really reflects well on the designer. It's a thoughtful touch that shows she's thinking about the bralette as a whole.

Pushing the gore in shows that I made the right choice in sizing. These colours are the most true to life.

Straps are attached in the front and the back with rings. They are thin but not too stretchy so they aren't too uncomfortable. They are relatively narrow set and out of the way of armpits.

I am incredibly impressed with this bralette from Dreams and Underthings. Laura has worked hard to develop her pattern and grade it-she offers sizes 28C-H, 30B-GG, 32A-G, 34A-FF, 36A-F, 38A-E, 40A-DD. The quality is very good. I love that it's a bralette that's been designed with fuller busts in mind without looking like it's been designed for fuller busts. It is delicate but supportive and well-designed: the cups are lined to add more support as is the gore, the band is relatively wide and the cups are cut with lots of projection. All of these elements are what make it great for medium/larger busts who are otherwise either sized out of s/m/l bralettes or need something with more support or coverage. I would love to see Laura source some pretty funky/quirky prints (like food or animals) as well as the option to purchase some basic/easy additions/substitutions/changes like strap width and cup width in the future but I agree with her decision to focus on fit first and creating an impressive size range. This bralette is an affordable, comfy addition to my wardrobe and I can't wait to try my next one.

Freya Just Flew In Padded Longline 30F

Sorry I haven't blogged in a while. I was having camera issues. So I have a backlog of bras to review-I think ten at my last count: both newish bras and bras from last year before I started the blog. So for review today is something I received in a swap for a Freya Piper Longline in a 28FF. The band was too tight on that oh so cute Piper so I swapped it for the Just Flew In in 30F. Neither of these bras have quite worked for me sadly. The Piper stretched to 29.5 or thereabouts which is fine for a regular bra but too constrictive for a longline. Freya is known to run stretchy, which is true to my experience, and this 30F did feel a little loose in the band. However, given the support of a longline band this won't prove to be an issue.

So this bra might be the cutest damn bra I've ever had in my hands. I love all my bras (well, of course. I wouldn't buy them otherwise!) but I need more with actual birds or animals on them. This bra has some kind of abstract plant with 3 different hummingbirds on them! It's a pastel bird wonderland. It is a 3 part foam cup. Nothing I'd really call padding: the foam is rather thin and flexible. There's lace on the 2 cup seams, along the top, and along the seam below the cups. I like the little infinity bows on the shoulder straps. Like my last longline this was not meant to be for several reasons, the main one being the straps. They are extremely wide, which is not too big an issue for me, but they are very slippy. Just adjusting my breasts into the cups loosens the straps an inch or so which is not ideal for me since I often need to adjust my straps very short. Other then the straps the quality seems to be up to the usual Freya standard. Now that my camera's back up I have plenty of photos for you. I just love all the little details in my bras so I get carried away.

So look at the amazing cleavage I get! Very rounded, cakes on a plate look. The straps aren't as tight as I prefer but I'll get into that in detail in a bit. The long line bit has a tendency to scrunch or flip up which is more irritating then uncomfortable. The two seams on the bottom line up between the cups. I kinda wish they had lined up with the first seam so that the lace was a continual line. 

The wires are decently narrow. The gore is of a medium height and on the wider side. To the bottom of the cups, it measures around 3 inches. To the bottom of the band, 4. Like all my other padded cups it gives a soft tack. I used to grumble about this but I wore a bra that had a hard tacking gore the other day and it was so uncomfortable. The straps are delightfully narrow set so they are free of my armpits. The band is long and feels stable despite being kinda stretchy. The cups seem to be rather shallow at the bottom so I get a bit of a wrinkle on my difficult right breast. It's a very round, in your face look.

So here is the biggest issue I have with this little number. I get some bubbling if I tighten the straps as tight as I want them. Despite having a very textured appearance, these are some seriously unstable straps. Just puling them up onto my shoulder loosens them. Which brings me to my second major problem. These cups are so low-cut they're almost scandalous. I scoop and swoop and then have to poke my nipples back in. I'm afraid that with the slippy straps I'll go to move them or whatever, they'll slip, and out will pop my nipple. Not something I want to deal with! As a whole, the stretchy-ish band and low-cut cups coupled with the stretchy straps means that this is not a particularly secure feeling bra. There's a lot of jiggle going on.

