Bra Review: Empreinte Emily (Balconette Cut)

I'm not a serious art person. I mean, I have a subscription to the AGO and I go to see the latest exhibits that I hear about, but it's no true fixation. Having said this, what I would give to have a ticket to England in the next five weeks to see Dismaland. The distopian grandeur! And it's mere miles away from where I went to boarding school (a place I do intend to revisit soon - like if the British pound ever goes below 2 dollars CDN). If only Banksy could have been a little less secret-agent spy (yeah, I know that's not his thing) - or this installation a little more local. No question, it's dark - and not for kids - but I love art that hurts a little, that pushes the boundaries. Not to mention art that can be followed by an awesome (and not distopian) tasting menu at a boutique hotel. Please UK readers, go see it and tell us what it's like.

On a totally different note, you may be pleased to know that the substance of this post is not about the distopian but about the happy collusion of right place, right time and right size...

Sometimes the bra goddess smiles upon you, and happily that's what happened to me a couple of days ago... My Empreinte Emily balconette arrived, not quickly, mind you (so my anticipation was all amped up), and it is a thing of beauty that fits perfectly.

Sure, I do this online bra buying thing routinely. And I do know how my core brands tend to fit in their various styles. Having said this, the Emily is an Empreinte style I've never seen, either in store or online. I think it must be discontinued. On my seemingly-endless quest for replacement black bras, it was one of the options I discovered.

Sidebar: On the topic of restocking the black bra hole in my wardrobe, I'm happy to say that the drought is done. Between the Freya Rio, the Prima Donna Divine and this Empreinte Emily - not to mention that my Roxane will last for a while yet, as I won't need to wear it 3 times a week - I've got an array of daily options to meet all of my needs in black. Best thing is that 2 of these bras are replaceable, should I choose to repurchase them. Yeah, I know, a woman with 30 bras that fit (some of them basics, some of them colours) should probably not freak out when she's down to 1 daily black bra (I do have a couple that I wear infrequently), but I take this seriously, people. I need to be ready for anything.

Back to the Emily: I couldn't find a decent pic of it online. I believe there's a full-cup version as well as the balconette. As with all the Empreinte full-cups, it looks matronly to me so I can't recommend it. It's amazing what a difference there is, IMO, between the full and balconette styles of the same bra. I have reasonably short breast roots, which is why a balconette is inevitably my best fit. Thing is, Empreinte is not skimpy. Its balconettes are on the fuller side, IMO, when it comes to cup height. So the full cups are seriously too much bra for me.

See how the lace makes up a good portion of the bra cup. That upper cup is of a different shape and at a different angle (slightly) than the other Empreintes I've tried.

Looks delicate. Wears hard.

You can see the close-setness of the gore. Also, it's pretty apparent from this shot that the balconette does not veer into demi-cup territory. It's, in my perspective, a "full balconette" - the kind the UK manufacturers love to produce...

Photographing black bras is challenging. I don't know how doing it on a black table can yield a better result than on a pale wood floor, but there you go... The fabric is quite lovely, especially the satin band. I don't love that appliqued florette at the gore. I sense I'll be removing it.

This bra is definitely a basic. What do I mean by that? Well, it isn't sheer or all lace. It's discreet under clothing (re: seams, shape and fabric). While it's a terrific fit: it gives great lift, projection and support while also being extremely comfortable - it's not the sexiest bra I own. Please don't misunderstand, it's a really nice undergarment and those with a different definition of "sexy bra" might find rather hot. To me, it's an elegant basic.

Unsurprisingly, since it fits perfectly, it conforms to all of my best measurements from cup width (6"), depth (11.5"), strap width (0.6"), wing height (4") to my preferred snug but not tight band (stretches MAX to 33" but more easily to 32") with 3 hooks and eyes. 

Band: The band fabric is ridiculously comfortable. The stretch satin is so soft - but firm and with excellent recovery.

Straps:The straps are embroidered for an interesting nuance. They're very strong, as always and, again, crazy comfortable. (See a theme here?)

Cups: The lace upper cup is of a slightly different shape than my other 3-cup Empreintes and attaches to the strap at a slightly different angle than most of my other bras (Empreinte or no). It gives it a lot of curve over the upper bust, while preserving centre cup depth. The end result is very flattering decollete. 

I don't know that you'll be able to find this style, but if you can - and Empreinte is your thing - snap it up. I'm sure you won't regret it...

