Disclosure: I bought both pieces with my own money. Links with a * are affiliate links.
I remember coming across the Nova bra as kind of a love-at-first-sight experience. It popped up in various Instagram feeds and I was immediately intrigued by its design. At that time, the red colourway was already selling out quite fast but I managed to get the bra and brief from different retailers. On Bluebella’s website, you can currently find the Nova range in black*, white* and leopard*.
Appearance
Both pieces are entirely warm, dark red in colour. The hardware is gold-toned and fits in well with the design. The set strikes me as an elegant and classy boudoir set, without pushing the ‘sexy look’ too far. Due to the floral embellishments, the ensemble looks light, romantic and airy, and I am in love with the warm red tone.
However, I would prefer the front of the brief to look more like the thong they offer in this range* – the mesh just does not quite fit in the design and disturbs the overall impression a little bit.
Verdict: 8 / 10
Construction
The cup of the bra is formed by three elastic bands, all connected by a larger, non-elastic floral piece in the middle which is designed to cover the nipple. Another small elastic band connects the cups just below the gore; the gore itself is decorated by a brooch-like embellishment. Three thin elastic bands form the front of the shoulder straps and the underband consists of fine mesh.
The brief is closed in the front and shows the same floral embellishment as the bra, this time on red mesh. Red elastic straps form the back of the brief and create a caged look. The gusset is cotton lined.
The transition from the front to the back of the brief is not sewn particularly well and has an unfinished look. Overall, the stitching is okay as far as I can tell, but there are a few loose threads on the bra fastening as well on the (otherwise quite sturdy) floral embellishment.
Verdict: 6 / 10
Fit
The first bra I ordered was in a size 32B, which was too small in the cups (I wear a 32B/32C usually, depending on the brand). Additionally, I found the underband to be quite loose, so I decided to order a 30D next.
The underband sits well now, however I am not really content with the fit of the cups. I do not have particularly saggy breast tissue; however, I can’t defeat gravity and the result is some spilling on the lower halves of the cups. It needs a lot of adjusting to prevent the bulging for the most part, and to place the embellishment over the nipple. Even though the bra is still comfortable to wear, there is no way for me to get away with wearing it under a T-shirt as the shape is quite funny to look at. I did not expect much support as it is clearly not designed for that, but the underwire still lifts the breast a little.
I ordered the brief in UK size 8 after reading the thong would come up quite big, but I think the brief is true to size. If I were to order again, I would go for a UK size 10 just for comfort, but the 8 fits quite well due to its elasticity – I even wore it to sleep.
Verdict: 5 / 10
Durability
I have owned the set for quite a while now, and it has held up well to hand-washing it. There is a little fraying on the back and sides of the brief, as well on the bra-fastening, but I could not notice any change in colour. Contrary to my apprehensions, the set does not seem to be very fragile. Also, as I don’t wear it on a day-to-day-basis and have been careful with it so far, I assume it will last for a long time.
Verdict: 7 / 10
Value for Money
The Nova bra retails for £34 (~$45 / ~38€) on Bluebella’s website, the ouvert brief for £18 (~$24 / ~20€). There is a closed-back brief available, too, which also costs £18.
I bought the set because I wanted something beautiful to wear in the boudoir, and I do think it is excellent value for this price as well as being unique and classy – however, keep in mind that you probably can’t wear it under t-shirts, etc. This kind of floral structure is something I have not seen anywhere else so far and really makes the Nova range* stand out in my opinion.
Verdict: 8 / 10
What do you think about the Nova range? Would you buy lingerie to wear only to the boudoir, or do you prefer something more practical that you can wear whenever you want?