Bra Review: Ewa Michalak S Colette 60G + M Briefs

Good morning!  It’s a depressing, rainy day here so I thought I’d review my brand new EM Colette with its pastel summery floral feel.  I received this set from the wonderful Aisha at Zathiya – who is also carrying a trial run of Avocado lingerie now so hurry over to her site if you’ve ever wanted to try them!

I’m not a fan of florals, but Colette stole my heart with its somewhat abstract print and muted color combination.  I had never tried the S style from Ewa, which is marketed as a padded balconette and closely resembles Comexim’s plunge style.  I have tried several plunges from Comexim, with mixed results.  On my blog you can find reviews of Comexim’s Luna, Poison Ivy, Free Time, Irish Coffee, and Brigitte.  I was curious how the two styles compared fit wise.  ThePetiteCollegiate did a fantastic write up comparing the S cut and Comexim plunges and you can find it here.

On to the Colette!

Oh my, such a stunning pattern.  And yes, it’s summer finally and I’ve spent some time outside!  Thank you for noticing 😉 Anyways, I really do love this bra.  I love the lace accents and beautiful straps, even though they’re not fully adjustable.  High set ladies take note – the straps may be too long for you.  Since I am low set I often leave straps as long as they’ll go, so this isn’t a deal breaker for me.  Visually the S vs Comexim plunges are quite similar.  The S bra is a 3 part padded cup, with one vertical and one horizontal seam.  The apex is quite high and very projected.

I have read various reviews with differing opinions on the amount of immediate projection in the S cut, and that was a concern for me.  I’ve also seen a couple opinions that Colette is seemingly more projected at the wire than other S cut bras, and that seems to hold true for me.  I don’t have a problem with the wires getting into and staying in my IMF, and they are also quite narrow at 5.1″ and follow my root closely.  Some of the minor fit quibbles I expected held true – the cups are too tall on my smaller side and the straps are very wide set.  I wish moving the straps closer together is something Ewa would consider, but I know better than to hold my breath waiting for that option.  Thankfully, all S bras come with cookie pockets and pads to correct asymmetry, so if this cup height bothered me (which it doesn’t, really) I could stick a pad in there to boost righty up a bit.  All of these pictures were taken without pads.

From an angle perspective you can see shadowing from the cup gap on my right side, but my left side is happy.  I’ve come to accept my slight asymmetry and the fact that no bra will ever fit both breasts perfectly.

I did get the matching briefs, and the set together is stunning.  Unfortunately for me, the rise on the briefs is very high.  High rise panties are in style these days, but they don’t work on my short torso.  They almost hit my belly button, which is uncomfortable, and in my opinion they only serve to highlight the fact that I have no waistline definition and a short torso.  To me, they visually cut me in half and make me appear less curvy than I already am.  On someone with a longer torso, the rise would likely function as a mid-rise. However, I was blessed with narrow hips and legs a mile long.  From the back, the briefs create an elongated, flat shape.  It’s a case of longbutt.  For this reason,  I steer clear of high rise or even mid rise pants.  I am not a fan of thongs, but for those who are, I do believe the Colette thong has a lower rise.

So other than the briefs being very high, I’m in love with this set.  It’s really a pretty good fit on me.  Have you tried Colette?  What’s your favorite Ewa S bra?

I have a huge backlog of reviews to post, so stay tuned!  More pretty bras coming soon!

Love XOXO,
The Photog’s Brog.

 

Bikini Review: Comexim Garden of Eden 60J + M bottoms

Morning lovely readers!  Today I’m reviewing another bikini set, the Garden of Eden from Comexim.  I originally ordered their  Pomarańcza (which translates to Orange) set, since I love all things orange and bright orange looks killer with my summer tan.  Sadly, they ran out of fabric and sweet Anna sent me this as a replacement.  It fits very similarly to my Pin Up Girl set, so I can’t say I have new and exciting things to report in the way of fit, but let’s get on with the pictures and review anyways!

