HerRoom.Com Makes Me Want To Punch A Seagull

Note: Readers, I've just found an email I received from Herroom asking me to remove the copyrighted images from this post, as I did not receive permission to use them. I regret not checking my blog email account more often, as I would have found their message sooner. I had intended to show the images for what they are, as they are useful and well done in certain ways (albeit offensive in others), while taking issue with Herroom's phrasing. Legally, I do have the right to use their images without permission in a post that is critical of them. It is not as though I did not mention the source of the images. But it was my mistake to not realize they would react strongly and go on the offensive. The images are removed for now. I'm going to replace them with images of my own that explain what I'm trying to get across. For now, there will just be spaces there--hopefully I'll be able to replace the images with my own images soon.

*Note about the title. I asked my sister if it was a weird title and she said yes. My boyfriend gets really annoyed about noise pollution when he's studying and once said "If I hear another saxophone I am going to punch a seagull." I thought it was hilarious so I'm using it now in my moment of rage. I actually think seagulls are awesome and will not be punching any. I might punch my computer screen, though. Read on to see why:

On a reader's suggestion, I just went to Herroom.com to try out their new "Know Your Breasts" feature. You can check it out here if you're feeling like you've got a thick skin today and can handle some bizarre textual insults about features you never knew you needed to be insecure about.

On the surface, this is an awesome idea--a website that sells bras teaches you how to identify your shape and what works for that shape, and then directs you to those bras. Of course, they are just doing it to try to raise sales for themselves--they obviously don't link you to the cheapest source for a bra, or to better bras that they don't carry, but still. I was actually kind of miffed at first because it would have sort of negated the whole purpose of my blog if it had worked, ha ha. This freaking thing was apparently even featured in the New York Times. Well, BEWARE, girls! We still need blogs because bra sellers and manufacturers STILL don't understand how boobs work! Rage courses through my veins!

To start with I'm going to just go through the problems with the results I got for my shape. I will go into further detail about the results for different shapes later... hopefully with help from you guys, if you do try it out.

The first thing I should mention is that at first I was super impressed by the quiz! They asked a lot of pertinent questions in the first part of the quiz and the illustrations are AWESOME. They show the differences between full-on-top and full-on-bottom better than I could, plus hopefully it will bring those concepts to a wider audience (and help people to realize that full-on-top is NOT a synonym for perky). Of course, the images were all extremely nipply, so here's my slightly less NSFW censorship to show how well they did with these images:

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The boobs on the top left are the shape I consider "full on top". These images are a pretty similar, but more detailed, less teal version of the images I drew in my post on how to figure out the shape of your boobs:

There's a reason I made my image teal, too, by the way... Humans don't have just one skin color, and since none of us have teal skin, I figured it would apply to all of us equally. HerRoom didn't do the same... why are all their boobs white? ALL of them?

My next prickling of discomfort came when, instead of calling full-on-top boobs "full-on-top", they chose to go with "oversized upper breasts."

(Image Removed)

As you might know from my blog, I really hate terms like "oversized," "huge", "abnormal", etc. Seriously, HerRoom, why not just say "FULL upper breasts?" After all, that's what you MEANT--and that doesn't carry a connotation that there is an ideal "normal-sized upper breast" and I fall outside of that golden category. This sort of linguistic subtlety is pretty basic, folks, especially when you're writing about boobs and trying to convince women to pay your high prices.

After establishing your shape, the quiz then goes through some more questions with varying degrees of interest and relevance. Some of the questions regard things I never thought about before, like protruding versus inverted collarbones, and loose skin near the armpit which apparently is common in older women. Some of the other stuff just seemed kind of awkward and unecessary. Do not even ask me why they need to know whether or not you have "large areolas." That affects the fit of a bra how??? It sort of seemed like it was just another opportunity for Herroom to draw attention to "normal" versus "abnormal" features. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I can't see how an areola of any size or shape would have any effect on bra fit. It's just skin that's a different color, really not a big deal at all.

They make you enter an email address to get your results. I fortunately have an email account that I use just for spammy things like this, so I used that--I'd advise doing the same unless you want Herroom to be your newest pen pal. I was still pretty hopeful about my results at this point--not hopeful because I need help, since I know what works for me, but hopeful that the quiz would be awesome and I could recommend it to people.

