Parfait by Affinitas 'Jeanie' bra review - a contender for the 'Deco'?

   As regular Undercover Lingerista readers may know, I am a huge fan of moulded bras and I often find myself reaching for a moulded plunge/ t-shirt bra on a daily basis. One bra that I particularly sing the praises of is the Freya Deco bra, which I continue to buy again and again in as many colours and prints as my bank balance will allow! Thanks to the 'Deco's simple but well-constructed design and the great support and cleavage that it gives, it has been hard for me to find a moulded bra that holds a candle to it. For quite some time, I have longed to find another bra that gives me a cleavage to rival the 'Deco' (without being very padded) and it seems that the day has finally come..

   When 'Parfait' by Affinitas came on to my radar, I unsurprisingly fell in love with the gorgeous designs (who can resist the array of pretty colours and beautiful lace, ruffle, bow and charm details?) As a result, I almost bypassed their lingerie 'basics' . Fortunately, one day I spotted 'Jeanie' in her simple but effortlessly wearable glory and found myself longing for just one more t-shirt bra.. 

   As Affinitas Intimates is still a relatively new brand in the UK and it is not yet stocked in major department stores, I decided to search for a UK stockist of the 'Jeanie' online..to no avail! Just when I thought that it was a futile search, the delightful Cha from Large Cup Lingerie said that she could source it for me and send it on! Given that in my review of the Parfait 'Fiona' camisole, the 30F was a tad too small in the cups, I wasn't sure whether I would need a 30F or 30FF in the 'Jeanie', so Cha kindly ordered both sizes for me to try.

   Firstly, I cannot recommend Large Cup Lingerie enough - it is a brilliant site for busty ladies, offering some amazing bargains, great customer service and FREE international delivery! What's not to love? True to form, the 'Jeanie' was ordered and posted out quickly to me.

   The Parfait 'Jeanie' is a moulded bra made from smooth microfibre with powernet back wings for support. Given that Affinitas do not stock 28 backs in their ranges, it was good that the 30 back 'Jeanie' fitted me fine. Interestingly enough, when I compared the widths of my (albeit worn) Freya 'Deco' bra in a 28FF with the Parfait 'Jeanie', the 'Jeanie' was quite a bit smaller in the band. This seems to reinforce that Parfait 30 backs do come up more snug than many 30 backs in other brands.

   With regard to sizing, I am surprised to say that I got on slightly better with the 30F 'Jeanie' than the 30FF. There was not a huge amount of difference between the sizes, but I did notice a bit of gaping at the top of the cups in the 30FF, so sizing down to the 30F eliminated this problem. 

   It is interesting to note that the construction of the 'Jeanie' does alter slightly between F and FF cups. The 30F fastens with two hook and eye closures, whereas the 30FF has 3 hook and eye closures for added support and anchorage. I also noticed that the straps on the 30FF are the same width as those on my 'Deco' bra, being 0.5cm wider than the straps of the 30F 'Jeanie':

   The actual fit of the 'Jeanie' is rather 'jeanie'-ous, if you'll forgive the pun! The fabric is incredibly soft against the skin and very comfortable to wear. It is completely seamless, making it ideal for giving a streamlined shape even when worn under the tightest of clothing. I love that the straps on the 30F 'Jeanie' are that bit thinner than the straps on most of my other bras. It is so hard to come across fuller bust bras that have thin straps that will work under strappy tops, but this bra delivers (up to an F cup at least!) - no more bra straps stealing the show! 

   The 'Jeanie' does bear quite a striking resemblance to the Freya 'Deco', but that said, there are a few subtle differences between the two bras..

1. The 'Jeanie' boasts a dainty black bow and silver heart charm at the centre of the cups, adding elegance to an otherwise basic bra: 

2. There are thinner straps on the 'Jeanie' up to an F cup

3. The 'Jeanie' has mesh back wings rather than the same material all the way around on the 'Deco'

4. Softer elastic straps on the 'Jeanie'

5. Marginally wider/thicker back band on the 'Jeanie'

6. The cups of the 'Jeanie' also appear to be a bit wider and more shallow than those on the 'Deco'

7. Centre gore wires are slightly further apart on the 'Jeanie' (See below):

   There is not a vast amount of difference in the fit of the 'Jeanie' and 'Deco' and both bras give a lovely rounded and uplifted shape with a cracking cleavage to boot! One thing that does frustrate me a little about the 'Jeanie', however, is that the central wires do not sit completely flush against my chest (this was not rectified when I sized up to a 30FF, so I think that this issue could be eliminated if the 'Jeanie' came in a 28 back!)

