Alrighty folks, I think I can finally review this bra (and matching briefs) after having had the opportunity to wear it a couple times. My apologies for taking forever to review! I moved at the end of February, so I was pretty busy, and of course it's quite the adjustment to get settled in a new place (and living with a partner for the first time too!).
About me: 26FF ish, narrow and tall roots, dense, evenly full/functionally FOT.
First of all, I love the look of this bra. The lace appears a bit more peachy coloured to me than in the stock photos on the website, and this ...is complemented by a beautiful mauve lace trim along the top edge of the cup and the front of the straps. It's a two-seamed, three part halfcup, with 3x3 hooks and eyes.
As for the fit, it pretty much fits! I ordered the 55K with wires from 55J, 1cm depth added near the wire, straps moved in 1cm, and gore overlapping. Honestly, it's hard to say which of these were completed, except the wire swap, which is clearly the same width and length as the other 55J wires. The gore does seem to be overlapped as well, but that one I was less concerned about. The gore is slightly taller than the standard plunge, and the cups have decent coverage. They're perhaps a little tall, but it works for my shape. My main concern was the cup width and depth near the wire, and those are both acceptable for me. I don't think there's quite enough room for my breasts to settle completely to the bottom, but it's not uncomfortable and doesn't crease the cup for me. My only other experience with a Comexim 3HC was when I tried one on in person at the now-defunct Bra Obsessed in St. Thomas, Ontario, and I remember it being both too small and far too shallow for me, so I was quite nervous about trying another one, but I'm a sucker for sweet, light-coloured halfcups (my first downfall was the 60FF - Ewa Michalak » Chp Marcepanowa Magnolia (694) ), and luckily this turned out well enough for me. My only other qualm is that the band is quite small and snug. It really feels like I'm strapped in when I close the band, and if I wear it for too long while sitting, it really starts to dig in along the bottom of the band and the wires. I hope it will eventually relax a little bit, but for now it's tolerable for up to a few hours at a time.
It gives me quite a different shape than the Comexim plunges which I find to be very uplifting and give me a very slight peaked appearance. The halfcup is still uplifting, but it's much more rounded, and gives a more minimized appearance. It also makes my chest look slightly wider from the front than the plunge silhouette.
Lastly, I took a gamble and ordered the Elise briefs, and I'm thrilled to report that they work for me! They're full-coverage, low-rise briefs, made with sheer mesh at the back. (I have lots more photos on the full review page!). The Small was once again the correct size choice for me, despite the fullness of my bum.
Overall, I'm pretty happy with this set! I hope this will help some folks out there who are considering it. Read more 464 more words
This bra's measurements have been altered
55J wires, gore overlapped, straps moved in 1cm, 1cm depth added near wires
Hmm, it's such a different colour than what I thought it would be...interesting.
Thanks for posting pictures!
It looks great!
Looks great on you! Thanks for the detailed review.
Gorgeous!
Thank you for reviewing! It looks absolutely stunning on you! I've been meaning to review 6 of my bras for over a month too, it happens to the best of us. Congratulations on moving in with your partner!
Stats for reference: FOT, centre full, close & low set, soft tissue, short & narrow roots, and projected.
Full Disclosure: This is the first time I ordered from Comexim directly. From their website photos, the Karina looks like a padded plunge bra. For my order I asked for some modifications (i.e. size 55K, 3HC, overlapped gore, straps moved in 1cm, 3 x 4 hook and eye, and cotton cookie pockets) - all done apart from the hook and eye which is a 3 x 3 closure. What surprised me was that instead of a 3HC padded half cup, my Karina came as a 3HC unpadded half cup. This ...may have been a translation error in my modifications request (I put English and Polish), although google translate seemed to think everything was ok. If anyone would be willing to help lookover this with me I would be most grateful so I can be clear what I am requesting next time https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" />
Look: I was struggling between choosing the Comexim Chiara 3hc and Comexim Princess Plunge Bra (547) when Comexim released the Karina during their 2021 Valentine's sale then I knew it was the one <3 It is bold red on the inside with delicate black overlay on the outside, giving a mysteriously seductive deep red tone when looking at the bra. The lace is intricately detailed with circular floral patterns that look like a group of oriental lanterns. Across the top of the cups are pretty petal-like lace trimmings. There are 3 main layers to this unpadded bra: top black lace mesh, middle red mesh and red cotton cookie pockets over the cups - the band is black mesh with red trimmings. It is relatively smooth under clothes so super versatile and offers the same coverage as my 3HC padded Comexim Beauty.