NOPE!

The bra styles they suggested for my full-on-top boobs (which are NOT oversized, thank you very much) were the total OPPOSITE of what works for me. They are, for the most part the bras I would suggest for someone who has lower fullness. Not one of the shapes they suggested would work for me. Let's examine.

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So first, they give your "very personal results", which are actually just a summary of all the things YOU selected in the quiz... things you already knew. (This also includes a flash of the other thing I LOATHE about HerRoom, their pathetic "Universal Cup Sizing" initiative. Post on that coming later on.)

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 First off, seamless bras. Okay, seamless bras could, in theory, work for full-on-top boobs, but in my general experience, they don't. That's because they are generally made with a lot of space in the apex that is either evenly distributed between the bottom and top of the cup (leaving full-on-top girls looking pointy because they can only fill out the top, and vice versa) or mostly at the bottom, meaning epic quad-boob. Not their worst suggestion (just wait) but a slightly odd one.

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 Multi-what under-who? I assume by this they just mean "seamed bras." Okay... seamed bras can work for every shape, but it is the seam PATTERN that makes or breaks the fit on a particular shape. In the upper sizes, seamed bras are just about all there is, so this suggestion doesn't exactly narrow it down for someone who might be looking for guidance.

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 Say what? Bandeau bras? HerRoom declares that strapless bras will be difficult for me because of my "bountiful upper breast". Okay, "bountiful" is better than "oversized," but a kinda pervy word. It's true, by the way, that strapless bras are tricky. They're tricky for ALL shapes, just for different reasons. Strapless bras are tricky for full-on-top boobs because there is so much weight pushing down from the top, it tends to push the bra into a torpedo/football shape. Strapless bras are difficult for boobs with lower fullness because it is hard to lift the weight at the bottom. I guess I just don't think that a bandeau bra would be any better, or even any different, really. I will also bet you a million dollars that HerRoom doesn't sell any bandeau bras in my size.

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 Okay, that one is basically the same as the first suggestion. I'm baffled by their description, though. These bras "will provide modesty and help mask your lower apex"? Um, NO. You don't "mask" a lower apex--that would mean squashing your boobs down and pretending the apex is somewhere else, which is really bad for your breast tissue and will increase sagging over the years. Instead, you should seek a bra that is lower-cut and hence has an apex that more closely matches your own. (By 'apex', HerRoom and I both essentially mean "where the nipples hit", by the way.) Bras that have less volume in the cup can also help for some people, but that's not true for everyone.

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This gave me a bit of a laugh. Nipple concealers? This was after I had selected "No" to the question about whether I struggled with nipple show-through. So.. not really in need of this "smooth look", but thanks anyway.

And finally, THE ULTIMATE WORST ADVICE I'VE EVER HEARD:

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 HerRoom suggests full-coverage bras. For full-on-top boobs. THE WORST PAIRING EVER. Full-coverage bras will basically NEVER work for full-on-top boobs because they are DESIGNED to cover and contain all of your upper breast tissue. Those of us with upper fullness will always struggle to find a good fit in full coverage bras like this because there just isn't enough space for our "bountiful", "oversized" upper breast tissue. Full-coverage + full-on-top = horrible quad boob. Just... never. Not even. No.

Because HerRoom failed so spectacularly at giving any reasonable advice, I'm going to give my own. I've given these same tips before, but not all in the same place, so here they are.

The most important thing to note is that these styles are the OPPOSITE of what works well for boobs with lower fullness! The bras I've pictured, especially the vertical-seam bras, often can give a ton of gaping on full-on-the-bottom boobs. I'll do another post later where I check out what HerRoom has to say about boobs with lower fullness.

One thing I'm glad HerRoom brought up, though, is the question of distance between boobs. I do best with the bra styles I've pictured above, but I don't have a lot of space between my boobs, and several of those bras have very wide gores. That's why I alter my center gores. Distance between boobs is definitely a topic deserving its own post later!

Product Review: Michaux Shadow Saddle Bag...

"Sleek and stylish" were the first words that came to mind when I opened my delivery from Michaux. After reviewing their Weekender Bag, I was asked to review* their new Shadow Saddle Bag & couldn't wait to put it to the test...

