This bra comes from VioletIridescence and is one of the bras I have been super curious about over the last year and a half. I considered getting a 30E from eBay once when I was smaller.
This is definitely an interesting style. It’s pretty old and among the only seamed half cups from Cleo that I’ve ever seen. It’s also from the era which has male names for the styles. I’m sure there’s a good reason why they have bras named Harry and George.
I was a little worried about it being too small in the band because it is a 28 instead of a 30, but it ...looked like it was at the lower edge of my stretched band comfort zone. It simultaneously fits and does not fit. I don’t think I have any problem with the actual band tension, but it’s quite a bit of pressure on my sternum as a result. I’m not sure if it’s a painful gore simply because it’s a bit tight in the band, too tall of a gore, or if it’s the trademark hard Panache/Cleo wires. It’s likely a bit of everything.
The cups of this one are too tall for me by a half inch or so, I think. My roots are functionally short because I have softer, deflated upper tissue. It’s not gaping a ton, though it is more noticeable on my small side. One thing that I have noticed is that I am sort of flattened in the middle near the gore. Is this a sign that it’s not deep enough for my center full tissue at the gore? I’m also getting a bit of a compressed look from the side, though I’m honestly not mad about that. It’s a good thing under specific tops, I think. Sometimes you don’t want to be looking like a bra tent. Wires are pretty good. Maybe a touch wide, but within my comfort level. Cup depth seems optimal so I don’t think it would fit better in a size down. It’s a tiny bit shallow on me which might be the 28 band. It’s still pretty projected at the wire, I think.
The aesthetics of this bra are stunning! I’m not usually a fan of white bras, but it’s got some pretty buttercup yellow and powder blue embroidery and the straps have a nice split detail on the straps. The half cup shape is really beautiful! I just adore how it looks.
Sadly, I don’t think it is right for me. I think I might have to take a break from Panache/Cleo as I am just not feeling well with the hard wires anymore. Not sure if it’s just summer or what, but I just don’t think I can tolerate it. I don’t think my measurements have changed but I’m due to remeasure.
I’m going to pass this set on, I think. I am just too sensitive for it right now. Read more 384 more words
What a sweet pattern! So delicate and charming! Too bad it's not working for you right now. I want to say also, I love your curls!
Pinniped thanks! It’s a really sweet pattern on the bra and my loose curls add a bit of a romantic look. But I actually cut like 3-4” off last Saturday and it’s quite a bit shorter now. Very summery and light and fun, but my curls do tend to form the longer my hair is, so it’s not quite as curly now, but is still wavy with just enough length for the ends to helix spiral (except for random straight bits where the curls begin lower down). And with the length off, my waves start higher than before.
Weather app lied and it was hotter outside than I expected, so I was pretty hot when I got home from the salon. I got undressed to change to something lighter and I caught my reflection in the mirror with the sun on my hair with my Ingrid on and it was great, so I snapped a picture. Naturally, I’ve covered my face since I am in my bra here. Here’s what it was like when I got home. Bear in mind it’s almost always breezy here so it’s easily tousled.
Lovely waves, so pretty in the sunlight! I had a hairdressing catastrophe back in February. 😩 It'll be probably another six months before my hair is back to the length I want, but at least I'm getting some good curls back now. (I like how you color-coordinated your face with the wall, haha!)
I hear you. Curly cuts can be traumatizing. I d wager it’s harder for wavy hair than curly and straight hair since we have our own drum beat. But, I’m very fortunate to have finally found a good stylist. This was my second hair cut with her. The first was quite conservative as she had not played with my hair before and was learning about it. This time, I consulted with her at least 3 times before cutting it this short. She said I was brave to do something shorter like this (because she loves my hair...lots of people love it long). She was really excited to see it short, she was practically squeeing. I was in a bit of shock, naturally. I’ve washed it once so far, and it’s a learning curve about how to preserve overnight, as I’m afraid that a pineapple might stretch out the bottom layers that are spiralling some. I have a puff cuff coming in and I was told to look into buffs. It’s feeling super light and summery for sure.
I always liked this bra too, but could never find an old one in my size. It's pretty, so it's too bad it didn't work out for you.
Wilderness1 If you are interested in it, I would be happy to trade with you. You can handle the tighter band better than me, and I think you might have a little more upper fullness than I do. Cups might still be a tad too tall, but I suspect that it might fit you better than me.
Calluna thanks for the offer, but I just lost a few pounds and now my boobs are quite a bit smaller. It would be too big for me for sure!
I got this bra in a swap for my Jasmine. It’s a decent fit, but a bit too snug in the band. It’s also really pressing on my sternum even though I have an extender on it. Hard Cleo/Panache wires.
The design is a bit weird with the polka dot cups and rose/floral print on the lace. The previous owner snipped the elastic strip to make it more fot friendly. I have no problem with that. It’s maybe a teensy but loose in top, and would likely have dug into my soft tissue had it been there.
The material the cups are made from is soft and smooth and kind of thick feeling. I feel like something is restricting the band from stretching more.
It’s not a bad fit, but it’s not my favourite bra or fit so I’m probably going to list it. I have to measure it first.
I wrote a massive, and I do mean massive, review last night for this bra. I knew that my phone was low on battery power, so I plugged it into the backup battery I had. Little did I know that the backup battery was also low on juice, and I was nearly done with my review and my phone died. I was so engrossed with finishing the review, that I didn’t see the battery power begin declining once the backup was done. And everything was lost, as I had been typing in the site as I always do, but hadn’t thought about copying the text at “save points” ...in case something happened. So here I am again, trying to see what I can recall from last night.
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Warning: this is going to be long. Like really really really long. For the tldr, skip way to the bottom. Like WAAAY to the bottom. Sorry...
This review begins with teenage Calluna, in the early 90s, shopping for bras at Victoria’s Secret with my bestie, as you did. I think that this may very well have been the peak, or start of the peak when VS was really popular with teenage girls. Like any and all 5’ tall 100 lb girls, I was put into a 34A/B (*snort* because you all know it is true). I remember having this beautiful white eyelet bra, one of my first underwire bras. I don’t know why I remember that one, but I do. I think that my friend might have also had the same, or she had really liked it. Anyway, I’d often complain about the straps slipping from my shoulders and would be told it was because I was so petite. Later I would be remeasured and told that I was a 32 band. Think that I listened? Ha ha, you’re right, I didn’t. I think that for me, the idea of a 34A/B seemed hugely normal for someone like me that was hugely abnormal in my eyes. I have a lazy eye for a start, and at the time, I’d already had 2 surgeries as a kid and my muscles grew and my eye would go out again. As mentioned, I was tiny. I still am tiny. And I look young. Nobody believes that I’m 44. I have size 4.5 feet that come with their own set of problems, my ears were huge and stuck out so much that my parents opted for me to have surgery, and I was very smart in class (except for math). Socially, a bit awkward too. I was so very abnormal on so many levels, that fitting what seemed to be a normal size was a comfort, so being told that I was not what I thought in my mind was normal went in and out of my ears so fast. At the time, I had very little knowledge about bras or even the social myths and misconceptions or anything about size.
I do recall that sometime after high school, I would submit and accept my 32 fate, and would you know it, my straps felt better and slipped less. I was still tightening them a lot.
