This week, I’m suuuuuuper excited to share with you a bust-friendly tuxedo blazer from new British full-bust clothing brand Alice Fawke. Aside from having just about the coolest name ever, founder Alice has crafted a high-quality capsule collection of work-friendly, sophisticated pieces designed with the DD+ customer in mind, in sizes UK 8-16 (US 4-12).

I measure 38”-29”-43” with height 5’6” and bra size UK 28GG/30G. I’m reviewing size UK 12 (US 8/medium).

Alice Fawke clothing follows the same sizing scheme as other off-the-rack brands, only with an additional 1.5 sizes’ worth of bust room. The logic is that full-bust customers have to size up one to two sizes to fit into typical off-the-rack brands. So if you’re a UK 12 in the waist and hips, your AF pieces will have the bust room of UK 15.

I was lucky enough to be offered the chance to try the “Amanda” tuxedo jacket. Ever since seeing this style on one of the PR gals at Curve Expo a couple years ago, I’ve been on the hunt for one with narrow velvet or satin lapels. There are plenty of off-the-rack brands that make this style, but I really wanted a quality piece and one that actually fit, not just a cheap fast-fashion version.

Amanda 100% fits the bill—and actually exceeded my expectations! It’s made of 100% wool with 100% cotton velvet lapels and pocket edging, and soft viscose lining. Though wool might sound heavy in theory, this piece is no chunky sweater. It’s breathable and smooth and so luxe.

It was still in the low 80s (Fahrenheit) when the blazer arrived in my mailbox, but I couldn’t resist wearing it several days anyway. And now that it’s finally cooling down here in NY, I’ll be wearing it all fall. I styled it in three ways: One is my “boss bitch” look (which I wore to a fancy dinner with my business partner celebrating our company’s one-year anniversary!), one is casual, and one is corporate.

With “boss bitch,” I went with plain black skinny pants. Actual trousers would be better, but these black jeans did the trick. And with the longer blazer length, it hides the jeans pockets and keeps the look upscale.

For “casual,” I paired the blazer with plaid pants and flat shoes. I think the bright color is what makes it less formal, so I’d love to try the jacket with some of my other colored pants (black & white stripe, red, mustard yellow…).

How gorgeous is that midnight blue lining??

For “corporate,” of course I had to pair it with one of Darlene’s Campbell & Kate button-up shirts (in size 4M).

This is my back-of-the-book author photo.

Now let’s talk about fit. I was unsure whether to get a size 10 or 12. UK 12 is my usual size; however, I often find the waist a little big. But Alice recommended I stick with 12, and I’m glad she did. The waist is perfect, and the shoulders would have been too narrow in a size down. In fact, I found the shoulders in 12 just a wee bit snug.

As you can see, the blazer is cut very long, so shorter gals may have trouble with it. Again, I’m 5’6” with a long torso.

There’s loads of room for my bust. Technically, my 38” bust is actually a little smaller than the 100cm (39”) of the size chart’s 12, but that just means this blazer would fit ladies who are even bustier than me. If I wanted to shrink the bust space a little, I could move the button over a bit, but I’m happy with it as-is.

The waist nips in beautifully whether worn open or closed, but I especially like it closed since it highlights an hourglass shape. There’s a single button well below the bustline, about at the natural waist. I love how the bottom of the blazer below the button is curved instead of being cut at a right angle.

The bust room is created through clever seaming up the front, one seam leading into the armpit and one up to the shoulder, plus additional shaping through princess seams up the back. And can we talk about these functional pockets??? Would you believe I have my iPhone in the pocket in every photo you see here? Can you even guess which pocket it’s in? These deep, structured pockets can hold lots of stuff without looking bulky—beyond perfect for keeping my phone and business cards close at hand during networking events.

At £250, this blazer is the highest priced item that Alice Fawke offers. But I urge you to consider the usefulness of such a piece. It’s incredibly high quality, requires no additional tailoring expenses, and is such a sophisticated yet classic style that it’ll never go out of fashion. It will be part of my closet until I retire! And for tall busty women (like the 5’11” Alice Fawke model), a jacket like this is probably a once-in-a-lifetime find.

I’m perpetually in search of a bargain, but knowing the quality and fit, I honestly would save up and buy this jacket at full price if I hadn’t been gifted it for review. And for those who need a more traditional blazer, Alice Fawke also offers a solid jacket for £200 in a dark blue tweed (with red lining!). I only hope Alice is able to offer a shorter version in a future season for the more petite among us.