Gorgeous bra super comfortable perfect for my soft tissue full on bottom narrow breast. It fits perfect just the breast projection it gives is not for me. I like my breast to look more rounded than pointy
This review is for the new Floral pattern. This bra's construction is very wonderfully sturdy. In my test wear I found it to be surprisingly comfortable, the strap was just starting to rub a little after a few hours, but I think it would be very comfortable to wear all day. The band is very firm but runs a little large to counteract this--it fits me perfectly at a 31" ribcage with squish. The cups are very nicely deep, I found them to run a cup size large and sizing 1 cup down fit me perfectly. The wires aren't too hard and didn't bother me. I tried it ...on under clothing and it looked smooth, pattern showed thru a little bit. It is somewhat closed on top which is great for me--there was a slight gape on my smaller side but only when I sit down. I found this bra to add some volume to my bust which I like. It does make a slight noise of foam being rubbed together if the cup is pushed on. I found the shape very pleasant; it's quite rounded. Overall this is a great bra and will definitely be a part of my regular rotation. Read more 95 more words
Thanks for this review. I wish the new colorway were listed separately on here as it seems really different in measurements to the old ones. I think I might need a 28G or 30FF if I were to try it. When you say it looked smooth under clothes, do the seams show through?
They don't show under my loose shirt. Under a tight shirt they probably would.
Bought it final sale without trying it on (smart, I know). The cups seem pretty big for a 30D, and are way too big for me. Probably better for someone who is more full on top, and maybe in between 30D-DD.
Second try at this bra. The Floral Shimmer pattern has been made deeper than previous models, mostly at the apex. The cup has not been made and shorter, but it has been made narrower. It now runs about a cup size large--I am typically 32F and the 32F was way too large in the cups, this 32E fits me perfectly in the cups but the band is way too large at 33 in and rides way up my back. I'm surprised--I thought Parfait bands were known for running tight. I'll have to exchange this again for a 30F.
That's weird - I just got 32E floral and I have to wear it with an extender on the first hook. I'm just right in 32 panache, AP, and 70 Comexim. Maybe they have inconsistencies?
Thanks for your review - I was tempted to try past colorways but now I won't since the cups were wider. :)
Maybe there is an inconsistency--the 32F I tried before was fine in the band. I hope I don't regret exchanging it for a 30F...
I went up to a GG from a G on this bra and quad boob is gone but I think the wide cup is just not for me. The gore still won't tack. On my smaller side I will need a cookie. The plus of this bra is the 4 hook band...great for smoothing out back fat.
Why can't finding bras be easier??? And also why do the US and UK size show as GG for both on the label? Just adds to the sizing confusion https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_sad.gif" alt=":(" />
I have decided to keep this bra as I like the rounded look in my ...shirt plus the back fat smoothing. The gore not tacking leaves a hint of cleavage which is fabulous.
EDITED TO ADD: I wore this bra for the first time - I felt very "front and center" in it and also the cups I could feel under my arms. Not necessarily a bad thing as there's more coverage - just different from a bra with a shorter band width - Ewa Michalak, for instance, my chest feels uplifted and out of my way. Read more 81 more words
If you like this bra but need narrower wires and maybe more projection try the Charlotte that is the floral pattern. They remade it. I can't remember who tried it but they loved it.
It was PetiteCollegiate who did the review. Here's was a 28DD but she did a full blog review with helpful info for all sizes.
Thank you pumkinswife ! I will read her review.
I also read petitecollegiate's review and bought a Floral print in 32FF. It's coming this week, so I will post a review on it this Saturday.
Happy with this bra. Fits well even with a bit of the top of the gore not quite tacking. It is a little longer than my other bras so I will live with it. The tag says the USA and UK sizes are both a G. Puzzled by this as my other Charlotte in the same size says it is an I in USA sizing. The two bras fit the same and measure the same despite this.