Fit: This bra fits the same as my 60K - Comexim » Beauty Half Cup (since 2015 Version) (355) ; gives me amazing 'cakes-on-a-plate' with buttcrack cleavage high on my chest and a nice round side profile. The band is perfect at 55 on the outermost hook without an extender. The cups on the Karina is ever so slightly deeper than my Beauty which is perfect (i.e. no quadding) and I can wear this without or with cookies (e.g. to correct for asymmetry or to avoid cold weather incidents showing through).
Overall: Although I was expecting a padded 3HC Karina, this unpadded 3HC Karina may actually end up getting more wear than if it was the former. I predominately wear unlined bras as they take up less storage space and are quicker to handwash/ dry. My best unlined bras are currently the Cleo Melissa and (many colours of) Marcie so I'm excited to add Karina to the mix! This order has also got me thinking... perhaps unpadded Comexims with cookie pockets are better than unlined and padded bras for me as they offer greater flexibility? Read more 388 more words
Red/ Black colorway
This bra's measurements have been altered
Altered band,
Altered straps,
Size 55K, overlapped gore, straps moved in 1cm, cotton cookie pockets
This bra is STUNNING! I'm so glad it fits you! How much stiffer are the cups with cookie pockets added? Thanks for such a marvelously detailed review!
It's a really beautiful bra. I once ordered a bra from Comexim thinking it was a padded 3HC too (the 60J - Comexim » Belle De Nuit Soft (585) ). Glad this one will work for you!
marilynne Thank you :) The cookie pockets are super soft and mould perfectly against the mesh layer upon wearing. I'd say they help the cups maintain their intended shape without the need of padding or thicker infrastructure (i.e. stiffness is inbetween unlined and padded). Comparing the look of the Beauty vs Karina on, I honestly can't tell that one is padded and the other isn't!
Also, I should mention that Comexim doesn't provide any cookies but I happen to have some spare (from old sports bras) that fit quite well :)
sincerity Thank you! I always prefer the dhape of padded bras under shirts, but love the feel of unlined bras, so I think I'll be copying this bra for my next comexim order. I can't get over how absolutely breathtaking it is! Did you order the matching briefs as well?
Interesting that it was unexpectedly unpadded. I guess there’s no way to know for sure but glad it ended up working for you!
If you go on the Polish version of Comexim’s website, the bras usually have longer descriptions than on the English version, so I just set it to Polish and let Chrome run Google Translate English. When I do that on the Karina page, it describes it as a ‘soft plunge bra’ and I believe ‘soft’ is the translated version of their word for ‘unlined.’ The padded ones usually just say ‘padded’ in the description. So, that’s how I tell the difference.
bridget_megan thanks for that, good to know. I’ll try that the next time I order for sure
Wilderness1 I'm sorry the Belle De Nuit didn't work out for you! I reckon if it wasn't for the cotton cookies this Karina may not have worked well for me. I wish there was a filter for soft cup/ padded bras on their website, I'm going to email Joanna :)
marilynne Yay! Happy that my review is useful :) I did indeed, I got the size M Adore style briefs made using Karina material (highwaisted briefs are more flattering on me, though Adore is more midwaisted). Updated my photo settings so the full set should be visible now. They fit great, thanks for helping me narrow down brief sizes!
