Cannot. get. enough. of. this. bra. Hibiscus by Anna Pardal, full review over on my main blog: EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK! A REVIEW OF ANNA PARDAL’S HIBISCUS LONGLINE BRA (Photos: Lydia Hudgens)
Overview: Comexim recently expanded their size range and I just eeked in at the end of the range. I had to go for it, for me and for bra science and other gals! So I ordered through Erica of Sophisticated Pair and found one of the few bras they still had in stock since it was the end of the season. I ended up with the Sabine, a beautiful dark red embroidered bra. Anna Pardal is a higher end brand than Comexim, but is made by the same folks. You can check out their lovely website here.
My Stats:
UK cup size: Somewhere between 32KK/34K and 32L and 34KK.
Overbust: 48 in.
Horizontal perimeter: 48.5 in
Underbust: 32.2 in.
Bra Stats:
Brand: Anna Pardal by Comexim
Country of origin: Poland
Model: Sabine
Size: 34KK
Best for: Close set breasts, those who need narrow underwires, firmer breasts
Design: This is a three part thinly padded underwired bra. It is very close to a plunge in design.
Fit: The fit is inconsistent, or rather, dependent upon how I am wearing the bra. If I have just put the bra on and separated my breasts to fit the cups (which are more separated than they are, as with all bras) then the fit is really nice. My boobs look great and there’s no overspill or threat of them spilling out. But if I don’t adjust them or if it’s over the course of the day, they eventually come together because the bra isn’t firm enough to keep them separated like an unpadded might, which conforms to the breast. When they come together, they don’t spill out in the middle surprisingly, but rather I get some quad boob and they need to be readjusted. Please view my example below:
Not adjusted below.
Adjusted to fit the shape of the bra below:
Fit issues which persist despite how I wear it is that the bra cups are too tall for my shorter roots. You can see the gaping in the pictures at the front/sides. It does probably prevent the bra from being more secure; if it were more secure it may be able to keep my boobs from moving around as much during the day. The gore does not ever tack, but it does get significantly closer to tacking when I adjust my boobs to fit the bra. That in itself proves that it isn't tacking because the wires aren’t strong enough to push against my center fullness. My boobs want to be together as always and bras have to be pretty tough to deny them of that.
The band at first, I thought was too loose, but it’s actually pretty comfortable and seems like a 34 to me. It even has four sets of hooks. I wear it on the loosest to the third hook depending on how I’m feeling. I am a little curious about a 32 band but it depends on how much this stretches. It is difficult to grade the cups on size because they are rounded and padded, but it seems perhaps akin to a 34K, which would mean it runs a cup size small, but I don’t feel really comfortable saying that because it has it’s own unique shape. It seems comparable to an EM 75L though.
The straps are still too wide but not as wide as Ewa Michalak’s (EM) and they don’t fall off or anything, but they do contribute to a feeling of a lack of support and help to cause that gaping (which also causes support issues). The sides do not come up high at all and the underwires don’t rub, which may be a result of the alterations I requested, which are below:
Significantly reduced cup height - It seems like this one went through because it’s quite low on the sides which is good for me.
10 cm gore - I’m not sure that they did this because my gore is measuring shorter. Perhaps it wasn’t possible. But my boobs aren’t spilling out over the gore, possibly because it doesn’t tack, so perhaps it doesn’t matter.
Straps moved in 2 cm. Not sure if they did this or not, the straps don’t seem extremely wide like EM’s but they are still a little wide, which is probably just going to happen with this style of bra. Considering moving the straps myself but it will change the shape of the cups so maybe not.
Comfort: The thing I noticed was how small the straps seemed. I like my straps a smidge wider and definitely made out of a smoother material. Sometimes the excess strap around the adjuster loops and becomes irritating, which is an issue I get in my EM bras. I adore wider, smoother, softer straps, and these straps are somewhat stiff, not too stretchy, and not so wide. I think they are a bit more comfortable than EM straps for some reason. The band doesn’t dig in and roll too much like my EM bras. It could mean that my EM bras are too small in the band but I think even my 36 EM band bra does the same thing. So I find the Sabine much more comfortable than my EM bras because of the band. Still not as comfortable as Bravissimo, but pretty good. The cups aren’t too bulky and nothing is itchy or pokey, but nothing is particularly smooth and comfortable either. So comfort is average to good.
Quality: The quality seems quite nice. It seems comparable to EM bras but the detail and less itchy materials make it a step up to me, comparing strictly padded to padded. Still not quite as luxurious as Kris Line but they can probably justify the extra $20 they cost over EM bras because of the level of detail in the sewing. I cannot compare it to Comexim’s quality because I haven’t tried theirs yet.
Aesthetic: I think this bra is really pretty. It gave me an Asian-influenced feel which I’ve always been a fan of and I also knew I needed to own a red bra for variety’s sake, so that’s why I chose it. I wouldn’t call it stunning because it needs a bit more glam for that but the design is really intricate and I love looking at it. I also prefer the aesthetic it gives my boobs over EM’s. I think it gives a less rounded look, more natural but gives a good deal of uplift too. It gives a surprisingly light silhouette from the side but, like all padded bras I’ve tried, a larger one from the front, but not too bad. I prefer all of AP’s bras aesthetics to EM’s when it comes to padded.
Concerns: I’m not sure how often I’ll have to readjust the bra throughout the day. It will depend on how much bending and whatnot I do I think. Just sitting here with the bra on I’m fine and they won’t shift or spill out. I’m a little nervous about the strap issues and I am contemplating trying to replace them one day if I like the bra enough. I don’t like my straps to be the most uncomfortable part of my bra. I do worry about some kind of boob sweat though because my boobs aren’t separated but it doesn’t seem too bad currently.
Final Thoughts: I like this bra. I like that it’s a bit different to EM’s. It kind of has a “bikini top” cut which makes me feel sexier. I really didn’t think it’d work at all because it looks so low cut but somehow my boobs don’t fall out in the usual way. They don’t fall out in the center and they don’t spill over the tops (except perhaps over the course of the day).
The lift is very good and the bra is way less bulky than my EM padded, which is crucial living in a warm climate that is starting to get hot. I feel like I can’t even wear my padded EM bras because there’s just way too much bulk, so I think I will be swearing off EM’s padded bras completely and choosing these thinner ones if I want a padded bra.
However, I’m going to hold off on purchasing anymore padded bras in general, even from AP because the fit isn’t perfect and I don’t like to deal with readjusting. I prefer functionality over a low cut look, though this bra is a great option for those who need a plunge but EM’s plunges don’t work for them (the S series is also pretty good for that). I crave support and security in my bras with my full soft bust, more than looks, and this bra really lacks support/security (NOT lift) just because that wasn’t the design intent. I am waiting ardently for their new collection so I can purchase an unpadded though, because that’s where Anna Pardal/Comexim could really win me over. I think this is a great first try for the size expansion and I applaud them and their great customer service and willingness to do alterations.
If you want more pictures, check out the bra on Bratabase!
