So; this bra I purchased second hand through the Bratabase listings, as an experiment / to narrow down my possible size in Avocado!
I'd been curious about trying Avocado ever since coming across the 'Missunderpinnings' blog (sadly, now closed down) that has been a major help in figuring out my size, some 8-ish years ago!

And when both Comicsgirlsneedbras and SweetnothingsNYC reviewed the 'Ce Soir' bra a couple years back on their blogs, I completely fell in love with the design (https://en.avocouture.eu/category/ce-soir/ce-soir-hct-02 / https://www.bratabase.com/browse/avocado/ce-soir-s204hct/) - but it's just too expensive to justify buying, especially considering the neckline is not very daily-wear-friendly. But to be honest, ... I've secretly been low-key mourning the day when they eventually decide to discontinue it.. So yeah, it's still on my bra-lottery-wishlist !

Anyhow, back to Greta: as I was looking for a pandemic-friendly (a.k.a. one size up from my regular rotation (; ) unlined black bra, this 70K - Avocado » Greta (S184A) seemed like a good 'diagnostic' / comfort / weight fluctuation bra. I like the fuss-free design with the diagonal stripey pattern and the 'chunky' lace.

As I was kind of expecting (from the measurements and communicating with the seller), both the band and the cups turned out to be too large for me.
The cups are mostly too wide and tall (as seen in pictures; one cup pinned at the seams to be lower / smaller, the other left as-is).

So in short, this will definitely take some frankenbra-ing for it to be wearable. Regardless, it was a useful trial, as I figured out that altering the cups (and shortening the band) would actually be super helpful in creating a better fit. In the pictures you can see the way I'd be sewing.

However, one major concern / issue that would not be remedied by this alteration in the cups, is the gore being too tall and wide.
I've actually considered removing the wires altogether and see where that leaves me - possibly with a bralette-kind of style?

Either way, trying this Greta bra helped me decide that if I ever >were< to win the lottery / get major tax returns / have money to spare, my wish-upon-a-star-bra Ce Soir would probably fit me in a 65J/65K or 70H/70J.
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Updated on Apr 14, 2021 Flag this

I picked up this bra from another user as an experiment to see how Avocado's bras fit me. I usually need a 30 band or a 32 in tighter-running Polish brands, so I expected that the band on this one would be too big for me, but wanted to see if it was OK in the cups - if so, I'd look at altering the band.

First off I'll talk about the quality of this bra - from the moment I got it out of the box, I could tell it was really well-made. The mesh and embroidery on the cups are clearly very sturdy ... but still soft to the touch and comfortable against my skin. The band is made out of a thick, almost neoprene-like material that feels very comfortable and supportive. If the band had been the right size for me it would have felt great! It doesn't have any of the annoying edging or tight elastic bits that so many British brands use in their bands. Appearance-wise, I like that the embroidery keeps this bra sheer without completely exposing nipple. It's very sophisticated-looking and an interesting twist on a basic black bra. The straps also have the intriguing feature of being split into three straps at the front, which is unusual. The only downside is that this means the straps aren't fully adjustable, making this bra possibly not the best choice for a more petite person.

The fit was unfortunately heart-breaking for me, because I could see the potential the bra had to be supportive and give a great shape on me. It was slightly too big in the cups for me - I'm wearing mostly 30J/32HHs at the moment, so I'd say that this bra fits somewhere in between a 34HH and a 36H. Interestingly, although this is bigger on me than my British bras, I get a lot less gaping near the straps in this (a fit issue which I have in virtually every British bra I own). Aside from the wrinkling indicating a too-big cup, I can tell this bra suits my shape very well. I am pretty narrow and projected - every bra I own except one (my Ewa Michalak S Musisztomiec) has wires that are too wide. This bra's cups were only too wide for me by virtue of the bra being too big, and accommodated my projected, tall-rooted, evenly full shape well.

The deal-breaker for me here was the centre gore. It did not remotely tack on me. Gores not tacking is an issue I have in pretty much every bra due to being extremely close-set, and is usually worse when the bra has a wider gore. In theory, this gore was narrow enough that the 'lack of tack' shouldn't have been too bad, but it refused to sit anywhere near my sternum. As a consequence, I felt unsupported in the bra, to an extent where I'd be unlikely to feel comfortable wearing it in public. I think this is due to a combination of a number of factors, the first of these being the too-big band - but pulling the band tighter didn't seem to alleviate the issue, and I started to see overflow at the centre. I think this bra had issues accommodating my centre fullness and also just didn't have firm enough wires for me. I feel confident saying this about the wires, as I've heard a number of bloggers mention that Avocado wires aren't particularly firm.

In conclusion, I feel that this bra would best suit someone with a projected, narrow shape who typically wears a 34HH/36H (depending on preference for firmness of band).
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This bra is not owned any more

Updated on May 23, 2015 Flag this

Probably the most beautiful and my favourite bra I've ever owned. I know it's just black but it is so effortlessly elegant and feels like a bit of a luxury bra even though it's easily worn to work. Avocado did a semi-sheer, lacy, sexy bra for a bigger bust that is actually comfortable. It may be the A cut which is more full coverage than their other styles, but it doesn't make you feel too covered up. The edge of the lace at the top of the bra showed once when I wore a very low scoop neck top with it, but otherwise it is not that full ... coverage but still made me feel like my breasts were very anchored and secure.

The fit at the time of purchase was perfection. Nice narrow wires that came low under the arm, so no pinching! The gore was okay, it didn't quite tack because the band wasn't tight enough, but the cups fit fine. The band stretched out relatively quickly for me and is too big on the tightest hooks now. I think the material of the band is just softer/stretchier than the mateirial used on other Avocado bras. I have the Avocado Nina in the 75K and the band lengths are similar, so I would say the band on the Greta runs a little on the large side.



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This bra is not owned any more

Updated on May 04, 2016 Flag this

ShonaMarie

362 reputation

80 bras

As soon as I received this bra in the post, I fell in love.

BAND: Way too big, which I found odd since I was under the impression Avocado ran firm, and I have an Avocado Nina in the same size which is firm. I could do up the Greta on the tightest hooks straight away, and the band still rides up as I wear it. I still wear it though, because I love the bra so much.

WIRES: The wires on the Greta are slightly too wide (wider than the Nina wires in the same size) - not wide enough to dig in or cause any discomfort ... at all, but it places the side boning seam too far back on my ribcage, and there is some empty space on the side of the cup (I'm not sure if both these issues would be fixed by sister-sizing down).

CUPS: I am pretty FOT and close set. The gore is fine, but doesn't quite sit flat (I think it could be fixed by a tighter band), but there is a fair amount of space at the top of the cup, mainly because the side of the cup comes up quite high. It doesn't gape and it is not noticeable when I am wearing a shirt.

MATERIALS: Utterly gorgeous. The non-stretch materials with the embroidery... stunning. Gives a lovely, natural, rounded but uplifted shape. It's a dream to wear.

I know it sounds like I have a lot of issues with this bra, but I really do love it. It is probably my favourite bra at the moment, and it is so comfortable. I am going to try order a sister size down and sell this size.
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This bra is not owned any more

Updated on May 24, 2014 Flag this

ShonaMarie

362 reputation

80 bras

Didn't write a review

Added on Oct 29, 2014

Didn't write a review

This bra is not owned any more

Added on Apr 23, 2015

ShonaMarie

362 reputation

80 bras