I'm so pleasantly surprised by this bra! Major fit adjustments have been made to Charlotte for SS16. It's now a great option for the narrow/projected crowd. This bra now runs big, so I'd recommend sizing down in the cup 1-2 cups depending on how FoB/short rooted you are.
This looks BEAUTIFUL on you!! I fell in love with this print the second I saw the preview photo. I thought I'd never be able to own it, since Charlotte was way too wide and shallow for me. Your review has given me hope! I've already ordered it in 3 different sizes; hoping one of them fits as beautifully as yours does on you. Fingers crossed. Thank you so much for posting this! :)
No way ... a Charlotte that I might actually be able to wear?! Thanks for this review. I hope more measurements in other sizes get added, too. I've always been secretly jealous of this bra and the high waisted bottoms that go with it, but my attempt at Dusty Rose was also an epic fail. You mention that it looks great under a shirt - are the seams very visible under a thin tee?
This looks fantastic! If you come across another 28DD, that isn't $48, let me know!
I saw this in the FB group and didn't realize it was you... Makes me want to try it even more!!!
This looks great on you! Makes me so happy too. I've wanted a Charlotte for so long, but the older shape made me decide against it. That pattern is so gorgeous too *_*
Thanks for posting this! I bought it last night, and sized up in band and down in cup. I'm hoping it's a win! And in case anyone else wants to test her out, Bare Necessities has Charlotte on sale today for 25% off.
Thanks everyone! I hope it works for all of you who try it! Make sure to add more measurements for it if you're trying more than one size. I'm interested to see how the scaling is in larger cup sizes.
letstalkaboutbras The seams all lay very flat on mine, so I don't get any significant lines, but the pattern will show under a thin light colored shirt.
RollsAndCurves Thank you so much <3 That's really amazing to hear!
ginganinja Oooh thanks for sharing! :) I hope she works for you!
Lovely design indeed and it looks really awesome on you!
One question - do you feel the wing height / armpit area has improved, compared to old Charlotte?
2 weeks ago I finally ordered some try-out sizes in older Charlotte colourways, after AbracaBra posted a discount code for Largecuplingerie. I'm mostly concerned about the wing height / armpit rubbing.. š
Still waiting for my order though. Excited to see if 'old' Charlotte works for me and if not, I'll know to give this new version a chance! Thanks for reviewing š
To be honest, that's a hard question to answer because I really couldn't wear old Charlotte for any amount of time because of how incredibly painful the gore was on my breast tissue.
I do have a very narrow frame though and I've worn new Charlotte several times all day and not been bothered by the wing height or any wire rubbing. The wings feel fairly low to me, and the straps are narrower set than my EMs.
Ok thanks! The possible armpit attack is what kept me away from Charlotte for so long. Good to know there might be a plan B (:
Is DD a different size from E in this brand?
I wanted to come in and comment on my experience, because my Charlotte came in the mail today. I def agree with PetiteCollegiate assesment that this color way runs small in the band and large in cup. I straddle between 34G and 36FF these days, and this fit perfect in 38E. The cups are really deep (I recommend pulling the cup up, so your breasts fall into it as on first fit I thought it was too small but once I got all the tissue in the cup it's quite big enough), and the wires are narrow too. My only quibble is there at only 2 hooks in this size. I remember I previously tried this in 34GG and it had 4. Overall, I recommend this! Especially for those who had shape mismatch in previous color ways, and generally benefit from narrow wires and deep cups.
Parfait Charlotte is probably the most beautiful piece of lingerie I've ever seen. It fit me better than I thought it would be. You can read my review on my blog.
I seriously envy you and your ability to wear literally anything.
Looks really lovely on you! Great colour with your skin tone šš¼
Interesting how it doesn't come up too high under your arms? (Yay for you of course) Perhaps a size range thing; bigger sizes get too tall? Anyway that's why my poor Charlotte is in the bra surgery basket (;
lcl0706 Not everything :-) but I must admit lots of bras fit me. @bubblegum It's higher under my arms but not so much. Gossard Retrolution is worse. I think bigger sizes are taller and also if you are smaller it could be worse.
Looks great! In my size it is high under the arm and pretty much flattens my breasts into the center of my chest. Your size range is a way better fit!
I've been in love with the Charlotte since I first saw it, but there's no way that the reach, rose or red ones will fit me due to the shape. I'm interested in trying the floral one because I read it's deeper, but I'm not a fan of the pattern. I love the vintage feel of the bra, especially in rose.
