Sunday, July 24, 2016

Review: Curvy Couture Cotton Luxe Unlined Wire Free Bra

Nutshell:  a potentially wonderful wirefree option, ruined by a single serious design flaw.





Note: these pics are more terrible than usual since they were taken during a 3 week period during which there was no sun, just endless rain and gray skies. Which makes me oddly perky. This climate is not for the faint of heart.

 Beauty 

It is actually quite pretty. The deep lace embellishment helps to break up the visual space, so it doesn't read as frumpy as it otherwise might. It also comes in a warm cream-beige, and a pale rose, which is difficult to find.

Comfort & Fit

Fabric.  Fabulous. A silky smooth cotton blend that feels like your favorite high thread count T-shirt sheets.

Band.  Runs snug, which is standard for the brand. I went up a band size and got a good fit. The band is covered in very soft satiny fabric, so the underbust area is non-irritating, which I really enjoyed. The uplift and shape are decent.


Cups.   I find Curvy Couture does not run particularly generous in the cup. They are shallow, whereas I need some depth, especially in the center. For an underwire, I would have gone up a cup, but in this wirefree style I had sufficient room. Still, even for a wirefree, the gore is really standing away from my chest.


Fatal Flaw

Straps.  Absolutely terrible. I can't imagine how this design ever seemed like a good idea - to anyone. I only wore the bra for 5 minutes - of deep discomfort - at the end of which I had deep, red grooves that took awhile to fade.

The straps are the type that have a ring connector. In this case, that ring is designed to sit right smack on top of the shoulder - you know, the place where ALL weight will be concentrated. But wait, that's not all. The fabric is doubled over, right next to the ring, forming a hideously uncomfortable wadded up, seamed knot of fabric. This wadded up knot and the metal ring beside it, are where all the pressure is concentrated. Digging into the top of your shoulders. 

I wish I was dexterous enough to get a pic from directly overhead, but this gives some idea.

When Do I Wear It?

Yeahhhhh. About a quarter past never. I returned this the same day. Which was a real disappointment as the fabric is wonderful and the underband so nicely designed. I just can't imagine how the idiotic strap (mis)design snuck in there.

Size:  42G  (I sister-sized from my usual US size of 38I. The 42 band fit like a regular 38 or a loose 40, so quite small. The cup runs 1/2 to a full cup size small.)

6 comments:

  1. Interesting. I own the taupe/beige one and I think it's really comfortable - even in the strap area. I'm going to have to look at those straps again. I wonder if yours were faulty?! All wire-free bras will stand away. The more projected you are, the more relatively "small" you need your wire-free cups to be so that they hold things in place. I fear it's engineering that brings the gore far away and yet prevents a larger size from fitting any better.

    And I cannot believe you were energized by tons of rain :-)

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    1. Oh I don't expect anything near a tack from wire-free, but this one stood away more than most due to the shape of the cup; there's no stretch edging to help it hug close and flat. I'd love to see a pic of your light-colored version, where the strap area would be more visible than in the black. It's rare for me to have to fully extend straps, as though I'm tall, I'm also high set. With this bra, I had to extend them about 80% however. I'm wondering if it could be this that caused them to sit in such a terrible spot.

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  2. oh nooooo!I'm surprised because Erica of Sophisticated Pair, who I know is tall and would presumably need longer straps, did not even mention this issue. Maybe it's a manufacturing defect and they were sewn back to front?

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    1. The straps were actually OK on length. It's the actual design. Lengthening or shortening the straps would not change the position of that wad of fabric or the ring; only the section of strap on your back would adjust - that horrid ring sits stationary, right on top of your shoulder regardless.

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    2. oh OK well in that case I'd think for sure she would have mentioned such a terrible placement for it! I wonder if I can find this in a store somewhere to check it out. I was thinking of getting a couple but definitely not interested if that stupid ring is actually supposed to be there.

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    3. I really would try it on in person if you have that option. I tried to get pics of the strap issue from other angles, but with the black fabric, it just did not show up well. I'm now picturing it from memory, but I do believe that even if you are petite, and don't have the strap fully extended, that wad of doubled-over fabric where the adjustable part of the strap connects to the ring section is still going to rub and irritate at some other spot. It is a really clunky design.

      I did read Erica's review and she always has such great, detailed insights, so it's possible I did receive a poorly finished product. But the ring placement seemed to be a standard part of the design. And there was no taper where the strap pieces joined: just a well-sewn, doubled up wad of fabric resting against the skin.

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