Review: Delmira Floral Sheer Lace Unlined Bra

I liked the first Delmira I tried enough to try a 2nd style. That was the Floral Lace - yes, the names are, unhelpfully, all similar, though the styles completely different. As with that style, The Floral Sheer Lace seems to be meant to mimic the style -though luckily for me, not the harsh structure- of another well-known bra; in this case, Panache's Envy.

Panache Envy

 

 

Delmira Floral Sheer Lace

 

 

Beauty

 

I've always liked the look of the Envy and this bra echoes it with the subtle checkerboard pattern. The lace on the cups is much more plain, but then this is a $15 bra. The lavender colorway is muted and very pretty. 

Comfort & Fit

Band.   A firm, silky non-mesh with 3 hooks. Nice. 

Cups.   The fabrics are soft and conform well. A moderate amount of stretch, both top & bottom, though the lace is less stretchy/flimsy than Panache. Also, there is a thin strip sewn along the upper cup to prevent gaping on FOB shapes. When I saw this, I was not happy, but it turns out to not be particularly tight, and to still have some stretch, so it doesn't cause cutting in for me. Though it does cause a slight line on my larger boob.

Wires.   As with the other Delmira, they are slightly higher at the sides than I like, say, 1/2" so. But the wires are softer than UK wires, so they do not dig. Also, this style does not have the standard winging-back UK shape as the other style did. These wires are more U-shaped and narrow and stay very close to the boob. Huge pluses for me. I did bend the outer wire tips outward very slightly, to better conform to my muscle 'n fluff in that area.

Shape.   Rounded and moderate; a bit more projected than the 1st Delmira style I tried. Part of the improved lift I'm getting here is due to dropping a cup size, which I knew I'd need to do, and the rest to a slightly less stretchy fabric and the addition of a vertical seam in the bottom of the cup. 

Compromises

Straps.  They're on the thin side, but that's not the problem. They do not lay flat near the adjusters, and kind of bunch up underneath:

Also, say hello to my 1930s old clawfoot tub

This did not turn out to be as irritating as I expected, and I really only felt it towards the end of the day. Straps are otherwise comfy.

Seams.   They are quite comfy and non-irritating, but the horizontal seam shows through clothing to an unusual degree. I don't usually care much about seams and a completely smooth look is not a goal of mine. However, I was surprised to find that these showed through a heavy-weight, non-clingy cotton knit.

The seams don't appear especially heavy duty, and they do lie flat, so perhaps it is simply where they happen to fall on the boob that makes them so noticeable.

Overall, this is a good choice for striking a balance of comfort, moderate support, beauty and quality - at a crazy low pricepoint. I do find that I slightly prefer the first Delmira I tried. I love that lace pattern and the rounder shape.

When Do I Wear It?

To work, mainly. It's comfy enough for a full day of wear, and gives me moderate control and lift. I do tend opt for it when I'm wearing a pattern, or a cardigan, that will camouflage the seam show-through. 

Sizing: 40F   Clearly, the cups run huge. I can't even recall the last time I fit into an F. This fits me like a 38GG, and the cup volume is a very good fit for me. The band runs a bit snug, so is a good candidate for sister sizing. I'd suggest that non-lovers of tight bands consider going up a band size. And FOT and balanced shapes will need to drop a cup size; FOB might even need to drop 2. Which means you're unlikely to be sized out. E.g.  FOB 34H would fit fine in a 36F/G in this brand.