Review: Curvy Kate Dreamcatcher Black 34GG

As I mentioned in my Scantilly Pounce review,  I haven't explored much of Curvy Kate's offerings.  It was fate, apparently, that I try on some of their bras in the near future. The reason I received this bra was a shipping mistake when I ordered a different bra on Amazon. Dreamcatcher is a rather cute bra so I wasn't particularly distressed by the mixup!

 28 - 40 D - K, 42 - 44 D - G

I was pleasantly surprised to get a misplaced bra that actually fit quite well (I can hardly manage that when I'm meticulously picking out bras for myself).

Looks:
Dreamcatcher has a sweet, youthful design. The style of the sheer top layer is both sexy and unique compared to traditional lace. On, it has a slightly natural shape but with a high apex and lifts quite nicely. Dreamcatcher also comes in a charming beige color ("biscotti", cute!), and a  wide variety of bright, poppy colors which I think compliment the design if you prefer something less conservative. I did notice what looked like a couple very minor manufacturing defects, such as a couple tiny ragged bits of the sheer fabric sticking out at the seams. Not great, but also something you can easily just pick off like a stray thread.

Fit:
I was particularly surprised by how comfortable and nicely sized this bra is, especially considering my limited experience with Curvy Kate bras. I would say the cups are very much true-to-size with a slightly large band. I noticed the gore is rather narrow, which is fairly inconsequential for someone like me with wide-set breasts, but for closer-set breasts this may be a big selling point. The wires stayed right in my inframammary fold, telling me that there is a nice amount of projection throughout the cup. The top sheer layer does wrinkle a tiny bit which makes me think I'm right on the cusp of having just enough upper fullness to fill it. it is advertised as having an 'elastic edge' on the top of the cup, though that really does only apply to the edge and not the fabric itself. I'm not sure if someone had trouble with it cutting into their tissue that the elastic edge alone would help, but it is a nice detail and may help with size fluctuations.

Comfort:
As I mentioned, this is a comfy bra for me. Only complaints are that the fabric is a bit rough and scratchy, and the height of the cups cause them to rub in my armpits a bit which isn't terribly pleasant.

I think this bra is an excellent option for an 'everyday basics' bra for someone in my size and shape range. Or even not in my range, given the large size range it is available in. I think if you're too full-on-bottom it may gape and wrinkle a bit in the cups but FOT and even shapes are worth a shot. I did decide to send this bra back after all since I already have several basic black bras, but was pleased to get a chance from the bra-gods to try out another Curvy Kate style.

Quest for a Plunge: Panache Fontaine Plunge, Coral, 34G

My plunge quest continues!
Fontaine is a bra that caught my eye immediately when it was released last year. The color coral is a favorite of mine and, of course, I've been keeping my eye out for plunges I may want to try.

30-38 D-H

Looks:
This is a very pretty bra. The fabric is slightly sheer but a bit stiff with a gorgeous understated three-dimensional design (which I think, much to my satisfaction, came out well in the photos). Actually the entire bra is quite understated. It's minimal and delicate, with a few details like the flat bow at the gore, scalloped straps, and texture in the pattern to keep it from being dull. It would have been a great addition to my bra-drobe had the fit worked for the way I hoped.

Fit:
So, I will admit that this is a bra that does not take size fluctuation well. The fabric has absolutely no stretch to it at all, and is rigid against my breast shape. I do think since I'm in-between 34G and 34GG that the size is definitely a bit off and that I'm wearing too small of a cup. There is some mega quadding on my left boob in particular, which is partially size-related, though I will say that this bra does lack quite a bit of projection in the center and bottom of the cups. The cut makes a bit of a pointy, natural shape and the wires are relatively wide. I do not know if stretch-fabric would have been feasible for a plunge, but I find myself wishing there was a panel of stretch to gently cradle my breasts rather than cutting unforgivably into them.

I'm not sure why the other side didn't quad. I think I was more aggressively swooping the left?

Comfort:
My main issue comfort-wise is that the wires are too short and pinch my armpits which is a big bra pet-peeve of mine. I can imagine the fabric may irritate some people also, as it is rather stiff and not particularly soft.

obligatory dress-shot

I may have tried a size up in Fontaine, but it wasn't being sold on Amazon in 34GG in this colorway. There is a very beautiful bright purply-magenta color from AW15, but it's just not the coral that I love. I do think even in the right size that the cut would not give me the lift I desire, and the cups would remain too shallow. On to the next!

Quest for a Plunge: Parfait By Affinitas Casey Plunge, 34G

I recently bought a very cute wrap-style dress with a low neckline. However, all of my full-bust bras have very high gores (which I generally like), and don't work well for low-cut clothes. So I'm on a bit of a quest, and will be trying out a few plunge bras and reviewing them as I go.

A note about my size: I recently noticed that my bras were starting to not fit as well anymore. After retiring a couple bras that had simply stretched out too much, I decided to remeasure myself with the calculator. Turns out, my measurements now are pointing towards 34GG or 32H, a cup-volume larger than what I've been wearing. Of course, the calculator is just a starting point and many of my 34Gs still fit fairly well, especially ones with stretchy fabric which allow for some fluctuation in size. Not to mention that some bras run large or small.

