All I want for Christmas…

This is not just lingerie; this is M&S lingerie...

The bra I have up for review this time is the Perfect Fit Underwired Extreme V PlungePush-up by Marks and Spencers.
I chose this bra as one I would like to receive myself as a Christmas present! (Here’s where I hope my boyfriend is reading)

I chose this bra because I’m a bit of a tomboy – I wear a lot of t-shirts, so needed a bra that was pretty enough to look at alone, but smooth enough on the cup to wear underneath a t-shirt without it becoming lumpy.
The cup of this bra is nice and smooth, with a little lace detailing towards the bottom of the cup, which flows seamlessly into the lace on the back band.
It’s also a great colour for wearing under a white top, for example, as the colour is described as ‘fawn’ a pink-beige colour.

The back of the bra is gorgeous, and the lace means that it can be worn as a luxury item, and looks gorgeous underneath a sheer blouse or shirt.  

It’s a genuine all-rounder to be honest, and is comfortable to boot!

With regards to the fit of the bra, there isn’t much negative to say at all.
The cups are well shaped and fit me very well, despite having two different sized boobs! Generally I get a fair bit of gaping on the right cup, but both cups on this bra fit me well, and there was only a tiny bit of gaping on the right hand side (which was barely noticeable and certainly not an issue).

I did expect the lace to be a little irritating, as this can happen with a lot of similar bras, however I was pleasantly surprised that even after wearing it for a while, it was still as comfortable as it was the moment I put it on J
This pleased me no end, because it’s so beautiful that anything less than perfect comfort would be an injustice!

The straps were also sufficiently well-built to withstand holding even the largest pair of twins, and they didn’t dig in at all in the time that I was wearing it (and believe me, I gave it a thorough testing!)

The bra was described as an Extreme V Plunge Push-up and it really did live up to that description.
Trying the bra on with my most revealing of dresses, no an inch of bra could be seen in the V of the dress, and the push-up effect really was amazing.

I always get a little wary of bras that claim to be extreme plunge, as it normally means that the padding is on the outer edge of the cup and I end up looking ridiculous with a gap the size of the Grand Canyon between my breasts.
However.
The Extreme V Plunge Push-up did retain some of the padding on the bottom of the cup (in its rightful place) and so I actually ended up with a decent cleavage for once. A miracle considering the meagre quantity of boob that I actually possess!
The quality of the padding is also pretty good. Sometimes you find the weird bean-filled sacs in the bottom of bras, or really heavy, poor-quality ‘foam’ type padding that does nothing more than weigh you down. Again, 

I was pleasantly surprised, as the padding was lightweight and comfortable, with just enough there to do the job, without there being too much.

As a result, the shape that the bra gave me was also very natural. With it being a plunge bra, a lot of what makes up the shape of your boobs while wearing this bra is, in fact, your own breasts.
On occasion, the padding takes over, and all you see under your clothes is what appears to be half a tennis ball stuck onto your chest; however this was not the case here.

As I said, the shape this bra gives is very natural, and does look as if there is no padding there at all, especially with the plunge feature leaving a lot of breast uncovered.

Testing

I gave this bra all my usual tests…

I wore it for a number of hours, and did a fair bit of jumping around to see how well it would stand up to that (In all honesty, I did a few star-jumps, but it’s a worthy test nonetheless!)
Safe to say nothing fell out or over-spilled, though I did have to pull the back down once or twice.
My argument for this is that I had the bra on the loosest hook (which you should always do when trying on a new bra). While I could have got a smaller back size, after putting on the middle hook, all my troubles ceased and I had a fully functional, supportive bra.

Lifting my boobs into the cups proved no problem. They fit in perfectly, and didn’t over-spill or gape (I’ve already mentioned my issues with differing cup sizes between my boobs) so that was all good!

During my trademark ‘shake test’ the bra also stood up well. Hanging upside down while frantically trying to shake my boobs out of the cups amounted to nothing, as this bra held me in with no trouble at all, despite having a fairly low plunge at the front.

Just take a look at my fitting guide to see what size you need to begin looking at. Of course, this doesn’t give a definitive answer, it’s merely a guide to get you started.
To be honest I always find that once you find your back size, getting the cup size is really a matter of common sense and trial-and-error. Getting the back size isn’t usually too hard either; it’ll be roughly the measurement (in inches) around your ribcage just under your breasts (this is always a good starting point). 

Always try on bras on the loosest hook, and if you feel it’s too tight, go up a size. If it’s too loose and the back is riding up, make sure you go down a back size, or you risk not getting the support you need, which can lead to back problems in the long run, among other things.

With the cup sizes, as I said, there’s a bit of trial-and-error involved, but once you’re started its really very easy. If in doubt, most stores now have trained professionals to help you anyway. For this, I highly recommend Marks and Spencers, Ann Summers and Debenhams – these are the best from my experience.
If you’re experiencing a bit of overspill from the cup or under your arms, go up a cup size. If there’s gaping, go down.

