Best fit for me so far in Panache (I've tried almost 50 bras, including Panache & Cleo's in the last 2 months - I'm dead serious about finding a good bra!) but greatly lacking in comfort and only moderately rounded for my shape.

I vary b/t 28 & 30, the band was loose enough to wear on the 3rd hook right out of the box.

Had some firsts -
1) band beneath the wires constantly folded under and chafed my skin -
2) rigid, fully adjustable straps were painful, chafing & dug in from the start, despite reasonable support from the band!

Very strange. By far the most uncomfortable Panache bra I've tried. Oddly, the pink version, which I tried in a 30H, didn't have any of these issues, so maybe it's just this one bra? Or the black colorway? I may try the 28JJ in PINK....

The cup shape is decent for FoT's like me, but only gave a rounded shape when I fully scooped & swooped and pulled the elastic lace up and over the tops of my breasts. After walking around a bit, the lace retreated back down the cups, giving that oh-so-desirable elf slipper/quaddy look. Boo. If I do go a band size down and a cup size up, I'm pretty concerned that the wires will widen, and this bra was already on the edge of too wide for me.

So appreciate any advice re: this bra, and sizing down the band & up the cup - I'm pretty desperate.

Also, I've noticed that no matter how well I fill or overfill the cups on most bras, I still have a gap where the strap meets the cup - Is this due to my very narrow shoulders or is this a "root" thing? (Haven't quite figured out the whole root thing yet.. I also feel like my boobs & bra should sit a couple of inches higher than they do...like the underwire should be sitting higher even when it's tight enough... )

Maybe I should open a fitting request.... lol

This bra is not owned any more

Updated on Aug 05, 2015 Flag this

• Show all comments (12)
• 1

  or at the very least post some pics. but yes, a fit request is always good

• also, esp considering your name - have you tried Comexim? or Ewa Michalak?

• Hi! The 2 pics above are of me in this bra... and no, I haven't tried Comexim or EM or the other Polish brands yet. I just created my account yesterday, after trying pretty much all the UK & US bras around my size and sizing out of the ones that worked for my shape. :( I'm Thinking Anna Pardal first....

• i dont think they'd been 'approved' when I posted lol. I mostly size out of comexim (except basic) and I dont think they'd really work for me, but i'm waiting for my 3rd EM

  I wonder if a half cup would help w the digging in? The cups look high on you. I love that blue color tho

• 1

  Good luck with your EM! :) And you're absolutely right about the half cups - they are the only shape that works for me, and I can't find any in my size +/- 30HH-J/28J-JJ except the CK & Flirtelle kind that splay me east-to-west and have waaaay too much wire for my frame. that's why I'm going Polish! lol

• Yeah this is too small for you. When you say you don't like wide wires is this because they actually cause pain, or because you've read that narrow boobs require narrow wires? If all the other stars align, it is usually very possible to get a good fit despite too-wide wires as long as they don't hit you in a bad spot and cause pain.

• 1

  wendybien My issue w/ wide wires is that they usually come w/wider cups which always chafe the side of my boob and underarm. That, and just needing a more upfront, lifted shape for comfort & style, which I don't get when the wires don't push me upwards and to the middle. If I found a bra that got it done w/wide wires, I'd buy 100 and call it a day! :) Any recs?

• Floris is my fave, but it doesnt come in a 28 band. (Most of the 32J pics are me lol)

• 1

  dbmamaz Tks for the tip all the same! I'm looking at altering the band on bras that almost fit, so Floris might end up being an option. Glad you found a go-to!

• So, chafing like that is not strictly down to the width of the cup. That happens when the cup is too tall at the side AND extends out below the arm. Even women with wide roots who need the extra cup width can have this problem.

  The way to control for this when you are searching here on Bratabase is to set appropriate numbers for "Wing Height" and "Wire Length." If these are set low then you will get bras that have low sides and shouldn't bother your underarms.

  The other thing you need in a bra would seem to be room for center fullness, so once you've searched with the above criteria then you can cross-reference with the reviews to see which ones are generously built near the gore.

• wendybien Ok! I'm glad to know about wire length - it does make sense as a consideration. I had been trying to avoid chafey bras just by looking @ wing height. Re: center fullness, when you say "generously built near the gore" does that refer to how deep or full the cups are?

• Yes you need them to have lots of depth near the gore to accommodate inner fullness.

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