WHEN WILL I LEARN THAT CLEO DOESN'T WORK FOR ME!? Ugh!
My stats: 27H ish, narrow+projected, tall roots, 5'3", close set, moderately FOT average root placement, VERY SENSITIVE SKIN.
Look: This is the most adorable and patriotic bra ever, lol. It's ridiculously cute and gives a good and round shape.
Fit: This bra is so uncomfortable! The material is rough, making a nicely snug and supportive bra a torture device (for me at least)! The gore hurts so bad! The straps are similarly rough and scratchy, plus they're too wide set and dig in my armpits. The cups are pretty wide, as is the gore, when combined with the terrible fabric, this makes the perfect medieval torture device in sheep's clothing. The upper cup cuts in while the mid-upper cup gapes. This bra has immediate projection up the wazoo, so it would've been perfect for me if they just used a higher quality fabric.
I bought this bra in 30GG (aqua) and 32G (black), and they fit so differently they might as well be different bras. 30GG is a great fit apart from being a tiny bit too wide and some in-cup quadding. 32G is way too wide with super wide-set straps, and I can't fill out the lace portion at the top, which results in a pointy shape.
Besides apparently being a completely different cut despite being only one sister size different, there are a few differences in construction between the two as well due to the jump from G to GG. The 32G has thin straps; the 30GG has thicker straps that are padded on the front half. The 32G has one layer of thin stretch lace; the 30GG has a completely different lace reinforced with power mesh underneath.
Unfortunately I can relate, this definitely happens in Cleo / Panache (and other brands - I know I was shocked to first find out, years ago with my 30GG - Freya » Flourish Balcony Bra (1542) - apparently Freya bras go from 'airy / flimsy' to 'industrial strength' between 32G and 30GG).
I've recently re-confirmed that Panache Jasmine (in 30GG versus 32G) is like a different bra as well. But for Jasmine, like you with Hettie, I prefer the 'build' of the 30GG - with 3x hooks, sturdy straps, less wide-set overall.
The 32G Jasmine has a thin 2-hook band, feels more flimsy, thinner straps, seems to suit a much wider frame (a.k.a. not me). The gore feels different as well (weirdly it seems higher on the 32G, while the rest of that bra is way less sturdy).
Good to know though, these variations over size range, so thanks for informing us on Hettie!
5'3, 28G.5, FOT, tall and narrow roots, center full, projected, average to high set, short torso, 25" waist.
Look: This bra is absolutely adorable! The blue is super rich and would be flattering for many skin tones, unlike the cotton candy pink color. I don't think the green bow at the center gore is very complementary, but it's not terrible. The eyelash lace at the bottom of the front would definitely curl over if I sat down in it for too long. I wonder if I can iron lingerie?
Fit: The band definitely runs super snug in this. It seems like it would fit someone directly ...between a 26 and 28 band. The cups fit like most cleos which are touted for being FOT-friendly (even though this bra is generally recommended as a FOB bra); they dig into my upper boobs, creating some serious quadboob. The cups are too wide and shallow for me, the wire is sitting about .5" below my lowest IMF, so my boobs are fighting their way to the top. I may not have had such severe quadding if I was shallower. The wires sit about 1" away from the end of my root. So overall, I have the polar opposite of orange-in-a-glass (is there a term for that?). The longline hits just above my waist, which is good because I have almost no space between my ribs and hips. I was so worried that this longline would dig in and hurt, I'm pleasantly surprised by this bra. The waist is definitely snug, so if you have a larger waist in proportion to your band size, this bra isn't for you. Read more 169 more words
Such a beautiful color! I love the look of Piper and have been tempted to buy one, but yeah I've heard this is apparently a 'hard to fit' style?
Too bad because it's gorgeous.
bubblegum I know, right? It's so beautiful, but it fits practically no one. I had to take it off after less than 15 minutes of wear from the straps rubbing and the wide gore. Thank god I didn't take the tags off for my "trial period". I'll probably have to list it :(
From what I've read, this one is more FOB friendly/short root friendly compared to some other Cleos (Marcie, etc). I've seen it fit a number of people well, but it does have a specific fit. It's quite a pretty bra, so it's too bad it didn't work for you.
I think the longline also makes it a bit tricky, even if the cups fit well. You have to have enough torso for the length, and your torso has to taper in the right way. I think other color ways have a shorter extension, which might accommodate people who are short or short waisted.
That color is lovely and looks nice with your skin. Pity it was not a better match for your shape.
Wilderness1 Yeah, I heard that too, but the cups fit almost identically to the 30FF cleo marcie I tried. I'm super bummed that it didn't fit though :(
AllyBra I agree wholeheartedly. I'm short with a short torso and it just wasn't for me. I think it would work for someone who is FOB and short rooted, with a long torso and an hourglass shape. So, basically a lingerie model, lol. Thanks for telling me about the other colors being shorter! I might look into them, but I love the blue so much.
I realize that this bra is discontinued but I just wanted to review how it fit for me. I snapped this up new at a great price so I thought I would try it.
This was close to working for me. The cups are narrow enough for me, immediate projection is good, and the gore is narrow too which works for me. The material is quite nice and this pattern is really pretty.
Sadly the cups are too tall for me. I get gapping at the top of the cups and the underwire digs into my armpits. The straps are too far apart for me too. I wish I could get this altered but alas, I will be selling this. My ongoing search continues...
For reference, I believe I am FOB, short roots, centre full, narrow to average width
My 30FF is a bit similar. I think I might be able to do a 30F or 28FF based on the cup height but it does seem to wrap around the top of my breasts and I wonder if it would cut into the tissue.
Calluna yeah I took a look at yours and it does seem to fit similarly. Close but no cigar! I can’t find any others for sale and additionally I’m worried that even in the right size the cup edge is too prominent and would show up under clothes.
