I bought this bra after some fitting advice that I might look into a 28C as opposed to a 28D. Unfortunately, this bra was not the answer to my fitting conundrum. The Angela, from TLBC, is a plain, push-up/plunge T-Shirt bra. It's an everyday basic, and from what I understand, supposed to fit a petite frame. This seems clear - the front of the bra, measured from one underwire to the other, is only 10 inches across. I had read some reviews stating that TLBC bras ran small in the band, as well, but I did not personally find this to be true. Now, this did not fit me. ...I normally post pictures of myself wearing the bra for my reviews, but I actually felt indecent wearing this. I bulged over the cups a lot (probably aggravated by the large amount of padding in this bra) so I can't really make recommendations about fit - I feel like the cups may run small, but I don't have much basis for comparison. However, I can say that this felt like a really nice bra, and even though I'll be returning it, I'd definitely recommend a look-see to someone in TLBC's size range. The bra was super soft and had very comfy underwires, to my surprise. The straps on this are fully adjustable and removable (but this is NOT a strapless, so don't wear it without them!) so you can make this a racerback or halterneck or whatever else. This does have only one hook closure per column, which is a little unfortunate, but probably not the biggest deal in this size. My one quibble with the quality is that the center gore is rather thin, and in my experience, these gores tend to wear out and stretch out quickly.
SO: Buy this bra if you're looking for an A-C cup, smooth, versatile bra with more than a hint of padding. Do not buy this bra if you think you might be a little past their size range, do not want a big boost, or if you're hoping for a 28-that-is-really-26 band. Read more 239 more words
This bra is an ultimate skip if you're small and shallow. I love the Mercedes bra from TLBC. That has level 3 padding and this is a 4-5 according to the website. The amount of padding is insane! I can't imagine someone my size wanting that much padding. I'm not fooling anyone with this bra. The cups are bigger than the Mercedes and I get insane gaping. I'm not sure sizing down would help. The bra is very pretty, but even if I didnt have gaping, the insane padding is still a turn off
I suppose there's a clientele for any amount of padding but this specific bra packs a wacky amount across a very tiny surface, basically creating an ultra narrow and projected cup shape which isn't super common for women who are naturally in this size range... I can see why it does not look like what you'd expect, and also it doesn't seem compatible with your natural shape (which has to fit behind it) hence the gaping.
First of all, my ideal size is somewhere between a 28C & 28D, with shallower, athletic breasts. I wear lots of lululemon sports bras in size 4 that seem to fit very well and pad enough with their added pad inserts.
This bra was quite the adventure trying to get it on and off around my broad shoulders & lats. the band does NOT stretch very much despite being a 30band, but once I got it on, the band felt extremely comfortable. However, trying to get it off was the biggest issue and the main reason why I returned it...if only this bra utilized hooks.
When I first put on ...the bra, the fit was ALL wrong...quad boobing, wrinkling at the bottom, etc. Most 30Cs tend to be too large on me but after scooping in, I was getting some serious quad boob! The top seam of the cup is definitely very low cut and cuts in a little. Not only that, but the cups seemed to sag a lot!
But then I realized that the straps might be too long, so I pinned up the straps and the bra fit 100% better...still minor quadboob in my left breast since that one is slightly bigger but what a difference shortening the straps (by 2 inches) makes! However, the bra is still extremely low cut and when I pull my shoulders forward, there is quite a bit of opening and gapping. This is probably due to the gore not tacking AT ALL but gapping out at least 1.5cm in front...probably because it is a soft-cup wireless sports bra. The straps are also very wideset so they cut into the front of my shoulders if I move my arms across me in an X shape.
