I was particularly excited to meet the ladies from Elomi Lingerie as this was a brand I had heard a lot about but never tried before. I knew that they aimed their ranges at women with fuller figures but I was concerned that everything available would be too full-coverage and mumsy for me. I was also not convinced that their bras would be able to give me sufficient comfort and support, as well as making me look and feel great. How wrong I was!
The Elomi ladies were offering everyone the chance to have a free fitting at the event and somehow my friend Mhairi and I ended up being seen first.
Without a tape measure in sight, we were each fitted by the lovely Suzanne into the Elomi Caitlyn - a black full cup bra which is available in sizes 34 & 36 in E-K cups, 38-42 in DD-K cups and 44 & 46 in DD-HH cups. The set is also available in Slate (dark grey), Nude and Pearl (white), and is coming soon in Peacock (a gorgeous teal colour - want!!).
I started off trying a 34J but it was too roomy in the cup for me so I ended up with a 34HH, which was a surprise as I usually take a bigger cup than this. We didn't have time to try on the matching briefs but I went with the XXL as I tend to like my undies to be on the loose side to avoid unsightly VPLs.
Now, the Caitlyn is not a design I would have necessarily chosen if I had been picking out styles from a lingerie catalogue or online. However, it is one of the comfiest sets I have ever worn!
The bra has lovely thick comfort straps which are fully adjustable and have only the minimum amount of stretch in them. They also have a very subtle pattern embroidered into them, which means that the adjusters can gain purchase when shortened so once you've got them to your desired length, they should stay there - it's so frustrating when straps 'unadjust' themselves and end up way too long part way through wearing! Finally, the straps are connected to the band at the back with large black plastic rings so there is nothing to dig in and the rings will turn with you as you move (unlike when an oval-shaped clip is used, which can slant and even end up lengthways, making the straps too long and causing discomfort, as well as not looking very nice).
The Caitlyn has a higher centre gore than I am used to but it was by no means uncomfortable. There is a cute bow on this section, as well as on the part where the straps meet the tops of the cups.
The bottom half of the cups is made from an incredibly soft satin-like material that feels very elegant and expensive. The top half is made from a thick black lace which has a floral/tulip pattern embroidered on it. The cups are not open at the top but instead are edged with some very soft-backed material. In the 34HH there are three lower sections and one upper lace section in each cup, which gives a great rounded shape. The section that goes around the side of the breast reaches all the way to the strap, meaning that the maximum support possible is available - great news, especially for those of us with larger, heavier boobs.
The band is made from a stretchy black mesh fabric and fastens at the back with three rows of three hooks and eyes. The bottoms of the cups do not form the bottom of the band at the front - as with many bras - but instead there is extra band area along the bottom, which adds to the comfort of this bra.
I am really impressed with the number of steps Elomi has taken to make this an extremely comfortable bra. It is obvious that a huge amount of thought has gone into this, yet they have not skimped on the design and look of the set either.
The briefs are super-comfortable too. I found the XXL to generally be the right size for me, although the waist dug in a little despite the material having a slightly voluminous fit. I would be interested to see what the XL was like for comparison.
If I could, I would have taken this bra in a 32 band as I think it would last me longer, but as it is the 34 is fine and I can wear it on the second hooks for now. I think I prefer to have cups with slightly narrower wires and deeper cups as the Caitlyn tends to push my breasts out to the side a little. I don't think this would be the case for someone with wider breasts than me but as I am accustomed to wearing bras with narrower wires I do notice the difference.
While it's not something I could wear with a low-cut top, I am very happy to wear the Caitlyn bra around the house as a weekend bra and also out and about when wearing something with a higher neck.
(Photo by kind permission of Sarah Price.)
After my fitting with Suzanne, I got to spend a few minutes talking to the lovely Katie, who talked me through their range of lingerie and swimwear. She explained how Elomi are part of the Eveden lingerie group, whose brands include Fantasie, Fauve, Freya, Freya Active, Huit 8 and Goddess, as well as Elomi. We talked about different fits and styles and she described how each brand is targeting a different area of the lingerie market, with Elomi focusing on ladies who require a larger band but still want to have stylish and appealing lingerie.
As well as the many gorgeous options currently available - including the retro Betty and seductive Ophelia - there are lots of new Elomi designs and styles coming up in the months ahead and I am sure they will be well received by all curvy ladies. I can certainly recommend them for comfort, practicality, style and quality. Make sure you keep checking their website for the latest news!
