This past August, I noticed Polish full-bust clothing brand Urkye had a sale code on their Facebook page for their Tuba line. If there is one thing I love its a sale, and I had been curious about this brand so it was obviously meant to be that I should place an order immediately.
Urkye’s sizing is unique but they offer a well-explained sizing chart. Following the chart shown for elastic fabrics, I was able to quite easily determine that I wanted a size 34 (I generally wear a size 2 or 4 in dresses in Canadian stores, and a small in tops). Urkye’s unique sizing also allows the customer to choose how much bust room they require. I wear a bra size 65G in Ewa Michalak, 65HH in Comexim and about a 30FF/G in UK brands. With my measurements of 27″ underbust and 36″ bust, I chose the smaller o/oo Urkye bust size, as the sizing chart indicated.
The dress was on sale even before using the code, from 109 zl down to 69 zl, and actually all of the Tuba dresses are still on sale at time of writing. My total balance due including shipping came to 146.10 zl which converted into just $52.16 Canadian ($39.29 U.S.). What a bargain! As I often tell my husband, it isn’t about how much I spend; its about how much I SAVE! He loves that one (I think). 😉
My parcel from Urkye arrived to me in Canada just two weeks after ordering.
Here is how my items were packaged:
On closer inspection, I noticed that the printed dress was actually a fun leopard print. Or is that cougar? hmmm…
Here is the dress on me:
Its quite a lot of cleavage on show! The bust area can be closed up somewhat but this isn’t going to be a very modest dress, regardless. The tummy area is also quite clingy. My trusty Spanx saved the day, but trust me, if it wasn’t for them, you’d be seeing porn star boobs and a has-been hooker stomach. Not the best look. If you are toned, you’re in luck, otherwise, like me, you may be doomed to wearing tummy control undergarments under this dress. After seeing the dress on Urkye’s leggy model, I had been a bit concerned that it might be too short for my liking but on my 5’4″ frame it hits below my knees and I am comfortable with this length.
I quite liked the black Tuba top. It is versatile enough to wear with jeans, shorts, a skirt…whatever you want. Like the dress, the top is quite clingy, but I find it more forgiving since it is solid black and my jeans help to hold my gut in too.
A neat feature of the Tuba line is that the shoulders all have adjustable sliders. You can pull the sliders up higher and pull the fabric more across the centre of your chest for a less cleavage-y look:
Or, if the mood strikes, you can push those sliders down and show the girls off.
The backs of both the dress and top feature the same low v shape as the fronts.
If you are wondering what bra I am wearing under these outfits, it is Comexim’s Dottie, purchased though Bra Obsessed. Watch for that review to come!
There are a multitude of ways you can measure for a bra and most companies will provide their own guide. Usually it is based on a simple set of math equations. It’s a starting point; a best guess on the cup size volume your breasts will fill. However, once you have breast implants, the math may not always come close at all.
Luckily, there are ways that you can try to help get a better idea for a starting point. Measuring is just that, a starting point. After years of helping other women with implants find a good fit I have gathered some patterns to help you get started.
Let’s start with the basic measurements! You’ll need a fabric tape measure, a mirror, and someone to help you if possible. Make sure it is someone you are comfortable with, in most cases these measurements are taken with no bra.
Your first measurement is where you’ll need your friend or mirror the most. You are going to take a set of underbust measurements.
This measurement is taken just under the breasts, around the rib cage where your bra band sits. This measurement should be level around your body, no dropping to your waist or up your back. This is where your mirror or friend will be helpful.
The big debate in bra fitting circles is exactly how to take this measurement. There is the BTT (break the tape) measurement, which literally has you pulling as tightly around the body as you can after exhaling. There is a firm measure, which is a firm measurement around your body but no tighter than what you’d want your bra band to be. Then there are variations of a loose measurement, up to an measurement while completely inhaled. All of these are useful! More on that in a bit.
Our next measurement set will be the fullest bust measurement. It is important that your tape stays level around your body here, so keep that friend or mirror handy! You’ll take this measurement around the fullest part of your bust, not necessarily at the nipple but wherever is fullest. Every woman is different, so the fullest portion of the bust can be higher or lower than the nipple. For breasts with natural hang, in your best fitting bra may be best. Many of us augmented ladies are more self supporting, so you may not need a bra.
Our second measurement will be the same, but you’ll lean forward so you are bent at the waist, body at a 90 degree angle. This is a no bra measurement. This is like simulating a really good swoop and scoop. Any and all breast tissue that may not be caught by that first measurement will be caught by this one. Some women will have both measurements exactly the same, others have several inches different.
Our final measurement set will be the perimeter of your largest breast. You may have to do each breast to find which is larger. You’ll also do this leaning over. Like the fullest bust measurement, you may need to use a bra for the standing measurement if you have a lot of natural breast tissue. To take this measurement you will want to measure from the furthest point of your sideboob or the edge of your implant, across the fullest part of your breast, to your cleavage. Like before, your fullest point may or may not be your nipple.
Now, what do these measurements tell us? They tell us a lot!
The rib cage measurements tell us about band size. Different companies size differently, different bodies wear bras differently, and different personal preferences will dictate what each woman wants their bra to feel like. Your firm ribcage measurement is often used as a starting band size. The BTT measure will tell how much soft tissue there is over your ribs. Soft tissue is compressible, so some women with more soft tissue prefer a tighter or wider band. The inhaled measurement can tell how much stretch you need.
