Ewa Michalak- Rose Mist

We really need to talk about this bra. This gorgeous, sexy, sheer, blush colored bra. The Ewa Michalak Rose Mist. You won’t find it on the Ewa Michalak website. This is one of those special, you can only find it if you know where to look bras. Don’t worry, I will give you all the info 😉 I picked this beauty up from Brava Lingerie, out of Australia. Their customer service is top notch. They want their customers to be happy, regardless of the country they live in. Becky, my wonderful contact at Brava is so amazingly sweet, helpful, patient and knowledgeable. Becky’s email is customerservice@bravawoman.com.au. The bras on their website do show in Australian sizing, but she can help you figure out the size that you need if you know your Ewa Michalak size. Feel free to stalk the website for your next purchase 😉

On to the bra!

This is the most beautiful shade of blush pink. It is an SM style, and the cups are made of a single layer of sheer mesh which offers amazing shape and support, as all Ewa Michalak SMs seem to manage.

What sold me on this bra? The seams. They are a delicate pink satin. In my size (80GG/14GG AUS) this is a 3 part cup. The seams do not show through clothing and provide a nice smooth shape. The top of the cups are adorned with pink lace and the same lace is stitched onto the straps which are fully adjustable.

There are pink satin bows at the gore and at the straps. Where the cups meet the straps, there are two layers of mesh for added support. There are 4 rows of 3 hook and eye closures.         

As far as Ewa Michalak bras go, you would think this bra is almost plain. There are no bold patterns, no contrasting colorways that make up a beautiful piece of artwork. But this bra is still very much stunning. It is sheer, subtle sexiness, and it deserves a place in your bra wardrobe.

Until next time

~Tanzilove

The Panache Sports Bra Review

I always thought a sports bra would be the easiest type of bra to find after having my BA. But as it turns out, this may not actually be the case. I try to exercise every day and have been making do with a cheap sports bra I bought from Kmart (an Aussie budget department store) in a 12DD (34DD). I usually wear a 6HH (28HH). Yeah. Clearly it’s time for an upgrade. So I looked to my much appreciated email pen-pal at Brava Lingerie, Becky, to see what she could recommend in my size. I was presented with three potential options and decided to go with the Panache Sports Bra, which through Brava costs AUD$79.95 and comes in a huge variety of colours – some of which you can see modelled here by the lovely Jelz (30G) and Baby (28H & 28GG) respectively.

 

 

 

I am a sucker for anything coral and so I fell in love with the coral/grey colour and as there were no 6 (28) bands in stock, I opted for an 8H (30H). The 8H however was far too roomy. It fit over my boobs but felt like a lot of bra, and not exactly supportive. I had since conferred with my fellow bloggers and discovered the sizing can be a little off in this range. So thanks to Brava’s free and easy return/exchange system, I was able to swap out my 8H for an 8GG with no problems. It arrived beautifully wrapped as always 🙂

 

But also as always, it didn’t stay that way for long 😉

  

I really do love the coral and grey combo of this bra. It’s bright and fun but still says “let’s get sweaty”. The material is pleasantly soft and extremely comfortable, and is punctuated by breathable fabric along both of the straps and the length of the centre gore. For a sports bra, it’s actually very pretty. I was also excited to note the J hook located on the left strap. It’s always handy to have the option to go racerback.

 

My first moment of terror came when I really looked at the gore. It is wide, high and appears pretty unforgiving for a close set gal like me. The idea I presume is to provide solid separation and therefore maximum support while working out. Which would be fantastic, if it fit.

It actually is a decent fit. It looks awesome on (if I do say so myself) and unlike the H cups which swam on me, the GG’s give the perfect amount of encapsulation.

  

I was very impressed with the side profile. You wouldn’t have to worry about this looking pointy or squashy under a top, it gives a great round and uplifted shape.

The band is snug but not as snug as I would like, which I should have expected as it is a band size up from what I normally wear. But being a sports bra I thought this might not matter. However it seems I was wrong, as to get the firm feeling I like I’ve already got this on the second set of hooks (of which there are 3 in total).

