For reference, I’m 1,65m and 56kg.
I’m not prone to posting pictures of my boobs in a bra online, however, it’s usually much easier to get an idea of what said bra (or any piece of clothing, really) actually looks like on as opposed to just reading about it (and I always greatly appreciate it when my fellow ladies do the same, ergo I’ll return the favour - hopefully it’s going to be of use to whoever is reading this).
Alright, let’s get to it;
Fit:
Honestly, it is next to perfect; the cups encompasses the breasts beautifully, leaving no gaping at the top, nor any spillage.
The band is wide enough to hold everything in place without much “bulge”, giving me a clean silhouette overall (with 4 clasps for the size 10F).
Size: here, I’m afraid I won’t be of much help; I’ve found that it greatly depends on the brand and the individual style of the bra.
Typically, I’m a 70E or 70F (EU sizing). In this case I tried on a strapless bra from CottonOn in a size 10E, found that the cup was just a tad bit too small, and so went with a 10F (which translates to a 70G EU) when ordering and just crossed my fingers.
I was in luck.
Shape:
It lifts and separates the gals, giving them a round shape from the front, with a slightly flatter silhouette from the side.
It doesn’t give much of a cleavage, so if that’s what you’re looking for, this ain’t it.
Durability (i.e. how well does it stay up):
Just like the fit, this one is a 10/10 as well; I can honestly jump up and down, swing my arms around, bend over and back up again without having to readjust it.
That said, after wearing it for a couple of days, (I’ll usually go 2-4 days with the same bra, depending on how long I’ve worn it each day, my activity levels, etc.) the elastic does stretch a bit, but the “looseness” goes away after it’s been washed.
Comfort:
The boning in the sides and back of the bra can get slightly uncomfortable after some hours, I’ll be real with you all. Not to the extent that it is unbearable, but I do feel it.
Other than that, it is snug, but not too tight, giving a great amount of support.
Straps:
Nice and wide, adjustable as well.
I found that the only style I couldn’t use them for was the halter neck; the strap simply isn’t long enough, meaning it put a lot of pressure on my neck, which was super uncomfortable. So, I’d just go with the strapless option for any halter neck styles.
A note on the silicone;
Wearing it for a full day (8-12h) didn’t prove to be an issue, initially.
However, when traveling back home - which took a car ride, a couple of flights, an underground train and finally a bus - I ended up wearing it for an estimated +/- 40hours straight, and the burns that it left on my skin were highly noticeable. Not only were they very visible, but they were also very sensitive.
After a week of not using the bra, and letting my skin heal (the scars were faint at this point), I decided to wear it for a full working day; mind you, it did leave marks/burns on my skin once again, however, not nearly as severe as the first time around. Perhaps, my skin just needed more time to heal, perhaps it wouldn’t have made any difference.
So unfortunately, I will have to be mindful of just how long and often I use it. My skin simply doesn’t tolerate silicone very well.
Final verdict;
Truth be told, what I really wanted was an unpadded strapless bra that would be able to give me lift and support, without adding the extra weight (I’m not a fan of bras that make my boobs seem bigger than they actually are).
Having great trouble finding that, a padded strapless bra ended up being the alternative that I went with.
And while it’s been many years since I’ve last been wearing a strapless bra, I’ll dare say that this one really is an amazing option worth considering (it sure beats any strapless bra I’ve ever had in the past); it is quite affordable (compared to many other strapless bras this size), and it does a fantastic job supporting the weight, plus gives me a very feminine silhouette.
I am happy with my purchase overall, and love the versatility that it brings to my wardrobe.