Hypothetical example- firm ribcage measurement of 28in, BTT measurement of 27in, inhaled measurement of 31in. This lady would want to look at band sizes in the range of 28-32. Sounds like a big range – that is 3 sizes. She will want a firm fit for support, but she needs room for her ribs and lungs to expand. A stretchy 28 in one brand may be ideal while a very firm 32 may be perfect in another brand.
Next up is the fullest bust measurement. These two measurements tell a few things. Comparing the two will give an idea of your soft tissue and how it is placed in the breast. Women with very little natural tissue and whose breasts are mostly implant will find that these measurements are very close to each other. Women with more natural tissue with even breast fullness may find that their leaning bust measurement is larger. A leaning bust measurement that is smaller is often found with very bottom heavy breasts, which you do not often find in augmented women. The above applies to the individual breast measurements as well. Why do we do both then? Well, I’m getting to that!
Traditional calculations will either say to take fullest bust – band size = cup size or fullest bust – rib measurement = cup size. Well that gives you a big range depending on what your measurements are. That is where the single breast measurement comes in! Using the equations above, let’s say you got a result of 8in and 9in. But your leaning single breast parameter measurement is 10in. Now you are thinking, oh my gosh this is never going to be easy, I’ve got three measurements for cup size and I already had three band sizes.
Stop right here, let’s go for the simple side! Your single breast measurement being larger indicates that the traditional calculation methods will estimate your size too small. This is common when you have implants, especially higher profile implants. So simple math here, 10in for your cup volume, no adding and subtracting. That is a UK GG. Now what band size? Here is where your preferences come in. Do you want a firm band? Try a 28GG. Do you prefer something looser? Try a 30G, maybe 30GG.
Let’s say you had the same results (8in and 9in) but your single breast measurement was 9in. You’ve got a great starting estimate by using 9in! The recommended starting size would be a 28G or a 30FF/G.
As you can see, the basic math equation doesn’t give a firm answer. It doesn’t for ladies with natural breasts and it doesn’t for ladies with augmented breasts. The math can give you an idea of where to start. Your knowledge of your own body, your preferences, and your implants will help guide where to go from that starting estimate. The final step is trying on bras, and assessing their fit.
I always knew bra shopping would be a learning experience post-op, but didn’t fully appreciate just how tough certain types of bras are to find for a fuller bust. Can anyone say strapless?? Fortunately this task isn’t impossible, and while I have yet to attempt finding a strapless bra, one style I knew I had to have the moment I saw it was the Ewa Michalak S Grace Multiway (to read more about the S style see Yoomee’s post all about the S here). In my experience, a lot of smaller sized bras come automatically with detachable straps. In larger sizes this seems to be much trickier to find, as the straps need to be securely connected to the rest of the bra for maximum support. So with the beginnings of warmer weather here down under when occasions may call for a halter or racerback style to be worn, I was especially excited to test out the Grace.
I ordered four bras direct from Ewa including the Grace (in a 60HH), which is the most I’ve ever ordered direct in one hit, so had my fingers, toes and everything crossed that they would all work out. And thank the bra gods, they all did! Grace is undeniably gorgeous, with its elegant white lace on the cups and band, and pearl drop gem adorning the gore. The straps are as pretty and comfortable as they would normally be, they are just connected to the bra differently with hooks as you can see below.
Honestly, I was worried that the hooks might slip and I’d find myself suddenly strapless. But I am pleasantly surprised to report that when wearing it in any form – regular, halter or racerback – the straps stay in place without any drama. They are very easy to hook and unhook, yet remain secure. I do get a tiny bit of gaping in the cups which is due to the S style’s subtle peak not agreeing with my rounder shape, and the gore does squish into my cleavage a bit which is the norm for me being close set. Despite these quirks the 60HH works very well for me. The band is actually the firmest 60 band I have yet encountered, which falls in line with what I’ve read about black and white Ewa bands running firmer, while coloured bands seem to run a bit looser. It’s thankfully not unbearably firm though and has stretched to a more comfortable level of snugness with regular wear.
The multiway design is great! I am loving having a readily available option to go racerback whenever I need. It works perfectly at hiding those straps at the back. I will need to wear it in a bit though to help stretch the straps out, as even loosened to the max they feel quite firm across my neck and back.
One slight downside to all this is the beautiful lace on the cups. It’s a stunning fabric, but I’m finding it can appear quite lumpy under a lot of tops. In my humble opinion, smooth cups would work better to make this bra even more versatile under a wider variety clothing.
Another thing I noticed is that while the hooks serve a fantastic functional purpose, if your straps show near your underarms in a tank top, hooks don’t look nearly as pretty as cute bows. This is not a deal breaker by any means, just something to bear in mind.
I don’t actually have a halter top or dress right now to try the halter option with, hence the strapless dress instead, but you get the general idea. I probably wouldn’t use the halter function much to be honest as the band does look a bit distorted without the straps connected to keep it in place, but if I really needed to it would work well enough to get by.
Overall I rate the Grace very highly. It’s both beautiful and functional, what more could a girl want? 😉
As previously mentioned by my fellow blogger, B3lla (read post HERE) Ewa Michalak offers possibly the widest variety of bra styles (and sizes for that matter) around, enabling them to meet the needs of all types of breasts from small to large, soft to firm, close to wide-set and all of those in between. In the relatively short time that I have been a Polish bra addict, I have really tried to experiment with as many bra styles as I can (as my motto is “don’t knock it until you’ve tried it”). Though there are several styles I love, the one that I always seem to come back to is the classic S.
