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Bras » Curvy Kate » Ellace Balcony Bra (CK4401) » 30E 30:6

Measurement Cm
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Fits ribcage71.0
B. perimeter23.9
Stretched Band74.8
Band Length61.1
Cup width13.0
Cup depth22.9
Wire length22.0
Cup height14.7
Cup separation2.1
Gore height7.1
Wing height8.8
Strap width1.5
Hooks2

17 measurements - 26 bras

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  1. 8
    like

    Used to fit

    I've dilly dallied and delayed putting up my review for this bra, but as it's one of my current favourite bras, it is the only one that I had not added pics to or reviewed.

    I got this bra in from lcl0706 who I'm friends with on Facebook with. She's much more experienced in bra fitting and shapes and such, and has been helping me with my shape and fits for a little bit now. When she put her listings up, she asked me if I was interested in it before she put it up because she thought it would be a good shape for ... me, given our similar shapes and sizes. I waffled on it for a bit, at first over the colour and then concerned that it might not fit. This is the kind of friend that she is...she sat with me, via messenger, and stepped me through measuring my current favourite and best fitting bras. Once we finished, she determined that it had a strong chance of fitting...that I *might* need a 30F and that she would toss in an extender with the bra just in case that it was too tight for me in the band. She even sent the extender attached, as I've never used one before.

    Anyway, I bit the bullet and got it from her and tracked that sucker every freaking day, because I was really excited. And one day, I tracked it and it said it was in Canadian customs, which it had been for many days, and then I randomly decided to track it again after work and I saw it had been delivered! YASSSS!!! I was so excited that I put it on as soon as I got home instead of making dinner. 😂

    On to the fit...

    My shape, as best we have determined, is narrow with average to short roots (possibly thin and tall roots but with most of the tissue being lower, and thus, still functionally short ish), even to FOB, center full,and pendulous with soft tissue. So as best I know, I need something with enough projection at the wire that's not too wide.

    When I saw the bra, I no longer had any concerns about the crimson colour. It's exceptionally pretty (but also exceptionally hard to match underwear to in terms of colour) and I think that it's a nice match for my skin tone. It's got a good balance of warm and cool red tones. The extender that was sent is bright red, so not an exact match, but very kind to add one in a similar colour. The material is really light and soft, and the detail of the stretch lace is quite pretty. I'm fairly ambivalent about the strip of elastic at the bottom. I think that it looks alright and hasn't been problematic for me so far. When I tried on the bra and took pics and sent to my best friend, she was in awe and said it looked like it was made for me. That aside, there are a few minor fit issues with the bra that aren't hugely noticeable to the untrained eye or under cloths.

    Although I can do up the band on the loosest hook setting, it's not my ideal comfort setting. After wearing it for a while, I start to get pain behind the gore at my sternum. I have the same thing happen with my 30E Lepel Lilly. I expect that it's a sign the band is too tight, so I'm currently using the extender and it fits more comfortably, so I feel like it would be better to have a 32 band in this. I'm told it is one of the snugger CK bands. I'm getting a slight bit of in cup quadding and more when I've really extended my swoop and scoop and done it more aggressively like I have been lately since I got my Freya Fancies and Kiyoko. If it was not for the stretch lace, I'd probably have more quadding. One thing I've noticed is that the stretch lace sort of bubbles and doesn't lay smoothly over my smaller breast (in particular) so it does look a little bit funny. I'm not sure if going up the cup size would be better. The fear is that going up with the cup may make the nice rounded shape less so. I think that I'd like to try it again in a 32DD and go from there. I think that the 32DD might have just enough extra depth that the cup issues might be better with it. My only concern about going up with the band is whether or not the wire width and the strap placement will be ok or too wide. I'm quite happy to use the extender but I feel like it's a bandaid and that using it means that I am in the wrong band size. Anyway, I am quite keen to try it ok other sizes and colours.

    I'm very thankful to have been given the chance to try this style.