At one point, I went on the pill, and every underwire bra irritated the crap out of me, and I lived in that kind of pullover lounge bra that had the wide elastic band at the bottom and was ribbed like a tank top on top. It was also VS. I eventually realized that I it looked crap under clothes and I was starting my first office job that was business casual and so I found some wireless bras that worked. I can’t recall if this is when I adopted the 32 bands or if it was pre pill, but that’s not important.
One day I realized that my 32C Chantelle wireless bra was not fitting anymore. I consulted with my best friend (different one from high school) because frankly, she has a much larger chest than I do, and we’re super close and have no TMI issues. I mean, we met in the IUD Divas group on live journal and discussed our insertions which were both the same day. So yeah, discussing the plastic T in your uterus is pretty open and revealing. She gave me so many resources. I learned about Fig Leaves, Bare Necessities, and Bravissimo, along with the basics of bra fitting via the sites and her. I ordered the first round of bras, took pics with my phone and emailed, and she suggested I try one size higher...32DD. That seemed to work, and I had two Fantastie bras and a Panache Tango Plunge which I ended up getting in a 32E. I actually have the two bras from Fantasie still, and I even have one in my bras here (Rimini), but mostly because I wanted to add data. I have not worn them a decade, but have put them on over the years as my weight has shifted and affected my size...I used them to gage size. I later got a Freya Pollyanna which I liked even more. I still have that too, and I used it for data here as well when I first started. I got rid of the Panache plunge, because gorgeous as it was being a Bravissimo exclusive colourway option, it was a love hate relationship. It took a while to readjust to wearing underwire...I weaned slowly. The Fantasie bras were more comfortable than the department store ones.
And thus began my long affair with 32DD and feeling like I was more educated on bras than the average person. At one point, I tried a t shirt bra at Gap Body after resisting them (I don’t remember why), and realized I was getting a nice shape, and while I still wore my Fantasies and Freya, I was beginning to realize that I had a bit of a pointy shape.
I started to wear molded cups, even with a few size fluctuations. I was now in Canada and La Senza was my go to, and once I sized out of the Cotton ones, I switched to the So Free Lightly Lined Balconette. I’ve had soo many of them over the last several years. At some point around 2014/2015, I am trying bras at the newly discovered specialist shop and told on more than one occasion that I should be wearing 30s, but of course you know that I resisted. Right? https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_wink.gif" alt=";)" /> I’d admitted that the 32s from La Senza were feeling a bit loose and stretched out fast, but 30s felt too tight and I didn’t want to use any extenders.
Flash forward to two years ago...October 2016. It’s our 20th wedding anniversary, and we’re headed to England. Our honeymoon was there, and it seemed only natural to go back for this. And you all know what this meant. BRAVISSIMO!!! My plan was to visit as many as I could. Screw the rest of the vacation, I wanted to go to Bra Mecca on pilgrimage.
Side note:
Dear Apple,
Thanks for putting your stores close to Bravissimo stores so that hubby can be babysat while I try bras. Lol!
Grateful, Calluna
Anyway, I got to TWO different Bravissimo stores...Birmingham and Oxford Street (?) and had tried to get to more. At the Birmingham shop, I went in hoping to try a Freya Patsy Half Cup. Asked for a 32DD. Tried it and it was huge. Like, it was just ginormous! Everywhere. Seriously. Band and cups. I tried a 30E and 30DD...the former was gapping a bit, but the latter was too small. I wanted it so much but I was not having luck with the fit.
After trying on different bras and then explaining what I liked about the one I was wearing, I was brought a 30E Lepel Lilly. She had said that it was a stretchier band and people were sizing down which was why the 30E sister size. I really liked it...the shape was good, and I absolutely loved the bird print. I’m also a sucker for navy blue. The strap had a weird thing about it but it was discounted as a result, so then I called my hubby to come meet me to buy the set for me. Matching briefs, oh yeah! I was ecstatic and over the moon! For whatever reason, the 30 bands felt fine at this point. Maybe because they ran big? The Lilly was a little bit tight, but I was able to manage.
Later in the trip, at the other store, they had no 32DDs in anything I wanted, but as I was just scouting out sizes and fits of the bras and clothes for potential web orders back home, I opted to try a few 32Es. At first I thought that they were too large. And then I was reminded to swoop and scoop from the fitter, which I had not done in ages! Surprise! The 32Es fit. Well sorta. I had some shape issues going on (I’m looking at you Envy and Jasmine!) but this is when I fell in love with Marcie. Only I was pretty broke upon returning home after such an expensive trip, and I never had a chance to get it...I was relegated to only buying the La Senza ones on major clearance. But Marcie would pop in my head periodically.
I bet you are all wondering where this is all leading, but it is leading somewhere, I promise. I swear.
Flash forward to the beginning of the year, maaaaybe the tippy toe end of last year. I co-admin a group on Facebook thats focus is wavy hair (we’re the hair type that no one knows how to handle because it’s not straight, exhibits elements of curly hair, but isn’t inherently curly either). We often allow the occasional off topic post and someone was asking about bras and that opened up the rabbit hole and so many people commented. I think that she was looking for places to buy and suggestions. I think that it had 200-300 comments. Now at this point, I’ve been in 32DD mostly, and feeling like I was pretty educated on bras and sizes and fits. Only a bunch of really smart and intelligent ladies piped up and brought up things like A Bra That Fits, this site, Polish bras (say whaat?), breast shape, and so on. Suddenly, I felt very very dumb about bras and boobs.
After reading a ton of the links and guides and getting totally lost and confused even further from figuring out my breasts, lcl0706 came to my rescue. She helped me out and was soooooo instrumental in my learning and understanding what my breast shape was and what the characteristics were, as well as what I needed to look for in a bra that would fit. I’m hugely grateful for all her help answering my questions, often more than once. We determined that we were actually pretty close in size and shape, so that when she sold her crimson Ellace, she offered it to me first. In trying to figure out whether or not it would fit, she told me to get my best fitting bra and she taught me how to measure that bra over Facebook messenger as she was measuring the Ellace. We determined that it would probably fit and that it might be a little small so she included an extender. Anyway, along the way, she was suggesting that I try Polish bras because they had been her best fit. If I wanted basketball boobs and a molded cup, I really needed to go Polish to obtain the depth at the wire that I needed. What did I do? Naturally, as has been shown is my nature over decades, I was resistant! To be fair, it was a lot of unknowns on my end, and ordering cheap UK bras from Amazon was hitting the right buttons at the time, but spoiler alert: she was totally right about Ewas and Comexim being best for me. But in the meantime, I was working with the UK brands because they were more accessible to me, and less mysterious and unknown. Among one of the many discussions, she had said that the ones that fit her best (aside from Polish) was Curvy Kate Ellace and a few Cleos. She’d said that Cleo Lily was amazing and although it is discontinued, should I ever find it somewhere in my size, that I should snap it up, because it’s become one of the mythical unicorn bras. She thought it would give me a great shape and lift and so on the way it did for her. It’s everything that I needed and was looking for. I saw the reviews on her blog and I just about died when I saw the parrot print. I swooned! Well, try as I might, I could not find my size anywhere. I checked eBay regularly. At one point I found a 32E parrot print on braswap for a good price, but the band was super stretched out to over 32” iirc. So I passed on it with hopes of finding one a bit closer to my size. Nope nopity nope. I waited and watched and searched and mythical unicorn bra was indeed mythical unicorn bra.
