lingerie review: lifestyle plunge bra and short – curvy kate

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edit: updated may 2021 with refreshed text, links and imagery.

introducing the curvy kate lifestyle plunge bra* – one of my favourite day to day styles and the bra that has saved my life throughout humid british summers thanks to its sheer and lightweight mesh! boob sweat, who?

i absolutely adore the fit of this style and i have multiple colourways in my lingerie drawer i love it that much! but i know you’re all here to read about the details, so let’s get into it…

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THE LOOK

i love that curvy kate lifestyle* is designed with a minimalist approach. simple lines, no fuss or frills, and chic circular hardware details. the cups are made of a single layer of sheer mesh, which is a non-stretch and dynamic fabric to give D+ cup sizes uplift, support, and a rounded shape. the cups are underwired with a 3-part cup shape, and feature a double circle charm detail at the centre gore, which is repeated at each apex. complete with fully adjustable straps and a power mesh back band, with a 3×3 hook and eye fastening (2×3 hooks for 30-36 D-F cups). the straps are a simple elastic with no picot trims, so it looks really neat and clean. they are brushed with a soft backing which helps for a non-slip fit, and are adjustable with coated sliders.

the matching short* is a low-mid rise, with a very cheeky rear cut that’s almost like a brazilian brief with a central back seam. an additional layer of mesh in the front offers an extra bit of modesty, and the gusset is 100% cotton lined for hygiene. both the bra and short are finished with sports-luxe style trims at the edges to give a bit of interest.

overall this set looks and feels modern and sleek, and is perfect for those who want a simple fit under clothes without ribbons or lace showing through their shirts.

THE FIT

i am really impressed by the level of support this plunge bra* offers – it looks so lightweight and delicate that i wasn’t really expecting much in all honesty, but the mesh is rigid and doesn’t stretch so it really holds your bust in place. the band isn’t overly stretchy either, so you get some good anchorage. i’m wearing a 30FF (no 28 backs available in this style) and a size 10 brief, which fit me really well. i would opt for a 28G if it were available, but the 30FF fits my 28″ underbust comfortably on the middle to tightest hooks (remember – new bras should ideally fit on the loosest hooks first so you can tighten them as they stretch out over time).

the fit on the older colourways felt very true to size in the cup, though i do find that the newer colours from AW20 onwards like sangria, lemon, white and navy feel a little neater; i’ve been preferring a 30G for these latest seasonal colour options despite my bust size not changing too dramatically (and my old 30FFs in latte, black and the previous AW18/19 colourways still fit perfectly). oddly enough though, this is the first non-padded plunge bra shape i’ve ever been able to wear – usually i find they are just not the right shape for me and tend to be excessively baggy at the apex or along the top cup section. please keep this plunge cut forever, curvy kate!

with the lifestyle short*, i find the fit is quite forgiving thanks to the softness of the mesh. i’ve worn anything from an 8 to a 12 and all three sizes fit comfortably. i prefer to size up to get some extra width in the gusset as i do find it a tad narrow in an 8, despite being a good fit elsewhere, with a 10 being my ‘default’ size!

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THE VERDICT

as i said at the beginning of this post, the curvy kate lifestyle plunge bra* has been an absolute go-to over summer just because it’s so lightweight! the sheer cups are amazing at busting boob-sweat because they allow your skin to breathe and the thin fabric means that if you do sweat, it dries super quickly so you’re not left feeling sticky and damp for long. the sizes on this set run from a 30-40 back with D-J cups, while the short is available in an 8 through to 24.

considering how much wear i’ve gotten out of them, i’m really impressed at how little they’ve stretched out. despite being a band size bigger than i’d like, all the colourways i’ve purchased have remained snug and comfortable (with hand washing and air drying!). the cups retain their shape and i find it’s one of the few bras that sits where it should do all day long – no sliding down my ribcage or slipping off the shoulders.

available in basic black* and latte* for effortless everyday style, there are also new colours of this being released every season like lilac, sangria and lemon! priced at £26 for the plunge bra* and £13 for the short*, it’s a great lingerie set at a lower price point without compromising on fit or quality. i’d love to see a thong coordinate introduced for this range as an option alongside the short!

my favourite colourways right now:

lemon* (SS21)
sangria* (AW20)
navy* (online exclusive)
white* (online exclusive)
lace blue/red* (AW20)

what do you think of this sleek little number? do you like the simplistic design, or do you prefer your bras to have ribbons and frills?

xo, the lingerie princess