My Bra Depression Cure: Ewa Michalak’s S Colette

Lately I’ve been very disenchanted with bras. When I get dressed for the day, I try on multiple bras, looking for one that feels right. But for the past few weeks or so, that’s none of them 😦 They have just been feeling so big, bulky, and in my armpits. For someone bra obsessed like me, it’s actually really depressing. Usually boobs and bras are happy thoughts for me! Right now, not so much. It seems like lately I’ve been cursed by the dreaded ‘perfect when you try it on, not so great when you actually try to wear it’.

When Ewa Michalak gave us the chance to preview their new line, I was jumping up and down doing a little dance of excitement! Literally. But as I looked through the photos and fell in love (with just about every single one by the way 😉 ), a serious sadness came over me. Why am I even bothering?! Every bra I own is causing me problems. Plus college and applying to nursing schools (finally!) has really diminished my bra budget… its pretty much non-existent o.O   Even more depressing thoughts, am I right fellow bra freaks?!

After much consideration and lots and lots of bra envy, the little devil on my shoulder won 😉 I knew I had to jump on this opportunity! I had already stared at all the soon to be released bras for… um, hours… Yes I am incredibly obsessed I know. But because of my bra crazy (that’s the good kind of crazy right? :p ), I already knew exactly what I HAD to have. From the moment I saw her, S Colette had been crying out, “Gogobee, we belong together!” I couldn’t agree more 🙂 There are lilies on the fabric! My absolute favorite flowers! The name of one of my fur babies! I even have them tattooed on me! One is even orange! I decided that was more than enough justification and I no longer needed any convincing to not feel bad 😉 We were destined to be together!

I placed my order for my usual 65J. I had tried a 60JJ Ewa not long ago and the band was perfect for me, but I find the straps to fit wider. So I decided to stick to 65s. If need be, a little needle work can save the day. I don’t have a boyfriend that sews like a champ for nothing right? 😉 I even decided if I was going for it, I better go all out… I ordered the set! That is so unlike me but Colette is special. So I impatiently started counting down the days until my package would arrive. Got a little jealous when the other lovely ladies of AEE started getting shipping notifications :p But not long after, it was headed my way! I think this may have been my fastest shipping experience ever. Customs and USPS must have been working at hyperspeed! The day after it departed Warsaw, my bra cleared through every Polish-obsessed ladies favorite scan, ISC New York baby!

The day it arrived I almost missed the post lady. There would have definitely been some tears then! She looked it over quite confused trying to figure out where it came from. Inside I was screaming, ‘give me my bras damnit!’ I ran inside and instantly ripped the package open. Apparently I forgot all about my earlier bra depression because I didn’t even mentally prepare myself for the possible letdown I was about to face… that’s okay though because I absolutely 100% did NOT need to! She was everything I had hoped for! This time it wasn’t just a trick of the first try on either! S Colette has proved to be nearly perfect in every way even after hours of wear. Hours! That’s something I never do. If I have to wear it for more than 5 hours or so, I lean more towards sports bras or nothing. At this point, I did another little happy dance 🙂

So let’s talk about her. When I look at this bra, I think of afternoon tea time with my grandma. Is that weird? By that, I certainly do not mean it’s a granny bra though! It gives off a demure and sophisticated vibe with its blend of a gorgeous neutral floral and a pop of coral to really set it all off. I’ll be honest – I usually hate brown. I would probably never, ever buy a brown bra. The way these colors and the fabric go together though just makes Colette so visually appealing. Plus it is absolutely perfect for Fall! It’s like a beautiful October nature scene, for your boobies! 😀 I know some ladies get tired of floral bra patterns, but I think this one is floral done right! Best of all, it’s unique and stands out from the crowd in a sea of bright, overwhelming, and sometimes truly granny style flower prints.

Ewa Michalak’s use of lace also really adds to Colette’s sexy, feminine factor. There is a lot of lace! Who doesn’t love lace?! The panties are incredible! Just look at them!

To accent the bra even more, there is a rich orange-y coral ribbon along the top edge of the bra, at the wings, and along the top front edge of the panties as well. Typically ribbon edged cups don’t work too well for me. It often closes off the top of the cup where I have tons of projection that cannot be encroached upon! But like I said, Colette is special! I get no smushing effect and my boobs don’t need to run up and away in search of room to breathe. That’s definitely a good thing because they are already up there on their own.