So to summarise…

I’m going to rate this bra in four categories, with stars being awarded out of five for each category:

Comfort: ★★★★★
Fit: ★★★★
Support: ★★★★★
Quality: ★★★★★

In summary, I gave the fit 4 out of 5 stars because of the slight issue with the back size, though that wasn’t a major issue and it was easily sorted by just tightening the band a little.

Every other aspect I was immensely pleased with to be honest, and I think I would be hard-pressed to find a better bra for the same purpose anywhere else J

Anyone that wants a link to this bra, here you go! Just click on the image below. It comes in three colours and is very reasonably priced at £22.50 :) 

Haych xxx 

Little things that make a big difference!

This is an ongoing quest of mine to find the best 'boosting' bra on the high street! I'm going to give each one a short review, and will rate the comfort, fit, support and quality on a five-point scale from 'poor' to 'outstanding'!
I've begun my search in my local Debenhams (Altrincham, Cheshire) which doesn't stock much in my size, to be honest. The number will therefore be added to, as and when.
Nevertheless, I found 4 bra's that were worth trying out, so here they are!

Wonderbra "Full Effect"

The Wonderbra "Full Effect" bra was a dream! The padding inside was fan shaped from every angle, and this gave an incredible boost!
The fit of this bra was excellent, though there was slight gaping where the cups join in the middle. This could just be my boobs though, as they're quite far apart (see my fitting room page).
Overall, it was incredibly comfortable, and the fit was great.
On the "shake test" (again, see my fitting room page) this bra held up well, with only a little spillage from the cup. This is understandable, as there is so much padding in the cup of the bra! The padding is a combination of air and liquid, so it feels substantial (unlike with air-only padding) yet still lightweight.
The bra also looks fantastic! You pay a little more (£1.50) for the lace design, as opposed to matt, block colour, yet its still smooth enough to wear as a t-shirt bra. The small 'W' feature between the cups is also kinda cute! ^-^
The lace design bra is £30.50, while the black, natural and white plain bra is £29.00.
The adverts don't lie either; it really does boost your boobs to around 2 cup sizes more than normal!

• Comfort:   ****
• Fit:            ***
• Support:    ****
• Quality:      ****

Wonderbra Gel Balconette

This was another comfortable bra, however it didn't feel quite as supportive as the "Full Effect", also by Wonderbra. This is undoubtedly due to the style of bra; this is a balconette bra. 

The padding in the bra is at the bottom of the cup, to give your boobs a real uplift! The padding was a very light gel, which meant that the bra was neither heavy nor uncomfortable. 

The bra fits reasonably well, though I did have to tighten the strap on the right hand side to stop the cup gaping (due to my being quite uneven). 

Speaking of the straps, I found them to be a little thin, and I think perhaps that women with bigger boobs than me may find them a little uncomfortable.

On the "shake test", this bra did reasonably well, however slight 'spillage' did occur. 

Despite the bra being plain black, the design was pretty, and it could easily be worn as a t-shirt bra.

For the price of £24.50, this bra is quite expensive, but worth the money. The padding is incredibly lightweight, and the spotted Jacquard fabric and lace detailing make this bra absolutely adorable! The boost that it gives you is around +1 cup size.

• Comfort:   ****
• Fit:            ***
• Support:    ***
• Quality:      ****

Ultimate Natural Boost

I've owned one of these bra's for a number of years, and it's been almost perfect for me!

It has excellent support, and I've been to the gym in it a few times, it's that good. Its also really comfortable, as the straps are a reasonable thickness, and the liquid padding is pretty lightweight. As the cups are underwired and padded, it holds you in really well.

With the padding at the bottom of the cup, your boobs are lifted up and outwards, giving you a boost of around +1 cup size. 

There is a striped design on the cups and back, and on an otherwise plain bra, this makes it a perfect t-shirt  bra, and perfect for everyday wear. 

On the "shake test" this bra was an excellent - I was held in really well, and nothing left the cup!

So, this bra fits really well, and this makes it worth the money. Not that this bra was especially expensive, at just £18.00 (currently reduced to £13.00 - correct on 9th July 2011) at Debenhams. 

The only thing I can find wrong with this bra is the elastic - in the time that I have owned one (about 2-3 years) the elastic has gone a little slack. 

• Comfort:   ****
• Fit:            ****
• Support:    ****
• Quality:      ***

Ultimate Push-Up Balcony 

I found this bra fantastic! The boost that it gives is great - between 1 and 2 cup sizes, while still keeping the natural rounded shape. 

Neither of the cups gaped at all, and the band, straps and cups were very comfortable. 

Despite this being a balcony bra, it survived the "shake test" really well, and I stayed firmly in place. 

The padding is a lightweight liquid, giving you a gentle push up for killer cleavage!

The design of this bra means that it looks stunning by itself, with the lace trim and bow at the front. It also goes great under a t-shirt, as the decoration is smooth, and doesn't leave any lines under your clothes. 

This is a very reasonably priced bra, at £20.00 (currently, as of 9th July 2011, it's in the sale at £15.00) and is well worth the money. 

• Comfort:   ****
• Fit:            ***
• Support:    ****
• Quality:      ***