S Szafirek
It is no wonder that the S is their most popular style, as it has a little something for everyone: light padding (including removable ‘cookies’ for those who have asymmetry or want a little extra oomph), a moderate cup and gore height, tons of support, and comes in a large variety of designs and fabrics. What this means for the consumer is that for the majority of women out there, the S style will probably work for you, and is generally (but not always) the style that I recommend that women start with if they are new to EwaMichalak. In my (quickly growing) collection of Ewa bras, about 80% of them are the S style.
S Kamea
As I had mentioned, this style works for a variety of women for many different reasons. For me, I love its versatility. It gives me amazing support without feeling like I’m wearing anything too full coverage, and has very deep cups that fit my high profile augmented boobs perfectly. It comes in designs and patterns that are youthful, elegant, fun and sexy. The S is also designed to give a great amount of cleavage, but is still extremely comfortable and doesn’t feel like my boobs are being pushed together uncomfortably. And though the Ewa site states that this bra works best for a medium neckline, I can still wear fairly low cut and plunging tops without the tops of the cups poking out.
S Narcyz
There are two basic issues that I have heard women speak of with the S style that I (thankfully) have not run into, but I think are worth mentioning anyway. The first is for those women with close-set breastswho find that the moderate height of the gore can pinch or push on their breast tissue near their center cleavage. Though I am closer set, upon examination I believe that I am able to wear a moderately high gore because my breastsdon’t come together till the middle/upper part of my boobs rather than the lower part where the gore lays.However, if you are close-set and your breasts come together on the lower half, this could be (but isn’t always) problematic. For these women, we typically recommend that they try the PL (plunge) style that offers a lower gore. Below is comparison picture of a PL and an S style for reference.
PL Orange vs S Turkusowe Kwiaty
The other issue that I have heard about is for women with more shallow breastsand/or wider roots. The S style has a very projected (deep) cup with narrow wires. If your breasts are shallow and/or you have wider roots, this could be a difficult style as you may not fully fill out the cup and/or the wires could sit on your sideboobbecause they are not wide enough to encase all your breast tissue. Luckily, Ewa offers the CHP (half cup) style that is designed with a shallower cup and wider wires, which is what I would recommend in this situation. Though I have a fair amount of projection, the CHP is actually my second favorite bra style as it creates the most beautiful rounded look I have ever seen! Pictured below is a comparison of me in a CHP and in an S style. As you will notice, the CHP gives a very round “apples in a basket” look, where the S offers more cleavage and a slight peak to the cup at the apex.
Top: CHP Owoce Lesne Bottom: S Paris Paris
Overall, there really aren’t enough great things I can say about the EwaMichalak S style. It’s everything I love about Polish bras all rolled into one spectacularly elegant package! And to add to the versatility of the S, Ewa also offers a few multiway bras in their collection. Don’t miss out on a review of the gorgeous S Grace multiway by our lovely blogger B3lla coming soon! What’s your favorite Ewa style?
Especially during hot, muggy weather, when I really want to wear as little as possible in order to try to keep cool, I always reach for my Ewa Michalak SM style bras. It is comforting to know that I haven’t added any extra layers of hot fabric which will contribute to making me even grumpier than I already am going to be. Yes, I am a fair weather friend, literally, and for me, comfort is key. However, while comfort is key, I need to have a bra that delivers good support and I still wish to have a lifted and rounded shape. The beautiful appearance of these bras is the proverbial icing on the cake.
After I had breast augmentation surgery, almost two years ago now, I had to re-learn how to shop for bras. Before going Polish, my efforts at finding a good unlined bra included two somewhat pointy offerings from Freya (the Pollyanna and Roxanne models), as well as an itchy Curvy Kate Princess. All of these seemed to lack the level of support that I needed, all had wide wires and none gave me that rounded appearance that I desired. I assumed that it must just not be possible to have an unlined bra that delivered on every count what I was looking for.
I had enjoyed great success with Ewa Michalak’s S style lined bras and decided that an unlined SM style would be worth a shot. I was so pleased with my first SM purchase that I now own several SM style bras and will be continuing to add to that part of my collection.
The SM Czarna Mgielka is a beautiful, sexy sheer offering in a black colourway. The Ewa Michalak site describes it as follows:
An unpadded bra with a higher bridge, ideal for medium neckline. Lifts the bust giving it a rounded shape with a subtly marked peak, which adds a little lightness to your silhouette. The cups are made of stable tulle holding bust at the right level 🙂 The edging made of delicate lace. A bow on the center gore. Fully-adjustable straps. The band is quite tight.
I had Jaimie at Bra Obsessed send me the Czarna Mgielka in size 70FF. You can find this bra in her shop here and you can find the matching panties here. I actually chose these panties that match the S Szykus bra which I also own. The Szykus panties are gorgeous and fit me well in my usual size 36.
Below is a front view of me wearing the bra. The polka dot bows added for modesty are not included 😉
And a side view so that you can see the roundness and lift:
In the interests of disclosure, as I mentioned above I do have implants but they are very natural in appearance, and not super rounded on their own. I am a combination of formerly sagged natural breast tissue with cohesive gel implants. I measure approximately 27″ below my bust and approximately 36″ around my bust, with a 10″ perimeter.
The Czarna Mgielka is very similar in design to my SM Wanilla bra, pictured below, which I reviewed here. The Czarna features the same style of lace trim and has the seams on the inside of the cups to give a very smooth clothed appearance, making it both sexy and very useful – a win/win in my books! The Wanilla is not available on the Ewa Michalak site but can be ordered through Bra Obsessed at this link.
Other SM bras in my collection to date include the drop-dead gorgeous SM Fiolecik, pictured below. The beautiful embroidered cups and lilac/black colorways on this one made it irresistible to me. I must say that the matching panties are also gorgeous and comfortable too! Sadly, this bra is not being made any longer. At time of writing there was one lonely bra in size 40DD left on the Ewa Michalak site. I will be keeping my eyes peeled for similar styles in the future.
