Since starting this blog, one of my aims has been to draw attention to under-reviewed or underrated brands. Evollove may be just that. I bought this bra when I wore a 30G/32FF and for a long time it was my favorite bra ever, yet hardly anyone talks about Evollove. The print is unique and the materials are wonderfully smooth. Let’s talk a look.

Evollove is a sub-brand of Australian company Bendon Lingerie. You are more likely to have heard of their other brands, which include Heidi Klum Intimates, Stella McCartney, and Fayreform. As is typical in lingerie, Bendon was founded by two guys, the Hurley brothers, in 1947. They believed that women’s undergarments of the day constricted movement with heavy boning and seams. The aim to rectify that lead to the company’s name, which I didn’t know until researching it for this post:

‘Bendon’ is a literal description of how the new lingerie fits. Rather than force women’s bodies into the restrictive corsetry of the time, the brothers looked at the way women’s bodies moved and pioneered lingerie that would ‘bend on’ the body, hence the company name.

Interesting!

According to their website, Bendon’s brand Evollove “creates D to G cup fashion intimates that are bright and colourful. Inspired by the diversity of global cultures, this collection is an eclectic adventure in delicate lace and mesh, and colour and pattern”. Aesthetically, I really like a lot of the Evollove styles. The Splash Print balconette stood out to me as especially unique.

For those of us busties in the know, 30-38 D-G is not the widest range of sizes for a fuller bust brand, but it’s not too shabby. In addition, the Evollove sizing is different from UK sizing in that it skips FF cups (much like Marks & Spencer). So, in fact, their size range is more accurately 30-38 D-FF (UK). At the time that I bought my Evollove bra, I was a UK 30G teetering on 30GG and technically sized out. However, I feel like I have some luck with brands that top out at a G cup. (I am just hypothesizing, but something about the scaling of the pattern works better for my petite frame. Can that be a thing?)

Appearance

What drew me to order this bra despite a total paucity of reviews was the whimsical print. It’s called the Splash Print & Lace balconette, but the official colorway is Fly High Print/Estate Blue. From a distance it does look rather paint splashy, but up close it’s a mix of a white, blue, purple and mint green flowers/leaves, some abstract line shapes, and even tiny birds. Definitely unique. I haven’t seen anything else quite like it.

The outer cup material is so smooth and supple, like a fine microfiber with a matte satin finish. I love how soft it feels. The cups edges are trimmed with a wide band of off-white lace. Mint green and white bows finish the straps and pull in the remaining colors from the pattern. The gore doesn’t have any extra adornment.

Officially this bra is listed as a contour balconette, but it’s not a contour cup in the sense of a moulded bra. It’s actually a cut and sew balconette or demi that has more in common with a padded half cup. The cups have four parts, with two vertical seams in the lower half and a horizontal seamed top section.

I can’t reiterate enough how soft and supple the materials on this bra are. The cups are reminiscent to a Freya half cup in that they are lightly padded, but the padding is a tad more substantial and cushioned than that. It holds its shape just a little bit more. The interior finish is also softer to the touch and on the skin. Another nice detail is that the interior of the seams are covered with more fabric, which I really like.

The “fly high” abstract bird pattern continues onto the wings and straps, the latter being only partly adjustable. The adjustable portion of the straps and the section of the band containing the hooks are cream colored like the lace on the cup.

Size and Fit

[Note: I’m adding this review after having lost weight, so this bra in this size no longer fits me (I’d need an Evollove size 30G/UK 30FF if I were to buy it now). At the time, however, I typically wore a UK 30G and will review the size and fit based on that.]

As explained above, I sister-sized up to 32G/UK 32FF to fit into the size range offered. The 32G is the right cup volume, but the band is not tight enough. That was predictable; I was hoping that maybe the band ran small. It seems to run more true to size, but maybe a little snug, because I could start it on the second hook and still get a manageable tack.

The cups are very accommodating to my upper fullness, coming up a little higher than my trusty 30G Freya Patsy half cup, but it is also slightly shallower towards the gore, so not as much room for my inner fullness. They are about as wide as other UK half cups, meaning it is a tad wider than I need. It is still very comfortable nevertheless.

I get some of my usual strap gap due to short roots and the fact that it is cut slightly more like a balconette than a half cup. The difference is fairly negligible, as even half cups can look like plunges on me once I adjust the straps short enough. There is not a great deal of room at the bottom of the cup above the wire, so I wouldn’t recommend it for those who are very full on the bottom.

The only other issue with this bra is that the straps are only partly adjustable, so they tighten less than half of the full length. Luckily, with the straps adjusted as tight as they will go, they are the perfect length for me. Normally I can only achieve that with a fully adjustable strap, so it’s not too bad. For longevity, I have to consider tailoring or Strap Savers.

Luckily, the two main fit problems I have with this bra – a slightly too large band due to sizing up and slightly too long straps – are both very easy fixes with alterations or the help of bra accessories. I wouldn’t go through that kind of trouble for a bra normally, but this one fast became my favorite bra. Not bad for a bra that’s technically not “my size”.

Comfort

I am in love with this bra and blown away by the softness and comfort. Nothing scratchy against my skin is an amazing feeling as I am sensitive to most materials. The lower cut wings ensure that the underwires remain gloriously out of my armpits. Everything about the bra is delightful. Having since tried Comexim bras, supposedly the gold standard for comfort and softness, this bra is even softer!

Quality

As for the material and quality, the construction is very good and on par with the price point. It retails for $65. It is well stitched with thoughtful finishings including metal hardware. The chosen materials are perfectly smooth (with the exception of the lace on the cup, naturally). The cup seams are completely flat (again with the exception of the lace) and reinforced on the inside of the cup, a detail which I haven’t seen elsewhere. It keeps it shape well and lasts a long time.

Final thoughts

I am surprised that not more attention is given to Evollove as a brand. I don’t know much about the other Bendon brands, but now that I am much more likely to fit into their size range (a 30FF with a snug band usually fits), I am open to trying some more styles. The Splash Print balconette is a favorite of mine that I would highly recommend. Sadly, I lost weight and this bra has become less than ideal for my new full-on-bottom shape.

For those who are interested, I’m selling a brand new with tags 32G Evollove Splash Print & Lace balconette bra. View my sale page for my listings.

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