The Majestic Lady Grey by Comexim

Hi ladies! It literally feels like forever since I’ve written a review for you all, but since buying a new home last fall I’ve not been able to keep up on my usual bra purchasing habits and therefore have not really had anything to write about. However, I am happy to say that along with this bra I also have a couple more on the way so I’m hoping to get some good reviews out for your reading pleasure!

Lady Grey is a bra that was originally made by Anna Pardal and first became available last summer. When it was first released, it had a satin ribbon edging that lined the tops of the cups (as seen below in this picture of Gogobee), but I believe that it caused some fitting issues so they later decided to remove that detail from the newer Lady Greys they made.

 

When this bra originally came out and several of our AEE ladies purchased it, I was obsessed immediately. But due to the ribbon issues I had heard about and the fact that I was still unsure about purchasing an Anna Pardal because of the heftier price tag than Comexim or Ewa Michalak, I held off. Then when we heard the sad news that Anna Pardal was closing its doors, I immediately fell into a regret spiral for not purchasing it when I could.  Luckily, shortly after hearing about AP, we heard the great news that Comexim (who had been producing the bras for AP) would continue to make them while they had the materials to do so.  I was elated and swore that I wouldn’t let this beauty get away from me a second time!

As any of you who are regular readers of our blog know, we are huge fans of Jaimie at Bra Obsessed.  Though I have always been a “direct buy” kind of girl, purchasing my bras directly through Comexim and Ewa Michalak, this time I decided to try a retailer and reached out to Jaimie.  She was so sweet and wonderful to work with.  Given that the last bra I ordered from AP was a 30GG, I decided to stick with that size for my Lady Grey, ordering a standard plunge with no alterations.   Then I waited…and let me tell you, after being on a bra-buying dry spell for the last few months, I forgot how excruciating it is waiting for my bras to come in!  But finally it did come.  As I say with almost every bra I purchase, Lady Grey is even more beautiful and luxurious in person than in the pictures.  Not to say anything negative at all about my other Polish bras, but the AP bras definitely have a high quality luxury look and feel to them that is quite stunning.  

The first thing I noticed when I put on Lady Grey was how nice and firm the band and straps were.  It felt very secure and supportive without feeling constricting or uncomfortable.  I thought I had died and gone to Polish bra heaven!  But then upon further inspection of the fit, I noticed that there was a slight pointiness at the apex of the bra, where it wasn’t laying flat against my breasts.  My first thought was that the size might be slightly too big and that my breasts were not fully filling the cups.  I immediately sent the picture to my fellow AEE girls for their thoughts, and it was very clear to them that the cup was actually too small and that I needed to order the next size up, a 30H.  Over the next couple of hours I did that back and forth thing, trying to decide if I should just settle for a bra that was a little too small instead of having to send this bra back and wait for another one to be made (did I mention how much I hate waiting for bras 😉 ?), but in the end I decided that the girls were right and I needed to send it back.  Now one of the greatest perks about ordering through Bra Obsessed (and something I had never been able to experience before) is how easy exchanges and returns are.  I emailed Jaimie that night and asked if she happened to have a 30H in stock, and to my great joy, she did!  She mailed it out to me the very next day and I sent her back my too-small bra.  Easy peasy!

Now, have you ever had a time where you thought something fit fine…until you tried on anther size that fit you perfectly, and it was only then that you realized how poorly the original size fit?  That was basically my experience when my 30H came in.  The 30H did come with a couple alterations, with the straps moved in 3 cm and pockets added into the cups, but no alterations to the actual cups.  Below I have a comparison picture of Lady Grey in 30GG (bottom) and in 30H (top).  As you can see in the 30GG, the apex is too low (causing the pointiness), and the cups are too narrow which push my breasts in too much.  Though the gore is 1.75 cm taller in the bigger size, it is still low enough that the gore is comfortable and the wires don’t sit on my breast tissue at all. It was also a blessing in disguise that this bra already had the straps moved in, since I think that with the larger sized cup, the straps might have been too wide otherwise.

