Monday, February 15, 2016

Review: Empreinte Rose

So, I'm not certain what I ended up with here. I was curious about the brand because I need deeper cups and medium-to-narrow wires. And I wanted to see what kind of comfort features the brand employs. So I took an inexpensive gamble and bought this on eBay for $40. At that price, I assumed that one of two things was likely: either it is a knock-off & not an authentic Empreinte, or, it is their cheaper sister sub-brand, like, say, Flirtelle is Curvy Kate's. However, the bra did ship directly from France, and the tags appear to be authentic.... But I really have no idea. I'm hoping someone with some experience with the brand will come along and enlighten me.

This appears to be a fuller cup style, so, not one of the brand's 'low neck' cuts, which, from what I can glean, just means a balconette.






Comfort: Overall, I found it as about comfy as an average Curvy Kate, say, Portia. And equivalent in quality, as well.

Wires:  I was surprised that they have no special features. No cushioning, no 3D flex; just very standard fabric casing. The lower height under the arm is great, however.  The width is on the narrow side of normal, similar to Natori, which is just right for me.

Band:  Pretty standard mesh; medium soft. Better than Freya, not as soft as Natori. I was able to wear it comfortably for a full work day.

Fabric:  Fairly comfy for mesh. The bottom of the cup is double-lined, while the top is sheer and has a small amount of give. 

Beauty
Ohhh, it's pretty - assuming that, like me, you are a sucker for that Victorian bordello vibe. The big, lush satin rosette at the gore is ornate 19th century perfection. The embroidery is different from the ethereal Eva M style. Less detailed and delicate; more splashy and baroque. The very sheer panel makes up for this being a full cup, with a high-ish gore.





Fit
Cups:  This is actually a cup size too small, so it's impressive that it still gives a nice shape and good support. I wasn't certain whether the brand ran larger in the cups, as Prima Donna does, but I had read that the cups ran deep, and they do not do double letters, so it's a bigger jump between cups. I decided to try a much smaller cup than I normally would. And...it is too small - but not as much as expected. It's wearable.Though the cups are not deep at all, they do run large compared to UK sizes. This is a 40F - that's a European F. Considering that I normally wear a 38 or 40H in Euro sized brands, that's pretty amazing. I would probably get a very good fit in a 40G, meaning that, basically, it fits in the sister size of my standard UK 38GG, although it is not in UK sizing. If that isn't completely confusing.

It gives a rounded, slightly minimized silhouette. Though the design makes it look like it might give a wide shape, that's a visual illusion from the style; it actually doesn't. Under clothing it gives a centered, contained look. There is a side panel that prevents a wide, splayed shape. This is a great shape for button downs.

Straps:  They run on the short side. I am wearing them fully extended. They are set in a bit, though not what I would call center-pull. They are in very nice, moderate position, and a definite improvement if you have trouble with the usually ver wide-set UK balconette straps.

Band: Average, bordering on a little loose. I would be able to wear a 38 in this, but the band is very stable and did not shift at all.

Gore:  it is quite high; higher than I would normally choose. But although in the pics it looks like 'a lotta bra', it actually doesn't feel that way on the body. 

When Do I Wear It?  To work, mainly. It gives a nice subtle shape that works well with fitted clothing, and a very secure fit. I am very curious to try other styles, particularly to see if the well known styles that run triple the price have triple the comfort. Seriously, for over $100, I expect some foam-wrapped wires encased in soft fabric. Though this bra seems well made, it doesn't feel any higher any quality than a Curvy Kate, and is about what I expect at $40.
Size: 40F, European (1 cup size small on me)

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