So Garden of Eden looks very much like the name would suggest.  It’s a vibrant floral/leafy pattern on a white background.  Each individual swimsuit looks a little bit different from the others, as it’s not a repeating pattern on the fabric.   Mine was made in the 3HC pattern, in 60J with straps moved in 2cm and convertible hooks so I can cross the straps in the back.

The fit is narrow and projected at the underwire, which I’ve come to expect from Comexim.  Interestingly, despite the same tagged size, this entire top ran slightly smaller and tighter.  I found the band uncomfortably tight, and you can see it digging into my flared ribs.  It arrived to me stretching to only 26.5″ which is pretty small for a 28 band.  I could close it, but it wasn’t comfortable.  The sides of the cups also felt tight and cut into my armpit fat and Tail of Spence.  I also had zero gapping in the cups, which is good but in contrast to my 60J Pin Up Girl.  It seems I need a band that stretches to the sweet spot between Garden of Eden and Pin Up Girl, which keeps getting looser the more I wear it.

The set together is very pretty, if you’re into floral and garden prints.  Unfortunately, it’s not quite my style.  I really appreciate Anna’s desire to fulfill every order and her willingness to go above and beyond.  She could have simply stated they couldn’t do this swimsuit and been done with it, but I can tell she really wanted me to have a suit and this set was her olive branch.  I desperately wish I loved it.  I’m just not a floral person.  I know it’s very popular among the lingerie community and this bikini has been highly sought after, which makes me feel like an oddity.  I’m guess I’m much more of a solids/stripes/polka dots/small patterns person when it comes to swimsuits.

Bit blurry here, but the back coverage is perfect.  Lower rise, almost full coverage but not totally.  Again, I find myself wishing I loved the print!!

That’s it for this one readers.  What are your thoughts on Garden of Eden.  Have a happy bra day!

Bikini Review: Lilly and Lime Chevron Balconette, 28FF

Lilly and Lime is a brand new Australian swimwear company catering to full busts.  I’m excited about this for several reasons – full bust swimwear is still pretty lacking in size options and unique designs, and the Australian full bust options are very limited.  Shipping overseas to Australia is cost prohibitive, and Lilly and Lime is bursting onto the scene to save the Aussies looking for a local swim company!  Lilly and Lime has launched with an impressive size range of 28-38 D-HH.  Many full bust swim stops at G – GG, so offering up to HH off the bat is a gutsy move.  Kudos to Lilly and Lime!

Ashleigh and Emma-Jane contacted me a few weeks back asking if I would like to review one of their bikinis, and of course I hopped all over that.  I have a terrible time finding tops that fit!  I decided on the Chevron Balconette top, with removable straps to convert to a bandeau if desired, and the side-tie bottoms.

First of all – the packaging is adorable. I love the matching bag. Lilly and Lime has nailed branding and marketing on the head and little details like the bag and tags will do wonders to make customers feel special.

The color of the swimsuit is more vibrant in person than on the website. I really appreciate how flat the seams are stitched and the overall construction feels very sturdy and high quality.  The cups are padded but the padding isn’t overdone to push-up levels. It looks less like a waterproof bra than I anticipated it would, and that is always very appreciated 🙂

From the profile, the cups have somewhat of an uneven appearance, and I’m not sure why.  It could be the travel time to the USA from Australia, and the cups arrived to me tucked into each other.  It’s possible over time and wear the dents will smooth out.

On to the fit.  Unfortunately, this top doesn’t quite work on me.  It is very wide and very tall. The underwires are narrow, measuring at just 5.0″ wide, but they are long at 11.5.”  The center gore is 3″ tall and wider than I prefer, and while it definitely tacked it forced my  close set breasts apart and dug painfully into my sternum within a few minutes

You can see from the side profile the cups are projected, both at the wire and at the apex, and I felt secure that they wouldn’t slide down out of my IMF over time.  I measured them at 9″ deep, right on for a 28FF.  Sadly, the straps are very wide set and the long underwires, tall wings, and tall cups poke into my armpits, enhance the appearance of my tail of spence, and create chafing with wear 😦  The tall top section of the cup is pretty closed off and flattened my upper fullness, and I don’t have much to speak of.  The overall look and construction reminded me very much of the Panache Evie strapless bra.  If that bra works well for you, I imagine this swim top would as well.