Just wanted to mention that, and am keeping it in mind for my review.

30-40 D-G (I kinda dig the briefs)

Parfait by Affinitas is an American lingerie company that helpfully uses UK sizing to create their bras. They're great in that they're more widely available in the US and are at a lower price point than many of the regular UK brands. I haven't really tried many of their bras since they tend to be molded (not my fave), and nothing has truly caught my eye. But in my desire to find a good plunge, Casey came up as a commonly recommended style.

A closer look at the lace details

Looks:
Casey is a rather plain bra, though the lace on the sides is a nice touch and keeps it from being all-business. I do find it a bit boring, but many people prefer having "everyday" staples (though I am not one of them). I think it definitely fills a need in the market. I will say that Casey does provide a really nice round shape with a high apex (pictured below), even when the fit is not ideal for my breasts. Sadly, that is the problem for me with most molded cups: the cups made the shape by forcing my breasts to sit within that shape. It is not able to make that shape by properly supporting and lifting my bust. It does have a really nice low gore even for a plunge, which is exactly what I was looking for.

Under the aforementioned dress

Fit:
Another issue I have with most molded cups is that Casey is just too shallow for me. It makes a valiant effort but the lack of immediate projection causes the cups to slide down out of my inframammary fold. When I scoop and swoop there's some nice cleavage (and some quadding), but with any movement my breasts slide out of it. The cups fit me well, and have fairly average to wide wires which makes me think they're either true-to-size or perhaps slightly on the larger side for 34G (since I'm currently straddling 34G and 34GG). The band is true to size, and I can wear it comfortably on the loosest hooks.

Right After Scoop and Swoop

Right After Some Light Movement :(

Comfort:
Casey is a very soft, comfortable bra. The foam it is made out of is thin and flexible, and contours nicely with little gaping at the top. However it's very uncomfortable when my breasts push the cups down--not only due to where I have skin-on-skin contact, but also the bottom of the band starts to dig into my stomach from the pressure.

There's a reason you don't see many molded cups on this blog! I do think that many people love their molded cups and that they fit well on certain shapes. My shape keeps me from really enjoying the smooth, smooth benefits of those bras. Yet I don't think Casey is a bad choice for someone who does not have as much immediate projection as I do. It's a great staple, and for once I was really looking for something for a specific function. I wish it had worked out, but I'll keep trying more.

Sexy Impractical Lingerie for Full Busts: ASOS Anya Split Front Bralet Size Large

Hello everyone, Happy New Year!

This bralet is a little something different to start off 2016. I really enjoy buying frivolous bedroom lingerie but most of the time I can't fit into pieces sized S/M/L. Sometimes I can get away with a size large, but if there are built-in cups or seams you better bet they'll ride halfway up my chest for an unflattering look. That, or I buy something that sorta-fits but offers so little support that it's uncomfortable. That's why I have been celebrating this Asos bralet, as it's not only super sexy and fits me, it actually feels quite snug and comfy despite the sizing.

I bought mine for $28, though it eventually went on sale for $19

Unfortunately this bralet is sold out*. Sadface. But I am so delighted by the construction of the bralet overall that I'm hoping that at least knowing that the style is accommodating to full-busts will be helpful. (In fact, if you know of other companies making bralets like this, then by all means give me a heads up!)

Looks:
I love the shape of this bralet, echoing some trends towards halter-style lingerie. The lace is admittedly pretty low-quality, as I've hand-washed it ~5 times and it's starting to pill pretty badly. I do love the lacey trim in the middle of the cups and on the straps. There isn't a lot of lift, of course, but there is some subtle shaping happening where I get some nice cleavage and my breasts aren't left completely hanging.

Fit:
The size large fits fairly well. The band is predictably too big and I hook it on the tightest hooks. The lace is stretchy and accommodating. Obviously for this kind of bralet I'm not looking for a tacking gore or anything of the like, but the 'cups' are large enough to wrap around my breasts like a sling and do not ride up at all. You can see how there is a bit of pulling from the neck but I think that's inevitable.

Comfort:
I have tried on many bralets in the past and they usually made me feel like I was flopping all over the place! I think what makes this one so comfortable is that there are straps in addition to the neck closure (which closes with a plastic clasp, by the way). So the weight of my breasts is not all hanging on my neck like most halters, it gets distributed across my shoulders to the band as well. This is one of the only non-functional pieces I have worn out of the house under normal clothing because I felt reasonably supported.

In conclusion, I apologize for posting a rave review for something you can't buy!* I think due to the low-quality of the materials that it was probably not worth the $28 I spent, but the $19 sales price seems reasonable to me. Especially given how comfy it is. I am definitely going to be on the lookout for other bralets that have a similar construction.

Update: I recently spied this bralet on Asos being sold under the same name! The lace and styling is slightly different but worth checking out as the overall design appears to be identical!