I can't believe I found a strapless plunge that stays up! This is my first try at a bra sized strapless bikini top. I measure at a 30 band but I wear a 30 or 32 for swimsuits since my squishy skin from weight loss creates a lot of rolls around the band. I usually don't wear strapless bikini tops as I spent a large portion of my life in the ocean every day and they tend to not stay on when there are waves. This summer I have been at the pool wearing all sorts of swimsuits (thanks to marilynne who has sent me ...so many bikini tops!) and I have five or six different strap lines. This usually wouldn't bother me but I have a couple weddings coming up with strapless dresses I need to wear. So I went on the hunt for a strapless plunge because I have no tissue separation and swimsuit gores normally cause me a lot of pain. I didn't want to spend a lot and needed to get it quickly and I found this on eBay for $22 in the US and it arrived in a few days. The cups are moulded but they are shaped well and made to stay up. There is some gapping when I move but never enough for anything to slip out. I included a photo bending over to show this. I jumped around in it, imitated various swim strokes, and laid in it, and it stayed in place the whole time. I have gone out in the sun wearing it but haven't tried it swimming since I got it to fix tan lines. It's a little too separated for me but that's common with plunges that I have tried. The cups are much too wide but I expected that with a strapless swimsuit. The attachable strap is too wide and goes into my armpits, but I won't be using it. I am pleasantly surprised with how well it fits considering how hard it is to make a strapless that is also a plunge. Read more 241 more words
I somehow read this, "I have a couple hundred weddings coming up.." LOL.
I was skimming "couple weddings," and "hunt for strapless..." lines at same time lols.
BraOdyssey I don't even have a hundred friends lol I cannot imagine going to so many weddings!
I thought it was quite a humblebrag, lol.
BraOdyssey yeah I just casually attend a couple hundred weddings a year lol
Wow, a strapless that works! Congrats!
margesimpson I cannot confirm if it works for swimming, but I practiced some breast strokes and butterfly strokes and did jumping jacks in my bedroom and it stayed in place. I'll consider it a strapless win!
That’s awesome! I didn’t think a strapless anything could work in bigger cup sizes lol
margesimpson I didn't either! I have not tried to find a regular strapless bra that would work for me because I don't think that will be an easy task and I don't have the mental energy. I just buy clothes that have straps lol
Excellent!m, looks great!! You could even use this as a strapless bra I'd say, if you ever needed one!
bubblegum that's an excellent idea, I didn't even think of that!
*Warning, long review: Ever since first seeing promo pics of this bikini, I've been drooling over it like crazy. I love the look of longlines!! However, longline bras normally don't tend to work on me, mostly because of bands flipping up. Furthermore there was hardly any review/measurement info available on Cassie. So I was a bit hesitant. Then Evadne wrote a review on it - around my size range - this was really helpful and made me want it even more..
Sadly this beautiful bikini was quite pricey, so I took some chances hunting down a cheaper one. Having learned it ran small in the band ...but large-ish in the cups, I thought I would need a 32FF (normally I'm 30GG but I have a bigger band / smaller cup-tolerance policy for bikinis). As this size was already sold out, I tried a 20% discounted top from Bellelingerie in 32F. However that turned out to be waaayyy too small - 2 sizes at least.
Everything else seemed either sold out or full price https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_sad.gif" alt=":(" /> But then - miraculously - a 35% discounted 32G turned up on Amazon!! With matching bottoms, similarly reduced in price! Divine intervention? So anyway I couldn't resist ordering the full set: top, brief and high waist brief https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_wink.gif" alt=";)" />
*add drumroll.....* This 32G works well on me and I'm REALLY pleased with it!!
Technically it's still slightly too small - some quadboob going on. But since Cassie is quite FoT friendly, it mostly looks cleavage-ey https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_wink.gif" alt=";)" /> Wires are perfect, they encase my tissue brilliantly. Surprisingly the band does not even flip up on me! (so far - walking around in it at home). However the band really is quite tight indeed; normally I mostly wear 30 bands but in this, sizing up to 32 was inevitable - and I would even consider a 34! Think this runs like a 30GG?