Same. It’s a very prominent edge. But I’m sure it will be ok under a sweater. I can’t wear mine. It looks great. It just doesn’t feel great.
Mimi has a killer edge. I think if they had done it slightly differently, it would have a) been less obvious under shirts and b) been a bit easier to fit. The thick edge can make it look like it does not quite fit even when it does, and makes it look like a much worse fit than it may be, whether too small or too big. I love my rose Mimi, but that edge is a little challenging. I have to be discerning about shirts when I wear it.
If you can get one size down (34F), it might work.
AllyBra I think you’re right, that thick rigid edge would be hard to give anyone a proper fit. A 34 F may work for me but alas I can’t find one. I’m wondering if another Cleo bra would work if I can find one
[I bought this bra in both 28E and 30D, because I saw a review saying it was too big so I thought I would try two volumes, though I normally wear a 28E/30DD. The 28E mostly fit while the 30D was too small in the cup. Ordering my usual size would have been no problem; I do not recommend going down a cup size.]
I know there are a lot of people interested in this bra and how it compares to the Marcie so I will try to make this thorough. Happy to answer any questions OR even provide more pictures. I can even retake old pictures of my ...pink Cleo Marcie being worn, just to rule out the possibility of breast shape changes on my end over the past 6 years when comparing how they fit lol
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PREFACE: MY BREAST SHAPE I have even breasts, with average roots (I never have an issue with wires being too wide or narrow; the ~5" wire widths in most Cleo bras generally work for me) but slightly tall roots. The slope of my tall roots on top is almost always the deciding factor on in a bra will fit or not, as it extends up somewhat high. Cup tops will either match the slope there or they will cut into it.
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PRODUCT PICTURE VS IN-PERSON First off--I think this bra is very different than what I expected based on pictures. As another reviewer said, the color in person is a darker tan than I thought it would be. It is a bit too dark to be a good match for my pale skin tone, but this is probably good news for some people who find most "nude" bras a couple shades too light.
(edit: I uploaded a picture to compare the color of the latte Cleo Asher with the beige Panache Emily: https://www.bratabase.com/picture/dpqbk/. The Emily works great with my skin tone under white shirts, while the Asher is much notably darker. Based on product photos I expected a bra that was more the color of the Emily)
There's also a weird extra piece of fabric where the cup connects to the band, almost like a piping, that's darker than the rest of the cup... I am sure it is just decorative but I do not think it does anything for the bra so I wish it had been excluded!
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FIT VS. THE CLEO MARCIE This is probably the important info a lot of y'all will want!
Preface: Since I am somewhat small-chested, FoT vs FoB vs even matters less in my range than in larger size ranges, and I managed to find a great fit in both the pink Cleo Marcie and Cleo Lily in multiple colorways, even though people say the Lily is usually even while Marcie is THE FoT bra, just as an example.
My first thought was that it fit very differently than the Marcie, but I went to my (6 year old!) review of the pink Marcie (https://www.bratabase.com/picture/did9t/) and the raspberry Marcie babydoll (https://www.bratabase.com/bra/dlylt/), and rediscovered that the pink colorway of the Marcie actually runs a hair small in the cup. The pink Marcie fit me and the slope of my tall roots perfectly, while the raspberry Marcie babydoll gapped slightly on top as I don't quite have enough upper fullness to fill it out. I don't have the raspberry babydoll with me at the moment to be able to see if it still fits the same after all these years, but the Asher does not gap on me. However, it doesn't QUITE fit the slope of my roots, causing me to not quiiiiite fill out the upper half of the cup as well as I would like, and causing some wrinkles under shirts that I am not super satisfied with.
It's hard to compare the fit of each, especially years apart and with variances in colorways, but I definitely don't think they fit quite the same. Some people have had success with both while some people have only had success with one, it's definitely hard to say. For whatever it is worth, I find the pink Cleo Marcie, the raspberry Marcie babydoll, and the latte Cleo Asher to each fit distinctly different from each other, even though they are all "the same."
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SHAPE Gives a beautiful rounded shape--I love 3 part cups with side support panels!!
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UNDER CLOTHES As mentioned in the beginning, the color isn't what I expected and as such does not quite work for my skin tone for white shirts.
I was worried about the upper cup design showing through shirts, but it is not as textured as I worried and I don't think that it would pose too much of an issue.
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CONCLUDING STATEMENTS I would be interested to try this bra in black if it goes on sale, to see if it fits like the pink (specifically!) Cleo Marcie does. Overall it fits differently than my two different versions of the Cleo Marcie; I wouldn't be afraid to give this a try regardless of how the Marcie specifically fit you, especially if you have had success with this style of 3 part cup in other models. In general, I would order your regular size, I think it is true to size. Read more 760 more words
My shape is low set, short and narrow rooted, soft.
This bra came to me from martka00 , so it has been worn before. It's still in great shape but the band is definitely too long for me, even on the tighest hooks. I tend to prefer bands that are about 28.5 stretched, but I was expecting that for this bra....so no surprizes really. The shape is rounded, and there is a fairly prominent lining along the cups upper edge that closes the top edge of the cup in next to the breast. It's not obvious under a shirt, but it may cut into tall breasts? ...Not sure...
The pattern is pretty cute (I prefer this pattern to the animal print anyways), and I got matching bottoms in size 10 UK. They fit perfectly, and my hips currently measure 91 cm up higher, and 98.5cm down lower around the biggest part of my bum.
The straps are only partially adjustable (not in front), and I have them fully extended here. The straps themselves are a bit thin and don't have a lot of give, so I find them pretty uncomfortable. I'm going to try this bra out, as I like the rounded shape it provides and I have no gaping, but the straps may be a deal braker for my sensitive neck/shoulder area, and especially with a band that is too big, I'm not sure if I'll be able to handle the pressure on my shoulders? Note that I am low set and have been wearing mostly 28FF, so this may not be a problem for a lot of people who need a 30" band and/or shorter straps.