I have to admit, based off the website pictures and a few other reviews I’ve seen of Lilly and Lime tops, that I was a bit surprised the cups were this tall on me. The volume seems correct for a 28FF and I couldn’t size down. If I tried a 28F I would have spillage above the tops of the cups.  I have a short torso, but my breasts are fairly low set on my chest and I rarely have problems with underwires and wings being too tall.  I have some concerns for those with a fuller on top shape, or whose bust is set higher on their chest.

All of that said, the set together is very cute.  The bottoms are seriously adorable and I love them so much!  I’d say they run a little big – I have a UK size 10/US 6, which is almost always my bikini bottom/brief/knickers size, and they really want to be a little baggy.  However, I’m not sure they’re big enough to warrant sizing down one.  They tie on the side for an adjustable fit, and I have them tied as tight as they’ll go.  L&L also offers a mid rise brief and a hipster cut to add to the variety of options in their current lineup.

Excuse my wonky looking hair here – I edit out tattoos.  And also excuse my tan lines from other bikini bottoms 😉 The back coverage of this cut is pretty cheeky.  Gotta say, it’s cheekier than I usually go for, but for some reason it doesn’t bother me at all here.  I think they’re so cute, they’re definitely going to be fun to swim in.  There’s a bit of wrinkling at the very bottom, I am praying they don’t stretch out and get larger when they get wet.

I think Lilly and Lime is off to a great start.  I’ve been in contact with Ashleigh and Emma-Jane prior to this review, and have offered all of my feedback in regards to the fit on me.  They’re very open to feedback, very communicative, very polite and obviously creative.  I have high hopes for this company’s future.  They’re taking mine and others’ feedback to their pattern grader and constantly striving to improve fit and offer new styles.  For now, if you can handle tall cups and wires, I highly suggest you check them out 🙂  I’m excited to see what they put out in the future.  They’ve also graciously offered their Full Cup and Halter styles to me for review, so I will report back once I have received those tops!

What do you think readers?  Does Lilly and Lime intrigue you?  What are your favorite full bust swim styles?  Thanks for stopping by!

 

Bra Review: Comexim Poison Ivy 3HC, 60HH

For those keeping track, this is the second Poison Ivy bra I own.  What can I say, I’m in love with the aesthetics.  Due to recent weight loss, the Poison Ivy Plunge is quite a bit too tall in the cups now, so I decided to re-order it in the 3HC pattern.  I don’t have a lot new to say about the fit, as it’s pretty identical to all the other Comexim 3HCs I own.  But it’s truly stunning to look at 🙂

The biggest difference visually between this half cup and the plunge is that the forest green lace covers the entire cup, rather than leaving a rose-beige top section like the plunge does.  Personally, I love this.  I have a serious soft spot for green lingerie, and the shade is rich.  It also sets this bra apart – the two cuts look just enough different from each other that it justifies keeping both of them 😉

The fit is great and what I’ve come to expect from Comexim.  Narrow wires and good bottom projection.  This particular half cup seems to minimize my shape more than other 3HCs, and I can’t put my finger on why.  The band is on the tight size of TTS, but if it’s like my plunge it will stretch quickly.

Much like my plunge, I feel like an enchanted forest fairy wearing this bra.  The subtle hint of cleavage, wonderful lift and shape, and the color all combine to make Poison Ivy remain at the top of my “favorite bras” list.  I really have never seen its equal.

Look at the intricate pattern on that lace!  Comexim pays so much attention to the details.  I love the sparkly C charm on the gore, the bows, the and pinkish beige shade of the cups and wings.

What do you think?  What are your favorite Comexim bras?

Thanks for stopping by!  More reviews to come this week. 🙂 Have a fantastic Tuesday lovelies!

