I bought this bra off a Bratabase listing, mostly out of curiosity following Vee's adventure with the Braology bra. The measurements seemed close enough that is might actually fit me.

Bra description:

First impression: a rather massive-looking contraption out of pale peach and ivory floral lace over a pale peach base. On closer inspection, however, the bra is actually quite a bit more delicate and interesting. As said, the whole bra is covered in soft, pale peach and ivory floral stretch lace. The cups are made of a thin but sturdy moulded foam, shiny pale peach knit on the outside, some soft, pale peach knit on the inside. Inside the cups side support slings made out of laminated tricot (soft pale peach tricot backed with non-stretch nylon mesh) are sewn. The cradle is made out of the same laminated tricot as the side support slings. The wings are super high and consist of a layer of powernet and have a grand total of 6 pieces of boning: two on either side seam, and one further towards the back, close to either strap. Three columns of four eyes make up the back. Findings are also pale peach. The overall effect is quite 'vintage'.

Bra fit:

This bra unfortunately does not fit me. The cups are quite shallow, especially near the wires, and clearly shaped to give a push up effect. It succeeds in achieving that goal admirably, but it also makes my bigger breast quadboob ever so slightly and whether by design or not, the centre gore does not even begin to touch my sternum. A bigger problem is that the bra comes up way too high under my arms. I have a short upper torso and my breasts are quite high set -- there is no way I can pull up the bra high enough for the wires to sit where they should, right in the crease underneath my breasts. It should be noted though that the wires remain several centimetres short of the underarm edge, so if desired the sides can be cut and altered to sit somewhat lower and potentially fit better.

But then the band ... Le Sigh! Seriously, why don't more companies make bras with such high and supportive bands?! This bra is labelled as D75/34 but it only stretches to 78 cm (applying a 'reasonable' amount of force, not trying to break it) so I personally find it both comfortable and supportive for my 27"/69cm underbust (measured tightly). Under normal circumstances I could easily go tighter, but a wider band doesn't have to be nearly as tight as a narrower band to provide the same level of support. As I'm going through a bad hypersensitivity episode that makes almost any bra highly uncomfortable to wear I'd rather not go much tighter anyway, and this kind of wide band seems to work just fine. It makes sense: the tension and pressure are distributed over a much larger surface resulting in much less tension/pressure per surface unit (think of the elephant footprint versus the woman on stiletto heels analogy). The boning is light and flexible and its purpose is to make sure the band keeps it shape so it can function as described -- the boning isn't really noticeable, but I personally love the sense of added structure and support its presence gives.

Conclusion:

I really think there really is a lot to learn from bras like these: they are obviously built to create cleavage (without adding loads of padding!), but boy do they deliver a lot of support along the way!

Updated on Jan 31, 2013 Flag this

• Soooo, I dod ask some questions on the wrong review so I'm rewriting them here.. Do you wear it despite the issues? How is the profile, Braologie pointy or? And did the hubby *take notice*? :))

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  I would probably wear it if it didn't really come up way too high under the arm for me: short upper torso plus high-set breasts -- it's really not going to work, unfortunately :(

  But yes, the profile is slightly pointy too. There's no boning in the cups as there is in the braology bra, but I think that the cups of both bras are otherwise drafted quite similar: the bottom part of the cup is drafted without much (if any) curve to give as much uplift as possible. This results in what I have seen described as a 'tool shed roof' profile along the cup's main seam. I think that if the cups were drafted more half cup-like, i.e. with only vertical seams and more open at the top for example, the profile could be more rounded whilst still offering the same amount of lift.

  Oh, and the husband wouldn't take notice if I were dangling from the chandelier naked, so no, the cleavage is all for myself ;)

• Never thought I'd go googling tool shed roofs :D
  Sad, because the bra looks lovely and that band is a dream... Nothing can be done to make it lower under arm?

• Actually, it can be altered to fit better under the arm quite easily as the wires don't go up all the way. I guess there's at least an inch 'empty' casing so I have indeed been considering cutting it down, I just haven't had the time and opportunity yet (a one-year-old that is overly willing to 'help' with everything isn't the best of incentives to pull out the needles and pins).

  The band IS indeed a dream -- WHY of why don't more brands put a bit more thought in the design of their bands?!

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  Oh, I see I never uploaded the photos I took ... must fix that this afternoon.

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