Then I spotted this one, right here in the listings, for $3. Wait...what? What? Really? Now this was at the time when I was starting to fit my Marcie better from weight gain and although it was the same size, it was a smaller cup depth (9.4 vs 9.8), and I worried about it not fitting. I wavered back and forth on it but decided to go for it, with the hopes that maybe I could at least wear it for low tide...but I was still super concerned with it likely not fitting in high tide. I knew that I had to at least try it, and if it was not going to fit, I would not be out a lot of money. And thus, my first package from Norway was sent.
Fun fact: my aunt sent me my grandma’s cameo brooch on November 5th from Texas, and this was sent out from Norway a week later on the 12th, yet I received both the same day. 🤔
I was super happy to see it. Not only did it have a super adorable small glass jar of Formosa Dong Ting oolong tea, a favourite of hers, but the bubble gum ice cream blue and cotton candy pink brightened my day as it was cold, grey, and rainy, and the bra was like a ray of sunshine. You can see the little jar of tea in one of the pics. It smells so amazing, and I am going to have some soon...
Now we can get to the proper review...
My shape tends to be narrowish and tallish roots, though they are vertically shallow or deflated and therefore are functionally short. My tissue is soft and malleable, pendulous, center full and close set, and even to fob vertical fullness. I’m still learning about my shape and suspect that it’s slightly changed from the beginning of the year.
The shape of this bra is amazing. So round! The band feels great on the loosest hooks*, and the cup height is great on my shorter roots. I spill a little at the center, but that’s pretty consistent with my bras in general right now. The material is soft and light and although I would prefer the parrot print, this one is super fun. I don’t even mind that it is a little bit cutesy and girly. Straps are thin and comfortable, as is the gore, which I was also nervous about after my experience with Marcie, and the wires are just at the edge of too wide. I can do narrower with my soft tissue, but this is as best I can tolerate.
With all the excitement of this getting this bra, I definitely have a few quibbles with the fit. The first is cup depth. I was worried about it when I got it, and I was right to be. I’m getting a little bit of cutting in at the top on my larger breast, and to a lesser extent on my smaller side. Loosening the straps seems to have helped a bit, but I still have minor quad boobs and some in cup quadding. It’s not *too* bad, but it’s not perfect. I’m also getting wrinkles near the the gore. I’m guessing not enough depth at the gore. On one side I have wrinkles in the fabric from where it attaches to the straps. It’s definitely not a problem from the band being too loose;not enough wire tension, as I have the same thing if I use the tightest hooks. I’m guessing it’s expecting more tissue to fill it out than I have there, given the center fullness. I have been wearing the bra today for the first time, but *while I was totally comfortable with the band on the loosest hooks, I could feel the bra wanting to slide down my rib cage out of my IMF. I could feel the gap between wire and boob. I moved the hooks in one to the middle and I think that was ok. I think that the bra in general is designed for projected breasts, but that maybe it’s a size issue more than shape that’s making it artificially too shallow for me. That maybe it’s because my boobs are fighting for space at the apex and pushing it down the same way it does in my 65F SM Wrozka. Given the minor quadding, center gore wrinkles, and this, I wonder if the 30FF were to be a better fit (were I ever to come across more mythical unicorns).
I also wonder if this means that the 28G/30FF Lucy/Kali would fit based on this one. The 28FF/30F depth is about the same as this, and it is more closed in on top.
Anyway, I very much like the bra, but being honest, it’s got a few flaws with the fit. I’m sure that it’s going to be ok for now, as long as I don’t grow anymore or try to wear it in high tide. But for now, it’s minor fit issues and nothing is major. If I lose weight, it’s probably going to work better.
I’d love to have some feedback on this.
Thanks lovelies!
If you read this whole thing, comment with “cotton candy pink” 😂 Read more 2992 more words
The combination of cotton candy pink and blue raspberry is fun! I see what you mean,there are aspects of a good bra, but definitely some minor fit issues. As long as it's comfortable nothing to stop you from wearing it while you keep you eye out a different sized unicorn
Thanks veggiechic ! Do you think that I can size you in this if I can find one?
*size up
I think you could size up in the cup, with the little bit of quadding, and on the side it looks like you are being squeezed a little too. That being said, it is pretty on you, and gives a great shape under your shirt too.
Cotton Candy Pink :-D
This was so much more than just a mere review, it was a window into your soul, allowing us to get to know you better. 22 years of marriage is very commendable by the way!
It is a gorgeous bra, & I agree with veggiechic, you should size up in the cup.
The dreaded side boob! That looks uncomfortable. I do think you should size up on this one. I enjoyed reading the whole thing, cotton candy pink 🍭😀
Entertaining read... too bad the bra is a touch small, but it still looks good on you. It does look like your smaller side fits better, but you are getting some bubbling and side boob that is more noticeable on your larger side. Like others said... watch out for that 30FF if it ever magically shows up somewhere.
Easy cup fit test for super-petite ladies: take hold of both straps up at the shoulderline, keep them as tense as they are when you wear the bra, and gently move them outward to the point where they'd sit if you had [much] broader shoulders. In your case it may be in mid-air, but that's ok--you just need the straps to be at normalish tension and to sit nice and vertical so they are not angling inwards anymore.
Now, with the straps vertical, observe the cups: are your boobs (a) busting out of the cups, or (b) fitting perfectly?
If (a) this means the bra is just too small in at least one dimension and sizing up has a chance of working. The only reason it looked like it kinda sorta fit in the current size is because angling in the straps also angles the cups in towards one another, artificially making the cup edge fit more generously and minimizing spillage even if the cup is too small.
If (b), unfortunately this means the size is pretty good but the wide-set straps are forcing you to angle them inwards to the point that the cup orientation is too distorted and the poor fit is caused by its inability to hold its shape.
I love a good story about finding your way out of poor-fitting bras. Totally relate about resisting your size - the first time I learned how to correctly measure myself and counted up inches to cup sizes, I got GG. I thought this was crazy and deliberately ordered a band size too big and an E cup. Tried to force myself I tom it for a week before even I knew I was being ridiculous! 🤣
Myself into it for a week*
Sorry typos!
Hey all...I’ve read your comments but been really busy, so I’m going to try to respond back as soon as I can.
Hey all...I’ve read your comments but been really busy, so I’m going to try to respond back as soon as I can.
MamaPagan thanks so much! I mean, I could have just cut to the chase and skipped all the backstory, but this bra is an important part of my bra fitting journey, and I think that seeing the journey of how I got there was important. So what if this review is over 2500 words? Ha!
Sovavosi its not uncomfortable, and I never thought I had side boob. Is there a picture that illustrates this?
Wilderness1 I’m glad you enjoyed and hopefully it tells you what you need to know, as I know that you were curious about it.
wendybien do you mean to test this while wearing the bra? I think that in my case, at least with the bra, it’s too small regardless of whether I have the straps angled in, because I routinely angle them for better strap fit and comfort. If angling them leads to more room in the cups and I’m still spilling, it is too small and won’t matter what they do not angled. Am I understanding this test right?
Robras I think that because I hadn’t been hugely different, and my size has slowly crept up over the years, I had less size shock. I also learned a good bit about how sizes work and the myths of the D+ cups way back in the mid 2000s. I’d have people say that I couldn’t be a 32DD because they were DD and way huger. I’d basically say that I had the same volume as a 36C. But that my rib cage was smaller.