The birdy fabric continues all the way around to the back. The front half is lined with some kind of powermesh to make it stronger which makes it more opaque. It's more see-through in the back since it doesn't have that lining. There are 6 hooks and only two rows of eyes which shortens its lifespan. I hate these straps. They're thick and they're ugly and I hate how non-leotard backs look, especially with such industrial straps. 

I love how pretty this bra is and how comfortable it is. However, I am on the fence as to whether I want to keep it or sell it. I like how it looks on me, but the straps are going to cause me issues as are the low-cut cups. I know I probably am not going to feel my best in a bra if I'm constantly worried about if I'm going to jiggle out or not. I might take it on a field test and see how I feel about it after but I know there's no point in keeping a bra just for looks. There is a balcony plunge version but I do believe this is an older model that is sold out so I probably won't be able to get my hands on one. So far I have yet to find my perfect fit in Freya. The padded 28FF/30F's I've tried have all had the bubbling in the cups but I haven't tried a 30G yet. I seem to be in between 30FF and 30G in a lot of brands but in general the 30FF works best for me because of the shorter and lower wires: I'm just always stuck with a little quad. However, this bra is definitely a size small and I would do better in a 30G. That way the cups wouldn't be so low coverage and I'd probably feel far more secure. The quad does show under shirts.

Ewa Michalak HM Burgund in 65FF

This bra was purchased off of Allegro.pl for me by a wonderful bratabase user (most sellers on Allegro don't like shipping outside of Poland apparently). I had no idea what the condition of the bra was when I purchased it: whether it was just tried on, brand new or used. I figured for 25 bucks it was worth the chance. This is the unpadded version of the PL Burgund I previously reviewed. I believe that bra ran a little small, but that's just an aside to this review. I did some brief research on the HM style after my purchase and it seems that that this style runs deep and very tall-both in cup and gore. This is very true. I almost received my beloved SM Cukiereczek in an HM style and I'm glad I didn't because of the whole tall gore/cup issue. Now that I've tried this bra, the only Ewa styles in my size range I haven't tried out are the BM (on order!), SF, and HP.

So I know I mentioned I had no idea the quality of this bra when I first purchased it. Imagine my surprise when I received it brand new with the tags on! This style is 5 years old: what are the chances of that happening? It is a one-seamed (two part) half cup with a dart near the middle of the gore. The gore is very tall as are the cups. The quality is okay-there are a few loose threads but nothing I can't deal with. The bows are not Ewa's signature giant poofy ones but are rather small and understated. The straps sadly are half adjustable, with the adjustable bit very smooth. I fear it will be prone to slipping. If I can be bothered I will shorten them for a little more lift. The band is extremely tight and I can't get it on without an extender, confirming my theory that the Burgund in general ran tight. It is a very beautiful bra. I keep getting lucky with my Ewa finds! I wish I could have had more close up shots for you guys but my camera started to act up after I uploaded the first batch of pictures.

Here you can see the two major fit issues: the wideset straps (a common annoyance) and that gore. The cups on this bra aren't much higher then the gore. I worry that it'll peak out of my lower cut tops thus limiting what I can wear this bra with. It is lovely though and I love all the little whorls and the large swoops. The top of the cup is scalloped following the edge of the lace. The lace is nicely mirrored which is always nicely done by the lovely ladies working at Ewa. The band is made of a really strong burgundy coloured knit. It's very thick and soft. All the elements of the bra work so well together.

The top edge of the cups gapes ever so slightly but it's not terribly noticeable under clothes. The shape looks better without a shirt then under as it's a very squashed, flattened appearance. The cups are very open on top so someone with more upper tissue then I would fit well in this style.

So the band on this is wicked tight. It only stretches to about 27.5 before distorting. My previous Burgund stretched to 28.5 so that ran tight as well, but just not as tight as this one does. I need to wear it with an extender because I can't even come close to doing it up without it. The straps are only half adjustable but pretty wide. Based on previous experience I expect the non-adjustable straps to kinda curl and fold up. When I'm not feeling so lazy I'll shorten the straps.

Where the straps actually want to sit. It's probably a combination of Ewa's normally wide-set straps and then the extender pushing them even further out.

Because I just love close-ups! This bra is lovely but not the right shape for me. The gore is too tall and stabby but it does overlap so luckily it is not as wide as it could be. It is a soft tack and I can feel it resting on my sternum. I knew the gore was going to be too tall going in and this is actually much better then I anticipated.  The cups are made of only 2 parts with a dart near the middle of the gore to provide more shaping then one-seam half-cups generally provide. I don't know if Ewa is still producing HM styles but given a choice this is not one I'd choose for myself. It is lovely but it's not quite the right shape for me. Seeing how this was a second hand purchase I will keep it in the bradrobe and in rotation.