I found this bra online and was quite excited to find a cute bra in my size! When it arrived, the first thing I noticed was that it looked a bit different that I expected (though it was still definitely nice looking). The first appearance discrepancy is that the black seaming does not go quite as high as I had expected from stock pictures of it. The second difference was that the straps were visibly much wider than stock photos indicated. In regards to the cup, the bra gave me some nice cleavage and the gore tacked but overall it was not a very good fit. The cups were ...much too high on the sides for me to wear. I also had a bit of quadboob in the center, while not quite filling up the upper outer part of the cup (by the straps). The straps were nice and thick, but definitely much too wide set. The band actually fit quite well. It has 4 hooks, which results in a wider band which I liked. It fit true to size, so I have no complaints there. It really is a nice bra, it is just much too wide for me. If you tend to prefer bras with wider cups and taller wings, this could be a good fit for you. Read more 109 more words
the cup depth is . . . nowheres near what i would expect from a 32J
It does use UK sizing. I think that maybe they use the tall cups and gore to compensate for the shallowness of the cup because that way you still end up with a similar volume, though I'm not really sure
RollsAndCurves I'm tall so it wasn't so bad in the front. But the part that goes into my armpit was just ridiculous with how tall it was
**EDIT** As of around the middle of November, this bra no longer fits. It is at least one cup size too small and if I swoop and scoop and stand up properly I pop out. I still wear it because I don't have many options but I have to stuff myself right in. However, the band, wires, and straps no longer bother me at all.
After wearing both 32dds and 32ddds for a while, I was dissatisfied with the fit-bands were loose, cups were iffy at best (dd's were too small, ddd's were too big). I remeasured myself and instead of rounding up my 31 inch ribcage to ...32, I rounded down to 30. I found this bra on Ebay for the right price and ordered it. I did not have high hopes. I was not a fan of Melissa's colouring-I was afraid the white would be too matronly. However, I feel in love as soon as it arrived. The baby pink (not that taupeish colour seen in pictures) offsets the white and makes it look younger. I like the back and how the straps continue along the top edge of the back. After seeing so many plain ugly bras in my size in my price range, I am ecstatic to find something so cute and pretty that I can actually afford. The mesh on the wings is not totally opaque which makes it look less like a workhorse and more like something found on bras in traditional sizes. When I tried it on, I found the bra to be pretty comfy and a pretty great fit, especially after wearing the wrong size for so long. The gore tacks, my tissue is all contained, there's no quadboobing or gappage. I get a great shape, uplift and cleavage-this bra seriously does wonders for my boobs and it doesn't show under clothes. I can even run up stairs without worry. However, this bra is not all rainbows. I have 3 main complaints with this bra. The underwire comes pretty high up on the sides and it bothers me slightly, although I believe this is because I am petite. This is not extremely uncomfortable at all, it is something I can deal with. It just means I am aware of the bra through out the day. Second issue-the straps. These straps are soooo wide set it's ridiculous. They disappear right in my armpits and rub throughout the day. It is uncomfortable, but bearably so. 3rd, the band is kind of tight. I measure at a 30 but this only stretches to 28. This is a minor complaint as well as I hope it will soon stretch just right.
Tldr: Pros: beautiful, great shape, relatively comfy, gore tacks, narrowish wires, smooth shape under clothes Cons: wide-set straps, highish wires, tight band Read more 358 more words
Hey! I also measure about 31 underbust and when I first started my bra journey I committed myself to wearing 30s because my experience with bras in 32DDs as well, they had been so loose on me. However, these bras were Maidenform, Victoria's Secret, etc. In those brands the materials they use are a lot stretchier. In brands like Parfait with better construction the materials stretch a lot less. Like you said this one only stretches to about 28. Like you I think, because I had my mind so set on "32s are too big for me," I was wearing Parfait and Panache 30s which only stretched to 28-29 and I had wrote it off also as "bearably uncomfortable" and hoped they would stretch. Bras will not stretch 3 inches any time soon. In a good bra like this that kind of stretching will take many months of common wear. There will be some brands you will be comfortable in a 30 such as Freya, but for brands that run tighter like Parfait and Panache I really recommend you try a 32 and I think you'll find it gives you all the same support without the discomfort! I hope you don't take this to be rude, I'm just trying to save you from what I went through.