The final bra in my personal SM collection is the beautiful limited edition Bailey Bez which unfortunately is also no longer available.
None of the SM bras in my collection shown above have any stretch to the cup fabric, so you do want to have your Ewa Michalak size sorted out so that you can find your perfect fit. I find the S style bras are more forgiving for size fluctuation as they are lined and have the option of adding or removing the ‘cookie’ pads. If you are looking for an unpadded Ewa Michalak bra but prefer a bit of stretch, I recommend trying a BM style. In comparison with my S style bras, my SM bras give a slightly more minimized appearance, but still do provide similar excellent lift and roundness. All of the above shown bras are in sizes 65G or 70FF and all fit very consistently.
Other advantages to the SM style include that they take up next to no room in your lingerie drawer or your suitcase for that matter, making them great choice of bra to take on holidays. They are also fast to dry after washing, since they are so light-weight.
The collage below shows some of my lovely fellow AEE bloggers modelling their own SM bras. In the top photo, Tanzilove is wearing her Fiolecik, bottom left is Baby in her Czarna Mgielka and bottom right is Tanzilove in her Walentynka. Don’t they look fabulous?
No need to despair if you missed out on the Fiolecik and/or the Bailey Bez as there are many other beautiful styles still available, and many more to come in the future. If you would like to try one for yourself, Bra Obsessed has kindly given our readers another discount code! You can use code AEE10 and enjoy 10% off of your purchase on any style bra, for all in stock items. This code is effective immediately and will end on Saturday September 19, 2015 so be sure to take a browse at all of the lovely offerings at Bra Obsessed and get your order in. Although this sale code is limited to in stock items only, I have been told that there is currently a small run of other sizes and styles ordered (with many 60 and 65 bands!) and on their way soon to the shelves at Bra Obsessed including (GASP!) the new, not yet released ‘strappy’ SM which you will have seen a glimpse of if you follow Ewa Michalak’s facebook page. You can email Jaimie at bras@braobsessed.com and ask if your size is on her soon-to-arrive order list and if it is, she will invoice you so that you can take advantage of this discount. Enjoy!
I will most certainly be adding the new SM strappy set to my collection. Will you?
The world of Polish bras can be overwhelming at best when you first enter into it. The language seems confusing, the sizing even more so. And then just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, you begin to notice a combination of letters beside every Ewa Michalak bra you see. What on earth could CHP mean? And SM? And BM? And PL? Whilst navigating the website (which you can learn to do HERE) you may come across Ewa’s style guide which clarifies all the above letter combos and more. But you may still be left wondering… What do these styles actually look like on? How do they compare against each other? Which one is going to be best for me? Well thankfully we here at An Enhanced Experience think we can help you answer some of these questions 🙂 read on!
First up we have the PL, a lightly padded plunge bra described in the above mentioned style guide as a bra designed for deep, plunging necklines. It is very low at the centre. The plunge bra makes your breasts closer together. This is my personal favourite style and I am hoping and praying it will come out soon in some new designs and colours!
Pros: Being a plunge style, this bra’s low cut design provides seriously amazing cleavage and is perfection for anything V-neck or low cut. The combination of the plunge with Ewa’s trademark narrow wires and deep cups mean your boobs will be front, centre and ready to rock! It also features a lower gore, allowing for that nice deep plunge, and so can be a great option for those with close set breasts who struggle to get taller gores to fully tack. All the PL bras come with removable pads (also known as “cookies”) to help balance out any asymmetry.
Cons: The PL style may not always be practical for everyday wear, as the plunging cut doesn’t offer quite as much support as a bra with more coverage.
Next we have the CHP, which is a lightly padded half-cup style and described as a bra worn under broad and low necklines. Cups have one vertical seam. The edges of the cups form an almost vertical line. The halfcup bra is low cut and shows the upper part of your breasts. I wasn’t sure how this one would go on me but I really really like it. Even though the gore is of medium height, it is quite narrow towards the top so I do get a good (soft) tack, and I absolutely love the extra round shape this style provides.
Pros: The cups on this cut are made perfectly round and leave plenty of room for upper pole, so is an especially good option for those with enhanced breasts, very round breasts and/or firmer tissue who may struggle to get a good fit in other styles, as well as anyone wanting a true round shape. This construction is also ideal for wearing lower, wider necklines. All CHP bras come with removable pads (also known as “cookies”) to help balance out any asymmetry.
Cons: Typically the CHP doesn’t push your breasts together to provide as much cleavage as the other styles, but this can be both a pro and a con depending on personal preference. As the cups are designed to sit lower on the breasts it may not offer ample coverage for those with high set nipples.
Next up is the ever popular and versatile S, a lightly padded balconette style, for everyday use, giving the best support for your breasts. The cups offer more coverage than other bra styles. The balconette bra gives you lift, shape and comfort. This description from the style guide is right on point – the S style offers a bit of everything for everyone. Comfort, support, uplift, great shape and generally some very nice cleavage too. Sadly the wider height gore featured on this style doesn’t quite agree with me so I do get some cleavage squishing throughout the day. Regardless, I love these bras so much it’s something I’m willing to live with. And while still round, it gives a nice peaked shape which I prefer in some outfits.
Pros: It seems to work really well for the majority of women and is offered in a huge range of different colours, patterns and fabrics. It is extremely supportive without being full coverage, so you should feel pretty well invincible wearing this. It is also currently offered in a couple of multi-way designs for when you’re in need of a racer-back or halter option (stay tuned for our review of the EM S Grace Multi-way soon!). All S bras come with removable pads (also known as “cookies”) to help balance out any asymmetry.