    Read more
    742 more words

    Crimson colorway

    Updated on Feb 28, 2018 Flag this


    • Show all comments (10)
    • 1

      The color is gorgeous on you! So glad you tried this one :-)

    • Love4Pollinators Thanks so much! The colour is much better than I thought. I had been afraid it would be too red, or too pink as one of the pics of it I'd seen. I'm glad I got it. I did find underwear that's a close match, though not exact I'm colour, and some that's complimentary and/or coordinates. I think that it's a pretty good fit...perhaps not 100% perfect, but better than a lot of my current bras, so it's a start. Even though the Fancies would have been ok in a 30E, this is a better fit and I would prefer another one of these to the Fancies.

    • 1

      This looks good on you! That colour looks nice on your skin tone. I had the same fit issues with this bra, as you know. In the 30E I got in cup quadding, and in the 30F my smaller side had some loose fabric at the top of the cup. The shape was less rounded in the larger size too. Again... It sucks being between sizes! If you end up ordering a larger band, I would get two cup volumes to compare, and just send one back. If you pay through Paypal they have paid return shipping as long as you sign up for the return shipping thing they have. I'm in Canada and I use it every once in a while when I need to send back bras that aren't ordered through Amazon prime.

    • 3

      This looks great on you. Your review encouraged me to try this in a larger cup size.

      And if it fits fine with an extender, wear it. Nobody will notice and it will stretch out anyway so you may even get more lifetime out of it.

    • aboobaccount yay! I’m glad you’re going to try yours in a larger cup. I think that will help. As for the extender, I feel sort of the same way. I sometimes feel like the extender creates doubt in my mind as to what size I ought to be starting at. I feel like if I’m using the extender on my two 30 bands, maybe I really do just need a 32 band. But then I think of the 32 bands in the So Free lightly lined balconette (and full cup) and how big and stretchy they are and how I’m able to use the tight hook straight away. My unlined balconette is totally different in the band...it’s much snugger. And I tried a Fantasie Rebecca and it was loose, and the Natalie was snug. And the Freya Kiyoko was probably ok to co to a 28 even though I was not able to do the 28 in the Fancies. So I guess that it’s really up to the companies, styles, and such. And if I use the 30 and it’s tight, and the extender works, I’ll eventually get more use out of the bra. But it does kind of feel like I’m cheating a bit.

      Wilderness1 hi! Thanks so much! I sort of feel like I want to try all the sister sizes, lol, because it’s almost like each sister size has its own size, and not true sister sizing, based on the measurements here. It looks like the 32DD cup depth is larger than the 30E, when it should be the same, and the same should go for the 30F and 32E. I worry about the shape in the 30F and the straps, wires and cups (widths) in the 32DD. Ultimately, it is probably going to be a price thing. If I’m able to get another 30E in latte or white and pink, and it’s significantly cheaper, I’ll stick with the extender. But I think I want to try a 32DD in it next. But yeah, it’s hard to be in between cups and band sizes. As for the PayPal thing, it was mentioned in the ABTF fb group in one of my posts. I’ll have to look into it. Is there a cost for that service? Btw, where in Canada are you? I’m west (aka wet) coast.

      Thank you everyone for saying such wonderful things. It’s definitely one of my favourite bras and I look forward to getting more.

    • I'm in Alberta, where we've been having an awful winter :(
      I think this is the link for paypal return shipping: https://www.paypal.com/ca/webapps/mpp/returnshipping

      It's free to join, and I've used it probably a dozen times. When you return something you'll need the receipt from the post office and a picture of the box with the stamps on it. It's pretty easy actually.

    • Thanks Wilderness1 ! Excellent information! You've used it and it's worked for you well? Sending love and hugs from Vancouver Island. :)

    • Yes I've used it quite a few times. I've received return shipping every time I've used it. I think you get up to 30 dollars per return. I'm not sure how many times/year you can use it, but it USED to be 12/year. You'd have to read the terms to confirm the details.

    • Yeah it says $30 up to 12 times a year. Is that $30 USD or CAD? I'm definitely going to look at this for future orders. Right now, my next bra is a listing from here, from the same user I got the Ellace from, so no return options.

    • it's $30.00 Canadian as far as I know, but I've never needed to use that much for a return. I usually just send things back regular post, because it's like $45.00 to send packages back with tracking (internationally). I'll just take the risk instead....

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  2. 6
    like

    Used to fit

    Here’s my initial review of the crimson colour: http://bra.pe/XYSX/

    This bra was cheap. Suuuper cheap. So cheap that I opted for the 30E in it because the sister sizes were double or more. It’s perhaps not my perfect size as I have few fit issues with this, and a sister size might be better, but I knew the fit well enough from my other one to be confident about ordering the same size in a different colour.