Everyone, thanks for taking the time to read everything. I know that it’s long and not necessarily essential to have the whole story, but this just felt like the right bra to have a coming out story, so to speak. I’m definitely going to try to find a 30FF in Lily, but in the meantime, possibly try Kali in 30FF Andy Lucy in 28G as the band appears stretchier then Kali.
Also, my reread spotted some errors that I have to fix...sorry.
Calluna , to my eyes, the pictures where can see your armpit, and a good example is the one with the giraffe curtain in the background, are the ones where I am concerned about side containment. Not really sure if your full breast has been totally swooped in from the side, but it looks like the bra is a bit low to contain it on the side and it is trying to escape in that direction...
Calluna I can see your tissue bulging at the side wires, because it looks like it ran out of room in the front and is running to the side. I find this uncomfortable.
COTTON CANDY PINK! Had to all caps that since I love reading stuff like this. Bras are such an integral part of ourselves here that it’s really interesting to read these kinds of journeys, if that makes any sense. I don’t have anything fit-wise to add, but what size in the parrot print would you be after? If I ever see one that size, I’ll snag it up for you!
mandapandarawks The small photo makes it look like those are ice cream cones instead of birds. 😆
Calluna Exactly! And believe me when I say that I know for a fact that several of us on here do love sharing in the journey just as much as the bras, as you are an important and valued member of our bra family. :-) I also agree this one is too small in the cup regardless of what you do. Sizing up is the only viable solution here for sure.
Cotton Candy Pink! and aah yes the struggles of small feet, I know them well (I'm a 4)
Hmm..can't really say anything much different than what anyone else has said re: the fit..
But I will say that the colourway of the bra is cute on you! ^_^ and the shape is good too
Thanks MamaPagan! I will definitely be on the lookout for a 30FF or even a 28G, given that the band is stretched out enough as I’m good with this one on the middle hooks on this one.
I never really looked at the side as side boob as I thought it was just because my upper tissue is wider than the lower tissue...almost like soft conical, I think...and it’s a lower band/wing height so it shows more. But I guess it’s side boob and I juydidn’t realize it, as I don’t really have any pain or discomfort.
Calluna If you haven't already, do an EBay search then save it with alerts to your phone. That way if any do show up on EBay, you'll get notified automatically. :-)
Yeah I have done some searches but maybe not in these sizes. Good idea.
I found a 28G Meg (similar to Lily) in the listings here, only the user has not logged in for 4 months, sooooo.....
I’m really glad that everyone has liked what I wrote. I worried that it was too long, too revealing, and not wanted. But I think it’s a relevant back story for this one in particular.
I would be leery of that listing. If you go to her profile front page feed, you see she listed it in Sept 2014 so not likely still available 4+ years later. ...... Last bra entered was 2015, so again not very active on BtB. :'/
And the review backstory was appreciated. Not too long, not too much information. It was perfect. :-)
Yes, agreed on the listing.
Calluna yes, I meant to do it while wearing. The point of the test is to see if the strap-angling is DISGUISING a too-small cup and making it look like possibly an ok-sized cup. If that is the case, in a bigger cup size it is possible that the bra would look and feel good (even though you will still angle the straps). It is also possible that in the bigger size you would get gaping somewhere, but that is always a risk regardless.
* because angling the straps also distorts the cup and in some cases it distorts it just enough that it makes it appear too small when it's actually big enough. This is usually when the person has more side / outer fullness, since angling in the straps reduces the space available in the sides of the cup.
wendybien thanks for explaining the test. Now given that I angle all my straps based on the fact that I have narrow and sloped shoulders, can I assume that even if it’s artificially creating more space while angled, that it doesn’t really matter so long as it fits? I’m not angling them to make the cups fit, I’m angling them for better and more comfortable positioning and anchoring. I’m going to angle them regardless. Thanks!
Calluna ok I must be doing a super crappy job of expressing myself or something here...
The fact it creates more volume--or more exactly, displaces the available space in the cup from the side to the inner (mostly upper) quadrant of the bra--is not inherently good or bad, it just is. If you need more space near the sternum and won't miss the space on the sides it's good; if you didn't it's not. Likewise it can pose a problem if it tilts the cups inward and distorts them to the point they lose support or acquire a weird shape. The vertical strap test is strictly to assess if sizing up or down will help!
Example, I haven't tried the following bras at my current size but a few years ago, the Cleo Marcie was unwearable for me because my necessary strap angling caused the cups to lose stability and acquire a bizarre shape. So the 32FF gaped all over the place and was too big, the 32F was theoretically a good volume and did not gape but was unstable as described above. In contrast the Fantasie Elodie, which fits generously at the apex but not at the cup edge, superficially appeared to be an ok fit in 32F but after being annoyed by the droopy uncomfortable fit all day I realized it was a too-small cup masquerading as a juuuust-big-enough one due to the need to angle the straps for them to stay on. This was bad news for my pocketbook since I'd worn it but good news for the bra as it meant the 32FF solved the weird shape problem and the distortion caused by my strap angling simply eliminated extra space on the sides which I could not fill anyway as I have no tissue out there.
To recap, I have composed an ode in blank verse, because it's better than doing work: MOST FULLER BUSTED PEOPLE HAVE TO ANGLE THE STRAPS ON AT LEAST SOME BRAS THIS IS FINE SOME PEOPLE MAY HAVE TO ANGLE IN THE STRAPS ON ALL BRAS AS LONG AS IT IS COMFORTABLE AND FITS THIS IS ALSO FINE IT'S MORE THAN FINE, IT'S GREAT COS STRAPS STAYING ON IS A PRETTY BIG PRIORITY UNLESS YOU LITERALLY HAVE A LITERAL ANGEL ON EACH SHOULDER STRETCHING OUT THEIR LITTLE ARMS TO HOLD UP YOUR STRAPS ALL DAY 2" OR MORE AWAY FROM YOUR BODY WHICH I GUESS IS POSSIBLE BUT NOT THAT COMMON REALLY SO ANGLING STRAPS IS A PRETTY SOLID SOLUTION IF THE STRAPS ARE TECHNICALLY TOO FAR APART FOR YOU AND ANGEL-ING STRAPS IS NOT AN OPTION ACTUALLY ANGLING MAY BE THE SUPERIOR CHOICE AS ANGELS COULD BALK AT HAVING TO MATCH THEIR HEAVENLY ATTIRE TO THE DAY'S CHOSEN BRA AND THEN WHERE WOULD YOU BE YOU WOULD EITHER HAVE TO CLASH WITH THEM OR STICK TO WHITE BRAS WHICH I THINK WOULD BE A SHAME SO ALL THINGS CONSIDERED I WOULD RECOMMEND ANGLING STRAPS AS THE PREFERRED WORKAROUND EVEN IF YOU HAVE ANGELS CHILLING ON ONE OR MORE OF YOUR SHOULDERS ALSO THEY WILL BE HAPPIER AND FILE FEWER WORKERS COMP CLAIMS Amen.
I’m more center full anyway, so less space to fill at the outside from angling the straps is a ok with me since I already lack tissue at the sides anyway. ;)
In the case of this bra, angled straps or not, it’s just too small in the cup. I tried the test and I had zero change.
Not sure if those are CAD but the store is based in Toronto. Can't beat a new bra for $25 tho!
wendybien There is no need to shout. Seriously, it is a review and Calluna knows her body better than you do. Using all caps will not force her to listen to your theories and honestly is quite rude. If you can't be respectful, please stop commenting on her review. Thank you.