Overall quality is good. The insides of the cups are soft cotton and outside is satiny, so hopefully no boob tents. Read more 191 more words
It looks like a great fit. Maybe you could take the band in a little?
Sonya yeah I could try that. In the past, I have taken in a few bands with a temporary stitching style, so I could give that a go, but I don't find it all that comfortable. I'm just not sure I want to pay to have it taken in professionally, and I'm not handy enough to do a cut and sew job on it. But I should try... it would probably help it feel more comfortable.
Thanks for the review and allowing me to live vicariously through you. I had a Cleo Mimi briefly. Half-cup bras give me that super rounded shape that is my favorite. I returned the Cleo Mimi when I realized the seemingly permanent bruise between my breasts was because the center gores of all my bras were just too high for my close-set breasts. Even regular height gores bruise my breasts. :-(
learningaboutbras awe that's too bad about the gore. I haven't worn it for more than a few minutes, so hopefully that doesn't happen to me too! And yes.. love the rounded half cup look.
As a preface, when I first tried the Asher, I tried a 28FF which was too small in the band since I've recently become a 30 band. The 28FF was REALLY small so I saw 30GG on sale and thought "It's just 2 cup sizes larger than 30FF which i normally wear" and while technically correct, this bra is much too big in the cups https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_razz.gif" alt=":P" />
QUALITY: As always from Panache, the quality is really good. None of the seams feel like they're going to unravel, the fabric is really sturdy, the overall structure is really solid.
FIT: The band is really ...comfortable! I do feel like it could slide down because the cups don't fit properly and so I imagine the tension in the band isn't 100% correct for a correct fit, but I'm not keeping it so I'm not concerned. The cups are too big, my boobs fall to the bottom and fill it out nicely, but leave room for another small boob on top in the empty fabric. The cups are also comfortable, despite being much too large. The wires feel stiff when I hold and feel the bra, and when I compare it to my Cleo Marcie in 30FF, the wires feel a lot stiffer than the Marcie.
DESIGN: I'm not gonna lie, this bra is quite pretty. The blue is really nice with the geometric patterns in the top lace panel. There's lace loops decoration on the edges of the straps and lower edge of the band, much like other Cleo bras, but these loops are much smaller than usual. It looks nice on the straps but might be annoying for the skin on the lower edge of the band. Next to the wire channels on the outside of the bra there's a stripe of fabric just a millimeter wide, but it's shiny and adds just a touch of detail that I really appreciate. It's subtle and I don't know how visible it is when you're wearing the bra but it looks great when it's laying next to me on my desk. The only thing I don't really like is the bow. It's wide and square and makes the bra feel wide and square. I personally prefer the small lacy bows that usually come on Cleo bras, if I end up getting this bra in my size I definitely will be replacing it.
There's an extra layer of fuzzy fabric sewn onto half of the strap lengthwise, from the middle and down to where it meets the cup. It's there for comfort and I like that attention to detail. It wouldn't make the bra more comfortable to me though as I have the straps on max length, but I'd imagine it's nice for someone with a short torso.
TLDR, Asher isn't as bad as I thought! But I have yet to try it in my actual size. Read more 379 more words
30GG is technically 3 cups bigger than 28FF, because cup goes up with band size too. That's why, for example, if band is too tight in 28FF but cup is alright, you should try 30F rather than 30FF :) and so on.
So, in this case probably your usual size 30FF would be a good fit. But I am not a professional, just figuring things out there ;) The bra indeed is beautiful, I love softies :D
Cleo Minnie is my best fitting Cleo in a 28F. Since it is discontinued I contacted Panache and asked what a good replacement would be. They told me the Asher. For me the Asher is not a good replacement. Unstretched the band is the same length as my stretched out Minnie. Even though the Minnie still fits me in the 1st hooks the Asher is too loose in the 1st hooks and too tight in the middle hooks. Either way I hook it the band slides down and presses on my rib cage. Not sure if I need a smaller cup or it's just wrong for me. The Asher reminds me too much of Marcie which it replaced. I didn't do well in Marcie and am having the same experience with Asher.
pierniczki you are correct! it is 3 cup sizes bigger than 28FF. But I coulnd't try this in 28G because the band was too tight. So I tried a 30 band which is comfortable, but the cups were too big :) it is a pretty bra!
meggiecat yeah, Asher is its own thing. It can't really be compared to the Marcie in my opinion, it's somehow still very different.
This bra is hard to review. Partly because I have wanted it for so long and partly because it’s not a great fit, despite the pictures. I’ve held off reviewing it for ages but I really want to get the pictures off my phone. Lol.
So this is one of the bras that I was always told that was narrow and projected like Polish bras. I must have a lemon. It’s 5.5” wide, which is not the end of the world, but I have a little bit of space between the wires and my roots. I could do with a 1/4” narrower. It’s also slipping out of my ...imf which is unusual. It does not look like it is shallow on me. Something about the fit is just weird.
My big breast fits fine but I’m getting empty space on the small side. I have not tried it with a top on to determine if it’s problematic or not yet, but I probably won’t, given the rest of the issues. Cup height seems ok but maybe a bit tall. But it’s got a bit of a closed edge, I think, so I don’t think I can go down a cup size. While I am comfortable with the loosest hooks, I get a better fit with the middle hooks. I’m not sure if I can get away with the 28 band. I think it’s dependent upon whether or not I am flaring or not.
So while the pictures look amazing, they are lying. I have tried the bra on several times, never removing the tags or putting clothes on overtop. I really love the look of this bra, and want so bad for it to work. I’m not sure if it’s worth trying a 30F in it. Read more 188 more words
Oh man. I’m bummed for you it didn’t work. I can see why you wanted it so badly. It’s gorgeous!! I know you say the pics are deceiving in fit, but the color and pattern looks really good on you. I hope you can find a size that works for you. :)
Thanks Happy2BraShop. I’m just not so confused about the fit. I love the colour and print. I want it to work so much. I’m not sure if I would fit a 30F. All the data shows that cup depth would be too small. So as far as I know, this is the right volume. Would a 28G actually be better than the 30FF?
