Bra Review: Elomi Morgan vs Elomi Meredith vs Elomi Mariella vs Elomi Molly

Morgan, Meredith, and Mariella are, essentially, the same bra.  They have a new "sister" named Molly which is a nursing bra made on the same frame.

In this short post, I'll point out the few notable differences between Morgan and Meredith.

The first one is that the "tan" color of Morgan is called Toasted Almond and the Meredith is called Sahara.

While all the bras are made with four-piece cups, Morgan (and Mariella and Molly) are constructed from a larger percentage of polyester (the silkier material) than the Meredith.

Meredith has a textured cup that looks like two pieces of material layered together but it's just one.  I tried to separate them by sticking tweezers into the little holes but it wasn't happening.

The only other difference is that Morgan has a solid piece of elastic running along the bottomside of the cups and Meredith is made from two that meet in a V at the base of the gore. 

So, these four "M"-named bras are all the same skeleton and would serve as good replacements or substitutes if you can't find one of the others.

Morgan--comes in basic tan and black colors that are often just prints in those colors rather than solid tan or black, as well as fashion colors each season.  I think white is considered a fashion color because the tan and black colors seem to be the ones that carry over from season to season.

Mariella--comes in only fashion colors which is a great addition to your Morgan collection.

Meredith--comes in tan and black colors.  I've never seen a fashion color for this one.

Molly--comes in blush at the present time.  If you don't mind the nursing clips, it's a great neutral if your skin undertones are more pink than yellow.

If you'd like to see how they compare to the Elomi Kim Plunge, go to this post here.  Elomi Kim, Jody, and Lucie are made from the same frame as each other.

Bra Review: Soma Innofit (Disapponted but Not Surprised by the Results)

As soon as I heard that Soma was coming out with a new bra-fit gadget, I knew I had to get it.  I had to see for myself if it was accurate.  But, before I get to its accuracy, let's talk about its construction.

It's made from the same material as most microfiber panties so there's some stretch to it.  Unstretched, the band measures about 10" from side to side (not circumference) and the fullest part measures 14" (again, not circumference).  From the top of the shoulder to the band, it's approximately 12".  Here's a picture with a standard size computer mouse, for comparison.

And one without so you can see the happy little "underwire" that is not really any sort of underwire. 

It just gives you general guidelines of where it should sit on your person.  Once I put it on, and it was stretching for all its worth, it wasn't so happy.  Do you see those bands of stitching that run from side to side in the picture above?  Well, like stitching does, there was less "give" along those lines so my "fullest" part was compressed.  Also, because the stitching runs up and over--rather than in a circumference parallel to the ground--the fullest measurement was compromised.  By a good two inches.  But, I digress.

When you flip the Innofit over, you see the large Bluetooth transmitter.  It's bright orange.  You can't miss it.  It's the doodad that receives the info from across your boobs and sends it to the Innofit app.

Inside is the spider web of stitching.

One last thing before I get to its accuracy...

DO NOT WASH IT!! 

...at least not in the washing machine

So, is it accurate?

In a nutshell?  No, not by correct bra-fit standards.  But...it is by Soma standards, using the compromised numbers that it measured.

The four measurements that it calculated were:

Top line: 45.9

Second line: 44.6

Third line: 42.3

Bottom line: 38.8

Which a result of bras in size 40DD

When I use accurate measuring techniques, I get:

Loose Underbust: 39

Snug Underbust: 37.5

Tight Underbust: 35.5

Standing Bust: 47.5

Leaning Bust: 49

Lying Bust: 48.5

Which results in size 38GG/H UK sizing

If you were to turn that 38GG in a 40 band it would be 40G which is FOUR cups larger than what the Innofit put me at.  Now, to be fair, the Innofit DID NOT add four inches to the band measurement.  It merely rounded to the nearest whole band size which would be a 40.  That really isn't that far off of what I measure my own band at, if you left off the "Tight" numbers.

Unfortunately, if the Bottom line had measured at 36, it would have still put me in a 40 band because the Innofit is based off Soma's size guide and that guide is terribly inaccurate.  Also, because of the compression of my own bra--which you're required to wear under the Innofit for best accuracy--and the added compression of the Innofit, the cup size was not accurate, as I already mentioned.

All in all, the journey continues to get proper bra-fit education out to the masses.

Bra Review: Elomi Kim Plunge and Elomi Morgan Side Support

I decided to do a combined review for these two bras because they are the Elomis that fit me best though, to be clear, I prefer the Morgan.