@Calluna Loves <3
Ooooh the price IS in CAD! so CAD 25 not bad at all
Wow, great find! I personally prefer the parrot over the swans but it is a great price. I hope it is still available when I have funds again. I don’t have any money to spare for anything else but food and rent right now. We just had to fix a crack in the windshield that was getting worse with the heat being used now. It was almost too far gone. Thank goodness for the insurance paying a good chunk of it, but we still had to pay money that we don’t really have to spare right now. I can’t wait to see your swan print when you get it.
I like the swallow print too, but the contrast in this is amazing. I am having second thoughts about getting 30G lol
30GG is also up, but I find for me cups are so deep (and wide) on Cleos and Panache in general I have to size down a cup usually.
Yeah, I love the swallow print. I’m a little bit concerned with the stretched measurements on the listing, so pending reply, I will ask for updated measurements. It’s a little bit too small for my comfort, but if it’s stretched since it was entered, it might work. I’m not sure if I would be able to use an extender with it and maintain a proper or decent fit in the cups. But we’ll see. As for the swans, I’m going to contact the site and see how much they have in the 30FF... I am guessing just the one. I’m going to see if they can hold it til after the strike backlog clears which hopefully will also give me time to save money again. I also have to see what the return is like given the price reduction, if any. I’m told that the prints vs solid colours fit different as well. So it’s possible that it might not fit still.
Ok, message sent to the website asking if they had more than one 30FF Swan print and whether they could hold it til after the Canada Post backlogs clear for me to buy as it would also allow me to save money again. They also have a 28G Lucy in red that I am interested in. Red would be great. It’s the new nude under whites and frankly, I have enough black bras and have little interest in a solid white one right now. Plus, the red is cheaper than the white one on Amazon anyway, but I gotta check specs on the red though in case I need a 30FF instead. But it looks like the band is stretchy on the Lucy.
I hope they reply with good news!! :-)
Me too, though I’m doubtful that they have more than one given the reduced size range available, and thru probably won’t hold it, but it’s not a well known site so maybe it will not sell right away. Still, never hurts to ask.
wendybien omg your poem about angels angling bra straps killed me. Literally dying of laughter over here. I did not know about your quirky side- I should have known you would be wordy quirky, being a translator and all.
So it looks like the 30FF prints, parrots and swan alike, run bigger than the aqua print I have here. So, brasaremean the 30G might be ok. I’m still interested in trying it but worry that it might be too big.
I just searched the FB group and found the post I referenced. It was from December 23, 2017 and had 302 comments. It’s amazing how taboo bras and boobs can be in society...no one willingly wants to talk about them, but as soon as someone says they are this size and looking for help, everyone is open and revealing what their sizes are. Or giving tips to remeasure and teaching others the ways of the bras...and it becomes a community with putting our tits out there, so to speak. 😂
Late to the party but cotton candy pink <3 This was a wonderful read, I can also connect a Cleo Lily to the journey of bra discovery!
Oh really corvidsandtea? How does it connect to your journey?
omg Calluna I just read further up into the thread and realized, months and months later, that some other user thought I was yelling at you and being disrespectful and contradictory when I used all caps for my stupid bra poem!!! I am just checking in to make sure you didn't think the same thing! I was just being silly. (Also if they had bothered to read the poem they would also have seen I was agreeing with what you had said you preferred to do, but I know some people jump to conclusions a little fast.) It just really, really upset me to think you may have also thought I was being mean :-( I guess it wasn't funny, but it definitely was neither disagreement nor yelling and certainly not disrespect. I very much respect you. I remember you had thought at the very beginning of that tangent we went on that I was disagreeing or criticizing in some way and I had explained and maybe even overexplained to be as clear as possible that I was not.
wendybien if you are going to mention me at least have the courtesy to tag me, haha. FYI all caps is yelling in written form, and is rude even if it wasn't your intention. You simply sounded crazy or on drugs honestly, but I think you know that which was why you removed yourself from the feed until you could come up with an acceptable reply, yes? Please play nice and let Calluna have her moment with corvidsandtea.
wendybien I for one loved your capslock bra poem <3 It was really funny and it was a clever fun word thing you did :D I think the user just misread the situation. Capslock is technically shouting, but you did it for clarity AND it was a poem. So it was a combination of things that maybe went over their head.
Calluna Well, as it turns out, my first bra that fit was one of these elusive Cleo Lilys! That year had a lot of firsts for me, and I might just add that bra a new so I can re-review it as well as measure and such.
MamaPagan I'm going to mention you now, since we both spoke about you. I'm going to call you out directly and say I think you're being condescending to wendybien . Saying "Please play nice and let these two people have their moment" in a public comment section, where noone has intentionally done anything to stop or interrupt the conversation, is plain rude. I still don't like the comment you left on my bra adventure about bra shopping, but I wasn't interested in trying to explain to to you how I thought it was ignorant. You could have made one click and seen that I have enough reputation and bras to likely know what's good routine and what isn't.
Saying you assume someone spent a month "coming up with a decent reply, yes?" is honestly plain petty, and downright condescending when you phrase it like that. Wendybien apologized for potentially coming off as rude. I understand if you're confused or misreading the situation, but there is not more you can do in these comments after her comment. If you don't think either of any of us are in the right, I suggest you take it up in a personal message instead of making Calluna's review so incredibly long.
corvidsandtea Okay....you are entitled to your opinion and we can agree to disagree. :-) Have a beautiful day!
As always love review! Though it seems to me that Cleo seems to be turning into every other bra brand out there, aesthetic wise. I'm glad the fit is still amazing!
I've been wondering about this bra since I saw the preview pictures for it! Thank you for reviewing it :)
It's such a beautiful colour and unique style.
Oh, and the glittery straps...mermaid bra.
I have been waiting for a review since i saw the promo photos too! Thanks for uploading. Doesnt it seem like a totally different bra to the promotional photos though?
The Great Amazon Prime Wardrobe Try-On, Part 4! My shape: projected, soft tissue, narrow shoulders and roots, FOB Fit: I've never tried a longline bra before, so I figured this would be a perfect opportunity. I haven't had luck with Cleo bras in the past, and this one is no different. I admit, it feels... weird having such a looooong band. Plus, it cuts into my waist flab in a not very flattering way. The hooks are a little annoying to clasp, but that's mostly because I am unused to doing up so many. The cups themselves fit me fairly well. The wires are a bit too high in the armpit for me and are slightly too wide, and I get gaping at the top edges, which is common for most padded bras that I try. Appearance: This bra is FRICKIN GORGEOUS. It's so colorful! I love the bright floral design. I definitely have a thing for bright pink bras.
Since I discovered sister sizing up in the band in Marcie bras, I'm not going back.
Despite my 27"/29" ribcage, I find that 32 band in this solid black Marcie is just perfect:
- The band is nice, snug and supportive, but not cutting in. It's stretching to close to comfy 31". From experience, I know that Marcie bands are not likely to loosen up anytime soon, so comfort is key here. (I have a 3 year old Marcie and I just recently had to switch to the 2nd hook. Incredible quality and durability!) - The gore is super comfy, even with longer wear! In contrast to the 30F version that ...digs in painfully after just 30 minutes. - The underwires are comfy everywhere, no digging or chafing at the sides. Boob tissue actually *stays in the cups*, instead of escaping to the sides. - The straps are closer to the middle than in the 30F version, and less likely to bother my armpits. This is excellent. (Seriosly, if you have frequent issues with straps cutting into your armpits, try the sister size with larger band. You might be pleasantly surprised!) - The straps are narrower than in the 30F version. While this does not affect the fit much, it looks nicer in summer under a tank top.