A Bunch of Disparate Things

In the interests of fact-sharing, allow me to present the following:

• Scott bought me this vase and it is perfection:

 Alas, it doesn't photograph for shit but trust me, it's lovely.

• On the topic of my calf tear, it's still sore and tight, but it's much improved. I know that pops (which I felt and heard?!) are generally associated with level 3 tears but, unless I have a ridiculously high pain tolerance, I can't possibly be experiencing that degree of injury. Yeah it was very painful and I couldn't put weight on my leg for a day. But there has been no visible swelling. Admittedly, I've been managing this injury extremely proactively. I've done resting and elevating and icing and stretching and myofascial massaging (with handmade arnica salve) and lightly stressing. I've meditated on its dissolution.  I'm drinking tons of water. I find it hilarious that I have a runner's injury. Honestly, if there is one thing I NEVER do it's sprint. My girlfriend, who has experienced this in both calves over the last 2 months - also for the first time - says it's age. Um, that has to be wrong. I'm sorry, but I'm not old enough for this decrepitude! I have an appointment with my chiropractor who does active release. Till then, I'll continue to watch and be deliberate but, so far so good.

• I found a black Empreinte bra online for 60 CDN (including shipping and after currency exchange). That's about a quarter of what it would cost me most places. This technically means I have 3 bra reviews in the works. The next two are about bras that fit. I'll let you know how the Empreinte works when I receive it. One thing's for sure, if it doesn't fit me, I will sell it. These bras really retain their value, especially with tags. 

• I'm back to where I had to rip back from, weekend before last, on the cowl sweater:

Not the most shapely thing at the moment but we'll have to see... I do think that my tension looks alright (for an unblocked stockinette tube). Generally, I pride myself on even tension. Certainly this isn't my opus on that front, but you'd have to have seen it before I put hours into moving those stitches around. It looks pretty good when compared with that.

So that's where I'm at. What's up with you? Are you crafting? Any new things (bras, homewares) you wanna brag about? Let's talk!

Spring Cleaning (But Not the Boring Kind)

Spring fever is alive and well. While it's cold (or cold as fuck, depending on the day), it's sunny more and more and the very earliest signs of the new season are here. I cannot tell you what this has done for my levels of energy.

Of course, if it's spring it's time to divest myself of that which no longer works in my wardrobe (hello, bra sale), to wash all the lingerie - whether it needs it or no - and to replenish the stock.

I'd like to tell you that I've learned some restraint, having recently said good bye to 25 bras (4, of the original 29, are put away for the next sale) but I've used the last week to fill some holes (if we could term them as such):

• New Empreinte Daisy set - NO freakin' regrets here...

• New Empreinte undies (online) - for daisy but with the inverse pattern (beige on cream) - I'm going a bit crazy on the pattern non-matching, by my standards.

• New Minnie set (still in transit)

• New Masquerade set (also not here yet?!)

• Undies to match my Freya Nadine (Let's tell it straight: I've outgrown the ones I originally purchased and I will not wear a floral bra without matching bottoms.)

• New Avocado Essentia set- people, so exciting! Deep and narrow holy grail, Avocado (from Poland) has finally got a direct, online shopping scenario worked out for foreigners. I'll talk more about this when my stuff arrives - but you pay in Euros (ugh for Canadians). This set was about 100 bucks CDN which, if it works, will be a steal compared to the horrifying cost of Empreinte. And this style has 3 hooks and eyes!

• New Avocado Mirabelle set, also about 100 bucks CDN. What? I was ordering so I decided to do extra research. Like I said, I'm going to go into great detail on this, once I get my package, but in the meanwhile, read what Miss Underpinnings has said about the brand (link to an index since she's done more to inform us about the Polish brands than any other blogger). Not surprising that her breasts are full, narrow and with much centre cup projection. The shapes of these bras are completely aligned with my needs and I've heard that the quality is excellent. So I'm vaguely hopeful.

Once I get these, I'll be at 14 sets of basics (black or beige). I'll talk about fashion sets another time...

IMO, that's a totally reasonable number. It's enough to manage any wardrobe dressing need, any size fluctuation, any need for a strap of a certain tension. It gives me sexy options, seam-free options, highly projected (and slightly less so) options.

