Yay for Freebies!

Many thanks to my new friend who works in marketing for my favorite brands! She found my humble little blog and now I have 2 new pieces to wear! And just like a little kid, I had to wear them both right away.

First is the Olivia from Fantasie.

It's very pretty, and very comfy. Lots of structure, 3 hooks in back (at least in my size), and side boning for those of you who are afraid of the fatty bits under your arms.

On top of that is my new Tshirt from the Holy Fit campaign, which I have previously blogged about. I couldn't find a good pic of it that would show up in the blog, but here is a link to the T on an online store.

Very soft material, loose flowing fit. Perfect for the heat in the southwest! I have a feeling this is about to become one of my favorite tees!

So today has started rather well and I will enjoy my freebies. Woohoo!

New Bra Store!

I decided to try a new online bra store. I found Breakout Bras on the Fantasie website. First, I was excited that they had a style of Panache's tank with built-in underwire in my size. Then I discovered the "amazing deal" grab bags. That is their title for it.

You pick how many "bags" you want (one bag equals one bra), 1 through 4, choose your size, and they pick that many bras in your size to send to you. The sizes for the grab bags are UK sizing, so anyone who already knows their size in Fantasie, Freya, or Panache are set. When I looked, they didn't have my size in the 3 grab bags, so I got 2. That's 2 bras for $35!! Holy Underwires, Batman! Oh, you can also specify if you prefer certain brands in the order comments. I told them that I know my size in Fantasie and Freya.

I got email confirmation right away, telling me what 2 bras I was getting for my grab bag purchases. Next day they sent me a tracking number in a shipping email. You can choose the standard, USPS shipping for free! I got the shipping email on the 12th and got the bras today, the 17th. There was a weekend in there as well, so 4 business days. They shipped from the east coast.

I immediately tried them on, of course! So a mini review for each one.

First, the tank, which I went ahead and spent $50 on. That's now much the Panache tanks have always cost.


It's as awkward to get on and off as the underwire tankini swimsuits. But once it's on, damn! Talk about comfort! Can't wait to use the hell out of that top in this heat! I might have to order another one. I love being able to wear a tank without bra straps showing. Mine is black.

They also sent me a Panache bra, the Eliza.


Yes, they sent me pink, which I would never have picked on my own. But it looks good on! The bow in the center really does hang low like that. I trimmed it down. The band is nice and thick all around, so no rolling will be going on. It is a full coverage bra, but every girl needs at least one of those. :) It is girly and quite comfy. I actually decided to leave this one on.

Finally, I got another Freya bra! Yay! They sent me the Lydia.


The cut of this bra is pretty much just like their Deco molded bra, which I own in nude. But this one, as you can see, is bright and flowery. Very comfy, and a plunge. I like plunge bras since I wear so many v-neck shirts.

I have a couple bras that have reached the end of their lives, and I've just been hanging on. My Freya Arabella really should have been put down a while ago. This pink Panache is a great replacement for that. And my black molded Fantasie bra is nearing the end. Glad to know I have a new molded! And glad that those Fantasie molded bras last a long time!

So, I will definitely be going back to Breakout Bras next time I need some new ones. They picked well for me and it was definitely worth it with how much I saved! The Eliza originally costs around $66 and the Lydia around $60. I got them for $17.50 each with the grab bag deal! You just can't beat that.

Bra Review: Freya Active Soft Cup Sports Bra

This is my second large-cup sports bra. I got the soft cup to avoid chafing. Mine is all black, but it comes in white, beige, and charcoal with lime accent. They used to have red and some websites/stores might still have red.

Pros:
-super structure
-good support
-adjustable straps and back
-high coverage
-separation of boobs = less boob sweat

Cons:
-a little high for my petite sized torso (i.e. I'm too short for it)
-not quite the support level I like for running, but works for short bursts of run
-boobs can look a little pointy

It's super comfy, and super structured. There's a tiny bit of bounce, but I would totally wear it for aerobics. I do wear it to walk my dog in the mornings. It's not the prettiest thing in the world, but I don't care about pretty with my sports bras anymore.

It's not carried by any stores that I know of in my area, but then, I don't know any stores in my area that even carry my size. Plenty of bra websites have it though. They also have an underwire version. I'd definitely recommend it to big-boobied girls who want support and separation!

Bra Review: Enell Sports Bra

I got a new sports bra! It's made by Enell and I am liking it. I'll do some pros and cons and then a general write up.

Pros
-designed to support larger breasts
-wide, sturdy band that doesn't roll or shift
-hooks in front, not back, leaving a smooth back for those of you who do pilates and such
-moisture wicking material
-full coverage
-high impact support!!!

Cons
-straps are not adjustable
-all the hooks in front are a little awkward to get at first; it takes practice
-they are not pretty bras, in fact they kind of look like armor
-they have their own size chart, so if you're in between sizes on their chart (like me) you definitely have to try it on
-limited color selection (ok with me as I usually just get black)

As stated above, they have their own sizing system. On their chart, I need a 2 for my band measurement and a 3 for my bust. I tried on both sizes and the 2 definitely fit better.

These bras are super-structured. They have hook-and-eye closure all up the front. You look and feel like you are putting on armor. BUT, when I went running this morning in my new bra, it felt great! Minimal bounce, no shifting, and the band stayed in place.

The hooking in front instead of back has me considering this bra for my pilates workouts, too. If you have ever done Rolling Like A Ball with a hook-in-back bra, you should know what I mean. All the pilates instructors (on my videos) say this move massages the spine, but I don't find it very massaging when I have those hooks right on my spine. The Enell is smooth in back. It basically looks like a cropped vest.

Hmmmm, maybe I could add coins, trim, and some shiny to make a belly dancing top! It would take a lot to cover it all up though.

All in all, I like this bra more than I thought I would. I am not too worried about the lack of pretty because I'm excited that it has such great support.

I'm headed back to KS in a couple weeks and plan to stop at my favorite bra store there. If I don't find another sports bra there, I will probably pick up a second Enell. Might look online to see if I can find one on sale or in a fashion color.

The Holy Fit

As I watch my favorite UK cook (Gordon Ramsay) I was checking out my favorite UK bra brands. On Freya's website, I found a link to The Holy Fit. I want everyone who reads this to check out their fit video. This woman tells you and shows you the basics of a good fit. And she has a great accent. They use an extreme sizing case for their example (as in extremely wrong), but I like it all the same. While you're there, check out the cool tshirts and decide which one you want to buy for me for my birthday!

news

Alrighty. I've been horrible about keeping up with this blog. I'm going to work on that.

I am no longer selling bras, but I still want to help everyone find bras that fit properly. Anyone can email me (or call if you know me) for advice or tips. If you are in my area, I will even go shopping with you.

To make up for the lack of updates, I will do a couple posts today.