H_Allice I have a floral Charlotte on the way to me so I will review it. I also read it's deeper so I've chosen 30DD and I'm really curious how it will fit me. I plan to do a comparison of red and floral shimmer colorways.
SIZE DOWN IN CUP. Floral Shimmer. Overall very pleased! Thanks to PetiteCollegiate for her review, or I never would have found this rare ABTF! I have never tried this brand before, so I cannot comment on differences from other colorways, but I will say this one is much like Comexim (actually a better fit than I get in Comexim Basic, I'd say neck and neck with my AP, and for a fraction of the cost!).
Cups- Borderline quad on my larger side, minimal gaping on my smaller side, so I'd say cups are perfect. Narrowish. They are not TTS (Cups in this are the same size ...as my AP 32FF and Panache Clara 32F). This has a good amount of bottom projection. Appearance under shirts is green-purple shape, which is my ideal. It's like I'm holding my boobs in the ideal supported shape. I get a weensy bit of buckling of top line of cup close to the gore, which I think is related to the straps being a weensy bit too far apart for me, but it doesn't do this as much as the other bras I currently have and it does not bother me/show. Band- on the tighter end of 32 but not horribly so. I am currently wearing with an extender on the first hook and it's lovely. I anticipate being able to nix the extender after several wears. Has a plastic vertical strip encased in fabric on the side where fabric transitions from satin to mesh under the arms (don't know what this is called, but it prevents wrinkly band under the arms and increases stability. win!) Straps- are thankfully closer together than they were in the 32F, which was the #1 issue for me, and are not rubbing or irritating at all. I probably move them in a few cm closer together than they are designed to sit, which causes the weensy cup buckling near the gore; to be perfect for me, they could be moved in 1cm. It's a very sturdy design. I feel like I could wear this on my 24h shift and still be supported. But it's comfortable and a U-back. Win! Strap width is 0.5in. Straps are cushioned and not holding a lot of weight. Gore- narrow. Yay. Wires- channels are 1.5cm longer than the wires under the arms and at gore. They are low/medium flexibility. Not soft, not hard.
Note, if you order from BareNecessities, their size in this brand is one size up. To get this UK32E, I had to order "32F." Read more 313 more words
I would tell a friend: Pros: -The band fits perfectly in a 28. -It is beautiful. -The cups are filled completely, no quadboob, no hollow underboob, etc. Cons: -The cups run small. I'm normally a 28ff, and had to up to a g. -The straps are set pretty far apart, which isn't a problem for me really as I have broader shoulders. -There is just a SLIGHT discomfort of the cup against my armpit/breast tissue. It seems to be cut high, but it may just be that I'm getting used to larger cupped breasts after finding ones with the proper band and cup size.
All in all it is a lovely look when on, but I wouldn't recommend to an especially narrow shouldered friend, or a petite friend if the cups are cut high on me, and I am "normal" height.
I don't think it's just you having a problem with armpit wires. I do too. I find it helps if I stand up really straight with great posture. (Which is far easier to do with a well fitting bra) Good luck!
alycol15 I'm glad it isn't just me then! It will be a good reminder to stand up straight.
This review is for the red. I ordered both the red and the peach at the same time, from the same retailer. I will review the peach separately.
So, for the red...I absolutely love this bra! It's pretty, it's got excellent push up and in. I think it's super sexy, but I could totally see wearing this a lot, almost as an everyday bra really as it's so comfortable-at least so far it is https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" />
The description says padded, but it's really more of a lined bra than a padded. It's definitely not padded like many ...I've had over the years. It's got a nice snug fit. I was advised by reviews and by a friend to order up in band size at it runs tight in the band, and I completely agree. I absolutely love the cleavage it gives me. If I had a complaint about it, which I really don't, it would be that the straps are maybe set a little too close for my frame, but all in all, I think it's an excellent fit. The cups are a 3-part cup. The fabric of the outside of the cups has almost a velvety look to it, though it's not velvet. I don't know exactly what the fabric is, but it totally works for this bra. There are two black ribbon like strips going partway up the cup, and up the center of the gore, which could show through with thinner shirts. There is also a satin overlay on the outside edges of the cups. Really the pictures don't do it justice I don't think. The gore measures about 3-1/4 inches. It sits nice and flat on me, and really seems to be the perfect separation for me.
I think this has a look of a much more expensive bra, and it's very reasonably priced. I will definitely be looking into more of the Parfait line. The Charlotte has 2 styles of matching panties, a high waist and a bikini. I purchased the bikini. The whole styling has a retro look about it, making one think of an old-school pin-up styling I think. All-in-all, I'm extremely pleased with this bra! Read more 282 more words
About me: Tall roots, low set, centre-full, projected but self-supporting, even vertical fullness, average-to-narrow roots but functionally narrow, somewhat close set, firm tissue. Average width shoulders but muscular-ish.