The straps are white with the same coral-y ribbon placed on top with a zig zag stitch. It adds a nice little touch to the straps! However, while I love the look of multi-colored straps, this set up is not very functional for me. Partially adjustable straps are the bane of my ‘short body, high set boobs’ existence 😦 They are definitely too loose but I know that can be easily fixed!

The band on this one feels very firm for a 65. I was pleasantly surprised. I am happy on the first set of hooks and because there are 4 rows of 3 hooks, I know it should last awhile! Since I typically prefer a 60 in most brands (though not always EM), that might be something to think about before ordering. Definitely don’t size down on this one. Keep your regular band or maybe size up if you are in between. The perfect band along with the typical super firm Ewa wires leaves me feeling extremely supported and contained all throughout the day!

I do think that this bra runs small in the cup though. In comparison to my 65J S Prezeplantanki, it is definitely a bit tighter and maybe a little shorter as well. Shorter is perfect for me as far as comfort goes, but if it isn’t for you, that’s definitely something to consider when ordering Colette! I have to wear S Prezeplantanki with the pads in, but Colette is definitely too small with the pads in! When worn with the pads out, it feels like a very supportive fit. It is definitely close to being too small, but not quite. Hopefully my boobs won’t be growing any time soon! For now, I love the nice, firm fit! 🙂

The funny thing is, the panties seem to run the opposite! I haven’t ordered a set in quite some time so I am probably not the best authority on this. The last set I ordered was a size 36 and they cut in at the hips a bit. I chose a 36 again and they are actually a bit loose at the hips. Now they aren’t falling down or anything but I am curious.  Did the design change? I’d much prefer this over cutting in anyways so I am quite happy! Plus let me remind you again how gorgeous they are! *drool*

So S Colette… Are you all running off to place your order yet?! This is definitely my favorite bra I own right now. No pain and discomfort like my others. Sheer boobie bliss! Best of all, no more bra depression! 😀 Make sure to grab one quick! Those EM’s always sell like hot cakes!

*DISCLAIMER*: I think it is important for me to add that when it comes to bra fitting with implants, sometimes you have to make a few adjustments to the ‘standard’ fitting advice to find what works for you. Yes, there are some fitting points that are key to a true, proper fit. You do want to achieve them if it is at all possible for you. If you do not, your fit might be compromised. However, there are occasionally anatomical constraints or certain implant related issues that might make it tough. So I will tell you right here and now: along with quite a few other issues I have due to my XL implants, short frame, and ribcage deformity, I will NEVER have a hard tacking gore. I achieve a soft tack and I am okay with that. I know there are some ladies out there who will automatically think this makes what I am wearing wrong. However, that is just not true. It is right for me. I have had these boobs for quite some time now and I have experimented with many different sizes. This is MY fit. I am sorry if you do not agree with that, but it is just what my body allows. However, I urge all women, implants or not, to try and meet all the key fitting points. They are important 🙂

A Bra Masterpiece: Ewa Michalak’s S Przeplatanki

Not going to lie, I’ve been holding off on this bra review for my own selfish purposes! What better way to kick off my first blog post than this, right?!

  

This is Ewa Michalak’s S Przeplatanki. It pretty much needs no introduction. Just check out those stock photos and tell me you aren’t intrigued! 😉 This isn’t just any regular old bra! It is more like a work of art! For a majorly obsessive bra fanatic like me, it doesn’t get much better than this. Not only is it beyond sexy, but you can play with it too?! 😀 And whatever mood you may be in each day, this bra will fit your every need!

Just a regular old day? No straps it is!

…Or maybe just a few 😀

…Or you could be like me and wear all of them anyways 😉 Who cares if its a casual day! It looks great with just a vneck!

How about a hot date?! Get those straps out girl!

Sexy secretary play time?! You know what to do 😉
…No you may not have a photo for this one! 😛

When I first saw S Przeplatanki previewed by Ewa Michalak, I knew I’d HAVE to have it. I am all about things that are unique and unusual. And you cannot deny the level of sexy this bra exudes! Every woman needs at least one bra like that! While something like this may be readily available for someone in the good old matrix sized bra range… As a 65J, it was just a figment of my wildest dreams! I could yearn away but never would it be mine 😦 Those strappy, sexy bralettes that seem to be so in style right now?! Why yes I’d love one, but that is improbable and likely even impossible! A beautiful Marlies Dekkers bra? Ha maybe if I wore about 10 cup sizes smaller! I will never understand why designers stop making cute things above a D or E cup. Big boobs does NOT equal the desire for boring old grandma bras! (Especially when you had to pay for the big boobs to get them 😉 ) But my boobified sistas, rejoice! Ewa Michalak has made my (and probably some of yours too) dreams come true!

