Review: "Charlotte" set by Parfait by Affinitas

Disclosure: I received these products free of charge for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

Right off the bat, I have to say the Charlotte Padded Bra and Highwaist Brief is probably my favorite set that I have reviewed for The Lingerie Addict to date. I love the color, cut, and fit --- in fact, I now actually have this panty in three colors. I delayed posting this review for some time because I was so in love with the set that I couldn't bear to publish the review without doing a photoshoot in it. A special thanks is in order, to Mariah of Carle Photography, for squeezing in a quick shoot with me. Mariah was a featured photographer for my two-piece on How to Have and How to Book a Boudoir Photoshoot here on The Lingerie Addict.

At a 30D, I am at the very bottom of Parfait by Affinitas' newly expanded size range, which now goes up to a K cup for certain styles. (You can check out Holly's review of this bra in a 34J on The Full Figured Chest.) Since I would typically describe myself as a 30C, I do agree with the assessment that this bra runs a smidge small in the cups. My fuller side filled it out perfectly; the smaller breast gapped slightly. Still, I thought the framing and depth of the bra cup was wonderful --- my bust tends to make its cup size mostly in width, but the depth of the cup was still very curvaceous under clothing as well. I loved the support (and look) of the wide band and strap. I am generally not too fussy about wearing my exact size as it is challenging to find, and I can scrape by in other sizes that mostly-pretty-much-good-enough fit, but it was really nice to put on a bra that actually fit well and supported in band and cup. I thought it gave a really great, curvaceous silhouette under all my clothes, and it lied really smoothly even under clingy jersey knit.

Nitpick-wise, I would say that the hardware was perhaps... overly supportive. Which is to say, the underwire is the firmest and heaviest I've ever felt, and definitely a far cry from the bralettes I typically wear. There's also a bit of plastic boning on the side of the band, which would sometimes bother me by the end of the day, particularly if I was pairing it with a corset or structured overgarment. If you are particularly sensitive to chafing, this may be a more serious issue for you rather than a mere minor annoyance; if you typically bemoan the flimsiness of bra hardware then you will probably love it.

As far as the design goes, I love it. The satin fabric is contrasted with itself by using both sides for various parts of the bra: satin side out for the sling and bridge, matte site out for the cup. The black accents work well in all the colorways.

Now, for the panty, you may recall that I love high waisted panties. I have had this panty in peach for several years and also bought it in red at one point. It's great to have the set and wear it together with the bra. I've machine-washed my older pairs several times and the construction holds up just fine. Actually, I got a mysterious spot on the pink pair I was sent for this review (possibly sewing machine oil from my home studio?) and it washed right out, much to my relief. There is also a low rise bikini option for this set, if the high waist style isn't your thing.

Fit-wise, the rise is a bit low for a high-waist, occasionally creeping down to about navel-level. If you have a short torso or don't like your panties to go all the way to your natural waist, that could be a good thing. Personally, I like them as high as they come, as I find it more flattering to my figure to emphasize the smallest part of my waist. It does make the style better suited to wearing with short-hip corsets than a full high waist, giving a sleek hipline without making it impossible to use the restroom.

I would say, in opposition to the bra, the panty runs a bit big (or at least has an impressive stretch): my peach and pink pairs are both size small and continue to fit great, despite my ever-expanding hips (currently about 38"). My red pair is a medium, purchased in hopes that the rise would be a bit higher, and though it was, I found the crotch gusset to be a bit too wide so it tended to not lay as smoothly as I'd like.

As a set, I think the bra and panty are comfortable, flattering, and highly wearable, particularly for those with a penchant towards pinup style. I think the price point for both styles is very accessible (the bra is around $40 and the panty less than $20), and the fit and construction are great.

Have you tried the Parfait by Affinitas line before? What do you think of the styles shown here?