Bra Review: Comexim Annika 3HC, 60HH

Look at me go – 2 reviews in one week 🙂 Comexim Annika is a stunning brown and copper bra carried by Zathiya.  It feels very much like the perfect autumn bra – I can see myself lounging around in Annika and a soft sweater with a mug of hot chocolate.  I’ve had my eyes on Annika ever since it was released as a plunge cut a few months ago, so when Aisha at Zathiya asked if I’d like to review the half cup version of it, I was over the moon excited.

I’m totally smitten with the aesthetics of this bra.  It’s very classy.  Brown is sadly underutilized in the lingerie world, so I’m thrilled to see another chocolate brown bra.  The copper ribbon is the perfect accent to the brown.  My favorite part of the design is the lace overlay on the cups that shimmers.  It’s not a contrasting color, the lace is brown, but the shimmer causes it to stand out just enough to be noticed but not take away from the overall design.

Fit-wise, I have no complaints.  The band is true to size, measuring exactly 28″ stretched.  The fit of the cups is spot on when compared to the rest of my 60HH Comexim half cups.  The wires are narrow at 5.0″ and there’s plenty of immediate projection at the bottom of the cups.  I was worried the copper ribbon would close off the top of the cups, but it really doesn’t.  Not enough to cause fit problems for me, at least.   I suppose if you are very FOT you may notice the cups cutting in a little in comparison to other half cups.  On me, my left and larger side just fits in, and my right and smaller side fits perfectly with a tiny bit of room to spare.  This is how I expected the bra to fit based on my previous experiences and taking into account my asymmetry, and I have to say I’m impressed with Comexim’s consistency when it comes to cup sizes.

Here’s a closer view of the shimmery lace and copper detailing.  There’s also a small cameo charm on the central gore.  Aesthetically, this bra reminds me very much of the Anna Pardal “Miss Pam” that I never managed to acquire before AP shut down.  I love that the styles are very similar because I lusted after Miss Pam, and now I have something even prettier, in my opinion 🙂

Annika gives me very subtle cakes-on-a-plate cleavage, which I love.  I simply cannot get over how beautiful this bra is.  I’m very lucky and thankful to have the chance to wear and review Annika.  Now all I need to find is the matching bottoms! 🙂

What do you think?  Do you find Annika as stunning as I do?  What bras are you currently lusting after?  Thanks for stopping by!

 

Bra Review: Gorteks Marilyn, EU 65G

Good afternoon!  I have a review I’m excited to share today.  For those keeping track, I’ve been desperately searching for a beige unlined bra to function as a nude for me during warm summer months.  I’ve searched all the UK brands and both Comexim and Ewa Michalak and not found anything that fits and is functional.  So I decided to branch out and try a brand I could find very little information on.  I found no measurements or reviews for this particular bra so it was a total shot in the dark!  I took a chance… you know… for bra science 😉

Gorteks is a Polish bra that uses EU sizing, so this 65G translates to a UK 30F.  After waiting 2 agonizing weeks for the international shipment to arrive, I finally got to try it on!

Not bad!!  I was sure it would be wide and shallow, as all bras are until proven otherwise.  I measured this at 5.25″ wide and 9.5″ deep. In person, I find this bra quite pretty, and the straps are super soft & comfortable.  It also has a sparkly charm at the gore, which is perfect.  Without it, the bra would be 100% utilitarian, as there’s no extra bows or frilly trim or anything.  The seams are fairly flat and the cup fabric is flat.  Online it looked like lace, but in person it actually looks like a patterned mesh.  Whatever it is, I’m just happy it doesn’t stick up from the cup and show through thin shirts.

Something you may notice right away is the very tall gore.  The wire channels actually touch at the top, so it is narrow, but it is 3.5″ tall.  My breasts touch at the top, and you can tell how the sides of the gore are pressing into breast tissue.  Thankfully the wires are fairly soft and flexible. I think that’s what is saving the tall gore from stabbing my sternum.  The bra is marketed as a balconette, but the cups are very full coverage.  In this case, that is fine with me as I don’t want cleavage or anything in this kind of bra.  The whole point of it is to literally disappear!

