I first became aware of four year old ‘Curvy Kate’ two years ago when I partook in their annual ‘Star In A Bra’ competition. The concept behind it is simple: their customers wear their underwear, so they should become their models. Although I didn’t win, it was that brand ethic that stuck with me. The fact that everybody and every body who fits into the Curvy Kate range IS a Curvy Kate girl. A girl who deserves gorgeous flirty underwear in delicious exciting colour ranges, with bows and frills and flowery details. Over the years I’ve watched Curvy Kate evolve and change to suit their customers. They’ve extended their cup sizes, changed the shape of some pieces that they received a great deal of feedback from, and their amazing brand ethic means that I will always champion them.
Sheer cupped bras are often a tricky area for me, as I love a round projected shape, and as a 36H that can sometimes be hard to come by without a little extra oomph. That being said, when I do rummage through my lingerie drawer for something that isn’t padded or moulded, I often go back to my same old faithful Curvy Kate bra, as the shape and comfort are unbeatable.
I was recently given the chance to try out two other styles – the Portia in Seafoam/Pink and Princess in Orchid/Purple, both in my most visited size of 36H with size 18 matching briefs.
The first bra set I tried was the Portia.
The Portia is actually a style that was re worked by their designer Charlotte following the feedback from their customers. I’m a sucker for anything aqua, and the pop of pink was a bonus touch. Being that it FINALLY is the summer, I’m blessed with a slight tan, and this set looked wonderful against my skin tone. The bra comes with fully adjustable straps which I barely had to touch, and three hooks and eyes which offers the most amazing support.
The band is stretchy yet firm and I don’t feel I could have sized down just yet. The shape it offered my bust was fabulous. I felt sufficiently pushed in and up, although my boobs did feel slightly conical – something that did not show through my top.
Whether it’s the ribbon detailing or the shape, this bra did cause me to bulge a little over the top, and as luck would have it I attended a Curvy Kate event where their talented staff who not only make and market the bras, but are also expert fitters. I was able to try a 36HH Portia and the fit worked far better for me. I do have to wear a 36HH in some less generous styles, and so I would say that if you are between cup sizes you should go up one, especially if you have top heavy boobs like I do.
I was VERY dubious about trying the size 18 briefs, as I find Curvy Kate bottoms can come up a little small – unlike my own. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find them to be a really excellent fit. The sheer back adds a little stretch and drama to them, and there’s that gorgeous pink ribbon detailing again! I think I would be happier in a 20 as I felt that the embroidered detail did dig into my hips a little, but I was impressed at how well they fit me in the 18.
The Portia is a very gorgeous set. It’s a bra that could be worn every day that will give you that confidence of knowing you’ve got something quite beautiful lurking under your clothes.
Next up I tried the Princess, which looked absolutely sublime in the gorgeous purple colourway.
This bra was heavenly! Like the Portia it had fully adjustable straps and three hooks and eyes – two huge ticks in my book, and something that is another great thing about Curvy Kate.
The 36H felt spot on, and I was fully encased in the cups with no bulging from the front or sides. My boobs took on a glorious rounded appearance that reminded me of my old favourite, and I mentally added it to the top of the sheer cupped pile.
The briefs also felt a lot better on me, and I think that the Princess may be made out of a slightly more generous fabric. They also have sheer detailing on the bottom, something my boyfriend approved of!
Overall I preferred the colourway of the Portia, as aqua is my favourite, but this beautiful mix of purples was by no means a disappointment, and I adored how beautiful the two purple shades looked together, especially on the rose detailing.
My love for the Deco bra by Freya is one that is so strong and all consuming, it makes me break bra rules! I squeeze my 36H chest into their 36GG bras because of the unrivalled cleavage and oomph they give me, and I’ve yet to find a bra that fits properly and does the same.
Some time ago, Curvy Kate released a moulded plunge called the ‘Smoothie’, a bra that was actually named by Curvywordy! It followed the Showgirl sizing, meaning that it only went up to a 38G/36GG/34H and so on with the sister sizes.
Of course, I just had to try the Smoothie out. I decided to go for a 36GG and crossed my fingers that it would be a little more generous than the Deco.
The Smoothie has three hooks and eyes, which gives it one over on the Deco in my book. It has fully adjustable straps that were easy to self adjust and didn’t appear to slip. The bra is subtly leopard printed, and both it and the thong have a small leopard print pendant at the front centre. It’s been a while since I felt a brand new Deco, but I did think that the Smoothie was a tad stiffer than the Deco.
