This one is a giveaway from rachaelll and I decided to try it after seeing her review of it. Both her and AprilGoulding thought that I had a chance of it fitting. Spoilers: it doesn’t
When I first got it out of the envelope, I was worried that the material which is the basis of the cups was going to be rough, but it actually is pretty soft. The lace that is along the band is beautiful and love that it’s not a solid line with the elastic...it sort of drapes over the edge...sort of scalloped but not scalloped. The upper ...portion of the cup is also lace, which wraps up the straps some, giving a really unique look and neckline. The lace is on the thicker side. Even the cup material. I’m surprised that it’s got 3 rows of hooks for something this small. Interestingly enough, it also has a j hook. Between this and the lace up the straps, I think that they designed it with a few bralette aesthetics in mind. I really dig the narrow wires, and immediate projection seems ok, but it’s hard to tell exactly how it is when it is not fitting me properly. The gore could stand to be a little bit narrower.
The biggest problem with this bra is that it’s got a strip of elastic which lines the top of the cup, and it digs into the breast tissue there even though I am functionally short rooted and fob. That said, I think that it’s too small in the cup anyway. I noticed that the index size on this is 30:6 or 30E UK so the 30F must be the Canadian/American size, and therefore at least a cup too small for me as I am a 30F/30FF UK. I also feel fairly compressed in this which is probably the size and definitely the elastic strip. I don’t know if removing the strip would improve the fit or not. I had planned to take it to the local shop today, but I got a FaceTime call from my brother in New York and ended up judging their cookie contest (inspired by the Great British Bake Off as my niece [7] and nephew [5 next month] are huge fans of it right now). So of course judging the cookies took precedent over going to the shop. I would not have had enough time after we finished. I will see if I can get there on my next day off next week.
I honestly don’t know if it’s going to make a difference with the elastic removed. I do like the bra and will keep it if it can be altered and fit better, otherwise I will pass it on. I feel almost certain that I need at least a 30G in this. If it’s available. Read more 375 more words
I tried a crap ton of bras a few weeks ago, and this was tied with the Panache as winner, which is not surprising, as this style is extremely similar. The local fitter said that it was based/designed with the Panache sports bra in mind.
My biggest problem with trying the sports bras was that I had a terrible time doing them up. This one was among the first that I was actually able to do up, and supposedly it was position and spacing.
The biggest redeeming features of this bra were that 1) I was able to do up (as above)
2) I was able to wear my ...actual bra size, as I had to size up to a 32 and even 34 (hey shock absorbers I'm talking to you!) with all of the other ones I tried.
3) the J hook was/is adjustable...when the fitter told me about this it was like the heavens above opened up and the angels were singing. Like seriously. Moving it down a bit made it feel so much more comfortable and was not resting RIGHT ON MY SHOULDER BLADES. The downside is that it didn't fit as well in the straps as the Panache did when not hooked in the back.
4) it's actually about $20 less than the Panache was.
I don't think that it is available in hoards of fancy colour options, but I like this one as is. The fitter said that it was a very new style.
Also, disclaimer: I'm not sure if this is the right bra since I was not paying attention to the style when I tried it. But I don't think that they make more than one sports bra. I don't own this but wanted to document it for myself and to add information about it to the page here. I'm actually having a bit of pain these days (more than this time last year) so I'm waiting for my physiologist appointment in a week to determine what level of activity I can do so I might actually get this and add it again later. Read more 243 more words
So basically I suck at buying bras as well as saying no to salespeople. I went to this small, local bra boutique and was the only customer in a very small space. The salesperson was so excited to have a captive customer! Cute store but nothing amazing. I tried on Elomi Matilda and Bijou. They were both too wide and gaping at the top, even in the 34FF. I also tried on the Fantasie 4520 with similar results and some Parfaits that were not good. So that left Fit Fully Yours as the only choice.