You can see from the side view the wires follow my root pretty closely and there is good projection in the bottom of the cup.  The shape is almost too closed on top for even my short roots.  My right breast is slightly smaller and perfectly happy.  I think if the gore was a bit shorter, the top of the cup wouldn’t press in on lefty. As it is, it only barely cuts inso I’m not too worried about it.

The band is a true 30. I have it clasped on the middle hooks on me, but could easily be closed on the tightest.  Depending on how fast it stretches out, it may need altered before too long.  The strap placement is comparable to Ewa – fairly wide and likely bothersome for those with narrow shoulders.  It has longer wires than Comexim but shorter wings than Panache.  The cups are not in my armpits, but your mileage may vary.

From this angle, you can see how my right breast fits just fine, and you can also see where the wires are about 1cm below my IMF.  I have worn this bra all day and didn’t find the projection severely lacking, but I did find myself pulling it back up a couple of times.  Sadly, bras that have enough projection at the underwire for my pendulous shape are few and far between, and I wasn’t expecting a miracle with this one.

The entire cup is slightly stretchy, and I find that it provides less uplift and a more natural shape than, say… Cleo and their ultra-round basketball boobs.  But it’s not pointy, and that’s a big deal to me.  I cannot stand a pointy shape.  Overall, I would recommend this bra for very specific shapes. It’s definitely best for someone who can tolerate a tall gore & wider set straps, and who has short roots or is definitely FOB.  I can’t envision these cups getting along with upper fullness.  For me, it will serve a purpose, but I can’t promise I’m 100% done looking!! 😉

I found my Gorteks Marilyn on eBay from The Other Eden lingerie shop.  It’s also available in white and black.  What do you think?  Do you have any experience with Gorteks?

Thanks for stopping by!  I have a lot of new goodies to review so look for another update by the end of the week 🙂

Bra Review: Freya Deco Strapless, 32E

The quest for a usable strapless continues.  Back today with a review of a bra I’ve previously owned in a different size, sold, and now purchased again!  Strapless bras are, by design due to simple gravity, a shape mismatch for my narrow and projected breasts.  Without straps, cups have to be wide, shallow, tall, and likely stiff and bands have to be tight to hold the bra up and keep breasts contained and close to the chest wall.  That said, I’ve always been on the hunt for the “least evil” of the strapless world, because it really is a summer wardrobe staple for me.  I’m not going to let genetics define what I can and cannot wear, and you can pry my spaghetti strap tanks and strapless shirts and dresses from my cold, dead hands.

I sold my EM Mclezny because I couldn’t stand how stiff and shallow it was.  I expect a level of stiffness, but it was basically unfinished plywood and very uncomfortable.  I debated about returning to the Deco for a while, and when I saw one in a sister size pop up at a reasonable price on eBay, I finally gave in.

Let me backtrack and talk about my first Deco to help my readers better understand why I bought the size I did the second go around.  My first Deco strapless was a 28F.  Deco runs big in the cups, and that’s not a bad size for me.  Volume wise, it was okay.  The band was pure torture.  Unlike other Freya bras, the Deco strapless runs very tight in the band, and its wings are very tall and have plastic side boning. I have rib flares. I couldn’t wear it for longer than an hour at a time without being in serious pain from the boning stabbing me in the ribs.

My ideal size in Deco strapless is a 30E.  However, Deco retails for $66-69 full price.  I can’t justify spending that much on a bra that is a guaranteed poor fit, so I settled for an eBay 32E.  It is too large for me all over, in both band and cup, but because it is too big in the cups, it actually helps it work.  With more room in the cup than I need, my narrow and pendulous breasts can kind of just “swim” in there instead of fighting the bottom of the cup for room and I find it stays closer to my IMF for a longer period of time.  Let’s take a look.