I have worn Lady Grey both on the weekend and at work, wanting to try it out when I’m running around doing different activities as well as when I’m sitting at my desk job, just to try out it’s comfort level and I’d have to say that this in my top 2 or 3 most comfortable bras I own.  There are a couple of very specific reasons why I say this.  The first is that the band stays put.  I have a few bras that no matter how tight I make the band, because of the material it seems that the band likes to creep up throughout the day and I have to adjust it down.  This band is firm, yet very comfortable and it doesn’t move up my back even when I’m moving around a lot.  The second reason is that the gore is very comfortable.  I find that with most of my bras, by the end of a long day I can feel the gore starting to dig in a bit. I wore this bra for about 8 hours the first day and 10 hours the second and I felt no digging at all.  Overall I am so glad that I was able to purchase this gorgeous bra, and even happier that I didn’t settle for an “almost fitting” size and was able to get one that fit perfectly!

NOTE: Due to needing the larger cup size, I decided to remeasure my breast depth (it had been a while since I’ve done this). I’ve had my implants for 14 months and have had a 10.5″ depth since about 3 months post op, but it appears they have settled a bit more and now am measuring at 10.75″ (left) and 11″ (right). So it looks like I’ll be needing to size up in all my future bra purchases.  Oh darn…I guess I need some new bras 😉

 

 

 

Baby’s story

Today marks the 7 year anniversary of my first breast augmentation. It seems fitting that I use this date to share the story behind my choice, even as I am still working on understanding it completely.
**trigger warning- I’ll be talking about sexual assault (not rape) and the effects on me. Additionally I’ll be talking about my own body, using terms that I felt at the time. My words toward my own body are just that, my own for me. They are in no way meant to be taken as a statement towards someone else’s body.

Pre surgery, no bra

 

I’ll start by talking a bit about me and then go on to what changed. I was your average petite girl through school. By the time of my high school graduation, I was 5’1.5″ and 94lbs. In some ways I was an early bloomer; puberty started and appeared to end early. Breast buds started in elementary school but never passed that stage. I kept a boyish figure until my early 20’s, then I got a bit of curve to my hips.

Pre surgery, padded bikini top

 

Through school I dealt with the normal comments. “Itty bitty titty committee.” “Why do you bother wearing a bra?” And many more that were much more hurtful that I won’t put into writing. It was during this time that I had a life changing event. (*here’s where the talk about sexual assault starts, just a fair warning.) At the ripe age of 16, dating what was maybe the third person I had dated, I experienced a sexual assault. I was fortunate that it did not progress, but it left me feeling completely disassociated with my breasts. It was focused on my breasts alone.  My words of rejection were not respected. Being only 16 I handled it in the best way I knew how. I told my parents a partial truth and shoved it all aside in the deepest parts of my mind. Little did I know just how much I pushed aside and how this would change my views of my body.

Pre surgery, padded 32AA bra, empty gapping cups.

 

Years later I met the man that I would marry. Along with this came my first positive experiences toward sex and my own sexuality. My ideas about sex changed drastically and quickly, but there was a part still hidden deeply. I can’t express in words what I felt towards my breasts; but it was expressed in an extreme show of modesty, the fear of being seen or touched. I still struggle with modesty and feeling comfortable today.

My feelings of modesty and protection towards my breasts was something my husband respected, but questioned at the same time. It wasn’t until years later, after my first breast augmentation, that I told him some details of what happened to me.

After my first surgery, 397cc mod+

 

While in the military, my path crossed with someone who planned on having their breast augmentation after we returned from deployment. Following on her research I really started to consider it for me. I had initially discounted the idea of surgery as being too painful. However, after a stomach surgery with a long recovery I decided a beast augmentation couldn’t hold a candle on that and it would be worth it to love my breasts. That’s where I made a mistake. I knew I wanted to have a breast augmentation, but I hadn’t come to terms with the why behind the want and why I didn’t love my breasts.

After surgery, with complications

 

Having my surgery was good for me in a few ways. I went for an average implant size in a moderate plus profile. All was good until a few months in and  then it wasn’t. My left breast started bottoming out (settling too low) and the right healed in a way that left it oval shaped instead of round. I was going to need a second surgery. This time I spent a lot more time researching what look I wanted, for me.

