Lulu Tout is a Figleaves brand, and the Madeleine is a molded tee shirt bra available in nude and black. The material is very soft and comfortable, and the bra is beautifully detailed. There's a stretch lace overlay along the bottom and sides of the cup that extends part way up the straps, and beautiful sheer striped bows at the gore and at the top of the lace overlay on the strap. The strap slider adjusters and ring are a rose gold toned metal, and the lace overlay covers the full band and extends onto the wings. There's a small ruffle detail all the ... way around the bottom of the band. This bra is detailed in a way I've only previously seen from Tutti Rouge and Curvy Kate, and it takes the "nude tee shirt" bra to a different level. This is not a boring bra. It's sexy in it's own subtle way, and that's hard to accomplish for a wardrobe staple like a nude bra. And Figleaves manages to accomplish all of this in a way that still allows the bra to be invisible under tee shirts!

On to the specifics.

The band - this is a quite firm band. My 30 band measures 23" and 28" stretched, which is fantastic for me, but if you are a true 30 you might want to size up, or have an extender handy. It is stretchy in a way that suggests it will break in some with wear, but not overly stretchy. I closed it on the loosest hooks and it feels very secure. I wish it had 3 rows of hooks, but I wish that about almost every bra. I also wish Figleaves had used the same rose gold hardware for the hooks and eyes as they had on the straps, but I am really nitpicking here. The wings are quite tall - 4.5" on my 30FF, which contains all of my armpit/back fat/tail of spence or whatever it is, and there's side boning in the wings for added support.

The wires - I measured 5.4-5.5" on my 30FF, and they are U shaped. They do open up a bit when closing the band, but they're not as flexible as Freya wires. I'd say they're in between Freya's wires and Panache's wires-of-steel. They're long/tall - 11" here - probably due to the tall side wings. The gore is quite high on me, and it remains to be seen whether it gets uncomfortable over a day's wear.

The cups - when I first took this bra out of its package, I thought there is no way in h-e-double hockey sticks these cups were going to work for me. They looked impressively shallow at the bottom, with a high set apex, and they do close in at the top somewhat. But once I put it on, I found it to be more projected than I once thought. I'd say it's about average everything, but if you're really projected or really full on top, this bra will likely not work for you. I measured a 9" depth on my 30FF, which is about 0.5" smaller than my ideal 9.5," but for some reason, the way the depth is distributed or the shape or something, it works for me.

I really don't have a similar bra in mind that I'd compare this to. It's not a Deco, it's not a Neve. Maybe it's a nice compromise between those two. I've never tried a CK Smoothie to compare. It's an affordable, little known option that I'd really recommend trying for most everyone with less-than-extreme projection.
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Nude colorway

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Updated on May 29, 2015 Flag this

lcl0706

6295 reputation

165 bras

I wanted to be detailed in my review since I don't see much written about this bra, but it's a really great option in the molded cup market. If you have questions, please let me know!

Overall a pretty great bra. Was looking for a nude t shirt bra, which is difficult to find with immediate projection. This fits the bill pretty well. Definitely more projected than the Panache Black Ardour, which didn't work for me, and at half the price, it's hard to beat. Soft fabric with beautiful detailing. It's so minor but I LOVE the rose gold accents. Great side support. Narrow cups and gore, which were ... both nice surprises. The straps are well placed, a good width, and highly adjustable.

A couple of cons, most of which will be specific to me only. First, the cups are pretty tall. Not quite too tall for my short roots, but close. Wings are also tall. I get some empty space at the top of my smaller boob, but that's more a sign of the severity of my asymmetry than a fault of the bra. The fabric under the cups tends to flip up on me as well, mostly due to my terrible posture. Finally, the apex projection is a bit much for me, but not a deal breaker.

Overall, definitely recommend.
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Updated on Mar 29, 2016 Flag this

This bra fits true to size in the cups and about half a band size small (31"). I'm a 32FF right now and have to use an extender with this bra.

I'm projected, fairly narrow, and even to full on bottom, and this bra works pretty well for that. The wires seem to be a good width for me, and I would recommend this bra (and the Panache Black Ardour) to those who are fairly narrow, fairly projected, and looking for a seamless bra.

Sadly this bra is not very comfortable for me. This may be mostly due to my bad posture; the front of the band and the plastic side boning dig into my stomach and sides quite painfully. I have this issue with many bras, so I think it is a posture problem and less of a bra problem.
I also noticed that it slid a tiny bit out of my IMF on my smaller side.

Cappuccino colorway

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Updated on Feb 14, 2016 Flag this

Awesome t-shirt bra with a lot of projection!! Band runs tight but cups run pretty true-to-size.

Updated on Oct 24, 2015 Flag this

Lovely basic beige t-shirt bra with just enough pretty lace detail that it still feels special under the plainest of shirts. I ordered a 30G as an experiment in fitting (it's been a while since I've been fitted, and my 30 F bras were beginning to quad me up a little), and I'd say I wasn't totally wrong with this bra. Sizing down to an F, or even a FF I think, would have been too small. So - fit details:
Band: This is my only complaint - the band does run small. My ribcage measures about 29", so 30 bands are my go-to. The ... Madeleine's band measures 22.5" unstretched and about 28" stretched (maybe 28.25" - hasty measuring going on here). It's a little on the too-snug side, but not so much that it's a dealbreaker. I like a snug fit, and I suspect that it will stretch out to a more comfortable fit with wear, so I plan to keep it.