From the front, it doesn’t look too bad!  The bottom of the gore is floating, but the top of the gore tacks.  The cups are tall and in my armpits, but at least they are very soft.  The whole bra is very soft and comfortable.  I really do love the material all Decos are made from.  And it’s beige and seamless, which is a big perk considering most of my summer tops are very light, both in color and weight.

From the side, we see the problems.  The wires are far too wide for my root, measuring at 5.75,” and the band is crawling up my back.  Surprisingly, the underwires are fairly close to my IMF, which I assume is only possible because the cups are too big.  If I’d get my hand out of the way (no idea what I was doing here lol!) you’d better be able to see all the gapping and empty space at the tops of the cups, which are just too dang tall for my short roots.  It’s especially bad if I cross my arms or lean forward.

From an angle, we can see evidence of minor wrinkling in the bottom of the cups, but at least I’m not folding them in half.  You can also see the shadows the gapping creates (and how high my waist is on my torso).  What I don’t see and much appreciate is the side boning digging into my flared ribs like the nightmare 28F did.  Due to the cup height, I have to really pay attention to my tanks and make sure the tops of the cups are not sticking out of my shirt, but for the most part my tanks are cut higher than this bra.  I am very low set on my chest and have never met a bra that obviously sticks out of any of my shirts, so this will not be the case for anyone whose bust is high set and tends to have trouble with gores and cups showing under low cut shirts.  I’m afraid these cups would be on display all the time.

And…. the band.  Oh dear.  It’s hooked on the tightest hooks here, with room to spare.

To sum up:  It’s comfortable.  It’s beige.  It’s too tall, but it disappears under my clothes.  I can’t decide if I care enough to alter the band.  I have to pull the bra back into position several times a day.  It’s not the worst strapless bra I’ve ever tried. It does its job.

For shallow breasts, the world is your oyster.  Buy the strapless bras.  Buy them all.  For us projected ladies, we have to settle.  It’s a simple fact of life.  My mission is to find the best of the bad ones, and share my experiences.  And sadly (?), this really is the best strapless bra I’ve ever tried.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Guest Post: Letterphobia

Hi readers!  Check out the recent guest post I did for Zathiya!

http://www.zathiya.com/blog/letterphobia/

I highly recommend Aisha at Zathiya as a wonderful guide and resource if you’re unsure about shape, size, or what bra to order.  She stocks both Comexim and Ewa Michalak and if she doesn’t have your size in stock, she’ll order it for you!  I love her 🙂

More bra reviews coming soon, I promise 🙂

Bra Review: Cleo Marcie, 28FF – a summertime classic.

Cleo Marcie is a 3 part balconette bra by Panache that has been around for eons and been reviewed many times.  It’s generally the first bra recommended for full on top shapes or tall rooted breasts, and I am neither of those.  I am even-to-full on bottom, with very short roots.  But I have always loved the Marcie for it’s simplicity and rounded shape, and for the fact that it’s available in a lot of colors.  I recently acquired the summery yellow colorway, and while it’s not a perfect fit, it’s darn close and there’s still plenty to love about Marcie.

I paired Marcie with some yellow hipster undies I have from Victoria’s Secret and while they’re not a perfect match, it’s close enough for me.  I would have preferred the yellow shade to be a bit less bright, but I nitpick.  Marcie gives the classic Cleo basketball shape, very similar to the Cleo Lilys I’ve previously reviewed.

Marcie has slightly wider wires than Lily but they still follow my root fairly closely.  It’s worth noting that recently Marcie was released in nude, black, and burgundy, and the first manufacturing run of all of those colors had a problem with the diagonal seam that created in-cup quadboobing for those of us with softer tissue.  I briefly owned a nude Marcie on my quest for a nude unlined bra, but couldn’t deal with the seam cutting into my tissue.  It was also slightly too small.  Thankfully, the yellow colorway is an older Marcie and doesn’t suffer from this issue.  I’ve heard that problem has since been resolved, but have yet to try any of those colors again to see for myself.