Serena is an unlined multi-part bra with woven sheer upper lace ...panels that have sewn on elastic. The sides and back are sheer lace with multi-directional stretch and mesh lining. There is also padded side support slings and a J hook. The pics look like it is riding up a bit in the back but I just needed to adjust it. It's very supportive and firm. I'm still not a fan of full cup bras and don't care for the firmness but I think this one is a good fit. I couldn't say no to the nice woman and home it went with me. Idk what the chances are of me actually wearing it. Read more 105 more words
Serena is a very beautiful bra. I found it to be surprisingly narrow and deep for a North American brand. I find it interesting that the side slings show much more visibly in the nude than the black. It was ultimately a fail on me because of the elasticated cup edge. It dug into my tissue even in the correct size.
It looks lovely on you and hopefully you will get some use out of this one.
It was very kind of you to buy the bra to improve the happiness of the saleswoman! Good Karma and positivity always gets paid forward so you shall reap the rewards of you kindness soon. 💙💜💙
I'm not wild about full cups either, but I think this bra looks like a great fit and has the shape that I look for! I'm around a 34F, I think? Still trying to figure out the best size and fit in different brands. I tried Wacoal's Halo Lace in 36G (US size of course, but I was surprised that the 34 band was way too tight) and while the gore didn't tack fully and was overall a tiny bit too tight, it was otherwise comfy and looked surprisingly nice.
I'm glad to hear that the Serena is narrow and deep, and yes, that is (pleasantly) surprising for a North American brand!
I currently own this bra in a 30F (which is actually a 30E UK because Fit Fully Yours is a Canadian company that is using North American cup scaling/progression) which came from rachaelll as a giveaway. I took the bra to my local shop to see if the assistant I had worked with a few weeks ago was there, because she had mentioned that she did bra alterations and I was curious if cutting out the elastic strip would make it fit better.
She wasn’t there, but I did try it on with the fitter who was there, and they also had a 30G in ...it for me to try (which I honestly had hoped that they would...Canadian lingerie shops like to stock Fit Fully Yours because it is Canadian as I mentioned).
I found that the 30G had side slings in the cups for support that the 30F didn’t have, and like the 30F, it was a 3x3 hook setup which seems a little extreme for such relatively small sizes but I am ok with it. I think that it anchors the bra a bit more, though I think that it’s a little bit of overkill for the 30F (30E UK). The fit is generally improved with the size up, and the sides have better coverage in this size. But, sadly, that dastardly elastic strip is still cutting into my tissue. I don’t know if it’s a shape issue or a characteristic of having soft tissue, but it’s a pain in the butt, to be honest.
I did confirm that the fitter seamstress is in tomorrow so I’m going to go back and see what she says regarding the elastic strip and whether it’s something that can be removed or even replaced with something else. I don’t think that I would buy the bra at full price in this size and have altered, but if the 30F fit can be improved with the elastic strip being removed, then I will consider keeping it, though given the better overall fit of the 30G, I will probably pass it on to someone else with less volume than I have.
I am going to keep this in my current bras in the event that I have a chance to get a few measurements to add to the data profile tomorrow. Then I will remove it/not own it. Read more 291 more words
Definitely looks good for volume. It's a pretty bra, so it's such a shame that it cuts into your tissue :(
Thanks. The volume is definitely better. I struggled with trying to capture the cutting in with such a quick photo shoot. As usual, I was the only person in the shop so I had to be quick!
I will update more about whether it’s something that can be altered/fixed for the fit once I see the same lady again from last time.
It really is lovely. I hope they are able to to fix the elastic.
Didn’t make it out today due to migraine (storm is coming in) but I’m going to try next week. I’m kinda considering trying a 32G because I’m curious about the fit of the cups in one more size up. Band will be too big, but were it to fit better, I’d have the gore narrowed because it’s a bit wide, so that would tighten the band some. If I were to get it. But obviously I want to see if the 30F elastic bit can fix the fit enough as it was a giveaway.
This is a very pretty full coverage bra that we bought for my mother who, at 68 years old, has very soft, pudding-like breast tissue that is full on bottom and completely deflated on top. She tends to fall to the middle and out of her bras, so we discovered she needs a high gore and tall cups. She says that the bra is very comfortable and she likes it very much...however, does not want to be featured in the photos, or do the review, so I decided to try the bra on myself. This itself, creates somewhat of a double review, as my breast tissue is firm, ...self-supporting and I am equally full all over and the bra fits me perfectly too!!