Slight point of (self)criticism, the chub on my tummy is not really flattered by the tight band. Pictures might look ok, but admittedly I didn't upload the least flattering ones. Still, the 32 feels extremely sturdy and not uncomfortable at all. Like something I could really splash around in! (*last time I went swimming in a Pour Moi bikini, I actually lost both my top & bottoms underwater, when diving off a 20ft / 6m diving board.. > embarrassing < So sturdy tops are VERY welcome https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_razz.gif" alt=":p" />*)
About the bottoms, I was unsure whether I would like the high- or lower waist ones better. Got both in size 14/L. Turns out, even considering the belly issues I just mentioned, the low rise bikini bottoms are my preferred choice! In a weird way, the high raise ones seem to accentuate my hip/stomach area? Apparently I can't pull off the real pin up look. So anyway, I'll be keeping the low ones and reselling the high waist ones (UK size 14 / L - running kind of tight in the waist).
All in all, recap: I don't mind the quadboob. Band is tight, but feels fine. Tummy chub I'll just have to get rid of https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_wink.gif" alt=";)" /> - or if not, I think I'm still ok with the way this bikini looks. Fabrics are great, thick and seem to have long-lasting potential. Print and colours are everything I hoped for and more. Very vibrant and cheerful https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" /> Wow, this bikini is SO pretty imo! Really lived up to my expectations. Love it <3
This looks amazing on you! The pattern is awesome and those high waisted bottoms rock.
It looks great! Lucky lucky indeed finding it discounted like that.
Thanks Happy2BraShop - but still think I can't do the high waist :/ I thought it would be slimming, but it's not? (could upload a bad picture)
And yeah very lucky indeed jlcl119 - guess me and Cassie were meant to be after all ;)
It looks so adorable on you! If it makes you feel any better, I find that high waist normally creates a bulge on me too. Somehow they always manage to hit at the worst place (or it's the elastic? I love high waisted pants and shorts when I can tuck my shirts, but for swim and panties it just isn't all that flattering on me.
Know what you mean, I do have some high waisted jeans that look great, but these briefs I'm just unsure about.
Edit: (and by no way do I mean to whine or overanalyze, as I'm extremely happy with this bikini (+ low briefs) as it is!!)
FWIW, I think the high waist are cute and look how they should :)
It looks great! You're making me wish I got one of the matching bottoms, haha. It's interesting how small it was coming up for you. I guess my short roots really impact the fit on me more than I would have thought.
I wore Cassie to the beach today and swam in the ocean. Unfortunately, because of how open it is on top, my boobs kept trying to float up and out of it. You might fare better, but if you do go swimming, double check your boobs before you get out of the water... just to be safe :p
:) Thanks again for your review which convinced me to buy it! Really interesting indeed to see how our fit issues varied.
Because the cups are snug on me it does feel very secure. But I'll certainly heed your advice when I take this for a swim!
Btw I would send you my high waist bottoms (shipping only) but guess the L would be big on you? (my hips & butt are quite pronounced).
My quest for full sized bikinis continues and it brought me into this Cleo Swim beauty! Fits very similarly to Maddie from Cleo, and one needs to size up! Despite being a size too small, this bikini looks gooooorgeous on!
Even though the cups are too small for you, it looks sexy and vibrant. I love low coverage cups, but they're hard to find. Did you get the matching bottoms? How did they fit?
learningaboutbras thank you! <3 Oh, no, I didn't, I like to wear tiny bottoms, Panache's panties are way too big for me ;)
Haha, myfashioninsider ! We have opposite tastes in panties then. I can't wear Cleo bottoms. For example, the Cleo Kali panties, which are fuller coverage than you want, would be too low-rise and slide off me. I wish most Cleo bra cups were lower coverage and their panties higher coverage. That's why I was so excited to see your review of Cleo Lexie and its low cups!