The Shadow Saddle Bag is made from waterproof bonded canvas and finished with leather trims, featuring the signature Michaux reflective 3M Scotchlite material, to enhance visibility when riding. It's immediate to the touch that the quality of the canvas used is very high, and as with the Weekender, the Shadow feels like it's built to last.

The versatility of the Shadow is a huge plus on the cycle style and practicality stakes: with its adaptable leather straps & metal hoops it can be attached to the back of your saddle or handlebars OR easily convert into a shoulder bag / mini backpack...

(on this occasion I didn't attach the straps to the half-moon hoop, but it still sat well on my back)

Heading out for an easy ride around Southsea and my usual tea/coffee stop, the size of the Shadow was ideal for me to use it as my handbag for the day. The interior was big enough for me to carry around my daily essentials like my purse, keys, phone, inhaler and make-up - all held securely in place...

If you're on the lookout for a larger bag in a similar design to carry all your work bits and bike lock in, they are available from Michaux: the Shadow however is ideal for a leisurely ride or a weekend pootle on your bike. The Shadow is small, stylish and secure: small enough to attach to my saddle, along with looking good against the bike, and with its strong leather straps and metal fasteners, it's almost impossible for the bag to come away while riding. It also sits in place incredibly well if you wear as a backpack while cycling.

I'm pleased and excited to see the direction designer Rachel Bonney has taken with her new design, making a smaller handbag perfect for when you are on your bike and and don't plan on carrying lots of stuff around. Once again, Michaux show that style doesn't have to be sacrificed for practicality - it's a fashionable merging of the two, and with its classic design it's sure to be used rather often while off the bike too.

The Shadow Saddle Bag retails for £150 & is available in Black, Olive or Claret from Michaux.

*This bag was kindly gifted to VCG by Michaux for a review. 

Product Review: Basil 'Elements' Shoulder Bag

A small company in the Netherlands who make their products from recycled materials, Basil specialise in "fashionable, functional and fun" bicycle bags and accessories. Their latest product is the 'Elements' Bag, which at first glance doesn't look much like a traditional Pannier at all. As you know, here on VCG, I quite drawn to panniers that break away from the norm, so when Basil sent me the Elements Bag for review*, it fitted right in...

The design is certainly a nod to the "fashionable" philosophy of their products: it's essentially a shoulder bag which attaches to your bike. Their Hook-On system (which includes a surprisingly strong Velcro strap) will work with most rear luggage racks and is a secure fit. This is easily hidden away when off the bike, using the small zip-pocket compartment it's housed in.

It's important to bear in mind the dimensions of the bag especially in regards to what you want to use it for. Measuring at 40 x 29 x 14 cm and with a 17 litre capacity, this isn't the kind of Bag that I would take on my grocery/shopping runs, but is fantastic as an over sized handbag. Carrying around my usual daily essentials (phone, purse, moleskine, pencil case, bike locks etc) wasn't an issue with the Basil at all.

Additional carry space comes with the two outer pockets on each side of the bag and the inner-zip pocket. If like me you have a larger sized laptop (15") it's not going to accommodate it (which was a bit of a shame) but it's ideal for a Tablet device or Netbook in a protective sleeve / case.

From an aesthetic point of view, the Basil Elements bag is rather neat. The water repellent recycled sailcloth with reflective detailing looks good, and the inner lining of the bag is rather nifty too. Artificial leather is used for the handles and the zip-pulls, which is quite long wearing.

The one thing that did disappoint me was the keyring/bling attachment: sadly this broke on the 1st use of the bag, with most of the ribbon and baubles falling off...

It's not essential to the bag at all as it just attaches to the main zipper as an additional accessory, but it was a shame when it started to come away.

Basil have put a twist on the traditional pannier with this one, with it really being a shoulder bag that fits on a bike. If you are after a bag with a high volume capacity and lots of space for shopping, you will need to go for something bigger than this.... however, if you're in the market for a stylish everyday handbag for casual use (from going to the office, heading to college etc) this could be right up your path.

Details on stockists of the Basil Elements Shoulder Bag can be found on their website.

All photography by Ian James. 
*This bag was kindly gifted to VCG by Basil for a review. 