For point of reference, I have short root height, narrow-to-medium root width (and starting to venture into Omega-shaped), and am evenly full (neither Full-on-Top nor Full-on-Bottom).  The combination of short roots and even fullness makes me functionally FOB.  The ABTF calculator sizes me at 38GG.

First, their similarities: They are both 38GG.  They both measure 32" unstretched.  They are both multi-paneled bras with an upper panel of soft, stretchy lace.  They each come in black and tan versions plus a couple "fashion" colors which means that you (currently) have four choices for each of them, provided they have your size in stock.

Band sizes range from 34 to 46 and cups range from DD to K with the largest volume cup being a 40JJ in the Kim and a 40K in the Morgan.  All UK sizing.  Both have three rows and three columns of hook-n-eye fasteners.

Moving on to their differences...

The most obvious difference is gore height.

The gore on the Kim is 3" tall.

On me, a gore at this height digs into the upper portion of my cleavage.  I wan't able to get a great picture of it but it's like I have a bit of "muffin top" at the top of the gore.  Long wearings would make this a very uncomfortable bra but it's fine for a few hours.

The gore on the Morgan is 4" tall.

That one extra inch makes all the difference in being able to wear a bra for a few hours and being able to wear it all day.

There is also a one inch difference in cup width with the Morgan being only 5" wide and the Kim being 6" wide (measured from inside portion of the underwires).  The Morgan also has a taller outer wire which makes sense because it's a "Side Support" bra though the difference doesn't appear all that different when you're looking at the outside.  Conversely, the Kim has a taller wing at 5".  Whereas, the wing on the Morgan is only 4" tall.

Kim, 6" wide cup, 5" tall wing.

Morgan, 5" wide cup, 4" tall wing.

They each do have great bottom-of-the-cup projection.  The best that I've come across in my bra-fit journey.  The Morgan even has accommodation for the pendulosity of a breast.

Another key difference between the two is the stretchiness of the wings.  The Morgan has a single-layer of mesh for its wing.  The Kim, on the other hand, continues the print of the cup on to the wing and this material is layered over the mesh wing.  This provides less give in the wing overall because there are two layers of material.

Kim

Morgan

The Morgan has fully adjustable straps.  The Kim does not.

To sum it up, I have four Morgans--black, tan, purple, and blue--and only one Kim.  I just feel the Morgan is better suited to all my aspects of fit, not to mention my comfort level.

Bra Review: Panache Envy

When I started this blog two and a half years ago, I tried on SO.MANY.BRAS!!!  I thought it was just a matter of finding the one or two that fit and that would be that.  That was in May 2015.  I went through four rounds of different bras from Bare Necessities.  I was a 36FF, in general, and tried on nearly 100 different styles.  A few months later, I found a local bra store and that made trying stuff on so much easier.

Two years ago, I completed my last PT test in my military career and thus began a very torrid affair with Ben...and Jerry.  That continued through January 2016 when I had a surgery that required a month of bed-rest recovery.  Two months after that, as part of my military retirement celebration, I embarked upon a road trip that took more than two months.  It put 12,500 miles on my Jeep...and my ass.

Why do I share this?  Because I gained 30 pounds between December 2015 and June 2016.  I was SO no longer a 36FF.  No problem.  Now that I don't have to worry about 12 hour shifts, the weight will just fall off.  Uh, nope.  So much nope it's not even funny.  But, then again, it is.  Did I really think that what took me six months to gain would take only one or two to lose?  You know how life is what happens when you're busy making plans?  Yeah, right here, baby!

The remainder of 2016 was stressful in epic proportions.  That weight was going nowhere.  It was me who needed to give in and make the adjustment.  So I ventured up a little further in my little state of Delaware and found Bare Essentials.  That's where I've been doing my shopping for the past year.
In that time, I've learned 1) I don't maintain a static size for very long and 2) Never get rid of bras that don't fit if they're still good 'cause they might fit again, no matter whether they're too big or too small.

So, on with the review...

On my most recent shopping expedition, I bought three of these.  As a 36FF, this style didn't fit me but, since I'm not a 36FF any more, I figured why not try them again.  For reference sake, the bra calculator on the sidebar puts me at a 36H/38GG.  If I remember correctly, I started in the area of 38FF for all the bras that I tried. I have short roots, even (top/bottom) fullness, pendulous, and narrow to medium root width.

This one is the Panache Envy in a 38FF.  It's a balconette style which works at this size but, when I was smaller, there was emptiness at the top of the cup.  You can see some "flappiness" at the top of the cup in this picture but that results only when my arms are raised vs all the time.