Overall, I'm under the impression that the 32E continuity colour black Marcie runs slightly small in band and cups, maybe half a size each. The beige version I have runs both stretchier and slightly larger in the cups. I can fit into a beige 30E right now, but wanted a 32E Marcie for those days of my cycle when my boobs are larger than usual. The 32E black Marcie fits the bill and I'm very happy with my purchase! Read more 181 more words
Thanks for the review! It looks like I should give another shot to Marcie in 32E as 30F has also painful wires to me!
Very interesting! I have a 28F black Marcie that's sat in my drawer for over a year. It's so pretty and seemed like it should be the perfect bra for me, so I'm stuck in denial that my dingy 30E one in aqua more. Never been able to pinpoint exactly why since they don't measure very differently.
Last time I wore the 28F I was so uncomfortable I took it off halfway through the day and went braless, lol. Sizing up is a good idea
I tried a pink 32E in a Bravissimo in fall 2016 and while it felt fine (aside from the cups gaping a little since I'm more FOB), it was evident that the band was too loose because the wires weren't flexing back enough for a proper fit. So I recently bought the 30F in navy, and while I can hook it on the loosest hook, and it fits pretty good in the cups despite the openness etc, it's very snug and hardly stretched to 29". If I use an extender, the cups gap more. Maybe I will try another 32E, preferably one of ones that have been known for tight bands. But it's a bit frustrating. I really like it but the gore kills me if I don't use the extender, but then I sacrifice fit if I do. I'll have to keep my eyes open for a 32E (maybe 32DD). Would be interested to see if it helps.
Calluna Good luck! Going down in the cups certainly helps with digging. Maybe a 30E in beige would be a good idea? It seems to be the most stretchy colour they have on offer regularly, and also the cups run slightly large.
There are quite consistent size differences between the older and newer colorways. I guess the change happened with the AW2014 collection - I've been able to wear 30 bands comfortably since (which was unheard of previously). Black is an exception to that rule, but then black bras run smaller/tighter in general, so no huge surprise here.
bracrastination thanks. I do like the beige and would not mind a 30 that wasn't so snug but also still technically fit.
annabellynn, I think the black Marcie is just less stretchy then the other colors. I have a blue and a black 28F and while the black version is only 1cm shorter it fits so much tighter. I even have to ask my boyfriend to help me into it.
bracrastination what do you think of the band/cups on the tangerine and lime colourways (compared with the beige)? I’ve heard that bluebell is stretchy too. It looks like my navy is after AW2014 but it’s still really tight...maybe because it’s so dark and has the same dye issues that the blacks do?
Calluna I haven't tried any of these. My rule of thumb is that light colours run wider, while dark/saturated colours run tighter. aboobaccount's experience seems to confirm this.
This bra looks beautiful under shirts. I like that the straps are thin, so I can wear it under a tank top without looking like I am wearing a "saddle" bra. I like it more than most molded bras because it doesn't add a lot of bulkiness. Its very comfortable as well. I have read some reviews saying they felt like they would fall out the middle but I do NOT have that issue. Again, beautiful shape without having to wear additional layers to hide any bumps or lines.
This looks fantastic! It is encouraging to read your tissue doesn't fall to the center. How do the wires feel?
This bra looks great on you! It's giving you the kind of cleavage the Freya Deco is supposed to provide. I'm glad for you you found a more comfortable alternative to the Deco. Thanks for your reviews.
I'm always on the hunt for bras that come in designs that don't resemble traditional bras. This solid black bra with mesh overlay and a colourful pattern definitely looks like it could be a not-bra. It is devoid of lace and bows and the seams don't scream HI NICE TO MEET YOU I AM GEMMY'S UNDERWEAR. Don't get me wrong, my favourite bras come in pastel colours and have bows on them, but sometimes a girl just needs some variety in her bra drawer. I first spotted Cleo Jessie Padded Balconnet Bra (7241) when stock levels were incredibly low. When I finally spotted a size within ...my acceptable range, I went for it. When I received the bra, I can say that I was satisfied with the look of it. I would be comfortable wearing this under a black semi-sheer top or one that let a bit of the design peek through since, you know, I like to live life on the wild side (no, I don't).
Onto the fit: the coverage is acceptable as is the fit of the wires and the overall feel of the bra. A 30G might have provided better cup volume and prevented the slight quadding that occurs after a couple hours of wear, but it doesn't bother me much. The band is fine but I would say I prefer the firmness of something like a Freya Deco Vibe Moulded Plunge Bra (1704). I don't wear my bands as tight as number might recommend as a personal preference (and my boobs say they are okay with that), but in exchange, I would want a band that is lower in elasticity. I don't want to wear a rubber band on around my torso. It's just not flattering https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_razz.gif" alt=":P" /> The straps are thinner than my Decos but I don't have a preference either way. The cups are foam and prevent the pokies from emerging in the winter time while at the same time easily compressed to fit under my winter coats (Yes. The threat of cold weather is a looming reality already for me where I live).
Bonus: the colourful pattern on the bra is really fun to look at. I like admiring all the circular stitches and try to imagine how they got a machine to stitch all those circles. I like to imagine they had a bunch of little sewing machines doing tiny circle stitches and birds were singing and woodland creatures were dancing. Most of my bra designs are in print and I know how that comes about, but as someone with nearly zero experience in sewing or clothing manufacturing (obvious), I'm both intrigued and in awe over technology. Much wow. Read more 348 more words
I've seen some Cleo Jessies on eBay, your review convinced me to maybe buy it if my size pops up for a good price!
I like this much better in your photos. Super cute!!
I've always been interested in this bra - the pattern always reminds me of colorful champagne bubbles. Its adorable and suits you well - I may need to try to find this for myself!
Aesthetically, I really like this bra. It is a hot pink laminated bottom cup overlaid with a black mesh. The top portion of the cup (in my size, and in GG+ sizes) is a layer of stretchy black mesh overlaid with stretchy black lace. It has pink hardware, and a black and pink bow on the center gore.
Fit wise, this bra is narrow, very deep, and best for evenly full breasts. It has a pretty wide center gore but it does have a pretty good amount of room at the center. I will probably narrow the gore at some point, just because my breasts are fairly close set. The shape is the tiniest bit pointy on me, probably because it is so deep. I don't mind it. https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" />
I had to size down from 32GG to 30H. Part of that may be that this bra is a little stretchy, but I think this is mostly due to my underbust measurement having gone down from 31" snug to 30".
Cleo Skye runs large (and tall) in the cups and slightly on the larger side of True to Size in the band. They cups aren't as open as Marcie's, but they are taller. There's a lot of immediate projection and the wires are very narrow. The gore is also very narrow, so this makes the wires seem even narrower. Wide and shallow shapes should definitely avoid this one.
Full review on the blog! https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" />
Sad how tall the cups are, but it's so pretty! This was helpful.
The colors are definitely prettier in real life than in the promo images! I was initially disappointed by how tall it is, but it's so comfy and gives such a nice shape that I can't see myself giving it up, even with the wrinkling.