I've discovered, as I put in all of my bra measurements in Bratabase (you know, to benefit the hive mind), that I buy bras having practically EXACTLY the same measurements every single time I purchase. If it fits, chances are it will:

• Stretch comfortably to 32-34 inches in the band
• Have a depth of 11-11.5 inches
• Have a wire length of 11-12 inches
• Have strap width of 0.8 inches
• Have a gore height of 3-3.5 inches
• Have a wing height of 4 inches
• Have 3 hooks and eyes (if at all possible)

In fact, of my current crop of basics - 9 sets in the drawer before the newbies arrive, 6 sets have 3 hooks and eyes. I am such a fan of this feature, I cannot begin to tell you. For heavy breasts, soft breasts, mature breasts (experiencing the impact of gravity), nursing breasts, people with back pain - three hooks and eyes are a god-send.

My next post will show you photos of all of my basic bras (individually and as batches - beige or black). My intention is to link you to my previous reviews of the bras I'm currently wearing, in instances where I have already reviewed them, or to give you some feedback on my rationale for continuing to keep these styles in my wardrobe.

So, today's questions: Have you tried Avocado and, if yes, what was your experience?? What do you think of the idea of having 14 sets of neutrals? Does it seem insane, smart, somewhere in between? If you've used Bratabase (and - though it's a pain in the ass - I recommend it highly. Not only will it help everyone else you know it will help you too), what measurements do you continue to repeat? Or are you all over the map? Let's talk!

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.

The Bra Sale: Full Inventory and Specifics on Batch 1 (NWT and Empreinte)

As promised, here's a list of the loot that's available (listing free stuff first, followed by brands in alpha order). Photos and additional info will follow in other posts:

Empreinte	Lily Rose	Free	(Yeah, you did read that right)
Fantasie	Bella	Free
Freya	Pheobe	Free
Freya	Unknown (Blue and pink with animal print), totally awesome	Free
Freya	Eleanor	Free
Freya	Millie (Black)	Free
Freya	Millie  (Pink)	Free
Panache	Tango Plunge	Free
Panache	Tango Plunge	Free
Charnos	Cherub Full Cup (Black)	Free
Cleo	Meg	$15.00
Cleo	Neve	$15.00
Cleo	Bella	$10.00
Empreinte	Kaela	$45.00
Empreinte	Lola	$45.00
Fantasie	Helena	$10.00
Fantasie	Smoothing Balconette	$5.00
Fantasie	Smoothing Balconette	$5.00
Fantasie	Samantha Strapless	$10.00
Freya	Nina	$5.00
Freya	Arabella	$10.00
Freya	Tabitha	$5.00
Freya	Rio	$5.00
Freya	Tamsin	$5.00
Miss Mandalay	Paris	$5.00
Panache	Envy	$10.00
Panache	Strapless 5210 (padded)	$5.00
Panache	Jasmine	$10.00
Wacoal	Retro Chic	$5.00

Let's get the photos rolling with (my precious) Empreinte and a couple of NWT items:

Empreinte Lola (in Blush):

See post here for a review. Although this was purchased in the same size as my black version (which I also posted about), it was always smaller in the back than the black. That's the sad potentiality of different dye lots. Alas, since I bought it via the UK, there was no option to try it on first...

I'm just gonna say, it's so beautiful I can scarcely believe I'm selling it, even if I am never going to wear it again... Worn twice with an extender, before accepting it was a no-go.

Who's this for? Someone who's always wanted to try Empreinte but can't find it locally or can't afford to spend the bucks. It's effectively a wardrobe neutral. Doesn't show under top unless it's very thin and very tight.

Empreinte Kaela

Posted about this one here (includes more pics)... This is a soft-cup molded bra that provides a very rounded shape. It's beautiful but, alas, too shallow for me. Don't get me wrong, it's not a shallow bra in the scheme of things, it's just shallow by Empreinte standards - and by the standards of my very projected needs. The pattern reminds me of a breeze on a lake. Also counts towards wardrobe neutral.

Cleo by Panache - Meg

What can I say about this one? It's a gorgeous bra - totally boobs on a plate and extremely supportive. But it's very strangely sized. This fits one size larger than you'd imagine, in the cup, and one size smaller in the band. Good for very full on top breasts. See these posts on the bra and fit...

Cleo Neve

This was purchased for my daughter but it just didn't work on her. It's quite shallow and wide in the wires. It's a true plunge and would work well for someone with tall roots or upper cup fullness, IMO. Good for young breasts. Very pretty shade of coral, lightly padded.