  In my opinion, the 'Jeanie' is a 'must-have' for any underwear drawer. It is perfect for low-cut tops, V neck shirts and tight fitting dresses and it would also make for a comfy t-shirt bra. If you're looking for a plunge bra that will give you fabulous cleavage, whilst feeling so soft that you won't want to take it off, then this bra is for you! 

   Although I still love my 'Deco' bras, the 'Jeanie' is a great alternative and it costs a purse-friendly £26! (The 'Deco' is £30) 'Jeanie' will also be available in Nude and 'European Nude'. Keep your eyes peeled on Large Cup Lingerie as 'Jeanie' will be coming soon to the site. 

   I can't wait to review more from Parfait by Affinitas and will be looking forward to the new collection launches. It's easy to get lost in the beauty of the satin and lace Parfait sets, but there's also something to be said for always having the bra 'basics' - 'Jeanie' looks set to be a well-loved addition to my bra-dobe!

Love,

Kitty xo

Taylor-ed to perfection - The Freya Deco 'Taylor' bra reviewed!

  As you some of you may remember from one of my first ever blog posts, the Freya 'Deco' is a bra that I hold very close to heart. Not only was it the first bra that I ever bought after being refitted as my 'true' size, but it is also a bra that I have continued to purchase again and again in different shades and prints (you can see my earlier review of the 'Deco' here). 

  The 'Deco' comes in back sizes 28-38 and in cup sizes B-GG and has proved a real best-seller right from its launch. The 'Deco' is a bra that gives great cleavage, whilst being soft and comfortable enough to wear on an everyday basis. It is no wonder that as soon as I glimpsed a preview of the Freya 'Taylor' back in April of this year, I knew that I had to own it! 

  Thanks to Freya Lingerie, I was given the opportunity to review the eagerly awaited 'Taylor' Deco, after being fitted by a Freya expert. I went to my local Freya stockist and the lovely Unnis fit me into a 28FF. I had previously been wearing a 28F in the Deco and felt that I needed to size up in the cups, so I was very excited for my 28FF Freya 'Taylor' to arrive in the post!

  As you can see from the photo, the 'Taylor' builds on Freya's classic black Deco moulded bra, but has been updated with diagonal stripes, lace and velvet detailing and bronze and copper notes. The 'Taylor' is spot on-trend with its semi-sheer black mesh overlay, which gives flashes of the nude moulded cup beneath. The nude colour coming through the mesh really ramps up the bra's sex appeal, without actually revealing anything! 

  The diagonal stripes on the cups give the bra a more 'structured' look, drawing the eye towards the cleavage - meaning that all eyes are on you! The 'Taylor' is also complimented by a strip of bronze velvet ribbon that runs along the cups, adding a luxurious feel to the bra. The straps and centre of the bra boast copper and black satin and lace bows and the top of the cups feature black lace - subtle detailing which lends to the bra's glamorous finish. 

  To compliment the 'Taylor' bra, a matching thong (£12.50), high waisted brief (£16) or short (£12.50) is available. I went for the shorts, as it is a style of underwear that I find very comfortable to wear, as well as being sexy. Like the bra, the 'Taylor' shorts are predominantly black, with two diagonal strips of bronze velvet, black lace trims and a pretty copper and black bow at the centre. I love the panels of striped mesh at the hips, which show off a bit of 'peek-a-boo' skin underneath! (See detail below)

  In terms of fit, the 'Taylor' set was a great success. The bra band sits nice and snug in a 28 and the cups fit perfectly in a FF. The lightly padded cups give a beautifully rounded and uplifted shape and the plunge style gives a cleavage that is truly knock-out! I am also thrilled that the 'Taylor' has such exquisite detailing, whilst remaining seamless. The shorts are also very comfortable to wear and give very good coverage on the bottom. The 'Taylor' shorts are, on the whole, fairly seamless, showing through faintly under only the tightest of my bodycon dresses.

  It is not often that you come across a lingerie set that both oozes elegance and is also practical and comfortable enough to be worn everyday, but the 'Taylor' certainly delivers! What's more, at £33 for the plunge bra and £12.50 for the shorts, it is a bra set that is affordable, well-fitting and very good quality. With its unrivalled support and shape, I think that I have truly found my match in the 'Taylor'. It is definitely my favourite bra set of the moment and something that I would highly recommend to any larger busted lady...