I just got the Blake and the Della and I find that they also have very tall cups. The gores in particular are quite high. It's not uncomfortable though. I probably would have gotten Skye, too, but three new bras all at once seemed a little overindulgent lol
So, this fits loads better than I feared it would, but it's not perfect. This is a very pretty bra, the nude color is great with my skin, and the full band is fantastic. The cups are molded and stiffer than the Deco strapless cups. They do not curve up at the edges like the Neve did. They don't show under tees, at all. In a nutshell: highly supportive, broad, tall, very shallow - almost flat. (Jedi voice): *If you are FoT, move along. This is not the bra you're looking for...*
BAND: Very tight. I could have done ...a 30 band, but oh well I have an extender on it. And I want my strapless bands to be tight. It feels quite firm though, so unsure how much it will stretch.
CUPS: Very wide and shallow. I have very slight quadding on my bigger side. The wires are very long and the cups are tall. I could have used another cup size of depth, but then the wires would have poked me. I'd rather tuck a bit of quadboob back in once in a while than live with armpit murder. As it is now, the cups are tall enough to contain all the tissue under my armpits without stabbing me.
It's the only strapless bra I own right now and it's not perfect, but it's better than I thought it'd be. For those 2 reasons, I'm keeping it. I agree with the previous reviewer that it's a smartly designed bra - if you are broad and shallow.
*UPDATE* Ended up returning this after trying to wear it a couple times, and collapsing the bottoms and sides of the cups. This is quite possibly the widest, shallowest strapless bra on the market, and when I bought it I just didn't have a good grasp on how narrow and projected I really am. Read more 221 more words
Well I've worn it all day and can say it's still comfortable and I've done minimal adjusting :-) The full band is brilliant, it's padded at the gore and underwires for comfort. It makes it thicker but I don't care.
Hmm, I can't see in your review why you passed this bra along. Did you find a better strapless?
No I didn't, yet. But I got this when I had no idea what my shape was & thought I had wide roots. Ha, ha. I need to update this review. It was uncomfortably wide & shallow. Like every other strapless on the planet. I collapsed the cups. It didn't take long for me to despise this bra.
PERFECT! Oh geez, this bra makes me want to re-check the fit of all my other bras. This is downright perfect in every single way.
Cups enclose all tissue, and ONLY tissue. This is my first bra in a new size that doesn't have extra fabric on the sides. That, and the depth is just enough. Not too little, not too much, it's perfect. This is the kind of bra I want to make: Narrower wires, enough depth, and a rounded out shape.
I got the Cleo Lucy from another user in 32E, and it fit good in the cups during shark week, but the band was obviously somewhat big. Not too ...bad though! This is 2 bands down-something I was super worried about, but it's perfect. You can feel that it's supportive, but it's not too tight at all. Even my Cleo Maya in 30F, the band was really tight and a tad uncomfortable. This was previously owned, so that might be why, but in any case it's just..perfect.
Wires are narrow enough for me, band is taut but doesn't feel like it's slowly killing me, material is nice and smooth, lift is amazing, and exactly the color I wanted. No quadding, no empty fabric, no awkward (mis)shaping. Straps adjust long enough. Cups are just close enough.
Beautiful detailing. I even like the red bow. I wouldn't normally think to pair red and purple unless they're both super dark, and used for something rather than clothes, but this works very nicely.
I was also worried that F would be too small, considering the 32E worked pretty well for me, but it's simply perfect (have I said that enough?).
If I had to get rid of all my bras and keep one that suited practicality, fit, comfort, and appearance, this would be it.
The balconnet style worked great without making me quad. The problem I find with padded balconettes is that they are almost always too shallow and have wide wires. I need projection, but just the right amount, and narrow wires.
I have tall roots and I've read that half cups and balconettes are good for that, but my problem is always too little room in cups/wires too wide. Some balconettes also have tight elastic that doesn't allow for more than a very fixed amount. Like an elastic band on the top cup. That cuts into my roots. This has no super stretch lace/mesh, fixed lace/mesh, or super tight top cup band. It's perfect.
I'm mostly even, and I think this bra works well for that shape. I think it could work for full on bottom, and slightly full on top. There's about equal amount of cup to be filled out all over though.
I would easily pay $100 for this bra now that I know it's my unicorn bra.
Edit: I wanted to note that I've seen other reviews saying this bra's wires are wide, and I know I said they're narrow. I find them to be pretty narrow on mine, and they are definitely more "U" shaped.I will add measurements tomorrow, but I think they're about 5" width. On my 32E however, the wires are very bowl-like(wide), but nothing like my Tutti Rouge, the Chantelle C Sexy Chic Plunge, and even Natori Feathers.
Maybe it's a size difference? I'm not sure. I just don't want to be giving incorrect info! As far as I've read, people say Cleos run wide and shallow, and I didn't experience that with this. Maybe a little, but not severe. I did experience wider wires a little with the Maya, but it seemed to me more average and projected.. I think 30E would have been closer to my tissue, so, not sure! I'm a little confused, but if others say they're wide and shallow then I'd assume I must be wrong or mine are somehow unique. I'm still figuring out my shape and realized I'm not AS narrow as I thought, so I may very well be wrong.
I'd just recommend reading multiple reviews for the Lucy because I'm still a noob. At the same time, I need narrow to average wires- I know for sure I don't need wide. And projected cups(not extremely so, but a decent amount), and this fits exactly on the sides of my breast roots, which has never, ever happened, and cups enclose me perfectly. On the other hand, I also have very malleable, soft tissue, which can be easily squished and redistributed elsewhere in cups. So irdk. D: Read more 626 more words
I really thought that I would hate this color and bought it purely for a size check but oh my God do I love this color! It's some seriously bright lime. It makes this bra so much more awesome. This was the first bra that I fell in love with in my proper size. The cups have the perfect amount of projection and width to encompass my side tissue that (hopefully) will migrate. If you like Cleo Lucy (which is great for FoB) then you'll love Cleo Kali. The wires don't poke and the band is snug, but my one complaint so far is the material is rather ...rough under my arms. I'm hoping with a few wears and washes it'll soften out.
Edit: After a few washes and wears the fabric has softened considerably. After analyzing the fit a bit more the band isn't quite tight enough for me. It's possible I need a bit more immediate projection and at least a 36 band on all my bras. The wires on this bra are much too wide for me which I didn't notice wire widths until recently and saw where the bra wire was leaving a mark versus where my root ended. The only other problem is because I have a bit of a belly, the material between the cups digs in a bit if I'm not sitting up properly. I guess it gives me a good reason to fix my posture though! As the day goes on I notice the straps begin to really irritate my armpits. I get this with the Jasmine too. The straps are just too wide for me, it's tolerable though.
Edit 2: This bra is no longer tolerable https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_sad.gif" alt=":(" /> With someone who doesn't need as much immediate projection and plays well with the Lucy would do well in this. Also, Cleo, please, please, please STAPH WITH THE WIDE STRAPS. Read more 215 more words
I recently ordered a Kali and can't wait for it to arrive. Your review really eased my mind. I put off trying Cleo for a long time due to the 2 hooks but once I found Lucy I fell in love. I tried to buy up discontinued colors in my size but had no luck. Other Cleo styles did not work well for me so I have high hopes that Kali will fit just like Lucy. Love, Love the color.
