MASQUERADE ~ Rhea Antique Ice 28F

The Rhea was the first bra I bought that was in my correct size: 28F. It's such a wonderful feeling that it'll have sentimental value for me. And the fact that I got it for dirt cheap on Ebay doesn't hurt either!

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The color is an extremely pretty ice blue trimmed with bronze lace. I understand this was a Bravissimo exclusive for the Spring/Summer 2012 collection. The material is a sort of satin that's very soft to the touch. I love it. 

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The band is very firm so if you're between sizes, I'd definitely recommend sizing up. My underbust comes up at 26.7 inches and the 28 band on the first hook was quite snug. I even thought it was too tight for me at first but then it got very comfortable after wearing it for a day.

The straps are on the cusp of being too wide-set but they still work for me. They're only half-adjustable but I really appreciate the fact that the non-adjustable part is made of the same non-stretchy satin as the cups. It gives a little of an edge to the support quality of the bra as a whole.

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The shape of the cups is perfect for my breasts. They're very separated and the cups are shallow enough that I don't get much gaping on either side of the narrow gore. They curve gently outward and don't thrust forward agressively.

It's clear when you look at the picture that my bigger breast is the right one.  There's the tiniest bit of gaping along the edge of the lace on my left one but the cup itself is filled perfectly.

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Perfect, rounded shape from the side. The Marie-Antoinette or 2 Cakes on a Plate kind of  shape. My favorite kind! The Rhea gives a nice uplift and leaves you feeling very supported. The wires are of a perfect width. They enclose my breast tissue just the way I like it.

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The bottoms

This is an older colorway and only previously available through Bravissimo so I haven't been able to try the matching bottoms yet. But I might have stumbled on a pair of them yesterday. I will update this section if I manage to get my hands on them.

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Verdict

The Rhea is my favorite bra. It has everything: great quality, great apperance, great shape, great support. 

I definitely want this darling in another color. Just not the continuity colors of black or antique. I've fallen in love with the champagne/pink but it's even older than the antique ice and there isn't a single 28F anywhere. I was hoping Masquerade would introduce a new seasonal color but there's no Rhea in sight for either AW 2013 or SS 2014. Bummer.