I’ve had trouble choosing which bra to feature as my first review here on my new blog. After some thought, I decided that it should be for a current model bra and one that maybe hasn’t had much attention elsewhere. So for my first review, let me introduce the Pour Moi? Signature Padded Balcony bra in size 30G.

Pour Moi? is a UK lingerie and swimwear brand based out of Macclesfield and trading since 2005. I have read conflicting information about their size range, but according to their website, it seems to be 30A-44J, while Bratabase has user submissions for some of their bras in 28-bands. Their bras and swimwear are available at reasonable prices from quite a few online retailers, yet I don’t often hear much about Pour Moi. Pour quoi? Je ne sais pas.

Since I’m always in the market for padded balconettes, one of the first bras I ordered in 2016 was the Pour Moi? Signature Padded Balcony in black/biscuit, size 30G. The stock photo looks more black/white, but the “biscuit” is more of a cream tone. (Additional colorways include a gray/fuschia and white/pearl, both of which are very pretty.)

It is closer to a contour cup rather than a padded balconette as the name suggests, with a stiffer feel to the foam than I expected. I was initially drawn in by the simplicity and sophistication of the design and was equally pleased to find that it looks as nice in person as in the stock photos.

The smooth, black padded fabric is matched with a checkered mesh overlay upon an light beige backing on the center cup panels, gore, and front frame. The contour cups are three-part, with two vertical seams with matching cream interior. Black mesh completes the wings. I really like how the contrast in textures adds something without needing overpowering colors or lace trim. Petite cream ribbon bows at the gore and straps bring in an understated feminine accent. The satiny black straps are unadorned and fully adjustable. The bra is available in sizes 30-38 D-G.

For size context, at the time I ordered, I had probably just gone from a full 30G/GG to a small 30G/FF depending on the brand. As a 30G/GG, I typically worried that a bra with a top size of 30G in my band range was a risk since I had previously found other brands that stop at a G cup in a 30 band to run small in the cup. But I had lost some weight and hoped that this would put me within range.

Size and Fit

I was surprised to find that the band on this bra felt very tight. It’s definitely more of a firm 30, venturing on 28. I re-measured myself to double check and at the time I tried it on, I had a 28.5″ snug underbust and 26″ tight underbust measurement. This thing was super tight on me. You can see in one of the photos how short the band is when it’s unclasped against the back of the cups. Most of my 30-band bras will close without bending the bra at the gore. Not this one. So while the band has some decent stretch, I feel like it is cut smaller than a typical 30.

Also contributing to band tightness is that the cups are moderately wide (6″) and quite shallow. This is typical of half cup style bras like this one, and indeed, of UK-brand molded/contoured bras in general. While the cups fit reasonably well, they were uncomfortably shallow for me. I would say the G cup is more or less true to size, because I had some gaping at the top like I do with my current G cup bras once everything had “settled” in the cups. Unfortunately for my short roots, high-set breasts, and moderate projection, the shallow cups are also tall, measuring 6.5″ from underwire to the top edge of the cup. The gore and wings are also very high for my petite frame at 3.25″ and 4″, respectively. The gaping at the top that I experienced could also be more due to cup height than the cup being too “big”.

With the gaping and band tightness, if I were to seek a better fit in this bra, I would probably try a 32F. However, I feel it is a shape mismatch for me and would remain too shallow.

Shape and Appearance

The cups give me a slightly too wide, east-west shape. The gore is potentially too wide for my frame as well, and likely a contributing factor to this. The part of the cup with the lace pattern on it looks like it’s central when the bra is off, but when wearing it, the panels actually point more towards the outside of the bra than I would have liked. On the smaller sizes seen in stock photos, this is less noticeable, so perhaps it simply doesn’t scale up well.

The shallowness of the cups also ensures that the breasts are held tightly against the body, providing a very minimized look for my soft, pendulous tissue. It is perhaps too minimizing, and I don’t say that often. I actually prefer a wider look from the front than the narrow, sticking-out projected look of an unlined Cleo bra, but this bra gave me a rather flattened, east-west look.

My favorite thing about this bra was the straps: plain, smooth and fully adjustable! They are simple, yet hold the adjusters well. I’m easily irritated by scratchy straps with frilly bits and edging that make it difficult to adjust them, or cheap ones with a shiny finish that causes the adjusters to slide out of position as soon as I pull them up on my shoulders! Strap design is important, too.

Comfort

Because it was a shape mismatch for me, the bra was ultimately uncomfortable. Moving around in the bra was unpleasant as the tops of the cups cut in to my underarm area. When I took it off, I had a lot of redness on my skin, but not right under where the underwire falls, so it wasn’t probably from band pressure. I wouldn’t say the material itself was especially uncomfortable while wearing it. Maybe it was just rough on my sensitive skin when getting it on and off. The straps were supremely comfortable.

Quality

I’m glad that the quality from Pour Moi? seems fine because this is the first bra I’ve tried from them. It felt like a sturdy and substantial bra that wouldn’t just fall apart. I also liked the textured panels and the overall feel and build. I appreciate the sleek modernness to the design. It is well-executed without being boring. If it had fit, I certainly would have kept it.

Fit Summary

The Pour Moi? Signature Padded Balcony is not ideal for petite shoulders and short roots in this size range. I would recommend this bra to someone who is even to FoT and/or with tall roots and shallow to slightly projected who doesn’t need a lot of projection at the wire.

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Well, that’s it for my first review on this blog! Let me know if you’ve tried this bra and have had a different experience. Have you tried other Pour Moi? bras? How do they compare? Don’t forget to add measurement info to Bratabase as they are not very well represented!

Related discussion on Reddit (Jan 2016)