Hello Everyone,
When the charming Tutti Rouge brand first debuted two years ago, I was excited to see another new entry into the fuller-market, particularly one which effortlessly blended flirty bubblegum fun with grown-up sophistication for a collection with broad appeal. Tutti Rouge generously provided me bras to review, including the core style Liliana, but we experienced initial sizing problems. Ordinarily, I wore a UK 30H/HH, but the 30HH Liliana was too tight to fasten and an entire cup size small, making it difficult to wear often, but I always wanted to revisit the style in a better-fitting size. Flash forward to 2015, and I finally had my chance!
When I first received Liliana and took the pictures, I was heavier than when I shot the video which changed the fit. Initially, I needed a full extender to wear Liliana at a rather uncomfortably snug level, but by the time I filmed my review, I only needed half of the extender for a comfortable fit. For reference, the fully-stretched band only measures 30.5″ and does not feel prone to stretching. A friend in the UK who I met through the blog (*waves at Alex*) tried Liliana after we discussed my issues and did not report the band running too small. As a result, I am unsure if I received a one-off problem bra (it happens) or if the entire style is inconsistent.
Despite an overly tight band, the HH cup fit perfectly without any gaping or overflow. The center gore on Liliana is not overly high which avoids pressing uncomfortably into my tissue, but the shape is wide and shallow, causing my breasts to splay more toward the side. The underwire shape extends too far on my back and leaves space between the underwire and breast tissue along the entire bottom and side of the cup. In fact, the cup extends so far onto the side that it actually functions as part of the band by wrapping around my body rather than shaping tissue. A taller cup shape on the side digs painfully into my arm as well, and while the rest of the bra feels comfortable even with the fit quibbles, this is my personal deal breaker. When a bra feels like this, it almost always welts me by the end of the day, and I know now to avoid it or suffer the consequences. Does the shape I described sound familiar, long-time readers? It reminds me of the early Curvy Kate bras. I experienced every single one of these problems with Curvy Kate at one point or another, and I think Tutti Rouge has unfortunately fallen into the trap with GG+ cup sizes. On the positive side, if you find Curvy Kate or wide/shallow designs work for you, definitely consider Liliana. The profile is also one of the most minimized I have ever tried, most likely because of the wider shape, and I know not every woman in the fuller-bust market wants the rounded, forward shape I mention in my reviews.
Now, I know the preceding paragraph seems a little harsh, but I don’t think Liliana is a bad bra. In fact, I think women in DD-FF cup sizes may find something to like here because the design becomes lower coverage in smaller cups, and gentle lift would really suit certain breast types, especially shallow ones. Liliana is also available up to a 44 back (which is totally awesome!), and I think some women in those 38+ backs would be comfortable with the width of the wires and appreciate the way they encapsulate side breast tissue.
Materials & Design: Initially, Tutti Rouge was considered a lower cost alternative to Freya, but recent increases mean the Liliana has a stateside MSRP of $65, begging the question of whether the quality matches the price. From the brief time I examined the bra and shot the video/pictures, the quality did seem on par with Freya and better than the original bra I was sent in 2013. The padding in the lower cup is soft and pliable, and the wings are quite firm to prevent too much stretching. The straps are fully-adjustable, and the upper embroidered cup is not flimsy or prone to tearing. I love the use of a half-padded cup with a fabric upper cup, particularly because I think the fuller-bust market could benefit from something different. From a design perspective, I have loved Liliana from the start. For my retest, I opted for the noir/sugar combination, and I love the hot pink underneath the patterned sheer lace. The use of pink ribbon on the top really pops and keeps the design feeling cohesive, and I have always admired Tutti Rouge’s use of final flourishes like embellished straps, bows on the cups, and heart-shaped adjusters in the back. The bra was gorgeous back when it first released and carries for the tradition now.
Final Thoughts: For small bands/large cups, I recommend proceeding with caution here, but I think people with shallower or wider tissue, especially in smaller cups or larger bands, may find something to like here.
Erica
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