All of the Marcies have a pretty lace trim on the upper cup, embroidered dots, and a contrasting bow at the gore.  Mine is obviously lying crooked, oops!  The lace is not stretch lace but it doesn’t close off quickly either, and is indeed forgiving to upper fullness.

I have extra room in the cups on both of my breasts but it is most obvious on my smaller side.  I don’t think it’s enough to warrant sizing down to a 28F, I think this is simply the result of putting my short rooted breasts into a bra designed for taller roots and more upper volume.

The projection at the wire is great.  Marcie and Lily are the most projected of the original trio of unlined Cleo bras that also included the Lucy.  I tried the Lucy once in a 28G, and despite being the friendliest to short roots, it was by far the widest and shallowest of the three and wasn’t a good fit on me at all.

I digress. Panache is known to starch the crap out of their fabric so for those with picky skin, Marcie might require a few washings before it’s comfortable.  I’ve definitely owned softer bras in my lifetime, but I don’t find the fabric to be intolerable.  Overall, I am happy to have added a Marcie to my collection of unlined bras.  It’s a fun color and the lightweight fabric will be nice for our hot and humid summers.

What do you think lovely readers?  Has the warmer weather gotten you in the mood for lightweight, summer-friendly lingerie?  As always, thanks for stopping by!

Bra Review: Ewa Michalak CHP Gazeta, 65F

For most of you reading this, the Gazeta needs no introduction.  Gazeta translates to “newspaper” and was a wildly popular bra by Ewa Michalak back when it was first released.  Despite several reviews stating the band runs tight and the bra overall was terribly uncomfortable, it remained popular due to its uniqueness.  Gazeta is a padded half cup made from a newspaper print fabric, with black piping, ruffles and little red hearts as accents.  I missed out on the original run of Gazeta, and it’s been discontinued for quite some time due to the apparent loss of the fabric source.  I always had it on my list of Unicorn Bras – bras I love but figured I’d never be lucky enough to snag.

Well, thanks to a lovely friend and incredible timing, I now have a Gazeta in my hands.  Or rather, on my boobs.

Ta-da!  The original Gazeta design featured a split strap where the straps attach to the cups, but the previous owner removed that.  I hear it pinches skin, so I’m not complaining.  Just look at this lovely work of art!  I’ve never seen a bra anywhere else that looks remotely like Gazeta.  Possibly the coolest part of this bra is the newspaper fabric – it means that no two Gazeta bras are identical.  I’ve often said I have a thing for unique bras or unusual designs, but in this case it is TRULY one of a kind.  Nobody else has this exact bra!

Gazeta fits me almost perfectly.  I do find the band to run a full size tight, which is great for me.  The wires are not quite as narrow as my other half cups but I’ll overlook that because it’s a freaking Gazeta.  The bottom projection is sufficient and I don’t quad out of the top OR notice any gapping on my smaller side.  Not sure how this feat is accomplished, but I suspect it has something to do with the ruffle trim!  The straps are typically wide-set, on par with other Ewa bras, but I have broad shoulders and don’t find it to bother my armpits too much.  Those with narrower frames will likely have a different experience.

I do find the cups to run taller than other CH/Ps I’ve tried, and you can see there’s no hint of cleavage here.  I also have lost upper fullness from weight loss, so that could definitely be a factor in how the cups fit me.  I measured Gazeta’s cups at 5.25″ wide and 9.5″ deep – definitely on the larger side for a 65F.

Personally, I don’t hate the little heart accents, but I know they’re not everybody’s taste.  I think the red hearts help the giant red bow in the center make sense.  If there was only one or the other, it would seem to me like a random use of the color red.  Instead, the red becomes part of the color scheme of the bra.

I really can’t say enough good about Gazeta.  I find the fabric and ruffles fairly soft and the wires firm but comfortable, but mine is also secondhand and broken in a bit.  Your mileage may vary 😉 I am tickled I had the chance to add Gazeta to my bra wardrobe.  It’s truly unique and makes me happy when I wear it!

That’s all for today, thanks for stopping by!