    My shape, in case you don’t see the other review... narrow roots that are average to short (or taller but deflated and functionally short) and my tissue is soft and ... malleable, and definitely pendulous, which leans towards full on bottom and center full. I need projection at the wire but only average depth at the apex.

    Like my crimson Ellace, the band is pretty snug, and while I can clasp it on the loosest hooks and it feels ok, it’s not comfortable for the long term. So I have my trusty extender and typically use it on the middle hook (sometimes the tightest), extending it fully at the end of the day when I am reclining on the couch or against pillows in my bed (as I am now). Stretched band is 28.5”and max 29” so definitely small for a 30! Although I think the lower elastic band is aesthetically pleasing, I think it’s also what causes the band to run tight and because it’s a different stretch from the upper elastic, makes tension between the top and bottom different, and therefore leads to a bit of wrinkling between the straps and wires. The stretch lace seems to lay better than the crimson, and I think my in cup quadding is not as noticeable (which is to say that most people would not notice it on either) but I’m pretty voluminous in the cups, and I definitely quad as I get close to my period. I’m thinking about getting a 32E just for my swelling before my period. I’m not sure if a 32DD is going to have enough extra room. A 30F is likely to be too tight in the band still, unless it’s really a cup size issue (cups on the back test is inconclusive) and it’s tight because my boobs are fighting for space.

    Overall, I’m pretty happy with this one. The latte colour is great against my pale Canadian skin...and as said, maybe not my ideal size, but one that’s good enough since the price was crazy cheap. The pics are from after work, so I’ve got a bit of a reddish line from the bra band I was wearing (probably the crimson Ellace) at the end of the day, and I am not wearing the extender in the pics...just loosest hook and very snug.

    Read more
    362 more words

    Latte colorway

    This bra is not owned any more

    Updated on May 23, 2018 Flag this


    • 1

      It does look like a good fit on you. Nice find!

    • 1

      The gore looks like one I would have to modify. Love this color on you.

    • 1

      Thanks. I love the colour. I'm so happy I got to see the colour on a blog post and here beforehand because it's not a good colour on the Amazon listing. And seriously, it was $18.99 and all the other potential sizes were $40+.

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  3. 6
    like

    Fits

    In my blog review I break down this bra (the white colorway), the black bra in 28F, and the latte bra in 28F. I review all three at the same time. It's a great shape for narrow and short roots that need projection! This has quickly become my favorite unlined bra. Full details on the blog!

    This bra is not owned any more

    Updated on Dec 18, 2016 Flag this


    • 1

      Thank you for the review! I'm intrigued... I tried a couple CKs in my early bra fitting days and the fit was just off for me, so I've been reluctant to try again. How do you find the shape (say...in comparison to EMs SM and Cleo's Marcie?)

    • Wilderness1 I find it more rounded than the SM's for sure. SM's were quite minimizing on me. Ellace is almost as round as Marcie, but the fabric isn't as stiff (in my size) so I'd say it's between SM and Marcie on the basketball boobs scale. I do know that starting one cup larger, so 28FF and equivalent sister sizes on up, CK changes the construction to be more supportive - it has wider straps, a 3x3 closure, and possibly stiffer fabric (?). I was surprised at how lightweight the bra is, and I don't think it's quite so lightweight in larger volumes.

    • 1

      Okay, well, I may keep my eye out for a sale on this one so I can try it. I haven't tried EM's SM or BM because I've read mixed reviews about what it does for shape so that's good to know. Thanks for the tidbit about shape change on the bra over 28FF sizes.

    • 1

      I just bought this bra today at the boutique near me. The black is gorgeous! I ended up taking home the latte because the black colorway was a tiny bit off in the cup size. The red and latte colorways fit great and had good projection, as you described. Thanks for the review!

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  4. 2
    like

    Fits

    This band runs a little tight (which is good for me as I usually prefer a 28 band). This bra is surprisingly comfortable and supportive for such an insubstantial looking bra. I am not convinced that it would be especially supportive for much larger breasts but I find it super comfortable. I was expecting to find the center gore too narrow and high but I love this!

