Lace and Haze

Tag: fuller bust

  • Lara Intimates, The Ava review.

    Lara Intimates, The Ava review.

    Lara has long been on my Wishlist of lingerie brands to try. Sadly for me and all my bigger busted babes, up until the end of last year they were only catering to the small back and core sized market. Luckily for me this brand took a chance and expanded their size range quite extensively so I was able to finally purchase something after browsing for a year.

    I purchased the Ava bra in the limited edition lilac in a 28G and the high waisted briefs in a small. I was tossing up between two styles for my first purchase from Lara. The other option I was seriously looking at was the wren bra.

    The main thing that first drew me to this brand is the fact that it is an ethical and sustainable brand. All products are made by a small team in their studio in London. The fabrics which they use are all dead stock fabrics that otherwise would go to landfills. They generally are only made to order with a few key items in stock and ready to ship. It may take longer for your order to arrive when it’s made just for you but this avoids having the issue of over stocking. When you see big clearances in fashion, it’s because they had to make enough to fill the shop floor, knowing most of it will go to clearance, then the outlets and if it never sells it gets incinerated or sent to landfill. Pretty wasteful way of producing right?

    I’m getting distracted here but the reason I love this business model apart from the obvious is that it makes us more considered consumers. You plan ahead, you save up and you avoid that instant gratification. If you really want it you can wait for it.

    So I’ve waited a long time for this set! It actually didn’t take long to make and be sent from London to Sydney, it was under 6 weeks. So here are my thoughts.

    For a brand that is only fairly new, my first impression of the quality was fantastic. Everything was very neat and tidy. I was surprised how light the mesh was. It literally felt like I wasn’t holding anything. The fabric against the skin was even better, like wearing nothing at all. The briefs are a dream to wear, I don’t have a bad word to say about them. The bralette I’m slightly disappointed in but I’ll tell you in full detail why.

    First of all I should have ordered a 28H. Lara intimates uses its own sizing system so it’s very important that you check your measurements and their sizing system before you order. It’s very easy to use and is one of the best online sizing calculators I’ve used. Technically I measure for a 28G in Lara but I think this style in particular came up small in the height of the cups for me as well as slightly in the cup width. I don’t find this style particular supportive even though the band fits well. It’s better than some bralettes I’ve tried but because the mesh is so soft it doesn’t have the uplift and support I would like. It’s great for lounging but after a full day of work and walking around I could tell it wasn’t going to be replacing my regular bras. One other slight issue I had was with the depth of the cups. There is no division or uplift. I’m sad to say I’ve had better luck with an off the rack bralette in a regular medium.

    It’s not a bad bralette, it’s just not what I was expecting. I would like to see more depth in the cup area, but as I’m not technically trained in lingerie pattern making I’m not even sure if that’s possible. Again if you are using dead stock fabric you don’t have as much choice with what materials you work with. The mesh is beautifully soft to wear but it lacks the support of a more ridged mesh.

    If I was to purchase again I’d definitely go for a different style. I think the straps are too narrow if you have a bigger bust to be truly comfortable. One plus side of the straps is that you can wear them normally or as a racer back. I know a lot of fuller busted babes look for thinner straps in bras so they can wear them easier with clothes. If you are one of those people, this is the bralette for you!

    I look forward to seeing how Lara intimates progresses. They have a lot of positive feed back from customers and I’d love nothing more than to see this brand do well.

  • Attollo Lingerie

    Attollo Lingerie

    Attollo is a relatively new brand coming out of London. It was created because the founders themselves couldn’t find bras in their size that they wanted to wear. I know the feeling…

    Their aim is to give the fuller bust customer beautiful, uplifting affordable lingerie that you actually want to wear. So do I think they have achieved this? In short, yes but ill give you all the details below.

    I was gifted the Gigi High waisted knickers in a size 8-10 and the Emelie Longline bra in a 28GG. The set retails for £63 or $110 AUD which may not sound very affordable but for a fuller bust bra made in Europe, it really is priced well. They have bra sizes 28-36 DD-HH and knickers XS-XL.

    It’s important to note that Attollo does not use standard sizing. Generally you need to go up a cup size from your normal uk size. The best thing about Attollo is that they have one of the most comprehensive, easy to understand fit guides I’ve ever come across. They have their own fit calculator, they have even included different breast shapes you can combine that with your measurements to make sure you are getting the best size. If that wasn’t enough, if you aren’t lucky enough to go into London for your personal fit session it’s possible to make a FaceTime appointment and you can get fitted from the comfort of your own home. All you need is a measuring tape.

    I did a FaceTime session with one of the founders of the company to determine my size. Working out a time to do it was the most difficult part about it. The time difference between London and Sydney is 11hrs so 9am London time and 7pm Sydney time seems to work the best. After discussing what sizes I wear in other brands we came to the conclusion that a 28GG would be the best fit. I rember thinking that it sounds huge! I was slightly sceptical of how well it would fit but I put my trust that they knew best. The package arrived in a week which is amazing. Usually anything sent from overseas, even if it’s express, takes more than a week.

    I was super excited to try on this set, its so hard to find a good longline bra in the fuller bust size range. When first trying it on I was amazed by the quality and how cohesive it was. Sometimes with new brands, the design can be great but perhaps they haven’t found their longtime suppliers some elements can seem off. This isn’t the case with Attollo, it looks and feels like its one of the big, established companies.

    The long line bra has 5 rows of hook and eyes which is the perfect length for a longline that is an everyday bra. The bra is mostly made up of a stretch lace with a medium stretch mesh on the inside. There are two vertical seams on each cup, yes they leave a mark at the end of a full day wearing the bra but I haven’t found them itchy or noticeable. One of my favourite design elements is the satin band, It is so comfortable!!!! I think this is my favourite bra now because the band is perfectly firm on my ribs, without digging in or rolling up. The straps on this bra are the thinnest I’ve seen on a fuller bust bra and while this may have been a concern for me at first, because the band actually fits me, I don’t have a lot of weight on the straps to begin with. At first I thought this bra was made for really tall people, the straps are fully adjustable but the longest I’ve ever seen. I soon realised they are that long because you can wear them crossed over. Ive seen people wearing them crossed over the front but I’ve only tried them crossed at the back.

    The high waisted Gigi underwear looks amazing on and it is one of my favourite styles. The only problem for me is that there is a seam in the centre of the gusset. I don’t find it too noticeable but if I’m wearing these knickers all day I will start to feel it by the end. Just something to consider if you are particularly sensitive. Apart from that I love the style and that they are the perfect hight to wear with my jeans. The lace at the back means they work seamlessly under clothing.

    I’m really looking forward to seeing what Attollo will release next. I’m very impressed with their bra fit, so much so that the longline is the bra I’m wearing most often. I find its perfect for wearing under my sheer tops, the lace gives it texture without having the solid black mass like a t-shirt bra would. I definitely need more Attollo bras in my life.

    Happy bra shopping!

    Elly x