Bra Review: Empreinte Daisy

In happy anticipation of new bra space (addicts be addicted and all), I found myself at the bra store a couple of days ago - simply to scope out the Empreinte options. Like, for the future. Like, I swear.

But we all know that delayed gratification isn't my strong suit. And this is the most affordable Empreinte style I've ever come across:

Empreinte Daisy

It's also one of the most practical. It totally fits into the "bra basic" category.

You might think I didn't buy the undies, cuz this is a beige bra that can be matched with a number of affordable alternatives. You would be wrong. Sorry, but that floral cream on beige pattern is NOT matchable. Nor is that specific French lace.

At any rate, I'm very happy with both look and feel. I've come to appreciate that 3 hooks and eyes are really the way for me right now. Distributing the weight of my breasts over just a bit more back-band width, makes the difference between bringing on pain (that can take effort to get rid of) and being fine. Honestly, if you're dealing with pain (potentially exacerbated by bras), you cannot do better than Empreinte for awesome design. The fact that it's all gorgeous is a bonus.


But let's talk more about how it fits and how it feels:

• I bought this one in a 34 back size (something I've recently started to do in some instances) Note: 32 bands are fine, as long as they're not too snug, but sometimes I can tell that pain is hovering and, on those days, I need to wear something sized up in the band.

• What I love about Empreinte is that it manages to support and lift a substantive rack, even when the band is arguably too large to do its job.

• The shape is standard-issue front-and-centre with lift. It's not exactly Cleo/Ewa-style boobs on a plate but it's not wide. These bras are designed for deep, narrow breasts. The kind that notably "pop" from a small chest wall. But it's not about youth or overt sex (as some of the projected brands seem to be). It's about old money and elegance and knowing that life is good. And just to confuse the imagery, it's ever so slightly Disney princess.

• The materials are beautiful. Even in a boring beige bra, Empreinte brings luxury.

• Who will this bra work for? A woman with narrow roots, projected breasts (specifically at the centre gore) and a decent bra budget. Someone who needs to wear a neutral basic under thin, fitted fabrics. This style's pretty good for a young clientele - it's not overly lacy or fussy.

• As I've mentioned in the past, Empreinte sizes differently than UK brands - and differently than other EU brands, if I'm not mistaken. There's no sister sizing in this brand. Every band size/cup size combo has its own, individually sized wire. That's what we call excellent scaling. But it's still unlikely to be the brand for you if you have wide roots or a shallow shape.

• The straps are the perfect width to be supportive, but not sturdy. They're not wide-set (as the brand suits a narrow breast, likely to occur on a narrow frame). They're beautifully positioned on the bra to provide optimal lift from the base of the cup.

At this point (as you'll see when I write about my current bra inventory, which I'll divide into basics and fashion bras - for the purposes of making the posts manageable), I've got a reasonable collection of Empreintes to work from. So, today I'd like to open the floor for any questions about brand fit and the various styles. If there's anything you want to know, ask away. If I don't know the answer, I'll try to find it - or I'll make something up (just kidding!).

PS: If you don't see the point in posts about bras, don't despair. It's spring - which is when, traditionally, I go on a bra binge and write a lot of posts. Just figured out that little personality quirk. This can't last much longer - I give it 5 more posts and I will try to intersperse some other content.