Figleaves Boudoir: Carmen 34G Bra & Thong


Hey folks! It has been a while. I'm excited to have a couple of bras by Figleaves' house brands up on deck for review. Their Figleaves Boudoir collection caught my eye as the designs are quite sexy and fashion-forward at an affordable price point for large busts (some styles are not full bust but others go up to a G-cup in a 30-38 band).

Available in B-G cups up to (I think) a 36 band

The first style I'm reviewing is Carmen. When I first saw it my reaction was plainly: FINALLY A CAGE BRA! Sure, cage bras/harnesses and the like are probably 'so 2015' now but I will never tire of them. Plus Carmen now comes in a purple and floral colorway, as well as being expanded to other configurations such as a babydoll and bodysuit.
 
Looks:
Carmen does truly satisfy that 'cage bra' itch I've been dying to scratch. It has one 'cup' of mesh black fabric with another layer on top that creates the vague illusion of a half-cup. The two meet in a very creative and interesting-looking strap design which tickles me pink after wearing a variety of uber-thick straps from other full-bust bras. I find the fabric itself to be fairly comfortable and, as you can see, it is fully sheer. The outer layer of mesh fabric is not attached. This was a bit vexing for me, as it would easily get disheveled and fold down, ruining that clean line. 



Fit:
I will start by saying that Carmen runs small in the cup. The wires run quite narrow as well, (for me, as I have average to wide roots), which did pinch a bit on the sides. Other complaints are that the straps are very long for me which is not a problem I usually run into. I had to tighten them quite a bit, but annoyingly they slide down very easily after regular wear. Despite these complaints, I still love this bra and didn't find the size incompatibility to ruin the shape which is fairly uplifted and not overly pointed (perhaps a natural-to-round shape is the best way to put it).




I did run into an issue that surprised me. Usually when I scoop-n-swoop, I pull on the bra where the strap meets the cup to put my opposite hand in to scoop. My other bras are elastic enough that doing this has become second-nature. But when I did it to Carmen, maybe the fabric was too rigid or the straps not stretchy enough--Not sure!--the mesh fabric tore a bit where it meets the cup. You can see the little hole on the right. I was pretty bummed that it got damaged, and frustrated it would fall apart so easily. This happened the day that I got it, so it was not a normal wear-and-tear situation. So be warned, the mesh is not particularly stretchy and behave accordingly.

Comfort:
I find Carmen to be a very comfy bra, despite the fit issues described. The only complaint I have is with the narrow wires. I've worn it both in sexier situations as well as under my regular clothing and I was surprised how much I liked it. However, I don't really wear Carmen out and about as a daily bra. Part of me wants to preserve it for more fun stuff, part of me feels like it's not quite the right shape and size so it's not ideal. Sometimes, I guess because of its transparency, I feel a bit too exposed even under my regular clothing. The straps and style are very fun though and I have worn it with a low-cut black dress for going out to expose the sheer details.

Please pay no heed to the giant bruises on my ass.
Briefs: 
 I wish the thong (Size 14 UK, per usual) worked for me. Strappy ones don't tend to work great though, as they cut in quite badly into my hips. I love the back detail in particular, but the actual design felt like it came up SO high on body. I'm rather short-waisted and I just didn't feel like I had enough waist to accomodate the design. Great for someone else, but not for me.


Another Figleaves set is to come! Thanks for reading!


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