Definitely do not think this bra will hold me in for some high intense, crossfit activity though once I shortened the straps, the shape looked pretty attractive. Unfortunately for the price, I could definitely just wear a standard t-shirt bra for casual wear or a lulu bra because their bands are stretchier and they don't still my boobs out. Read more 241 more words
The Little Bra Company calls the Angela bra a "Level 2" padded bra.....this bra has some pretty extreme padding. I really like how and where the placed the contoured padding/pump pad. I tried to take a picture of it's placement. It's almost as if a thick cookie was placed at the outer corner of the bra, it covers the complete outer side of the bra cup and half the bottom of the bra cup. It's quite effective at pushing the breast in and up. Above this padded portion the cup opens up fairly well to allow the displaced breast to rest, giving the wearer a wealth of cleavage. Technically speaking ...this bra should've been too narrow for me, but it never felt like it was sitting on my tissue. I didn't get any marks from it either. The band is too large for me. Even through the stretched measurement was only 28" which is small for a 30. I would have to say that TLBC is correct when saying their bands run about one size smaller that average brands. It also only has one hook per column and three columns. I really did not like how thin the band was, but i can certainly see the allure of a delicate almost invisible band. The straps are not wide set at all and they come up from the "middle" of the cup. I think this works really well on me and probably most women in this size range. Petite with narrow shoulders? This bra is for you. They carried quite a bit of the weight from my breasts and I had them lengthened as far as they would go. I would also have to say that they run about one size small in the cup as well, although the design of this bra leaves quite a lot of the breast uncovered. So maybe only a half a cup small. The less coverage a bra is supposed to have, theoretically the less depth it should have. I was pretty much falling out of the bra and when I first got it I was sure there was no way such a small bra would fit me. I wore it with a ribbed tank that hid the obvious quad-boob. I had pretty intense cleavage and a lot of people stared. I really like the feel of the materials, definitely not luxe and luscious feeling, but comfortably soft and smooth. Would be pretty supportive if you're wearing the correct band size/cup size. A 28D/DD would be ideal for me. I hope TLBC does extend their sizes to include more sizes within the 28 and possibly 30 band. They should mostly be focusing on band sizes 26-30, IMO cups A- at least D if not extending up to E/F. This would truly encompass the petite woman market. Read more 359 more words
I agree they should make these bras in larger cup sizes. I am a 30DD and narrow waisted and would love a petite bra. I tried one of their 34C bras and loved the closer straps and overall look of the bra but it just didn't work
Thank you bobbiesj I appreciate the boost of confidence! Totally erana , you could check out Skarlett Blue, Mimi Holliday , Natori, Calvin Klein, and Boux Avenue. SB has quite a few choices with narrower straps. The others not so much, but you can find them and they definitely have a more "petite" aesthetic. I feel pretty lucky that I can JUST pull off this brand, as long as i don't care about the cup being too small. They have this one I might recommend, it's called The Mercedes as it is kind of bigger than the rest of their bras. It's another one of those brands that make me want to start a petition to expand their sizes. Also one of the brands that's driving me to learn about pattern making so that I can create my own bra brand. I also find TLBC is the only petite brand to actually make petite bras instead of bras that have huge bands and very flat shallow cups (i.e. LuLa Petites) who's 32AA has the same depth as a 30B but is like 6" wide and essentially a flat cup. Terrible. You may want to learn how to move the straps in on your bras!
I should've listened when people said TLBC runs small...
The band is a single-layer lace except the area near the cups. I wasn't a huge fan of the lacy band in the picture, but I actally liked it when I received the bra. It runs about a size smaller in the band. Other bras that stretch to ~26" tend to be somewhat uncomfortable (my UB is around 26") at least at the break-in stage, but Yvonne actually felt pretty good band-wise, perhaps because the lacy band isn't as stiff as opposed to, say, Zia from Cleo. Also, I'm sure I could've stretched band a bit more, but since I ...am going to return this bra, I didn't put too much strain. The shoulder straps are removable and only adjustable half-way. I didn't have any problems with strap lengths.
The cups are molded and padded at the bottom. According to TLBC, it's padding level 2. The pads are not removable. The cups run at least a size small, maybe two. I get so much quadboob! I'd say it's shallow friendly, but because the cupsize is so off I'm not 100% sure. The wires are short and don't come up as much. There is a set of short sidebones.
I think this bra will be a better fit for someone who's 26B/C. It runs about a size small in band and 1-2 sizes small in cups. Other than the cups being too small, I didn't have much issues. The band was snug yet comfy, straps were fine, and wires didn't dig in. Too bad this doesn't come in larger cups (or run true to size..)
According to TLBC sizing, I should be in 30A or 32A. Seeing how this 28C's band feels good and cups are tiny I highly doubt 30A or 32A will fit. I would not trust their sizing method. Read more 199 more words
I have edited this review, please see note at the bottom beginning at "Edit:". I'm keeping the original review here just so that people can see what my initial thoughts were, even if I don't think it anymore.
This bra fits perfect, I mean perfect. I have it in a red colour. It gives nice cleavage.