Curvy Kate "Desire" Multiway Bra Review

Due to the miserable lack of options for multiway bras above a G cup, I was understandably excited to see Curvy Kate coming out with a bra that can be worn as a halter or cross-back. When I found the Desire for sale cheaply in a 28J, I decided to try it out.

I knew I would need an extender with the 28 back as I am more like a 30HH or 32H in Curvy Kate now. Even with an extender, this is a small 28 band.

The bra doesn't come with an additional strap to become the halter strap. Rather, the normal straps are long enough so that one can be made into a halter strap. Although I worried the straps were too easily adjustable and thus would slide out of shape, I didn't find that to be a problem.

The bra is very low in the armpits, which I know some of you will like, and others will dislike.

Beyond these factors, though, I'm very sorry to say that the Desire is disastrous. And not just disastrous on me; the bra itself has a MAJOR issue that will need to be corrected before this bra can be remotely marketable.

You can see from the front that the bra looks to be a pretty good fit. The gore is nice and low but lies flat.

The issue arises when you look at the side view. Somehow the foam in the padding is distorted. It squishes in about an inch from the top edge, and then flares out. Even with my aggressive upper fullness, my boobs can't fill that huge flare at the top when they are being squished in just an inch underneath.

Indicating the place where the foam squishes inward

A better view of the edge flaring out

The best photo I captured of the overall distorted shape

I'm pretty baffled by this shape snafu. I'm sure this is not how Curvy Kate INTENDED for the cups to be shaped, because this is not a shape that will work for anyone. Check out another review of this bra from a blogger with a completely different shape to witness how problematic this issue is. It also suggests that I didn't just get a 'dud', but rather than this is a persistent issue--at least in the upper cup size range. I'm really hopeful that Curvy Kate will take quick steps to resolve this. As is, I can't even re-sell the bra in good conscience because I very much doubt it will work for anyone. Instead, I'm going to try to do some alterations on the bra to make it work. I still really want a halter bra just to have the pressure moved to a different place on my shoulders on some days, and I'm wondering if taking a dart in the top of the cup could help with the shape. I'll update when I've figured something out.

Has anyone else tried this bra? Has anyone tried it and NOT had this issue? Let us know in the comments.

A Mystery Bra Appears On eBay!

Ladies, I have an interesting tidbit of "bra gossip" for you. Remember the great fanfare for the Curvy Kate Smoothie, the "first ever molded bra up to a J-cup"? Well--looks like there's something else floating around out there. Behold:

That's a not a picture of me, by the way. (I WISH I was that tan...) Instead, this is the photo accompanying an eBay listing of a MOLDED bra that goes up to a J cup... just like the Smoothie, except this one goes up to a J cup in more band sizes (and up to a HH in a 40 band). Here's the link to the listing. There doesn't seem to be any risk that these are "US Sizes" and thus smaller than they sound, because it's a British listing.

At this point we're all scratching our heads and saying "What on earth is this bra and who makes it and why haven't we heard about it?" The brand is listed as Full-filled. I have a few theories about this brand, which has popped up here and there. One of the bras I've commonly seen by Full-filled is this one, the "Angel Sweet", which I've seen on Brastop and eBay:

A Curvy Kate model, Laura Butler, is pictured in a Full-Filled bra--the plot thickens. Of course, Laura also models for Brastop so the plot doesn't really thicken that much. Except... it looks a heck of a lot like the Flirtelle "Divine" with the colors reversed:

Now, in case you're losing me here, Flirtelle is Curvy Kate's "sister brand"... more or less exactly the same thing as Curvy Kate, but less marketed and sold only at Brastop at lower prices. I'm not really sure why they do that but hey, why complain if it means continuity colors at lower prices? My theory is that Full-filled is either an old name for Flirtelle, or an even lower link on the food chain... a brand through which Flirtelle/Curvy Kate can test out prototypes without putting a bigger name on the line, or a brand through which they can sell off the bras that they aren't going to market.

See where I'm going with this? I'm curious if this molded-up-to-a-J-cup dark horse Full-filled bra is some kind of prototype for the Curvy Kate Smoothie. And, since the Smoothie hasn't even come out yet, I'm kind of fascinated. Hmmm....

Hmmm...