I agree, I wish more bikinis would utilize a metal clasp like Comexim instead of the plastic one! I had a bad experience with my 32HH - Curvy Kate » Pebble Moulded Bikini Top (CS6031) a couple of years ago -- the plastic clasp broke while I was in the ocean. Talk about embarrassing. That clasp was quite thin and flimsy compared to how your Cassie looks, so hopefully you won't have the misfortune I experienced!
I would be interested in your possible future post of mixing/matching bikini tops and bottoms! I just don't have an eye for that kind of thing (I am one to copy looks from mannequins or from other people I see online rather than create my own, haha), so it would be helpful to see how you mix them.
Thanks a lot for reviewing this!
I've been drooling over Cassie since before it came out.. Now you've made me want to go ahead and buy it ;) Can't really justify an extra bikini.. But it's so vibrant and pretty! Looks great on you btw.
Ahh, BumbleBean! That's a thing of nightmares! I'd be skeptical of every plastic clasp after something like that. Not cool. In that case, I think I'll have to write up the post as soon as I have a couple hours to kill. :D
bubblegum Thanks! It is pretty awesome! Glad I could be a bad influence ;)
I can't write a full review yet because I haven't worn this beauty in the water yet, but I'm going to include some other measurements for the body of the swimsuit, and relate that to my own body measurements so you can get an idea of how it fits. First of all, my own measurements are roughly 25" waist, 38.5" hips, and 5'2.5" height. I definitely have an hourglass figure. The body of this bathing suit is roughly 19.5" long, laid flat, from the top of the gore to the bottom of the crotch. The length of this suit fits me well in the torso. It is the ...smallest bit loose around my waist, and measures roughly 12" flat, however, the material is extremely stretchy. The hips fit me well, measuring roughly 14" flat across the top of the leg seams.
As for the bra fit, it's not bad! I got this suit at a discounted price on /r/braswap and I was unsure how it would fit since I also have the original Lucille bandeau top, and I have to wear that in 28G. However, this fits a little bit deeper and narrower, or at least feels like it, compared to Lucille. However, I wouldn't call these cups deep by any other comparison. They are still quite shallow, especially at the underwire. I have a fair amount of empty space at the bottom of the cups. The band is pretty stretchy, and if I feel like I need to after I actually go swimming in this, I may take the band in to make it feel more secure. The gore gives the illusion of tacking, but it's a soft tack, and I think the bottom of the "gore" floats. Speaking of which, I measured the gore height from the top of the gore straight down to the parallel of the lowest point of the underwire. Read more 208 more words
This is gorgeous! I’d need a 28G probably, given the measurements.
Calluna Unfortunately, the Cleo Swim line has been permanently discontinued, but Panache still has their swim line. And this Carmen swimsuit is kind of a one-off in terms of shape. It's basically a balconette with only one vertical seam, and I can't think of any other swimsuits that have used this same construction. There is a bit of empty space at the bottom of the cup, but at least it accommodates my top fullness well and doesn't have horrifically wide wires (unlike my Cleo Lucille balconette).
It may just take some extra searching to find Cleo Swim stuff, but it may be worth the search!
Thanks! I’m slightly shorter than you, but maybe heavier? But also even to fob, so I don’t know. But $25 USD is a pretty good price and potentially worth it despite the final sale.
Thank you for these great reviews! They all look amazing on you. :) I've been eyeing the Hattie myself, too bad that it's the shallow one of the bunch. :D
This is also wide and shallow, but it doesn't seem as bad from the side as the Britt did (trick of the pattern maybe?). The wire is also quite a bit closer to my IMF than the Britt was. A lot of what you're seeing under my breast is band and not actually the wire. The band is incredibly tight, it was really hard for me to ...fasten by myself, but once it was on it was comfortable. It doesn't feel too tight, just supportive. I assume it'll be looser when it's wet.
I really like the look of this top. Ideally I would like to size up to maybe a 30FF then bend the wires together, but that's not going to happen. I jumped, I bent, I shook, I ran, it doesn't move and neither do I (without straps) so it'll function appropriately at a water park. It's cute, and it was $11, so I think I'm going to keep it.
Update 7/31/15: I wanted to update after I used this and to comment on the bottoms.
