When I clocked this style back in August at the Moda trade show, it’s not one that immediately rocked my socks. Sure, it’s hella pretty, with a gorgeous ‘floriental’ print, but with all the bright colours and kitsch prints that go hand in hand with Freya’s Spring Summer collection, the Babes in The Wood range was a little lost amongst the noise.
It wasn’t until I spied it again in my local Debenhams (the fuller bust section of which, by the way, has come on leaps and bounds since its recent refurbishment) that I picked it up again, and not only because it was sitting there waiting for me in a 30FF (can’t remember the last time I picked up a bra in my size in a store outside of London) that I tried it on and truly fell in love.
In an impressive size range of 28-38 D-K and a choice of three different briefs, this is a beauty that can be enjoyed by most readers! Long-time readers may know, that now over a year ago (sob, sob!) I visited one of the countries in the World that I was most desperate to go to: Japan. Since I went in April/May for three weeks, I was there for the entire duration of the glorious cherry blossom season. The ‘Babes in the Wood’ print really takes me back to my trip, and for that reason I couldn’t help but fall hook, line and sinker. The colour scheme is unusual, with cream, peachy orange, navy and green being key shades that work perfectly together – but not in an expected way.
It’s definitely the kind of print and colour scheme I saw in the museums of Japanese art in Kyoto, and reminds me of the kimonos the Japanese ladies wore during the hanami parties and crossing the beautiful Japanese temples. If you’ve ever seen a hillside covered in cherry blossom you’ll probably know what I mean when I say it looks like this print! So, ‘Babes in the Wood’ is a garment which seamlessly combines two loves of my life – lingerie and Japan. What’s not to love? Well, it does feel extremely full cup, so despite being based on the classic Freya balcony shape, for some reason it feels like a lot of fabric covering you. Not necessarily a bad thing for everyday wear, and it’s certainly not mumsy or frumpy with the pretty scalloped lace, but it’s not really something you’d team with a low-cut top or an LBD on a Friday night. It’s sexy in its own way, though – it’s elegant, pretty and the shape is pretty fantastic.
The shape is what you’d expect from a great Freya bra: uplifted, rounded and perfectly proportioned. It’s not ‘Deco’ roundness like you’d expect from a moulded or t-shirt bra, but a great natural shape – ‘your boobs, but better’. Cleavage isn’t really on the cards when you’ve got wide-set boobs like me, but for the workplace and for under most clothing, this is exactly what I go for. The band is wonderfully firm and the cups fit band on in my ‘usual’ 30FF. If you have a ‘usual’ Freya balcony bra size, I’d go for that in ‘Babes in the Wood’. Alongside all of these great attributes, you’ve also got the stunning strap detail, where the prettiness of the print is extended onto the straps – which are fully adjustable, by the way. So if you’re a fan of Freya bras for fit and comfort, and you’re in the market for something pretty and a little more grown up than a bow or flamingo print, I’d make a beeline for ‘Babes in the Wood’. Love it!