Nicole See-thru Lace is a somewhat deceiving name, as there is no lace on the bra at all.
It is made of powder pink sheer embroidered mesh. Right now the mesh isn't exactly super soft...perhaps it will become so after washing. I am critical of mesh as the mesh used on the lower cups of Kris Line soft bras is like butter, and they are the standard to which all others must now be compared https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_wink.gif" alt=";)" />
It is classic soft balcony construction: 2 lower panels (1 vertical seam) and 1 upper horizontal panel.
The 2 lower panels are lined in mesh and are delicately embroidered in cloud grey. The top panel is unlined and is heavily embroidered. The bra doesn't show under a t-shirt.
There is colour-matched elastic lining the top edge of the cup. My mother gets no cut-in/quad boob from this elastic despite having very soft breast tissue. I don't get any either, despite being full on top.
There are color-matched side-support panels in this bra - and they are significant. They cover the outer 25% of the cup and are made of the same thin corsetry foam that is used to make semi-padded bras. It does show through the sides of the bra, but it offers A LOT of support, structure and stability to the cups.
The cups are deep and projected at the wire. I get no wrinkling anywhere.
Wires are fairly narrow too - only 14cm wide in this size.
The cradle and gore are also heavily embroidered and there is a 2-tone satin bow on the gore.
The gore is wider - 2cm wide. I am wider set, so this is great for me. My mother is very closely set, but the gore tacks well and does not dig into her breasts.
The straps are wide at 2cm with picot trim. They are fully adjustable and have 2-tone bows as trim.
The wings have NO boning.
The band is pretty TTS - it measures 63cm unstretched and 76cm stretched (it could go further, but the wires will start to distort.) It is made of thick power mesh.
The band dips up into a soft inverted-V shape at the gore. Both of us are short waisted so we like it.
3 rows of 3 hooks makes for a nice wide band at the back which is ballet style.
N.B. Photos are of ME wearing the bra. I have short roots, firm, self-supporting breasts that are full all over and narrow. I normally wear Polish bras made by Gorsenia, Kris Line, Gorsenia and Ewa Michalak, all in size 65G EU. Read more 444 more words
Thanks for the review. I don’t remember exactly what it is about this one but it does not work for me. I have tried it multiple times. I think that it’s maybe the full cup aspect and elastic.
Great double review! Happy to hear you mom found something she liked. It looks great on you as well. This bra looks beautiful, love the delicate embroidery on it.
The cups do not fit my larger side, however it feels extremely supportive and likely where my breasts should be sitting on my chest- higher up than my current bra. The wings fabric is odd so I suspect it's meant to be a smoothing back fabric. The cups actually line up correctly on my IMF on my smaller (right side) and provide a lot of room so there is no chafing from fabric. Low wires. The gore does not tack however, it's low enough that it won't stick out in a shirt or violently poke me. The overlap doesn't bother me and it's how I've worn my current bra for years with no issue (although yes I know it's not "supposed" to be like that but you take what you can get!)
This actually looks really good on smaller side. The wings must be designed to be smoothing (I guess!) because it looks like the wing fabric is quite tall.
Would you try this one cup up so it fits your larger side (and you could just pad the smaller side), or do you think it's close enough.
I'm actually surprised this molded cup fits you so well! Usually they're fit disasters, lol.
They do have a 34J so I’m willing but I have a sneaking suspicion it will be too big. I’ve never been successful with moulded cups!
I also tried a molded (well, spacer) cup about a year ago. Total shape mismatch, lol.
Try Empreinte Melody or Cassioppee!! If you go to the bra store.
I mean, you totally don't have to!! I'm just curious if it would work for you.
Bratabase is going to say it fits, and it mostly does. Cups are great, band is good… but the straps are too far apart. That’s a dealbreaker for me, so I’m sending it back. Pretty bra, though! If you don’t need narrow strap placement, I think it’s a good buy.
This review is for the Fit Fully Yours Nicole See-thru Lace bra in 34I, color Coffee. My ABTF size is 32G/GG UK depending on projection.
Band: * Felt comfortably snug on the loosest hook for my 32 underbust, so may run small. Has 3 hooks by 3 columns.