Overview: I love the Parfait Charlotte. I have four of them now, in three sizes. This size is my best fit though. I like how really sturdy this bra feels. On me, this bra is basically a really pretty sports bra in terms of how much support and security it gives. My boobs don't bounce in this bra, the straps don't slip. The straps are wide, the band is wide. The ...band is tight, the cups are stiff. These are all good things in my book. I can shovel the snow off my driveway in it, go for a hike in it, it doesn't budge. This is a great utility bra. It's also pretty warm, which means I probably won't be wearing it in the summer, but this is an asset the rest of the year.
Details: The only thing wrong I can nitpick about the fit of this bra on me is that it's a bit on the shallow side so I do get a small amount of quadding. I kind of like the compression/minimizing effect though, which I usually don't like, but in this bra it feels more like a firm hug than the unpleasant suffocating feeling that usually makes me hate any kind of compression. Read more 143 more words
This bra is so comfortable. I got it for a great price and never would have bought it otherwise. It is so comfortable and kind of cute. Its basic black and comfortable with a little lace up on the strap edges, and between and on top of the cups that is between 0.5 and 0.75inches wide. The lace is not itchy. The bra has a lot of stretch, I laid it out and it measured only about 22 or 23 inches but easily stretched close to 30. I wear a 28 or 30 band so overtime this may loosen up I think. This bra is wireless which ...is comfortable for me. My breasts are different sizes with different roots it's nice and comfortable to not have to struggle and agonize over painful wires/gores. I can scoop and swoop a little cleavage into this bra if I want too. It may not be super flattering under clothing (there is a seam in the middle of the soft cups) but it's mostly a bra I would wear at home anyways. The material is soft and at this time supports okay, not enough for extreme exercise though. The band has multiple sets of hooks with 4 hooks per row! (3 rows of 4) which I prefer rather than bras that have. Front close or only 2 hooks per tow. The straps do adjust enough. The cups may be a smidgen wide but hard to notice in the soft cups. This is not a bra I would be too picky about, and I normally would have passed it on the shelf but I am really glad I got it with a few others! I wish it was a 28 band because I have a feeling this soft flexible stretchy material will lose support over time, I may get another similar bra to alternate for wearing at night or around the house. Usually bralettes are either too small and tight or the band is too loose as I size up for a big enough cup (when I buy in small, medium, large, xl) I am happy this 30F bralette fits. It's cute enough that I would wear around my partner. Happy with this find! Read more 262 more words
This size is 30G and I am a 28H/28HH. There are many things wrong with this bra and my fit. I first want to clarify that these are problems because I got the wrong fit for my boobs. It is not the bra itself!!
Right off the bat Iām going to mention the main problem which is the wings and band being too small. On the sides of my boobs, the wings cut into my breast tissue and is quite uncomfortable.
Regarding the band, maybe itās because I havenāt worn the bra a lot, but it seems way too tight. The back of the band is higher up on my ...back than itās supposed to be. The underwire on my ribs dig into my skin. And lastly, just taking the bra off is a huge relief. Itās not that āwow this is so satisfyingā kind of pain but that āI felt like I couldnāt breathe with that thing onā thank god itās overā.
There are other issues like wrinkling at the top of the cups and gaping under the straps, but that is a common theme I see in my bras (I only own old ones that donāt fit me, so Iām unsure if itāll be fixed in ones that do fit).
Now, after all the bad, there is good. I think the style itself is very beautiful. If I had the right size of this bra, I think I would like it (though the gore does seem a bit too wide for my liking). The design of the bra and the shape it gives my breasts is something I like. Read more 159 more words
*edit* not able to make this into a fit check because I did not take measurements of the bra before returning it to Amazon.
I really wanted to like this bra, and the design with the blossom pink print too. Unfortunately, I think the cups are perhaps too shallow for my projection and that I maybe ordered the right band (I think) but not the right cup, which would only make the fit that much shallower. Gore does not tack at all to sternum and the sides of the cup have extra space as well as the top having gaping with wrinkles in the fabric. I did also swoop ...and scoop myself in, on loosest hook, and sat with it on for about an hour and the wires under my arm are either too high or just does not fit me right. Also, I am only 5'5" but have a relatively short torso, and fat around, for anyone looking to compare. The pink blossom print fit exactly the same as the Rio Red design.