    Updated on Nov 23, 2020 Flag this


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  5. 2
    like

    Didn't fit

    My shape is low set, soft, slightly pendulous, and narrow and short rooted.

    I got the blue colourway, and it's a really gorgeous colour. There is some pretty lace that is nicely laid out on the cups and on the sides of the band, and there is a lighter blue strip on the lower band that compliments the navy nicely. The band feels pretty 'true to size' for me, not too stretchy, and the straps adjust long enough on my tall frame. There is stretch lace along the upper cup edge, and on the inside of the lace, there is a thin elastic lining along the upper edge of ... the lace cup. This lace elastic bit cuts in a bit on my larger side. I could probably get away with it, especially since it fits my smaller side, but I'm a bit self-conscious of how it looks.... It makes it looks like I'm getting in cup quadding and bubbling on top. I'm on the fence as to weather or not I'm keeping this bra. I sized down in this bra since some of my unlined 30Fs have slight gaping. I have a feeling I'm in between a 30E and 30F though.


    The bra is very comfortable overall, and I could probably wear it all day without any discomfort. It's lightweight and would be nice for summer. The material is soft and non-irritating. The shape it provides is not as round a cleo marcie but still nice (somewhat more natural looking on me anyway).

    I do get some side boob/fat rolls that I'm not too fond of. I'm not sure if it's because the wings are too short for me, or if it's because I need a bit bigger size. It could also just be the way my body is these days since I'm a bit out of shape, lol....

    Overall this is a lovely bra that would be ideal if the size was right.

    Read more
    213 more words

    Blue colorway

    This bra is not owned any more

    Updated on Feb 09, 2018 Flag this


    • Show all comments (13)
    • I sometimes find that sort of bulginess smooths out after a few wears and washes. Is it visible through clothing?

    • dbmamaz I was wearing a sweater when I tried it out, so I'm not sure, but it probably wouldn't show too much. I haven't decided if I like it enough to keep it or not. It looks better in pictures than I felt it looked like in real life. We'll see... it's either I keep this one that's a touch too small on one side, or a 30F that's too big on the other.

    • I just got this one last week in the crimson colour (30E also) from a user here who’s also a friend. I have the exact same bubble issues from the lace that you described. But I don’t think it’s visible underneath my clothes. For me, I feel like the band is a bit too snug. I can do it up on the loosest hook, but it will hurt behind the gore after a while. I’m wearing it with an extender on the middle hook and it’s comfortable, so I think I might need this one in a 32 band. And cup wise, I also have a tiny bit of in cup quadding but feel like I might have gapping if I size up. I think that we might be boob twins. I feel like you described my shape, though I think I might be more pendulous?

    • 1

      I think this bra looks like a great fit on you. And, I assure you, we always look worse in photos (that aren't a professional photo shoot) than we do in real life.
      Perhaps you should post the 30F and we could help you choose which one to pick? I think Ellace is supposed to be a lower coverage bra any how. Seriously, if your comfortable KEEP it! It's so hard to get a beautiful bra and a great shape like this that is also really comfortable.

    • Gorgeous!!

      One of our users has tightened the upper panel successfully. This creates more tension and eliminates the bubble. I haven't tried this myself.

    • It looks perfect on you. I wouldn’t even have noticed the quadding on your larger side if you didn't mention it.

      I just ordered the exact same bra in a 28F.

    • 1

      Thanks everyone. It is definitely a pretty bra, so I may just keep it despite the minor fit issues.

      Calluna yes we do sound like boob twins. Interesting that you had the same result with your bra. I think I get the bubbling because of my soft tissue. I also hate being between sizes, don't you?

      LeProfessor I don't actually have a 30F right now to try. This one took 3 weeks to get here from Belle Lingerie, so I probably won't be able to try a 30F before having to decide if I return this 30E or not.

      Love4Pollinators that sounds interesting, I may have to pin it to see if I can achieve that same result before attempting to sew it.

      aboobaccount thanks. Hope yours fits you also!

    • LeProfessor you inspired me to get a 30F from amazon prime so I can compare the fit. If the 30F fits then I can return my 30E or visa versa :)

    • Wilderness1 yeah I think that it's a soft tissue thing as a girl I'm in ABTF on fb has the same issues. I'm curious about the the 30F for you. I'm thinking about trying the 30F and 32DD. I think that the 32 band will be more comfortable.