The gore tacks very nicely.  It doesn't dig in and it doesn't sit on any part of the inner breast.  It is fairly tall though so some may not like this bra if the top of their breasts touch each other.

There are a few areas where I had to compromise on the "perfect fit".  The cup doesn't project at the underwire so when I swoop and scoop there is space at the bottom, between my breast and the underwire.  But not so much that I didn't buy the bra (or the two others in different colors).  It's also a little wide in the cup but, thankfully, the wires aren't that tall so I'm not getting stuck in the armpit.

Another area that lessens me being a fan of this bra is the shoulder strap placement.  If you have narrow shoulders, this is NOT the bra for you.  In the picture below, I positioned the straps to show how they'd lay if they were in line with where they're sew on the bra itself which ends up being ON my shoulder bone.  Most people tend to wear their straps just inside of that, in the little divit instead.

A few more tidbits about the bra:
Although the lace is soft, the rest of the bra is a little stiff and can be itchy.  It's a kind of mesh textile that are in many unlined bras nowadays...at least ones that I've seen anyway.  Also, even though it's labeled 38, the band doesn't measure that length.  Unstretched is 30 inches; stretched is 36 inches.  I measure 37 inches in a snug measurement and 34 in a tight one for my underbust.

The smallness of the bra measurement isn't surprising.  Panache is notorious for running "small", just as Elomi tends to run "large".  Just one of those quirks that brands have.  What I'm getting at is: Don't be surprised if you wear a band size larger than your larger underbust measurement.  Sizing among brands is known for being inconsistent.  Just buy and wear what fits.

Bra Review: Elomi Energise Medium Control Convertible Sports Bra

I first tried on the Elomi Energise Sports Bra at Bare Essentials, here in Delaware.  That's how I was able to narrow down my size.  I measure at a 38FF but this style runs large in the cup so I ended up ordering one each of tan and black in 38F.  I then went on barenecessities.com to see if they had other colors.  They did--a snazzy pomegranate color.  Kind of red; kind of pink.  I ordered two of those.

On to the construction and fit...
The bra, unworn, measures at 31"...

...with straps that are just under 1" wide.  I know you can't really see that they're less than 1" but my camera flash was not cooperating.  They're approximately 3/4" wide.  You can also see the J-hook which I just may to try.

The cups have two vertical seams, one full (top to bottom) along the outer portion of the cup and one that goes up to the horizontal overbust seam.

And it has ALMOST enough immediate depth (fka immediate projection) to accommodate me.

The gore tacks beautifully and you can see, below (and above) that it has a closed top.  I have short roots and even fullness--making me "functionally" FoB--and this sits just right on me.  The underwires stop a full 2" from the top of the bra but the whole gore sits flush against my sternum.

So...how does it perform?  Well, the jury is still out.  I *have* jogged in it twice now.  However, I haven't jogged in quite some time.  I did do some running in my Natori Yogi bra.  It wasn't pleasant or comfortable.  So, really, I haven't ran regularly since I was a 36FF--about 30lbs ago--so I don't know if it was uncomfortable because it truly didn't support or if it was uncomfortable because of the extra volume on my chest.  I plan to keep them and continue to jog in them but I may end up getting a compression bra to go over top of them until I get used to running again.

Bra Review: Brooks/Moving Comfort Embody Sports Bra

The Brooks/Moving Comfort Embody Sports Bra was recommended to me by someone who runs and is large chested.  She assured me that it was comfortable and fit great so I ordered one.  The first thing I did, though, was to eschew their method of determining for size.  To determine band size, it has you add as many as FIVE inches to what you measure under the bust.  FIVE inches!!  I measure at 37", snugly.  This would have had me ordering a 42 band size--two sizes too big for this 38 band size woman.  And their cup size determination...I can't even.  It has you in an AA cup if there is a three inch difference between your (actual) band and (actual) bust measurement and my 10 inch difference puts me in an F cup, by their chart.  If you'd like to experience this confusion, yourself, just click on "Expert Advice" and measure away.

Folks, bra math is fairly easy: 1 inch = 1 cup size.  It's the differences between the three main "sizers"--UK, US, and EU--that confuses many folks.   The part that you have to keep in mind is that UK sizing has no vowels beyond E and has double letters after F.  Here's a chart to show how US, UK, and EU sizing lines up.  Since Moving Comfort comes in FF cups, it's safe to assume that they use UK sizing.  But, by their measuring methods, I wouldn't need an FF.  I'd be in a 42F.  Needless to say, I didn't order a 42F.  I ordered my r/ABTF's calculated size of 38FF.