Anyone able to take a look at me and give suggestions would be appreciated as I am still looking for the right shape/style of bra. Read more 89 more words
I am far from an expert but I will try my best to be helpful. Sorry if I tell you things you already know.
When you push the gore in and make it tack, does the fit of the cups improve or change at all? When the gore is floating you can get a better idea of how the cups actually fit by pushing the gore down onto your sternum.
I think the straps on this bra might be set too far apart for your frame. I have that problem quite frequently and it makes the cups do what yours are doing.
I donāt know if the cup size is wrong, but the cups may just be the wrong shape - maybe too wide in the wire and not projected enough at the bottom?
A band that is too big for you could also cause the wires to be too wide and the straps to be set too far apart. How far from your back are you able to stretch the band out? Shouldnāt be more than four fingersā width or so on a well fitting band.
I will take any form of advice I can get. Feel like a teenager finding her first non-training bra doing all this research. So thank you.
When the gore was pushed down, the cup on the inside fits the girls much better but does nothing for the outside of the cups.
I never thought that straps would be too far apart for me bc I have such broad shoulders. Guess I might need to test this out now.
Any suggestions for not so wide of wires but fuller in the cups styles/bras?
Yeah I can't seem to decide between having thicker bands or not. I almost feel like I should bc I am overweight but then i think of my smaller frame...
I returned the bra so I can't check how many fingers but I would say no more than 3 fingers if that.
I hear you on the feeling like a kid having to learn and figure everything out again!
I am very inexperienced with which brands and models have which kinds of wires and cups, so Iām pretty useless there. Sorry.
This is a very helpful guide for terminology and assessing the shape of your breasts and the fit of your bra.
When you talk about the band poking you in tbd armpit, that part of the bra is called the wing, and if itās too tall it can poke. I have that issue a lot since Iām like 5 ft, so many many things are just too long/tall in all sorts of places.
When I ask about the band being too big, I mean fitting too loosely. You shouldnāt be able to pull the band away from your back far enough to get more than 4 fingers (stacked on each other - so your hand is turned sideways abd only the side of your pinky touches your back- the side of your index finger touches the inside of the band) between you and the band.
As for straps... yeah, if they are somewhere in your armpits or cut in on slide around and it bugs you, they are probably too far apart. The straps should sit on top of your shoulders right where your neck muscle joins your shoulder.... itās nearer the armpit than the neck. You might try looking for some bras with center pull straps and see what you think of those. Plunge and balconette styles will have wide set straps. Center pull straps are set more narrowly and often have lower wings that wonāt give you armpit poke.
I would recommend trying to figure out where the roots of your breasts are, so that you know how wide the wires need to be (ie, how far under your arms your really need to have the wires reach), and that will really help you evaluate cup fit as far as shape, and help minimize wire poke in the pits. This blog is VERY helpful. Youāll have to scroll past the first post (about wide horizontal oval shallow boobs) to get to the posts about wide roots and narrow roots. It has pix. Soooo helpful. http://www.venusianglow.com/search?q=Breast+roots&m=1
You can have as thick a band as you want, as long as it doesnāt poke you!
I have seen that sibreddit. In fact, I found this site bc of ABraThatFits. But I never feel like I can get the answers needed from there. I know I am close-set, wide and tall roots (no question there, trust me), acts FOB but have even fullness when bent 90Ā°, projected, malleable tissue, and shaped somewhere between pendulous, bell, or teardrop shape.
I always feel I need the wider/taller wings bc of how massive my boobs are, but I will look at some bras that are not as tall as I have previously ordered. Hopefully that solves that problem of poking wires.
Yes, the 3 fingers I mentioned do correlate with what you are saying of the sideways hand.
I only think the straps did that bc the cups were too big. But bras that I did fit in the past that were full coverage bras did that so I think I need not as full of cups. And I do have broad shoulders so I almost need the wide straps bc any narrower and it really digs into my shoulders uncomfortably.
And I have checked out that blog as well and it tells me that I got wide roots. But thank you for sharing regardless.
Again thank you for your help. I very much need it lol
Yep, youāre definitely beyond my skill level then! Youāre welcome for what help I was able to give. Thank you for being so gracious. I wish you lots of luck finding awesome bras that fit. š
Can you submit this as a fit check? I have some theories. The first is that the cup is way too big and that is why the gore isnāt tacking (gored donāt rack if the cup is too small, but also if the cup is too big! Not too many people talk about that). Second, I think the band looks ok at the bottom but at the top by your shoulders itās way too loose. Thatās because the band is made for a V shaped back but you have a more | | shaped back. With your next bra if it feels too loose try hooking the top hooks in one or two more hooks. I do this and it does wonders for my bra fit. You can also by a smaller band and use an extender to add a hook just to the bottom of the band.
cupandahalf Just added an edit stating that I cannot fit check as I did not take measurements of the bra itself before returning it. Was not aware that was possible until yesterday.