Calluna How do you feel the back-band on the 28 would fit? If it runs stretchy and less tru to size, it could be worth a shot since proportions in the actual cup change even though they’re sister sizes and it might be in your favor. If the 28 band runs firm/short then you might risk having the wires distort and get pulled back, basically causing the same issue of wires feeling a tad too wide If it fits too tight. But you could also add an extender if it’s just a tad too short till it stretched out. If your bigger boob is fitting the cup now, sizing down in just the cup might not work. I’ve had this happen where I was literally in between sizes on back-band and in between sizes in a cup. At some point it comes down to how comfortable you feel in it when you’ve decided on a size and if you could live with a minor fit issue if it’s still there. Is it possible to order the other two sizes and choose best out of three?
Yeah it’s a stretchy band. But it might be too tight in a 28 still. Theoretically, it should stretch to 29” which is obviously a lot for a 28 band, and is the smallest I’m comfortable with. If I’m flaring, I need closer to 30” even though I’m a 28-28.5” snug.
I actually got this as a trade. So I might try other sizes if it’s a good price. The 30Fs look like they’re not even 9” deep. I need 9.5-10” usually, depending on the shape and material.
I also have one of this, and just in sister size 32F. It is too big, maybe also a little bit too wide. I guess a 30F can be a good fit for me.
Cleo Sofia is a Marcie/Blake cut bra with a stretch lace overlay in the front only. This overlay adds a bit of compression, giving a somewhat minimized, sports bra or bralette look. The lace overlay extends about an inch above the cups. I personally find it less comfortable than Marcie, but YMMV. The straps are only half adjustable, but the unadjustable portion has some stretch. Unlike some bras (looking at you, Cleo Mimi!), my 5'4" self still has plenty of room to adjust in both directions.
The lower section of the cups is made from a single layer of sheer, non-stretchy mesh. The ...upper section is made from opaque, very stretchy material, that appears to be the same as used in the back band. The top of the cup is bound is a way that makes it very stretchy, much more than the similar looking Blake. This stretch, combined with the higher up lace overlay may work for taller rooted people (in my short rooted opinion!).
I've uploaded some pictures showing the interior, but haven't figured how to link them to the review. Read more 81 more words
It’s definitely an interesting style. Something that could easily fill the bralette look.
This would be great under a V neck!
That looks interesting, like a cami with a built in bra.
Do you find it also that it runs slightly big? I need Marcie 30FF but this one in 30F is like just ok, tiny bit too small in cups but 30FF was massive tho..
martka00 I feel that the elastic upper cup makes the cups themselves functionally bigger/more open than Marcie, but the compression of the overlay makes it TTS for me.
I had a similar problem with Blake and Hettie, though. With those, the 28FF was support-free, and the 28F quads if I move. I blamed the elasticity of the cups. That might be the case here, as well
I have wanted a Lily for over a year now. Specifically, this print. I finally found a 30F Aqua Lily here for cheap a few months back, but said Lily was a titch too small, so I’ve been searching for a larger cup size. Then I found this sister size. Which was a gamble with a smaller band. I waited in anticipation for this bra. My tracking number was positively infuriating. Then, rather by surprise, when I’d been complaining about it taking so long and no updates for days, it suddenly appeared in my mailbox!
It’s a beautiful, gorgeous bra. I love the print and the shape and everything! ...It’s my mythical unicorn bra. 🦄 Except for the size. I knew that it was a gamble from the start with the 28G as I was told by the seller that the band was 28”... a number that also coincides with my snug under bust measurement. The 28G is technically my size based on measurements, but I am also a sub 32 band and I’m one that can’t do a lot of squish...I can fit loose 28s or tight 30s sometimes needing 1 row of hooks from an extender, but this one requires a full extender and I’m super worried that the tension is going to damage the hooks and pull them out...my 30F navy Marcie already has hooks that look like they want to come loose and I’ve been wearing with the extender mostly with 1 extra row of hooks (but at one point was 2) for nearly a year now. And that one stretched to 28.5” new where this Lily was a hard pull to 28” to the point I marked at 27.5” but feel like it’s closer to 27”.
The cups fit pretty well when I have it on without the extender, but I’m definitely getting a bit of gapping when I have the full extender in use. My smaller boob has some gapping regardless, but is exaggerated the further the hooks are. And I definitely can’t wear it that tight more than a few minutes at a time. But I need the tension for the best cup fit. All the pictures are with no extender, btw.
I’m still going to keep my search for the 30FF (possibly 30F in one of the larger fitting colours/prints) and hopefully find something that will work, because it’s so beautiful and it’s a great shape and fit for me. In the meantime, I have my contingency plan for this bra that I am pursuing. I’m glad I scoped out an option before I bought this bra. I was a lot more confident knowing that I had a plan for it if it didn’t work, and I was afraid that it might not.
Sad to see it go away again so soon, but I’ll be getting something that I know will fit. So it’s still a win.
Please have look at this beauty and weep with me that my rib cage is just a little bit too big for it...
When I first saw the thumbprint photos, I thought it was a chili pepper print and I was so excited. 😍 It is still very pretty!
Sorry it wasn't a perfect fit for you. Hopefully another will come along soon that will be. 💙
Thanks. I am a bit sad. I mean, I could keep it and wear it out, but I am afraid that I will wear the hooks out before I even get to use the loosest hooks on the bra. Wearing the extender using one row of hooks is fine, but I don’t want to use the whole thing. Especially when I can trade it for something that I know is going to fit.
I wish I could think of a way to stretch the band out quickly without distorting the wires or risking hook damage in the process.
If the only concern is the hook connections, you could always add a few stitches to the hooks & eyeloops to strengthen them, right?