Wires: * Hard to tell, cups didn't fit so I didn't wear it long.
Cups: * 3 part cup, full coverage. Double mesh, with embroidery. Interesting sling that seems slightly padded, showin in detail pic.
Straps: * The straps are fully adjustable.
Fabric: * The fabric seems fine, I had no strong impressions either way.
About me: very close set (breasts touch), very narrow roots, very projected at the wire, full on bottom, short roots, soft tissue, significant rib flares, narrow shoulders.
OVERALL IMPRESSION * The cups were just too tall and wide for me, so I didn't keep the bra on long enough to develop a full opinion.
This is a BEAUTIFUL bra. It's lace, but opaque enough and thick enough to hide nipples. The lace continues around to back of band. Has a J-hook to convert to racerback. Gives terrific, natural, softly rounded shape. Wires are perfect width and height for me, but cups aren't as deep as a UK size F, so gore won't tack. I bought it, knowing the gore didnt tack, but the clerk told me that because I'm augmented and so round, I'd probably never get a bra with a gore that tacks. Aggghhhh. So not true. After 2 wears, I'm going to try to sell it to some other lucky Bratabase member https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" />
Yeah bra fitters can really suck some times, they just want to get sales ya know! Welcome to bratabase! Please measure the bra as it will add to our all important bratabase, it's how we know if a bra will fit us right or not. If you need any help or anything, please don't be afraid to ask.
LeProfessor I'd love a link with "How to Measure a Bra". Cup depth, mostly. I want to be sure to do it correctly.
AprilGoulding When you measure a bra, Bratabase gives you instructions for each measurement via a little illustration. The way I measure depth is put the cup over my knee and then measure wire end to wire end at the deepest part.
AprilGoulding everything said is good. I will add that I measure depth a few ways. First, I measure with the bra over my knee as stated, but I do it both ways...with the details of the bra facing me and with the wire wire facing me. I have to stretch the bra on my knee though to get the full depth. I also try to measure with the bra on. I like this way so I can see where it is the deepest part to measure over my knee. Generally the knee method with details facing you will yield a bigger number than the other way. With the three measurements, I take the average or if 2 of 3 are the same, that number. What helped me was to buy a listing from an experienced user and see how/if my measurements match. If they did not, I’d re-examine the measurements to see if I can figure out what they did. Some of the time I would see the way it was done and adjusted my measurements, and some of the time I couldn’t, so I would stick with what I was getting. This has helped me get a bit of confidence in my own measuring. I hope this helps.
Oh Calluna I really like that idea of measuring over top the bra while wearing to get an idea of where the deepest part of the bra is. Good idea if you can't see where the deepest area of the bra is. AprilGoulding I measure the bra in two ways. Hanging the bra cup between my knees (or somehow keeping the bra in the air while still being able to use both hands, i've done some funny looking set ups for this purpose). I lay the measure tape inside of the bra cup along the deepest point. I find the deepest point by taking the measurement near the bottom, middle and top of the cup. I imagine you would need to take several more measurements if your cups are taller than 5 inches. Generally speaking the apex is at the middle/top of the cup. Now that I know which part is the apex/deepest section of the cup, I lay the measure tape into the cup. Hold the edge against the inside of the wire channel and press my finger onto the measure tape along the depth of the cup making sure the tape remains taught. Mind you I am not stretching the fabric here. Then I will take the same measurement again, this time stretching the fabric. Which I either do with my knee or tacking down the edge of the measure tape to the wire channel and using my hands/fingers to stretch the fabric. I take each measurement a couple times. I know it's accurate as long as it is within a 1/4 inch of the same measurement, because well I am human. From now on I will note both these measurements in my reviews, but for my posted measurements, I always chose the non-stretched measurement. If I were to measure all my bras again I would pick the average number between the two. The instructions here are good for measuring the cup depth. But as you continue to do it over and over and try on more and more bras and realize where the apex/deepest point is, you will become more confident with your measurements. It took me a while to think I was doing it right, when all along I was doing it just fine. I do always take my measurements on the inside of the cup. But I am sure one of us, one of these days will inevitably make such a video! XD
I love the fully adjustable straps on this bra. Although I feel like I had to shorten them quite a bit to get the fit I needed, but it was a nice convenience. The chocolate and teal color is so so gorgeous! This is really a fun bra to wear. Very comfortable, supportive, sexy.