So there you go, Batch 1. Next up, we'll talk about some Freyas...

Empreinte Bras - A Close Up

A reader recently requested that I post some close-up photos of an Empreinte bra, so that she could more closely observe things like the lace, the closures and the shape. I opted to photo two of my Empreinte bras - the Lola and the Roxane. Both are black but are actually quite different.

The Lola is very structural, the Roxane quite lifted and yet more delicate. Both were remarkably difficult to photograph for a variety of reasons (um, maybe the sun could reveal itself just once in this fucking month??). The biggest challenge is that I can't adequately show the profile of inner cup projection of either bra without actually photographing them on me, which isn't going to happen, as you know. The lace simply deflates when not stretched by a breast of the appropriate dimensions.

Having said that, I hope these pics give a somewhat improved sense of how these bras are shaped.

Empreinte Lola

 In an effort to show cup depth - and the immediacy of that depth from the centre gore, I let the lace on the outer cups crumple...

Empreinte Roxane

You can see, with the Roxane, that the lace is much thinner. This is just one layer of incredibly delicate fabric. I'm amazed that it can hold anything up, in truth, but it performs admirably. I've heard that (fine) lace is deceptively strong and this definitely corroborates that perspective. The mesh ribboning at the top of the cup is particularly stunning, though it looks crappy unless it's stretched by the upper breast. It might be challenging on a very full-on-top breasts, though.

The Roxane, flat view

What I tried to show in this pic, and I'm not sure if it adequately does the trick, is how the band goes sharply up from the bottom of the cups. See how deep, but relatively narrow, the cup is by the quick and distinct latitudes between the wires at the bottom of the cups and the wing that starts just to the outside of each side cup. That's a very fast and rather extreme rise. But then, look at how the band (as you move to the closure edges of the bra) dips back down towards the original latitude of the under cups. It has to do this in fairly short order on a bra with a band that's less than 32". This is the 32 so it's not as pronounced as with the Lola (a 30). Alas, couldn't get a decent shot of that. This is the  shape that promotes utter band stability.

Over-exposure, anyone??

OK, the only shot of the Lola I could get that showed it's beautiful shape off was this one - glorious in all its over-exposure. This shot shows the profile of inner cup depth better than any of the others.

Do you see how these bras, though balconette in shape, actually provide a lot of coverage? That's the shape I call "full balconette", which can be very flattering on dense, heavy, more mature or post-child-feeding breasts because they give an extra element of support. They do so however, in a way that provides enough give in the upper cup for full-on-top breasts - based on the way the upper cup is cut. It's not a sharp angle from the top of the centre gore wires to the bow on the band. It's a broad curve that gets going right at the gore.

In fact, the depth of the cup is most notable at the part of the upper cup that meets the gore, which is why women with close set but full breasts are well-suited to this shape. Note: I suspect if your breasts are super full-on-top, this shape might still be limiting (which is why so many women with the FOT shape end up wearing half-cups or open and low balconettes).

A shot of the centre wire placement on the Lola

Finally, here's a pic to show the narrowness of the centre wires, not only at the top (where the bow is) but at the bottom, where the centre front moves towards the bottom cups. The first shot of the Roxane shows this feature as well. The top centre wires sit .75 inches from inner wire to inner wire. That's pretty narrow, in the scheme of things.

So, I hope this little photo-essay might be useful for y'all. Please do let me know and feel free to ask questions or for clarification about anything I've suggested here. Also, if you agree or disagree with my perspective - having tried either of these bras - I'd love to hear about it.

Very brief side note on sewing: I'm hot and heavy on the latter construction of the Burda jacket (today I make and insert the lining). I'm intensely engaged, too much so to discuss it until I finish today's work. I don't have enough perspective yet. But I've got pages of notes and thoughts and feelings and I'm happy with some things and fairly unhappy with others. Also I have a pretty interesting piece of new info for you - ooooh suspense. It's cool and I'll write about it soon. (PS: I didn't get a book deal or a TV show or a Craftsy class or a column in Threads - it's not that kind of exciting but it's fun nonetheless :-))

Today's Word is "Thrill"

So my bra sale has been on for a few days now and I'm so thrilled by your enthusiasm! Many of you have written to inquire about whether my lingerie size is your lingerie size and I'm actually a little sad when the answer is no - cuz I really wan't y'all to adopt some affordable pretties. Happily, some of you are exactly the right size (or should I say, the stash is the exactly the right size for you) and lovely things are on their way.