Top marks, Freya!

Love, 

Kitty xo

*The Freya 'Taylor' also comes in a strapless multiway style - A review of the Freya 'Deco' Strapless will be coming soon!

Welcome to the boux-doir - A 'Boux Avenue' review!

(Credit: www.walesonline.co.uk)

   With a background in property finance, investments in Ryman's stationery and a permanent seat on hit TV series, "Dragon's Den", it may come as no surprise that Theo Paphitis is estimated to have a net worth in excess of £170 million! (The Sunday Times, May 2011) Paphitis, however, is no ordinary 'dragon' and certainly knows a thing or two about ladies' undies!

  Perhaps one of the most interesting and lucrative of all of Paphitis' projects, is his contribution to the lingerie market. Having sold La Senza in 2006 for around £100 million, Paphitis embarked on a new mission to bring a new lingerie experience to the UK – one with a strong online presence, in addition to having 'luxe', french boutique-feel stores. The official 'Boux Avenue' site claims to be a brand that is “for everybody, no matter what your age, size or style”, and has clearly been engineered towards inclusivity, whilst being diverse enough to appeal to a wide range of clientele. Paphitis states:

  “Boux Avenue is about appealing to your moods – one day it may be sophisticated, another seductive. Boux Avenue will offer a fantastic lingerie and nightwear shopping experience for women who want to feel special.”

   With these prophetic words, it is no wonder that 'Boux Avenue' has garnered such attention right from its launch in early 2011. What I really wanted to know, however, was how 'Boux Avenue' measured up for a real life customer...

   I decided to go online to the 'Boux Avenue' site to investigate and I was met with a very well-developed web page (with easy to navigate sections) and a plethora of different products on offer; from lingerie to swimwear to nightwear to beauty products. Although 'Boux' does not stock 28 backs, I was impressed to see that the size range went from a 30A up to a 40G. After losing myself for an hour, captivated by the beautiful array of boudoir-inspired lacies and vintage-print babydolls, I decided to check out what was on sale. What better way to justify a lingerie purchase, than to snap up a pretty bargain?

   Whilst I was generally very impressed with the way that the bras were displayed on the 'Boux' site, I was slightly worried by the fitting guide, which resorted to the out-dated 'adding inches' method. For example, the model in their fitting video had a 69cm (27 inch) underbust and was advised to wear a 32 back. Similarly, in the pictures below, the models are said to be wearing a 34B and a 34DD, which would definitely be too big in the band for such small frames. Having around a 27 inch underbust myself, I know only too well that 34's and 32's are not supportive enough for my frame, let alone for the models in the photographs!

  That said, with no 28 backs available, I decided to chance a 30 back, in the hope that it might come up tight. I, therefore, purchased the 'Chloe Lace Plunge bra' in coral in a 30FF and the same bra in violet in a 30F and a 30FF, to try for size. There was a “3 for 2” offer on all sale items and free postage - 3 bras for £18 including postage – a cracking deal! I opted for a free gift wrap as well..because every girl loves a bit of luxury in her life!

   Although I opted for standard delivery, my parcel arrived within about a day or two of placing my order! Not only did I receive my purchases quickly, but on opening my parcel, I was met with a very glossy-looking box with 'Boux Avenue”' embossed on the front. Inside, was lace-print pink tissue paper wrapping, my three lace bras, a scattering of scented petals and a free lily, jasmine and elderflower scented hand cream sample! In terms of delivery and presentation, 'Boux' certainly scored 10/10!

  I really liked the colours of the 'Chloe' lace plunge bras. The coral and violet make for very girly and eye-catching tones - a welcome change from standard black, white and nude coloured everyday bras. The bras are very lightly padded in the DD+ style and the cups are overlaid with lace. The little bow in the centre of the bras and the lace scalloping also add some detail, stopping the bras from looking too 'basic'. I definitely drew a design parallel almost immediately to La Senza's 'Lullaby lace' bras that I used to wear. What I was desperate to know, above all, was the answer to the all important: "How does it fit?"

  I bought both a 30F and a 30FF in the lilac bra to compare the fit and was interested to find (similar again to La Senza), that 'Boux Avenue' bras come up a bit small in the cups. The 30FF was a slightly better fit than the 30F (which I would have assumed would be my size, given that I usually wear a 28FF!) One very marked difference as well, was the width of the straps on the 30F and 30FF bra. As you can see from the picture below, the straps are much wider on the 30FF and it is also a slightly more 'fuller cupped' bra style...