margesimpsonbridget_megan OMG that is an amazing tip! I'm definitely doing that next time. I've also noticed that 'Related Products' on Karina's page are all unlined bras whereas padded bras have none or maybe only 1 unlined bra. Lol I should have been more attentive!
sincerity High waisted styles are more flattering on me as well, but comexim seems to think that your waist is at your high hip, which is a veey unflattering line for most of us :(. I just stick with their low rise thongs since it's more flattering than their "high-rise" style. And you're welcome!
sincerity I just got my Karina today too, and I was also surprised it was unlined! I kept mine as the Plunge but with my normal modifications (shortened cups and moved in straps) and it fit me almost the same as the padded plunge, so I was surprised at how well this turned out. It is just fine fully unlined, but I'll have to consider adding cookie pockets. Could you post a picture of your cookie pockets on an unlined bra? I'm curious to see where they are placed. Mine is just an inner layer of red mesh and the outer layer of embroidered black mesh. I am going to ask Joanna if it is possible to order a normal padded bra as unlined. I have done the reverse before, ordering an unlined (Mystic) as a normal padded plunge, and that was successful.
Regarding the panties, I actually asked Joanna to custom make one for me because I prefer thong styles and also don't like high waisted on my short torso. I gave her the measurements of a normal thong and asked her to lower the waistband by 3 cm for future orders, which she agreed to via email before I placed the order. So, she ended up sending me a very cute cheeky with this order with a lowered waist, and it turned out quite nice. You can always request a different panty style if you don't like the one that is available, I would just email first to make sure your request is clear.
belleandblues Yay, I'm glad it worked out for you too :) I'm tempted to ask for one of the nude bras to be made unlined with cookie pockets - if the plunge fits similarly to the padded plunge then I might go for that!
Absolutely!! Took some extra photos with the cookie pockets open on one side for comparison. Essentially, I also have the outer layer of embroidered mesh, then the inner layer of red mesh and then red cookie pockets over the whole cup. It's very well done as the opening for the cookie pocket is actually disguised as one of the vertical seams. I also prefer these 'full' cookie pockets to EM's as my 60FF - Ewa Michalak » Chp Marcepanowa Magnolia (694) left slightly unsightly 'imprints' on the outside of the cups which could potentially show under a tight top.
sincerity Thank you! You are so awesome for doing that. I agree that the cookie pockets look great, and I was confused at first why they didn’t seem visible from your photo from the front because I was expecting partial pockets like the Ewa ones and thought they would be visible from the front due to the sheerness. I am definitely going to give this a try because I also like the additional structure and modesty adding the pockets does. Will let you know what Joanna says about ordering normal padded styles as unlined to see if it is possible!
Btw I have tried one other unlined bra before, the Whimsy Unlined, but I think that one was a different cut because it didn’t fit me at all and the cups were huge even though I sized down. But based on the photos of this one it does look like it’s the same cut as the normal padded plunge? When I ordered it, I just told her to “keep as plunge but with the modifications from my previous order.” It’s possible that some of the other unlined styles fit differently, so if you want it to fit as a normal plunge you may have to tell her that you want an unlined version of the normal plunge.
belleandblues No problem, you're welcome! And thanks for the heads up with ordering an unlined plunge, I'm super excited about this since my unlined bras essentially consist of different coloured Marcies :)
I'm also tempted to see if they can make the Anabella high waist brief or Livia thong for a different print... maybe Rosettes - oooh much saving up to do!
What a stunning bra! The brown lace with copper satin ribbon is so pretty. This bra is comfy too and fits really well. The cups are kind of tall, though, and I get a bit of gaping on my smaller side unless my back is straight. It's pretty supportive and the straps are nice and soft. The band is a perfect length and I can wear it on the loosest hooks! The cups are still a bit wider than I need, but not bad, and the straps are slightly widely placed so that they are in my armpits just a little. Overall, I'm really happy with this bra. It looks good, feels good and gives a nice shape through clothes. I am thinking a 55K (preferably 3HC) with straps moved in and cup height reduced, and maybe a bit of extra room at the wire, would be ideal.