No worries though, I'm sure another one will surface soon and it will fit you perfectly. 💙
It's very pretty and this colour definitely suits you well. Too bad about the band :(
Sorry it didn't work out. Hope 30FF shows up soon!
Thanks. I’m swapping it for an Ewa. And who knows, maybe after the person who I’m swapping with wears it out, it might be stretched out enough to swap back. I am sad but confident in my decision to keep looking for the best fit of the Lily.
Update: I’ve added some new daylight pics with and without the extender so you can see the difference in the cups and possibly see the strain on the hooks with the extender (just imagine it worse on the hooks without...maybe I’ll redo that picture later)
Apologies for the slightly lower picture quality...they were taken with my iPad which is older than my phone so it’s not as good of a front facing camera, but I can use the case to stand it up hands free and use the timer. Sooooo.....
I’ll see if I can add more pics later to include more details.
Full back shot without the extender is up. I don’t know how well the strain is showing.
This looks perfect on you. Too bad the band doesn’t work. But it’s funny how it doesn’t even look tight compared to this one: http://bra.pe/X0Ur/
Don’t worry about the hooks. They look strained even worse on most of my bras. I just pushed them back in and bend them a little wider at the bottom and they haven’t come out once even on bras that I can’t get on without my boyfriends help.
Thanks aboobaccount I actually have a 30F in aqua which is a little bit too small which is why I opted to try this one even though I was a little bit concerned about the band being too tight.
Is this the perfect bra to wear under a white shirt? Hell no. Is it adorable? Hell yes! This is the first 28FF bra I’ve purchased after trying 28Fs/30Fs/30FFs/a Comexim 65HH. I’m happy to say it fits very well! I don’t think I’m enough of an expert to judge whether it fits perfectly, but it’s comfortable (straps are a little wide-set for me) and the fabric is very soft. The print is loud but adorable! It gives me a smooth appearance under a shirt - not cleavage, but definitely lift. The longline is maybe a little difficult to deal with, but no more so than other longlines. If I felt really daring I bet I could wear this as a crop top! I can’t speak to how well it holds up under wear (lol), but it seems to be nicely constructed. It’s very reminiscent of Bravissimo Esther with, I think, somewhat taller cups.
It looks wonderful. Yay for bold bright and beautiful bras that fit well! 💙
Looks great! If I’m not mistaken, Mimi is the non longline version of the Breeze, so that might work for you too. Given your fit with this, I have a few bras that might work for you.
My shape is low set, slightly pendulous, soft and narrow rooted.
I got this bra because of MiskiDwie s review. She's a similar size and she raved about the shape... and oh wow...the shape of this bra! Uplifting, rounding, centering. There is an elastic band edging on the cup that does cut into my boobs and the bra MAY be slightly too small, but because I have soft breasts, I have a feeling that this will not be an issue as the day wears on and my boobs settle in the cup. So far I've just tried this bra on. I have short roots, and this ...bra pushes everything up to makes it look like I actually have upper fullness. If you did have upper fullness or taller roots, this bra may cut in a bit. The cup width is slightly wider than I need, but I don't think it affects the fit very much, or at least I don't notice.
This bra has a shimmering dark navy mermaid pattern on the cups and gore area and elastic around the rest of the band. So unique! There are 3 x 3 set of hooks (I'd prefer 5, but I think they did this in an attempt to stop rolling). I find that this bra does accentuate my back rolls a bit more than I like...but maybe that's just because I gained 5 pounds in the last couple months. (Motivation to skip the snacks at night...). The straps have gold hardware, are a touch wider than your standard straps, and they adjust long enough for my tall frame. There is a mauve coloured bow in the centre of the gore.
Overall.. amazing shape, pretty mermaid pattern/colour, and great quality. Read more 181 more words
Wooooow! Amazing! I do see the little bit of cutting in, but I don't think that you can do it in a larger cup, and agree that the soft tissue might settle in a bit throughout the day.
Looks beautiful on you. I tried it also but couldn’t be bother with the long band :/ I wish it has standard band, would be perfect :(
Calluna I'm wearing it today, so we'll see! martka00 I agree...a regular band would have been way better. And thank you! :)
Well I can add that after a day of wear the bra is still very comfortable. No cutting in, no chafing, no discomfort anywhere on the cups or band. The cups feel like they're very supportive, but the band likes to flip up in the front. I do still have the cutting in/quadding on my larger side, but...oh well!
That is a stunning bra, and it looks great on you!
This was one of the 8 bras I tried in my first Amazon Prime Wardrobe Box! (Sadly, 8/8 did NOT fit) Out of all 8 bras that I tried, this one fit the best. It wasn't a good enough fit for me to keep the bra, mostly because my larger, left breast had some quadding going on, and the band is a bit too stretchy for my tastes. Plus, I got a weird, upside down 7 (I think that's what it's called?) shape that I really don't like. I didn't try it on with a shirt over it, so maybe it wouldn't even be noticeable, but *I* know it's ...weirdly shaped! (I think I've been spoiled by Polish bras. That, or my breasts are primadonnas who demand only bras all the way from Ewa Michalak in Poland and will settle for nothing less, hahaha.) The search continues! Anyone have any tips on what I should try next, preferable that's available through Amazon Prime Wardrobe? (I do wanna say, it's a bit annoying that Amazon requires UPS only to return these. They sent them to me in a box that's too big for the UPS Drop Off box, of course, and you HAVE to mail it back in the original box. So stupid! So now I gotta figure out how the heck I'm going to send it back without having to drive all over looking for a UPS Store. First world probs, I know. I'm still grumpy about it.) Read more 136 more words
I just got a Wardrobe package, also 8 bras, and it was a big plastic bag.
There are lots of UPS stores. Go on their website and use their locator. You can filter for UPS stores only. I have two within 15 minutes, one is inside a Giant supermarket.
