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Showing posts with label Anna Pardal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Anna Pardal. Show all posts

Anna Pardal Lady Grey Sophisticate Cut






I got this bra from A Sophisticated Pair after exchanging a couple other bras that didn't work for me, she didn't have any other sizes of the previous 2 bras I tried so I decided to try Lady Grey in the Sophisticate cut (straps moved in 2cm, cups reduced 2cm, and gore lowered 2cm which are also my standard alterations for Comexim, remember you may need to size up a cup with these alterations, 65G (30F) is a bit small on me and I quad, 65H (30FF) no alterations can be to tall my Comexim plunge comaprison). I wasn't crazy about Lady Grey from photos I had seen online, but it arrived and it is beautiful. By the way Erica is amazing and extremely helpful.








The band on Lady Grey does run small (about a band size) and I had read that it did, but Erica didn't have any Lady Greys in a 32F so I decided I might as well try the 30FF. The band does run tight, but fits fine with an extender. The cups are a perfect fit on me. I feel like this is probably as close to a custom fit bra I could get!

I'm not sure if it is standard in this size, but this bra also features thinner straps, unlike my Dottie 3HC the straps on Lady Grey do have some texture so they stay put and don't need adjusted.  I do love the thinner straps with the 2cm strap alterations because as you can see my armpits are far from danger andpart of what makes this super comfy.  It does have a 3x3 fastener, but the wings are still low at 3.5 inches, I thought the 3x3 on my Irish Coffee 3HC (4in) could have been the cause of taller side wings, but perhaps not.





I also got a matching thong, A Sophisticated Pair had a Lady Grey thong on in their final sale section in a small. She held it for me until I could see if the Lady Grey bra would fit. Since the bra fit great I had to get the thong, although I was quite worried that the thong would be too small. I usually order medium in Comexim panties (small works but usually digs a bit), and since the band on Lady Grey runs small I thought for sure these would be on the small side. The small does actually fit quite well, they are a bit higher rise, but I can position to not be as high and the backside at least at the top is a bit more like a rio style than a a regular thong (for reference I'm measure 31in at hipbone and 37in at hips). I am quite happy with them though and they go great with the bra, although I almost think they would pair better with the halfcup Lady Grey with the trim at the top of the cup.







Update: I love this bra because it fits great, but somehow the pattern shows through a lot of my shirts. I mostly wear fitted knit shirts and thin t-shirts. The other day I was wearing a red t-shirt and apparently it is super thin fabric, because when I caught a glimpse in the mirror while in a restroom I noticed you could see the pattern of the bra.  Grr!! I need to buy different shirts, or just accept that people might see the print on my bra, it's cute dammit so I might go with the latter option.
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Comexim Plunge Standard vs. Altered: Review and Comparison


I know many people have questions and are a bit confused when trying to order Comexim for the first time.  My first Comexim I bought secondhand off Bratabase, which I would highly recommend before placing a direct order so you can at least get an idea of your size. After many trials, I have come to find my best fit in altered plunges or 3HC's (3 part half cup). 

At some point I ordered a unaltered Anna Pardal Emeline from Sophisticated Pair (Anna Pardal has unfortunately shut down, but Comexim will continue to make her designs while the fabric exists, Anna Pardal bras have always been made by Comexim though).  I ordered it in a 32E (Anna Pardal used UK sizing in Comexim sizing it would be a70F) on the advice that the band ran small (it does, but it seems to stretch quickly).

When I first got my 32E/70F Emeline it seemed a bit on the small side in the cups, but I could fix some of the bubbling by using one set of eyes of an extender, not perfect, but doable.  After some wear the band stretched a bit and I quit using the extender the bubbling seemed to get worse.  I'm not sure if it was related to not using the extender, if I had slight growth, or maybe it was just that I have many other bras that fit much better and I just wasn't wearing this because the bubbling and it didn't seem as comfy as other bras.