The happiest I had been my first implants

With the need to revise in front of me I spent a lot of time looking at different augmented breasts, sizes and shapes. I decided to go with a uhp silicone implant to get the look and size that I wanted. Just three months after my revision I got pregnant. Planned, but earlier than expected. The changes of healing, pregnancy, and breastfeeding all worked to change my relationship with my breasts. I felt like the size was me. Breastfeeding gave them a purpose, pushed me to expose myself at home (an environment I am comfortable in), and forced me to associate with my breasts in a way I hadn’t before. Weaning took this purpose away and left an emptiness.

And today. And I love them.

And here’s where we are now. After weaning I bought my first Polish bras in my new size, and took a look at myself. I wore the same bras in a different size while nursing, but things were different now. During this time my husband was gone for a deployment, it was just me and my own feelings about my body. I guess you could say I did a little bit of soul searching. After a year away, my husband came home. I’ve learned to appreciate a new side to these boobs, the TMI side. 😉 With the movement to normalize breasts, breastfeeding and free the female nipple, the idea of the sexuality of breasts is becoming taboo. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t learn to see and love them for my own sexuality. This slow process has helped me break the remnants and disassociation having my breasts assaulted left behind. I am happy with them now. I love them for what they are. I see their many purposes. I do wonder how the future will change my feelings. A breast augmentation isn’t a one time thing, I know at some point in my life I will have surgery on them again, and hopefully it is many years down the line. My current implants are 4 years old, have been through pregnancy, breastfeeding, weaning, weight gain, weight loss. They have plenty of time left!

Panache Sports Vest review

Hello lovely readers!  I have a new review for you today, but I wanted to start with a bit of chit chat.

I’m sure that everyone seen the latest Spring offerings from Ewa Michalak.   Personally, I’ve placed an order for the gorgeous Ewa Michalak Opium set in S cut.  I think it will be the perfect Spring bra.  I’m so in love with the poppy printed fabric and the pink trim.  It is a rare thing when Ewa Michalak releases swimwear and so I’ve also ordered the new  Saint Tropez bikini, although to be honest, I’m really on the fence with how I feel about those high waisted bottoms.  I wish there had been options, but I still went ahead and ordered, so we shall see!   Speaking of swimwear, if you are subscribed to her email updates you will have seen that Bra Obsessed will be releasing two Comexim bikinis which are exclusive to Bra Obsessed and I’ve chosen the nautical bikini.  Can’t wait!  When my order comes in, I’m going to drive out to Bra Obsessed to collect my goodies in person, so stay tuned for that as a future post.  I’ve also recently returned from a Caribbean holiday where I put my last season’s Comexim bikinis to the test and I will report on that in another post.  So lots to look forward to.

But before I have to  review  bikinis for you, I’ve been at least trying to make an effort to get to the gym more often.  And that means sports bras.  I don’t have a huge inventory of sports bras but I thought it would be good to review what I do have, starting with my most recent purchase, the Panache Sports Vest.  I saw this one for a steal of a deal on eBay and grabbed it up in 30G.  The link to the  seller I used can be found HERE  in case you are interested in scooping one up for yourself.  I have used this seller, NatureFigures, in the past and have had no issues at all. Here is a stock picture of the item:

This item also is available in a bright coral/pink colourway but I felt that the black would go better with my selection of black yoga pants 😉

I liked the idea of the bra being built right into the tank top because I often struggle with finding the right match of gym top / bra so that I don’t get bra straps etc. showing out in the open.  I’m kind of fussy about that and I prefer to have my bra hidden, so this seemed like a great solution.  You can see in the picture below that it has a regular hook and eye bra closure.

The hook and eye bra closure is completely hidden by the back of the top that sits on top of it.

I had thought that the built-in bra was the exact same as the very popular 5021 Panache seamed model, which I own and I know it fits well, so this purchase seemed like a no-brainer.   You can see how my 5021 fits me in the photo below.

However, I was surprised to see, on closer examination, that the bra is actually a seamless bra as you can see in the photo below where I’ve put the vest on and then pulled up the vest to reveal the  built-in bra.

The thing I find unusual about the construction of this bra is that the cups continue long after the centre gore construction ends.  In the photo below, you can see the bra inside out.

In the picture below, my finger is touching the point at which the wires end.

