Bra Review Part 2: Avocado Essentia

I can see there will be three parts to this initial review of Avocado Lingerie. Today I wore the Essentia for the full day - which is key, don't you think, to writing a review? I'm going to talk about it in this post and later on, the Mirabelle, after I've worn that for a full day too.

Here are a few pics:

Alas - I took a weird photo and didn't capture much of the matching thong...

You can see how nicely unencumbered it is at the base of the cups. For short waisted peeps, this is a plus.

Brief Word About the Undies: I bought an XL (I was afraid that they'd be snug, based on what I've read.) I could easily do with a L. They'd fit better. But I'd always rather a loose thong over a tight one. Next time I'll keep this in mind.

Now, let's talk about centre cup fullness. See the photo below - see how, when I pull at the top cup there is LOTS of fabric that lifts from the centre gore. If you've got shallow breasts (or if you're wearing a bra that always seems to shift throughout the day, or causes breast spillover), look at that bra. I guarantee, you will not be able to lift the fabric to anywhere near this degree. On the outer cup, mind you, that may be a different story...

Shape, peeps - it's freakin' everything. If this space were at the outer cup, it would be a disaster on me...

Let's start with the less good:

OK, gotta say, those wussy wires are an issue. Not a huge issue. Not a deal breaker (especially not if you are young or your boobs are not heavy or if they're self-supporting). But what started out as a really stable and comfortable bra in the morning, became (as the day wore on) kind of fussy at the underwire where it meets the underbust.

I'm not too concerned about it. It's my first time wearing this bra and it needs to conform to me and I need to understand it - but I'm pretty sure that the issue isn't one of shape incompatibility. This shape could not be more compatible with mine. It also doesn't have to do with weak straps or band - those are surprisingly firm, after all, despite seeming a delicate on first try. The wires simply aren't strong, so as the day goes on, they shift a smidge - on me, to clarify - and that causes a bit of chafe. It might resolve itself. I hope it does. The issue also might be ameliorated by a snugger band. But I feel the need to mention it. I'll keep you posted.

As it happens, the Essentia is the shallower of the two bras I purchased, if not by much. It's shallower at the lower cup, interestingly. It's dimly possible this might also be contributing to the underwire issue. We'll see if the Mirabelle has the same issue because it's deeper in the lower cup.

One other challenge - and this is something I never experience - is that the straps are slightly too widely set for my frame, at the side breast. These straps are very widely positioned relative to the centre-point of the bra which, I'm pretty sure, is a feature specific to the H cut. There are also K and A cuts - each of which provides different and narrower strap settings, and also different cup depths and overall shape. This post provides more deets on how Avocado uses modified construction to increase the likelihood that a bra you like will fit you.

If I sense that the same problem occurs with the Mirabelle (which I also bought in H cup - it's the style I prefer), then I'll give the K cup a shot. Note, however, that the H shape comes with the widest wires on offer at Avocado. Since Polish brands generally have very narrow wires, you might want to consider this before embarking on one of the other cuts. The H wires are PERFECT on me, so I'm loathe to mess with this.

And now for the actual good:

• I love a narrow gore and this bra really fits the bill, both at the top of the centre gore and at the base. It's only .75 inches in width which is great for those with really close-set breasts.

• The fabric really is soft. And pretty. And sexy - which is weird for a beige bra. I love how delicate and lacy it is. This is much more fun than pattern-printed duoplex (a firm synthetic with no stretch, the kind that Cleo uses in the majority of its projected styles).

• The shape is delightful. For those of you who like round, round round - well, this is it. I am just as happy with a slightly pointier (aka realer, to my mind) shape. But under a T shirt it's useful.

• While it's not Cleo-style boobs on a plate - I mean the fabrics are less strong as are the wires, after all - it does give a very front and centre projection.

• Occasionally, I wish I had the kind of life / blog wherein I could model the bras I review. Cuz this one looks seriously fine.

• The band is actually very supportive. I don't even know if I would size down next time. I mean, it's not tight but it does the trick without yielding. It's firm. It does seem short for size but not to the degree that Cleo bands are. I'm going to see how it wears before I weigh in further.

• The cups are truly projected (though not like Empreinte, exactly). The overall shape is a bit wider which likely makes it more practical for a wide variety of projected boobs.

• The wires are a perfect width for my narrow, but not excessively narrow, shape. The side cup is also adequately high to enclose side breast tissue, without encroaching on the underarm.

So that's this bra. Next up the Mirabelle.

Today's questions: If you've tried Avocado, how do you feel my review corresponds with your perspective? If you haven't, does it seem like it would work for you? Let's talk!