kate166 recently did a review of an unlined Comexim half cup, and we kind of came to the conclusion the unlined Polish half cups don't get nearly enough attention on this website. So I will try to do my part to rectify this by reviewing this unlined Kris Line half cup.
First off, it's a beauty! It reminds me of the embroidered Aubade half cups I used to wear back in the days when I still fit into them. They were flimsy little things, but beautiful! This Kris Line number is far less flimsy, and at least as beautiful, so that's a win for me. The ...cups are made out of fine, stable tule with an abstract floral pattern embroidered onto it, and the color is a gorgeous deep aubergine. The embroidery also covers the front part of the band and the straps, which is a nice touch.
Technically, it fits, but there are some issues.
First of all, it's a 65 band. I normally (and according to every calculator, should) wear a size 70, but this 65 band feels quite roomy. I also got one in a 70 band in my order, and that band was exactly the same length. Maybe this 65 bra is labeled incorrectly, or Kris Line may not be the most size consistent brand. Anyway, the band isn't horizontal in the back, but I don't think it's supposed to be; even when I let out the straps fully the band curves up in the back. It doesn't ride up during the day, so I'm going to go with it.
The cups are very narrow and deep, deeper and more narrow than any Ewa or Comexim I've ever tried, so all you super narrow ladies out there, this may be an interesting option for you! Normally half cups give me a very rounded (or even flattened, when they are too shallow) profile, but this model is so deep that it gives me a slight, vintage looking peak. I quite like this look under tight turtlenecks.
The narrowness is exacerbated by a couple of pretty aggressive side slings (the darker part on the outer area of the cup is the side sling). This pushes the breast tissue even more front and center than the narrow wires already do. For me, the side sling is too aggressive; even though the cup fits me width wise, the side sling pushes my breasts too far in and up, especially on the bottom part (I don't know if you can see this in the pictures, but from the side the wire seems to be sitting a little below my IMF. It is not. The side sling is just pushing my breast tissue up within the cup). It does give a very lifted front and center profile, and it doesn't show at all under clothes, so I may leave it, but if it bothers me I may take the side sling out.
What I particularly like is that this model is a true half cup, that is, the top of the cups create an almost fully horizontal line across my body. Ewa half cups have this too, but Comexim half cups have a much higher side wing, which makes them almost look like plunges on my very short boobs.
The 65FF cup is a smidge small at the moment, but I am anticipating some more weight loss, so I'll keep it (it was the last size available and heavily discounted).
Last little thing: the lace at the very top of the cup curves out a tiny bit, due to elastic band sewn along the top edge of the cup. This make the top edge appear a little bumpy under clothes.
In all, I like it a lot, and I strongly suggest people who need very narrow and deep bras to consider this as a half cup option. It also comes in several other pretty colours! Read more 542 more words
Looks cute, sure it does ! Yet the back.. Kind of kills it. I mean, deep narrow cups could benefit even more from a solid wide back & wings that would evenly distribute the load on the outer side of underwires without risk of excessive spread.
Weirdly enough, the back is much better when I wear the band less tight! This also mostly fixes the issue with the tight side slings, I guess the wires were bent out of shape by my fastening the bra too tightly.
I'm wearing it on the outer most hooks now, and it doesn't ride up. I don't know why, but this band feels much looser than it is.
I tried 2 Krisline half cups: Afrodyta and Tiffany. Afrodyta was wonderfully narrow and deep, so I ordered Tiffany. Tiffany arrived and was a wide shallow nightmare. Ive had many Krislines and none of them had backs like this. They are consistently looser than ALL other Polish 65s though (with Kinga coming right behind).
Very pretty! I like the look of bras like this, but I would guess that the texture of the lace might show under clothing. How did you feel the actual cups look under clothing, was the texture visible?
I’ve also had some bras that feel weirdly large in the band, but in actuality they aren’t. How is the stretch on the band? I just tried one that definitely felt big at first, but the band was extremely firm, so it was fine as it didn’t move around.