Definitely agree the cup is too big. I did try to confirm whether the gore not tacking would have been bc of the cups being too big. Glad to know that that is in fact a thing. Thank you
I have to admit, not entirely sure what you mean by hooking onto 1 or 2 more hooks. Would you be so kind as to further explain that or share a link to do so?
So, seems liike your doing great in figuring out your shape (quote "I know I am close-set, wide and tall roots (no question there, trust me), acts FOB but have even fullness when bent 90Ā°, projected, malleable tissue, and shaped somewhere between pendulous, bell, or teardrop shape.)
Hoping to help a little, perhaps you've done this already: if you measure yourself / your boobs as guided on Bratabase, you can start comparing your body measurements with the added bra measurements on this site, and work out what bra 'dimensions' work for you!
This is often a trial-and-error process; but for me it helped out immensely, especially figuring out what band measurement, gore height/width and cup depth & width suits my needs. (Like I'll find a certain bra online, and then decide whether to order it or not based on the stats here. That works best with more 'popular' brands / models and sizes though).
As for specific suggestions, I'm thinking you might try a bra like Panache Jasmine - a good unlined 'diagnostic' bra to figure out your shape? Maybe you can do a fit request on that?
Perhaps Curvy Kate may work for you as a brand as well. Their wires are generally on the wider side, and after some growing pains when they just started out, they've stepped up their game on 'scaling' their bras for larger cup sizes. Good luck!
This bra almost didn't fit, but it does fit. It best caters to people who have broad roots, medium height or short roots, with average projection and a conical shape. If you feel like the Cleo Marcie and/or the Cleo Hettie are too narrow in the wires for you, this might work.
You had better think again if you think you won't garner some attention whilst wearing ths bra. It doesn't give me an enormous amount of lift but does create a very attractive profile.
There's nothing I can really say to add to the other reviews of this terrific bra. The construction is stellar and the fit is quite firm. I am very glad I sized up in the cup. A wide, tight band to capture all that wandering tissue and with the wide-set, wide straps it gives me a great feeling of support and containment without completely covering up all that lovely upper boobage.
Waaaaa! I bought the set at a steal, but the shape was so completely wrong for me that I didn't even try to exchange it. I'm glad it works for you, but I'm super jealous.
Awwww, honey! That's just so unfair. Every woman ought to be able to wear this bra. That you can't just indicates how broken this universe is.
Same here. Didn't work for me :(
If this fits you well you should try the Parfait By Affinitas Leslie Contour Bra (6501) I believe it's the same cut. It comes in regular leopard and wild blue leopard. :)
Yourlovealive For some reason, animal prints do absolutely nothing for me. It's not that they bother me, because they don't, it's just that they have no appeal to me. *shrug*
cuts in on top of cups. :(
Kristine If you tried a bra that fit you almost perfect, animal prints wouldn't matter. :)
Nayanya, nahhhhh, I don't think so. Just say "no" to animal prints. *laughing*
This bra fits me https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" /> This is a moulded lightly padded plunge style bra. There are no seams, that line on the front is just the fabric gathered. Thereās is boning on the sides, the band is firm and supportive but comfortable. The cups are soft, and the straps seem sturdy and surprisingly short enough and spaced just right for me. And *gasp* I have no wrinkles or gaps! (Which I get 99% of the time). Okay thereās a tiny bit of strap gap but itās hardly noticeable. The gore cut out is a bit weird would be better if solid but ...not a deal breaker.
Gives me a great shape, no straps falling off, everything fits really well. Itās pretty too.
Too bad I canāt find another one of this bra anywhere in my size! Brastop has it but my size is sold out. Sigh.
My only other experience with Parfait is the Charlotte plunge in 34FF which was laughably too large and tall in the cups. Iām going to try one of the other newer parfait bras and see if it works too.
*edit- as I thought, the weird cut out gore is causing me discomfort specifically that elastic piece at the bottom is causing some pain. I knew it! My guess is any cut out gore is going to give me issues :/ Read more 124 more words
For what it's worth, I believe Charlotte is more of an 'outlier' for Parfait. Very tall and bulky indeed.