Cons: When you look into the construction of this cut it really is better suited to softer, more natural tissue. So some of us firmer enhanced ladies, and even possibly those with firmer natural breast tissue, may find the subtle peak this style offers does not quite mould comfortably around the shape of your breasts. You may need to look for a rounder shape (such as the CHP). Another issue often seen with this style is the medium gore, which while not terribly high, can still be a bit too much for some close set ladies. However this really does seem to vary depending on the overall shape of your breasts as we have several close set ladies on the blog who wear and love the S style with no problems.
The SM is an unlined variant of the S style. I have yet to try this one personally, but am a big fan of what I’ve heard so far. Several of our blog ladies (including Jelz who is modelling hers in the below photos) swear by this style as being super comfortable, light weight and providing an incredibly round shape not normally found in unlined bras. It has a medium height gore, and from our experience the bands seem to run on the firmer side. Pros: As mentioned, the SM will give you fabulous round lifted boobs without any padding at all. The cup material most commonly used is a soft, breathable mesh and/or lace. Being made of such light material, it is ideal for hot summer days and quick drying, as well as taking up minimal space when travelling. This cut has also been reported to work really well for implanted ladies, even for those who can’t get the S to work for them.
Cons: There is not a lot of stretch, and no lining behind the lace cups so this style may not feel as supportive as others. Also being unlined, keep in mind there is no place for your nipples to hide!
Last but not least we have the BM style (modelled below by Tanzilove). It is a full coverage lightly lined bra which gives a less round shape with more of a subtle peak. The cup material continues up and out from the upper sides of the cups before attaching to the straps.
Pros: Similarly to the SM, being unlined is great for warm weather, quick drying and travel. The BM however is constructed with mesh lining on the inside of the cup material offering added support. The upper portion of the cups are made with stretch lace and so are fantastic for ladies with lots of upper pole fullness. This lace will also stretch to accommodate for any asymmetry.
Cons: Tends to run big in the cup so sizing can be tricky. Even though it is lightly lined, it is more unlined than padded so there is the potential for nipple mishaps. Also bear in mind this style is full coverage, and while it is the sexiest version of full coverage I have ever seen, if you like less coverage this style may not be for you.
Now you’re up to speed on what each is style is, let’s take a look at how they compare. Below is a collage of the shape variations of each style I own. I didn’t even realise just how pronounced these differences were until I saw them beside one another. And now as you can see, they are all clearly and wonderfully unique. You will note the peak in the S, the uplift of the PL and the definite roundness of the CHP.
Here we compare the two unlined cuts on Tanzilove, which are again very different. The BM while still round almost gives a minimsed appearance, whereas the SM clearly has much more lift to it.
While the letter combinations themselves may be confusing at first, the actual functions of these versatile styles are something I think truly sets Ewa Michalak apart. I love how so many different designs are available to all women of all shapes and sizes. No matter what look you’re going for, you can certainly hope to find it amongst these beautiful bras ❤
When Ewa Michalak re-released the S Eden, most of us here at An Enhanced Experience pretty much lost our minds. Some of us thought that Eden looked too much like the S Kwiaty, when we already owned Kwiaty. I thought that the Eden was much more of a blue base, and with the lace overlay it was different enough for me to order…Like I need an excuse 😉
A couple of weeks ago, Yoomee posted this comparison shot, and it got quite a bit of attention.
The reality sunk in for a lot of people. These bras were nothing alike. The only things they had in common: 1. Made by famous bra maker Ewa Michalak; 2. both S styles, and 3. Both had a floral pattern to them. Lets break this down further.
One of my favorites. The colors are vibrant, the fabric is luxuriously soft, and the floral pattern is a solid material that covers the entire bra. The straps are made of the same turquoise seen in the BM Landrynek, reviewed here.
Kwiaty is made up of various shades of pinks, blues, turquoise, yellows, oranges, bits of green, all ranging from light in tone to very vivid with darker pinks and darker blues, as well. The gore has a turquoise bow with a rhinestone accent. The top of the cups is adorned with hot pink lace. The hooks and eyes are set on a turquoise solid base. Kwiaty is bright and bold in every way. The inside of the cups is made of white cotton with pockets for removable pads for asymmetry.
The next set of lovely photos are provided by fellow AEE blogger and Polish Bra Junkie, jelzzz.
Another favorite. This one isn’t quite as bright at Kwiaty. The base is a blue/turquoise. The cups have a lace overlay consisting of a beautiful, delicate floral pattern. The base color of the lace is very close to the base color of the bra itself. The lace has pink flowers and green leaves on it, with portions of the lace being shiny, almost silvery in tone. The lace comes up almost to the tops of the cups, leaving approximately an inch of the blue/turquoise cup base exposed, gradually decreasing as it moves to connect to the point where the straps meet the cups. The lace is only on the cups. The gore is made of the same blue/turquoise base material, with a hot pink bow as the center gore adornment. The same pink bows are placed where the straps meet the cup.
Here is where we finally have something that is exactly the same as Kwiaty: the straps. They both have the same turquoise straps. They also both have the white cotton lining on the inside of the cups with pockets for removable pads for asymmetry.
Now here is the question: which is your favorite? I cannot pick my favorite between the two. They offer so many differences that they each deserve a space in your lingerie wardrobe.