I bought this bra to wear for a friends wedding. I had to size up in the band to get the projection I needed and it still buckled at the bottom while I was wearing it. It is fairly closed on top. I think this bra would work better for someone who is wide rooted and fairly shallow. The band is wonderfully soft and comfortable. It is a bit small for a 38 as I typically wore a 36 band when I bought it. When the band stretches it widens the cup and creates a more east-west shape than I like.
Note: this bra is actually CONVERTIBLE, not entirely strapless! https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" />
Yay!! My first fitting strapless!!
When I first put on the bra, I noticed some minor gapping at the top near the center, though this seemed to lessen as I continued to wear. This may have just been a result of minor misshaping from shipping, or perhaps it really would be worth a try for those with more center fullness than average. However, it doesn't create a problem for me. It is better than my 28E - Cleo » Darcy Padded Balconette ...(6821) fits.
The top of the cup follows the slope of my breasts well.
The straps are pretty wide-set, I think; but this also seems to be the nature of the convertible bra. I plan to wear without the straps, so this isn't much of a concern. The points of convertibility are the standard--loops on bra with square S-hooks on the strap ends.
Band seems a little firm on first wear, which is usually good for straplesses, and good for me as a 28-band. There is a silicone line along the top and bottom of band for extra stay-put power!
It is a thin foam padding thing on the inside, very similar to the non-padded, convertible Maidenform bras I used to have.
Overall, this bra is wonderful!! I am so happy it fits, as I honestly didn't expect it to. This is the first Bratabase review on this bra, and I would DEFINITELY encourage anyone similar to my shape/in my size range to try it!
EDIT: First extended wear; bra seemed to have slipped down and underwires were digging into my ribcage. Who knows. Will update later
EDIT 2: I've been meaning to update this for a while. I think the gapping in the center will not soften/go away with wear. I think this bra would be better suited for someone with more center fullness, or perhaps in between sizes. Overall, it is a great bra and I wish that it has worked for me! Read more 250 more words
This bra does fit appropriately, maybe a bit tighter on the band then you would expect. So I would put it as feeling more like a 28 band. It just isn't all that special, very generic. The fabric is thick and can be bad for sweat in warmer weather. It keeps everything in it's appropriate place though, and has a very similar shape to a Freya Deco under a shirt. I've gone up 1 or 2 cup sizes since I bought it though, so I spill a little. The pictures I took are recent, so I'm muffining a little.
I usually wear a 32DDD, but the 32DD fit perfectly in this model. My underbust is just about 30", but I'm not very fatty or muscular there, so the 32 band felt firm on the loosest hook. The cups come up pretty high, and I don't spill out. There's a bit of elastic under the arms which helps prevent gapping where the cup joins the strap. The straps are close together enough to (mostly) stay on my narrow shoulders, which is a rarity. The lace shows under thin clothes, but the good shape and great support overcome the drawbacks.
Really pretty, but too small for me. Wire width is good, but not enough overall volume. Very pretty, but a bit scratchy. (I’m sending it back, so I didn’t wash it. That could make a difference.) Nice rounded shape.
I love this bra! It gives great shape and it's so comfortable. The fact that there are no padded cups is amazing because (living in South America) padded cups just get too hot. I've been wearing this bra for years now. I recently ordered more from Canada in my normal size, but as you can see, it's a bit small. This isn't surprising to me because I gain weight first in my breasts and during the pandemic, I've definitely gained some weight. Even thought the cups are a small, they're not uncomfortable. From experience, I know that the lace has some give, so soon enough the top of the cups won't be cutting in. My last two bras have lasted over 3 years of non-stop wear (and being washed in the machine) with no problems- just a little stretching, as expected. I still keep them at work to change into when I bike in. I will keep ordering these, but next time I'll pay more attention to my current size https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" />
Too bad :( it's a gorgeous bra. From the front and even some side pics it looks like it fits.
I agree with the sizing. I think it's an American F.