Strapless bras have this reputation to be not only boring but also weirdly unpractical. Even small busted women struggle to find a strapless bra that wouldn’t slip and put them in embarrassing position during a party night.

For me fullbust strapless bras have been like unicorns for a very longtime. I remember having the opportunity to try one of them when I was 14, but it was unpadded and gave me a very pointy shape, although it was surprisingly supportive. In fact, like most teenagers, I wasn’t confortable enough with my body to wear a pointy looking bra, so I didn’t buy it and spent the next 4 years hoping to be able to wear cute summer dresses (especially since I lived in the Caribbean) and strapless tops at some point.

[Disclaimer: this set has been sent to me for the purpose of a review by Comptoir des dessous. All thoughts and opinions are mine. I am also wearing the Amoralle Fragnant robe which was a gift from the brand. This isn’t a sponsored post, though.]



Well, at this point of my life I cannot complain anymore about this. As you may have noticed I posted last month a big review of the different strapless bras I came across during the past 5 years. Now we all wish bras compagnies kept extending their size range but there are strapless bras available up to J cup and that is a big improvement compared to what I have been seing growing up. Things are overall getting better.



I have to say that for me strapless bras have never looked boring. I like the way they support the breasts without covering the top of the bust and shoulders. I actually find them rather sexy and elegant when they fit properly. I always wished full-bust strapless could feature more lace or other gorgeous material and that’s why I like the Wonderbra Ultimate strapless so much.

I had the opportunity a year and a half ago to visit l’Atelier Empreinte in Paris and discovered their amazing Melody strapless bra in ivory. I loved the fit immediately. It wasn’t bulky or heavily padded, it was neither painful nor loose and featured 3 sets of 4 hools and eyes even in a 75F. The only issue was the colour, since white lingerie is not my cup of tea.

Melody strapless in Ivory.

When Comptoir des dessous reached out to me to know if I’d like to review an Empreinte set, I first wanted to try one of their balconnets but since my size was unavailable, I finally opted for the Melody Strapless in Caramel, hoping that it would somehow match my skin tone. I think I have been pretty lucky!

Comptoir des dessous sent me the set in a sheer pink lingerie bag that will definitely find its purpose in my drawer. I received the bra in a 75F, my usual size with Empreinte and the brief in a Medium (the tag said UK/US Small, EU 38, FR 40). The bra came with wide removable straps.

I found it a little bit hard to understand the brief sizes on the website. Actually, I prefer when the sizes on lingerie websites match the brands tags, because it is easier for international customers. For this brief I would have expected them to write it as Small/FR 40 but apparently they converted the S/M/L International system into the French system, which means that a US/UK Small is a FR Medium. So finally, the Empreinte size Small is marked as Medium on the website, if I understood well. Anyway, I asked their team which was able to help me and everything went right after that.

I have done a couple of Empreinte lingerie reviews (here and here) in the past and you must notice that their sizing is very consistent. As a 30GG I wore a 75F (partly because of my breasts shallowness) and could sometimes fit in a 75G, but because of my breasts shape, the F cup has always been my preferred option. Now that I am in between a 30G and 30GG, and the 75F is quite perfect for me so I couldn’t size up.

As usual, Empreinte did thing tastefully. I am so glad I didn’t received a pale beige bra! I wouldn’t call this color Caramel as it looks closer to a beige rosé with rose gold accents in my opinion, but it looks amazing.

The attention to detail is visible. This bra features very neat finitions and not a loose thread. The beautiful Chantilly lace that covers the cups makes this bra my ultimate princess strapless bra and the rose gold satin lycra simply highlights that fact.

Honestly, I think this bra deserves to be shown under some sheer blouses this summer. I am pretty sure my pictures don’t do it justice.

The cups are deep and the wires are narrow, although it shows better when the bra is unworn. If the wires were narrower or sturdier we wouldn’t see this unfilled space close to the wires but I think it would also make the bra less comfortable, for me at least. The wires sit lower than my infra-mammary fold, but they aren’t digging into my ribcage. Actually I don’t feel that they sit lower because the cups adapt to my breasts, so my breasts really fill the available space and I do have support directly under my breasts. The padding is very thin which I appreciate because it makes this bra easily wearable under most of my dresses and shirts.

The band is very wide and comfortable. I wear this bra on the loosest hook or on the middle one depending on how active I am going to be. That said I had to run for the metro the other day, and even at the loosest hooks, the bra didn’t let me down.

The gore tacks without hurting and for the first time I didn’t get deep red marks after removing a strapless bra. Usually, if the bra stays in place properly without straps, it also means that I won’t avoid deep red marks at the end of the day. Strapless bras, really need to have a tight (or at least firm) band to ensure that they won’t move.

Well, with this bra, I feel pressure but no pain, neither at the gore or at the band. My favorite strapless has been the Fantasie smoothing since I tried it four years ago and I find it to be the more reliable strapless bras I have ever worn, but Melody is great competition. It feels more comfortable and it is also prettier. These two have become essential to my wardrobe. I really like the discretion of the Melody bra under clothes and I hope its longevity will be equivalent to the Smoothing’s.

I am actually discovering new ways to wear strapless bras, like under a shirt with sheer neckline or simply under pastel coloured lace tops, so this bra comes at the right time.

The brief I received was initially supposed to be a short (since I am more of a shorty type of gal) but I think there was a misunderstanding and since the communication had been delayed and sort of complicated I finally agreed for the brief. I have no real regret, though. It sure provides more coverage than I am used to with briefs that aren’t high waisted but it is also very comfortable, easy to wear and pretty.

I love that it also features some rose gold accents thank to the bands of lycra satin on each side. As you can see, this lace is very unique, both floral and geometrical. This is a mid rise brief which I think would please a lot of women, and overall, it is just very elegant. For those who prefer thongs, bikini briefs and shorts, these styles are also available! Oh and just so you know, this set features a suspender belt, but only in the Black and Ivory colorways.

In a nutshell, I am super pleased with this set and I can’t wait to wear it even more this Summer. It is one of the few bras that fit me perfectly while I am in between size and it feels great. <3

For more strapless options, don’t forget to check this post!

Yours truly,

Wen





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