Ewa Michalak: a study of styles

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 ❤