It’s so frustrating though when bands come in inconsistent, so you don’t know what size to order. I have had this happen with Freya quite a bit. Hopefully you just got a fluke here.
Very pretty! I like the look of bras like this, but I would guess that the texture of the lace might show under clothing. How did you feel the actual cups look under clothing, was the texture visible?
I’ve also had some bras that feel weirdly large in the band, but in actuality they aren’t. How is the stretch on the band? I just tried one that definitely felt big at first, but the band was extremely firm, so it was fine as it didn’t move around.
It’s so frustrating though when bands come in inconsistent, so you don’t know what size to order. I have had this happen with Freya quite a bit. Hopefully you just got a fluke here.
Charlotteke , Tightening the hooks narrows the wings/band and they loose torsion momentum I guess. IMHO this should have been a 3 hooks at least.
Reason why 4, 5 and more hooks backs seldom ride up and tolerate a wider spectrum of band mis-fits before taking the elevator.
to me it looks like a design flaw in the bra. The straps a set very wide in the front and quite narrow in the back, so they're pulling on the band at an acute angle and causing the distortion you're experiencing. I think this explains why when you loosened up the band, the problem was not as exaggerated, as it changed the angle at which the straps were pulling on the band.
I could be completely wrong though :) just my two cents
AGBras that's a bummer! It sounds like Kris Line is not a very consistent brand. A local bra store has stopped selling several Polish brands for that reason. Oh well, yay for online ordering with free returns!
belleandblues the embroidery is quite flat and doesn't show much under clothes, with the exception of the top edge, but it isn't worse than most of my unlined bras. I usually find that the seams show a little through thin or clingy fabrics. The band stretches quite a lot, yet it's firm. The stretchiness had me confused at first, but it's actually fine on the outer hook. Which is good because it will last me longer this way.
femineaaeterna you're absolutely right, a 3 hook band would have been so much better. Also, the band quickly narrows down from the wing, which makes it very low on the sides. I'm not particularly squishy, but this style of band gives me a bit of a roll. I wish brands would think about this more, but especially in my current size range they rarely do. 3 hook bands I've only encountered in the G and up cup range.
thelittleone I hadn't thought of it, but I guess you're right! The straps are set at the very outside of the cup in the from (which I like), but they should have been set wider in the back as well.
Charlotteke , Thnaks for the extensive contribution ! I so much love to learn from seaspned bra users.
My 5 cents on bra visibility. Most of time I can not afford it. To the opposite indeed.
However, a nice well fitted cute bra is a definitive visual asset when "guessed" or "flashed" under appropriate clothes. I perceive it as a visual clue that all is there, taken care of, in potentially serviceable condition. And logically go for it under the right circumstances.
Even if the fashion police puts me on their heads-list, bra lines can be a huge meanwhile modest seduction factor, kind of the stripes one could proudly wear on the shouder pads of an uniform shirt.
Great review! And what a gorgeous bra.
I have a KrisLine half cup that's too small for me, but I really do love the look and I wish it fit me. I'll keep my eyes open for more of their half cups.
This bra is my favorite of any KL I've ever tried. With cookies in, the seam ridge isn't very visible and the shape is fairly round. The greyish powder pink color is SO PRETTY and the lace on top has silver running thru it. The band is a little loose/stretchy, for reference I usually wear a 32 in panache and 30 in freya. I am ASTOUNDED by how comfortable it is--nothing rubbing or digging in, just feels like my boobs are defying gravity! They even didn't bounce at all when I ran up the stairs!
Wow! I literally jumped up and down when I first put this bra on! (It supported me well, but not as well as Panache Sport, haha)
It is a lovely warm-toned charcoal, one of the best colors for my peachy-pale skin. I wouldn't describe it as cocoa though, like Brastop and Kris Line do, it's much too silvery for that. It has a dark gold fabric rose on the gore on top of a silver bow, and some of the embroidery on the lace is gold as well. The cup pleats are interesting, I'll report back if they show through shirts or not, but they don't ...seem to. It has non-removable push up padding in the bottom of the cups that gives my FoB boobs a nice shape. When you squeeze it between your fingers, it makes a noise like packing peanuts, but when worn it seems to stay silent.
