I have to admit that I am not the target audience for Charlotte. My reason for trying this bra is solely curiosity, coupled with a discounted price on Nordstrom. I hate padded bras, Charlotte is quite projected in shape and I am shallow, and someone on Nordstrom described this bra as "a Halloween costume for a character from Pirates of the Caribbean." I hoped this was unnecessarily harsh judgment from a disgruntled customer, but she was spot on. This bra is totally not for me.

Yes, I can totally see why this might remind someone of a campy lady pirate. The bra is extremely structured, and the cups are made from a very firm foam covered in heavy satin. Potentially sweaty satin, depending on the climate--I doubt you'd want to actually wear this in the Caribbean. There's something a little Frederick's of Hollywood in the design, a little too cabaret for my tastes. There are seams galore, anathema for anyone who is looking for a smooth look, although the two front stripes on each cup are actually just topped on ribbon detailing. The exterior also has a decorative side sling panel, and I have a hard time imagining this sitting smoothly under any item of clothing lighter than a sweater. The padding feels about 1/4" thick, and because it is so stiff, there's no ignoring it. You are committing to a padded bra when putting on Charlotte. This bra is a comfort-seeker's worst nightmare, but it'll give you a fabulously structured shape if you can put up with the ruthless foam cups.

Unfortunately, because of the materials and construction, this bra is not forgiving in any sense, least of all the fit of the cups. I found the cups to be too deep and projected for my shallow shape. While the top of the cup laid smooth, thanks to the nicely-angled upper panel, I could feel the emptiness at the fullest portion of the cups. Charlotte won't work for shallow shapes, tall roots, or FOT, and I am unsure about FOB. I feel the ideal shape for this bra is someone who is projected and evenly round with short roots. The underwire shape is a deep angled U, rather narrow on the bottom, but thanks to the angling is more open on top than a standard U.

Now, I do have to say that the construction of this bra is excellent. The seams actually end up giving a pretty rounded appearance given the stiffness of the foam. You won't see harsh lines like in Cleo Juna. The proportions of the bra look good, the straps are wide and fully adjustable, and the band is amazing. My favorite part of this bra is the band. With a powermesh-lined cradle, extra-firm mesh wings, and firm elastic, the band was lightweight, comfortable, and supportive. I wish more brands would take a cue from this construction and make more supportive bands (I'm looking at you, Natori!)

Overall, while Charlotte is definitely not for me, I can see why it has so many fans. It's a polarizing style as it's not for everyone, but if you're looking for a solidly-constructed, supportive, padded bra to wear in cooler climates, give it a try!

Black colorway

Updated on Sep 20, 2019 Flag this

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