S Przeplatanki is made of a gorgeous black fabric that offers a bit of shimmer all the way up to the wings! At that point, it transitions into an even softer but no longer shiny black. The gore sports two little buttons that seem to be topped with the same fabric for perfect continuity and blending.

And the straps?! Oh the straps! They are the glorious comfort kind that may look slightly silly being how wide they are… But trust me, they are almost the best bra thing to ever happen to me! Obviously, these things are only semi-adjustable which so happens to be a bit of a problem for me (but we’ll get into that a little later!).

For someone who is no stranger to back, neck, and shoulder pain (thanks scoliosis!), these are sent straight from Bra Heaven! Seriously I can go on and on about them, but I won’t 😉 All along the comfort strap, there is a little spaghetti strap sewn down at various intervals to keep it attached while also leaving it available to act as an anchor point for the strappies. Now this is where the fun part begins! 😀

I won’t lie to you… This bra sort of comes with a learning curve! I was seriously so lost when I first tried playing around with the little strappies. I honestly wished it had come with an instruction manual! But I know that is pretty much the whole purpose of how this bra was made, creative freedom! I learned, however, that I don’t seem to be very creative 😉

After employing a little help (thanks sis 😀 ) and staring at the photos on Ewa Michalak’s site for… who knows how long, we managed to get me done up like my favorite one! Yes, I know I was just copying rather than being creative myself, but honestly, I was just happy to have finally figured it out! Attached to the bra itself was a clear bag holding the strappies! 😀 Included was 1 extra-long adjustable strap and 4 non-adjustable straps of just sliiiightly varying lengths.

The adjustable one is able to go all the way to the back of the bra and hook onto the two metal circles that are attached to the band near the hook and eye closures.
 
The shorter, non-adjustable ones are meant to lie sexily across the cleavage! I desperately wish that they could have been adjustable in length too, but it really would have taken away from the beautiful view to have any sort of adjusters at any point along them. So whenever they were too long, I just wrapped them around the strap a time or two before I hooked them on! 🙂

So how do you anchor the strappies down in the middle?! Well when I first received the bra I noticed a strap twisted and wrapped around the buttons on the gore. I honestly was so scared to pull it off. I felt like I was DEFINITELY going to break my brand new beautiful bra! With a little bravery, I went for it and realized I am an absolute idiot 😉 Had I looked at the pictures a little better, I would have known… There is a long strap loop (with 3 little mini loops within it) that comes out from the gore so that the straps can run through it and stay in place. It was wrapped around the buttons in case you want to wear the bra normally… Of course, duh >.<

The buttons themselves can also be used like an anchor point, similar to the center loop. Unless your boobs are too big and keep popping the strap off… No… That wasn’t happening to me… I swear 😛 Once you find all the possible points of attachment, its time for total artistic freedom! Please let me remind you… I wasn’t very good at this 😉 (If you are, please share your tricks! I NEED to know!)

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Well now that we’ve covered all the fun stuff, it is probably time for the important stuff! As sexy as this bra is, it’s also one of my most comfortable as well! I had previously tried an S style in a 65HH and my boobs crawled half way out! I wasn’t sure the S and I would mesh too well due to the gore being rather high in my size range. However, the wires touch at the top so it is narrow enough to work pretty well for me! I don’t get a full tack, but I don’t really with any bra due to my close-setness. The gore just slightly floats at the top which is a win in my book! I still feel very supported 🙂 The wires are a bit wider than I’d like overall but still on par with the usual narrowness found in most Polish brands! I am just an anomaly 😛 Boy are those wires firm though! I will have to shape them to my body a bit better because my rotated ribcage did not love the firmness as much as the rest of me did. The band was perfectly snug on this one, measuring in at 29” stretched. You have NO idea how happy that makes me! 😀 I also expect it to last quite awhile since it has 4 columns and 3 rows of hooks and eyes! My one and only gripe about this bra is the straps being too long for me. I am so high set anything that is only partially adjustable is bound to be a big problem for me! I wish I could request a slightly shorter strap be used. Thankfully, I think I can manage to fix it on my own. But to have only one complaint from a tough fit like me?! Now that is quite a feat! 🙂

What do you guys think about S Przeplatanki?! And how do you wear your strappies?! I’d love to hear from you! 😀