  Sadly, the 30 backs were too loose on me and even on the tightest hooks, the band was riding up. I was also a bit disappointed that the straps could not be tightened very much, leaving me feeling frustrated with the fit and lack of va va voom that I would normally associate with a plunge bra. Unfortunately, I have decided to return all three bras.

  To sum up, I would say that 'Boux Avenue' has quite a lot of similarities to highstreet giant, La Senza. 'Boux Avenue' is rather like a more 'boutique-y' rebranding of La Senza, driven towards a slightly wider age range with more varied lingerie preferences. In terms of improvement, I do think that 'Boux Avenue' could benefit from developing a more accurate fitting guide and  ensure that they provide consistent and standardised bra sizing. I am also hoping that 'Boux Avenue' will continue to update and expand their DD+ range to include their promised K cup! All in all, 'Boux Avenue' scores very highly in terms of its company ethic, user-friendly site, pretty designs, customer service and exceptional presentation!

  Despite not having much success on this occasion, I am keen to try out some 'Boux Avenue' nightwear and swimwear in future, to get a feel for some more of the 'Boux Avenue' range. There are a few things that I will definitely be buying though, and that is some of their beauty products. Both me and my mum loved the free sample of "White Chiffon" handcream so much, that I am going to purchase an array of their lotions and body butters! Boux-tiful!

Love,

Kitty xo

Trend report: Brighten up your Summer with the Freya "Cabaret"

  Although the English weather is proving to be somewhat fickle at the moment, that should be no reason to shy away from one of Spring/Summer 2011's hottest trends...and we're talking colour, colour and more colour! What better way to feel summery, than by wearing eye-catching brights and colour-blocking (if you dare)..?

As showcased by Jil Sander, Gucci, Christian Dior and Diane von Furstenberg, the current catwalks are awash with paint-box brights, with purple emerging as one of this season's leading shades. With this in mind, Freya's swimwear collection for Summer 2011 and their "Cabaret" bikini is right on point...

Freya "Cabaret" triangle bikini top - £26 (left) and plunge bikini top - £29 (right)

It is often extremely hard for curvy girls to find well-fitting swimwear that also looks good, so the Freya "Cabaret" bikini is any fashion-conscious curvy girl's dream come true! The "Cabaret" comes in a sumptuous vivid purple, making it an absolute stand-out piece for the beach this summer and will suit a wide range of skin tones. I was sent both the "Cabaret" triangle bikini top (above left) and plunge style (above right) to try for fit. The triangle bikini top comes in back sizes 30-38 and in cup sizes D-FF, whereas the plunge version comes in a wider range of sizes, from 28-38 and cup sizes D-GG.

Freya "Cabaret" triangle bikini top

I originally received the "Cabaret" triangle bikini top, as I am a big fan of halterneck styles and loved the cut-out detail in the centre of the cups - sexy but understated. Due to the lack of a 28 back in this style, I went for a 30F. Although in some brands, bikinis can come up small in the back, the 30 in the "Cabaret" was too big for me - a shame, as it is such a pretty style.

I then tried the 28FF (my true size) in the "Cabaret" plunge and unsurprisingly, the fit was absolutely perfect! I find that Freya sizing is often a lot more accurate than other brands, so if you are thinking of purchasing this bikini, order your true size and your bust will thank you!

Freya "Cabaret" plunge bikini top

Most of the support from your bras and bikinis should come from the underband, so I noticed the difference in fit straight away when I tried on my true size in the "Cabaret" plunge. The plunge style is very comfortable and curve-friendly - perfect for posing, swimming, playing beach volley-ball and taking on the waterslides! This bikini is versatile in that it will appeal to a wide age-range, due to its vibrant colour and sophisticated style. The little glass-effect beads on the straps are great for adding a touch of glamour too! The Freya "Cabaret" is the perfect balance between sexy and modest, due to its cleavage-flattering, fuller cup style and supportive underwire, which provides support where you need it most!

To compliment the bikini tops, Freya have brought out matching shorts (£16.50), a classic brief (£15.50) and tie-side briefs (£13.50), depending on your desired level of coverage! My personal favourite are the tie-side briefs, which I got in my usual size small - they certainly have leg-lengthening 'wow' factor!

Once again, I can't recommend Freya enough! They score very highly on comfort, fit and practicality, but most importantly, Freya succeed in updating classic styles by tapping into current trends. True to its word, this bikini is bound to make you the star of the show wherever you wear it!

Love,
Kitty xo