This bra is fits my close-set, projected, very full-on-top breasts well. It gives a nice rounded, front-and-center shape with great lift.
The straps are a little wide, so they cut in a bit, but I have that problem in every bra I've tried so far, as I have large breasts and fairly narrow shoulders. However, this can become quite painful by the end of the day.
I don't have any problems with the underwire poking me in the sternum or armpits like I do with some other Panache bras. The gore is fairly narrow, but not narrow enough, as I have almost no room between my breasts. The wires are quite firm, and can be rather unforgiving in this respect.
The band is pretty firm, but not unusually so. My ribcage is 33" snug or 30.5 break-the-tape tight, and the 32 fits well. I am pretty squishy, and my breasts are pretty heavy, so I prefer a snug band.
Cleo Marcie gives me a super uplifted round shape. The bottom of the cups is a bit more shallow than for example on a Cleo Alexa. However the top of the cups is very roomy which is good for my full-on-top boobs. The cups do run quite generous since I need more like a 30K / 32JJ these days, the 32J still fits. I get some kind of in-cup-quadraboob which as far as I know is an issue that is quite common for this bra. In my case the slight in-cup-quadraboob is not visible under a t-shirt therefore I just ignore it. The band is quite firm but I ...guess it tends to stretch out quite fast. The band fits well on the loosest hook but when I wear it a second time (before washing) I need to move to the middle hook.
What I didn't like: The shoulder straps are too seperated and tend to cut into my arms. (However I have this problem with almost every bra) The edge of the straps feels razor-sharp when cutting in. (why it only gets a "meh" for comfort) The bra could be so much more supportive if the band was wider & it would have a 3 hook fastening! Dear Cleo, please consider adding 3 -hook fastening on your GG+ cups! So I really like the looks of this bra & the shape it gives me, but It won't become an everyday bra since I prefer wider bands + 3 hook fastening on my everyday bras. Read more 143 more words
I bought this bra because Bravissimo said it would appeal to people who liked the Alexa. I liked the Alexa. I wasn't sure about the crazy print on this one, but I decided it's like having party hats under my shirt and that's kind of fun, especially since the majority of my other bras are on the plain side. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but some bra diversity is good too.
When I got the bra out of the box, I could see that the band was not as long as the band on the Alexa. I wondered if there was a mislabeling ...incident and I'd been given a smaller bra by mistake. I couldn't even hook it at all. There were inches between the ends when I tried to put it on. I had to wear it with an extender. By the second time I wore it, the band had stretched to the point that the extender became unnecessary. I used to live in bras with too-tight bands, telling myself I'd lose weight and they'd fit. They never stretched out to the point that they'd be comfortable. This did. I actually worried that it might keep stretching to the point of being unwearable but that has not happened at all. A 34HH might have fit better, but I still have some weight to lose so I didn't want to exchange it.
The shape of the cups is not like the cups on the Alexa. I think the Zia is a little bit less round, with a slight pointy shape that is more pronounced at first but quickly softens up to become more round (but still never as round as the Alexa). I had a hard time keeping the straps up at first but that was probably due to the extender.
As with the Alexa, I haven't had any underwires poking under the arms. I had the same gap at the top of the cups at first that quickly filled in as my boobs settled. I have the same lack of quadboob, and I have the same lack of cleavage. This is not a bra to be worn with a boob shirt. I only wear it with t-shirts. Worth noting: Even though it has a little fancy frilly thing at the top of the cups, it is totally fine with t-shirts. That lays flat and does not show through, unlike the fancy frilly thing at the top of the cups on the Ewa Carmen, which I ended up cutting off because it was so stupid.
In short, it's second best after the Alexa in terms of fit. I think the print is far better looking, although it's not really the sort of thing I'd ever seek out. It's festive and doesn't look like the stereotypical bra for big boobs that your grandma would wear. Huge points for that. Read more 398 more words
This is my favorite bra of the moment, despite the fact that it isn't a plunge, nor is it perfectly round. It gives a pretty round shape. I can't wear it with a boob shirt, but it's good for wearing to work and such places as cleavage to the eyeballs aren't necessarily appropriate anyway. It has shorter underwires than the Cleo Lucy and I don't get stabbed, ever.