    • Calluna I'll post some pictures once I get the 30F in (unless it's an obvious fail, then I may just return it quietly, lol). My comfortable underbust is closer to 27.5-28", so I can see a 32 being more comfortable for you. The stretched length of this 30 band was around 29" before the wires started to distort, so a 32 probably stretches to around 30.5-31" I'm guessing.

    • I know that I have been measured in a local boutique at 28-29" and the one sales person insisted that I had to be in a 28 band for a technical fit. Ugh. I mean, I did get it on (Panache Envy) but holy hell it was tight! And every 30 I tried she said that it was too big! I think that I might have to go remeasure the stretched length of this one (Ellace) once I take it off later. I'm still trying to figure out what the bra looks like and feels like when it is properly stretched. I'm still not really seeing when the wires start to distort. Anyway, I think that you're right on that the 32DD of this bra is probably what I need.

    • I did a quick remeasure of my under bust (and over bust) after your comment, admittedly with the Ellace still on, and I got 28.5-29" under bust which maybe it's because the band is snug in the bra and it's pulling me tighter (though the fitters locally measured me 28-29" on/in two other bras) so I'm possibly going to redo my measurements here. I'm wondering if this is different because I was pre-period when I did the initial measurements. Anyway, I suspect that I'm in between both band and cup sizes and it will be dependent on how the bras are sized. Such a pain sometimes. Over bust, in bra again, was 35" which should put me in a 28F UK like the fitter lady locally said that I am. But there's no way unless it's a really loose or generous 28 such as Freya (I have a 28F Fancies Plunge and 30E Kiyoko Half Cup waiting for me in LA for when I am there later this week). If this 30 is fitting more like a 28, then it's definitely too tight and I have to break technical for comfort instead. I look forward for your thoughts on the 30F. Im trying to decide on what size of this one to try next...30F and extender, 32DD or 32E...the latter of which seems to have a significantly deeper cup than the rest. I'm leaning towards the 32DD but I'm not sure her. What colour is the 30F you ordered? Can't wait to see it.

    • Well your new measurements point to a 30 band being a good fit in most bras. Like you said, 28 bands will be too tight unless they're loose. The stretched band in Ellace is about equal to your snug underbust measurement though, so sizing up may be more comfortable... However, your best bet may end up being the 30" with extender, so that you can still wear it once the band stretches out. All depends what you're most comfortable in. I like a good hug from my bands. Just try out an extender with your current bra before deciding. I'm not sure what cup size you should try, sorry. I ordered the cherry (ish) colour. Can't remember what it's officially called. won't be here until Friday though.

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  6. 0
    like

    Didn't fit

    It's a nice bra, but make sure you get the correct size! For me this was too small so I get major quadding at the top and inside the cup along the seams. It has a lot of projection at the wire and the stretch lace helps hide asymmetries or swelling/bloating due to hormones. The straps are slightly too wide for me and the wings rub on my armpit.

    Black/Champagne colorway

    Updated on Nov 25, 2021 Flag this


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  7. 0
    like

    Didn't fit

    I ordered this bra in a 30F online, and received a 30E instead--an alright mistake since I was already deliberating between those two cup sizes.
    The E is too small for me: quad-boobage galore, both at the proper cup's end and mid-cup. Sexa-boob or hexa-boob, which sounds better?

    Good things to note: CK 30 band works great for me. The straps were a comfy distance apart and long enough to adjust. The underwire surprisingly works pretty well, adjusting for the wrong cup: it follows my IMF great, only starting to cut slightly into the last inner third of my tissue. Bratabase stats for the F indicate that it would likely fit me perfectly. I'm new this particular grail quest, and am therefore not very experienced with such sturdy bra construction, but found it to be really quite nice and comfortable (spillage aside).

    This bra is not owned any more

    Updated on Apr 27, 2018 Flag this


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  8. -

    Hasn't set fit

    Didn't write a review

    CRIMSON colorway

    Added on Jun 17, 2017



  9. -

    Fits



  10. -

    Didn't fit

    Didn't write a review

    White colorway

    This bra is not owned any more

    Added on Oct 03, 2016



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