Comexim Atena Longline in 65HH

Ugh you guys. I hate not having positive reviews or experiences for you guys but here we go. I don't know what happened with this bra. It held so much promise but fell so flat. It's not a bad bra, it just didn't work for me and I'm so bummed. Atena is a gorgeous black long line with gold trim and a red tuxedo bow. The matching underwear do not look like they belong with the set. They do not have the same kind of lux look as the bra. They are very strappy and skimpy and I regret ordering them. They make me very uncomfortable because of where they fit on me. I've noticed with Comexim that, for me, their underwear is either too full coverage or way too sexy with little in between.

For reference, this is what the bra is supposed to look like:

Image courtesy of Comexim

So that image definitely shows a little gore dangle, which I did not receive on mine. I have a mix of flash and non-flash photos so I apologize for the inconsistency!

My flash photo didn't turn out well but guys. I have never been so disrespected by a bra that is *supposed* to fit in my life. This photo hides the truth. I had asked for the straps to be moved in, overlapping gore, and standard plunge cut. I think the only thing that Comexim did was overlap the gore because this is a shallow, arm pit eating disaster. There's not much immediate depth, the cups are tall and the gore is resting on tissue. It has 5 hooks and 4 rows of eyes which is great. The band stretches to 31.5 which would be too big for me in a non-longline. As it is, if I was actually going to wear this bra I would need to start on the second row. The band tapers in so that it is narrower on the bottom than the top. The straps are super smooth and have no grip so trying to get into this bra means that I then need to spend 5 minutes shortening the straps all the way. 

You guys. I have no idea what the hell is the matter with the shape of this bra.  It doesn't look like there is too much space on the outside, and it looks to be projected enough in the middle, but when I swoop and scoop the outside of the bra becomes empty and my tissue escapes out the middle. I settle into less quad but still. The last bra (actually bikini) I ordered from Comexim was a 65HH and it fit fine. I filled the bra out on the sides and the middle. That was a plunge cut as well. I haven't changed size in the Ewa bras I wear every day so I don't know what to say went wrong. 

Attack of the boob. It's super hard to see but on the far away boob you can see the wire is barely below my imf. That was the best I could do with how shallow it was.

I love the shape from the side-super projected and round. If I can direct your attention to the armpit/strap region (which I apologize for cutting off!) you can see my second biggest problem with this bra. It has this wrinkle in it. It's a deep wrinkle built into the bra. It's awful. I can't believe it was meant to fit this way, but when I emailed Anna to return the bra for a manufacturing fault she said "What you show us in the picture is not a flaw. that's how we sew our bras and bras for Wellfitting. Wrinkled rubber under the arm helps good body hold when the size is well-matched. We sew the same Wellfitting as it's our construction. From the picture it looks like the bra is too big for you. You have free space under your arm. Bra is too much pulled up, the bust is not well placed in it." I am so upset about this. I can't pull the bra up any higher. It's in my armpit already and the wire would be resting on tissue. The photo I sent her showed that I had quad and that my armpit was eating the bra. I can understand getting a wrinkle like this in an unlined bra. But getting a wrinkle like this in a foam bra means that either there's something deeply wrong with the way it's made or with my body and I don't like either of those options.

So once I wear it for a bit it settles into some minor quad that is not visible under shirts. It's a nice soft material but the inside is a little scratchy/stiff.

Close up of the wrinkle. I doubt it would be as bad if the cup wasn't so tall and the cups weren't wideset. It's barely visible when not worn so I assume most of the problem is shape incompatibility.

The cups are super tall on my petite frame and just overwhelm me.

Something I noticed was that the gore is taller than the cups. Just by a smidge, but it looks sloppy. The loop around the bow is also not attached to the bow itself, and then there is the missing gore dangle.

Overall I'm disappointed and disheartened. I was so excited for this bra and it just fits all wrong. I got a medium in the panties, stupidly thinking that since they were adjustable I would be fine. Nope. They are too small, even when the straps are as loose as they'll go. I wish I had ordered a size up. I don't think this bra would have been as much of a disaster if it was done in the regular, non-shallow plunge cut and with the straps moved in. 

