Okay so today i come bearing a bit of a double whammy of a review. I was contacted by a new boutique that specialises in lingerie for ladies who fit in the small band, small cup category. We're sorely lacking in boutiques and brands that do cater to our size range so i am incredibly happy to see Petite Brassiere crop up. I'm really hoping that this little boutique thrives and expands. Anyway, PB asked if i'd like to try out one of the brands they carry; The Little Bra Company. I've been aware of these guys for a while but couldn't find any UK stockists that i was happy to buy from. PB currently have three styles from The Little Bra company available and i opted for the ridiculous Erin push up bra. I've yet to own a push-up bra that actually fits me so i was excited at the prospect of finally owning one.
My package from Petite Brassiere arrived within a couple of days (although thanks to my useless postie, i had to wait a full week to actually get my hands on it) and was beautifully packaged. I'm a sucker for a giftbox. I despair when lingerie arrives without one. So this beautifully designed, simplistic, sturdy box was such a pleasant surprise.
As for the actual lingerie; One little issue, and it's more an issue with myself than this bra, is that i've been increasingly aware that on a lot of my 30B bras, whilst they fit nicely, the cups seem to be too small for my torso and kind of sit somewhere in the middle. After deliberating over this for quite some time (and receiving no help from bra fit experts), i've deduced that it's probably because i'm a true 28C as opposed to a 30B. So it's a shame i didn't realise this fact before i requested the Erin bra in a 30B.
The bra has the most padding i've ever come across. It's actually a bit of struggle getting my nipples and attached jewellery to fit in and stay in the cups. However a small portion of this padding is removable and the bra still fits nicely without it. I do get a very nice lift in this bra, and for a while i certainly look like i'm occupying a space in the average sized bust club. But as with all padded bras, no matter how much i swoop and scoop when putting the bra on, eventually my breast tissue migrates underneath the padding and the effect is lost. However i will say that the gape that happens as a byproduct of this is not particularly bad with this bra, so i might be tempted to wear it with a low cut top (although i'd probably have to tit tape myself in just to make extra sure). The band on the bra measures 24" and stretches to about 31" so i'd say it's pretty close to being true to size, although i feel most comfortable wearing it on the tightest hook (yay for being ridiculous and dumb and not realising my actual size). The straps on this bra are removable, which i see absolutely no reason for. But this seems to be the only design flaw i've come across.
As for the knickers. Where on earth do i start? I hate them, with a serious passion. They are hideously unflattering and i feel like some kind of gladiator in them. I requested them in an XS as i'm currently a UK 4/UK 6 and whilst they do fit, these knickers kill my confidence and they'd probably make anyone look 3 sizes bigger than they actually are. As well as that, one of my biggest pet peeves is when a bra is designed to have a base colour with a lace overlay but the matching knickers are just lace. It makes the set look mismatched, like you've just thrown two kind of similar items together. Luckily i have some similar knickers that i can wear with my Erin bra so i'm probably going to throw these in with my period pants because everything about them looks cheap enough to bleed on...
Overall i'm super happy with the service i received from Petite Brassiere. All my fellow small band, small cup gals need to head over there and support them. They're only carrying a few items right now (including a few out of season Mimi Holliday bras that i know you all want) but hopefully with our support they can expand and we can finally have somewhere that caters to us and isn't american or kind of shady (not naming any names). As for The Little Bra company, i would REALLY like to try out some more of their bras, definitely in a 28C this time but i might give their knickers a miss.
*These items were sent to me free of charge by Petite Brassiere for the purposes of this review but all opinions are my own.