I've now had this specific bra in 3 different sizes and I think it's turning into my favorite. Extremely cute and comfortable. I ordered directly from Comexim this time and was surprised by how quickly it made it to me.
Beige colorway
This bra's measurements have been altered
Altered straps,
Straps moved in 2cm and overlapping gore
It's absolutely gorgeous! Comfortable fit with a Rixie Clip. I still get very very mild quad boob effect on my right, but it's not terribly noticeable on a tight shirt. I suppose I either need to go up a cup size or need a cup that doesn't cut deep into the flesh at the top.
This bra's measurements have been altered
straps moved in 2cm, 3 rows of hooks rather than 2, and I'm pretty sure a reduced cup (it got kind of muddled in translation)
Comexim Free Time bra size 55K which equates UK 26H. The following 3 photos feature my brand new custom made bra in a 55 band featuring a reduced cup style in addition to less fabric near the straps. This is unquestionably the most beautifully constructed bra with the finest attention to detail. This exquisite style is comprised of a lightly padded plunge cut in the lower cup style. The wires are the narrowest that I have ever encountered whilst the cups are deep and feel completely weightless regardless of the light padding. The fine workmanship and high quality of construction and fabric employed surpasses all that I have ...previously encountered.
This style features a timeless and immensely stylish blue tartan fabric covering the exterior of the smooth black cups which continues throughout the exterior of the wings, whilst the interior of the cups are lined in black cotton. The upper section of the cups are covered in a smooth silky navy fabric, the same fabric of which is employed on the interior of the wings. The centre gore is embellished by a two-tone blue bra. The detailing of the construction in its entirety is flat and invisible beneath a blouse. The straps are fully adjustable and the band features 2 hooks. I am enormously pleased to find a company whom is willing to provide 55 bands upon request in addition to customising other aspects of the construction!
The cup width measures 13.4cm from tip to tip of the underwire. The cup depth measures 26cm inside of the cup, from each end of the underwire across the deepest line of the cup. I have measured the band as follows. Unstretched in a resting position from clasp to clasp measures exactly 50cm. Fully stretched to the maximum length from clasp to clasp measures exactly 69cm. It would be ideal for you to compare these measurements against one of your newer best fitting bras, as this will be the best method in determining if this will be a good fit for you. Read more 235 more words
Comexim Mimi size 55K which equates UK 26H. The following 3 photos feature my brand new custom made bra in a 55 band featuring a half cup style. This is unquestionably the most beautifully constructed bra with the finest attention to detail. This exquisite style is comprised of a lightly padded model cut in the new half cup style. The wires are the narrowest that I have ever encountered whilst the cups are deep and feel completely weightless regardless of the light padding. The fine workmanship surpasses all that I have previously encountered.
This style features a chic chevron detailing to the exterior of the smooth black ...cups, whilst the interior features black cotton lining the cups and the upper edges of the cups are covered in black lace. The detailing is flat and not visible beneath a blouse. The straps are fully adjustable and the band features 2 hooks. I am enormously pleased to find a company whom is willing to provide 55 bands upon request!
The cup width measures 14cm from tip to tip of the underwire. The cup depth measures 24cm inside of the cup, from each end of the underwire across the deepest line of the cup. I have measured the band as follows. Unstretched in a resting position from clasp to clasp measures exactly 51cm. Fully stretched to the maximum length from clasp to clasp measures exactly 69cm. It would be ideal for you to compare these measurements against one of your newer best fitting bras, as this will be the best method in determining if this will be a good fit for you. Read more 165 more words
Hmm, it's such a different colour than what I thought it would be...interesting.
Thanks for posting pictures!