The one photo I have up at the moment shows slight quadboob, but there's actually none. I put this bra on and I have what seems like a lot of extra space at the top ...of the cups. A little bit of shifting and a few minutes of letting boobs settle and it's filled out, but not overflowing. I'm in the habit of doing a quick quadboob check at every bathroom break and I have yet to see any in this bra.
The first time I wore it, it was a bit stiff. This is the first bra I was really aware of breaking in. That extra little bit of fabric at the central gore, I thought was uncomfortable at first because I have a tummy, and I felt like the bra was getting pushed up by it. But after wearing it a couple times, the fabric loosened up and I haven't noticed it again.
The boobs are set a little wide apart for my liking but I need the band length so I haven't taken in the center. That'll happen for sure if my band size goes down again.
I have to say I'm not wild about the print. It's not so much the paisley as the colors. I love the bright pink. The rest is not my favorite thing ever. Okay, I think it's kind of ugly. But it's so comfortable and gives such a great shape, and is so reasonably priced, that I just live with it.
Great shape, great support, comfortable, affordable. That's all I really ask, so I love it even if it's fugly. Read more 246 more words
This is my current favourite bra - it ticks ALL the boxes for me. My boobs are quite close set, with a fairly narrow root and most balconettes tend to cut into my breast tissue at the gore - this one has a slightly lower gore and magically does not cut in! It's the perfect sweet spot between a plunge and a balconette for me - supportive, but low cut enough to be comfortable for me. I've also got very soft breast tissue and I think I'm fuller on the bottom, and this bra works really well for that, especially with the stretchy lace on top of the ...cup.
The wires are quite close set, and the straps set closer than a lot of other brands - both of which are frequent issues for me with other brands - this is why I generally like Cleo a lot. Alexis does fit a smidge tighter in the band than other Cleo bras - I usually find Cleo very loose (and prone to stretching), and need a 30 band (which is way too tight for me in Curvy Kate and Freya), but this one works well in a 32 as well. Read more 90 more words
I will post pictures when I have a chance, but for now.... This is my second Cleo bra and will most likely be my last. This bra introduces all sorts of issues that I've either never encountered before or never encountered to this extent. The first issue is the gore. It is both fairly tall and fairly wide. I do generally prefer wider and taller gores, and generally my issue is that they're too short. This bra has a combination of width and height that is too much for me however. My next issue is with the straps. For the first time ever, I have found a bra where the ...straps don't adjust long enough for me. As a result, the band rides up pretty substantially. Since the band rides up so much (and also due to the underwire setup which makes it hard to try the bra on backwards) I can't really evaluate the fit of the band. But it doesn't feel tight despite the fact that it isn't level, so it may be just a little bit big. The biggest issue however is with the cups. They underwires are quite tall and would probably poke me in the armpit if it weren't for the fact that the wires are so wide that they go all the way to the back of my ribcage (which makes armpit poking a nonissue). The fabric of the cup however does rub at my armpits because the wings are fairly tall. The cup itself has a little bit of gaping at the top on the left side and a lot on the right side in a neutral position. When I pull my shoulders back, the left side lays pretty flat while the right side still has a bit of gaping. It's really hard to say if this is due to a size or shape issue though simply because of how many issues I have with the shape. Read more 213 more words
It's probably a shape issue. Lucy and Kali are odd ones in our size. They only seem to work if you alter the gore, otherwise the gore is too wide and the cups are too wide and shallow. I (and many others) have had success with other Cleo cuts like Cleo Marcie Balconnet Bra (6831) and Cleo Lily. I wear mostly only Polish bras (narrow, deep cups, narrow gore) with the exception of the 3 Marcies and 2 Lilys I have. I like their fit and shape better than unpadded Ewa Michalak bras.
This bra fits fantastically. It provides a very forward projection, similar to the @panache jasmine - BUT, it is a more secure feel because there is no stretch lace. I am quite happy with this bra. I didn't know how I would feel about the print but it is gorgeous and it makes me feel very cute and youthful.