I was talking with Myrna yesterday about how, given that the purchase of, and opportunity to enjoy, beautiful underthings is such a part of my identity, I'd be wise to share with others as often as possible. I mean, it makes it feasible for me to enjoy new brands continually and to get the word out to others who may enjoy them. I don't need an overflowing "provisional undies" drawer (ahem, that would be my third, in total). I need space to see and wear what works now (and potentially in the future, at slightly different sizes and shapes).

What I've come to understand recently is that breasts don't need to shrink or grow to change.

As we age, have children, enter puberty, approach menopause - the hormones associated with these great life changes affect the density of breast tissue - and thereby, how our breasts sit on our frames. Other challenges such as thyroid imbalance, serious stress (causing spikes in cortisol) or diets rich in foods we might not optimally tolerate can lead to similar changes in density (and size and shape too, of course).

There are bras I might not choose to wear in the future because, while the size is just right, the structure no longer does the trick.

Before you get all miserable and change the channel, young peeps, feel confident that I vastly prefer living in my 42-year old body than I ever did in my 25-year old one. These changes are not bad. They are not unattractive. They're just what they are - a metaphor of one's life lived. I say, live well and you will be gorgeous forever! :-)

Anyway, I cannot tell you how much I love to pass along these beautiful, structural marvels for the enjoyment of the next custodian. With each bra I hand-wash, then carefully set to dry before wrapping in tissue, I am reminded of the joy I felt when first I saw and touched it. I cannot help but to scrub in a little bit of extra thrill - and I truly hope you feel that when you open up your parcel.

On the topic of thrills at opening parcels, I am so grateful to my English friend for making this latest purchase possible:

Empreinte Lola Balconette - Confetti colourway

Empreinte Lola Shorty Thong

One gets a better sense of it on the model with the gorgeous boobs - but let me assure you, it is the power of this bra to make all boobs look this good. (Ok, to make my boobs look this good. :-))

I've learned that this bra has been discontinued and I seriously urge you to get yourself to a shop and try it on before it is no more. If it were even vaguely affordable, I'd buy it in every colourway and 2 in black. Alas, one has to expand her horizons. How will I find new things if I'm only focused on what I know now?


The Lola is an artful mix of sheer, weightless sex-appeal and architectural wonder. I've tried some of the loveliest and most supportive bras out there, and I've never seen anything like it. The band is affixed - affixed, I tell you - with nary an impulse to budge no matter what you do. It's a corset (albeit one without a long-line bodice underpinning it) but it's totally comfortable. (Note: I have a high tolerance for all manner of tightness on the bodice, so please keep that in mind.)

For your info, I've now tried on a variety of Empreinte bras including: the Kaela, the Ophelia, the Melody, the Diva and the Lily Rose.

All of them fit extremely well and give very good lift and shape. Some of them (Melody, Kaela) are rounder than my general preference. Others are too fussy for my North American predilections (Lily Rose, Thalia). The Ophelia is most definitely my next purchase, when the navy version comes out soon:

Photo courtesy of Miss Underpinnings

However, even this one (which looks light as air on the model), is not quite as insubstantial-seeming as the Lola.

Often, women with large breasts crave the very thing that eludes them - a web-like confection in defiance of gravity. Allow me to assure you, at the right price, it exists.

So, today's question is: What's the best bra you've ever worn? Inquiring minds want to know!

In Which I Tell You That I Went For a Bra Fitting

Peeps, I've got an interesting story for you today. We can even call it Valentine's-themed though, in truth, that's just an accident.

For starters, I received the Miss Mandalay Amelie and, no question, it's GORGEOUS. It's beautifully-made, it's sexy, it's old-school. But it is not firm. I'd go so far as to say, if you've got dense breasts (at any size) and you're moving into middle-age (when breasts often increase in weight, if not size), then it may not be the style for you. 

 

Look, I've only got my own tits to go by, so by all means, buy it and tell me I'm wrong! The thing is that the material used has a lot of give. In some instances, even stretch. So if you're breasts need some big lift (by the combination of band support, firm cups and straps), it's potentially not optimal. By contrast, the Miss Mandalay Paris is super-firm and supportive - and also gorgeous (though by no means as luxe as the Amelie). You can find them both here.