As far as fit, it seems like a pretty true 30FF, and everything feels great except the darn wide-set straps, which are VERY short. I have them adjusted as long as they'll go, and I'm 5'5" with a high root. They measure 13", compared to my 30F Deco's 17". They have a fully-adjustable design, but have a lace overlay in the front. I don't think it would be a problem because of their short length though. They are detachable, but too short to use crossback for me. I may just get replacement ones, I've missed crossback ever since I stopped wearing 34B's.
The band has 4x2 hooks and is very very very stretchy, 23" at rest to 30" stretched, and you could probably pull it to 31" if you tried. This makes it feel less supportive than my Decos which have a 26" unstretched measurement, but sometimes if my skin is feeling sensitive that's what I want. It doesn't give that tight pinchy feeling along the sides of my rib flare like the Decos do. It has side support stays that don't poke.
The gore is half an inch higher than the Decos, but it's so narrow (Overlapping wire channels! Hooray!) that I don't notice it at all.
The cups themselves have a short height and don't cover much of my breast, which I prefer greatly, but some might find them not supportive.
Overall I really like this bra so far! Read more 289 more words
I love low coverage cups, too. I guess I'll take another look at Kris Line. Pushup padding doesn't feel good to me, so I'm avoiding those kinds of bras. Did you know before you bought it that it was pushup? Was it labeled clearly where you bought it online?
It said "lightly padded" on Brastop. It's not quite as abrupt of a pad as the VS pushup bras I tried in the past, if that makes sense? But certainly thicker on the bottom than a Deco.
Okay, good to know. I'll be careful when buying Kris Line from Brastop. Thanks!
I heard this bra runs really small and the band runs firm, so I ordered a 65FF (30FF) when I usually wear a 28F/28FF. It ended up being a cup size too big https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_sad.gif" alt=":(" />. I really love it and it's gorgeous. The cleavage is wonderful and I would love to swap for a 65F in this bra.
This bra is lovely and I wish I could wear it without an extender. Based on the fit of my Kris Line Jasmine Soft Cup bra, and looking at what little measurements I could find on other Kris Line bras, I took a gamble and ordered a 30FF Mare balcony. It was hard to resist, because it was super on sale, and I loved the way the Jasmine fit. Well, that was a gamble I lost.
Not only do I have to wear the Mare with an extender, I have to wear the extender on the last hooks to get the full length. This is the first ...bra I've had to do this with. When I measured the band while stretched, it turned out to be a whopping 27"! Once I get it on, the Mare is comfortable, with the exception of the inside of the extender trying to scrape my back. The cups are partially padded with black cotton, and the green material feels almost like a soft stretch jersey material. The lace trim at the top of the cups is also slightly stretchy, and more importantly, not scratchy. The straps are just the right length and position for my frame. The cups come up a little low, but that could be because I should really be up a cup size.
This is one of those things were I was like "A Kris Line bra for $15?? Sure, I'll just get the size CLOSEST to my size that they have available!" I could really stand to cure myself of that habit. And indeed, the cups are too small; they runneth over. Oddly enough, they seemed more contained at the sides, which is usually the first place my boobs spill over when the cups are too small. No, what happens is that the top of the cups cut into my boobs. I thought the quadboob would not be too obvious under a dark knit dress, but I thought wrong! The thing is, the Mare lifts my boobs up in a spectacular fashion, and I can tell that if I had this in the right size, I would be happy with the shape it delivers. So far it has been my experience that Kris Line bras give a very lifted profile. It is not totally round. It is more like: round with a slight point. And because the gore is so narrow, depending on the position of the gore, your boobs will be pretty close together. In fact, if your boobs are already close together and you have issues with gores digging into your breast tissue, I highly recommend Kris Line in general for the narrow gores. Now, the gore on the Mare is also not as high as the gore on the 32F - Kris Line » Gladys Balconette Bra Khaki (GLADYS1) bra or the 65GG - Kris Line » Violette Soft Bra (6314). It is still not low like a plunge gore or anything, as I found out this morning when I tried on a dress with a lower V neck (not like obscenely low or anything!), and spied the gore peeping out. https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_neutral.gif" alt=":|" />
The Mare would definitely be a keeper if it fit at least in the cups. I'll probably end up listing it soon. It would actually be suitable for someone looking for a firm 28 band. Read more 461 more words
Purchased this bra for my sister (about a 30F/FF or so). Very pretty light lilac color and soft fabric inside and out. Room for push-up pads. However, there was too much empty space at the top of the cups for her short roots/omega shape so will be listing this.