You can also drop it off at any Staples Shipping Center inside the store near the front. They’ll give you a receipt for it.
finallygotboobs Did any of your picks work out? I'm really excited about the Wardrobe, since there are NO STORES near me that sell anything near my bra size. (I believe that's a common problem for a lot of people, unfortunately.) Also, I did find out there's a store called Pak Mail that will take UPS packages, and that's really close to my house. Hooray! So my grumpiness has gone away, hahah. I already have another Prime Wardrobe cart ready, with 8 more bras to try, when they receive my return. Here's hoping for better results!
Thanks for your measurements! I'm excited Amazon's Prime Wardrobe may help dramatically increase the measurements in our database. That would be so helpful!! Squeal :-)
I know! That's part of why I decided to try all these bras, even though I figured they wouldn't work for me. I was doing the "great bra try-on" and my husband was like, "Is this your bra math homework?" as I was scribbling down all the measurements, hahaha.
mandapandarawks they all fit reasonably well but I’m not wowed by any of them. I have enough bras but if any had been super comfy in a color I like I’d keep it. I ordered because I was curious about the bras and curious about Wardrobe.
The upside down 7 can be caused by a top small bra, just FYI.
*too
Too bad none of the bras worked out this time, mandapandarawks . I would be annoyed at the UPS return requirement, too.
This is a very old discontinued style. You can still find it on ebay in a few (not so mainstream) sizes like 28J or 28D. But it was my first properly fitting bra so I still review it
The colors are fun. I like to let it peek out a little under a dark tank top with spaghetti straps. But it also works with a white shirt since the light orange doesn't shine through too much.
The cups make a very round shape. Their fabric is a bit thicker then the normal Cleo mesh which makes it looks very smooth under clothes and prevents my nipples from poking though ...even if they don't align perfectly with the seems. It felt a bit rough at first but became more comfortable washing it. The wires are incredibly firm, stiffer then all of my other bras. They don't distort at all and follow my IMF perfectly without digging in. They are also somewhat closed on top. Combined with the rigid fabric this gives excellent support without looking “full coverage”. The downside is that the is no room for size fluctuations. Sometimes I put this on with a bit of wrinkling in the morning and the cups are filled out perfectly by noon and even a bit too small after eating lunch. The band is very snug and narrow, which does horrible things to my back fat. But it feels good. It also didn't stretch significantly in the 6 month I have it now which is amazing considering that I wore it almost every day in the first couple weeks. Read more 157 more words
@Calluna, thanks for making me aware of it. That is so tempting but can't really justify getting more bra at the moment (I already have over 30 with like 10 brand new ones still in the package) and I only have one pair of boobs afterall.
This was one of my very lucky finds, along with my Pixie Balconnet from Cleo. Size 28:4 non-padded bras from Cleo , are incredibly difficult to find. So, I scooped this one up the second I saw it. I LOVE this bra. I love how it fits. It's awesome. This one appears to have a stretchier band and less firm band then the Pixie had, but that may be just because this one was actually worn very lightly unlike the Pixie bra that was not worn at all. I only got to wear this bra around the house but I had to ...write about it, so I'll of course update this review after it's run at a ten hour shift. First off, I really love the fabric of this bra. I'm not a huge fan of polka dots, but you can't always get it all. It is a very smooth, stiff, probably polyester fabric. There's no stretch, which makes this bra very good at shaping the breast. There is a small mesh section that is embroidered along the top edge. This mesh also does not stretch. The cup is also lined with what appears to be a non-stretch black mesh. I really can't say the fabric is soft and welcoming, but it's not scratchy, abrasive or uncomfortable in any way. This bra seems to be expecting short roots with a breast that projects out from the ribcage with no sloping. I have tall-ish roots. So, the mesh just sort of slides down my roots and the mesh part wrinkles. The embroidered edge lays flat. I find I can tuck the wrinkled mesh section under the cup and just have the pretty embroidered section showing. There is a picture that shows what happens when I try to force the mesh section to lay flat and sit the way it was originally intended to sit. Cuts into my like WOAH. The bra is a three section, cut and sew, non-padded balconnet bra. Very low-coverage and has really good projection. There is soft elastic along the outer edge of the cup. It starts where the straps connect to the cup and continues down to the underwire. Where it them becomes the top binding of the band. This bra does an excellent job at gathering the breast and projecting it forward, something polish bras a renowned for. I do not have a lot of outer fullness on my breasts and this bra does not seem to ask for it unlike the Pixie bra where you can obviously see (especially on my smaller side) that I do not have much outer fullness to fill the cup correctly. I am centre full (behind the nipple, not inner fullness), with some projection and a good bit of projection needed at the apex. This bra seems to fit me like a glove! The straps are a bit larger than average straps. They have unnecessary detailing on the edges and down the middle of the strap. They feel like soft, fold over elastic. They are extremely hard to adjust because of all the detailing but can be fully adjusted. I have them fully let out. I am extremely fortunate that they are long enough because I could not get the Pixie bra straps to be as long as I needed them to be and it really messed up the fit of the bra. This is the most narrow gore base I have come across thus far. The wires at touching at the top of the gore and remains fairly narrow all the way down the gore. This is amazing for me because it never seems to matter how narrow the gore is at the top they always get way to wide as the gore progresses and it forces the wires to sit on my larger breast tissue. I try to finagle the bra over towards my smaller side, but my smaller side is more projected than my larger side and no matter what I do, it forces the bra to sit correctly on my smaller side. Which always results in the wires sitting on my larger breast. I only have about a centimeters worth of space between my breasts when they are being properly supported. So, this may or may not be the first bra ever to not just have the left wire sitting on breast tissue (at least out of the bras that have actual gores). The wires are about average I'd say and they fit me well. Others may call them narrow (see measurements). They are, of course it's a Cleo/Panache bra, pretty firm. They don't feel quite as firm as the Pixie bra, but the Pixie bra was never worn either. They have a bit of flex to them but are nothing like Comexim or other flexible wired bras. They're really comfortable to me, but I am not particularly sensitive when it comes to firm wires. They also seem to be padded some what, though that might be because the wire channels could be made of a thick cotton. The under wire channels are stitched with the words: "Crafted for fit. Styled for fun." The band is really smooth and silky/satiny fabric. I quite like it, but it is not as firm as others. It will also stretch out faster than the soft, plush elastic binding the bra on the top and the bottom of the band. It definitely seems stretchier than the other Cleo bras I have tried, but still measures just as firm at under 28". All in all, I'm so glad I got this bra. It's comfortable, the quality is high and I love that it's made mostly of smooth fabric and not mesh. I seem to prefer most fabrics over mesh. Even though I love the look of mesh bras. There's a slight shape mis-match here with the mesh panel expecting very short projected top roots, but this is not bothersome to me. It doesn't affect the fit or the style of the bra. The closed top just slides down my roots causes the mesh to crumple up. Fortunately it is half the size of the mesh panel on the Pixie bra so it is no where near as visible as it is with the Pixie bra. I don't seem to get this "side boob flattening" that others have mentioned in their reviews. But then again, I don't have a lot of outer fullness to begin with; especially on my smaller breast. The shape is gives me is pretty darn awesome too! When I wear it under a shirt and to work I'll post an update covering those topics. I look forward to hunting down more Cleo gems like this one! Read more 1023 more words
The shape looks perfect on you! I had a blue one in 30E but the cups were too wide and the straps were placed too far apart. Funny how they look much closer set in this cup size.