  

So it all seems to be going rather well so far, don’t you think? Well so did I, until I looked directly down. And shock horror, the gore floats. It doesn’t even come close to tacking between my close set cleavage. I can almost see the bra trying to come in at that point, but it just cant do it, so instead I can see right through to my toes. Sadface 😦

I could just deal with it and wear it anyway. It’s still a great bra in my opinion but I just don’t think it works for me. I could always try a 6GG or H perhaps and see if the tighter band helps pull everything in. But after more chatter with my blogging buddies I don’t think so. They have reported the same issue with the floating gore in a variety of sizes. This is a real shame, but one which I think is just an anatomy thing and not an actual fault of the bra itself. This bra would most likely be perfect for ladies who are not so narrow, projected and close set. Which means for me that the sports bra quest will continue – watch this space for more adventures to come! 🙂

Brava Lingerie: bringing Polish bras (and so much more) to Australia

   Hello all! Or should I say, G’day 🙂 As you may already know, I’m the resident Australian of the blog. It’s arguable that breast augmentation isn’t quite as widely spoken about here as it is in the States, or at least it’s not in the part that I live in. Bras with small bands and big cups are even further down the list. And Polish bras – well, they’re non-existent. Pre-op I wore a 10 band (equivalent to a US 32 band) and thought the bra alphabet stopped at D. I think a lot of other women can relate to this, and I’m still slightly gobsmacked that I am now wearing a 6HH (28HH). And loving it too I might add 😉

But having a new found knowledge of bra sizing and a growing love of Polish bras does present a slight challenge when you live on the opposite side of the globe to where they’re actually made. Of course I can order direct and I have done so a couple of times now. But it’s so much nicer to have a local contact in the lingerie industry to deal with. Especially one that offers top notch customer service and free returns. And one that is genuinely passionate about helping all women find the bra of their dreams.
Cue Brava Lingerie.

I remember my first online search for “Polish bras in Australia”. I fully expected disappointment. But to my surprise and delight, there was Brava. Stocking a huge range of high-quality lingerie and swimwear brands from all over the world, they are true specialists when it comes to bigger busts. They are located on the other side of the country to me, but that’s still a lot closer than the other side of the planet. And despite the distance, I have been wowed by their prompt responses, helpful advice, cute wrapping, fun attitude and generally amazing service. Becky at Brava has been my lingerie liaison, and is a total joy to deal with. She is so friendly and knowledgeable and supportive of my Polish enthusiasm, and I think a fantastic representation of what Brava is all about. So I decided it would be a great idea to find out some more info from her to help spread the word, particularly to ladies in Australia looking for D+ lingerie options, and even more so to those wanting to get their hands on Ewa Michalak without having to order direct.

What influenced you to get into the retail lingerie business?
For me personally, I remember just coming out of finishing high school and I was looking for a job, I’d previously studied fashion and had a keen interest in corsetry and the like. A job came up at my local Bras n Things store (a chain store like Victoria’s Secret, etc) and I applied. I think my application was a bit overwhelming with my long-winded story about how great the perfect pair of knickers makes you feel but it scored me that job!

How did Brava come to be?
Our wonderful owner, Lin, and her daughter Maxine are both fuller-busted women who had seriously struggled in the past to find bras that fit them (as well as being attractive!). Following much research and mystery shopping they were convinced Australian women could be offered a much better experience and be offered the gorgeous and supportive ranges that were at that time not available here. We have now got over 40 high-quality larger cup lingerie and swimwear brands that supply to us from all over the world!

How long has Brava been open?
Brava has been open since 2006 – operating from our Prahran store since then! We’ve since opened our Highpoint and Melbourne CBD stores as well.

How do you find the majority of your customers?
Honestly, I think most of our customer base has been built on word-of-mouth recommendations from existing customers to family members, friends, colleagues and customers of their own. We love hearing new customers tell us how they have ended up visiting us – some of the stories can be quite surprising. We also have a lot of other lingerie companies recommend customers to us when their size range is not sufficient. I really love these ones because it shows how much lingerie has gone past simply being ‘another sale’ to some companies and now we’re all trying to help women find the correct support for their busts.

What is the best way for potential new customers to find or contact you?
By visiting our website http://www.bravawoman.com.au. On our website you can see our wide variety of options for fuller busted women from 6 (28) backs to 22 (44) backs, up to a K cup in lingerie, swimwear, nursing, sports, bridal and a range of accessories as well. If you’re from Melbourne, you’re welcome to come into any of our three stores which can also be found on our website. We’re always available via email to contact, as well as over the phone during business hours.

What makes you stand out from other lingerie retailers?
Aside from our huge range of options for fuller bust women, our team of bra fitters definitely sets us apart from other retailers. Almost every bra fitter at Brava is in our target size range and has worked at other stores previously, with a wealth of bra fitting knowledge to back us up. We don’t aim for sales targets here, nor are we commission based. We simply enjoy our jobs and know how much of a difference the correct fitted bra can make on a woman’s appearance, confidence, health and life. We are all compassionate, kind and understanding women who are simply here to help our customers.

