I've been pretty late in discovering Claudette bras, so the ones I've picked up have been from a liquidator on Amazon/eBay. I've read many reviews bemoaning the inconsistency in this brand, so I knew to expect some fit variation. The two Dessous bras I picked up in 28E and 30DD definitely had this issue. I started off with 30DD, which I determined was most likely my closest size, but also ended up trying 28E as the band on the 30DD I picked up was definitely too big.
The two colors I own are:
30DD New Classic / Elsa Pink
28E Orange Soda / Strawberry
Unfortunately, the result is that ... I ended up with a 30DD that fits well in the cup and with too loose of a band, and a 28E that is too tight in the band and fits rather oddly in the cup. Rather unsurprising as I thought I was between band sizes in this style, but still rather disappointing.
The styling of this bra is sweet and simple, and I can see why they appeal to many. It is a three-piece cup with a double layer bottom cup and single layer mesh upper cup, with relatively short wings. It is a full band design, and the elastic at the bottom of the cradle is nice and wide. Underwire consistency was a big problem here--the 30DD Dessous has a rounded C underwire, similar to Cleo Lucy/Kali, and the 28E has extremely round, half-circle shaped underwires. Another reviewer wrote that one of her underwires looked like they were put in backwards. Now I know what she must have been referring to!
Despite the wires measuring the same on 28E and 30DD, not only were they different shapes, but the cups were strangely different measurements. They are almost the same width, but the 28E is almost 1/2" deeper and has a taller cup. As a result, I could fill out the 30DD perfectly but not the 28E. The bands measure 1.2" difference on the flat, but the 30DD was so loose the band was definitely riding up, and the 28E was so tight I could barely breathe with it fastened. The stretchability of each band is different as well, which is odd since they are made from the same materials. Given the inconsistency though that other reviewers had with their bras, I am pretty sure the 28E wasn't supposed to have cups of that shape and such a rigid band. I still think that 28E would be my best fit, but now I am pretty hesitant to blindly order another color to try as these are not easily returnable.
The last issue is despite the fun, cheerful colors, the bras aren't made from very nice material. The wings are made from a perfectly nice soft mesh, the elastic isn't scratchy, and the cups are lined with a soft tricot, but the exterior of the cups are made from seriously stiff polyamide. This stuff feels a little like fishing net. Although it doesn't have direct contact with skin when worn, it's still rather unpleasant to handle. I wonder why Claudette chose such a material for delicates?
These bras are lovely to look at and fun to collect, but trying to find one that fits properly is playing a game of roulette. You have to go into it knowing you are taking a gamble, I enjoy this bra, but in terms of comfort and fit, I'll stick to my Curvy Kate Lifestyle instead!
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28E Revised Comments: I bought an extender and was able to evaluate the fit more properly. After adding 1" to the band via extender, it now feels ok. The cup shape fits my new size much better, but the overall shape is still a bit off. It is a bit closed off at the top and too projected, leaving a slightly baggy appearance at the fullest part of the cup. The underwires feel much better though.
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Updated on Jan 31, 2020 Flag this