Thank you aboobaccount , I didn't have much hope for this bra to fit well, so it was a nice surprise. I could definitely see the 30E bring too wide for you, with Cleo width seems to increase about a half inch for each band size. My 30D is about 5" wide, and my 28D Cleos are about 4.5". These straps are more narrow than my other 28D Cleo's. I do also have them angled in towards my neck a bit, lol.
I love the polka dots, personally. 😎 I’ve got my eye on this one but I’m trying to pin down my size a bit better before I order too much more. I seem to be vacillating between 30 and 32 bands, and I feel like I’m in between cup sizes as well as bands which makes it hard. But the more I try, the more I learn and can reference the knowledge in future purchases.
Well, Calluna , since you find that you're in between band sizes I would always recommend that you go with the 32 when it comes to Cleo/Panache, Claudette, Ewa & Comexim bands as they run on the smaller side. I went through your measurements and photos and decided that you'd be best with the 32E in this particular bra. Cleo non-padded bras run on the large side. I think you will find in the future that being between sizes will work out to your benefit as many brands run slightly small or slightly large. Brands like Freya and Curvy Kate run slightly large in the band, so you'll want a 30 band with them. And since your breasts are soft, they will easily mold to most bra shapes, that makes you very lucky! I'm between cup sizes as well and I typically find that sticking with the smaller size works best for for me. A tiny bit of quadding on your larger side is just fine so long as you don't feel like you're being squished to death and IMO, if it doesn't show through clothes it's fine. I don't think a millimeter of quadding is actually spillover or a sign that a bra is too small. It's such a small amount that it shouldn't matter unless it's terribly noticeable or uncomfortable. Also, no one has just ONE perfect bra size, I wear sizes 28D/DD/E/F & 30C/D/DD. That's my range of sizes and it looks to me that you've stumbled upon your range of sizes too! 30E/F & 32DD/E. I personally feel that you're wearing bras that are too small for your horizontal perimeter being 10". But there could be a lot of reasons for that, the more low coverage a bra is the less cup depth it could need to fit. I am center projected, so I need much projection at the apex (center full, not inner fullness by the gore) while others need projection at the wire. So if I'm in a super short cup that stops just above my nipple i will require a smaller cup depth than my horizontal perimeter compared to a fuller coverage bra that will contain my full breast, then I will require a cup depth equal to or slightly larger than my horizontal perimeter. Just remember that the shape of your breast is not how they are shaped without a bra on, the shape of your breast and what you need in a bra is how they are when being supported by a bra. Without a bra on I'm a bit wide set, splayed, and on the shallow side of "average". But with a bra, I am quite close set, centre full w/o much fullness anywhere else, some what conical and on the projected side of "average." There is some exception to this and that would be the firmness of the breast, if it's low/high set, and if you're pendulous or self-supporting. Sorry for the long rant, but i hope it was helpful to you!
See now, I feel like the Curvy Kate Ellace is tight in the 30E. I can secure it ok the loosest hook, but it's tight and eventually causes pain behind the gore on my sternum, so I'm currently wearing it on the middle extender hook. I'm debating on getting it in the 32DD. And when I shared the pics of when I tried Marcie in 32E at Bravissimo, everyone commented that the cup looked big and one girl commented that the band looked big because it was not pulling the wire back enough for the tension of fabric between the wire and straps (but it might be a physical aspect of my shape and size rather than the bra). I would love to hear more of your thoughts on my shape and size and such as you were saying. Can you message me so that I don't guano this review thread? It sounds like you've got more of me figured out then I do.
I like the color combination. Not too boring, not too flashy and not super visible under clothes. They should really offer more styles like this. [rant on] I have enough colorful bras by now. Sometimes I feel like a 15 year old Disney princess when I open my undies drawer just from looking at all the crazy colors. [rant off]
Fit / Comfort
If fits similar to my Cleo Marcie (http://bra.pe/XYLq/) but with a little more space on top. The upper part of the cups is also stretchy so it doesn't cut in when my boobs decide to swell up a little during the day. But the stretchiness ...also makes it feel somewhat un-supportive when I bend forward. The lower portion of the cups is only a single layer of very smooth, almost silk like fabric. It's super comfy but it doesn't do much in terms of nipple control. The wires are exactly the same as the Marcie: very firm and narrow. While the band feels looser (almost like a 30) even though it has about the same measurements and is made of the same mesh fabric. But it's still snug enough to stay in place on the first hook. The straps are very long for a Cleo. I am about 173cm (5 feet 8 inch) and after about a month I had shorten them even more then in the pictures. I just hope they don't stretch any further since I hate it when the metal adjusters sit on my shoulders.