The only thing about it is, it doesn't seem to have a centre gore so it doesn't tack to the sternum. Even though it IS an underwire bra. It just sort of... hovers? So you can't really use it as a guide to whether it fits. But ...anyway, it actually fits great. I think it's just this style - without a centre gore, it can't sit flat.
Also, if both my breasts were the same size as my leftie, I'd probably go up a cup size. It bulges just the slightest bit so a 30C would probably be a bit better. But since my leftie is smaller, and I find it really difficult to pad it up (my breasts are small and firm, so they don't really pad-up very well with cutlets or air pads or whatever), the fact that it fits my smaller boob fairly well makes it a winner. I think this bra, in particular, is very forgiving for asymmetry without needing to pad it. I think it's the lace over the top that smooths everything out.
It does not have as much push-up as the Isis but that's fine, it has a bit of pushup and moreso a push-together for cleavage! I love the lacy coverage and the plunge.
I have noticed that, whenever I try on other bras, 28 bands fit better in most brands (Curvy Kate, Cleo, Freya in particular) and 30 is too loose. But in TLBC bras, 30 fits best. So I believe TLBC size their bands almost an entire size small. I think they are trying to fit well to women who use the +4 measuring system and don't realize they shouldn't be adding inches. But anyway, this one fits good for me.
TLBC's bras are finnicky - some B cups fit me best and some C cups fit me best (all on a 30 band).
Update: After one week, I have to redact a lot of what I said about this bra before. I was wrong. This bra does not feel good and I cannot wear it for an entire day. I believe the problem is that, like I mentioned earlier, the gore (if you can call it a gore - it is more like a space between wires) does not tack, so the band does not contact the skin all the way around the ribs. This means that the pressure cannot be evenly distributed around my ribs, and I end up with the underwire digging into my ribs, at the very bottom-centre of each cup, right under my boob. Also, I have to take back what I said about the band being tight. It seems to just be the Isis which fits this way, not the Lucia. I've realized that this band is actually too big for me, even though I have the Isis in a 30B as well and the band on the Isis is VERY snug for a 30, even snugger than many 28s I've tried.
Note that Bratabase says that Isis does not fit me, and Lucia does. However, having had the Isis for over a month and having NO problems with it, it is very very comfortable, and having just recently returned the Lucia for not being day-wearable, I have to say that the Isis fits, and the Lucia does not. Read more 521 more words
I finally purchased a bra from TLBC. I followed their guidelines and purchased one band size and one cup size up putting me in a 36B (also used their calculator which came up with the same size). The band fit well but I could probably get away going down to a 34 band. The cups are a whole other issue - too narrow and too deep, even with the push up pads in place I couldn't come close to filling out the top of the cup and the apex is very high so lots of extra material. If I sized down to a 36A/34B the cups would be even narrower, no way I could make this bra work in any size.
The quality of the bra was good, the material was soft and comfortable and the wires were medium stiffness, I liked the high wings and the side boning wasn't uncomfortable.
I think you would need very narrow roots and lots of projection to make this work. Not good for shallow breasts.
This bra is so small, SO SMALL. Both band and cups are about two sizes too small IMO. If I have to guess it's more like 24C/D. The band is extra wide with 3 hooks. The cups have non-removable paddings. There are also pockets for extra pads, and the bra comes with a pair of cookies that are about 1.5 times thicker than those from Ewa Michalak. The straps are fully adjustable and thick.
I was able to wear this for only 1 or 2 seconds as the band was tiny. My absolute tightest UB is around 24.5" so I could hook it but obviously it wasn't going to work so I quickly took it off. The cups were quadding really badly even without the cookies. There are two sets of sidebones, back to back from each other.
I'm probably going to exchange this with 32C. I will leave more detailed review if that one fits.
If you're a true 28C try the Freya Deco Soft Cup, the ThirdLove push-up, or the TOMGirl Yoga Bra.
TLBC sizes run small and are non-standard.
I heard TLBC run small but didn't expect it to be this small :-/ Good news to someone who actually needs 24 I suppose. But yeah, Deco Softcup fits me pretty well.
I wrote a guide to finding 28C bras because they are the hardest size to find.
