I ordered a 65B and was sent one of those, a 65C, a 70A, and a 75A through Ampere's Home Try-On program. Also note that you can probably request a slightly tweaked range of sizes - for my first order with Ampere, I asked for bands only equivalent to a 28-30 (because my rib cage measurement is roughly 26 inches, and they don't carry 26 bands), and they acquiesced. (That time, they sent a 65B, 65C, 65D, and 70B, if you're curious about which sizes they pick together.) For this order, I didn't bother, since I already knew 65B or 65C would be a good bet for me ...in this brand. It's also a good idea to note that Ampere's 65B is not a European 65, it's actually equivalent to a 28B/60B.
I ended up keeping the 65B in Ampere's Gramercy, but I think I may actually keep the 65C for the Rose. I have trouble with the shapes for both - I'm just somewhere in between 65B/65C because the cups are either too narrow, or there's more gapping than is ideal. With the Rose, I feel like the wires cut off more and are even narrower, while the Gramercy juuust about sat on the edge of the wrong spot. The rest fits alright.
The bra itself is lovely-looking. I like the pale pink; it's fairly neutral despite not being close to my skin tone. The silk lining is nice and the floral and leafy lace overlay on the cups is pretty. The construction, as with my other Ampere bras, is good, and the materials feel nice (I don't find the lace itchy or anything). The lace texture will likely show under some shirts, but surprisingly, I'm not having much of an issue with most of mine. The cups have a vertical seam and just a light lining, no bulky padding. The bra comes up fairly high under the arm. Read more 210 more words
First thing's first, the 65B is actually equivalent to a US/UK 28B, not a 30B, according to this company's sizing charts. Ampere offers a Home Try-On Program, where you can receive extra bras in sizes they choose based on your initial pick, and send back the ones that didn't fit without any extra hassle. My underbust measurement is about 26", so I ordered a 65C and sent an email to them requesting mostly 65/28 bands (since they don't stock smaller bands than 65). They kindly responded and sent me a 65B, 65C, 65D, and 70B, so I've had the chance to try each of these sizes (hence my ...repetitious reviews)!
The 65B and 65C are closer to sizes that work for me. As noted, my band size should probably be around a 26, but even still, the 65/28 band is alright for me. It's not as tight in comparison to a 28 band from The Little Bra Company, but it stays up fine regardless of the straps. This bra seems more ideal for narrow-set people. The underwires don't really cut off my breast tissue, but they seem a little narrow for me. I have more of a problem with the cup separation in the 65C, but it, too, is on the narrow side. There's still a little gapping at the very top of the cup (although part of that is just the eyelash lace, not the cup itself), but I wouldn't say a 65A would work (not that they make those). I think it's more just the shape of my breasts, possibly too shallow. If the cups didn't come up quite so high, they'd fit almost perfectly. As it is, the gapping is small enough that I don't think it's a huge issue.
Regarding the bra itself, it comes up fairly high under the arm. The straps are attached at fairly wide points, so watch out if you have particularly narrow shoulders; mine aren't at all broad and it still just works for me, but that's something to note. The elastic of the straps is nice and wide, so it won't cut into your shoulders. The cups are unpadded.
I'm really pleased with the construction of this bra. It's lovely to look at, and feels very well-made. The silk lining is nice, and I like the gold leaf embroidery against the black lace. Just do note that because of the textured lace and edging, it might look a little weird under some shirts, as most fancier bras will. Some t-shirts work; some don't. I do like the shape it gives me, even though it doesn't have padding.
If you're like me and have trouble finding your size at physical stores, I recommend giving Ampere a try if possible, especially if you're also still unsure what a good fit might be like for you. Read more 361 more words