***Update*** This bra fit amazingly when first purchased. After I couple months, I noticed this bra and my other Lily were cutting into my shoulders SEVERELY - causing pain, chaffing, and extremely dry skin. I believe the straps were always too far apart. As ...the band stretched out, more of my weight was being supported by the straps. Causing them to feel like they were pretty much cutting my arms right off. I have always had permanent gouges in my shoulders from bras, but never was required to actually treat the affected skin with a healing ointment. I really loved the Lily at first and you can get them for a bargain off ebay BUT... the issues I had from the 3 - 6 month period of the bras cause me serious reticence. Read more 92 more words
This bra is so, so cute. The stock photos really don't show how red it actually is. I love the fun print. The band feels firm to me on the initial try on. It only has two hooks, so that was a change for me! The wire width seemed good for me, not too wide or tall. I love the shape that the bra gives me, very good lift! The strap placement was also very good - not as wide as some other balconette bras. Unfortunately, even before I scooped and swooped it became apparent that this bra is too small for me. Initially I tried it on before nursing my son, so I hoped there would be a chance after nursing it would fit better. Sadly even after nursing it was still too small, though a little better. Even loosening the straps couldn't completely eliminate the quad-boob. I hadn't read that it runs small, so I think I might just be more along the size of 32JJ and sadly this bra only goes to a J cup.
Really pretty bra, but had to return it because the 32J cup was just a bit too big for me, after earlier having tried a 34GG cup and ended up with quad boob across the top for too small of a cup. The top edge of the cup does seem loose enough to work for my full on top shape, and I just need to split the difference and try a 32HH next time.
With the cup being too big, the underwires came very far around my body to on my back, and also very high to poke at the back area of my underarm/back. The smaller size earlier didn't poke me, but was still fairly wide, so it seems like this bra would work well for wide-set shape and needing very high underwires but still not as covering up as a full coverage style.
12/2018 It's rare when I run into cups that are too large - but that probably means it's pretty true to size and consistent within Cleo sizing. I have this same bra in a 30H that's too tight in the band and 1-2 cup sizes too small (need a 32H/HH) and I have Cleo's Melissa, Zia, Meg, Darcy, two Lily's and a Juna in 32H that either fit or mostly-fit (could use 30J/32HH's). I understand and appreciate the younger aesthetic Cleo offers, but I think a wider band would provide better support over the long haul and minimize backfat than these measly 2 hooks.
I love this bra and at first I thought it might be the one for me, but sadly after wearing for a short while, it began to cause pain under my right breast. Not sure if the immediate projection is not quite enough....I didn't quite fill the top of the cups, but it was so close it wouldn't matter as it wasn't obvious under clothes. Such a shame, I feel like I'd need to try a cup size up but that doesn't exist (and might then be too big at the top anyway).
They sent me the wrong size so obviously it does not fit. I will update when I get the right size. Thought the measurement numbers would be useful though.
I had been waiting to try this bra for several months, and finally managed to get the room in my budget to give it a try. The colors of the bra are just so bright and cheerful, and the bra itself felt light and well-constructed. The material is nice and soft--I had worried a little bit about the lace being the scratchy kind of lace, because I have sensitive skin--and it felt nice to wear. I was also relieved that the wires are lower on the sides; my Marcie is my best-fitting bra, with the minor caveat that the underwires dig in under my arms ...after several hours. With the Skye, however, I didn't have that problem; the wires are lower, but still provide sturdy support from the side. The overall feel of the bra was very supportive and sturdy; I didn't feel any slippage or undue movement when I jumped around a little or bent over.
