Normally I would take studio pics and write a blog post, but I just can't. I can't even earnestly review this bra... so I made it a project. I found this size FR 80F/UK 30F beauty on eBay for a $10 incl international shipping and thought I got a steal. See? http://i.imgur.com/AaxDsgj.jpg I was excited about a 3 part seamed strapless design. It got here today, and as soon as I opened the package I realized it was going to be The Most Un-useful Bra Ever. It's unlined. I never would have gathered that from the stock pic, and the description simply said "outgrown but in good condition." I also immediately measured the wires at... 6.0" wide!! The lady who sold it to me probably laughed her way to the post office.

Regardless, I tried it on, hoping for the best. It does come with convertible straps that are set so far widely apart they're useless as well. I think someone at Lejaby caught wind that EM straps are wide set and decided to make it a competition. Without the straps, it was the biggest hot mess ever. Who makes an unlined unpadded basically unstructured strapless bra? Somebody along the design and QC line had to try this on and think "yup, that'll work!" Clearly: http://i.imgur.com/FkUtIZX.jpg - it did not work. The wires distort as soon as you breathe on the band, and distorted up to about 7" wide on my body. I couldn't stretch the band AT ALL without distorting the wires. Really, a wire coat hanger would have done a better job.

The band is too big - I had room to spare closed on the tightest hooks. I folded the bottom of the cups in half because a funny thing happens when you take flimsy lace and don't attach straps to it - it falls down! Meanwhile, I could have fit a family of 4 in the tops of the 9.8" deep cups. I probably could have used a 30DD, a size I don't think I've ever worn.

The biggest positive to this bra is it cost me only $10. Oh, and the lace is soft. I knew there's no way I could ever re-sell it so my designer's brain started turning and it dawned on me. First thing I did was replace the awful wires with wires from a Claudette Dessous I scrapped for parts. Then, I took 2 sets of CHP pads (I knew I kept them around for a reason!!!) and laid them into the cups facing opposite directions, like this: http://i.imgur.com/kH6ii9M.jpg. Then I stitched everything down.

End result? http://i.imgur.com/obNBcY8.jpg. I might actually wear this under shirts in places that are not my house. The upper pads help fill out the tops of the cups and maintain shape. The lower pads do the lifting. I'm now the official owner of a Maison Lejaby concept with Claudette-wires and Ewa Michalak padding Frankenbra.

This bra is not owned any more

Updated on Jun 04, 2016 Flag this

• 1

  I'm thrilled you were able to "save" it :-) :-)

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  Lejaby's full bust line runs HUGE in the cups as you can see. However, I'm very suspicious of the wide wires and the stretchy band as they usually have narower wires and run tight, not slack. I suspect the owner was wearing it despite it being too small for her torso and this deformed the wires and stretched the band.

• wendybien thats a possibility I didn't consider. it makes sense. I couldn't believe how flexible the wires were though. before I replaced them I bent them to 4.5" wide and they still distorted to over 6" when I put the bra on. I think it might be a combination of super soft wires & a previous owner wearing it when she shouldn't have. the tag is very faded so it's definitely been well worn. despite that the overall bra is in great shape. I just couldn't believe how big and unsupportive it is. it's actually not shallow at all, with my padding alteration I don't collapse the cups. I think it's just not possible to make an unlined strapless supportive at all.

• 1

  Frankenbra! I love it! Thanks for giving me some ideas,

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