I understand, my ribcage is around 28.5/29. I usually have to compare measurements and reviews to find which way I should round, depending on the original (estimated) stretched length and amount of stretchiness over time.
wild_muses I had no idea that Panache ran tight-thanks for letting me know! As this was my first 30 band I just thought that it would be tight until I got used to it. My main bra before was a Freya 32 band which was loose-I knew that different brands had different tightnesses but it never occurred to me that that's what could be happening here but it makes sense. I should have mentioned in my review that the band looks tight but I can easily pull it away from my back a good couple inches. My next bra coming in is a Freya-I can't wait to see the difference in tightness. I think if I order another Panache I will try a 32 band and see how big the difference is and what one I prefer. distractedmyth , that's a good idea. Before I just thought that once you measured up once that was your size no matter what (can you tell I'm new to this whole properly fitted bra thing?) unless the brand's band was horribly off. Lucky me though seems to be finding the bras that either no one's reviewed yet or only one person has.
I really do like this bra. I've owned a few in different colours and sizes in the last couple of years. One thing I will say is that Charlotte's sizing is very consistent. I've found that is true with other Parfait models. Try this bra if you are tall and generally shallow rooted. This bra is very comfortable and the band is stretchy but snug. It is not as firm as a Freya Deco, but the strong elasticity of the band coupled with the 4 row hooks will give you a very stable and secure feeling. I have almost no bounce in this bra.
What a sultry looking bra. I loved this bra when I saw it on Zulily, and just had to have it (and its matching sheer shorts with garter straps!). Once I got it though, I never wore it. Seriously. It sat in my bra drawer for months. I'd pull it out, try it on, admire it, and put it back.
The basic description: The bra I'm reviewing is a 30FF, leopard print Leslie. The Leslie is a balconette style (not as full-cupped as the Florence balconette, but higher than a halfcup). It's got three hooks in the back (a feature I love) and wide, (non convertible, shame) straps. The ...wires are soft and flexible, like the Parfait Kimberly balconette and demi styles.
So why don't I wear this bra?
First, as I've noticed with Parfait bras, it created a bit of an east-west effect on me. On someone with less center-heavy boobs, it may just create a classic hourglass shape, but on me it was definitely out to the sides a little too much.
Second, the gore never really tacked on me (once again thanks to my center heavy boobs). Under a shirt, I just looked wide and shallow, and I tend to prefer the front/center/narrower appearance of unlined freya bras and cleos. If I'm going for a wide-shallow look, it better have lots of cleavage, and the Leslie does not provide.
Third, as much as I admire the appearance, the fabric and the seams show under tight shirts (The sheer black/leopard overlay on the bra is not flush, you can shift it away from the molded cup below it). Finally, I bought this bra because I think its sexy and sultry and hot. But I don't get any cleavage at all (very surprising for me, as the Kimberly balconette gives me plenty). So while I love the look of this bra, it is neither functional enough nor cleavage-y enough for me to actually wear it for anything. Read more 219 more words
This is a gorgeous, moulded, demi-cut bra. The multi-layered bow and victorian charm are a classy touch.
The band is tight for a 30, which is nice. The 30F only has two hooks (when you go up to a FF there are 3!). The straps keep the pinstripe look going, but it is not as decorative as the thicker straps of the 30FF. The downside to the pinstriped straps means they are only halfway adjustable. While I normally have to do some serious strap adjustment, I didn't in this bra, so the partially-adjustable straps weren't a problem.
The cup is shallow in the center, like most Parfait's ...I've tried. That being said, the gore does tack despite my quadboobing. However, there is some serious shape incompatibility. My center heavy boobs get pushed up and out by this bra, causing a bit of an east-west appearance. On me, the apex of the bra is out to the sides (I swear I look like a box when I look down on it - flat from the front all the way out to the seam, then straight back to my sides). A friend tried it on though (shallower, more FOT boobs, not center heavy at all) and she looked stunning in it despite it being a size too big. No weird apex stuff at all. I get cleavage in this bra. Not deco cleavage, and not squished up cakes on a plate cleavage, but classy, gently rounded top and center cleavage (ignore the quadboob). The lace on the top of the cups will show through a thin shirt.
Despite the shape incompatibility, I love this bra. The pinstripes make me feel like a classy, sexy 1920's gangster. I seriously wish I could wear it as a top. Every time I put it on I feel like I need a fedora and a martini. If only it fit my boobs better! Read more 210 more words
Parfait Lola is such a pretty lady! She's been discontinued for so long that I managed to pick one up in black and white on Amazon for $15.
