Review: Rosa Faia Marinera Bikini

Ah big boobs. Aren't they wonderful? Well, when they're not painfully crippling your back, when you're not running, and when you're not laying on your front. But aside from that, they're pretty awesome.

As you may or may not have noticed, I upped anchor and headed over to the Greek island of Kos for a week without work or the stresses of everyday life. It was beautiful, and a wonderful spur of the moment treat. So when it was all booked, a mere three weeks before jetting off, I needed to get a bikini. Now. On a budget. In a 32E. And herein lays the problem.

Anyone who has a small back and bigger-than-a-B-cup boobs will realise the issues this brings. New Look, Topshop and Dotty P stock gorgeous lines in all manner of tribal, leopard, and vintage prints. But there's no point buying a standard two piece set, because either the bottoms will be too big and the top just right, or vice versa. String bikinis provide no coverage (unless you start getting into size 16s, and as a size 8, it's just not comfortable).

Freya has been my saving grace in the form of an oriental style bikini perfect for swimming, but terrible for sunbathing, as was a flimsy little number from Tu at Sainsbury's that I managed to pick up for £6, and which I paired with a black pair of bottoms. But these were just make-do bits of cloth really, and even though most of the people around the pool were topless, I felt a little bit self conscious with my make do and match efforts.

A week after I got home, and lamenting the lack of bikinis out there, I received a package from Anita's Rosa Faia range with a gorgeous sample called Suzy from the Marinera line  inside. So, how did it compare to my tried and tested Freya and the Saino's string offering?

Look

The bikini looks huge. HUGE. When I first saw it I thought I'd never fit into that and was convinced I wouldn't look good i it at all. The cups were well padded though, and the gingham pattern was so pretty. I'm sure this is what Dorothy would wear after her jaunt in Oz. The model image on the website makes the bikini look gorgeous, more of a bandeau style in the cup than a traditional bra, which is a massive plus.

Touch

Its soft as silk. So comfy against the skin, and with no annoying scratchy labels to boot. You can tell the designers have gone for comfort as a priority but still managed to cram in bags of style. I tested the bikini in water and, with the way the cups are padded and the material used, it doesn't get heavy at all. No more soaking wet towels!

Fit

The bottoms, a size eight, fit perfectly. Even better, they cling to my bum without being too tight and giving my muffin top a squeeze which is exactly what my Freya bottoms do sadly, and why I always feel self conscious in them. No such issues with Suzy. The top is a shade on the big size in the E cup, so I'd probably feel more comfy with a cup down rather than the 32E. Saying that, the back is true to size and didn't pinch. I actually love how I looked in this two set - it's a gorgeous shape and so very flattering.

Alas, my holiday is now long since over, but keep an eye out for this gorgeous bikini making an appearance in my travels over the next few months. With the level of design and comfort that's gone into it, this easily blows Freya and the cheapy string bikini out of the water (no pun intended). It's definitely going in the backpack ready for the next adventure.

Rosa Faia Marinera can be bought online for £86.