Thursday, April 4, 2013

The Bra Adventures: Empreinte Roxane

Ah, the beautiful Roxane:


I was starting to wonder if this bra was meant to be. I ordered it on March 16 (from France) and it just arrived today. I mean, that's not the worst shipping time ever, but it's on the extreme end of the continuum. (On the plus side, the eBay vendor from whom I purchased it, charged extremely reasonable shipping, and there was no Customs fee.)

I could only find this in the 32 back size. Actually, the vendor was selling a 30 and a 32 but I dithered until the 30 was gone (that would be 24 hours - won't make that mistake again). The 30 might have been the better back size for me (not that the 32 is especially loose), but the bra I bought fits PERFECTLY in every other way.

My friends, this bra does not disappoint. The lace is spectacular (and deceptively firm). The cups have a deep-through-the-centre fit. The construction brings the breasts forward and lifts them up but there's still quite a lot of support through the top of the cup (which in no way cuts into the upper breast). The gore lies beautifully flat against my breastbone.

I fucking love this brand.

I was not in any way mistaken when I first tried to buy this more than a year ago (unsuccessfully, given that one cannot buy Empreinte directly from the EU, online). The only thing that vaguely impinges on the flipping fantasticness of this bra is that I already own the Empreinte Lola (the world's most perfect bra ever). This is a pretty good runner-up though.

I managed to find this bra, all in, for 50 bucks, which is SO worth it given the quality of the brand. If I were to have bought this at a bricks and mortar shop in TO, it would have cost me 4 times that much. Of course, it took 3 weeks for it to get here and I didn't have the chance to try it on first, but these are the trade-offs.

OK, if I'm going to be picky, I would say that the straps, which are only partially adjustable (half-way) would be better if they were fully extendable. Had I bought this for 220 bucks plus tax, that would have been a significant consideration.

I've mentioned this before, but I heard (from someone in the know) that Empreinte has been moving away from its "pointier" shape (which I like to call "natural") towards a seriously round shape (most definitely the more popular silhouette in these times, which I am nonetheless compelled to name "grapefruit-fake boob" shape). I know everyone and her younger sister loves to diss the "pointy" 3-piece cup that emphasizes a centre-seam at nipple-height, but I think that shape rocks. In truth, if you have my proportions, wearing a super-round bra just makes everything look artificial. I'm in no way undermining implants (if, after consideration, that's the choice a woman makes for herself). But I think we can agree that the majority of those who get implants are not aiming for the "fake boob" look. I'm all for the implants I can't discern as such.

Anyway, this bra is in the "early Freya" mold, which is to say it brings everything forward, lifts it up, but does so in a modest, vaguely ski-slope-y way. I call these balconettes in the UK style "full balconettes" and they work very well on me.

Many a bra-blogger has spoken about band cut. Empreinte (like certain styles of Ewa Michalak and some other brands) cuts the band so that it angles down from the wings to the hooks and eyes. If you lay the bra flat on a table and look at the latitude of the hooks and eyes against the latitude of the underwire at the centre cups, you will see that the hooks and eyes are considerably lower.

Note to bra-makers: That angled band style (which I've NOT found in any commercial bra pattern that I've made) is KEY to good fit if you're working with a narrow frame and dense breasts. The bands that are angled down in this way, when made from excellent materials and worn at the correct size, are immoveable. They stay put like a dream.

OK, for whom is this bra optimal?
  • Women with centre-fullness aka "deep breasts". The brand doesn't cater to full on top or bottom breasts particularly, from what I can tell. It focuses on centre depth and narrow-ish cups.
  • This means that the lower, centre cups and the centre section of the upper cups (those that attach to the gore) are relatively large compared to other (shallow) styles. And the outer cup (that which attaches to the wings) is smaller.
  • Women who want lift - and need support.
  • Women who like a fuller balconette. It's sexy and chic, but it's no half-cup. I suspect, a lot of American ladies of a certain age (the demographic which buys the majority of full cup bras) would LOVE this brand. Instead, they're wearing Wacoal and Le Mystere and, IMO, those brands are all kinds of matronly.
  • Women who appreciate really elegant fabrics and a very feminine bra. This brand isn't "fun". It's sexy. It has a Continental appeal.
  • Women who can justify spending a minimum of $50 bucks on the bra alone - and possibly quadruple that.
Who should stay away? (Is there anyone???)
  • Women under the age of 30, unless they're very French or very mature. (I'm being glib but you get my drift.)
  • Women with breasts that are wide at the root and shallow. This brand suits the projectile breast. A shallow breast will likely swim in the cups and yet find the wires too narrow.
So, over to you. Have you tried Empreinte and, if yes, what are your thoughts? Do you own the Roxane? (Are you having an affair with a shockingly virile, 50-something Frenchman who has piercing blue eyes, sandy hair that's greying around the edges and a summer place in the Midi?) Do you know what I mean about angled bra-bands and do you agree? Let's talk!

21 comments:

  1. Very interesting review. It confirms what I've heard about Empreinte's deep and narrow cups. Alas, I will have to admire Empreinte from afar. However, I will keep your bullet points in mind when someone with your shape, proportions, and preferences needs the info!

    Not to be ungrateful or anything, but do you think you could take some photos of your Empreinte bras? I don't mean you in the bras, but just the bras themselves? Front view, size tag, wings, straps, and the other things that can help someone make up her mind? I checked Bratabase, and there don't seem to be any product only Empreinte photos. When I shop for bras, some of those subtleties really affect fit and comfort.