This looks gorgeous on you aside from the hooks struggling in the back! I wish they made in my size.....sooo tempting to try the 30D......
Thank you, Strange, why do they offer a 30D but no 28DD? Especially if the band is stretchy.
....yeah..... I'm not 100% sure on this one, but they may not even offer it in 28E. Some non-padded bras from Cleo start at 28E others start at 28F. They're more than happy to sell me a padded bra in 28D though. I'm not a huge fan of padded bras! My roommate said "go get implants then!" in response to my complaining, he was joking of course. Lol
I love the colorway of this bra, but I hate it when prints don't extend to the back of the band. Is it super comfortable or are you aware you're wearing it?
"Disney Princess"--giggle. This looks lovely on you!
Thank you!
LeProfessor you can find many discontinued Cleo Styles like the Meg, Zia, Minnie, Natasha in 28D/DD on ebay.uk:
Some are insanely cheap. (Maybe this explains why they don't offer these sizes anymore.)
gratiat I am aware of it. I mean, it's not like a super soft bralette that I can completely forget about but still very comfy even after a 16 hour work day.
Thank you aboobaccount ! I almost wish you didn't send it to me though, my wallet is empty but I NEEEEEED these bras, lol.
As the other reviews mention repeatedly this bra features the Cleo Marcie Balconnet Bra (6831) cut with stretch lace in the upper part of the cups. For my FoB breasts this combination is just about perfect. I get Marcies very round and uplifted shape minus the problem with the not always smoothly adjusting upper lace. I particularly enjoy the soft lining of the cups. Its bright pink color combines very nice with the dotted outer black mesh layer to a beautiful textured burgundy shade.
Overall it fits and feels like a more forgiving version of the Marcie. Though depending on the top and the day I still may prefer the latter as the Hettie can sometimes feel a little wobbly due to the suppler materials it is made of.
So...I picked up this bra in an effort to get free shipping with my purchase. I originally wanted the Neve Plunge but that one was double the price. I hopped on over here and found a 30:4 should fit measurement wise. Bought it was. I have heard SO much hype, ALL THE HYPE, about Cleo bras from women in my size range. Perhaps my expectations were skewed because of this because I feel very "meh" about the Cleo Jude bra. It's a 30 band. So, it's too big for me. It is comfy on the second and third hook, so it's ...definitely more taught then most 30 band bras I have tried. The wires started warping once I stretched the band all the way to 29". Which is great for a day when I need to be very active or if there ever is a day when I just can't tolerate a tight band. I don't really PMS become bloated so those things don't matter a whole lot to me. The straps are SHORT. Like so short. I'm pretty short (Five feet even) and I wanted more length. They're about 14.25 inches long fully let out. They're not soft, but not rough either. They're decently wide, stretchy and quite supple feeling. Certainly more than tolerable (unlike other bras: Limited Edition by M&S!). They did seem to stretch out as time went on and I stopped feeling them at all. The Gore. I can't feel it at all. I actually don't remember if it tacked or not. I'm thinking it was a soft-tack. I believe plunge gores are best for me because my sternum starts above where the band of the bra site. The gore is also deceiving in it's width, it does not look like there is a whole lot of separation between the cups; but there's well over an inch. Great for wide set breasts. Not great for making cleavage. Speaking of cleavage, I quad out tremendously after putting on the bra. The very bottom of the cup also collapsed under my breasts due to the cup being too shallow. At which point I tugged on the top of the cup while simultaneously pushing the under wire up to my IMF. As my ten hour shift progressed the cups seemed to stretch out and allow my tissue to settle inside if the cup. These are the softest under wires I have come across. I hardly noticed them. They're too wide for me and I kept feeling the need to adjust/pull my tissue "back into the cup"/to the front of my chest even though my breast was fully enclosed in the cup. The molded cup was surprisingly thin, soft and supple. While the cups being molded, definitely give a rounded shape I'm not in love with the shape the bra gives me. I like a nice lifted, gathered, rounded shape that enhances my breast as opposed to just a round, wide shape. I mark this bra as a win for me. It's great for giving my body a rest from rigid under wire's, Gore's and tight bands. A comfort bra for very active times. I think a 28DD would be better for me over all. A tighter band, probably more cleavage (a 28D for super cleavage maybe?) and narrower wires. I could probably get a 28E to get a similar result to the look of this 30D with a tighter band. Read more 466 more words
Darn. Like you, this bra would push out of mt IMF, too.
Fortunately Love4Pollinators the under wires and fabric are so comfortable I hardly notice during wear, or perhaps it's just because the band is loose.
That's good news :-) A loose band helps so much sometimes. It is the reason many of my bras are 36 bands when I measure 28.
I'm hoping that the non-moulded cup Cleo's will give me that very lifted, rounded shape I hear so much about. I fear most Cleo bras will be too wide and shallow for me. I only have 'average'/some projection...but I'm very center / inner full so I think this makes it difficult for me to wear very shallow bras. It also seems my sweet spot for wire width is 4.5". Much smaller and it sits on tissue, much larger and it doesn't gather and push my breast forward.
I really had high hopes for this bra, considering I have had good luck with the cleo Maddie, and this was supposed to be an updated version. The cups are really small on this and much more enclosed than the Maddie. I'm not sure if a cup size up would fix this problem or if it's just the wrong cut for me. It did not feel similar to the Maddie, other than they are both molded balconet bras, but they are cut very differently to me.
Aw man, nothing worse than crusty fabric! I can’t stand itchy or stiff fabrics more than anything. :(