I took my Smoothie on holiday with me so that I could try it out underneath my pretty summer dresses. Here is how it fared…
I was impressed by the shape and lift the bra gave me – it was extremely similar to the Deco in terms of fit and comfort.
I did feel like it contained me a little more that my Deco both at the side, and the top. And so I decided to compare it to my 36GG Honey Deco – and lo and behold:
The back band fit well, although I may try a 34H with my next Smoothie as I felt there was a little give in the band.
The matching thong was an optimistic size 18 and sadly it didn’t quite cut it on me – or should I say, it DID cut it – my love handles that is!
I’m pretty excited at the way this bra fits, and even my anti pink rule can’t resist the lure of this little number:
I’m hoping that Smoothie may answer a few ladies prayers. I know that those who are sized out by the sister sizing system will be disappointed, but fingers crossed that this exciting development in the Deco rivaling stakes means that other companies will follow suit – or that Freya/Curvy Kate will expand their size range.
Why not check out Cheryl’s review here and Kelly’s review here.
What do you think of the Smoothie? Have you tried it or would you like too?
Whenever I speak to larger breasted ladies about which style of bra they wish worked for them or came in their size they say a strapless bra. Personally I am happy to keep my arms covered and my bra drawer(s) filled with a large variety of colours and styles of bras with straps, but I know others who yearn to wear those cute little boob tubes or slinky halternecks without the headache of bra straps.
I have seen a few smaller busted companions try out several different brands of strapless bras and there always seemed to be one that came out on top – the Ultimate Strapless Wonderbra, available in a 30-38 back, A-G cups.
Not so long ago I dragged a few unwilling friends off for a bra fitting at Bravissimo – my obsession takes over everything! True to my smug predictions they were all a few back bands smaller and proportionally bigger in the cup than they thought they were. One friend could not believe how amazing the snug band felt. She has recently lost a lot of weight and hadn’t changed her bra since before the loss. She felt confident enough to go and try some more bras on and declared that she needed a strapless bra in her wardrobe. Our search led us to Debenhams where she gave one of their Ultimate Strapless bras a go. The bra has inbuilt hand like structuring that really works – she could not believe what she saw! Her boobs were amazingly perky and uplifted, they stayed in place even after she wiggled and bounced around. They took on a gorgeous rounded shape and she snapped the bra up on the spot.
Recently another friend of mine was asking my advice on which bra would be best under her strapless wedding dress. I almost immediately thought of the strapless Wonderbra.
She had been wearing a 34C, but true to form I managed to persuade her that she might be closer to a 30F and that was the size she tried.
She found that the bra gave her a very good lift and shape without being uncomfortable or smooshing her boobs together. It worked very well under her wedding dress and will be used on her big day. She did find that the built in hands were rather bulky, but I suppose that takes some getting used too. As she found it a tad plain I will do my very best to track a lacy version down for her, but is works well under outfits that rely on skin coloured bras.
It sat well under her clothes and gave her as good a shape as if she were wearing a bra with straps.
Another fan of the bra is this year’s Curvy Kate Star In A Bra winner Sophie Morgan.
As Sophie is a 32GG/30H she wears a sister size in the bra, but as you can see it works just as well.
It is her go to bra to wear under strapless numbers, and having had the privilege of being in her presence whilst wearing it I can safely say it looks amazing and does a fabulous job at keeping her assets perky.
If you are within Wonderbra’s size range I would definitely recommend giving the ultimate strapless a whirl. Having seen what it does first hand I can safely say that it is the best strapless out there. Here’s hoping that they find a way to engineer larger bosoms into the same uplifted position very soon.
I’m about to show you an image that will blow your mind.
I know what you’re thinking –
“What?! How can they be over a D? They look tiny! How do you know that? It’s nonsense!”
Let me start by telling you that those bras are Curvy Kate bras and they only start at a D cup, meaning that the wearers would have to be a D or even over. And yes, you may start to entertain the idea of photoshopping but why? What makes it so hard to believe that those women have D+ breasts? After all, all a D cup is is a bust measurement that is roughly 4 inches bigger than the underbust measurement. So if, for example, those women are both 28Ds then they theoretically have 28 inch underbusts and 32 inch busts. Is that so hard to fathom?
I see and hear a lot of women talking about their bust as a letter and nothing else, something that infuriates me.
“This dress was perfect on me, and I’m a DD!”
“I don’t get how she’s a G? I’M a G!”