32E/70F Emeline, from this you can see my boobs appear to be quite pushed up (wouldn't be an issue if it didn't quad and feel a bit small), caused by the cup being a bit too shallow and small for me.

32E/70F Emeline here you can see the bubbling, it looked worse IRL, and under a shirt.

32E/70F Bubbling from the other side


On to my replacement Emeline, I ordered it direct from Comexim in 65H with cups reduced 2cm, gore reduced 2cm and straps moved in 2cm (Anna Pardal called these modifications the Sophisticate Balconette).  The 65 band is a bit small for me and I do need an extender, but the 32/70 seems to stretch out too quickly for me since I'm just a smidge over 30 underbust. 

Just to make sure I haven't lost anyone with all the sizes the first bra as a 32E/70F and the new one a 30FF/65H in the same band they would be one cup volume a part 70F=65G (smaller band same cup).

65H with reduced cups, gore and straps moved in 2cm, still nice lift and cleavage, but not as extreme of a push up effect.
65H with alterations, no more bubbling (I think it looks like it's gaping because of how I'm holding the camera)
65H with alterations from other side, no bubbling
By going up a cup volume you get more depth but that also will give you a taller cup.  By reducing the cup 2cm you get a similar cup height to the smaller cup size but more overall space for your boobs.  Reducing the gore will take away a bit of cup depth which depending on your center fullness may or may not work for you.  For me both standard and reduced gore seem to work well, but I like having a mix of gore heights so I don't always have pressure from the gore in the same spot.

Emeline Classic Plunge 32E/70F (unaltered)
* Stretched band length: 30.0in
* Band length: 24.5in
* Cup width: 5.0in
* Cup depth: 7.8in
* Wire length: 9.0in
* Cup separation: 0.5in
* Cup height: 5.5in
* Gore height: 2.5in
* Wing height: 3.5in
* Strap width: 0.6in
* Hooks: 2

Emeline Sophisticate Balconette 30FF/65H (altered plunge)
* Stretched band length: 28.0in
* Band length: 22.0in
* Cup width: 5.0in
* Cup depth: 8.0in
* Wire length: 9.0in
* Cup separation: 0.6in
* Cup height: 5.8in
* Gore height: 2.5in
* Wing height: 3.8in
* Strap width: 0.6in
* Hooks: 2



Also some  photos of unaltered 65H or 70G so for a reference of cup height, I don't have cup height measurement the the Free Time or Arizona because I no longer have them and at the time Bratabase didn't have an option to include that measurement..  In some of the unaltered plunges they are an okay fit, just fuller coverage, but most of the time they end up like the Arizona and gape quite a bit.

Unaltered 65H Free Time
Unaltered 65H Free Time









Comexim Free Time Plunge Bra (270) 65H

* Stretched band length: 31.0in
* Band length: 24.5in
* Cup width: 5.2in
* Cup depth: 8.8in
* Wire length: 9.0in
* Cup separation: 0.6in
* Gore height: 2.8in
* Wing height: 4.0in
* Strap width: 0.6in
* Hooks: 2



Unaltered 70G Arizona, here you can see some gaping



Unaltered 70G Arizona








                                                  

                                                 Comexim Arizona Plunge Bra 70G

* Stretched band length: 29.5in
* Band length: 25.0in
* Cup width: 5.0in
* Cup depth: 8.5in
* Wire length: 9.3in
* Cup separation: 0.6in
* Gore height: 2.8in
* Wing height: 3.5in
* Strap width: 0.7in
* Hooks: 2



Unaltered 65H Irish Coffee

Unaltered 65H Irish Coffee



 Comexim Irish Coffee Plunge Bra (335) 65H

* Stretched band length: 30.5in
* Band length: 22.0in
* Cup width: 5.3in
* Cup depth: 8.3in
* Wire length: 9.0in
* Cup separation: 0.6in
* Cup height: 6.4in
* Gore height: 2.5in
* Wing height: 3.5in
* Strap width: 0.6in
* Hooks: 2
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