I ordered the Bravissimo Contour in my search for a H+ strapless bra. I am usually a 28HH (Panache)/28J (CK, Flirtelle), and since the only other Bravissimo bra I had ran small in the cup, I decided to order a 28J.
Before it arrived, I lost a lot of weight and basically moved from a 28HH/J range to a 28H/HH (my current measuremements should reflect this).
FIT:
The band is very tight, and at first I put it on with an extender (buckled on the first row of hooks). The cups fit well then, even if they flattened the top of my full-on-top breasts. However, it worked only with the straps, ...when I wore the bra as a strapless around the house, it started sliding down (the cups were winkling, etc.)
I fastened it without the extender, which strained the hooks a little. I recall some talk around the site about not straining the closing, but with a strapless bra, I think it's inevitable if you want it to stay in place. The bra stopped sliding down, however, I got major quadraboob on my bigger boob - a bit disconcerting, since the bra was supposed to be at least one cup size too big.
I think that the construction is a little off here. The wires are very wide and they get pulled almost all the way to the back, which leaves very little depth at the front, resulting in quadboob. With a normal bra, it would be wise to go up a bandsize, but a strapless wouldn't then stay in place.
The bra sits a little lower on one's back and has, for me, quite a wide bridge between the cups.
CONSTRUCTION/APPEARANCE:
The bra is not padded, it is made of some sort of thick fabric, and the lower part of the cup is strengthened by extra boning. It's sewn onto the cup only along the lower edge, so you can sort of flip it back and forth, but you can't remove it. The color is a lighter nude and the bra is invisible under light tops. There are four hooks, and the straps can be attached to three different places (two on the edge of each cup, one at each end of the band).
APPEARANCE WHEN WORN:
Up to this point, I was still considering keeping the bra. The quadboob was, after all, only on one boob, and a small price to pay (in my opinion) for a J-cup strapless. However, the bra looks quite terrible when put on - pointy, east-and-west-splayed and very wideset. See the pictures to get an idea. It doesn't make one's boobs look bigger (the way a padded Freya Deco Strapless does), but it just gives them a really, really weird shape.
SUMMARY:
If you want to order the bra, definitely go at least one cup size up, and perhaps even a band size up (I like tight bands, but a 30 would probably work as well).
I am not keeping it, because I think the shape is horrid and because the cup is too small for my larger boob. Read more 397 more words
How are the straps seated? Are they a little further inward than most bras?
katethedreamer i don’t think so. I think I can compare to Curvykate desire. It’s not inward either outward but the buckle sits so compotable on me, it’s doesn’t hurt me at all. If I have to be more precise then I’d say this one is a little bit more inward than Desire.
I just bought one but I’m worried that it’s not going to wash well.. looks and feels so delicate.
Bastet well it’s stronger than you think. I did handwash and used washing machine too. It’s all fine :)
I really wish they would offer a cup/band size up. I would love this bra and a 40J would probably fit (or be close to fitting).
cupandahalf oh me too I wish they make upto K or L and 44 size. It’s so comfortable but sometimes it’s little bit overflowing because of hormones
UPDATE: My boobs grew a little, so Alana now gives me quadraboob. And no 28JJ in sight. Sigh. I think the straps might have stretched somewhat, because now I wear the straps as tight as possible. I really like the design of the Alana and I'm thinking about writing a complaint to Bravissimo because they don't offer JJ+ cups in 28 bands and/or ordering it again in 30J.
Appearance: Unpadded, three-section-cup bra in Black. Striped bows whrere the straps meet the cups. On the center gore, there is one bigger bow made from the same see-through striped fabric and on top of it a smaller, thinner bow. Upper section is ...see-through and features different kinds of embroidery. The band and the straps are rimmed with, uhm, loops (I can't think of a better description, sorry.). That sounds like a lot but it really works and doesn't look too busy at all. This bra is simple but sophisticated and basic without being boring (Hooray for alliterations!).
Shape: Very, very uplifted and sadly, also pointy. Perfect example of Bras I Hate's green shape. I tell myself that it looks a bit "retro". I found that I prefer tight-fitting tops with this bra. They show off the uplift und the rounded bottoms of the breasts. Wearing looser tops just makes my boobs look, well, pointy. I decided to keep the bra anyways but I'll have to see how I get on with that. I never liked pointy shapes and for me, this isn't a "your boobs, but better" shape because mine are naturally round. Yup, still a Cleo girl. Also, I don't know how this is even possible, but while there is a lot of forward projection, this bra is still minimizing.
