Great support in a beautiful pattern. I feel like it works well with fuller on the bottom breasts like mine.

http://www.bratabase.com/blog/2012/aug/29/hello-birdie-a-review-of-meg-from-c...

Updated on Sep 06, 2012 Flag this

Measurements for 28FF:

Stretched Band - 27"
Band Length - 22.5"
Cup Width - 6"
Cup Depth - 9"
Wire Length - 9.25"
Cup Seperation - 1.25"
Strap Width - 0.625"
Hooks - 2

If this were a full banded style it would fit better. Because of that the center gore shifts durring the day even though the band and cups fit. The wires get more ponted towards each other (if that makes sense). So an alteration is in order. I guess it just fans out too much for me. As a result this causes the tops of the cups to press into breast tissue (see photo os left side shot) making it appear there is quad-boob, ... but I know I'd be swimming in a larger cup size. A narrower center gore that is also taller will put the cups closer together at the bottom, giving more room in the tops of the cups and also a rounder look from the side. Similar to what a dart in the center gore would do...except there is no fabric on this bra to accomplish that. I hope to attempt to make this a full band style to fit my frame better, but if that's not possible then I will only be adding a taller, narrower center gore.

PROS:
Fabric is soft against the skin (for the most part. See cons below).
Smooth look, even with the top cup detailing. Under regular fitting shirts show through is not a problem.
Cute design. It's nice to see more t-shirt style options from European companies. They're finally getting with the times! =)
Narrower, smoother elastic. For me this is more comfortable as I find at times most styles from other brands like Freya irritate my skin. But this one will be better in the Summer for tanktops.

CONS:
Partial banded style, not as supportive as a full band. The underwires can be uncomfortable at times because they press on my ribs. This is only something that happens to me in this style of band, no matter what the size.
No side wings so if you have even the slightest bit of back fat the elastics will emphasize this because they (and the main fabric) are completely stretchy.
The only part of fabric on this that is uncomfortable is around the underarm. I've also read this in other reviews on shopping sites that it is bothersome. Hopefully that will go away from wash and wear. I think it has something to due with the type of elastic.
Center gore is super tiny!
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Updated on Jun 29, 2012 Flag this

Band is quite tight....I can fasten it, but when wearing the bra all day I prefer to use an extender to extend by one hook.

The cups are just a tiny bit too big for me, but I fear going to an FF would give me the quad look. If I do a larger "scoop" than normal I am able to fill the cups, so I guess it probably actually fits fine. I had to put a small ankle sock in the cup of my slightly smaller side to even out the asymmetry, but after doing that it fits nicely.

The center gore doesn't quite touch my sternum (it ... sits out enough that I can slide my pinky finger in), but even so it still gives a very good amount of support. If I push the gore in so it is touching my sternum, I found that it actually makes the cups fit just about perfect. (I'm wondering if the center gore could be bent slightly in, much the same way as some people bend wires away from their body.)

The straps are set pretty far apart, on the edges of the cups. As I have narrow rounded shoulders this design isn't ideal for me... I haven't had a strap slip yet, however I definitely feel potential for slippage. For a full day's wear I use my normal "strap holder" accessory in the back, which makes it work fine.

Profile view is very nice, with a great lift and rounded shape. View from the front is not wide at all. The seams can tend to show through certain shirts, but are invisible with others. I found several t-shirts in my closet that would work fine with it, so it is definitely a candidate for a t-shirt bra, at least for certain shirts. Also worth mentioning is that the colored stitching at the top of the cup is fairly flat, I didn't have any problems with it showing through the shirts I tried it with.

UPDATE: The Ariana has become one of my favorite bras. I can wear it all day and never have to "adjust" things. I have slightly bent the wires in the gore area in towards my sternum, and this has helped with the non-touching gore. Very comfortable and a great shape. Really like this bra!!!!
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Updated on May 18, 2012 Flag this

Cute bra with a (mostly) good fit. Cups fit nicely, although I do have just a wisp of overspill at the top on my larger side. Underwires are not un-comfortable. I did notice that one of the underwires in the center gore area, the top inch of it doesn't quite touch my sternum. This only happens on my larger side, the wire on the other side touches fine.

Profile view is nice and fairly rounded, definitely not pointy! I wish it was a bit more lifted, but it's not bad. View from the front is a *tiny bit* wider than I like, but not enough to be a deal-breaker. ... Bra does allow a little bit of bounce from time to time, not terrible, but it just does not keep you concrete still.

Straps are too far apart (which is an on-going problem for me), but the Lucy straps sit EXTREMELY far on the sides of the cups. Using a strap accessory in the back stops strap slippage, although the straps do slightly cut into the fronts of my armpits a bit (again, something that isn't extremely un-common).

Though the bra does fit, I have decided to return it as it's not exactly what I'm looking for at this point. I would definitely consider picking one up in the future, though.

(Just for reference, this review is for the Yellow color of the bra. It's very bright and cheerful!)
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This bra is not owned any more

Updated on Apr 17, 2012 Flag this

This is what a bra 4 sizes too big looks like.

black colorway

This bra is not owned any more

Updated on Feb 25, 2022 Flag this

(For reference, I'm even to slightly FOB, short roots, close set, self supporting, somewhat narrow and very short/small framed. Best fitting size is 26FF.)

Loved this bra from afar for years & finally found one in a sister size, but the fit is a total disaster. I'm heartbroken because it's gorgeous!! 😭

The boned longline and 3HC cup shape are great. They are lined with soft cottony padding that's slightly thicker and less stretchy than Comexim's. The floral part of the straps aren't adjustable. The floral fabric in the front of the bra is lined with firm mesh, while the back is a very stretchy, slippery, white fabric.