I loved this bra! Im a 28G but i like the cup shape of Kris line bras so always put up with the loose backs. they're a true 30 band though. Very nice narrow wires and decent projection - but with very good hold. So no need to worry about your boobs falling outta ya bra! Super soft and super gorgeous.
I previously tried a 70FF in this bra. This band fits better and I'm between 30/32; typically wear a 32 in panache and ewa; 30 in freya. The shape this bra gives me is just so weird. The top section flattens the top of my boobs. It's not even just a pointy shape, I can't even describe it, it's just misshapen and weird. The bra is very pretty but for me the shape it gives me makes it absolutely unwearable.
This bra is great for that extra push up and cleavage boost. It's a simple but pretty basic bra and I would compare it to the Victoria Secret Very Sexy push up shape wise, nicely lifts and rounded look under a tight tee. I had read this runs about a cup size small and I would agree as I normally wear a 65f. It's hard to find a push up in a larger cup and small band size, very happy I found this style!
This bra runs about 1 cup size too small. It allows for center projection and is a great plunge, even for soft tissue. It has some push up padding and would look amazing under t-shirts
Beautiful bra with comfortable material and cups. That said, the band size is waaay off. This bra fits closer to a 32E or even a tight 34DD. The band is super stretchy, so I could only barely wear the bra on the tightest hook, and the gore did not tack. Bottom of the cups is very well padded, and it does give a pretty nice profile. Not friendly with my narrow shoulders at all though, but that might be because of the band width.
This bra runs small in the cup so this 30FF that I got on sale (they didn't have a 30F) is a good fit. The lace is beautiful! The band does run big, I put it on the middle hook right away. I get fantastic cleavage with this, I wish Kris Line made 28 bands, as I am shrinking out of 30s.
Love. Love. Love. This bra. https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" /> It is adorable with smooth satin on the bottom half and lace on the top. Wonderful attention to detail in the craftmanship of this bra. Love the rounded shape and the support that it gives. It's band runs definitely smaller than any of my other 30 size bands. I wear this bra on the loosest hook and there's not much give. Haven't worn it much yet so I don't know how it will stretch. If I had to order again I would probably order a 32 just for comfort. Also, the cups are a bit small so if you run between sizes you might consider ordering a cup size up as well.
I am usually a 30FF in non-American bras (though I may be approaching G territory), but was advised to order the 32 band in this line, as the bands in this line tend to be stretchy. Well, I ended up sending the larger size back for my true size, which fits quite well. There is a bit of weirdness, though. The material used to make the band IS quite stretchy, but the column containing the hooks is a very firm material, so I'd suggest your true band size.
The cups fit nicely, except for a wee bit of spillage that's hardly noticeable. Since the underwire fits perfectly at the sternum and sides, I just assume that it's the balconette style and my breast shape having a small disagreement. Other than that, this bra gives a great shape, high and round, which is perfect for everyday or special occasions.
Great buy. Oh, and it's beautiful ... and comfortable. I'd recommend.
Looks cute, sure it does ! Yet the back.. Kind of kills it. I mean, deep narrow cups could benefit even more from a solid wide back & wings that would evenly distribute the load on the outer side of underwires without risk of excessive spread.