As a lingerie blogger and the owner of a 28FF bust, I am always on the look out for brands that cater to the larger bust. Sure, we have all heard of the major team players in the ‘larger cup’ market, but what about the new and emerging brands..the diamonds in the rough waiting to be snapped up by media attention and heralded as the ‘brand to watch’?
I am excited to say that there is indeed a new brand on the block for the fuller busted amongst us. This brand boasts a core collection that starts at a 30 back and goes up to a 46 back and offers cup sizes from a C to a J cup!
Excited? Of course you are!
The brand in question is Alegro Lingerie, which was founded in 2008 and began by targeting a North American market. Luckily for those of us living in Europe, Alegro is now spreading its wings to share the lingerie love with more of us!
Alegro prides itself on providing “superior foundation support for [the] curvy and difficult to fit woman”, whilst equally combining this with affordable prices and a “sense of elegance and seduction” in design. With the emphasis firmly placed on fit, comfort, support and contemporary yet timeless designs, Alegro definitely captured my attention!
I was over the moon when I was offered the chance to try one of Alegro’s bras; the ‘Dreamweaver’ in black. The ‘Dreamweaver’ forms part of Alegro’s ‘continuity collection’ and aside from the black colourway, it will also come in seasonal fashion colours (e.g. for A/W12, a teal and ‘ocean’ turquoise blue is available).
(Dreamweaver bra (£44) and short (£14))
Although I generally wear a 28FF-G, I will always give a 30 back a try, as every brand’s sizing is slightly different. I went for a 30FF in the Alegro 'Dreamweaver' to be on the safe side..
As you can see from the picture, the ‘Dreamweaver’ is an underwired, unpadded and softly lined bra with a 3-piece cup construction. The design is very simple, yet timeless and feminine, with its delicate floral-swirl embroidered pattern and slightly scalloped mesh cup panels. To add to the bra’s elegant feel, the straps also feature intricate embroidery and a rose motif, whilst at the centre of the cups is a pretty little ribbon bow and rose.
The ‘Dreamweaver’ design actually reminded me quite a lot of Curvy Kate’s unpadded bras, such as the ‘Emily’, ‘Princess’ and ‘Portia’, so imagine my surprise when I was informed that Alegro’s head of design, Karen Ellis, is also the creative brain behind these popular Curvy Kate styles!
Fit-wise, I felt that I should have gone with my ‘sister size’ of 30F, meaning that the bra felt quite ‘true to size’ in the cups. When ordering an Alegro bra, it is probably helpful to keep in mind your size in Curvy Kate’s unpadded styles. I wear a 28 back in all Curvy Kate bras, so it wasn’t all too surprising that the ‘Dreamweaver’ felt too loose in the back on me. (Fingers crossed that Alegro have 28 backs in the pipeline for the future!)
I liked the thick band of the ‘Dreamweaver’ and the 3 hook and eye fastenings at the back - ideal for providing comfort, security and support to busty girls. The band also feels beautifully soft to the touch yet firm feeling, thanks to its polyamide and elastane content.
I wasn’t 100% sold on the shape that the ‘Dreamweaver’ gave me, as I felt that the cups were quite wide and I got a bit of a pointy shape. I am ‘closer set’ and get on better with moulded styles as a rule, but I feel that if you already get on well with Curvy Kate’s unpadded styles (e.g. ‘Portia’, ‘Emily’, ‘Princess’), you will love this bra.
The actual design of the bra when worn is really classic and pretty. Despite its fuller cup design, the delicate sheer mesh panels on the cups make this bra understatedly sexy, whilst the intricate embroidery gives an elegant and feminine finish. I also love the fact that close attention has been made to detail - from the tiny rose motifs to the embroidered straps. This bra is definitely one that serves as an everyday beauty and impresses on a special occasion!
I am very excited about Alegro's contribution to the UK larger bust market and am really looking forward to seeing more from them in future. The 2012 collection has some really fashionable pieces for the larger bust..
Here are two of my favourites:
Floral Waltz in purple/beeswax: I love the unique combination of its nude/brown backing colour and stunning rich purple lace overlay..check out the cute bow detailing too!
I'm a sucker for a gorgeous and comfortable moulded bra, so I can't wait to try the Innocent Lily padded bra!
Alegro lingerie will be available to purchase on Amazon in June and from several independent shops and online retailers (e.g. Bosom Buddy).
To find out more about Alegro, visit their website for their current collection and keep up to date with their news (and exclusive previews) via Facebook!
Love,
Kitty xo
