Ask Angie: Simone Perele bras - YouLookFab Forum

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Ask Angie: Simone Perele bras

Diana

Veteran

Angie, I noticed in today's blog post that you mentioned that you like Simone Perele bras because they run narrow. Did you mean in the band width or the cup width? I'm always on the lookout for bras that run small in the band, but normal/wide in the cup because of my wide front/narrow back shape, so I'm wondering if they might work for me. (I'm a 34 but prefer the width of the cups on a 36, but then the overall band tends to be too loose.)

Also, is there a particular style that runs small or is it the whole brand?

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25 replies

Latest reply was from

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Aha, Diana. Simone Perele runs narrow everywhere. A 30D in any other bra does not fit me because I'm actually a 28DD. Even Chantelle doesn't fit in a 30D. The 30D in Simone Perele is a perfect fit. Ample room in the cup. This is the bra that I wear - and I have in many colours with matching knickers. I love a bit of lace and very pretty undies.

Simone Perele 'Andora 3D' Molded Underwire Bra

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6

Anonymous

Not Angie, but I'm glad you asked as I was wondering what narrow means too. I do notice that the SP cups sit right along the side of my breasts where in other brands (wacoal, Chantelle) the underwire is under my armpit.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Aliona, all my breast tissue is in front. I have zero breast tissue under my armpits - hence I need a very narrow fitting bra. Hope that helps.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Diana, not Angie, but I can jump in here because I think we have similar fit issues. I need bras that run small in the band with widely spaced cups.

I do own two Simone Perele bras. They are exquisitely made and really lovely. Great fabrication, comfortable, and they wear well.

But I have to confess they are not my favourite bras. They are two slightly different styles (I am sorry but I don't have the Find for both), but both have the cups just slightly too close together for me. So while the band fit is superb, and very comfy, the cups are a bit frustrating. I need a fraction more space between them. I find they are missing tissue on the outsides and then not as filled in as might be ideal on the inside -- it's not that the cup size is wrong -- it's that the placement isn't quite perfect.

Also, the straps are not fully adjustable. And although I am not particularly short from shoulder to bust and do have a square shoulder line, I do sometimes wish I could adjust a bit more -- they have a greater tendency than some other brands I try to slip down, despite excellent grip quality in the fabric. I believe Denise really likes the SP bras but in the past I think she has had her straps shortened to work better.

I have yet to find my "perfect" bra. All the ones I have tried have some issues. But my favourites at the moment (quite different from one another) are the Wacoal (very much a lock-em-in type of bra, a bit "stiff" for my taste but useful); and the Natori feathers, which runs a bit small IMO, and is a bit "loosey-goosey" for my taste. Between them they work for most situations. But I'm still on the lookout for something even better.

It's also possible that a different style of Simone Perele might be just the ticket. I'm always looking at the spacer between the cups for clues.

Simone Perele 'Caressence 3D' Plunge Bra

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Wacoal 'La Femme' Molded Underwire Bra

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Natori 'Feathers' Underwire Contour Bra

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Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Suz, have you tried the Andora?

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Angie, I have not. Do you think it is a bit wider spaced? If so, it might be my perfect one. The fit problem is just a fraction off, if you know what I mean. So it's possible. I will give it a go!

Diana

Veteran

Thanks, ladies. Sounds like they probably won't work for me as i need a very wide cup and wide center gore as well. (ETA: and I need short straps too).

Incidentally, I just managed to save an old Chantelle bra that had never fit right by literally cutting open part of the center gore. I find a lot of Chantelle styles are designed with a peephole sort of thing in the front, where the inside tips of the underwires are sewn very close together. At the top of the gore. I figured out that you can actually just cut that peephole open (leaving the bottom part of the gore intact), and voila, the cups separate and they get shallower and wider. That bra actually fits quite well now! Now that I have figured this out I might revisit Chantelle - they have lots of the lace, seamed styles I prefer but I had given up on them due to all the cups being too close together in the front.