I hate not having positive reviews, but this bra plain didn't work for me. I think I'm done with Comexim. They have some cute designs but they don't pull me in the way Ewa Michalak's do. I wasn't allowed to return it because it was 'custom' even with that big wrinkle down the side. It's decently constructed for the price. If you need more apex projection and room at the sides and tall cups, this longline is for you! I have it for sale here with the matching panties. 

 

Passionata Starlight Plunge in 65H

Ages ago, before I discovered bras that fit, I purchased the Passionata Starlight thong. It looked cute, was bright pink and the best part was it had sparkles! I saw the matching bra but never wanted to pay for it. About a month or so ago I was bored online looking at lingerie as one does when I decided to look up the Passionata Starlight line to see if I was sol or if I could still purchase this bra. I wanted to complete the set as the thong is so comfy. There's two bras in the Starlight line: there's the plunge and then there's a t-back molded cup bra. I figured this plunge would fit me better. Unfortunately, while I could purchase this bra still, it was not available in my ideal size which would be a European 65G (UK 30F). However, for 15 bucks I figured I might as well try the EU 65H (UK 30FF) as one doesn't know until one tries. While this technically fits, all signs point to the EU 65G as being the best fit. So if anyone has one in pink and would like to swap for this one, let me know!

This bra is so pretty. It is a 3 part cup covered with glittery stars and checks. It's a double layer of fabric on the bottom for support while the top part is only one layer. It is not sheer though and hides nipples well. The gore is very low and the very top of it stops before the wire channels do which is an interesting effect not often seen in full-bust lingerie. The wires are on the wider side of average, which I expected from sizing up but it does seem wide for a 30FF in general. The cups are as deep as I expected (luckily!) although this means that I cannot bend the wires inward because then the cups would be too deep. Where I have the most issues with this bra is that it's tall and so full coverage. While the wings, at 4 inches, are not too tall to be uncomfortable, because it's so wide the edges of the cups are right in my armpit and chafe like hell. Not only that, but these cups are the tallest I've ever seen on a bra and not a bralette and they come up right to my shoulders. I'm sure in the next size down this would be less of an issue but I'm still not certain if the cups would ever not eat my armpits. The straps are the cheapest looking part of the bra: they have no decorations so they slip very easily.

Look how tall this stupid bra is. Why? Why is this necessary? I still get a decent shape but a little more east/west then normal because of the wide wires (I think). That means no cleavage which is fine. I can't really wear this under anything but sweaters anyway. The wires are wideset and have a tendency to slip off my shoulders if I'm not careful. The gore also poses issues for me and ultimately is the deal breaker. I could wear the bra on days when I'm not too active but even just lounging around, the gore stabs me. I have no idea why. I've had low gores before and it's not an issue. But this tacks so firmly it actually rubbed me raw over the course of a day. I can slide the wires in their channels to solve this issue a little bit but not enough to make it comfortable.

It was so hard to photograph but on the left side of this picture you can see how red I got at the top of the channel. It was actually rubbed raw and I had a little sore there for a couple of days and couldn't wear most of my bras comfortably.

So here you can begin to see how wide this bra really is. It gives a lovely shape really so I want it to work. I just haven't figured out how to yet. I'd say this bra is shallow to middling on the immediate depth front. My righty has some space under the cup because it's a smidge more projected then lefty.

Here it is folks. How awful is this. My poor armpits. The wide wires don't bug me too much but the damn wire channels are like half an inch longer then the wires. That means that this irritating situation isn't actually necessary. If I can figure out how to shorten the cup/wing without damaging the integrity of the bra I will. Nice uplift though and I can tell that if this wasn't a shape mismatch it would be pretty comfortable. 

The band is relatively true to size and wider in the back than my Ewas. I love the firmness of the band and it's one of the most comfortable parts of this bra.

I think I have average/tall roots but I had a lot of excess space in the tops of the cups that I think most people won't be able to fill. Luckily it lies relatively flat even when laying around.