I don't wear this bra very often because every time I do wear it I can't wait to take it off at the end of the day. I feel like it’s slighty constricting but it might just be the style (I'm not a fan of padded/push-up bras). I can say that the cup separation suits me well. Since I don't wear it very often I'm not sure if it stays in place throughout the day. It is quite beautiful and I'm curious to see how it would fit in a different size but given the amount of padding I don't think I will be buying another one.
I would suggest buying a larger size. This bra has entire inch less of cup depth that you need. You would probably fit the 28B or C much better. And remember, the larger the cup size, the less padding. I am interested in what your circumferential measurements are? A 28" rib cage and a 30" bust (may be, I'm guessing here). Let me know, I'd like to help you find bras! I've gone through almost all your bras and they all appear to be too small for you in cup depth. With a horizontal perimeter of 5.5" inches, your cup depth should be about the same but the majority of them are 5". If you could post pictures of you in the bras, it will help ALOT with figuring out your shape and the style of bra that you need.
Thank you! You are absolutely correct that I am 28 rib cage and 30 bust. I've recently discovered that most of my bras are too small and so I've started searching for 30B's. I tried on the Natori Feathers in 30B at Nordstrom and it fits great. I recently purchased a Victoria's Secret bra in 30B that is pretty good but still doesn't seem shallow enough. I will try and post that at some point. I'm having a hard time finding bras that are shallow enough and reasonably priced. I've only tried a few 28 bands (all were A cups) and they all were too tight in the band (with the exception of a the TLBC Courtney which has a very stretchy lace band). However, I do realize a cup that is too small can cause the band to feel too tight. I've yet to try any 28B or 28C mostly because 28 bands are harder to find but I wonder if that would be more appropriate considering my bust measurement is 30" and I probably shouldn't be wearing a band size that matches my bust measurement.
When you say "The larger the cup size, the less padding" does this mean larger cup sizes are literally manufactured with less padding?
Thanks again for your input. I will consider posting pictures.
Yes mahcin A D cup bra will have less padding then a C cup bra, a B cup bra with less padding than an A cup bra. Although the little bra company may have less of a difference in padding then most brands.
This bra brings the boobs to the front and center of attention! This was one of the rare times in my life that I felt like I had cleavage, except this time it was in a bra that didn't add huge amounts of padding. It was also the first time I had ever experienced quad-boob, which is only the beginning of the fit issues I had. The band was WAY too tight and I had deep red marks for hours. I spilled out the front and sides of the bra, something that had never happened before, and somehow it made it seem like I was in a bullet bra. The worst thing was that even though I only wore it for about 2 hours, I could still feel pain in my breasts for up to 24 hours afterwards. It turns out TLBC runs small in the band and the cup, so technically this fit more like a 26B. Too bad, it was pretty and would be excellent for a night out when you need some oomph.
I bought this bra in both a 28B and 28C at the same time, because I'd never had a small enough band before and wanted to compare what cup size might be right for me. As I said for my 28B, it's a lovely bra, sturdy feeling, seems to stay up strapless in my initial testings, the dark nude color is quite nice, and I like that the rather bulky extra padding is removable. Surprisingly (to me, anyway), this still seems like the cup size might be too small for me! Again, even as someone who seems fairly shallow, I get a quad boob, though definitely less exaggerated than with the 28B. Everything else about this bra works for me; I like this model.
Trying to decide if I should stick with this or not, since it seems a 28D might be more ideal. Unfortunately, they don't carry this size, so I can't make an easy comparison!
Update: I've since tried the smooth Sascha in 30C, and the cup size was definitely better for me!
This bra is currently my best fitting bra, and I kind of love it.
So, I've tried the smooth Sascha in 28B, 28C, and 30C now. 28B was way too small to bother, and the 28C was better, but still gave me quad boob even without the pads. They don't make 28D (to my great disappointment), so I sized up to 30C. And finally, some cups that fit!
Honestly, the cups really are a great-feeling fit. No gapping even when I hunch my shoulders. No quad boob, with or without the pads. And while my bigger and smaller breasts fit slightly differently, they both work fine with or without different ...levels of padding. The underwire is nice and wide, which I've found I want. I should note that the gore doesn't tack perfectly, but it feels comfortable, and it's very nearly touching at the top, so I don't mind. I had problems with the 28C cups just barely coming up high enough to cover my nipples (which are not especially large), but that's fixed with this size.