The bottoms I got in a US size 6(S)/UK10. They're just as cute as the top and are moderate coverage and a bit more than I usually wear. I'd consider them on the lower end of midrise. I have the same issue with these as I do most bottoms of any sort. If they fit my backside, they're too loose at the waist. So, I get no cutting, and when dry they look great. When I get in the water, the waist band flutters at my abdomen. I don't think they'd come off, but a tall person could probably see some extra pelvic flesh if they were looking at the right angle. I'm going to see if I can do something about that since sizing down would probably give me quadbum.
So, the top and swimming. Awesome, the band loosened up in the water like I thought it might. So, despite the difficulty clasping it, 30 is the right choice for me. It's super secure and didn't move despite my throwing my kid around like a ragdoll and getting tossed by my husband in retaliation. After reading the reviews, I was on the watch for some fabric bleeding but I didn't see any. All in all it performed like a decent swimsuit should.
I'm $32 all in on this suit, and I'm pretty happy with it for the remainder of the summer. Read more 340 more words
This is really cute on you! It looks cut very similar to the Britt - you think it has more immediate projection? I think it's adorable. If I could find it that cheap I'd probably try it myself.
Thanks!
It measures the same, but I don't feel as smashed down. It's actually pretty deep at the seam, but as it goes up the side it's very shallow. It's weird! Each cup has got about .5" of width I don't need, so as soon as the band relaxes I'm doing some bending.
It's really cute and better than I had before. Plus it was cheap and it'll work until Ewa or Comexim has one I want :)
Great buy for $11, amazing! Looks really good on you.
Waterparks are the best, congratulations on finding a bikini that's up for it :)
Thanks bubblegum !
Coming out of a waterslide only to find your breasts achieved freedom from their cloth prison is not my idea of a good time.
I love this top. I feel pretty confident about it staying up without the removable halter strap attached, but it also adds a nice amount of support.
The cups are tall enough to not dig into my roots or create fit issues like some other bras do.
The back plastic clasp admittedly is somewhat hard to close on my own; maybe it's just me and maybe I'll get better with time. I definitely cannot fasten it behind my back like I do with normal bras, and unfortunately have had to gently twist it around after fastening on the ...front/side. It may be helpful to have help in putting it on!
The bandeau twist is very cute. This is a VERY cute top and I have no regrets in buying it! I'm waiting on the longline, that in theory I liked more, but who knows! I have certainly fallen in love with this one.
I feel pretty secure in the 30 band even though I prefer 28s (since this was discontinued, it was impossible to find in 28E so I had to settle for a 30DD!).
This bra (and something I noticed with the Lucille--I don't own the Lucille but I have one coming!) looks like it's sitting below the inframmary fold, as if it slid down due to lack of projection. HOWEVER, it is not! It just appears that way because of the extra fabric below the wire.
I will update after swimming with it! Read more 149 more words
Bought from a Reddit user. No price tag for me to know the official colorway name, but this is the red striped one with a heart clip in the center—an aesthetic that resonated with me so much, I broke my one-bra-only budget when she offered it to me at such a low price. (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و
This bra has confirmed a suspicion plaguing me for a while: that I am small and have no business being here pretending otherwise. I agree with others' assessments that this top is especially wide and shallow. Indeed, that might be the only reason something in 30F fit me. I'm tempted to think this means I'm ...actually shallow rather than projected, but I don't think that's the case since the bra just kind of wraps around my breasts without shaping much. I'm also not sure it's intentional for the cups to cover the entire vertical curve of my breasts. It's a bandeau so I'll say.....yyyes? Either way, it reminds me of that time when a photo studio's faux strapless top made me all skin and no shape like yikes. I didn't know back then, but I'm guessing I'm a victim of the short roots + long torso combo. Read more 92 more words
Padded bras are known to not work well for peple with projected shapes. I got a 28G Freya Deco padded bra just to try, and sure enough, i spill out the center and don't fill out the bottom. A bandeau bikini top isn't the best choice for judging shape or if you want something to fit and yu're new in the game - bandeaus are supposed to be self-supporting and therefore need a lot of vertical and sideways padding to do that. I saw you tried the Cleo Mimi as well - it looked like the breast tissue sank to the bottom the cups, which makes sense given the bra's shape and style.