So perhaps styles like the New York (from the same 'line' as the London) may work for you as well?
Oh and yay that this one works so well for you!
(:
Thanks for the suggestion! Maybe I can find the New York style for a decent price and try it out. Also good to know the Charlotte is considered tall. Im glad this one is short enough for me. Total fluke purchase that worked out yay ( most of the random bras Iāve tried did not work out at all lol)
All the Parfait bras are not discontinued lol. Parfait is just really good putting out a LOT A bras and then discontinuing the majority of them. Charlotte, tess and the crop top style one I think are the only ones that have stuck around for the long haul. If you go to their main website you can see their current offerings. But I have found that just googling the name and model of whatever bra I am looking for often brings up many of the lesser well known places to shop for bras. There are actually quite a few places that sell old and dead stock. Just gotta put in the effort to research for them. Good luck! I'm so glad it works for you. And I know how you feel! My favorite brand is Claudette and they've been defunct for A LONG time. But I can still find a few of their models here and there. My second favorite bra company (mini holliday) is now defunct as well (they made the BEST bras!!!).
Good to know That about parfait, but they sure do discontinue their bras quickly! I do look at a couple of online stores for old stock so maybe theyāll have something similar. Sorry to hear youāve had the same struggle! Hereās to good luck for both of us finding discontinued bras that fit
Supportive, plush, 1.2ā wide band that runs one/two size/s small. This 32 band stretches to 31ā and shallows the bottom of the cup simultaneously. My immediately projected breasts were flattened as the band stretched to 28.5ā around my underbust. Size Up. 26ā underbusts may fit the 30 band in this model.
Not suited for close-set, center full, immediately projected breasts. The cup was collapsing minutes after fastening the band. My breasts were creeping upward, trying to find more space. Unlike other bralettes, the elastics did not bite into my skin as my breasts moved upward. However, I wore this for less than five minutes. If you have shallow ...breasts, this may fit you well.
Lace fabric is softer than that used in Panache Andorra. It felt comfortable for the few minutes I wore it. The Mulberry color is spectacular and the prime reason I purchased this bralette.
The cup is tall and not a good fit for short-waisted and/or petite bodies. Sigh.
The apex of this bra sits several inches east/west of the apex of my breasts. Consequently, my breasts are smooshed back into my armpits and the braletteās side boning. Ouch.
Sigh. Center-full and close-set breasts, again, are difficult to fit in todayās bra designs. Read more 95 more words
How awful that it is so tight and not suitable for close set, center full, and pendulous breasts. I know exactly what you mean by the apex issue. I had the same problem with the Freya Daisy bralette. Itās such a beautiful colour though...
I ordered up a band size: Breakout Bras prepared me for the shorter band :-) Great option for some of us :-)
Oh darn! I have admired this bralette in this beautiful color. How disappointing that it wasn't a good fit for you.
I looks super compressing. Yuck.
That is gorgeous, I'm sorry it didn't work for you.
Awe, too bad it wasn't a good fit....It's so pretty. I love that colour.
cupandahalf You called it correctlyāāsuper compressing.ā Like usual my tissue was screaming. I immediately wore the Mirity which allows enough space for center fullness and sighed a breath of relief.
Iām perplexed by the major manufacturers and their apparent inability/reluctance to design a bra for center-full and close-set breasts. I live in stretchy off-brand creations from China.
What is the interior structure of this bralette like? Especially the cup "separation" area. Is it just a seam? Are soft center-full boobs just going to spill towards the middle?
This one fits me in all the right places. It brings my side-heavy breasts around to the front so they're not tucked under my arms. It is barely noticable as I wear it, I'm not adjusting the straps all day and it's sexy AF. I literally cried when I put this one on. Having large breasts on a smallish frame makes bra finding really, really hard - and then when they're are side-heavy, style-wise it is limited even more.
Solidarity on the side heavy breasts. So glad you found a win!
Love the red! I want something that fits me the way this fits you so freakin bad. Dream bra is comfortable but still attractive, and supportive, and keeps things contained! Though Iāve discovered āmy boobs trying to escapeā problem isnāt generally relatable with anyone who isnāt further along in the alphabet than me.
I did not want to give up on this bra. I have been searching for an unlined bra made of a knit or cotton fabric that wasn't absolutely hideous. This is pretty much the only one I have found so far (someone, anyone, help me!!). I ordered it in the size that I have had the best luck with at my current weight first (30FF). With the 30FF, the top of the bra cut into my tissue, so I ordered the 30G. I think the fit is pretty great with this one BUT there is a wrinkle on the seam on the right cup. This makes me wonder if the cup is a little too large in this area with a bonus of looking like a nipple through Tshirts. Hmmm. I am not sure, but I want to like this bra so much I might just walk around looking like I have headlights.