This bra is amazingly comfortable, probably one of the most comfortable bras I've ever worn. The padding is thicker than my Freya padded half cups and even my Masquerade Medina, it's noticeably squishy. The shape it gives me under tops is pretty close to my favorite - the nice pointy uplifted green shape. The only thing interrupting it is the seam between the padded part and the stretch lace part. My Freya Daydreamer is a bit better at the green ...shape in that respect. Wires are a beautiful width and height for me and the gore seems a bit lower and less stabby than the other new bras I've purchased.
The band runs a full band size tight, allowing me to start on the loosest hooks. It's at least an inch shorter than the Freya bra I'm wearing today, I compared them before trying them on. So 28-band ladies should snap this style up!
The one aspect of the bra that doesn't work as well with my boobs is the stretch lace. It's not truly stretch lace, it just has some elastic at the edge. My roots are a bit too tall for the elastic to do its thing properly, so it slides down my boob ever so slightly and makes a little wrinkle near the padded part. If I pull it up to where it should sit, it doesn't stay there. If the elastic was strong enough to stay there, it would cut in. So I would say that it suits ladies with average root height better (and having a bit more separation between the breasts at the top of the root would help too).
To sum up, this bra will work beautifully on people who are even/FoB, average projection, close-set, and a little bit Nike swooshy in IMF. It's not quite swooshy enough for my IMF, but the wires are a bit padded so they aren't poking anything. Read more 238 more words
After trying on the 32DD in this bra and getting a pretty good fit, I thought there was no way the larger cups of the 32E would fit me. Wrong. Not only did the cups on the 32E fit, they were much more comfortable. The band also felt much more comfortable (not quite as snug) as the band on the 32DD despite being the exact same measurements. There is no quadboob effect on my larger side (left side) in this one, and as long as I swoop and scoop first no gaping on my smaller side. The top edge of the bra is ...higher up on my breasts but still follows the contour well with no gaping. The apex of the horizontal seam also sits just a little higher. The side wing and outer edge of the cup are slightly higher but don't come up too high under my armpit (hooray!).
The differences in the photos between the 32DD and the 32E are so slight that it's hard to see, but I was amazed at how much more comfortable the larger size was. The funny thing was, the smaller size wasn't even uncomfortable, just not as comfortable as the bigger cup size. Lesson learned, try on both sizes if at all possible.
*See my review of the 32DD Charlotte Balconet Bra for pictures of the 32DD. Read more 127 more words
Oh I can see the difference! Good for you for venturing further.
Thanks!
Just an FYI for those that ran a comparison between these two bra's measurements, I had two incorrect measurements that I have now fixed. The cup width was very wrong on the 32E and the cup depth was a little off on the 32DD.
The comparison probably needs to be run again in order to get a better idea of the difference in measurements. I also added two pictures that compare the two sizes with each other. Sorry for the oops!
OK, just checked and the comparison updated itself with the correct measurements, so no need to re-run it.
The band probably feels not as snug because the cups are bigger, giving your boobs more room to fit into them rather than pushing your boobs into the band & taking up band space. Even if the cups are minimally too small, it can make the band feel tighter :) Looks good!
I've tried this bra in a few sizes 30DD, 30E, 32DD. With the 30E and the 32DD I got a lot of gaping near the center, I think a molded plunge may not be my best style, but I like having a plunge bra. After trying the sizes I thought would be best I went ahead and got a 30DD, I still can get some gaping if I don't have the straps fairly tight, but also can get some quadding. The quadding under most shirts isn't really noticeable and without a shirt, I feel I get the intended look of the bra. I like the look the Jeanie and the Casey (I ordered a Casey in a 30DD as well), but think they may not be the best style for an ideal fit for me. I think the underwires on the Casey fit me a bit better though I prefer the smoothness of the Jeanie cups.
Since nobody has added this bra to Bratabase yet, I figured I would at least share my thoughts of it when I tried it on. No measurements, sorry! I didn't want to actually purchase the bra unless it fit, and I didn't have a measuring tape with me in the store.
The bra was very pretty, would make a nice bridal bra, and I believe that's the intent of the Elissa collection. One of the jewels on the bow at the gore fell off when I put the bra on, but I don't know if that's a measure of Parfait's quality or the sad state of the Kohl's clearance ...rack where I found the bra.
