Okay so a full week and a couple of days after the fact, i've finally made good on my promise of a post introducing Mimi Holliday as a brand for small busts. As usual (do all my posts start with an apology of sorts? I feel like they probably do) i've been incredibly busy but only actually getting a fraction of what i'm supposed to be doing, done. So this is not the only thing i've been neglecting but my excuses are like so:
I was waiting on a package from Mimi that would validate some of my points in this post but, through no fault of Mimi Holliday, this took a lot longer than i anticipated and i also wanted some sort of cover photo for the post but just could not muster the motivation to get it shot (and naturally in the weeks its taken me, the weather has turned and so these photos aren't cohesive in either lighting or editing, but for once i do not care).
Naturally, one of the things i love about Mimi Holliday by Damaris is their vast ranges of sizes. Not many of their current bras are available in the 28AA, A, B or 30As that are so uncommon but i've seen more than enough examples of these sizes from their past collections so i assume they crop up relatively regularly. It's refreshing seeing a brand continuously creating for not only the very small busted, but also the larger busted and everything in between, of course. As a 30B, my size is pretty commonly found within their ranges so i've pretty much bought out everything in the sale i could get my hands on in my size (as you'll read later, my actual size and the size i prefer to wear in Mimi are different). However i've found a serious case of vanity sizing and unsuitability for small busts throughout their styles so i though i'd share my knowledge in the hopes that, if any of you are thinking of buying you will be able to find a fit comfortable for you first time around.
Pictured is the "Bisou Bisou Pearl Silk, Satin and Lace Shoulder Bra" in a 30C
and the "Woozie Silk Satin Shoulder bra" in a 30B.
Not Pictured is the "Coquette non-padded Shoulder Bra" in a 30B that was sent back almost immediately but of which the fit will still be discussed.
First things first, when buying a bra in this style, a little bit of thought towards the shape needs to happen. The bra i chose to send back, from the Coquette style had such a high apex and full cups that, although tagged as a 30B, it would have been better suited to a 32 C/D. There was no way my shallow or otherwise known as bottom heavy bust was going to fill out more than a 1/3 of that fabric and since i'd bought it full price, i was lucky enough to be able to send it back.
The other two bras have exactly the same fit even though they are a cup size apart. The bands run very large and i find these most comfortable when worn on the tightest hook so a band size down from your usual is probably the best option. Due to the nature of the cups, they also run large and yet again, if i were to purchase another Shoulder Bra, i'd want to size down in the cup (although this isn't an option as they don't seem to offer an A cup below a 32 band in any of these styles). Luckily allover lace cups with a high apex don't gape and often the excess room/fabric isn't immediately apparent or at all uncomfortable.
The "Bisou Bisou fully padded Plunge Bras" are currently my favourite bras (with the exception of my Ultimo bras) and i'm now the owner of four: the Bisou Bisou Cherie pictured), Pearl, Frost (worn in cover photo) and L'Amour but i've also got my eye on the Rose if it ever drops to sale price in the future.
Something i noted in my full review of the Bisou Bisou Cherie set is that although i purchased my usual size of a 30B, i felt a 28B would be a better fit as the band seems to run large across all Mimi styles. Cue my impulse purchase of the Bisou Bisou Frost and L'Amour in a 28B. And it turns out i was right, going down a band size was a good idea, the 28B fits like a true 30B and having spoken to a close friend who wears a 30FF (when not pregnant) and owns the same set, i can safely say she also felt like the band runs a size too large. It's also worth noting that she drew my attention to something i hadn't picked up on in my review for the Cherie set; these bras fasten with only one row of hooks in the back and so are not suitable for regular, all day wear for those who have a large bust and put more strain on their bras. This is something i'd never considered to mention as it's not a problem for small busts but is something i intend to check and include in future reviews anyway.
As for the fit, when wearing the right size, there's no "plunge" action, it's a pipe dream for me as i just don't have enough mass at the top and centre of my bust to get that shape whilst still encasing my nipples, but these do give a nice shape regardless. One thing to note is that due to the nature of "padded plunge" bras, your nipples will sit very close to the top of the cups, it's not something i personally find uncomfortable but i know isn't ideal for everyone.
Something i can safely say is that there's none of the dreaded gaping for me, in fact there's very little room in the cups at all. I wore my Bisou Bisou L'Amour to work, where i usually stuff my locker key into the side of my bra and they were pretty touch and go all day. So great for my bust, but not so much for my ingenius locker key storage.
Mimi Holliday most definitely doesn't have perfect sizing (i have testimony as to a balcony bra in a 32A fitting someone who usually wears a 28/30A) but it's so rare to see a brand continuously flying the flag for very small busts. If you are planning on buying from Mimi Holliday's full price range then know that my experience with their returns was very positive and i got my money back almost as soon as my item arrived back with them. If you want to buy from Mimi Holliday's 60% off sale, in which items cannot be returned unless they are truly faulty, then i would always suggest going down a band size if possible, double checking the shape of the bra is compatible with the shape of your bust and weighing up the risk (currently most bras are around £22 right now so for me that isn't a huge risk as if i do end up with an unwearable size, there's always ebay, friends i can gift to or failing that, i'm lucky to work two jobs and know i can make that money back in one day, but take into account how big a risk it is for you and whether it's worth it).
If anyone reading this has any Mimi Holliday in their collection then please do comment with the item you have and how you find it fits so we can build up a nice little resource for the small busted (and large busted) who are thinking of purchasing something.
Edit: Mariëlle my darling detective and fellow small busted blogger, extraordinaire, did something clever (no doubt) and came across testament that as of SS13, Mimi Holliday increased their cup sizes (so a 28B would fit like a 28C) as they were receiving many complaints that their cups came up small. So this is something to keep in mind and although i personally, have found that going down a band size works well for me, if you have the option of going down a cup size (which i do not) then that might be an option for you too.