When I first opened the package, I was quite excited.  It appeared to have many of the features that I need for a bra in which I plan to run: wide straps, deeper cups, high gore to name a few.  And it really is just a nice looking bra.  My first step was to measure the bra--before I put it on so as to not skew the measurement.  Unstretched, it measured between 30 and 31 inches.  Eek!  I hope it's not too tight!!

The straps were great.  Nice and wide--a full 1 inch wide, fully adjustable--you can shorten them and lengthen them all the way from front to back, and you can criss cross them.

Checking out more of the construction, I see that it has two layers.  This is great if you like a little more coverage between your bra and your tshirt or don't want your boobs quite so "out there" in a bra.  It's also a great place to put your keys and ID without putting those items in the actual cup.  :)

The other thing that's nice is that the cup is multi-seamed.  This is an important feature if you have any sort of breast projection.  Your boobs won't be pushing the bra all the way down your ribcage, searching for a deeper part of the cup.

Okay, so how does it fit???
Not great.  The cup was too small.  The cups are compressing me enough that I have cleavage in this bra and that's not a goal of mine in a sports bra.  The gore tacked but you can see where the inner portion of the underwire is digging into said cleavage.    See the "dig" here:

The other indicator that it doesn't fit well, for me, is how the cup doesn't extend as far as I'd like towards my armpit.  This might be due to being too narrow, too, but I wouldn't know for sure unless I ordered a cup size larger--38G.  I also had more "wing overhang" than I was comfortable with.

I didn't order the 38G...yet.  Maybe sometime in the future.  I found another brand and style at a local store and purchased a few of those.  Be on the lookout for a store review for Bare Essentials in Delaware and a bra review for the bra that I bought.

Bra Review: Natori Women's Power Yogi Convertible Sports Bra (in Passion Pink/Orchid)

Sometime in April, I decided to check out the local Dillards--while passing through Montgomery, AL--and ended up buying a few sports bras to wear during my time of increased size--surgeries and vacation can help facilitate weight gain like you wouldn't believe.

With no exception, I tried on every sports bra that they had in my size.  And did jumping jacks while wearing them.  The Natori Women's Power Yogi Convertible Sports Bra performed the best in the small fitting room so I bought one in every color that they had--grey, tan, bright pink, lavender, and light teal.

This bra is definitely testament to the fact that bra sizes are completely inconsistent.  I measure at a 38FF/G.  This bra is a 38DDD, U.S. sizing (which is obvious if you know that the UK doesn't use triple letters *anywhere* in their sizing) and, in this case, the DDD equals an F.  The sizing lines up D, DD, DDD, G for this bra.  You can see numerous colors and the 32A to 40G selection on Amazon.

Now that I've had them a few months and worn them a number of times, I feel like I can give a good assessment of what I think about them.  First off, the coverage is very high--I don't say "cups" here because there are two layers to this bra (pic at bottom of this post).  So, the coverage is high--from the stitches that connect the strap to front and down to the bottom of the band it's nine inches, as best I can measure--but the underwires kind of slide down on to the band.  See both these attributes here: 

It's also a shallow bra.  After wearing it an hour, the band feels like it's halfway down my belly.  I also feel like I'm constantly swooping and scooping.  Evidence to the shallow...the non-tacking gore (also known as: A great shot of my cleavage lol): 

One thing in this bra's favor is the width of its cups.  They're narrow, like me.  :)  The width (6.75") is perfect for my breasts, even if the depth (~4") and projection (~.25" at the underwire) aren't.  I wish all my bras had cups at this width:

With all these things, though, they're not all that annoying.  There is one attribute of this bra that irks me to no end: the straps.  I can't get them to lay flat to save my life.  I love that they're so adjustable but that *extra* just doesn't cooperate.  See them waving?

I mentioned the bra being two layers.  This facet is great if you're looking to avoid headlights showing.  However, I think it's the two-layer feature that makes the shallowness so, well, shallow.  You can see the inner layer here: 

All these negative features, do I even like this bra?  I do.  And the main reason for that is that I can wear this bra as a visible foundation under a top and not care that it's showing.  I can wear it with a low cut blouse and it will cover up an excess cleavage.  

I can wear it and my workout shirt out and about without looking like I'm wearing Activewear as my Everydaywear.  A personal pet peeve of mine: Folks who wear gym attire yet have no intention of working out.  I just don't get it.