Band: It's wide, features a three hooks and eyes fastening and is very tight. I love that, as I need tight 28 bands (or 26 bands). Also, I was very impressed with the fastening: It is rather big and the sets of eyes are wide-spaced. One could probably put four closer-spaced sets on it but the way it is, I think I will get a lot of wear out of this band. Interesting Sidenote: This bra doesn't have a "wing" with boning. I have no idea if this affects the support or comfort of the band or if they decided to leave it it out because the band is so short in this size.
Cup Fit: Pretty much perfection but a little migration would make me quad-boob. My shape is balanced, I think, but my tissue is very soft (even though I'm in my early twenties and have never lost a lot of weight or breast-fed). This is probably the reason why the tight upper section works for me. If you have bottom-heavy, close-set boobs, this bra could work for you.
Wires: Compared to my usual Panache/Cleo bras I wear at the moment (especially Lucy & Marcie), the wires seem to be more narrow, which suits me much better. When the bras laid flat on a surface, that isn't visible, but the wires of the Alana are less flexible and therefore retain their UU shape better. Because I experienced some discomfort from the wires after wearing the bra for a long time, I'm considering trying to bend them. The center gore comes up very high but, most surprisingly, it works for my close-set breasts.
Straps: Fully adjustable, wide and elastic. I could tighten the straps about 3/4 of the whole length. Meh. Better than the disaster I recently had with the Freya Ivy, at least. I really prefer having the plastic adjuster things on my back, where they belong! Still, this means that the straps could work for a variety of people both taller and shorter than me (1,60m). Keep in mind, though, that it is a high-cut bra. The fabric between the straps and the outside edge of the wires comes up to my armpits. It's not really uncomfortable but I do notice it. This is probably due to strap placement. I feel that my shoulders are rather broad for my frame but women with narrow shoulders might face bigger issues.
Overall, the Alana is pretty basic bra and feels very supportive. I think getting used to the shape will take some time, right now I like the look of the bra better with my clothes off. Also, I wear a lot of low-cut tops, but that won't be possible with the Alana. Both the cups and the center gore come up high on my chest and peek out of my v-necks. Even though the bra itself is beautiful in my opinion, I will have to use it as a "practical" bra. I did try the Bravissimo Thea, the plunge version of this bra, but unfortunately I would have needed a 28JJ which never existed and will never be made because the Thea is discontinued. I want a plunge bra, NOW!
Something strange on sizing: I chose my usual starting point size 28J. I ordered a bunch of Bravissimo wardrobe staples together with the Alana and none of the other bras fit, they all were at least one cup size too small. Might be shape-mismatches though.
This bra seems to be the product of myself and others complaining to Bravissimo about the wires on larger cup sizes. In the catalog there is a note "Improved underwires for J cup upwards mean it will suit even more boob shapes and sizes." While it is better than some of their previous bras it's still no good for me. The bra also lacks projection giving me wrinkled fabric under the boob, crazy spillage near the gore, straps that dig into the armpits and a silly little lace longline piece that just rolls up immediately. Unfortunately, I can't recommend this one.
I'll give credit where it is due: there is an improvement to the wires, just not enough and I like that the lace is made of recycled nylon.
... How is this a cup size bra?! This is like the cheap one size fits all crap. My boobs have no clue where to go spilling out the side and top, attempting to take the shape of the cup and having the other 50% amount spill out of the cup area resulting in a horrific shape!
So I normally have a complaint that the wires go round to my back, this brings it to a whole new level, half of the cup is literally under my armpit, but as you can see from the photos the wire is literally visible from the back. This of course means my boobs do not fit in the cup as they don't start on my back! I've even now noticed in the little fit check booklet that you get with your order they claim that if the wires are digging into my breast tissue you should try a bigger cup size, what a load of ****.
5 hooks! This band feels really supportive. I like the magnet clasp as it's so easy to fasten, unlike some others that have clasps there. However the cups are too separate for me, there is too much boob hanging out and they are pointing outwards because of it.