It does take a bit of courage to take scissors to your $$$$ bras though!

Eta: Suz, the feathers does not work for me. I find the underwires too tall and not spread out enough at the sides, and the molded styles never match my breast shape.

Anonymous

Thank you, Angie! I think I may need to visit Seattle ;). My local Nordstrom doesn't carry Pereles so may not be as familiar with their fit. I've been ordering mine online. (Just this week DH assumed a box that light must be empty and put it out on the kerb for recycling pickup; he owes me a new bra!)

Suz, your comment was super helpful in figuring out bra construction. SO appreciate the advice. Thanks for asking this great question, Diana. I'm sorry for diving in and hijacking your post.

Anonymous

Diana, that's a brilliant idea on the Chantelles. They really dig into my rib cage in the center, maybe cutting them will sort that. Inspired!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Aliona, CHOKING about your husband's mistake. Yikes!!! An expensive one!

Diana, it sounds like you need even wider spaced than I do; that is really tricky to find, I know. I love your Chantelle fix! I wish I could wear them -- the bands rarely come in 30, alas....

Aliona, it's so much trial and error with fitting bras. A good store fitting will get you started, and then over time you learn to read the reviews super carefully, and also look hard at the photos. Bratabase and some other sites also have fit guides and suggestions.

I bought last year's bras completely online and they were new styles to me. I did send some of what I ordered back (to be expected). But I was quite happy with the ones I kept, overall.

Diana

Veteran

I think part of my problem is that I'm actually a 36 in front and a 32 in back. Which of course does not exist. In some styles with tight or non-stretchy bands I can wear a 36, which helps. Or I can alter them but honestly I don't like band alterations - I feel like it messes with the support and integrity of the band too much.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I couldn't agree more about the band alteration, Diana. It just doesn't feel right when you do that.

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

It is hard to find the right fit. I have a narrow rib cage and lots of tissue wandering around that needs to be corralled.

I find the Parfait by Affinitas brand is quite narrow in the band and the cups so it might be an option. I know they size up to GG and believe they also do the smaller cup sizes but with fewer clasps so that may be a good option.

If you find that the Panache Andorra is a good fit, you might prefer the Jasmine. It is softer material and stretch lace and is uber comfy even in a G cup. I bought that one on my last shopping expedition and really like it.

http://www.herroom.com/panache.....-bra.shtml

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Check out the Andora, Suz and Aliona. Hopefully it's the ticket.

Oh wow, Diana. You are brave to hack your Chantelles. By all means try the brand again. Call Mary at the Nordies flagship (lingerie dept) for fit recommendations too.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Ooh -- guess what? Reading what Diana did to her Chantelles emboldened me to stretch the wire a bit in my Simone Peerless -- just a wee bit to the side. And voila!! I now have a perfect comfy fit in the Caressence.

I will definitely try the Andora now. Thanks!

kkards

Veteran

just wanted to add, i just tried the simone perele for the 1st time….my nordstroms doesn't normally carry this brand in the 30D, but last weekend when i was returning a couple of other fails, the SA brought me these 2, they must have been someone else's returns….well, i must say, so far i've wear each once, and i'm in love….great fit, great coverage, but without that, to borrow suz's perfect wording, lock-em-in feeling of other bra's.

Simone Perele 'Caressence 3D' Plunge Bra

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1

Simone Perele 'Delice 3D' Molded Underwire Demi Bra

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2

Anonymous

Thanks for the recommendation, Angie! The Andora does look great.

Kkards, one thing I love about the Perele brand is the strap positioning. In the cut/sewn models I've tried, the strap placement seems like a key part of their support engineering. I'm going to check out your links, especially the second one. Thanks for sharing.