The band is very snug; I was able to use the loosest hooks to fasten it, though I think if I were to wear it for an extended period I'd want the middle hooks. It has the silicone stuff on the band that helps keep the bra from falling down, which limited the stretch. (For reference, my ribcage measures 26.5" snug and I'm pretty happy in Freya 28s.)
Cups were sadly too small, too shallow, and too closed on top for my 28F boobs. The cups were tall, but not tall enough to keep from interfering with my tall roots. I had a ring of quadboob around the top edge of the cup outlining exactly where my root ends (which was quite educational, actually, but not how I'd want my boobs to look for an entire day). The wires felt like they were barely staying in my IMF, I'm sure if I had it on longer it would have slid down. I took one look at myself in the mirror after swoop and scoop, laughed, and then took it off.
I'm not sure what shape this bra would work for - it seemed like it has similarities to many of the other strapless bras on the market. Closed on top and shallow are a combination that doesn't work for many people. Read more 225 more words
First impression: This is a wide bra. The band is wide (yes!), the straps are wide (yes!), the wires are wide (no!), the gore is wide (no!), everything is wide.
This is a true to size 30 band. I stretched it (fairly hard) to 78cm (30.7") and I can easily fit a fist under the band on the loosest hook. It doesn't seem to ride up too much though so I didn't mark the band as too loose.
The cups run small. I think they fit me volume-wise but are too wide and too closed on top, especially near the centre gore. It wrinkles a little on my smaller boob and ...quads in the middle on my bigger boob, though it's not terribly obvious.
I'm actually surprised by how much I like the colour. It's a very light ashy grey. I don't care for the pinstriped pink bow (which is also quite wide) or the heart-shaped white trim on the seam between the opaque and mesh sections (which shows under thin tops). The overall look is fairly plain but not ugly.
It's a reasonably comfortable bra but not a perfect fit and I don't think it flatters my bust. I'll hang on to it for now and see how it holds up. Read more 99 more words
I tried this on knowing it probably wouldn't fit. It's a 30D, and I'd need at least a 30DD. It's a cute bra. And for the price I paid, I wish I found my size. The straps seem kind of wide. There was some quad boob at the top, but some space at the bottom. I don't know if a bigger size would have made it fit better.
My shape: slightly shallow teardrop/FOB with super wide/tall roots and very close-set tissue in the middle
This review is for the darker Nude colorway.
I won this bra as part of an underwear set in a blog contest and was thrilled because it was the first bra I was going to get that fit me properly. Well, after I exchanged it for the right size, because as it turns out, it didn't actually run small in the band OR the cups... but now I can't say enough nice things about the customer service at Affinitas, who were super helpful, very accommodating, and fast! Nicest people ever.
Ok, back to the bra: ...The nude color is not actually nude on someone as pale as I am (or really anyone who hasn't been tanning for a few months...), but that isn't really noticeable under clothes. On the other hand, it's very pretty for a t-shirt bra. I only wish I could have gotten another one in the blue colorway when it was still available.
The cups are very stiff. This is good for a lot of people, and fine for me most of the time, although they do gap a little when I let my shoulders fall forward. They give a lovely rounded shape, though, and it's like wearing boob armor.
My only issues with this bra are the wires, which are too narrow for me, and the angle the cups are cut in on the outer top edge. The straps are rather far apart, so this probably is part of the issue, but it really is the shape of the cup. It cuts into the soft tissue around my underarm and shoulder if I don't keep my shoulders pulled back in perfect posture all the time. I mean, it's great motivation to stand up straight, but it still hurts after a little while. I am hoping this will resolve itself at least a little after another wash or two.
All in all, a great bra. I am really glad I own it, and the strap thing won't stop me from wearing it as much as I can.
6 month Update: This bra actually shows through a lot of my thinner shirts now, for more reasons than just the dark color: the top of the cups has curled out and now there is an inescapable ridge that can only be hidden by decoration or a neckline, or perhaps a thick woven fabric. On the plus side, it no longer cuts in under my arms as much, and it is still as armor-y as ever. It also doesn't appear to have stretched at all, but I have lost some weight or gained some muscle or something and now it is pretty obviously too loose on me. I'd sell it because it's still in great shape, but I don't think anyone would want it because of the ridge on the cups. Le sigh. Read more 374 more words
if its just the band, you could try an extender