I'd recommend you try some unlined, nonpadded bras from Panache/Cleo and Freya! The Cleo Marcie is a good starting point, and if you've measured yourself and used the calculator, go for the size the calculator suggests - Panache and Cleo bands are known for being True To Size/tight!! I'm measured to a 28FF and I wear 28 bands. If Panache sold 26 i wouldn't wear it cuz that would be way too tight.
Also, last but not least, do you scoop and swoop? The #1 thing with wearing bras correctly is making sure all your breast tissue is gathered into the cups :D
Long comment but hope this helps!
Ye I s&s. How much it can help increase volume is limited because I’m not pendulous and most of my tissue is already up front instead of under the armpits. It speaks for itself when a halfcup is so big it looks like full coverage on me, so I don’t make inferences based on the Mimi.
That's fair. It seems like the cup is pretty tall on this bra too, though it's hard to say for sure since noone's added cup height as a measurement. If you have short roots, go for Cleo Marcie, if you have tall roots, also go for Cleo Marcie, but you can try high apex styles such as Freya Soiree bras and maybe the Cleo Atlanta.
It is very tall, I think I measured a full 7 inches for that. Any natural contouring gets covered up when I wear this, hence “all skin, no shape.” I would ask if you’re still willing to sell me your Marcie, although it’s probably too big given what I know now. (Progress..?)
7miki It could be too big, but if you're measured as 30F then I'd hazard it fits. It was too small for me, and I have a Marcie in 30FF that fits, and i feel like this bra was just a little smaller than an average 30F Marcie. I'm going to remeasure when i have the time. Only way to find out is to try! You should try a Marcie regardless of where you get it from.
corvidsandtea After Mimi, I started fretting A LOT about whether or not I measured correctly and rechecked whenever I could. Minor variations from not holding the tape correctly etc might push me into 28E or 28FF but by far, the most consistent result from the ABTF calculator now is 28F (30E for comfort). Maybe if had softer tissue I'd be closer to 28FF, because the projection I get from leaning always disappears when I stand back up, even with hand-cupping.
So yeah, it'd have to be a pretty small 30F. Thankfully Marcie is such a famous name (one big reason I was so reluctant to turn you down) that I'm sure I'll find one eventually.
7miki No worries! Depending on where you're located, quite a few online stores still sell the Marcie in different sizes. I got most of mine from Brastop and Bravissimo.
The Cleo Lucille bikini top is quite pretty and pretty cute, but this is one of the tightest 28 bands I've ever tried on. It's troublesome to wear for that very reason: it's just too tight for me, and there's bikini clasps rather than bra clasps. The design and feel of the bra is overall pretty good though! The colors are well chosen and combined. The straps are adjustable, the cups are unlined and have firm elastic that will stretch around breast shape but not lose support. The cup shape sadly didn't fit me, it was too short and cut off on the top for my (presumably) even vertical fullness. This bra won't suit a FoT shape.
Loved the bra but I am just too projected for it https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_sad.gif" alt=":(" /> Also, straps for me are hard to fit well, so they were wide enough to go into my armpits and cause gaping at the top that wouldn't be there otherwise.
I got this for free here and thought I could make it work. I thought I would make alterations.. I won't. I need to give away this awesome swimsuit top! I love the summery look of this bra and it feels and looks like gray quality
I am shallow, slightly FOB/almost even, with tall roots and I get inner cup wrinkling and the top is too closed and cuts into my upper bust. This bra has pretty wide wires. The gore is too spacey for me at like an inch wide incl. wires. I'm definitely too shallow for this bra: I can't fill the apex of the cup so the extra fabric bunches up and looks like a pointy nipple. I'm not an expert but I think this bra requires more immediate projection than I have.
This is my first true-size swim bra, and as I anticipated the band is stretchier than regular Cleo bras but still solidly supportive and firmer than a typical Freya band.