Suz and Diana, I'm very interested in your comments about alteration. I just had a 32 band altered down--haven't picked it up yet--and never thought about how that affects the bra's engineering integrity. Now I'm struggling with the fact I like the 32C cup on the Pereles slightly better than the 30D--they're a smidgen narrower so I feel better side support and line. But the 32 band is just a tad too big and the C cup on my larger side is sitting on the boob if I'm totally honest. I'm going to try your underwire hack, Suz, but still wondering about the band and thinking perhaps altering would be a mistake?

Diana

Veteran

Aliona, it's possible that if you find a really good tailor they might be able to alter bra bands better than me or my mom (although my mom is pretty good!). So as I see it the problem is where do you cut and resew the band? You have to make at least 2 cuts because it needs to stay symmetrical, and I think the most obvious place is where the back closures are attached. But often this results in the straps being too close together in back, which can cause weird pulling. I've read that on the side under the armpit is a good place to alter too, but I think that would weaken the band because you'd need to make an additional cut/seam that wasn't there before (the original seam usually involves the underwire so I don't think you'd want to open/resew that one). But maybe one of our sewists could chime in here....

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Yeah...I think it is possible to do a good alteration if you really know what you're doing, but nobody near me really knows, and it just hasn't been super successful for me yet. I'm really encouraged by my very slight "hack." It was really almost nothing -- just pulling the wire a tiny bit out, and voila!

Aliona, it sounds as if you and I might be somewhere between a C and D cup. I know that Mo (another forum member) has struggled between D and DD (I believe). She finds Calvin Klein bras a pretty good fit for her, but for me, they're awful -- I tried a few at last year's NAS and couldn't get them off me fast enough! It really all depends where you carry your tissue, as Angie says, and also what type of fit you prefer. I am not crazy about the "locked" fit of most molded bras, but at the same time, I generally feel I am spilling out of my Natori Feathers bra (I'm trying a larger cup size this time to see if that helps).

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

Sorry, my post appears to have been off the main topic. I didn't realize that there were two bra manufacturers with a bra named Andorra.

Suz, I am curious as to why you wear the molded bras if you don't like the shape/fit? Have you seen the fantasie rebecca? It is a softer version of a molded bra and I believe it comes in a 30 band.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Cheryle, I don't, usually, wear them. I own one -- the Wacoal. It's useful for certain situations/ outfits. And I didn't know I wouldn't love it until I tried it -- I had never owned one before. I would prefer a less "firm" fit but find the Natori Feathers a bit too much in the other direction.

I haven't tried the Fantasie -- it would have to be a small cup size, too, but I can give it a shot!

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

I just checked and the smallest is 30D. Too bad because it might have been a good fit for you.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

30D might work, Cheryle; it's my usual size. Sometimes a 30C depending on the maker but typically I need the D. I can try it out -- thanks!

Keix

Veteran

Suz--do you wear your normal bra size in the Natori Feathers? It's my favorite bra for comfort, although I actually prefer the look of a molded bra more (but the Feathers has spoiled me for all-day wear now). Anyway, I wear a 32B in the Feathers and my first one was actually a 32C, which still fits but with more coverage. I just bought a new-to-me Natori bra from NAS this year--in size 32A. So I know that my true bra size hasn't actually changed, it's just the Feathers bra running small in the cup. Definitely try a cup size up with the same band size; if you have already, I'd even try another cup size up. FWIW, I have a classically shallow and wide-set breast shape, always on the lookout for center gores that look wide enough.

Anonymous

Diana, those are great points on altering. It looked like the Nordstrom tailor was going to alter at the closure, and it makes total sense that this might pull on the cups. I already have trouble with a 'double boob' look on most bras, where they pull or squeeze in front. At least I know Nordstrom will take it back if it doesn't work.

Suz I know exactly what you mean about molded cups. I need them to for a smooth look and coverage under tees, but don't love the look. I tried Calvin Kleins at this year's NAS and they were dreadful on me too. This year I bought the NAS Wacoal, which has given me the best line of any molded bra, but by the end of the day the underwire hurts my rib cage. Since it sounds like we have similar issues, I'm interested in your recommendations if you do find a molded winner!