The Amelie fits small in the cup - but generously in the bottoms. I considered whether to reorder a larger size, so appealing is the design, but I couldn't tell if I'd need to go up one size or two. To be honest, I don't have the stomach for anymore online bra purchase returns in the near future. So I sent the set back. (Let me say it again, LCL is an excellent vendor which I totally recommend.)

Given this experience - and many others of late - I won't lie. I was perplexed. I was confused. I was unhappy. WTF is going on with my boobs, people?? Or my sense of sizing? Am I no longer the queen of bra fit?

There was only one way to find out. I went out and got re-fitted at a bra boutique. 

 

I'm not going to get into details about which boutique because I have a number of issues with it on the basis of officious corporate policies. (Plus the prices are outrageous.) But I have never doubted this store's commitment to excellent fitting and the skill with which the fitters approach their role.

It was a fascinating - if outrageously expensive - experience.

Some things I learned:

• I am decidedly in a 30 band at this point. 32s are too loose.

• Cup sizing is very different from brand to brand. I mean, of course I know this, but I was very surprised to find myself in a smaller size (than my presumed standard) in every bra I tried on in store - despite my challenges with online shopping skewing to the "too small" end, at least as often as "too large".

• None of the bras I tried in store was a Freya. Apparently, perhaps one reason why I've been experiencing numerous bra woes on the online front is because, so the fitter told me, Freya (the brand I order online most frequently) has gone pretty low with the materials and manufacturing over the last 3 seasons. I can corroborate that every bra I've bought in the brand - for the last year - has been narrow in the cup and the wires are short (compared with those in the same size from previous years). The fabric is also cheaper-seeming. Look back over my lingerie posts. You'll see a record of this.

• I will not be buying Freya online again anytime soon. Not unless I've tried on the bra at a store first.

• You know that lingerie blogger question du jour: Are my breasts full on the top or full on the bottom? I have vacillated in my opinion about the distribution of my own breast tissue many a time. According to today's fitter - and she does see more real-life, unclothed boobs in a day than I do in a year - my breasts are neither. The density falls squarely over the mid line, says she. Which is probably why I refer to my breast profile as "deep" far more often than I refer to it in any other way.

• My breasts are also close together (in the scheme of close set vs wide set). Add mid-breast depth to close set and you have a shape that challenges wires to lie flat at the breastbone. This has only just occurred to me though I've had difficulty with gore placement forever. In the past, I've blamed it on shallow fit. But it's more specific than that. "Shallow fitting" bras are often shallow at the midline, but still too wide at the sides. Hmmm...

So, what did I try on? Mainly Empreinte. Why? Well, Loves, when you go to the bra store on Feb. 14 (just a fluke, I swear!), your choices are limited. The only remaining options are mega-expensive ones. Which when you're already dealing with an expensive boutique is, frankly, scary. Furthermore, while this is a brand I have wanted to try for many years, I wasn't willing to pay for it before now, so I knew well enough not to bother. (What good could have come of that??) I have tried to order it from Europe on a couple of occasions, at a discounted rate, but they're serious when they say that trade agreements prevent the online boutiques from shipping it to customers out of the EU. If you want this shit, you've gotta pay.

I bought 3 bras and a pair of undies* and it cost me $615.00.

I'll let that sink in for a minute.

Yeah, I spent a plane ticket's worth of money on 3 bras and a pair of undies. Amongst them, these**:

Inadequate photos from here and the one below is from Figleaves UK

The two bras above are the same - the Empreinte Lola

 

 

This one is the Empreinte Kaela (couldn't find an even vaguely decent shot of the undies). What is it with this brand and the bad photo options?? This material is awesome...

On the plus side, these offerings do make my tits look like something out of a French film or a pin up calendar from 1958. They fit SPECTACULARLY. OMG, I was really starting to wonder about whether my perfect-fit bra days were behind me. Of course, it would be lovely if Freya could go back to the old ways and make affordable bras that look this good on me. In the meanwhile, who really needs a college fund?

 

*You may wonder why I didn't get the undies to go with 2 of the bras. One is black (and the undies cost $175.00). The other is "basic beige". I have undies galore that can act as reasonable matches for each these. Though it's not my preferred way, I couldn't justify spending another 200 bucks, before tax, on 1/4 yard of fabric.

 

** I will discuss the fit of these - and the qualities of the textiles - in more detail in another post.