Disclaimer: I purchased this lingerie with my own money and Miss Mandalay did not request a review.
Miss Mandalay is UK lingerie and swimwear brand that makes C-HH cup sizes and goes down to a 28 band size. I’d heard of the brand but never really checked them out properly until last year, when I spotted a Groupon deal for a £70 Miss Mandalay voucher for £20. And I can never resist a lingerie-related bargain!
Over the past year (ever since buying my Claudette Paramour set) I’ve really come to love underwired, non-padded bras after wearing padded ones almost exclusively since my teens, so I went for the non-padded Paige set in ivory (now sold out in this colourway) which is the brand’s best-selling bra shape.
Appearance
I bought this set because I loved the black/ivory contrast, and although it is described as ‘ivory’ it looks pretty white on the website but isn’t this bright in real life. I really love the black lace trim that’s on the cups and continues up the bra straps, and also edges the ruffles on the matching knickers. It’s a very simple design but a pretty one.
Verdict: 7 / 10
Construction
I don’t know where Miss Mandalay lingerie is made; their garment labels have ‘Miss Mandalay London’ on them but don’t state where the lingerie is actually made. However, wherever they’re made, the construction on both these pieces is flawless.
Verdict: 10 / 10
Fit
I’m a little late in writing this review as I bought the bra almost 4 months ago and it no longer fits, so I’m going on memory here! I bought a 30F and remember the bra fit being near-perfect in both the band and the cups. The bra is very supportive for DD+ and gives a great shape – I’m not surprised it’s a bestseller! The only reason I didn’t give the set 10 out of 10 is that the centre gore felt like it was digging in which left my skin there quite sore by the end of the day – possibly pregnancy-related tenderness but Lingerie Abstracts also mentioned the centre gore being ‘stabby’ in her review.
As far as the knickers go, I bought the extra-small which is equivalent to a UK size 8 according to Miss Mandalay’s size chart, and they’re a really great, comfortable fit.
Verdict: 9 / 10
Washability
Both the bra and knickers are hand-wash only. The great thing about the semi-sheer netting fabric is that it dries nice and quickly after washing! The bra and knickers both look great after a few washes, although I’d recommend using cold or cool water only so the ivory doesn’t get dyed grey over time from the black trims.
Verdict: 8 / 10
Value for Money
Thanks to the Groupon deal, I paid £20 for the set which would normally have cost £65. For £20, I would absolutely definitely recommend it. At £65 however it’s at the pricier end of the spectrum for an ‘everyday’ bra set and despite the great fit I’m just not sure it’s special enough that I would have paid so much for it. The Miss Mandalay Paige is actually very similar to the Claudette Dessous in terms of style, fit, quality and range of colour options available, and that costs a little less at £52 for a bra and brief set on ASOS. (My verdict below is based on the price I actually paid).
Verdict: 10 / 10
Would I recommend it?
If you don’t mind spending the £65, then yes I would. Centre gore aside, I can’t fault anything and it’s one of the most supportive bras I own. However, if you’re on a budget the Claudette Dessous offers pretty much the same thing for less. However…
Save £50 on Miss Mandalay until 2nd April!
Miss Mandalay’s Groupon deal is back! You can once again get a £70 voucher for just £20 here until April 2nd. I’ve bought one and am debating whether to get the Paige set in another colourway or try out their gorgeous Amelie set.
I’d love to hear from other people who’ve bought from Miss Mandalay. Were you impressed with the fit?