    Thanks for posting!

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    1. That's a totally doable idea. Let me take some pics of my Empreinte bras soon and I'll do a post on it. Thanks.

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  2. I love this, and suspect it would be great on me. The half-cup bras just, uh, don't have enough cup for me. But this is delicious.

    Despite not being French or over 30 (just), this appeals to me more than any other bra you've written about... sigh. Thanks for such an in-depth description of the shape and fit for my imaginary lingerie wardrobe ;-)

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    1. Well, if you're almost 30 than it's ok! :-)

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  3. I'm sure this is largely generational, but the pointier shape looks more artificial to me. Perhaps not in the "implants" way, but in the "my boobs would not look this way under these clothes" kind of way. (because, under almost all the clothing I wear, my boobs do take on a round shape. I suppose because most of my clothing is on the tight/stretchy side, but still. The shape my boobs take under clothes with negative ease resembles... well, it doesn't resemble the shape any bra would give them... which is why I wear bras? LOL.)

    Perhaps this is also just relative to the natural shape/proportion of each person's breasts... mine are definitely fuller on the bottom, so they tend to take a more naturally round/teardrop kind of shape as opposed to the full-on-top bullet-y type of shape the pointier bras give?

    Then again, like I said, it could just be generational... every bra available to me growing up was round, full-stop.

    (I'm not attempting to sway anyone to this point of view, mind you. I think this is all very subjective!)

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    1. Hey - are you calling me old?!? :-)

      You know, I actually find the pointy bras work well with full on bottom breasts. The construction of the cups actually pushes at the upper breast tissue creating a kind of ski-slope shape in the upper cup that tapers at the nipple and rounds out at the underbust.

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    2. Round shape is definitely more natural for me, too. ;) Although I can't say the photo of the model looks particularly "pointy." I think my breasts MAY have been pointier pre-breastfeeding, but I can't really remember that far back... ;)

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    3. Ha! Only because you've pointed out my youth before ;-)

      To be clear, I wasn't meaning to comment on what shape of bra would or wouldn't work on my body type... more, that I often hear people say that the pointer shape is more "natural" (by which I assume they mean "looks more like boobs do bra-less") when, for me, my naked boobs are more round than pointy. If that makes sense?

      I don't objectively have a shape preference. I just like boobs, full-stop. Ha!

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    4. Oh, that's a good clarification. I agree, when you put it that way, that boobs are generally more round - when not in a bra - than pointy. Hmmm. (In what way, then, you may ask, is a pointy bra shape "natural"? I can't answer that question. Maybe it simply IS generational!)

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    1. T: I don't think the bra looks pointy in that pic either - or even in real life, particularly. I like much pointier bras too! I just mean that the construction of the cups on this bra is not "molded cup, seamless round". I've got some bras that give a much pointier shape under clothing. But if you put this next to the current popular round-shape bra, it's quite a notable difference.

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  5. Thanks for the review. Very informative, as always. I especially note the angled band style. I can't completely picture how this works, but I think it might be key to getting a good fit from a homemade bra. Your posts have inspired me to look into some of the lines you describe, but I am definately of the matronly bra camp! I am not fond of the round (especially foam rounded) bra shape, but as ms. modiste said, this may be a generational thing. I grew up with the totally "natural" shape of no bra at all. This worked for me when I was young with very small, firm breasts, but not so much for the matron I now am!

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    1. I'll try to take a pic that shows the band constructions. Just to clarify - I don't think that the pointy shape is the matronly shape! I think the US-manufactured full-cup bras (in general) are matronly. Some of them are 3 piece pointy. Most of them are full cup round. Most seem to be matronly.

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  6. So beautiful! Wow, I really want to try this line out now. Is Empreinte available in Toronto?

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    1. It is available in TO at Bra Bar, Melmira, Avec Plasir and Secrets from Your Sister. But check to confirm before going out to any of these boutiques. Note: I'm not promoting these stores, simply giving you some options.

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  7. OMG K-Line--you are like a distinguished professor with three PhDs in bra fittings, or something. I do not understand the terms you are using, though I suspect my bosom friends will drastically improve if I do. (That's an Anne of GG pun, of course.) But seriously, how does one evaluate the shallow, deep, etc. qualities of one's breasts? Feel free to point me toward a previous post if it's all there . . .

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    1. Oooh, would that I were a distinguished professor of Bra Fitting! What a dissertation that would be :-) There are some great blogs that are talking about the issue of breast depth and width of root. Check out Venusian Glow's post on shallow breasts and Bras I Hate and Love does some great demystifying too. I'll link to them in a future post...

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  8. Like Miss Cavendish, I have to admitted that my eyes glaze over and I feel very overwhelmed with the depth of bra fitting know large you have. All I know is I hope you keep posting about it so that maybe I'll start to understand. I've tried on every bra in every store in my po-dunk town and I hate every single one. My girls deserve better.

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    1. Oh no, Crystal! Eyes glazing is not optimal :-) When I link to the posts (see my reply to Miss C above) I'm sure it will all be more clear. Till then, do keep reading!

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  9. Sadly, no. I'm not having an affair with a shockingly virile 50 - something year old Frenchman. But I'm thinking an Empreinte could help. Thanks for the low down.

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