I love having more hooks (rather than bras that have like like 2 per row) it feels supportive and secure, especially when I also have a firm enough band.
This Bra looks really cool and the separated straps at the back feel really supportive however at the front they are too far apart from each other and cut into the underarms. I have low nipples and still have an issue with them showing through the netted section of the cup. The bottom of the cup is too shallow and just leaves an empty bit. The cups make your boobs look like they are pointing outwards.
I've owned two of these bras, whether that is a reflection on the quality of the bra or my inability to find another bra that fits well I'm not sure. This is not the best-made bra as some of the fabric at the side has come away from the strap under the arm and there is a double folded piece of fabric on one of the cups. The Lula bra is fairly durable but the outer fabric is easy to catch and tear. I broke the wire of 2 of these bras within a week. To get the bra to fit correctly I had to bend the wire to curve around my ribs as the wire finished under my armpit.
Like Bettie Mae, it does not suit my shape. I love the style, shape, pattern and colour of the bra. It is very soft and has a lovely feel to it. I am around 28HH/J and went up a cup to a J as I heard it ran small, like their other Satine-shaped styles. If you are going to order, I would recommend doing this.
As with the Bettie Mae and Cleo Marcie, the wires are too wide for me with the cups collapsing underneath the cup and at the sides. I felt even less supported than in the Marcie, which is unpadded and so does this to ...a lesser extent. The bra seems to sit around my breasts rather than support them, it did this however much I adjusted the straps. There is also some quadboobing but I am unsure whether this is because my bra size is still in the process of discovered and/or the lack of support caused this. The band felt like a true-28 to be and the 3hook clasp was comfortable; the gore is short and makes for a good plunge style.
My Recommendation is to...: Up the cup, and it is for women who do not need wires as narrow as Ewa Michelak or Comexim. It's a very beautiful bra so I would recommend it to anyone who does not have these issues like I do https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" /> Read more 130 more words
Ahhh, I just received this bra from a fellow Bratabase member and I'm pretty much in love. It's just right.
The only real problem I'm having so far is that the gore is poking into my sternum a bit, possibly because it's too low. I haven't tried bending the wires yet, but I imagine that'll fix the problem.
As for everything else- I'm getting great support, the straps adjust as much as I need, the band is a true 28, the cups fit almost perfectly (quadding a tiny bit when I breathe in deeply, but not enough to notice under a shirt. And the point where the cups are the ...deepest is actually the point at which my boobs are the deepest, which is rare!) The embroidery at the tops of the cups is elegant and discreet and super soft- not scratchy like on some bras. I would almost qualify this as a T-shirt bra.
I'm very happy to have found a deep plunge bra that is so supportive and also unpadded- the only other plunge I've had that worked this well was the PL Lilia, which I got recently, but it has molded cups. I'm a bit more comfortable without the padding.
Update as of 2/12/2013: I'm loving this bra; it's becoming one of my favourites. The gore still pokes a bit, but I think it's only because I slouch too often. It looks FANTASTIC under shirts, and I can wear all the low-cut tops that most bras peek out of (which is most of my tops...) The shape is great, too! Read more 151 more words
The straps are holding a lot of tension, resulting in shoulder ache and unsightly creases in the fabric. The fabric is super soft. Label placement means it will pop out during wear if not cut off.
Cups too wide pulling the breasts to the sides of the body. It's becoming irritating the amount of bras that would be fixed by having narrower cups that are closer together. However in this case the top of the cup would still be too loose if the wire was adjusted. The halter puts a lot of weight on the shoulders, though this may be because the back is too big
Another abysmal wire to cup set up. Wires way too wide resulting in the bikini pulling breast tissue to the sides, or in this case failing to and leaving everything hanging out.
Very thin fabric that shows all lumps and bumps underneath, especially since the first layer of fabric is very cheap feeling it creases easily while moving around, not a flattering look.
After seeing a 28JJ model wearing this bra I thought: finally a cute bras that will actually fit me, but alas, the same problems persist. The cups are too wide leaving empty fabric at the sides as the wires go too far around the torso.
The pictures were most helpful, thank you. Almost bought it. I think I would have cried if it did that to my boobs :)