I know that Kwiaty has mostly sold out. There are very few sizes left even in the retail locations. Please check our preferred list of retailers here to see if they have any sizes left in stock. I get several requests every week asking where Kwiaty can be found. Unfortunately, this one may be gone. If you were one of the lucky ones to pick this up, cherish it! Maybe one day Ewa Michalak will surprise us with a re-launch, just as they did with Eden. As of the writing of this post, Eden is only available in a 65FF on the Ewa Michalak website, so if you haven’t already, and that happens to be your size, I suggest you grab it up as soon as possible 🙂 Hmmm.. that is my daughter’s size… If it is sold out by the time this is posted, it wasn’t me 😉
***This post has been edited as of May 27, 2016 with updated information and links***
When we talk to women who are thinking of taking the Polish bra plunge, one of the main factors that keeps them from doing so is how intimidating ordering can be. As you all know, there are several fabulous Polish lingerie retailers out there (many of which we have featured on this blog). Retailers are awesome for a multitude of reasons such as when you don’t want to have to deal with learning how to navigate the direct sites, want that extra special touch, and/or want the ease of being able to make returns without having to ship your bras back to Poland. Many women exclusively order through retailers, while others (including most of the women on this blog) do a combination of ordering through their favorite retailer and ordering direct. I myself have only ever ordered direct. This isn’t because I have anything against ordering through a retailer, and I am sure that I will at some point, but I started off ordering direct and it’s just what I’m used to. Update: Since I first posted this, I have had the opportunity to use a retailer for a few of my orders. I still believe that a combination of direct and retail ordering is the best way to go.
I will preface the rest of this post by saying that one of the reasons ordering direct works well for me is that (at this time) I don’t require any special alterations to my Polish bras. Because of this I am able to easily pick out my bras, choose my size, throw them in the cart and check out. This doesn’t mean that you can’t order direct even when you need alterations, it just means there are extra steps you must take which I will be covering later in this post.
Let’s face it, the first time you go onto the Ewa Michalak or Comexim sites it’s down right petrifying! And to make matters worse, even their English sites have many words that are still in Polish. In order to make things a bit easier for you, we have compiled many of the most common words and terms you will see on these sites at the top of our blog under Polish Lingerie Terms. Though it can be intimidating and scary at first, I promise that after you place one or two orders it will become as easy as ordering from any other site you frequent 🙂 A couple of tips I have to make this a more enjoyable experience are 1) get your sizing down first, or at least a pretty close idea of what your Polish bra size should be (if you are enhanced and want to read our post on measuring for enhanced breasts, click HERE). And 2) don’t try to place your first order when you are on a time crunch or have a lot of distractions going on. Pick a time when you have a few moments to yourself so you can really concentrate on what you are doing, which will minimize the chance of making a mistake. For me, I try to wait until my boys are in bed 😉 Now lets get started!
When you first go to the sites they will look something like this:
TIP: If you happen to accidentally end up on the Polish language site, look towards the top of the page and you will see little flags. If you hover over the flag one will say “English”. Click on that flag and it will change the site to English for you!
To find bras on the Ewa Michalak site, you will want to look to the left side of the screen and scroll down and click on Bras which will then give you a drop-down menu of all they different styles and types they offer. Click on they style/type you are looking for and you will be able to see all the bras available. Don’t know which style or type you want? Do what I did, click on all of them and look around 🙂 Remember, this is supposed to be fun!
For Comexim it is a little easier, as they have less styles to choose from (plunge, half cup and long line). You will hover your mouse over Offer and then click on Bra:
s.
Now that you know how to find the goods, lets get a little more in depth. We will start with Ewa Michalak. Lets say I was looking for a padded bra. I would click on Padded Bras and it would take me to all the padded bras they offer. At the top of the page there will be a few bullet points about this type of bra to help you decide if it is right for you:
You will also see that bras are in order of when they debuted, with the most recent first. Lets say I wanted Eden in an S style. I would click on the bra that said Biustonosz S Eden and that would take me to that bra. Each bra will start with “Biustonosz” which means “bra” in Polish, the “S” is the style of bra, and Eden is the name. Once you are in that particular bra’s page you will be able to see different pictures of the bra, a description, drop-down menu of sizes available, price (in Polish Zloty) and availability (how long it will take to make):
When you find the bra you want, (before you get too excited) you will want to click on the size drop-down menu to ensure they have your size available (in this bra they only have a 65FF available). Too many times I have gotten excited too fast just to find out that they were out of my size! TIP:If they don’t have your size available and it is a newer bra in their collection, you can always email them to see if they are going to be getting more fabric in and if you could order in your size (sometimes they do and sometimes they don’t). However, if it is an older/discontinued bra, typically what is in the drop-down is all they have left. The next thing you will want to pay attention to is the Availability. “In stock – 48h” means that this bra is already made and will be shipped to you within 48 hours (those are the best :)). You may also see “On request – ready in 16 days” which means that it will be made to order and shipped once made, typically a couple of weeks. Lastly there is the price. I know it can look a bit shocking, but remember this is not in US dollars, it is in Polish Zloty which (depending on the day) translates roughly to 1 USD = 3.784 PLN. So for this bra 179 PLN = $47.22 USD.
A couple other things to note is towards the bottom of the page where they will list for you the sizes that the bra can be custom ordered in. To place a custom size order, instead of placing it through their site you will want to email them with your custom size and they will send you an invoice. Remember that there is a 40 PLN charge for custom orders and custom ordered bras are non-refundable. NOTE:You will often see this at the bottom of their discontinued bras as well, even though they will not be able to make a custom order for you 😦 You will also see at the bottom that they will show other relevant items to the bra you are looking at like other styles with the same design as well as any matching undies, in case you want to make it a set.