Of course, my theory could be totally wrong. And even if I'm right, this bra could be a much lesser version of the Smoothie, like an original, flawed version. But... it's pretty cheap. And it ships internationally. And I am JUST SO CURIOUS. I'm not planning to buy this bra because I'm trying NOT to buy any more new bras (of course, I know you are all going to try to convince me otherwise in the comments! Comment away and we'll see how strong my willpower is). But I didn't want it to pass by without my loyal readers being aware of this option, in case anyone wants to take the risk and try it out (the seller accepts returns). If you do try it, let us all know how it goes in the comments!

Updated to add: I just looked at my archives and noticed that every post I've done this month has an exclamation point at the end. I guess it's been an exciting month!

Masquerade Rhea Review--At Last!

In my April review of Bravissimo bras, I first documented my love affair with the Masquerade Rhea. I’d tried it on in a 30H and found it a perfect fit and perfect shape for me. But it’s a very expensive bra at full price, so I was holding out to find it on sale. I searched high and low but none of the cheap sources of the Rhea ever had it in a 30H or even a 32GG. I never quite succeeded in finding the low price I’d hoped to find, but I did eventually find a burgundy Rhea in 30H at a lowISH price, so I figured it was best to take that opportunity while it was there.

First, a disclaimer. I don’t really like padded bras. I wear them in the winter because otherwise my boobs go numb (giggles), hence why I bought four Curvy Kate Showgirl bras, three of which are reviewed here, this winter. I’ve since decided to sell two of those four, as well as selling my Masquerade Delphi. I loved the shape of the Delphi, reviewed here, and it fit me well, but I wasn’t crazy about the thick straps (as comfy as they were) or the color. It made more sense to sell it and get a Rhea, which was what I’d really wanted in the first place. Along with the Cleo Rihanna that I reviewed recently, my collection of padded bras will still consist of four, but four that fit and suit me better. That will be adequate to get me through the cold months.

Anyway, here’s the Rhea!

I don’t think this color is as epic as the continuity mauve shade, this:

…but I like it combined with the gray, and the color suits me, even if it’s not my favorite color. (Royal blue is my favorite color, if you wanted to know.)

The shape from the side is good. It’s a little squashed, but not quite to the point where it would stop looking round and start looking square.

This shape is actually fairly similar to the shape I get in the Curvy Kate Showgirl bras, but a bit more lifted, and the underwire feels more firm and sits closer to my body.

The back band is sort of the WORST, though. I love the back bands on the Curvy Kate Showgirl bras,  as they are so wide and stretchy and comfortable. The Masquerade Rhea, on the other hand, has a very thin, very stiff back band with just two hooks. It’s also angled up a little bit so it looks almost like it is riding up even when it isn’t.

The straps are great—narrow but not too thin, and the same width all the way up. So unlike with the Delphi, these straps will look normal under strappy tops.

The inside of the cups is a sort of cotton fabric, the kind of fabric you would find in a t-shirt, which I know will please some readers who seek breathable fabric.

The thick lace along the top of the cups shows a little bit under tight tops, but not a ton. The Rhea is a good bra, and I’m glad to finally own one. I would recommend it, especially for those with full-on-top boobs who are fans of a rounded shape, and for those who like padded bras and a touch of luxury.

Montage of a Month...

August is always a busy month for me with the day-job (it's now Clearing time in the UK University I work for in case you were wondering... it eats all my time), but its gotten rather hectic for all things VCG too. I've been unable to blog until now as I'm playing MAJOR catch-up with plenty of bike-related matters at the moment... but believe me, I'm not complaining! Anything to do with bikes makes me happy...

There has been more work with The Cycle Show on ITV4: it has been an absolute blast working with the team on there for the past few weeks and meeting a wide variety of cyclists along the way. Recently recording away from LMNH for a commuter piece was a cycling-buzz. Frankie was hooked up with a number of Go-Pro cams & mics as I cycled along the Regents Canal from Lock 7 in Hackney to Soho. Meeting up with multi-talented sports journalist, presenter and a man who knows more than a thing or two about cycling - Ned Boulting - was bloody fantastic to put it mildly!

The Boy has also been busy with bike business, doing a photo-shoot for Milk Bikes! After meeting at the Vulpine Summer Fete earlier this year, Ian was asked to do some shots for them. Accompanying him for the day in Chelmsford where MB is based, it was a pleasure to watch him capturing that particular Milk Bike in action. I'm kicking myself for not having a ride on the bike being shot for the day, but I thought it best not to have a go and immediately scuff it... ha. 