Straps: Just about fully adjustable, stretchy yet supportive. I have narrow shoulders, and this bra seems narrow-frame-friendly. Wide straps are a problem I'm used to having, but not so with the Madeleine, which is a welcome change. The lace overlay on the cups comes up onto the straps and is topped with a sweet striped bow - gorgeous detailing! I'm also a fan of the rose gold metal of the adjustors (there's a technical name for those, right?) and rings.

Cups: Sizing up to a 30G was a good decision - I'd imagine that the cups are true to size, but since this is my first 30G, I'm not positive. What I can say is that the cups comfortably encase all my breast tissue, and while the sides of the cups are a little high, they're surprising comfy. No poking wires, weird gapping, or feeling like I'm going to part company with my arm because the straps are all up in my armpit (see narrow-frame praise above). The cups fill out nicely, though it appears that my larger breast is just on the threshold of quadding - which was not noticeable at all until I put on a shirt. It's not overt or uncomfortable, and I don't think it will be noticed in darker shirts or unless someone is spending an inordinate amount of time staring (like me when I'm evaluating fit, but hopefully not the average person out in the world). It suggests to me that it might just be a slight shape mismatch rather than a cup-volume problem.

The Madeleine give a nice silhouette under clothes, and I particularly like that the lace overlay is practically invisible (there's a hint of it under my lighter colored shirts, but it's really only noticeable if you're looking for it). The overall shape is rounded and natural, if a bit high. It should be noted that my comparison is my go-to t-shirt bra - Fantasie Rebecca in 30F (albeit, a well-worn 30F) and my Claudette Dessous 30FF - both of which sit a little lower on the chest than the Madeleine.

Overall, even though the band is a little on the small side, the fit is good. I'll definitely be keeping this bra.
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Cappucino colorway

Updated on Jul 18, 2015 Flag this

Pretty t-shirt bra

Updated on Aug 30, 2017 Flag this

This bra fit beautifully and then I shrank a little again due to hormones and timing. The cup gaps a bit on my smaller side due to the height of the cup, which irrationally irritates me, so I will look for ways to fill the gap. On my larger side it fit perfectly. The bra is very lightly lined and feels very supportive and comfortable. My only issue is that the gore comes up a fraction of an inch too high. It made my sternum quite sore the first time I wore it, but I've grown accustomed to the wires and I'm okay with it now, even ... if sometimes it does rub a little wrong.

It's a very pretty bra and the lilac disappears even underneath white shirts. The cups are rounded with a slight taper, which is the appearance I love from bras (I don't appreciate a too-rounded look). The spacing gives me a perfect "cakes on a plate" look, which I also love. Due to my anatomy, I also need a slight east-west design rather than perfectly front and center. I also just learned I needed a little projection from a bra. Previously I had been wearing shallow Natoris and I needed a little extra room. This bra checks all of those boxes for me. If it weren't for the slightly too-high gore, I would say it was 100% perfect.
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Updated on May 15, 2017 Flag this

Really nice neutral molded tee-shirt bra that conquers boring with its classic lace side detail and lace strap attachments. This bra completely disappears under even tight knits, and is super comfy all day. The padding is relatively thin and flexible, so it adapts to shape and soft tissue. The cups come up pretty tall, but also gently mold in so there isn't a gap at the strap. The center is lower than balcony style tee shirt bras like the Fantasie 4510 but more coverage than a Freya Deco, so maybe a modified plunge? It does give cleavage and kind of even out the breast across the torso for a slightly minimized, typical look. Wires are average width and come up well on the sides; band is not overly firm but wide for support, and true to all molded bras I've tried there isn't a heck of a lot of depth, but that's not the point of them anyway. Decent construction and very soft & comfy! Love the lace along the sides!

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Updated on Nov 20, 2016 Flag this

What a hidden secret of a bra! Since discovering ABTF and learning about my shape, I resigned myself to the fact that moulded cups were out of the question for me. They simply couldn't projected enough - well, that's because they weren't the Madeleine.

The gore projection on this bra is phenomenal (for moulded cups), admittedly I don't quite get a tack but it's close enough. Projection at the wire is just about enough, obviously it could be better but comparing it to an unlined cup wouldn't be fair IMO. In general I feel supported, the shape is great and it's fantastic as a t-shirt bra.

The actual materials feel ... great, the band is decently firm for a 32 and is just about the right length for me (snug UB is 32.5-33), I think it'll be perfect in 2-3 wears. The lace is unobtrusive and is only attached to the cups on the side so it can in theory be moved aside if needed. The only qualm with this bra (and all Lulu Touts) is the straps - between the cup and the strap bow, they're slightly thinner and a bit more prone to twisting. They're on the thinner side in general, this doesn't bother me but might be a dealbreaker for someone else.

Overall however I really like this bra - and this brand! Hopefully it'll keep in good shape over time.
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Updated on Nov 05, 2016 Flag this

This review is for the cappuccino color way.

I wanted a nice T-shirt bra -- I have a Deco but it is too shallow for me and this bra was recommended on ABTF. Appearance wise, I really like this one. The lace accents on the side of the cup extend up the strap for a lovely, feminine look. The moulded cups give a nice rounded shape.

Fit - I read that the band on this bra runs small so I ordered a 34 (my snug underbust measurement is 31.5", BTT 29"). I actually find this band to be quite stretchy - I am starting out on the tightest set ... of hooks. I should've gone for the band size I typically wear, a 32. Still, the band is supportive and I appreciate the 3 hooks.

A few things about this bra that I don't care for - the gore is fairly tall as are the cups. The tops of the cups peek out of tank tops. While this bra will be perfect in winter when I am wearing higher necklines it is kind of a dud for me in warmer temperatures - and as I live in the southern part of the US, is most of the year.
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This bra is not owned any more

Updated on Sep 13, 2016 Flag this