In a nutshell, I would say this runs small in the cups.
I am currently a 28GG in Cleo's balcony bras (like marcie, etc.), this is after a recent weight loss that took me from 30GG. So, none of my bikini tops fit anymore (I have bikini tops in 30GG and 32G from Panache, Cleo, Fantasie and Freya). As such, I ordered this in a 30G. The band is about right. Fits tight and like a 30 on the tightest hook or a 28 on the loosest hook. The cups, however, are small and very closed on top. I would say it runs ...closer to a 30FF or a 28G.
I returned this back to Figleaves before measuring. I won't be reordering a 30GG. Turns out, I didn't love the pattern as much as I though that I would. Also, the quality of the top isn't nearly as good as say a Freya sweatheart bikini top. The straps were very thin and hard (IMPOSSIBLE) to adjust. The back fastener was hard to open. I didn't test it in the water, so I'm not sure about comfort while swimming or the feel of it when wet (some padded suits get heavy). Read more 103 more words
I was worried that this bra would cut into my tall roots and look bad, but it surprisingly does not. On close inspection, I guess there is a very minor bulge, but I consider it to be virtually nonexistent.
From other pictures I've seen, it looked like the underwires were sitting way below the IMF fold due to being very shallow in the bottom of the cup. However, this is just excess fabric on the bottom that makes it appear that way.
The band is very firm. I feel very confident in wearing this as a bandeau by taking off the removable straps. I feel it fits similarly to other Cleo 28Es, though I will also be soon receiving a 30E, so I will be able to compare them.
The bra has one vertical seam in each cup, towards the center, on the outside and inside. The outside seam is covered by the overlapping fabric where the chevrons complete.
That's my current concern - where the bra lands on the IMF and if I'm being supported properly. Where I feel the underwire feels so low under my IMF that I worry. I've also ordered two cups up because it felt a bit shallow.
How did the 30E fit?
dee8 The 30E fit about the same, just with a looser band. They had the same cup depth, so there must have been some kind of grading issue. It's been a while since I've tried the Lucille on, but mine fit my IMF. It is kind of shallow though, so I hope that it works out for you!
I have some issues with the wires being pushed together and sometimes overlapping at the gore, not when I first put it on, but after wearing it for a while. The wires don't tack to my ribcage, probably because of the bandless style, the cups' width, my too projected boobs, or the too loose band. It also creeps down my torso because of the same reasons, creating an air pocket at the bottom of the cup, and spillage over the top of the cup. These are all things that appear after some time of wear, and especially when I'm moving around a lot, something which tends to happen ...more when I'm in a swimsuit (I'm not the laying-on-the-beach-tanning sort). This is a bra that would work well on people who are already friends with the Lucy family of bras, a cut that I'm largely incompatible with, or at least need a smaller than usual band in, to make it stay up properly. (Yay for narrow, projected boobs stuck on a tapered ribcage! Sigh.)
And a note on the appearance: very nice colour combination; aquas, pinks and yellows in an abstract watercoloury floral pattern, looks good on tanned and pale skin alike. Solid aqua for straps and the clasp at the back. So sad this doesn't fit me because it goes so well with my homemade swim shorts. https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_sad.gif" alt=":(" /> Read more 125 more words
Perfect for shallow breasts. If you had luck with the Cleo Juna, Pippa, Maddie, and their related cuts, don't hesitate to try this one out. The band runs small and firm, so consider sizing up in the band if you're in between band sizes or prefer a looser fit.
If you ever want to sell this, please let me know!! I have fauned over it for months and haven't found one of the Jecca tops cheap enough for me to purchase on eBay yet!!
I first thought this one was too tight, but it actually fits well even though it needs a bit of wiggling into. Since it will stretch a bit when wet, a bigger size would not fit me then. It will stay up well even without the straps. A very cute bikini. I think the bottoms run a bit large; I got one size smaller than my usual one and it fits well.
I somehow read this, "I have a couple hundred weddings coming up.." LOL.
I was skimming "couple weddings," and "hunt for strapless..." lines at same time lols.