This band runs snug! I wonder if I got a mislabeled bra, as most Cleo's are not this tight. Anyway, I think Cleo's finally got itself a more shallow-friendly plunge bra. The shape it gave me reminded me of the Freya Deco (4234) (cleavage!). The coral is a lovely shade, and there's a sweet double bow at the center gore.
I grabbed this on a whim when loading up for the fitting room at Nordstrom Rack today, hoping it would fit but doubtful as it was a cup-size bigger than what I normally wear. I had no experience with Cleo, though, so I thought I'd give it a try. Much to my surprise, it fit my bigger breast and didn't have too much wrinkling on the other. I had to get it, of course, being unable to resist a bra that fits and costs less than 30 dollars.
I'm not sure if it actually runs a bit small, as I checked my measurements when I got home and my ...breast perimeter is up an inch, overbust up a half inch, so I may have edged into G territory. The lift is good, and the shape is nice - natural, but perky looking. Not pointy at all, but not over-the-top round. I especially like how narrow the gore is all the way down, so it doesn't shove my boobs apart at all. The fabric is not the most comfortable, unfortunately, being a little skritchy, but I'm hoping once I break it in it will be fine. The worst part is how much the high gore digs in, but I'm unused to gores this tall and have this problem a little bit with every bra. The design and colors are super adorable; I especially love the button in the center of the bow on the gore. Overall, I would definitely recommend it. It's the first higher coverage bra I've found that doesn't cut in to my shallow breast shape, and it provides a lot of lift even though the cups are below the band.
On some further consideration of the fit, I think that perhaps as the band is a little tight, the stretched cups are distorting the fit. The band does seem to run quite firm, so I think you want to look at how much the cups distort when the band is on and perhaps consider sister sizing to a band size bigger (although I think an extender would be better.) I have a feeling once the band relaxes a little and the cups return to the front where they're supposed to be, they will be too big.
Update 1 month later: I've gotten this broken in now, so I know a little better about what are fit issues and what are style issues. I think I could have sized down to an FF (perhaps risking a little quadboob, but only after extreme swoop and scoop) just because the cups are so very open on top. If I REAAALLY squeegee all my fat in, I actually fill them perfectly, but only for about 10 seconds. It is hard to say if this is because I'm not so full on top as this bra is shaped for, or if it's size, but I do feel like I'd get a slightly higher/rounded shape if the cups were a size smaller. The band has slightly relaxed at this point, but the cups haven't changed shape when on as I was expecting. What I was identifying as distortion still happens - the wire is very narrow until about the halfway point between bottom of breast and armpit, at which point it looks as though it is pulled sideways further onto my side than it should be. It technically sticks out past my breast there, but I do prefer that just to keep things contained and I don't think it affects fit in this bra as I don't get any wrinkling.
I really like this bra - the straps are not the most comfortable and sadly the fabric is still not soft like I'd like, but overall it's one of my favorites.
I've noticed you haven't added any Panache brand bras, including Cleo or Harlequin/Masquerade, to your profile. It's possible that you may be a G cup in their brands but it could also be the way the current AW12 line was made, like the Marcie here. I've found it quite inconsistent and had to play with many sizes. Another possibility which is difficult to guess based on your profile stating only one bra fits you right now (ahh, sorry to hear that but continue the search!) is that once you find a few that fit after maybe approximately 6-12 months of wearing the right fit the tissue that has been misplaced all along will migrate back to where it needs to be and this may result in a cup size bigger. This happened to me with a lot of FF's. I wondered why I started seeing bits of quadboob after that long and had to buy mostly G's. But remigration is definitely a good thing. Sorry, maybe rambling at this point. Would like to know your thoughts. :)
Yeah, I actually haven't been able to try many Panache unfortunately, though I'd like to! They don't seem to go on sale as cheaply as other brands do though, so so far they haven't been an option. Now, no bras fit me :( I'm having miserable luck - largely from a shape that is not full on top, but can't wear full on bottom styles because my breast tissue extends shallowly all the way up to my collarbone. Things seem to either cut in or gape, unfortunately. I did have some tissue remigration already within a month or so of getting into the new sizes (which was happy because my boobs no longer look so sad haha) but it is totally a possibility that there is more to migrate. I've only been in the right size since August-ish, and as you noted, none of my bras actually fit correctly so remigration is probably not going as quickly as it should be.
I've been struggling with weight gain this winter, too, as I have S.A.D. and of course that wreaks havoc on the girls sizing-wise.
Thanks for your rambling though, because I should followup on this bra review now that I've had some time to break the Marcie in! I'll add more about the fit now in the original review :)
Ah, really good to know that your search is still in progress. (After you find a few good bras your process will be more about adorning them, sometimes with good sales in the process instead of merely fit as top priority!).
I haven't tried the Marcie (yet) but I found Cleo's Meg TTS, Zia ran 1-cup small (I sized up a cup), Natasha TTS (still awaiting the proper exchange), and Lucy in Navy TTS with all the other Lucy's I own.
For being a 2 part seamed bra, the seams show surprisingly little through shirts, making it a great candidate for a t-shirt bra. (It is lightly padded to prevent show-through, another plus!) The side profile has an awesome lifted rounded shape, and the front profile is front and center with no east/west action at all.
The band is looser than I like...while it does work, I'm sure I'd be moving onto the tighter hooks fairly quickly. The straps are set too wide for my narrow shoulders (a common problem for me), but a strap accessory in the back fixes this issue.
The cups are a bit too small, creating a slightly quad-look. The lace at the top of the cups lays flat on me, but this is actually because the cup is too small and I'm spilling out. (In a correctly sized Juna the lace trim should stick up a bit when not under a shirt.)
I returned this bra as a 30GG/28H offers a better fit for me.
This is a good projected bra that will work for an even to slightly Fot/ FoB shape! I think this bra will work for many different shapes because its not heavily suited towards FoB or FoT shapes. It has good projection and some average immediate projection. I think the cups are a bit too tall for me (though I am not sure) because I have some gaping even though the bra isnt too big. The design is very cute pretty and the bra is overall very comfortable. The quality is fine- its not comparable to polish bras but its still good. The wires are relatively narrow for UK standards. Straps are a little wide imo.
I saw this cheap on ebay and couldn't resist after trying the longer version in 28H and finding the cups too small. This bra is very pretty. The lace detail is gorgeous and the little pink bow in the centre is a really nice accent. The straps have a super soft fuzzy lining on the inside and they're quite thick and not cutting in. The band is comfortable, I feel very supported and my back is happy. I think this is currently the best fitting bra I own now.
I am breastfeeding and tried it on just before feeding and it seemed to fit perfectly. These photos were taken just ...after a feed so there is a little bit of space at the top for my boobs to fill up a bit again. I'm going to have a go at converting it into a nursing bra.
Edit: Little things that are bothering me after wearing it most of the day. The wires are too wide for me and the gore is also too wide and sits on my breast tissue. It is not really uncomfortable though, just annoying. I was able to add nursing clips so I can use it as a nursing bra. Read more 93 more words
Yes! I saw this as well! I am excited to see more reviews on it!!! Thanks for getting and reviewing it. It definitely looks like it could work perfectly for medium busted women. I would change the design ever so slightly if it were mine lol. XD
What a sweet pattern! So delicate and charming! Too bad it's not working for you right now. I want to say also, I love your curls!