Speaking of Vulpine... this month also saw me and the Pashley having some quality-fun bezzing about with Nick Hussey & Paul Calver & some "Fit Friends" for another photo-shoot. After a LOT of interest on line (and plenty of people asking me about it), the Women's Specific line of Vulpine clothing has arrived... HUZZAH! The Women's Merino Button Jersey is something not to be ignored & is wonderful to cycle in... I'm in love.

A lot more is coming up on Vélo-City-Girl, including some new Pannier / Shoulder Bag reviews, and a rather special bike review indeed... look out for all that and more. Me and Frankie will be back with updates... soon.

What's braforme Been Up To?

I feel like it's been forever since the last time I sat down and just blogged... Okay, maybe more like two weeks, but that's still waaaaay too long!!! So much has happened over these two weeks that I don't know quite where to start.
First and foremost, I've been given an amazing opportunity to build someone's dream closet; this project has practically become a second job. I'll be uploading a blog post soon with all the details and pics from that project, so stay tuned. 

 Secondly, I've been studying for my PCAT, which has taken majority of my time this summer. This test is the biggest step thus far towards my educational/career goals!

Other than those two important tasks I've just been trying to relax before school starts back in less than a week. Another semester filled with more science classes; neuroscience and chemistry, I can't wait! I'm also working on upcoming changes to the blog, so stick around to see how things look :) That's it from my life, but I hope y'all are having a wonderful week!

Freya "Patsy" Padded Half Cup (H-cup!) Review

I'm back :)

Freya recently made a (very quiet) decision to extend the sizes of their padded half-cup bras to H (previously they only went to G). I was thrilled to hear this, because the vertical-seam design of the padded half-cups is perfect for giving a round shape. Since Freya's balconettes tend to give a pointy shape on lots of people, I was happy to see them giving more attention to a better seam structure. Unfortunately, Miss Underpinnings recently reported that (after only about a week of these bras being available in H-cups) they're already limiting the number of bras that will have this extended size range for next season. Boo, Freya. Don't be frightened of adding a mere TWO cup sizes to a successful shape. We want these bras and we will buy them if you make them. I'm hoping my review can highlight the fact that these bras are here, they work, and they're great! If we all go and buy one, maybe Freya will see that there is indeed demand for this shape up to H cups. That's my shameless plug.

To start with, I've always loved the design of the Patsy but never bought the unpadded balconette because it's famous for giving a very pointy shape. I always lusted after the half-cup, but wasn't sure if I could take in a 34G to make it work. I love the new "Ballet Pink" color, the first to go to H, and couldn't buy it fast enough. I decided in the end to get a 32H instead of a 30H, because I was afraid these would run a little small in the cups. (The band doesn't matter much to me because I've recently gained weight and a 32 band is fine for me now, though I've preferred a 30 in the past.)

I was right that the cups run a little small, and the 32H was perfect for me in the cups. I'd recommend going up a cup size if you have a lot of upper volume or if you are usually between sizes. For those with lower fullness who are consistently the same cup size, normal cup size should be okay. 

The gore on this bra does NOT lay flat on me. This is not ideal, but also not unexpected as Freya is not known to have the strongest wires. I don't mind very much because my boobs are firm enough to not slip around, and in some ways it actually makes the bra more comfortable. However, if you are a perfectionist about gores lying flat, or if you have boobs that tend to spill over into the middle, the gore in these higher cup sizes may be an issue to be aware of.

The shape from the side is stellar, exactly what I look for. The Patsy (and by extension, the Freya padded half-cup shape in general) gives a bit more lift than Cleo's Juna-based half-cups or Curvy Kate's Showgirl half-cups. It is less low-slung than those and consequently a little less minimizing, but still holds everything closer to home than most balconettes do.

As you can see, the underwires are a little less wide than many British bras in this size range. They're not as narrow as most Polish bras, though.

The padding is thin, which I'm glad about. However, when combined with the patterned mesh overlay, it's also a little 'rustle-y'.

I love how the pattern is continued on the straps and around the entire band. It's such a cute bra, just the thing I've been hoping to own for years.

