-->

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Underthings: Berry Beer Review

Underthings. Bralettes. Intimates.

These intricately made undergarments are all the rage right now. I've seen them being sold at Forever 21 and I know Urban Outfitters has an entire section of their store dedicated to this particular type of clothing. Whether it is made out of lace, mesh, velvet, or any other type of delicate material, bralettes add a lot to an outfit. A decorated strap peeking out of an off-shoulder top. A criss-cross design under a low cut sweater.

The demand for these items have skyrocketed that one typically retails around $40 a piece, and can reach up to a whooping $150 (in the case of  For Love and Lemons). That's quite a hefty price tag for a scrap of lace if you ask me! Now I know it's better to buy ones that are made out of better material, but really, $150?! That's insane!

Berry Beer, a local online boutique here in Taiwan, was kind enough to allow me to choose an item from their store to review, so here it is! An affordable, good quality alternative to For Love and Lemons--here we go!




Style Selection

Lace

So far, Berry Beer doesn't have that big of a collection of styles to choose from--they have a total of 8 bralettes and 1 style of underwear to choose from. However, I do appreciate the organisation of the website--it makes everything very easy to find! The colour selection isn't vast as well, but the owner told me that she will be restocking her shop mid-March with some new designs and colours, so I'm looking forward to that!


 Applique

Of the 8 total bralette designs, 2 of them have an appliqué back. I believe they are the same style in different colours. Again, not a wide selection, but the owner said the restock will include a lot more styles and colours, co I would check the website around mid-March!

Sizing


I love their sizing chart. It gives your band measurement and your cup size to reference. I found the measurements to be accurate, and I really appreciate the cm/inch conversion for the underbust. Their bands have a reasonable amount of stretch. I got a size S since I am not too blessed in the chest and it fit perfectly. The straps are adjustable, so you don't need to worry about your arms being too tight or too loose. If you need any help with sizing, drop me a comment below and I'd love to help!

Customer Service

The owner of Berry Beer was very nice and offered a lot of help. I conversed with her via Instagram message, and she always replied within a few hours (we live in the same timezone). When the item i was going to choose ran out, she kindly informed me of the restock dates, which I found very helpful. She also told me she'll be getting new stock in soon, which is exciting!

About

Berry Beer aims to provide "high quality [and] affordable lingerie."

I would say Berry Beer upholds this motto pretty well, as I think the quality is amazing, and it isn't too pricey, though it is still outside of my ideal price range. 

After all the background info is cleared up, onto the review! I chose the "Alva Bralette," which is a delicate white piece with cross straps in the front. 

Packaging/Delivery Time

Berry Beer ships from within Taiwan, so it took a day to get to my doorstep. This is still pretty impressive, as it typically takes 2 days for mail to get sorted and sent, even within the same country. Needless to say, I am impressed. Of course, this might be due to the efficiency of the post office. One thing to note is that is does cost $8 to ship outside of Taiwan, which can be a bummer. 


The undergarment comes wrapped in a box with lace ribbon and a custom Berry Beer sticker on it. 


The box is not particularly thick, but it is sturdy enough to withstand the test of the mailman's carrying bag. The package was very well packed, with a lace ribbon wrapped around the box to keep it from opening. I thought the sticker was a nice touch.


I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the box, because there was a faint aroma of lavender that wafted up to my nose as I opened the box. Turns out the owner includes dried flowers in all her orders to make the clothing pieces smell good! This attention to detail is noteworthy! I really didn't want to ruin the packaging!



Wrapped in tissue paper, the bralette was folded neatly in the centre of the box, waiting for me to take it out. 


At the bottom of the tissue, this was stamped onto the paper. So cute! 


Material

The website actually doesn't state what the material the bralette is made of, but I'm assuming the lace is made out of some cotton-polyester blend and the band is made of a spandex-cotton blend. The material is a lot stronger that I expected it to be--way sturdier than the UO ones I currently have (those are more cotton-y). While the material is thin, it doesn't feel flimsy at all. 



The lace trimming is finished very well, and there were no loose thread ends hanging out. The lace cups aren't itchy, and are sewed onto the band with a zig zag stitch. 


The back has a single hook clasp, which hooks from the bottom up (making it harder for the piece to randomly unclasp). The hook itself is like any other bra hook. 


The two straps that cross in the front are elastic and lay nicely across your chest. I think it'll look marvellous with a v-neck top. Overall, the material is excellent!

Fitting

I got a size S, and it fit me pretty well. Since the straps are adjustable and the band is elastic, the bralette provides adequate support and fits nicely. I would say that the cups are a little too thin for my liking, but that is based on my own personal preference. The cross straps are my favourite part of this particular piece. 

Pricing

The price of one bralette ranges from $20~$29, which I think is pretty reasonable, considering what other stores charge for the same thing. However, I do believe that it could be a little cheaper, especially since international shipping is a flat rate of $8. 

Ratings

Style Selection: 2.5/5 (they are restocking soon though)
Size Selection: 5/5
Customer Service: 5/5
Packaging: 5/5 (Really good)
Delivery Time: 5/5 (I live in Taiwan, so shipping was very fast)
Material: 5/5
Fitting: 5/5
Pricing: 4/5

Final Verdict: 4.56/5 



I can't wait to style this underpiece! I don't really have much going on in my chest area, so it's nice to accessorise sometimes :). Berry Beer is a good quality alternative to the pricey pieces! I love supporting local businesses, and this particular shop is located in my country! Go ahead and visit their website here, and maybe buy one if you find something you like! You can also follow them on Instagram @berry.beer!

Hope y'all found this useful!

Until next time, 

-R

*This bralette was kindly sent to me by Berry Beer. All opinions are my own. 


Share this PostPin ThisShare on TumblrShare on Google PlusEmail This

4 comments:

  1. Wow, this bralette is super cute! I wish I could wear them, haha x

    www.insearchofsheila.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They are, aren't they! You should totally check them out!

      Delete
  2. What a pretty bra, I love delicate lace.
    xoxo
    Ramona

    http://ramona-strikeapose.blogspot.ie

    ReplyDelete