Anyhow, those are my thoughts on the Natori Women's Power Yogi Convertible Sports Bra.  Bottom line: I wouldn't run in this bra...and I've tried...but it's fine for medium to low impact sports like walking and bicycle riding.

Again, there are 24 different colors available on Amazon, six on barenecessities (sizes 32B to 40H there), and 15 on HerRoom (most are on clearance, 32B to 40G).  Department stores like Dillard's or Nordstrom might have them but they are definitely in short supply.

My Journey With A Few Cleos by Panache

I've received some feedback regarding my bra journey and folks wanting more details so I've decided to do some brand reviews in which I lump all the bras from that brand in one post.  This is my first one of those and I've decided to go with Cleo by Panache.

I've tried five different styles of Cleos--two in different sizes--and none have been successful, even when I adjust for size.  For example, I've tried three sizes in the Juna Balconette because the 36FF and the 36F fit very much the same.  

Here is the first try, 36FF:

You can see that there is a bit of a flattening at the front of the far cup as well as some muffin top.

The next round was a 36F (I think I fat-fingered when I meant to select 38F lol):

Surprisingly, there wasn't much difference in the fit, just a tad less room in the cup.

The final try was the 38F:

This one had a bit more give in the band but, as expected, the cups fit much the same as the 36FF.

Now, it was this last round that inspired me to actually measure a Cleo band.  Guess what the 38 band measured, unstretched.  30.5 inches.  And stretched...it measured just 41 inches.  I knew Cleos were tight but dang!!

The only other Cleo that I've tried multiple sizes in was the Lucy Balconette.  

The first round was a 36FF (as are all my first tries since that's what I measured at when this journey began):

It fit okay but, as with all Cleos, the band was tight so I sister-sized to a larger band.  This was also before I was avoiding this general style altogether.  The combination of my short roots and even fullness makes me "functionally" FoB which results, every time, in that fluttering of lace that you see in the upper cup.

The 38F:

Just a hint of lacy flutter but this bra had a weird asymmetrical construction to it, so I sent it back.

Another Cleo that I've tried is the Lily Balconette.  Here it is in a 36FF:

This bra is super cute but, again, there was a lacy flutter that I didn't like.

If I remember correctly, this next one was actually one of the first Cleos that I tried.  The Maddie in 36FF:

At the top of the cup, you can see quad-boob, muffin top; and, at the bottom, you can see that it's not projected enough.  Very cute bra though.

In this last round, I tried what I think will be my last Cleo, the Marcie Balconette.

Here it is in 36FF:

It's projected enough and has only a slight lacy flutter but the material was itchy and the band too tight.  Since, like the Juna Balconette in 38F, I still had it on hand this morning and decided to measure the band.  This 36 band measures at 28.5 inches unstretched and 40 inches stretched.  Cleo is a great brand to go to if you can't find band *small* enough for your frame.  We average to bigger women...I'd suggest trying other brands.  lol.

I will say: in all of these, the gore tacked so the cup is pretty deep and the underwires didn't poke me in the armpit so they weren't too wide...nor were they too narrow.  It's really just the bands that I have any issue with.

That is my short journey with Cleo by Panache bras--the Juna, the Lily, the Lucy, the Maddie, and the Marcie.  All were Balconettes.  All were sexy.  None were suitable.

Bra Review: Freya Deco Debut Plunge (in clover)

This bra was sitting right of top when I opened the box from barenecessities and I couldn't wait to try it on.  It's so pretty.  Now, I'm not looking to wear it for a full day but it would be fun to wear if I'm going out for the evening with my girlfriends or out on a date.  Knowing that I have on something so snazzy would give me that little boost of feeling good.

Lets' start with some details...

The bow at the gore and at the straps connection is a very feminine touch and I love the contrast between the straps and upper cup and the print on the main portion of the cup.

The material over the cup is cut and sewn in a princess seaming kind of way, making it so that it's not bulky.

The cup itself is one molded, non-padded, piece--which forgives all kinds of shape mismatch issues--and the wings are mesh lined.  The piece directly connected to the cup is a stiffer mesh than that of the actual wing with the wing being quite flexible and breathable.

The downside to this bra is that it's a little snug and the number of hook and eyes contributes to a little bit of back-roll.

Because of that, I'm going to try a sister size larger--this is a 36FF--to see if that alleviates the "snug" aspect.

You gotta admit, though...it does look pretty snazzy...

I'll update this post when I get the new one in.