Review: Parfait by Affinitas Lingerie

When I had the chance to try out several pieces by Parfait, I knew that with a smallest band size of 30 and largest cup size of G, they wouldn't work so well on my 26HH body. I happen to have  a good friend who wears a 28-30G, however, so I asked her if she wouldn't mind trying out the pieces. Here's what she had to say: 

"The first item I would like to review is a lovely pink balconet bra with cherry blossom print. With its pintuck seams and satin buttons, it more closely resembles a piece of summer wear than undergarment!

I tried the bra in what is usually my bra size – a 30G. However, as you can see in the photo, the cup is clearly too small. I tried resizing the straps, everything you can do to loosen the fit of the cup, but still cut across my breasts in a really unflattering manner. Some of this might be due to the shape of my breasts, not just the size (I usually avoid balconet bras, actually, due to the way they tend to fit). I would suggest that if you are fuller breasted and like this bra (I was really disappointed it didn’t fit, as I loved it!) you might want to go up a cup size.

The second piece was a beautiful ivory chemise, also a 30G. It is a truly lovely piece, worthy of a bridal trousseau. Best of all, it fits like a dream. The cups on this item were full coverage, and the fit was right on target. The bodice flowed nicely, and I am not super thin, especially around the hips.

So, to summarize, this company makes absolutely stunningly beautiful lingerie. However, be aware that sizing of different cup styles can really make a tremendous difference in terms of fit. Based on my experience, if I was ordering something with a full coverage cup, I would stick with my standard sizing. On the other hand, if I was ordering something with a different cut – specifically a balconet style – I might go up a cup size."

-C.D. Smith

According to online reviews, Parfait by Affinitas pieces can work for some 28 band folks, if you're not a "small" 28. If you fit into their size range, I would definitely encourage you to give them a try. All of their pieces are gorgeous and very affordable. My only complaint is that they don't come in my size! I hope that someday, they are able to expand to include bands down to a 26 and cups up to a K or more! :-)

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Guest Post: Review of Alegro Lingerie

(Today we have a fabulous Guest Post from Claire Dumican of Butterfly Collection Lingerie!)

There is one reason I’m a big fan of this blog: The name dispels the myth that big boobs only live on big bodies. It’s one of the most common misconceptions that cup sizes over a D are enormous when in reality cup sizes are always relative to your body size. For example, the volume of a B cup on a woman with a 40+ band size is substantially bigger than the volume of a 30F cup size.

When women realize that they are wearing far too big a band size, and get over the surprise that they’re actually a couple of cup sizes bigger, their next task is to find brands that make small band sizes and big cup sizes. This is where a blogger like Brittany is essential. The bra industry is taking a while to catch up with the fact that there are lots of “Thin and Curvy” women out there. The number of brands doing band sizes under the traditional 34 inch threshold is small but growing.

Introducing Alegro Lingerie

Alegro is a Japanese brand with a presence in the UK and North America. Their mission is to combine sexy and quality to give you a “choice of fashion and comfort”. They are relatively new so are still working out where their sizes start and end but they are evidently targeting the full bust market. We have carried the Alegro line for a year now and have seen a full array of their styles from lacy full cups to molded balconettes. There are pros and cons to the range that I’m going to share with you.

The Pros

The biggest thing I love about Alegro is that they understand having a bigger bust does not mean you want to forego gorgeous underwear. Sure, every busty girl needs a trusty basic or two but you also need the fun and diversity of a colourful bra. They use bold colours like bright pink and blue (I particularly love the Pink Boudoir Starlet bra that was reviewed for us by Holly at The Full Figure Chest).

They use very elegant details that feel more grown up than say the youth feeling of the Cleo range. I think the Sweet Nothing Bra is a very modern but grown up design with silver cross-stitch and ribbon rose details on the straps.

One of the big pluses is that they are relatively affordable. Here in Canada we get taxed a lot for importing lingerie (which is about 90% of all lingerie sold here!) so having a reasonable price point means bigger busted women can have choice.

The Cons

Most of their styles start at a 30 band which is better than average but doesn’t cover the range of brands like Freya and Ewa Michalak/Effuniak who have 26 and 28 bands. There is no sign that they will branch out into 26 and 28 brands in the near future but as their popularity grows they may respond to feedback from retailers and customers. Not all the styles go up to a G and H cup which can be very frustrating from a retailer’s point of view. We want to offer our customers all the styles in all sizes.

How They Fit

Size-wise there are some things to be aware of. The lace full cup bras (Boudoir Starlet, Innocent Lily) tend to be generous in the cup. I would say a G is more like a GG etc. Their balconette bras (Sweet Nothing, Jewels) are more true to size in the cup, however, their straps are set particularly far apart which is not ideal for smaller frames. I would say that under 5ft 6” you’d have trouble with how far apart the straps are.

The Conclusion

I think Alegro still has some kinks to work out as it grows and find out which of its styles are repeatable etc. The fact that they are on a mission to give fuller busted women a choice of affordable, sexy and supportive lingerie is fantastic. I think they have some really beautiful designs and a good manufacturing standard so it won’t fall apart after a few wears. I hope this new kid on the block has time to become a staple brand for thin and curvy women.

Claire Dumican is the co-owner of Canadian online boutique, Butterfly Collection Lingerie, specializing in D-K cup lingerie. www.butterflycollection.ca