Here’s the thing: to label yourself solely as a letter or make assumptions about a letter is misguided. Without a back size a cup size means nothing. It would be like telling the time and only telling the minute not the hour. It’s half past…but half past what? The two pieces of information need to go hand in hand as without one the other does not make sense.
So when we see a women and she is labelled as being a “32DD”, we cannot, in our 40DD bra, scoff and say ‘But how can SHE be a DD when I am a DD?!’ – it just makes no sense. A 32DD and a 40DD have nothing in common at all apart from the fact that they both have the DD label. They are not the same size, they are just the same relative size – by that I mean the ‘DD’ is an indication of how proportionally large the bust is in comparison to the frame, NOT how large the bust is all on it’s own.
Cartoons like the above do not help with cup letter ignorance. The assumption that ALL DD cup women have huge breasts is false – as proven by my first image.
Cup size ignorance leads to ill fitting bras – women assume, for example, that they can’t be a D cup as D cups MUST be huge, and therefore they suffer in too small cups and riding back bands. Do yourself and womankind a favour and wise up about bra sizes. Don’t always put it down to ‘vanity sizing’.
If any of you are fans on the Curvy Kate Facebook page you will have noticed a flurry of activity around a certain competition…Star In a Bra!
I partook in the competition last year and I was lucky enough to come third!
And I would like to share my experiences and tips with you in case you are considering entering…
For now Curvy Kate are just putting the word out and letting women know that the competition is approaching. Curvy Kate cater for fuller busted women: 28-40 backed D-K bras. I know that there is some confusion with the word ‘curvy’ as it has been hijacked by the plus size world, but in Curvy Kate’s case they mean women who are a little more voluptuous. So if you can wear their bras and you are a women then this competition is for you! You have to be based in the UK as the photo shoot takes place there.
I think it’s best to use this time before the competition to consider a few things:
*You may not get selected. I know it sounds silly but you should prepare for the possibility. SO many women enter and Curvy Kate have a really hard job choosing their favourites.
*Is your other half happy with the possibility of you being in your smalls all over the internet, in papers, of his friends seeing?
*How do you think your family will react?
*How will your colleagues react?
*Your name could forever throw up images of you in your undies. Is that something you think you can deal with forever?
I know I sound like a right killjoy and I apologise, but these are definitely points that you need to be aware of. I had friends who entered the contest and did not get through and they were devastated. I had friends who made the top 30 and got no further. You have to prepare yourself for the possibility that this may not be your year – and it is in no way a reflection on yourself!
I think I was lucky that my boyfriend was 100% behind me when I entered. He was nothing but supportive, helpful and encouraging and I could not have done so well without him. My family just did not get it. As I told my Mum “I’m doing it to make a point” and she replied “Well I think you made two.” It hasn’t changed our relationship and she knows I am now very passionate in my love of undercrackers and I think she and my Dad just accept that.
My colleagues at the time loved it! I always seemed to be at work when I got the emails saying I had got through to the top 30, then to the top 10, then claimed the third place victory. They all voted for me, supported me and made me feel amazing! As I work as a waitress it has not yet impacted on my life but I am prepared for the fact that it may one day rear it’s ugly head, especially as one quick google image search of my name, well…
Of course starting my blog has pretty much sealed my fate, but my “hobby” has become my world and I would not change it for love nor money, without it I would not have had so many amazing experiences and opportunities and for that I have to thank Star In A Bra!
Taking the photos was pretty fun! I did it before the competition opened on one lazy Sunday afternoon as my boyfriend sat in the bath, wolf whistling as I rush past him in different sets of underwear and bikinis! I tried to make my photos fun and happy as that is what Curvy Kate is all about! I had my special ‘poses’ which flattered my shape and as I was using my camera on timer I didn’t have to feel self-conscious.
Curvy Kate specify that you should submit three underwear or bikini photos and two face photos so they can get a good idea of how your gorgeous shape and pretty face look. It is essentially a modelling contest and when you apply to a modelling agency you would submit the same kind of shots. The photos should be non professional and only include you. Just have fun!!! Show yourself off in the best light and be fabulous! Wearing Curvy Kate underwear is not essential but it is what you will be modelling should you progress further so if you own some stick it on, if not you will not get marked down or rejected so don’t feel you have to rush out and buy some sets especially for your photos.