My only (minor) issue is that, well, I'd still really like to try a 28D. As you may be aware, The Little Bra Company's bands are quite tight, so as someone with a ribcage in the vicinity of 26", I am just fine in their 28 bands. The 30 band is definitely acceptable - it doesn't ride up, it stays in place when I lift my arms, and the straps aren't doing any work holding things up (so, while I have yet to wear it out strapless, I'm pretty sure it'd be fine). But I just like the tighter feel of their 28 bands. It's not a huge deal, and when it stayed pretty much in place during a whole night of dancing (great test for a new bra), I knew I'd be keeping it.
I still have occasional problems with straps falling down, but I think that's just something about my shoulders. I like that I still have a small amount of cleavage without the extra padding, or more if I do put the cutlets back in. The shape it gives me is great.
The construction of the bra seems solid. The dark nude color matches me well enough. It's a great basic bra, so not the prettiest thing, but I like the look of it, particularly strapless. Read more 283 more words
This bra is definitely meant for narrow set breasts. It fits me very well, except for the sides, where I tend to "spill out." The lace makes this bra a bit harder to wear. I like to wear smooth low neck tank tops, and this bra shows through and the lace peeks out.
This bra is gorgeous and extremely soft. I think it fits me pretty well other than the fact that I feel a bit squished/flattened in it. I think a 28D would fit perfectly because the cups are Very shallow. Another thing to consider is the lace: it's very stretchy!
This bra is gorgeous. It works really well for shallow, wide set breasts. My only issue with this bra was that the band was too big for me. That's just because I had ordered the wrong size though. In most little bra company bras, I'm either a 28C or a 30B. In their Sascha bra, however, I'm a 32A.
This is probably the best strapless bra I've ever owned. It stays in place, and definitely gives my girls some lift. It's also very comfortable...with the straps on I've never had to adjust. It never rides up. It stretches just a bit over time but not much. This bra is definitely very small for a 32A. I'm normally a 28C or a 30B, but the 32A in this model fits me perfectly.
I LOVE that they have smaller band sizes. This was my second bra from TLBC, the first one didn't fit quite right and I exchanged for this one. After finding this didn't quite fit either, I didn't want to pay the shipping AGAIN just to find another bra that didn't fit. My problem with TLBC: their cups are too close together, on both of the bras I tried from them. I love how much cleavage this bra gives me, and I love the removable straps and padding inserts. The straps are fully adjustable too, which is nice. Although the cleavage is wonderful, it also gives me nasty underarm fat and some ...back fat hanging out. I don't think the band is too small, rather I think it is too big because I can pull it out from my back quite a bit. The underarm & back fat must be from not having correctly placed/sized cups. It's hard for my body shape because I have very small breasts and a very small waist, but I also have a somewhat larger ribcage and shoulders (I think). So I need a tiny band but the cups can't be so close together. Read more 86 more words
I've a tiny bit of a quad-boob, which sucks, but without padding it fits rather nicely. Comfortable and stays up all day. Not the cutest, but it looks structurally good at least, and I think it is as well.
For reference, my ideal size measures between a 28C/D with a 27.5" underbust and 31.5" around the bust. My left boob is a little larger than my right boob.
This is probably the best fitting strapless bra I have gotten in terms of cup size and band width. The band definitely fits like a 28 band and I am generally on the middle hook on this bra. I heard that the cups in this bra tend to run smaller than most other 30C cups...and therefore they fit me well! I tend to not fill many 30C cups all the way depending on the shape, but this Sascha bra seems ...to fit a shallower breast very well. My left side is a little more bulgey out of the top with the strap holding it up, but the right fits in perfectly. I can utilize the padded cutlet on the right to help balance.
One visual imperfection I noticed that happens when using the strap is that the hook in the cup where the strap attaches tends to pull upward and indent (see pic)...just a constructional flaw I noticed. If the hook was a bit higher near the top of the cup, or the cup wasn't as foamy, it might not dent as much. With the straps out, the cup looks smooth without indenting.
Lastly, this bra definitely gives my little boobs some oomph!! Definitely a good pushup factor and lifts them very well. Read more 131 more words
I suppose there's a clientele for any amount of padding but this specific bra packs a wacky amount across a very tiny surface, basically creating an ultra narrow and projected cup shape which isn't super common for women who are naturally in this size range... I can see why it does not look like what you'd expect, and also it doesn't seem compatible with your natural shape (which has to fit behind it) hence the gaping.