^The comment above was intended for your Deco ;-) Oops.
Giggle. The fit looks great! Perhaps washing it will help...? Good luck :-)
Lol, glad I can help! I thought the same thing about washing. I hope so!! Love4Pollinators
Just to say, I can only see it on the t-shirt shot because you mentioned it and I am looking for it.
I see what you're talking about on the bra but not the shirt picture. Otherwise, this looks really pretty!
There's the Flirtelle Leila Balconette Bra (7301) which is made of a cotton blend knit. There was also the Claudette Cool Cotton Underwire Bra (CD8008) which is discontinued but there's a few listed here and a few on eBay.
Shape: round, projected, even to FoB, close set, on the narrow end of average root width.
So, typically I fit splendidly in a UK 30E, but it's clear from other reviews that the cups run a size big in this bra. I kept my band size, sized down in the cups, and here we are with a 30DD. I haven't tried any of the other colorways, but once I heard that the Floral Shimmer ran much more narrow and projected it seemed prudent to give it a shot. And it's a great fit!
Pros: Compared to the much wider wires of the Panache bras I typically wear, these are ...nicely narrow and run about even with my tail of spence. The gore is higher than I would expect for a plunge cut, but it is more comfortable than my other high gore balconnets - I wonder if this is due to how projected the cups are? The projection is more accommodating to my center fullness, which usually leaves the gore resting uncomfortably on breast tissue. Not in this! The overall shape/side profile is VERY up, at-attention, and forward. Under shirts, it legitimately looks like I grew a full cup size or two thanks to the deep, projected cups. This could be a pro or con depending on whether you prefer a minimized look. Lastly, it's super comfy! The shiny fabric and interior cup foam is lovely and soft and it's basically invisible under (darker) t-shirts. Thumbs up.
Cons: This looks like a swimsuit. I'm not kidding! The thick molded cups coupled with the shiny print fabric give off a serious swimsuit vibe, especially paired with the matching bottoms (as a side note, I have 38" hips / 27" waist and the size small high waist briefs fit perfectly). Not a huge issue for me, just something to be aware of if you care about it. Also, if you have *any* asymmetry, the cups will not be forgiving. The bra fit perfectly to my larger breast, but I get a touch of gapping on my smaller side. It's not extreme, but again, something to be aware of especially if you have pronounced asymmetry. Cookies would probably help.
Overall, I'm very pleased. This is such a different fit to what I'm used to in my typical Panaches and Cleos, and I think I might have to hunt down more narrow, projected bras. I'm hooked. Read more 292 more words
Great review! It looks beautiful. I keep wanting to try this bra. I wish the floral shimmer had a separate listing here so I could filter the measurements since all the reviews suggest it's a very different Charlotte! Are you able to add a cup height measurement? I also appreciate the comments on the fabric as I've been wondering what it feels like in person.
letstalkaboutbras Cup averages about 5.5" tall. The exterior fabric is very soft, silky, and shiny. The cup interior is composed of a medium weight foam with exposed stitching where the cup is sewn together, so while soft and reasonably comfortable, if you're highly sensitive to seams inside the cup you *might* be bothered.
100percentawesome Thanks for that extra info! I meant to say earlier that I appreciate how you commented on the fabric in your original review - it's something I always look out for. :)
I had long admired the Parfait Charlotte from afar, knowing that the fit would be a horrible mismatch with my shape. Luckily PetiteCollegiate reviewed the new Floral Shimmer colorway and revealed that itās actually narrow and projected! So I couldnāt help but order this from Large Cup Lingerie during a sale, especially with the free shipping they provide. It was recommended to size down 1-2 cups for this colorway, depending on your fullness. I decided to size down one cup size since Iām more FoT, and it turned out to be quite correct. I was amazed already when I opened the package at how deep and ...narrow the cups were! Cup depth and wire width indeed measure very similar to a 60HH Comexim plunge.
Although Charlotte fits pretty well, itās not perfect for me for two reasons. First, the cups close in quite abruptly at the top. It doesnāt cause major quadboob but I'm still bulging over near the center, especially my bigger left breast. And I cannot wear this during the bigger times of a month. I think that extremely FoT/tall-rooted girls may want to stick to their usual cup size, or skip this one. Secondly, the gore is pretty wide. Itās apparently narrower than in the previous colors, but there is still space between the wires. And well, basically any gore that is higher than 5.5-6 cm will sit on my breast tissue. The wires are firm enough to kind of tack, but not so much that they would try to stab my boobs (like Panache ones).
