This bra is remarkably light (weight). I think I needed a bigger band size thinking it would stretch, but it does not stretch very much over time (good if you've bought the correct size, but not in my case). This style (balcony, straight across, with straps attaching at the sides rather than the center/top) is not really suited to me, I think, as I vastly prefer more full coverage/good supporting styles. So, for me, it's wearable, but not terribly comfortable, and I'll pick my chantelles first in the drawer any day.
I love this bralette - and am wearing it now (albeit with far more layers on top than in my pics, haha!). Gorgeous aqua colour, lovely soft stretch lace. Three hooks and eyes on a nice wide band means that it is somewhat supportive (enough for moving around the house in or probably even going for a walk under a thick hoodie etc) despite the shoestring straps. The seaming on the cups is soft to wear and also helps with support. As soon as I saw this I wanted it - then sighed due to the lack of sizes (this is the smallest band and largest cup available (!!!! MADNESS...)) but decided I could likely get away with it - as a 30E-F the cup is fine for me and could probably accommodate far larger/more full on top busts than mine I'd reckon. I love wearing this - for some reason it makes me feel like a hot surf chick with a passion for lingerie, haha! https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":-)" />
There is a *lot* to be said about loving how something makes you feel. It looks great on you, especially with your ink.
Aww thanks Kristine, that's very kind of you. I think it's nice to have an undergarment that I feel free in - maybe the lack of wires etc make me think that it doesn't matter so much if it's a perfect fit so I can just enjoy wearing something that's relaxed and not stress over how it's not quite right HERE or HERE....:-)
I *so* want to keep this bra, but I would have to do some alterations to make it fit.
FITS: Bottom of cup Wire width Center gore -- Lies flat (hooray!) Side gore -- Placement good, doesn't poke. This surprised me, since the side gore is so tall and I'm short torso-ed, but the side gore is perfect... it's the strap that cuts into my front underarm crease that is the problem. (see below)
DOESN'T FIT: Band -- Ridiculously stretchy. I will have to try on a few more times and wear for at least an hour to decide if the band is too stretchy for me. Top of cup -- Gaping from what I ...call my "short" boobage, but others call "shallow" boobage. If I lean over, the majority of the cup fits perfectly, but the top looks like there's a 1" ruffle attached) straps -- *WAY* too far apart. If you pull them off to the side where they would naturally land, it is actually outside of my shoulder width and I do NOT have narrow shoulders - I am just more round than skinny oval body shape. Angling them inward and making them like a racerback would require altering the ruffle-y bit at the top of the cups.
The bottom of the cup and the wire feels so comfortable! But the band is WAY too stretchy and I'd have to do some serious surgery on the strap & cups. I don't know what to do.
I marked "Comfort" as only "Good" because the lace is a bit scratchy. It is a new w/o tags bra, so that might soften with washing. Read more 182 more words
So pretty on the hangar, but . . . this bra was a weird fit for me. Although I fit into the cups, they seem too tight and yet the inside edges at the center of the apex don't lay flat - the lace isn't stretchy like the Panache Andorra, for instance. The design seems to flatten my breasts outwards in a sort of minimizing fashion. Looking at the bra laid flat, it appears that the cups are very wide and shallow so it makes sense that the fabric pushes my soft, round boobs into a sort of east/west pancake shape. The vertical seams are ...placed too far to the outsides to provide any lift for me. This is a perfect example of "just cause it fits don't mean you oughtta wear it" and I'm not convinced that it serves the intended purpose in this cup size.
I like that the band is a little wider in back, but it only has 2 hooks. The band is very firm (I've heard this brand runs smallish in the band) so the 34 is perfect for me. The wider, tighter band with only 2 hooks seems like a bad combination to me; a 3rd hook would make for better distribution of the stress placed on each hook. I can easily see one of these 2 hooks coming out prematurely which is why I didn't give an "excellent" quality rating.
I like the contrasting trim colors - it is pretty. I like the look and feel of the stitched-on underband. (I'm firmly in the banded-bra category; I don't own any unbanded bras.) I feel confident that it would be comfortable in the band, but that I would ultimately spill into the center if I wore it all day. Read more 195 more words
I bought this bra thinking it would work out and it didn't...