Once you have selected the bra in the size you want, you will just add it to your cart and can choose to check out or continue shopping. As I had mentioned in a previous post, I typically will order multiple bras at a time since the shipping charge (45 PLN) remains the same so it lowers the overall cost of each individual bra. NOTE: If I am not logged into my Ewa account, the delivery fee will say 12 PLN (which I think is the cost if it is being shipped within Poland), but once I am logged into my account the delivery fee changes to 45 PLN. Also, when ordering direct through either Ewa Michalak or Comexim you will need to pay by using a PayPal account. With Ewa, you will also be charged a small payment fee on top of the delivery charge. Once you have placed your order you will get a confirmation email.
Sometimes they will ask you to confirm your order by clicking on the blue button. Once you do that you will get another email showing that your order was confirmed. If you were lucky enough to order a bra that was ready within 48 hours, you should be getting a shipping confirmation within a day or two. If you ordered one that was ready within 16 days, you typically will get an email stating that they are waiting on supplies and that your order will be shipped once it is made. HINT: Once you get your shipping confirmation it should have a tracking number on it, if not you can email Ewa and they will send it to you (just respond to the shipping email. And unfortunately, it no longer tracks past when it enters the U.S. For me, once my order is shipped I usually will get it within a week, though it’s really up to the Customs powers that be 😉 And there you have it, you have just made your first direct order through Ewa Michalak!!!
S Eden 65GG
Now on to Comexim 🙂 The process for ordering through Comexim is very similar to Ewa Michalak. As stated above, you will want to get to the bras section and pick out the bra you want. As with Ewa, their bras are in order by when they were debuted. Once you have selected the bra you want to look at, you will see several pictures of the bra on the left and the bra information on the right. As you will notice, unlike Ewa, Comexim does not offer a description of their bras which I am assuming is because they don’t vary as much as Ewa bras do.
You see “Summer Time” (the name of the bra) and then “Biustonosz” (bra in Polish). Under that is the price (125 PLN) and the size drop-down menu. What you may also notice is missing is “availability” which is because all Comexim bras are made to order, so they take about 2 weeks to make before they are shipped. HINT:To the right of the bra you will see an Accessories tab if you want to check out the matching undies. Once you have selected the bra you want you will add it to your cart and you can choose “continue shopping” or “next” if you are ready to check out.
When you get to the Shipping section you will notice that the shipping cost is currently 20 PLN. This cost is the same if I order two bras but does go up slightly (to 26 PLN) once I order three bras. Comexim takes payment through PayPal but does not charge an extra payment fee. As with Ewa, you will get both an order confirmation as well as a shipping confirmation. When your order ships they will also send you a separate email with a tracking number. HINT: The tracking number doesn’t work until your package has cleared customs in the U.S. which takes several days to a week.
And there you have it, another successful direct order under your belt! I can feel your confidence rising 🙂
Summer Time 65J
Now lastly I wanted to briefly cover ordering direct when you require special alterations to your bras (lower cups, lower gore, straps moved in, etc.). There are a few different ways that I know women accomplish this, but I am just going to go over the one that I think is the easiest and least complicated. If you need alterations, don’t order from the site, email either Ewa Michalak or Comexim directly. When emailing Ewa Michalak you will most likely communicate with Kaśka who understands English pretty well, so you can send your email in English with your special requests. She will email you back (typically within a day or two) and let you know if they can accommodate your request. If they can, she will place your order and send you an invoice so you can pay for your order. REMINDER:Alterations cost an extra 40 PLN (depending on the type of alteration) and make the bra non-refundable. Also, they can’t always accommodate every request, depending on what it is and how busy they are. When needing customization from Comexim, their process has changed a bit since this was originally posted. You now can add your customization directly to your online order (including custom sizing), and no longer need to email them directly. If they need clarification, either Anna or Joanna will email you prior to starting to make your bra. At this time Comexim does not charge for general alterations (though may charge extra to make bras into a long line), but we have heard they may start charging a small fee in the future. Once altered, bras from Comexim are also non-refundable. TIP: If you are ordering your first Polish bra, I would suggest ordering it with no alterations first so that you can get an idea of what changes you may need to make.
I hope this has been helpful and will make you all a bit more confident when placing that first direct order. If anyone else has any helpful hints or tips for placing your direct orders, please post them in the comments below 🙂
In my journey into the wonderful (and sometimes confusing) world of Polish bras, I really want to try all of the styles available so that I can assess which style work best with my boobs. I also figure that if I can wear every style out there, I will have that many more options to choose from! But there is one style that has scared me…the CHP (Ewa Michalak‘s version of the half cup). Through reviews and speaking with other implanted ladies, the CHP can tend to have more shallow cups than the S style that I am used to and it can cause the gore not to tack properly on women with more projected boobs. Given that it typically takes several weeks to get my bras anyway, for the longest time the thought of waiting that long for a bra that most likely wouldn’t work anyway was just too much of a gamble for me to take, so I wrote off the CHP as a style that I just wasn’t going to try. Then one day I was looking at used bras on one of my go-to sites and I saw a CHP Fiołkowy Koktajl for sale in a 65G. I was feeling lucky…well who am I kidding, I was jonesing for a Polish bra fix (total addict) and figured “what the heck!”. It wasn’t full price and I wouldn’t have to wait weeks to get it. So in a New York minute I contacted the seller and made the purchase. Unfortunately, not 5 minutes later did I realize that the seller was in the U.K. and the joke was on me, I still had to wait! To make matters worse, it seemed to get lost in Customs and ended up taking almost 6 WEEKS to arrive! As any Polish bra addict knows, Customs can be a fickle you-know-what sometimes 😉
After 6 weeks, I actually almost forgot that I had purchased the bra, but boy was it a nice surprise when it finally arrived! Koktajl is a blueish grape color (sometimes looking blue, and other times looking purple) with a sexy black lace overlay that covers the three-part cups. It has black straps, a black mesh band and is topped off with a large black bow at the gore. With the 65G it comes with 2 hooks, but starting at 65GG it comes with (the preferred) 3 hooks. I was a little nervous about size since I’m typically a 65GG in Ewa Michalak, but when you are buying second-hand, you sometimes need to go a size up or down if you want the bra bad enough!