So here is the biggest downside of this bra. I can deal with the tall gore, the tight band, and the wide-set straps but this shape is funky. It's like I'm pushing my boobs against a wall. Flat and lumpy at the same time.

So my fingers are at the top of the gore. This is a very low cut and the gore almost pokes out.

While this is not an ideal shape for me I still like it. I would like to see Ewa come out with an updated unlined half-cup with a much lower gore then this and a less lumpy shape then the HM.

Forever 21 Sheer Mesh Bralette in size Large

I was out with my cousin tonight and we decided to stop by Forever 21. She began to look at their bralettes (she's around a 28H/30G) so I figured I'd join her. You never know until you try, right? They have a lot of pretty bras and slouchy bralettes but their bras use matrix sizing so those were definitely a no go. I tried a underwire-less bralette and the fit was okay but not good enough to justify the cost. I tried this on first in a medium. While the Forever 21 site calls this a 'bra', it is more like an under-wired bralette and that's actually what the tag on the bralette says. While the band was perfect, the cups were far too small. The cups on the large fit perfectly, but the band is a smidge too big. Just my luck. I bought it anyway though because it's super cute and a style I haven't seen yet for non-matrix bras. It's minimal support, although it does have underwire. For some reason it's a front close so the gore is far too wide and I can't easily take it in although I might try to take it in at the back (just sew a seam straight up middle). It has underwire and triangle cups with one seam for shape. There is light boning on the side and the material is very stretchy. This means it's super comfortable and there's greater ease for fit. You can slide the top cup around to suit you. I love the two straps and two layered cups and if anyone knows of this style in a bra form that goes to 30F or 30FF let me know!

First up is the first bralette I tried. The cups were too small and folded at the bottom. My boobs were creeping into the band-space. It was very comfortable but provided minimal shaping and support. It's hard to see in the photos but you can see the lack of shape in the front shot and the quadboob in the angle.

I had a lot of issues tonight taking photos for some reason, so I might try to take more tomorrow when there is daylight. Here's the second bralette and the one I ultimately bought. All these photos are taken pre-band shortening, but I found that that just made the bralette fit even better. 

No idea why the lighting is so bad. Here you can see the gentle shaping the bra gives. It's east-westy but still lifted and round. The gore is super wide but oddly enough that doesn't really cause a problem.

I keep forgetting that this is a bralette. I mean, the shape and support is gentler then my bras but I still get a phenomenal shape from it. The top layer is shifty-you can slide it around to best suit you like I had to. I wish I could do the straps tighter because they are rather stretchy but then I get quad. They aren't that bad at the length they are though and definitely still wearable. 

I love the look the two layers give and how it hints at being sheer and naughty but still manages to hide my nipples. This bralette is very armpit friendly. The wings are low and the straps are close set. There is the boning on the side as I mentioned but as of my brief try ons it wasn't too noticeable.

Have I mentioned how much I love this shape? The edges have some sort of binding on them that might dig in and cause quad. It happened to me but I was able to scooch things around. For this reason, I do not recommend this bra to any one who is very full on top. The cups are narrow and deep which is perfect for me.

The material the band is made up of is very very stretchy. I already took it in using the Skeptical Bra Blog's tutorial and when I get around to it I plan to reinforce my handsewing with machine sewing. This band originally stretched to 35.5 inches: it now stretches to 30.5. Originally the bralette felt very shifty and insecure down near the bottom/outside of the wires but now it feels so much better and more secure after the alteration. There was no significant/noticeable effect on the cup fit but the straps are now closer together in the back so I need to angle them farther in on the front which works fine for me. I also stupidly snipped the mesh while trying to cut those tags out so hopefully my repair holds well.

So this is how my boobs normally look in a bra. I wear almost exclusively Ewa Michalak so I have prominent, in your face boobage 99% of the time.

The bralette, on the other hand, provides a softer less pronounced fit. It's still round but more out to the sides and minimized from the side. It almost hides under my tanks too-better then Ewa's do anyway.

Cup construction-two layers, triangle shaped with a single seam.

I am so pleased with this bralette and I'm glad I was able to get it to work for me! I wish that Forever 21 carried it in other colours because I would so buy them all. Now that I now some bralettes/sml sized items work for me I won't be scared off next time. I hope this holds up to wear and wash: the quality is expected for the price ($15) so I'll be treating this gently.