Edited 28 Jan 11 because if anyone is considering it from the bra-trade list I want you to anticipate how it fits: First off, all Elle Macpherson & DimitySO bands run small. This is a 32 yet it fits like a 30, check the re-measurements. Originally it was measured with inches then converted to cm but it has been remeasured in cm for more accuracy. (Same fit as my DimitySO bra. They are the same company, made by Elle Macpherson Intimates.)
Second, these straps are incredibly long (fully tightened) at 33cm and stretchy. Most likely you will ...have to sew them smaller for a better fit.
Third, at this size (which again fits like a UK 30G more similar to Panache) the cup material does not support teardrop shaped or "full on bottom" breasts. The material does not allow any support/shape. It is kind of like my boobs just "sit" there but covered. If your boobs happen to be a narrow root or more firm, maybe this will work better for you.
The cup material is also very ridiculously stretchy!! Read more 81 more words
By far the most beautiful bra I've ever owned. I bought it used off ebay, but it's in like new condition. The band is actually small for a 32, which I'm soo happy about because 32's have been big on me lately. The wires are great, but the balconette style gives me some quadboob. It's not such a big deal that I'm getting rid of it, but this isn't a precise fit. Again, probably would've done better in a 30e, but I'm not even sure if there are 30e's available in the contour version of this bra. I think I have almost equal fullness on top and bottom, but I think this may ...better suit someone full on bottom. Could just be that cups run semi small though, or that I picked a sister size again, which almost always just almost fit. Overall though, I like the support of this bra. The band is firm and does seem to run small. Cups are very smooth inside, wires are short. The gore is a tiny bit wide for me, but not so much that it'd cause any discomfort. And the appearance, of course, is gorgeous. I'm not sure if the tiny bit of spillage is an issue or not. I haven't worn this with a snug top, but I just know for next time I'm normally ok with a 32ddd for balconette styles. In the fit description, I put that there was a smooth line across the top because there is, it just appears that there may be minor spillage. I'd actually like to know others' opinions because I'm unsure how it looks. Overall a great bra.
I think it looks great, Girl!! I don't see any quading in photos 1 & 2 at all. I see a little quad-boobing in 3, 5, & 6, but it seems minor. #5 shows the gore tacking nicely, maybe with a little quading on your left, but I'd say if it's comfy, it's a KEEPER. The wires seem to fit your breasts well, the band looks right, and It looks AWESOME on you. Maybe like you said, try it under a snug top and see how it looks.
Wanabee Thank you!! Yeah, I really feel like it's so minor that I'm not going to worry about it :) I tried it under a more snug top and really, the whole shape of the bra showed (being padded) but quadboob wasn't noticeable, so I just know to avoid fitted tops with this. Overall no big deal. I'm just too in love with it :)
I have to say that is a very sexy bra and looks fabulous on you. I see nothing wrong with it from the photos you posted. Consider yourself lucky, as much as I would love to, I can't wear balconette style bras, I'm far too shallow and wide rooted for them to fit.
thelittleone Thank you very much ^_^ I do love this bra a lot!
I like projected look but this doesn't give that to you. The center does dig into my chest. I'm not sure why. The shoulder strap does kind of bother me near my underarm. The underwire is broad.
This is an absolutely beautiful bra, and I wish it fit me, but the cups are definitely too small, and I get quad-boob as well as spillage under the arms.
Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. This is the most beautiful bra I have ever had the privilege to wear!
It's supposed to be a 32C, but the band runs very tight and is quite supportive. I have a 28" rib cage and I can fit two fingers under the band on the loosest hooks. Very nice! The shape it gives under shirts is wonderful, even if the embroidery shows through. I don't care. This bra is too beautiful for it to matter.
The cups are a bit small for me, but I am a 28E/30DD in most bras, so that is no surprise. I think this would fit a shallow 28DD the best, though a taller person would fare better. The straps are not fully adjustable https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_sad.gif" alt=":(" />
This is probably more of a fashion bra than a supportive bra... but its beauty, I think, makes it totally worth it.
I quite like this bra. It fits really well, band is nice and snug, the cup doesn't quadboob or wrinkle, but I think it may be a better fit for a full on top breast than full on bottom like mine. The straps are a bit far apart for me. Overall, I'm a bit on the fence about this bra. Its super comfortable and even though its probably not the perfect fit for me, it doesn't look terrible on me.
This looks like more of a novelty/fashion bra than something to wear everyday unless one can find a perfect fit. The band has 4 hooks and fits snug on my small ribcage even though this is a 32" band size. The underwire of the cups is slightly narrow for the size and the center gore is a little wider than my favorite bras.
