Vintage beauty: The Freya 'Loretta'

  Although bold prints and vivid colours are big news this summer, the 'Loretta' bra from Freya's Spring/Summer 2011 collection offers a great alternative to summer brights. The 'Loretta' takes on a much more girly trend of subdued pastel hues and floral and paisley patterning, giving off an air of lady-like glamour and an elegance that is sure to capture any girl's heart...

  The 'Loretta' is a gorgeous vintage blue colour, complimented by delicate flower-embroidered cream mesh panels. The blue of the cups is nicely set off by pale pink and green floral accents, whilst the paisley print gives the bra a very vintage feel. The bra also features little blue bows on the straps and the hanging gem charm at the centre gives the bra a more glamorous feel!

  Aside from the obvious visual beauty of this bra, Freya never compromises on fit. The 'Loretta' is a full cup, underwired plunge - ideal for bigger busted girls who want good coverage, as well as a bra that looks good! The band is firm without being uncomfortable and the cups give great shape and support.

  I found the fit and shape of this bra similar to the Freya 'Arabella' (Click here for my review). The main difference between the 'Loretta' and 'Arabella' is that the 'Loretta' has the advantage of being made from a softer and silkier fabric, which adds to its comfort and wearability.

(Freya 'Loretta' bra, £30)

  The best thing about the 'Loretta' is its size-inclusivity - boasting 28-38 bands and cup sizes from a B right up to an H! To complete the set, you can pick either shorts (£12.50), thong (£14.50) or briefs (£15.50), which boast matching lace and paisley patterning.

  The Freya 'Loretta' is a true 'must-have' for this summer and would be perfect under a floaty tea dress. Additionally, the 'Loretta' will be the perfect transitional lingerie piece to lead you into fall's more muted tones. This bra is so beautifully designed that it seems almost a shame to cover it up! If you're looking for summer romance, the 'Loretta' is sure to set hearts a-fluttering!

Love,
Kitty xo

Freya 'Arabella' bra - reviewed!

  After hearing several rave reviews about the Freya 'Arabella' bra, I was very keen to try it out for myself. As a new convert to the world of small bra back sizes and big cup sizes, the 'Arabella' seemed a perfect option to go for. As a 28 back size, I was pleased that Freya stocked my size and offered band sizes up to a 38 and cup sizes from C to J. The choice of colours for the 'Arabella' bra is particularly impressive; black, pink, navy, red, noir, cassis - to name a few! I went for the navy 'midnight' colour as it was on sale down from the usual RRP of £30 at Leia Lingerie.

  The 'Arabella' bra is a full cup plunge bra and features sheer mesh cups with finely embroidered scallop edging, fairly thick straps for support and bow details on the straps and in the centre of the bra. Freya have been particularly clever to think about the way that the bra should be manufactured for GG-J cups, who may need a little extra support in the cups. For these cup sizes, an extra layer of mesh has been added to the cups at the bottom for reinforcement, but the cups still remain semi-sheer.

I purchased the 'Arabella' bra in both a 28F and 28FF. Due to sometimes varying between brands and different styles, buying both the F and FF enabled me to assess the fit. I ended up going for the FF, as it didn't cut into any breast tissue and gave a more rounded shape.

A picture of the 28FF:

  I had never tried a full cup bra before, but I found the 'Arabella' to be surprisingly comfy and gave a good, rounded shape - something I initially thought impossible due to the mesh material of the cups. The mesh is actually quite thick and is more of a 'power mesh' that supports the breast in the cup, rather than stretching (N.B. Most of the support should come from the band anyway!) My only criticism of the 28 band size, was that it felt a little looser than some other Freya bras I own, but the overall fit and comfort of the bra is so good that this can be overlooked. The straps are also very comfortable and I feel very supported!

Detail of the mesh and embroidery: 

  I love the fact that this bra is both a 'bedroom' and everyday bra! It is the perfect synthesis between aesthetics and support - sexy and supportive is a winning combination for any fuller busted lady! The colour combination of the dark navy mesh set off with light blue embroidery and bright green bows at first had me undecided, but when I tried it on, it looked really chic and classy!

  All in all, I am very impressed with the Freya 'Arabella' bra and would highly recommend it to any C+ cupped lady. I now have my eye on the 'Cassis' version, which I may well have to purchase in the near future..

Love,

Kitty xo