Debenhams “Gorgeous” Blue Polka Dot Balcony Bra Review: 30G

Debenhams are really just killing it at the moment with their Gorgeous DD+ collection of lingerie. Over the past few years, I’ve owned a couple of their bras, but not really been bothered about them – they were more just everyday bras that were kind of alright and available in my size, thanks to the range that runs from DD to H (in 30 to 40 bands). But just before Christmas, I purchased this bra (at the same time as my black lace one) in the sale and spotted a great deal other super pretty bras too. And I’ve just done a quick search of the site while trying to find the link/name for this one and come across SO many other pretty ones – take a look:

Debenhams don’t seem to name their bras individually which is sad because I like unique names for my lingerie, but it also makes searching for it easier! This bra is the catchily named Gorgeous DD+ Blue polka dot DD-H cup balcony bra (told you, didn’t I?). I picked it up in store for two reasons: 1. It was available in a size that would fit me (30G – which I find I’m often wearing now for want of more 28 bands in many brands). 2. It looks very similar in style to many Cleo bras, so I wanted to give it a bit of a comparison.
The Cleo bra I was picturing when thinking about the similarities was the Cleo Lucy, which I actually own but haven’t ever got round to reviewing (maybe this is a prompt to do so?!). The similarities are only few, including the balcony shape and blue and pink colour scheme, but it is nice to see Debenhams making a young and fun style of bra.
So here’s how I got on with it:

Shape & Appearance

First things first, I would say this bra is cute and fun. It’s not what I would deem pretty, but I like that it’s a bright colour on the body, with contrasting pink detailing on the top cup edge embroidery and bows and the gore and straps, and the polka dot pattern is definitely cute.
While the shape of this bra is typically a balcony, the top of the cup is every so slightly higher than the usual I’d say. It’s definitely more suited for a full on top shape as it’s quite open along the top edge – this is good for my shape. I’ve had to tighten the straps more in this bra that I usually would, which pulls the cups up slightly higher meaning where the straps meet the bra is closer to my collarbone and shoulders than it usually would be. The picot edged straps make this nice and easy though by being fully adjustable.
The cup is split into, technically, 4 parts. The lower cup is in two pieces, and a strip at the top as the upper cup, but it also has a seam along the side acting as a “sling”. You do see this sometimes in fuller busted bras, and in fact, the Cleo Lucy I was comparing this to has a sling support system to provide more uplift – however, Lucy’s sling splits the lower cup into 2, rather than 3 parts as you see here. This does act as a better support from the bottom and sides of the bra, however does present some fitting issues for me – I’ll explain in more detail below.
The bra fastens at the back with 3 sets of 2 hooks and eyes, and the back band is a lovely U shape, which I always like to see but don’t often comment on. The band also has a slightly lesser seen feature at the front which my Debenhams black lace bra also has – the gothic arch, where the elastic in the band directly under the gore crosses over. This makes it much more comfortable for me as it lifts it away from a slight rib cage flare I have.

Size, Fit & Comfort

I took this bra in a 30G as a 28GG wasn’t available in it. Despite being a sister size to my usual, I don’t find the band to be too big at all – in fact, it’s a nice snug fit for a 30 band. I’m comfortable on the loosest hooks, although I’ll probably move in on them more quickly than I would on a 28 band.
The cups are also an excellent fit size wise, with no immediate gaping or spillage. The embroidery does sit a little away from my upper breast on my smaller side (as you can see slightly in the photo above), but this isn’t an issue – it just means it’s not an ideal T shirt bra.
While the slightly more open top of this bra is a good shape for me in regards to being a more full on top shape, I do experience a bit of a shape mismatch with it which I find very difficult to show in pictures! Take a close look at the side view pictures, in particular that “sling” seam. I get a very odd bulging thing going on! I think it may be due to the seam not having any curve – it just goes straight up. The sling would function better if it curved under the breast and outwards slightly, pulling tissue up and in. Instead, it cuts straight through the middle and pushes some tissue back towards my arm. My shape is quite full and rounded all over, so it may be that shapes that aren’t as full on the outside as me will get on with this better.
Nevertheless, it’s still very comfortable and I do find I like the uplifted shape it gives. It’s very good for everyday, not too fussy and quite casual – although not necessarily under tight clothing that might show off the embroidery or side bulges!

The Gorgeous DD+ Blue Polka Dot Balcony bra is available to buy at Debenhams for £18.50, which is pretty reasonable for a cute, full bust bra if you ask me! The sizes available are 30-40 DD-H, although some of these are now out of stock.