What is your favourite thing about your job?
My customers! I am lucky enough to have a wall of notes, cards and reviews next to my desk that happy customers have sent back after I’ve assisted them with finding the perfect item for their needs.

What is your favourite thing about the lingerie industry?
The way that all the women I’ve met through Instagram, blogs, lingerie groups and work, all band together to support one another in various areas of life. I’ve never been that great at making friends with other women, especially throughout high school which had left me rather anxious in the work force. After having something I’m so passionate about be a huge part of other people’s lives as well, I’ve been able to use this as a tool to connect with other women that helps build long lasting friendships! We all share our love for lingerie from all walks of life, different age groups, consumers and manufacturers alike. It’s truly wonderful.

What is the most common question that your customers ask regarding bra fitting?
A lot of women simply do not understand bra sizing – yes, women! Bra fitting isn’t as easy as it may seem and takes a lot of product knowledge to do well, but the basis of it all is the sizing. Different countries and brands will use a different sizing scale and it can be quite confusing.

What is the most common problem that you see regarding bra fitting?
Having worked in a number of different lingerie stores, I know that there can be a lot of pressure to make sales rather than help customers. This results in women being pressured into buying a product that may not necessarily fit them well because it is all that is available. We get a lot of customers at Brava who have been fitted at other stores as a much larger back size in order to fit their breast tissue into a cup size that is readily available. The back size makes an enormous difference to the fit as a firm, supportive back band will anchor your breasts and take a large amount of weight off your shoulders, offering support and lift with better long-term effects. Having smaller back, larger cup size bras available is a total blessing and many women who’ve finally been fitted correctly after years of wearing whatever was available can certainly back me up on that one (myself being a 6/28 band).

What is your favourite thing about Polish bras?
US and UK brands tend to fit to make your bust look smaller or be fuller coverage. A lot of women link their support level to the amount of fabric covering their chest – but this is incorrect. The coverage is entirely personal preference. Polish brands in particular seem to embrace the larger bust and feel no need to minimize or smooth out anything, they lift and support just like the bras that are offered to smaller busted women. They’re still sexy and fun right up into K cups and above!

Do you have your own personal favourite Polish bra? If so, which one and why?
Ewa Michalak is a favourite amongst most of the fitters here at Brava, myself included. I’m the smallest cup size at our Prahran store currently so I tend to go for Ewa in the 3D and CHP shapes. My two current favourites are the Wrzos PL (a soft lavender coloured bra) and the Nostalgia 3D (a beautiful floral print bra). Both fit so well, giving me a lot of lift without cutting in at the top of the cups (something I struggle with as I am quite firm) and both are incredibly soft and comfortable!

Do you have any up and coming hot tips or advice for our readers?
My only advice would be to make sure you get fitted at least once a year. If you feel there is something not quite right about your bra, maybe try somewhere new – I never knew how amazing a bra could fit until I went to Brava. Going down two sizes in the back made a huge difference to my appearance and confidence and I would never have known that bras even came in a 6/28 band until I decided to try somewhere new.

What would you like our readers to know about you and your store?
As a fuller busted woman myself, I’m always keen to help other women find their correct size (same goes for all the wonderful ladies at Brava). We are always here to help, even international customers, via email, our online chat service or over the phone.

Becky in one of her above mentioned faves, an Ewa Michalak classic, the S Nostalgia in an AU 6F
(EU 60F/US 28F)

This is proof that finding a good bra doesn’t have to be a chore or a mission. Not when you have passionate people like Becky and dedicated businesses like Brava out there. They make bra shopping a fun and supportive experience, just like wearing your bra should be. Finding the perfect fit may in fact even be life changing. And if you need even more motivation than that, subscribe to the Brava newsletter now and you will get a $10AUD voucher ready for spending! No matter where you are in the world, the Brava team are ready and waiting to help you.

