Back in May I tried on the gorgeous Freya Gem bra at Leia Lingerie, Bluewater. I fell in love with the look and shape it gave me but unfortunately they only had the size I needed, 30K, available in white and my preference was for the nude.
Thankfully, the fab team at Freya heard about my bra search and very kindly sent me the nude balcony bra in 30K and matching high waisted briefs in XL.
This set is so lovely! The shade of nude is very pretty and in reality is a yellow/pink beige mixture. I think it would be great for most Caucasian skintones and should blend well under clothing for that 'invisible underwear' look. For me, it was a little on the light side but that's because I insist on wearing gradual tan so the colour of my skin is not particularly natural!
The cups are made of two layers of wonderfully soft fabric. The inner layer that sits against the skin is a fine cream-coloured mesh. The outer layer is a gorgeously delicate lace polka dot design, with more detailed lace along the tops of the cups. It's just so pretty and reminds me of Broderie Anglaise...but with a modern edge.
I love how the cups are just a touch see-through. They're lined enough to still be modest but the light fabric of this nude bra definitely gives a good idea of what lies beneath. This is quite a treat for me as I have become so used to my padded bras from Ewa Michalak, so it's a novelty to have a bra that's a bit naughty!
I found the 30K to be a smidge too small in the cups. The fabric cut into my breast tissue and I had minor quadboob occuring, although this is almost unnoticeable under clothing.
The band is fairly stretchy and fastens with three rows of three hooks and eyes. Remember that a brand new bra should fasten on the loosest hooks, so you have the option to tighten it as the band loosens with wear. If the band feels too tight, you should try the next band up, or maybe wear the bra with an extender for the first few months until you get used to it and it has stretched a little. I found the 30 band to be ideal for me and I really like the width of Freya's bands - wide enough to offer extra support for my heavy boobs but not so wide that it looks frumpy.
The fully adjustable straps are SO comfortable! They are lovely and wide, so the weight of my boobs on my shoulders feels lessened. They are very soft and have minimal stretch, which makes them super supportive. The adjusters stay in place all day thanks to the pretty embroidery on the straps and the embellishments along the sides.
There is a very cute striped ribbon bow on the central gore and two matching smaller bows where the straps meet the cups.
Under my arms, the cups run a little high for my liking. There is some boning in the wings to give additional support and this pokes a bit.
The wires are wider than I'd ideally like and so I have quite a bit of empty space at the sides of the cups. You can see from some of my photos that I get a touch of the 'orange in a glass' effect, where there is simply not enough depth in the bottoms of the cups for my breasts.
The central gore is quite a bit wider than most of the bras I have been wearing lately and because of this it sits away from my sternum and refuses to lie flat, no matter how much I adjust my boobs. It is simply too wide to fit between my breasts. It isn't uncomfortable but it is a sign of a bra not quite fitting properly.
The coordinating high waisted briefs are wonderful and easily the most comfortable and best-fitting ones I've ever had from Freya. The fabric is similar to that of the bra but with added stretch, meaning that the fit is fabulous! When I tried the XL on at Leia Lingerie I was even tempted to size down to the L - something that's unheard of for me in Freya undies - but I think the XL is best for overall comfort.
As you can see from my photos, the sides and back of the briefs are completely sheer, and there is a lined 'modesty panel' on the front. A cute striped ribbon bow sits prettily at the centre front of the briefs, completing the look.
I absolutely adore my Freya Gem nude lingerie set so am sad that the cups and wires are not quite right for me. However, if you are smaller boobed and perhaps wider set than me I think this is yet more lingerie that you will love!
The Freya Gem is available in nude, white and black in sizes as follows:
Balcony bra: 28 D-J, 30-36 D-K, 38 D-J
Half cup bra: 28-30 D-F, 32-38 B-F
High waisted brief: XS-XL
Short: XS-2XL
Brazilian: XS-XL
Have you tried the Freya Gem yet ? Curvy Wordy reviews the bra in Nude
Posted by danielle kisby on