As you can see from the above photo, the apex this bra gives me is a bit low (which matches my natural apex, actually, but looks slightly different from the visual apex I get in Cleo bras). This supports my theory that the Patsy half-cup may actually work for both upper AND lower fullness. Half-cups often work only for those with upper fullness and gape on those with lower fullness, but I feel that the Patsy could work well for both. For those without upper fullness, the shape will curve back in where the bra ends, giving an uplifted round shape. For those with upper fullness, the shape ends up being a little longer and lower--actually mimicking the real shape of full-on-top boobs. I'm kind of into this.

One more note about this bra, though. It is VERY shallow. Those who have a lot of projection and need deep cups will not find this bra serves them well.

If anyone else has tried the Patsy half-cup up to H, or even in the previously existing lower sizes, let us know in the comments if it worked for your shape!

My First Ewa Michalak Bra!

I happened to come upon a very inexpensive Ewa Michalak bra recently and figured this was my best chance to give the brand a shot. I’ve hesitated to ever order from the Polish bra company for four reasons—first, although the bras themselves are relatively normal in price, the shipping is steep and the bras rarely really go on sale. Second, most of their bras are padded, and I prefer non-padded bras. Third, I was just never really inspired by any of the designs. Cleo by Panache is more my style and most of the Ewa Michalak bras I’ve seen just look kind of plain to me. Fourth, the Ewa Michalak shape is extremely lifted and projected—it makes people’s boobs look great, but not in the way that I prefer. I like a rounder, subtler, almost minimized shape.

That’s why I’d always figured that if I tried any Ewa Michalak, I would have to try the “HM” shape, seen in the Granotowy Motyl, the Gold, the Magnolia, the Burgund, and a few others.

Refer to this post by Curvy Wordy to get more information onthe various bra shapes and what they mean.

Long story short, the “PL” bras are a plunge shape, the “HP” are padded half cups, and the “HM” are unpadded half cups. The HM bras are known to give a sort of flattened, almost-too-round-to-be-round shape, in contrast to the PL, CH, HP, etc etc which give a more uplifted and out-there shape (this is a gross under-simplification, so like I said, check out Curvy Wordy's post if you are curious for more information).

The Ewa Michalak bra that I found at a low price (£5 because it was heavily used) was the Granotowy Motyl in a size 30GG. For comparison, 30GG is the size I wear in the Freya Deco, but I need a 30H in many other bras, a 30HH in others, and a 30J in the Panache Sienna. So I was counting on this bra running big, as shapes that are so open on top often do for full-on-top boobs. And it did… kind of.

This bra was still nearly a cup size too small for me, but because of the cut, I didn’t get any weird bulges, so this size is still wearable. It is, however, a lot lower-cut than the way most bras would sit on me.

I really like how the band on this bra is angled to sit a bit lower on the back. Some bras have the band angled up a bit so that they feel as though they are riding up even when they are way too tight—a lot of Cleo and Panache bras do that. But the Granotowy Motyl has a nice, wide band that sits perfectly. It’s a 30 band, but the woman who sold it to me said it was stretched to a 32 due to being heavily used. I actually found that the band felt very firm to me, like a normal new 30 band, so I think maybe a 32 band would be best for me in Ewa Michalak (or at least ones that are like this style) if I decided to buy a new one in the future.

The straps are very thin on this bra. They have a ruched, non-stretch ribbon along the front half, and also feature this bizarre butterfly embellishment:

I will probably make an attempt to remove this winged creature lest I give my boyfriend night terrors.

The cups on this bra are totally sheer, made of the same firm, non-stretch mesh you’ll find on the Freya Arabella. You can tell how sheer the cups are from this photo, where you can see my feet through the cup where it hangs off the edge of the sink. This gave me a laugh when I saw how the photo came out.

Finally, Ewa Michalak bras are famous for having narrow underwires. I don’t actually like narrow underwires—I like to have all my breast tissue inside the cup and I don’t like underwires to sit on the front of my ribcage—but these weren’t horrible. I do end up with some tissue outside the cup, though.

So there you have it—my first experience with Ewa Michalak. I am reasonably satisfied with this bra. I continue to believe that the HM shape is the only Ewa Michalak shape I will love. I know I need to go up a cup size in this cut, so next time I’d try out a 30H or 32GG.