I so wanted this bra to work. If I get a chance I might try the next size down. Unfortunately, it's just a big ol' shape mis-match. If it was just the wide wires or the tall wings/wide rubby cups or tall cups or gore I'd keep it but since I have issues with pretty much every aspect of this bra except for the depth and the band I know I should pass it on. I'll keep my eye out for the next size down because I'm too stubborn to give up this easily. It is for sale here. I won't discount Passionata styles in the future, especially since I figured out what size would work best for me. The quality looks good for the price and their pieces are so cute. It's a shame this one didn't work.

Bra Obsessed Exclusive Comexim Port in 65H/30FF

So as hinted in my Old Navy swim review, I ordered a Comexim bikini top from Bra Obsessed and it arrived today! This lovely black number is called the Port and it is exclusive to Bra Obsessed. Jaimie also has several other exclusive Comexim bikinis. If you'd like to order straight from Poland, be warned that Comexim is on vacation right now and orders won't be fulfilled until August. If you'd like to order within the states, Zathiya has the Navy Comexim bikini in stock. I didn't want to wait for Comexim to fulfill my order so I chatted with Jaimie about my options. I really liked this Salma but I would have needed it in a three-seam half cup and I didn't want to wait, remember? So I decided on the Port. Jaimie also was very helpful in helping me figure out what size and under her advice I chose a 65H/30FF UK. I hoped it would fit, but based on previous experiences with a two-seam half-cup in 65H and a three-seam in 65HH I was wary. I had no reason to be because it fits! The only thing I would change is the straps. I appreciate the half-adjustable straps because they don't look too bra like but I'm too short for most half-adjustable straps.

This bikini is a plunge cut. I am not sure if there are any alterations that come standard on a bikini cut that are different then a standard plunge bra-compared to other plunges I tried it seems rather low-cut in gore and cup. I was afraid that I'd quad in the center due to the plunge style cutting into my inner fullness but there is almost none. It's a tad small on my bigger side but quite frankly, it's a bikini top and my standards are a smidge lower for a bikini top then a bra. As others have said, better to have a little tiny bit of quad in a bikini than a little bit of gapping. The band is short but stretchy and there are 2 layers in the band. The band is also nice and thick by the clasp which is metal. All the findings are gold and help this bra look that much more luxurious. This bikini is probably one of the softest bra-type garment I've ever touched. So silky and totally looks more expensive then it was. A plus in my book! The straps are wide and don't feel like they'll slip. I kinda wish they were shorter, but I don't want to permanently alter them a little shorter till I see how it fairs in the water.

I did not realize I had failed to take a normal photo of the front until the light had gone so I quickly took this photo with my laptop. I love how low the gore is-it gives me great cleavage but doesn't feel too sturdy. Luckily I go to the beach to look decorative and not actually swim (fun fact-I can't actually swim all that well). If you see something different about that gore, fear not! I have photos of that too and some words on it. You aren't going crazy, it is different then normal.

Look at the fabulosity my boobs achieve. No bows or extra frills or anything bra-like. Just soft silky cups and spiffy gold fasteners.

My apologies-I did not realize the band was folded over. It has a habit of doing that. A little pointer then I was expecting given the shape from the sides but I don't mind. Look how low those wings are though. I was afraid the straps would be too wide like they were in the other Comexims I tried but these straps are so narrow set they are well clear of my armpits. The wings too are nice and low-set. 

I need to refine my back photo taking skills. This has a u-back which I love. Seems to be more comfortable but I don't know if that's just my imagination. The clasp is really sturdy and made of metal but it's a devil to do up. I'm sure I just need practice but it took me at least five minutes all 3 times I tried it on. The band does stretch a considerable amount-9 inches-but it is true to size and thanks to those 3 layers it does feel very sturdy. I wonder how it will hold up to water. I hope it doesn't stretch too much more.

If the straps were just a little shorter, I'd get more cleavage and feel maybe a smidge more secure. I am lazy however and waiting to wear it in the water at least once to see if I really need to shorten them or if I can get away with keeping them as is.

Smidgen of quad on my larger breast but who cares. I have a bikini that fits and makes me feel so fricking good. I love this bikini and I'm glad I ordered one and it fit almost perfectly the first go round. 

