Gorteks Black Soft Balconette Bra in Sheer Floral Embroidery

A black balconette bra in sheer embroidery, without padding

This is a soft balconette bra from Gorteks. Soft means the cups are not padded or moulded. They are sewn from three pieces of semi-transparent embroidery with a small floral pattern, and they take the shape of the person wearing them.

The back is smooth knitted fabric with a slight gloss. Between the cups sits a bow with a zirconia. Sizes run from 65C to 100F.

At a glance

The piece: model 71430 by Gorteks

Gorteks files this bra under soft bras. The maker's description is short and specific. The cups are embroidery. Their outer sides are backed with tulle, which the maker says gathers the bust better. Vertical bones at the sides are there to stop the band from creasing.

The cut is a balconette: a fairly straight top edge and straps set wide. In the photos the top edge of each cup ends in a fine scalloped border.

The model in the photos wears matching black briefs. Those are a separate item and not part of this page.

Who it's for

For you if you prefer a bra without foam. An unpadded cup adds no volume and shows your own shape, and many women find it cooler to wear.

The size range is wide, from a 65 band to a 100 band and from B to H cups in the middle sizes. If you usually have trouble finding sheer bras beyond a D cup, this one is worth a look.

Closer look: maker's data and photos

• Cups in semi-transparent embroidery with a floral pattern (maker's data)
• Three-piece cups in a balconette style (maker's data)
• Tulle backing at the sides of the cups (maker's data)
• Vertical bones at the sides (maker's data)
• Back in smooth, slightly glossy knitted fabric (maker's data, photos)
• Bow with a zirconia between the cups (maker's data)
• Scalloped top edge on the cups (photos)

The description does not say whether the cups have underwires or how the back fastens. Ask us if you need to know and we will check with the supplier.

Fabric and feel: polyamide embroidery and a smooth back

The composition is 70% polyamide, 25% polyester and 5% spandex. Polyamide is the usual fibre for lingerie because it is fine and light, and the spandex gives the band its stretch.

The cups are see-through. The maker says semi-transparent, and the photos confirm that skin shows through the pattern. The back and wings are plain and smooth, so they lie flat under a fitted top.

Fit and sizing: EU band and cup

Sizes are European: the number is the band, the letter is the cup. Measure under the bust for the band. A measurement of 73 to 77 cm is a 75, and 78 to 82 cm is an 80.

Then measure around the fullest part of the chest. In the maker's table each cup letter covers 2 cm. For band 75 that means 89 to 91 cm for B, 91 to 93 cm for C and 93 to 95 cm for D. A soft cup has less structure than a moulded one, so if you are between two cups, the smaller one usually sits closer.

Band sizes: underbust (cm)

Source: the maker's size table. Cups go up in steps of 2 cm of chest measurement: in band 75, B is 89-91 cm, C is 91-93 cm and D is 93-95 cm. Three rows in the maker's table have typing errors, so ask us if you want the chest range for your exact size.

Styling: under clothes or a little on show

Under a T-shirt the embroidery may show as texture, so this is a bra for blouses, knits and anything with a little weight. The wide-set straps of a balconette suit square and boat necklines.

It also earns a place where a bra is allowed to be seen: under a sheer black blouse, or a blazer worn buttoned with nothing else beneath it.

Occasions

It is everyday lingerie with a dressed-up face. Wear it on a working day because you like knowing it is there, or keep it for an evening out. With matching briefs it also makes a gift, though you will want to be sure of the size.

Care: follow the label

The maker's data has no care instructions, so follow the label sewn into the bra. Embroidery on tulle in general does well with a hand wash or a laundry bag, and with the fastening closed so it cannot catch the cups.

The wow detail: three pieces per cup

A cup made of three pieces has two seams, and those seams do the shaping that foam does in a padded bra. Here the pieces are cut from patterned embroidery, so the seams almost disappear into the flowers. The small bow with its stone at the centre is the only place the bra asks for attention.

Lingerie that gives back

5% of each sale goes to a cause you choose. The causes are matched to 11 of the 17 SDGs, the global goals set by the United Nations, and you decide where your share goes.

Our promise

Ships from the maker's wholesale partner in Poland, inside the EU, with tracking. The wholesaler lists up to 3 days to prepare an order; within the EU delivery usually takes 2–7 business days after dispatch. Delivery is free within the EU on orders from €69; below that it costs €4.95 in the Netherlands and €6.95 elsewhere in the EU.

You have 14 days after delivery to ask for a return, as long as the bra is unworn and still has its tags. Our promise is plain: if what arrives does not match what this page says, send it back within 14 days and we refund you.

More bras, bodies and briefs are in our women's underwear collection.