While the cups seem to fit me properly and snugly everywhere else, I do have a bit of emptiness right in that upper inner boob part, above where those wires end, which you can hopefully see back in that first picture where I am showing the bra on me.  I would think most women would experience this same issue.  Although this gap must mean a compromise of support in that exact area, at least it is a small area and you can’t see this issue with the vest pulled down over top of the bra.  I’ll add a few shots of other angles of the bra on me.  First is a side view, followed by a bottoms up.  You can see in the side view that the bra gives a somewhat natural shape as opposed to a very rounded shape as I would have expected in  a seamless cup:

 

The shoulder straps contain a hook at the back, enabling you to wear the vest as a racer back, which will give some extra support and stability.

It was a slight struggle to put this sport vest on and I had to do it up with the closure at the front and then carefully wiggle it around to the back.  I did think that the act of putting it on constituted a workout in itself, however, in pursuit of a fair review, I continued on to the gym.

Once at the gym, I joined into a rather intense Cardio Kick-Box class, for which I lasted approximately a third of the class before I thought I was actually going to throw up or pass out or possibly both, and so, in the interests of safety and preserving what little dignity I had left, I sat out in the hall and waited for the beginner Zumba class to start.    I did survive the entire 40 minute Zumba class and so I can safely tell you that the bra did its job quite well.  I felt as secure and bounce-free in it as I do in my Panache 5021, which is my favourite work horse gym bra.

As for the outer appearance of it as a work out top, it is a clingy spandex fabric.  It can accentuate tummy trouble.  I felt that it had a bit of a swimsuit look to it.  In fact, I’m sure it could do double duty as a tankini top if you are interested in using it for that purpose.    I felt that the colourful side panels drew attention to my chest, and made me look extra boobalicious which made me feel a bit self-conscious.  Because the fabric is a clingy synthetic, it did get sweat soaked quite quickly.

All in all though, I thought it worked pretty well, looked fairly decent and has made a good addition to my sport bra collection.  What do you think of the Panache Sports Vest?  And I’d love to know what your favourite sports bra is!

Ewa Michalak CHP Myszka

Hey all!! Long time, no post on my part. I won’t bore you with details of life, I know you all know what happens when things get super busy and when a bit of the ‘end of winter blues’ hits.  Anyway, I wanted to chat with you about the Ewa Michalak CHP Myszka. Aka the grey bra of my dreams. The story of this bra started in November when a sneak peek of the bra took my heart and squeezed it. Shortly after was a moment of extreme disappointment on hearing that it wasn’t to be released. What followed was a moment of panic, an email to Jaimie at BraObsessed, then the euphoric news that this bra would be mine.

I received this bra in early January from Bra Obsessed. Now seems like a good time to get the review out as it has changed from a limited run to available for order. I wonder if that means that our vocal response and orders through Bra Obsessed were heard? Jaimie does have some of these left in stock, so if you are super lucky you can get it quick. If not, she is happy to order for you as well, which makes exchanges a bit more convenient.
On to the details!!

The CHP cut is a three part halfcup with a moderate gore height and wider placed straps. My bra has four sets of hooks and eyes. The button details are fun without being cutesy. The fabric along the top edge is not a feminine lace, but still soft with a bit of abstract detailing. It’s a hint of masculine charm combined with feminine touches. I love it, especially after having to give up my Prohibicja.

Materials- the bra is a pretty standard composition of nylon, polyester, cotton, and elastine. It has the usual silky smooth feel to the external material but is not shiny. My bra has really great stitch work, something I have had be hit or miss on a few styles. Mistakes happen anytime you have someone sewing and not a machine, but with the black stitching on the grey material of the bra I was very excited to see how uniform it looks. Not like anyone would notice but me, but still it’s something that makes me happy when I get a bra.

I always have two problems with the CHP cut. The gore is too wide for me to get a good tack. Even in a good cup volume my implants sit too close together to get that firmly seated gore. I’m ok with that because it doesn’t lower the support I get from the bra. If my breasts were made of more natural tissue and less implant it could cause a problem with breast tissue trying to migrate under the gore as I find this gore to be a softer fit and not a hard tacking gore (which is my preference).