Here's some glamour shots:

As promised, a close up of the gore. Every bra I have tried thus far has been straight across at the gore but this one is notched. I can only imagine that's to have the look of an even lower gore while maintaining the stability of a higher one while also giving it a more bikini, less bra-like appearance.

Overall, I think Comexim knocked it out of the park with this one. The construction is very sturdy and the bikini is very classy. I love that the adjusters and clasp is metal and the gore is pointed. It is a basic black bikini top, but the amount of thought and care that is put into it is incredible. I am so happy to have a well-fitting bikini top and I can't wait to wear it out. In fact, I'm so excited that I've already made plans to go to the beach! This bikini is luxury at an affordable price.

And a sneak peak of what's coming up next (just because I'm so excited about this bra. I decided practicality first so that's why the bikini was the first one reviewed).

Ewa Michalak Pl Burgund 65FF

Ewa Michalak is one of my favourite full-bust brands. They are based in Poland and carry one of the largest ranges of sizes I've seen and are willing to do some custom sizes. Since the customer service can be a hit or a miss, I prefer not to risk it and order my Ewa bras through Bra Obsessed if I can. Sizing can be tricky. I'm able to take my standard UK size but if you don't like tight bands you may need to size up. PL Burgund is one of the older styles and was made in 2011 I do believe. I bought this second hand from Reddit's r/braswap for an absolute song. I got the bra in a 65FF and the brief in a 36, which was a size smaller than I normally take. It's a gorgeous burgundy smooth knit covered bra with simple lace across the top of the cups and a bow on the center gore. Note: I have a prominent tail of Spence, especially on my right breast which is what that lump is.

The bra is foam-lined. As this is an older model, there are no pockets for foam inserts that some of the newer models have. The wires are very narrow and the cups are deep. It is medium coverage and doesn't show under my more low cut shirts. The straps are some sort of elastic in a casing and are relatively wide set. The straps have a tendency to scrunch up but I can flatten them when I wash the bra. They are, however, very plush and comfortable.

From the front, this bra gives a lifted shape with great cleavage. The low gore is comfortable and does not poke my sternum.

From an angle, however, you can see the minor quad I get in this bra. It's not that noticeable and doesn't show under shirts. I think the Ewa Plunge shape is not compatible with my inner fullness because if I sized up in the cups they would be too deep and wide. 

The plunge creates a nice round shape from the side and there's no evidence of the quadboob. There is adequate immediate projection for me and the cups don't collapse at the bottom or shift farther down throughout the day. The wings are low which are perfect for me. I find that higher wings do not work well with my combination of short height and high set breasts. In the same vein, the wires are also short due to the short gore and wings. A major plus.

The band is incredibly firm and there are two hooks and three columns. The bra is five years old and had been worn a few times before I got it, and the band only stretched to 28.5 inches. This is one of the biggest issues I have had with this bra. I am not sure if all plunges run tight since this is the only one I have. If I add an extender to fix the length, the straps, which are already too wideset, fall off my shoulders. Having the tighter band is more acceptable to me than having straps that fall off.

Here's how the bra looks under a shirt: the seams are relatively flat and don't show through. The straps, as you can see, are wide set and have a tendency to chafe after a while. I believe this is a result of my narrower frame. They are (or were) unfortunately half-adjustable so I had to shorten them permanently. I did so before these pictures were taken. It's a slight difference, but there wasn't as much uplift and I had no quadboob. The photo taken of the back of the bra was taken pre-shortening, but that doesn't affect much.

The quality of this bra is phenomenal. Besides a few popped elastics and some wear on the lace, there is no indication that the bra is as old as it actually is. The straps are still firm and supportive and the cups still hold their shape. The band is nice and firm still.

Overall, this bra is pretty comfortable and fits well. The wires aren't much wider than my roots and follow my inframammary fold almost perfectly. The gore is a comfortable firm tack that is low enough to not get in the way of my close set breasts and to allow for some cleavage. The two biggest negatives I have about this bra are the extremely tight band and the straps: both how wideset they are and the design of them.