It's July and that means it's sale season! Brands and shops are doing their best to clear out their spring stock to make room for the fall stuff. There are markdowns at 70%, 80%, and even 85% off -- it's truly like Christmas in the summer! Speaking of Christmas, I'll share a little bargain hunting tip with everyone. Don't waste your time on boxing day or boxing week, those aren't worth your time. Wait until January, that's the other time of the year when everyone's trying to push out their fall/winter merch to make room for the spring/summer stuff that starts trickling in in February.
Anyhow, I got this gorgeous Agent Provocateur set from Net-A-Porter instead of the AP website because it was a little cheaper. This set was at about a 70% markdown from the original price, which is crazy! The bra isn't sized by band/cup but by the AP sizing method 1-5. I got a 3 in the bra and the brief (because that's all that was left) and crossed my fingers that the bra would fit. Ideally, I'd order a 4 but it was so beautiful and I just couldn't pass up the deal.
I got it in the mail today and it's so lovely in person. The leavers lace is so delicate and lovely that I had to be very careful putting it on! I read some reviews of the set on Instagram after my purchase and I saw that people were upset with the bra because it was difficult to put on, which caused a bit of fear because the set was already on its way! But I found that it wasn't too difficult for me, which was a relief. The only annoying thing is that there's a little button at the back of the collar which can be tricky to do up on your own. I managed to do it but it took a bit of time.
The bra fits better than I expected! The wires encase all of my breast tissue but I think it's still a bit too small. The lace is tight across my chest and sort of acts as a minimizer (which I don't really mind honestly) but it does seem to fit well enough that I'm not worried about it ripping during wear. One other thing is that the lace is very sheer and since it's not a proper bra, just wires, it doesn't provide all that much support. Again, this isn't that big of a deal for me, but I know a lot of folks prefer having more coverage and support from their underpinnings.
The briefs fit perfectly! I love how they have the garters attached to them and how it almost looks like a suspender belt attached to the brief. I love suspenders and I always try to get three-piece sets when I can. The garters are metal and hold up the stockings well without them moving around.
This is my first AP set and what I've heard about AP is that their quality has declined and some sets are better quality than others. I didn't notice any outstanding issues with this set, everything looks neatly stitched and feels high quality. I did notice a loose thread escape one of the overlock stitches on the interior of the bra, but this isn't a major issue for me. However, it is something to look out for.
Overall, I'm very happy with my first impression of the set and I can't wait to wear it and shoot in it! I'll update when I wear it for an extended period of time and see how it holds up during washing.
What are your experiences with Agent Provocateur? Let me know in the comments!