The CHp is my go to style because the open style of the cups. I would have to size up quite a few sizes to get the cup depth I need for the projection of my implants.  But when I take the ideal size for the volume I need (60HH), the cup depth isn’t ideal. The result is a emptiness at the bottom of the cups above the wire, some emptiness and wrinkling along the side of the cup,  and breast pushed upward. Add the pads in to the removable pockets, let the open cup style shift around the upper pole fullness of my UP implants, then I am good to go. Perfect fit, not even close. Wearable, definitely. Gives the look I want, definitely.

My second problem area is the strap placement. And this actually isn’t as much of a problem with this bra. The straps look angled, similar to a halter bra. But the placement is not digging in to my armpits like my other CHP bras. If I put them in order, this bra is by far the most comfortable, followed by the Klaudyna and Marcepanowa Magnolia, with Noir being the least comfortable. (Reviews for the CHP Klaudyna and the CHP Marcepanowa Magnolia compared to the S).

Fit note- here you can see the emptiness in the bottom and side of the cups. This is my larger side as well. The wrinkling in the material is puzzling. My assumption is that the wrinkles are from the cups being stretched forward for the projected shape I would need, straining that elastic area between the strap and underarm.

Visual of three CHP bras, all in 60HH. See the creasing in the straps?

This is the right breast, which is slightly smaller and sits higher. The fact that it is higher makes for a touch more width, so that is my best guess for why there is no wrinkling. The open cups also makes for no muffin boob.

Front photo obviously shows the wide straps and my implants flattened by the lack of projection in the cups. Sizing up would eliminate or reduce that but the straps would be even wider and the empty space above the wire would be larger in volume. I have tall breasts as is, so the pushed up implants is not as much of a detriment to me as it could be for other women. Not a perfect fit, or really even close, but it ticks some boxes for what I need in a bra for certain looks.

Tanzilove in her 80G CHP Myszka and her thoughts on the bra:

The trim on the top of the bra cups sticks out a bit. Other than that, it’s the perfect BAM EM bra.

What do you think of the CHP Myszka?  Grey bras are hard to find!  Will this be on your Spring shopping list?

Comexim-Rose Long Line

 

I know it has been awhile since you have heard from us, and for that I apologize. Life happened, for a lot of us, but we are back, and promise to get back to posting regularly. 🙂

I am in love. I may or may not have said this about a few other bras that I have. Who am I kidding? If I have written about it, chances are, I am in love. 😉 But this one. Ahhh. This one is stunning. The Rose Long Line by Comexim. As usual, pictures do not do this bra justice. The black base, with the soft floral pattern are perfection. The fabric itself is very soft, and at first glance, is reminiscent of corduroy. Not the thickness, but the soft ridged texture. It is not textured enough to show under clothes, but adds enough to the fabric to really make it stand it out as not your “every day” bra.

                                                    

 

The roses are soft shades of a deep pink, mid tone and light pinks, with various shades of green leaves. There are also shades of yellow, gray, white and blue.

 

 

 

The lines that come up through the fabric are a shimmery black and reflect the color that lies underneath. If the strip is over black, it reflects back. If it is over pink or green, it reflects those shades as well, further adding to the luxuriousness that is the Rose Long Line.

There is a black bow accent at the gore, and lining the tops of the cups are two pieces of black elastic, with the sheerest black mesh like material connecting the two. A panel of the floral print extends to the bottom of the band, down the center of the bra.

The back of the bra is solid black, as are the fully adjustable straps, that extends to meet the floral print in the front. There are three rows of 5 hook and eye closures. Mine is constructed of three-part half cups, allowing for the projection that I need. Rose is beyond comfortable, and extremely supportive, offering a delicate rounded lift.  The inside of  the bra is lined with black cotton.

This bra is so gorgeous that I am trying to come up with ways to wear it so that is can be seen, without looking like I am trying to show off my bra. Any suggestions? I’m thinking a black button up, not buttoned all the way with a black pencil skirt. Yes, I think that could work 🙂 Rose sells for 160,00 zl on Comexim’s website. This is definitely one that you should consider adding to your collection if you haven’t already. Tell Anna that Tanzilove from An Enhanced Experience sent you. 😉