The band runs pretty tight, and it fits me perfectly on the loosest hooks. The cups are very sturdy. Charlotte feels very supportive and pretty comfortable. Still, I can feel that Iām wearing it, and itās not necessarily something Iād choose to wear on a day off.
As an unpopular opinion, I was not incredibly fascinated by the new colorway of Charlotte, and would have preferred the older dusty rose or peach versions. I just loved those color combinations, and I felt that the seam pattern was more apparent and the style more vintage-looking in the solid-colored ones. However, now that Iām holding this beauty in my hands (or on my boobs) I donāt really mind so much anymore. I have never seen a pattern like this. It's just incredible.
I also got the briefs in size S, because XS wasnāt available (Large Cup Lingerie team told that Parfait had decided not to make them). Unfortunately, these were quite big on me and baggy in the back, so I returned them. However, this bra would look great with any pair of black panties.
Despite small fit issues, Iām very happy for this beautiful and original addition to my bradrobe! Read more 347 more words
It looks really great on you. Just yesterday I published my review of Floral Shimmer 30DD - Parfait By Affinitas Ā» Charlotte Padded Bra (6901). However I have tall roots so it doesn't fit me. It's too deep and close on top for me. Fortunately older colourways fit me 30E - Parfait By Affinitas Ā» Charlotte Padded Bra (6901).
This is stunning on you! :) I have written to Parfait about the lack of XS panties issue. It's so frustrating! I hate not being able to have a matching set, especially with how cute the high waisted briefs are in this set.
AbracaBra Thank you! :) I saw your review, that was a great comparison! The red one does look gorgeous on you. It's good that they have bras to match different shapes! PetiteCollegiate Thank you, on you as well! :) It's weird that they excluded the XS bottoms, these don't even run small or anything. The lady at LCL also said she would give Parfait feedback about it. Those briefs would be fabulous definitely!
Nml817 Thanks :-) When you, ladies, talk about bottoms, I have bikini and highwaisted briefs in S. Highwaisted in Red is ok but bikini in Floral Shimmer is also too big for me. And I'm really surprised Parfait don't want to make it in XS.
I made a little comparison of Charlotte in 30E in Red and Charlotte in 30DD in new Floral Shimmer. Floral Shimmer has definitely bigger and deeper cups which are also close on top. For full review look at my blog.
This bra has so many good points: it's stunning to look at, fits me really well and is incredibly comfy (I recently wore it for 20 hours which included coach journeys, SERIOUS shopping and standing up and dancing for 6 hours at a gig). However my only complaint is that it gives me points: teenytiny minimised super east west points to be exact!
Unfortunately after wearing it under bulky jumpers for a few times, I wore it for the first time under a tighter fitting top and felt rather self concious of my chest shape - could be great if you want to seriously minimise your bosom and ...don't mind the Madonna cone bra look, but it just gives me such an odd shape that this will definitely only be worn under looser fit items in the future! I was shocked on sitting down as my boobs were basically in my arm pits, yet very conical/pointy and just so strange looking I couldn't stop checking them out https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_confused.gif" alt=":-S" />.
My boyf bought this set for me for Christmas after I'd be lusting after it for ages - I have two sets of Parfait's Carole which are a dream to wear and this seemed to have a similar cut and aesthetic, making me think it would be just as good a fit and investment. Whilst it fits fairly similarly in band size / stretchiness, strap width, wire width etc which is all great for me I would say there are some fit differences which may make this bra a real deal breaker for some. This bra will not be compatible with anyone who has any upper fullness. It quad boobs slightly on my left larger breast which Carole doesn't at all. Although both bras have a stretchy lace cup with an outer trim, the trim and lace on Marianne is far less forgiving - perhaps because on Marianne there is more fine mesh used in the top half of the cups than in Carole? It also isn't suitable for anyone with any centre/inner breast fullness as this is where I get the worst of the quadding and I wouldn't describe myself as particularly full centred. It's almost shockingly shallow on the inner breast but doesn't have the stretchiness in the cup to accommodate tissue either. I've never come across a bra that fits in this way.
But for me the problem is not overly noticeable as I'm full on the bottom/even, I just wonder how anyone with more upper fullness would ever get a good fit in this bra.
Okay the real link is here: https://thepetitecollegiate.wordpress.com/2016/02/14/parfait-charlotte-surprising-perfection/