Go on, check them out 🙂

https://www.bravawoman.com.au

A heartfelt thank you from me to Becky and the whole Brava team for all their help on my bra journey so far and for sharing this story ❤

Ewa Michalak Kwiaty: All the Colours of the Rainbow

“Ewa Michalak Biustonosz S Turkusowe Kwiaty”

Or more commonly known simply as “Kwiaty”. If bras are works of art then this one is a masterpiece by a God. I’d been drooling over it for ages as I recovered from my BA, dreaming of how it would look on, but never quite believed I’d ever be the proud owner of such a glorious bra. Thankfully I didn’t miss the boat and ordered last month through Brava Lingerie. I was very lucky indeed to get my hands on a 60HH. I didn’t actually know my offical Ewa Michalak size when I ordered but from a lot of previous trial and error with second hand bras I had figured this to be pretty darn close. And thank the bra Gods I was right! Kwiaty arrived wrapped carefully in Brava’s signature pink tissue paper and ribbon bow, complete with a note from Becky wishing me well. I absolutely love personal touches like that! But sadly for the beautiful wrapping, it didn’t last long, because there was something much more beautiful within.

Drumroll please…

And a close up of the detail on and around the gore…

See what I mean? That floral! Those colours! Gorgeous! I own three Ewa S styles to date, each in a different size. Out of all of them the Kwiaty is by far my favourite fit. I’m absolutely loving the 60 band, I won’t be buying 65’s again. I’ve discovered I really do prefer my bands as snug as possible, and I’m already wearing this on the second set of hooks. The HH cups are as close to perfect as I could hope for. Because of my mild tenting the gore is unable to fully tack so I do get a tiny bit of gaping, which is the norm for me. The fabric feels so soft and supportive and moulds around my boobs so comfortably. I get a great round front and centre shape thanks to the narrow wires and deep cups seen in pretty much all Ewa Michalak designs. The cups encompass all my breast tissue and the wings end at the perfect height below my armpits (not in them!). One issue with the straps, which is also quite common in Ewa bras, is that they sit quite wide and close to the armpits. They’re not uncomfortable or itchy at all, but it can cause problems when wearing singlets (tank tops for my American readers). Luckily for this bra, the vibrant shade of blue is so pretty I don’t actually mind if they show!

The stand out for me with this bra is how it makes me feel when I put it on. I feel immediately happy. I smile. I’m confident. There’s something about that stunning floral that wakes me up and reminds me I’m alive and that the world is beautiful. And I don’t think you can say that about a lot of bras. This one has definitely become a firm favourite of mine, and I know that even as I add to my collection, it’s going to be a hard one to beat. Long live Kwiaty! 🙂

Ewa Michalak S Pink Marzipan – the mystery bra

When I ordered this originally I thought I was getting the CHP Marcepanowa Magnolia. As soon as it arrived it became apparent it was not that bra at all! This caused considerable confusion as I couldn’t find the bra I had received anywhere else – not on the Ewa Michalak website or even on Bratabase. I ordered it through Brava Lingerie Australia and it seems it was released as an exclusive S style only to them. So I feel kind of lucky to have gotten it at all, although I’m still a little sad I didn’t get to try the CHP version. This cost AUD $79.95 plus $8.95 shipping, with the option of free return or exchange (love that about Brava!) The initial size I tried was a 65HH and far too big all over. So I was able to switch it easily for a 60H. It came wrapped up in pretty pink tissue paper tied off with black ribbon – a signature of all my Brava purchases.

As with all my Ewa bras so far the quality and detail is outstanding. The pretty pale pink is so delicate and feminine, and the stunning lace running the length of the band is such an elegant touch. I love the smooth cups on this, and with my skin tone it works surprisingly well as a nude under light coloured tops. I wore it the other day under a thin white tee with no problems (should’ve taken a photo – oops!) One thing I will mention is that while the material is soft, I find the cups kind of rigid. My other S styles seem to mould around my boobs, whereas this is more structured so my boobs just sit in it. Which isn’t really a problem, as it might be a factor in why I get such excellent shape – smooth, round and uplifted. Gotta love that 🙂

The fit is good. The 65HH I tried on initially was huge all over so I figured sizing down in both band and cup would be my best option. The 60 band is perfectly snug on the looset hook, and reaffirms my decision to avoid 65 bands in the future. I like my bands tight! The H cups are actually a tad too small, but not uncomfortably so, and if anything work to give me some seriously good boobage. I do get minor gaping, and am still undecided if going a 6HH would’ve made this better or worse. As always, if it wasn’t for my mild tenting, the gore would tack properly and things would be sweet. But this is something I’m learning to live with, and in no way the bra’s fault – just an anatomy issue. All things considered, this is a really lovely bra. It wasn’t what I had expected, but it’s certainly been a pleasant surprise!

You can find this bra here:

https://www.bravawoman.com.au/lingerie-everyday-bras/163075-ewa-michalak-pink-marzipan-s-bra-163075.html