Then there’s the waiting…the watching the page…the checking out the girls who say they have entered so you can scrutinise them (in my case anyway!) and that nervous excitement as you eagerly await for the results to be announced…
If you are lucky enough to get through then celebrate, revel in it – but this is where the hard work starts! You need votes in order to get through to the next round. And in order to get votes you need people. Your friends list is a good place to start so make an event, a group, something to invite people too and something they can invite friends too. Spread the word on Twitter, ring the local paper, just put yourself out there! You may want to change your Facebook settings so that people cannot message or add you as men (for some strange reason…) seem to go crazy for women in their smalls! If you are comfortable with being friends with these men then that’s fine, but be warned, Facebook will notice if you are suddenly adding a lot of people and you could get your account closed down! So yes, promote yourself but be cautious. I used to post my photos on group walls to try to ask for votes and sometimes they got reported and removed, sometimes they encouraged horrible comments, lustful comments, bitchy comments – just focus on the positives, the amazing comments and support that you will get from friends, your mission to model underwear and relate to women. It is draining, it is exhausting but it is so much fun! I made friends with several of the girls involved and that was an unexpected side effect which I am still enjoying now.
After a few weeks the voting closed and we were all on tenterhooks to find out who had gotten through to the next round… there were some disappointments for some girls as with any competition. But I was elated to find that not only had I gotten through, but the girls who I had become close too and who I had campaigned with had also made it! Happy happy days!
The next stage was…the photo shoot!
I freaked out a little bit when it got to this stage. Granted my whole campaign was based around the fact that I was (and am) a bigger girl but I still started to worry. Sheer nerves and weight worries stopped me finishing meals and had me overly criticising myself for several days before the shoot. I tried to be sensible as I didn’t want to bloat up like a balloon and when it got to the day I felt ok with my shape and excited for what lay ahead. I had prepared myself for the shoot by having a relevant wax, getting my eyebrows threaded, washing my hair the day before, moisturising, trying to tackle my cellulite and stretch marks and although I didn’t feel ready I doubted I ever would!
When I arrived at the gorgeous house with Sophia Jenner we immediately felt at ease and welcomed. We were offered tea, given a tour and told to take off our bras…well, undo them to lessen marks! Haha! There was sushi, cake, lots of bras, fruit juices…heaven! The hair and make up artists got to work on us and it felt like a fantasy girly sleepover. Then we were shown the delicious piles of undies and had the girls check the fit on us to make sure we were in the correct size and it looked good. Then…the photographs! I had had one photo shoot prior to Star In A Bra so I had a vague idea of what to expect and I had been given a few tips from Carrie Hunter with regards to moving and making each frame different. I felt a bit self conscious and my smile started to wobble at several points, but all in all it was fun and I liked that Alison, the photographer showed me the photos as she went. I didn’t have to get into any funny or uncomfortable positions, the only things that pained me were the huge heels I wore for some shoots! I tried to follow Alison and Hannah’s directions as best I could as well as sucking in my tummy and squishing my thighs together! It was fun to see the rest of the girls have their turn as well and everyone encouraged each other.
And then there was the waiting game…and yet again I was at work when the photos came out! I must confess I hated most of them! For example:
Some made me happy:
And I learnt that no one else seemed to see quite as many flaws as I did – see here for some of the amazing comments! You may need google translate!
And so I campaigned once more and received even more gorgeous comments and appreciation and I realised that I was just not used to seeing myself in photos that I had no control over! It is important to remember that if you win you will not be able to select the images and the photo shoot is a great preparation for that. Curvy Kate will be selecting the images that show their brand off and would not use anything that doesn’t look good so don’t fret like I did! Just enjoy every moment and never lose faith in yourself! Campaigning again was stressful, it did annoy and confuse a few friends who were baffled as to why they had to vote again but it was easy to get back into. I also ended up acquiring a Twitter account in a bid to help me gain votes and I tried to market myself as best as I could.
When I found out I had come third I was initially disappointed as last year the second place lady as well as the first got to go to the photoshoot and I was so close yet so far! But Lizzie and Emma were such darlings and such worthy winners and I could only be happy for them! It had been a rollercoaster, something I could not do again but something I try to encourage every busty woman to try out!
It is a lot to think about and go through but if you are prepared and clued up it can be a little less scary and actually be rather enjoyable! I would recommend that if you are entering you prepare yourself for every outcome, all sorts of backlash and comments and one hell of a ride! It is a fantastic campaign that really raises awareness as to what different bra and back sizes look like, it shows how the average girl next door looks in her smalls, how women have bizarre insecurities even when they look perfect to us outsiders! I do not regret one single moment if the competition, the highs and the lows, it has shaped what I have become today and how I view myself, other women and many other things.
Fuller Figure Fuller Bust 