Ever since the '50 Shades of Grey' phenomenon, bondage-inspired lingerie has become my kryptonite. Although harnesses and bondage-inspired accessories are a great option for fuller busted ladies who do not want to compromise on bra fit (cue my review of the Esty Lingerie choker strap), I have been hoping that fuller bust brands will take the plunge and dare to incorporate the more risqué design elements of the bondage trend into their lingerie offerings...
Whilst highstreet lingerie brands such as Ann Summers, La Senza, H&M, Topshop (and others) have been quick to integrate strapping, cut-outs, mesh and sexy tie detailing into their collections, fuller-bust-friendly brands have been slightly slower on the uptake of the trend - with the exception of Marlies Dekkers (whose strapping bras precede the '50 shades' trend) and the Figleaves Boudoir range (which seems to have sprouted as a reaction to the bondage trend).
(Pic credit: brasnthings.com)
Imagine my delight when a press release appeared in my inbox from Pour Moi? Lingerie, introducing their new bondage-inspired lingerie range. Pour Moi? is a brand that has been on my radar for several years and it is definitely a lesser blogged about fuller bust brand in the blogosphere. This is surprising, given that they were established in 2005, are stocked by some of the most prevalent fuller bust retailers (e.g. ASOS, Figleaves and Bravissimo), have very reasonable price points and their sizing range goes from 28DD-44J!
Pour Moi? are probably most well-known for their Swimwear, but their lingerie is definitely something to keep an eye out for. Whilst Pour Moi?'s earlier bra designs erred on the safe side, with highly commercial colours and 'staple'/'classic' designs, the 'Addicted' collection is a total game changer!
The 6-piece 'Addicted' collection was inspired by the hotly anticipated '50 shades of Grey' film (due to launch in February 2015) and the range certainly delivers sexy, strappy, bondage-inspired, boudoir gorgeousness in abundance! The collection comprises a chemise, camisole, suspender, g-string, strappy brief (sizes 8-18 and S-XL) and a stunning half cup bra, which had me hook, line and sinker ever since compiling my fuller bust Christmas lingerie gift guide!
The 6-piece 'Addicted' collection was inspired by the hotly anticipated '50 shades of Grey' film (due to launch in February 2015) and the range certainly delivers sexy, strappy, bondage-inspired, boudoir gorgeousness in abundance! The collection comprises a chemise, camisole, suspender, g-string, strappy brief (sizes 8-18 and S-XL) and a stunning half cup bra, which had me hook, line and sinker ever since compiling my fuller bust Christmas lingerie gift guide!
Available in sizes 30D-40G, the Pour Moi? 'Addicted' bra is ideal for trend-led, fuller busted ladies who are looking to add something ineffably sexy and directional to their underwear collection. Aesthetically, the 'Addicted' bra is eye-catching and racy, both in the original black and even more so in the recent lipstick red shade! Having lusted after this bra for several months, I was over the moon to be offered the chance to try the bra and g-string out for myself...
I was even more impressed with the 'Addicted' set in the flesh and the design is very visually arresting. I particularly love the intricate red floral lace pattern, which overlays a thin layer of nude mesh. I find this to be a clever design feature, as the layered soft cups give the illusion of delicacy. The mesh is semi-sheer, allowing for a subtle peek of skin to show through, yet the mesh adds to the bra's structural reinforcement.
Given the half-cup design of the bra, the straps become a particularly prominent feature of the bra. With their cut-out/ upside down 'V' shaped design, the straps almost 'frame' the breasts, delivering a saucy, bondage-inspired sex appeal.
Interestingly, the straps are made partly in a satin-finish elastic and partly in an almost 'felt'-finish fabric, giving them unusual textural contrast. A twisted rope bow adorns the centre of the bra and its little hanging tassels add to the bra's exoticism.
Interestingly, the straps are made partly in a satin-finish elastic and partly in an almost 'felt'-finish fabric, giving them unusual textural contrast. A twisted rope bow adorns the centre of the bra and its little hanging tassels add to the bra's exoticism.
Whilst the 'Addicted' bra is a visual treat, I found that the fit was a different kettle of fish. I received the 'Addicted' in a 30FF and I am pleased to report that as a 28 back, the 'Addicted' bra came up slightly tighter than other 30 backs that I have tried. When I first tried the 30FF on, I noticed that the central gore was very tall, which seemed to reduce the amount of lift that could be provided by the (very stretchy) straps. If you have high-set breasts, this bra will probably just encase your breasts, rather than provide a lot of uplift.
It is also worth mentioning that the underwires are very wide; a feature that was incompatible with my breast shape, as they wrapped too far around my body. The picture below demonstrates the wideness of the 'Addicted' bra's wires compared to my Cleo 'Lucy' (which is also a bra with wider underwires). This leads me to think that wider-set breasts may be better-suited to the shape of the 'Addicted'.
I also found that the mesh cups did not have much 'give' and were quite shallow, meaning that more 'full on top' or 'even' breasts can get a slightly flattened look from the vertical-seamed cups. I decided to order a 32F and 30G in the Pour Moi? 'Addicted' from Amazon
for size comparison, finding that the original 30FF was the best fit for me as it encased the whole of my breast tissue and sat more flush to my chest (despite its slightly flattening effect).
for size comparison, finding that the original 30FF was the best fit for me as it encased the whole of my breast tissue and sat more flush to my chest (despite its slightly flattening effect).
Pour Moi? continue the theme of mesh, lace and cut-outs in their risqué 'Addicted' G-string. The G-string is predominantly made from stretch elastic and the design is almost completely cut-out, save for a diamond of pale mesh overlaid with scalloped red lace.
The strappy thong looks gorgeous on, although it is definitely not for the faint of heart, as not much is left to the imagination! With regard to fit, I found that a size 12 fit nicely and the elastic straps felt soft against my skin and did not dig in. One of the features that I particularly liked about it was the attention to detail - I love the little circular slider where the elastic straps meet and the gorgeous rope bow with fringed tassels!
To conclude, although this bra was not a huge success for my shape, it may work well for women with wider-set, shallower breasts. The 'Addicted' bra does, however, score serious style points, really hitting the mark with its fabulous cut-outs, lace overlay, rope bow detailing and interesting use of textures. Equally, the 'Addicted' is a great bra to incorporate into an 'underwear as outerwear' look - it is particularly striking under mesh tops, sheer blouses or peeking out from under a vest or evening top.
(Here, I am wearing the 'Addicted' under an old Morgan top - the pop of colour really jazzes the top up for the evening)
Pour Moi? is definitely a brand to watch, as they seem to be taking note of trends, understanding that fuller busted women want edgier, boudoir lingerie that really packs a punch. At £28 for the half cup bra and £12 for the matching thong, this set is very reasonably priced and you can snap this set up for a reduced price of £22.40 and £9.60 in the Figleaves sale!
What are your thoughts on the 'Addicted' set and would you try it?
What do you think that the fuller bust market is missing at the moment?
Love,
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Take a look at the rest of Pour Moi?'s lingerie and swimwear ranges on the official website or shop the Pour Moi? 'Addicted' range at Figleaves.