The longline style is what makes this bra more fashionable even though it has functional qualities. Each wing of the band has two strips of boning for shape and contour. The band and cup do not offer full support of the breast even though it is a longline. I find that tissue tends to escape out of the top outer corner of the cup.
This bra is molded but without any push up padding. The lining is very smooth, plush and not too thick. The khaki/jade green satin is stunning with lace details and cut outs in the band.
One of the better-fitting bras I've tried. For me the tight band is a positive, but anyone who doesn't usually find a 30 loose should order up. The shape is nice for an unpadded bra, though definitely more on the natural side without much in the way of uplift or cleavage; for someone who wants to avoid looking either too rounded or too pointy, this would be a very good choice. I prefer slightly more lift, I wish the material were a little softer, and the all-over lace isn't completely my style, so despite the very good fit this is a reluctant return for me.
First off, Elle Macpherson's bands run at least a full size small. I'm generally a 30, sometimes a 28, and 32 on these bras is a bit tight on me. It does stretch after a while, as all bras do, and after a few days wearing it for a couple hours to break it in, it becomes more comfortable on the last row of hooks. That said, this bra is GORGEOUS. It's actually a bit too small for me in the cups, but not enough to cause problems, and the balconette style doesn't cut in at the top. It's got a bit of a shallow cup to push more of the breast up. I suspect a 32DD would have worked better for me, but a) my boobs look great in this one and b) the store didn't have one and I love this bra too much to part with it.
I want to love this bra more than I actually can because of fit issues. The 32 band is rather uncomfortably tight, and the cups are juuuust too small. I think a 34 E or F would fit me much better.
I have a deep blue and grey version. The bra is very pretty. It is very comfortable, the pads are thin (which I prefer). I don't know if it's typical of the brand, but they fit very small comparing to the size on the label. I usually am a 28D/30C and this one is a 32C. I tried the 32B that looked a bit better on me because the cups were smaller and fit my small frame better but they were a bit too small to be as comfortable as the 32C.
This bra is great - supportive, completely filled, very little quad boob. However, the biggest issue is the band is anything but stretchy. I am wearing it on the last hook and will use an extender or extend the band because it is a little too tight.
Back in the days before I grew out of C cups and didn't realise I needed a 28 band, I used to love Elle Macpherson bras. When I found out they had a full bust line and I found a heavily-reduced one, I thought, what the heck. I need a pale coloured T-shirt bra anyhow and nostalgia is a powerful drug.
The Good: It's a pretty bra. Pale ballet pink colour, with steel grey accents and a lovely tassel detail at the gore. The band actually fits, which is amazing considering how big and stretchy their 32 bands used to be.
The Bad: I knew I was getting myself in ...for some shallow moulded-cup nonsense, and this is indeed the case. My boobs fold the bases of the cups down about an inch at the wire because of the lack of projection. The wires are super wide and the cups are way too tall. It's like trying to cover an orange with a plate. However, you can't see any of these defects under a white tee, so I let it slide.
The Ugly: The wires are extremely hard and dig into my ribs after a while. The straps are also barely adjustable, and only just stay up. This was a problem I always had with the brand, and seeing their full-bust range is just an afterthought for the brand, I can't say I'm surprised.
The verdict is that I'm disappointed in all the ways I expected to be, but it only cost me like AUD$20 and it'll stay in my rotation until I get a beige-coloured Comexim. Read more 155 more words
Pretty white lace with lovely peach detailing. I quite like the satiny front straps. I am sure that it will be lovely after alterations to fit me just so.
Late Entry: I have finally made alterations to the bra to give it a good fit for me. Before I knew what I was doing, I had shortened the band too much then had to sew it up longer. Done. Next I replaced the wire with a shorter, narrower one which effectively narrowed the cup width and shortened the gore height where the wire was present. This resulted in a better fit on ...the side and no pain from the gore. I sewed in an old 32B T-shirt bra cup from La Senza and darted the Elle Macpherson cup to fit smooth. Voila, a bra that did not fit me to a lovely, well-fitting lace bra with good cleavage.
Later: This bra never fit well over a day given my drastic shortening of the band. I did not manage to give enough length. Add in an extended and it was bulky and ugly and painful. Live and learn with alterations! Read more 94 more words
There is a *lot* to be said about loving how something makes you feel. It looks great on you, especially with your ink.