I ended up returning the bra, however, because the bra cut in too much across the top of my breast. On my bigger side, the yellow lace trim cut in juuuust enough to be noticeable, and it only became worse when I straightened my shoulders (and leaned over to test stability). I also had this problem with the 34HH - Cleo ยป Blake Balconnet Bra (9151), where the lace trim at the top doesn't have quite enough flexibility for me; with the Skye, however, I found that to be more noticeable and noticeable under a light top. While the Skye's lace trim had some give to it, it was apparently just firm enough not to work with my soft tissue, so I sent it back. Read more 183 more words
This is my second Cleo bra and will most likely be my last. This bra introduces all sorts of issues that I've either never encountered before or never encountered to this extent. The first issue is the gore. It is both fairly tall and fairly wide. I do generally prefer wider and taller gores, and generally my issue is that they're too short. This bra has a combination of width and height that is too much for me however. My next issue is with the straps. For the first time ever, I have found a bra where the straps don't adjust long enough for me. As a result, the band ...rides up pretty substantially. Since the band rides up so much (and also due to the underwire setup which makes it hard to try the bra on backwards) I can't really evaluate the fit of the band. But it doesn't feel tight despite the fact that it isn't level, so it may be just a little bit big. The biggest issue however is with the cups. They underwires are quite tall and would probably poke me in the armpit if it weren't for the fact that the wires are so wide that they go all the way to the back of my ribcage (which makes armpit poking a nonissue). The fabric of the cup however does rub at my armpits because the wings are fairly tall. The cup itself has a little bit of gaping at the top on the left side and a lot on the right side in a neutral position. When I pull my shoulders back, the left side lays pretty flat while the right side still has a bit of gaping. It's really hard to say if this is due to a size or shape issue though simply because of how many issues I have with the shape. Read more 201 more words
I love the fit if it would fit me. It has alot of potential, in the right size. I hope I can get my hands on a 32HH to see if it fits better. I love love the white polka dots, I love that little detail. The underewires are way too big it practically wraps around my torso. They also dig horribly into my armpits. But other than the fact the wires and cup are a tad too big. I love it.
My breasts are almsot even, a little bit FOT than bottom, center fullness. The Lucy fits me perfectly but the Marcie not so much, it was a bad fit as well. So the Meg was recommended as a good bra for even girls at my local store. It was a disaster for me. I just sunk into the bottoms of the cup and with a lot of gaping fabric at the top. As a result the gore dug into my sternum. The band was snug but not overtly tight. The straps don't adjust all the way, just half of the way up. 2 hooks in the back. Its a very attractive bra, thicker fabric than most Cleo bras. Sturdy and high quality material. It just didn't fit for me as an even girl and dug into my center fullness
This bra has the best uplift of any bra I've worn. Produces a very round shape. It pushes the girls up and out. Great for taking you out from side and pushing you forward. The big problem for me was there was a lot of gappy lace near the gore of the bra and can't fill out the top. Lots of loose fabric near the top. The bottom is filled in perfect. My nips also do this weird thing well they're pushed to the side of the cup at the bottom. That isn't their natural shape but the bra pushes them down and out to the side. The gore is also to high for my shape. It digs it very hard at the very top. The band isn't too tight or loose, comfortable. Wish this had worked because of the great uplift and perfect round shape. My shape is even, round wide root.
Lottie is sturdy with lots of projection. The wires about average width, maybe a bit on the narrow side. The printed non-lace part of the upper cup is almost velvety. The upper section does close off sharply and has no stretch at all. I have an almost ridiculous amount of upper fullness, so I had about 2 cups worth of quadboob just from being squished out of the upper cup. The lower cup gives a lot of lift. The band is a very soft silky material, not like the scratchy powermesh they used in Cleo Lucy Balconnet Bra (5851) and Cleo Marcie Balconnet Bra (6831) . I didn't wear it long as I am returning it, so I can't say how it holds up or adjusts with time. The structure was similar to Cleo Millie Balconnet Bra (7231) .
It's probably a shape issue. Lucy and Kali are odd ones in our size. They only seem to work if you alter the gore, otherwise the gore is too wide and the cups are too wide and shallow. I (and many others) have had success with other Cleo cuts like Cleo Marcie Balconnet Bra (6831) and Cleo Lily. I wear mostly only Polish bras (narrow, deep cups, narrow gore) with the exception of the 3 Marcies and 2 Lilys I have. I like their fit and shape better than unpadded Ewa Michalak bras.