I slipped the bra on and to my amazement and delight it fit like a glove! Well, to be honest it fit like a slightly tight glove 😉 In a perfect world it would have been a 65G and a half. But it still fits well enough, with the gore tacking perfectly and I don’t get any quadboob action going on so I count it as a success! The CHP fits very differently than the S style in the presentation of my boobs. As the Ewa site describes, the CHP give my boobs a very “apples in a basket” look with them very front and center but not as much cleavage as the S. The cups are also much lower and I do notice that my areolas threaten to pop out at any moment, though they never have; but I will say that if you have high set areolas/nipples this may be a difficult style for you to wear. Because the cups are low, they show off much more of your boob…which is probably why this happens to be my fiance’s all time favorite bra on me 😉 I also love that even with the lace, this bra wears seamlessly under shirts and is one that I wear at least once a week. I would give this bra a 9 out of 10, and the only reason I wouldn’t give it a 10 out of 10 is because I’m a huge fan of cleavage and it doesn’t give quite as much as I prefer. Overall Koktajl has made me a believer in the CHP and I am so glad I can add it to the options to fuel this Polish bra junkie’s habit!
On a side note, I recently purchased the Ewa Michalak CHP Owoce Leśne and decided to get it in my usual 65GG (since the Koktajl in 65G is a hair on the snug side). Sadly when it arrived I found that it was too big, with gaping at the top of the cups. Since the CHP is very open at the top (unlike the S style that tapers in) I found that I don’t have enough upper pole to fill it out all the way. Luckily I was able to get another Lesne on order in the 65G and it fits beautifully! Depending on your boobs, how much upper pole you have as well as how much natural tissue you have, some women (including myself) find that they have to size down a cup in the CHP to get a proper fit. This is all part of what I love about the Polish bra journey, trial and error, taking chances, and learning more and more about my body…what works and what doesn’t!
I thought I might go a little more into my Polish Bra background for you. I am one of the newer converts of our group. I was so tired of being disappointed trying to shop for bras that fit properly in normal stores. Even if I found something that was close to my size, it was so unattractive, and did not appeal to me in the slightest. There were some that could have worked, and they were pretty, and lacy, and very expensive. I knew that there had to be better options out there somewhere for me!
I had heard about a social group in a forum that I belonged to, of women that were buying the most gorgeous bras, that fit like a dream, and these beauties came from Poland. I immediately thought that there was no way I was going to order bras from a country where I did not speak the language, had no clue how to figure out my size, and what happens if it doesn’t fit? Then what? Ship it all the way back to Poland and wait for a proper sized bra? Nope. That was not for me. I am not a patient person. I like instant gratification. If I pay for something, I want it in my hands, right now. Please and thank you!
My bra shopping adventures proved to be a complete waste of my time. I had already measured myself, and knew what I was looking for size wise. I googled that size, and didn’t like what popped up at all. Those horrible things couldn’t be my only options? More on my pre-Polish bra shopping adventures in another post 😉
I went back to the social group and started asking questions: how does this work? How do you determine your size? What do all of the different letters mean? What styles are for what purpose, breast shape, desired look? And finally, how do I order these beauties and from where?
The ladies in the social group were beyond helpful, knowledgeable, and sweet. (They eventually became my fellow bloggers ;)) They helped to answer all of my questions, gave me some suggested sizes to try based on the measurements that I gave them, and that my friends, is when it was a wrap. I placed an order with Ewa Michalak for the SM Wróżka and S Szykuś, and an order with Comexim for the Snow and Ingrid Plunges, in two different sizes to narrow it down. Once the orders arrived, I could not believe how well made they were. The fabrics and laces were nothing short of luxurious. While none of them were a “perfect fit”, they gave me enough to know which direction to go with each brand.
I placed my first Polish bra orders at the end of May, 2015. As of today, September 1, 2015, I currently have 29 Polish bras in my collection. These are the bras that are a proper fit, and are in my regular rotation. I have had some heartbreaking disappointments as well, but they are far less than my successes. I am currently waiting for my first Anna Pardal order, which literally has me nervous and giddy at the same time. I am so excited to have another Polish brand to be addicted to 🙂
I don’t feel the same about ordering my bras and having to wait for them to arrive. I know that they are being made for me, and once they come home to me, will most likely be pure perfection 🙂 While I am waiting for them, I am plotting my next purchase. My fellow bloggers and I look forward to “Bra Day”. At least one of us is getting a package that day, and we love it.
The designers of Polish lingerie have a distinct style across the board, offering many options within each brand, making them all valuable to me for different reasons. I am not willing to give any of them up. I want more of them. I want to try more brands and see what else is out there in this new wonderful world for me 🙂
I am a Polish Bra Junkie, and I am proud of it. I cannot imagine my life without them. I am pushing my addiction… I mean help, enthusiasm and advice on my friends, family, pretty much anyone who will listen to me talk about them.
An Enhanced Experience 