Now for ... the fit.

The band: I bought this planning to alter it if the cups were ok, as is life for the 26-er on a budget. But stretching to 33" is a lot if you are looking for a 30 that fits like a 30.

The straps: Surprisingly close together! Wide set straps are my bane & these, even in a 30 band, were perfect.

The cups & wires: A bit large for a padded 30E at 9.5" depth. But the real problem is how the wires at the gore are angled to splay apart much higher up than my roots. I've encountered plenty of too-wide gores but this is the first time it was so bad I actually got in-gore quadding (illustration in the images) with boob spilling out between the wires under the fabric of the gore. It was painful even just trying it on. The cups gape a lot because they're sitting on top of boob rather than being filled with boob. If I hold just one cup in place so the wire sits correctly, the shape and volume are actually perfect for my bigger boob. Overlapping the gore wouldn't even help as the angle of the wires - not only the distance between them - is totally wrong for me.

Oh well, guess I'm running back to Comexim for any future adventures into half cups.
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Floral colorway

This bra is not owned any more

Updated on Oct 19, 2021 Flag this

I see why this bra is hyped up. I passed over this bra initially. The padded bright teal blue bra with polka dots and a bright orange trim seemed youthful compared to my usual black attire/lingerie choices. I now care about fit more than look and I am happy I considered this bra. I havnt been going for padded bras anymore, but this isnt too thick and doesnt have the bulky push up like my old VS bras do. I like the construction, there are two vertical seams connecting 3 sections. The gore may be about what I tolerate for height due to my inner fullness, but I ... think having closer/overlapping wires would bean improvement. The gore/wires are not cutting into my tissue really or pushing into my sternum painfully. After wearing for an hour or two, I notice half of the wire/gore looks like its lifting up a little on one side and not tacking perfectly, but I think it has to do with my bigger breast. I wish the straps were closer together but they tend to be spaced far apart in balconnets. I can wear this but the straps almost feel like they could slide off my shoulders and feel like they would be more comfortable moved in. The 28 band fits better than the 30 band Cleo Juna bra I just bought (and lost on an overnight trip.] I want to try some Polish Comexim bras, or maybe Ewa bras with the straps moved in. This bra is decent and I think I can wear it today, but it is not perfect for me. I am ok the hunt for a bra that works for me.

I am short and petite, narrow shoulders, projected, I think around a UK28G, I believe my roots are somewhat narrow, and due to asymmetry I think each breast has different roots. I use to be even with more top fullness and a larger cup and band size but I lost weight and now have more soft loose tissue on top that swells at certain times of the month or when I gain weight, otherwise I think I am even but functionally FOB with a lot of inner fullness when supported. My breasts seem to almost point slightly east west unsupported but once I support them they seem very close set. I use to wear VS push up plunges 36DD or 34DDD but I realized what a bad fit that was and I am on the hunt to find what works. It has been hard with fluctuating weight. I could try to augment the wires and straps on this but because the cups feel a little small I don't think I will and may eventually rehome this. Thanks!


EDIT: My shoulders ache, not sure if that is related after wearing a couple hours. This bra came used but is a 28 and doesnt seem too stretched, so I am not sure if the thin widely spaced straps are putting pressure in weird places, my back is already messed up though.
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Polka Dot, Teal, Mimi, 8091 colorway

Updated on Sep 11, 2021 Flag this

I like this bra, but the biggest thing I'd change is to make the wings a little taller. Even 1/4-1/2 inch taller would be a major plus. I prefer tall wings and underwire.
Oh well, I'll probably keep it still, it is very smooth under clothing. Seams are smooth. It's a nice summer bra because the cups are two layers of fine, non-stretch mesh. It is very supportive.

Updated on Jul 15, 2021 Flag this

Firm band, I'm a 26 and it's fairly alright for me. Good quality, not itchy in any way. Fits true to size, as a 28DD. Wires are way too wide for me, personally. Best for wide or average width. Projection is great, probably not suited for shallow breasts. Would be best suited for someone with upper fullness and average roots or someone with tall roots but it still works pretty alright for someone (me) with short roots/conical breasts. It's a very pretty bra, breathes well. All in all, I really like it!

Navy blue, red with floral and bird print colorway

Updated on Jun 14, 2021 Flag this

Thank you to sincerity for this bra! I've owned and loved several Marcies over the years, and this will be no exception. I'm a little too big for the cups right now because of gaining a couple pounds due to lockdown (and moving in with my wonderful home cook of a boyfriend), but it will probably be perfect once I go back to work and shrink back to my regular size! I had bought this bra in black in a 28FF from someone recently and it seemed to run large, or at least I had a ton of space in the upper cup, which is never a problem for me lol. But in 28F it seems to run similarly to my other Marcies. I'd say the cup volume is slightly smaller than my burgundy Marcie in 28F, but slightly bigger than my Periwinkle Marcie in "30E" (altered to fit like 26FF/28F). Bottom line, I'm looking forward to wearing this eventually and I'm sure it will be a regular part of my rotation!

Black colorway

Updated on May 17, 2021 Flag this

The Cleo Marcie has become a favorite ever since I got my first one, a Scarlet Red 28FF from Bravissimo in London. Sadly this older model doesn't have the same proportions, as the cup edge is lower and doens't seem to have the same cup depth despite being a sister size. The cups seem too small in general.

Quality wise it's excellent as I always expect from Panache. The band is firm, the cups are firm, nothing seems out of place and all the seams are where they should be.

When it comes to looks the Cleo Marcie is adorable, and this pink one is no exception. I prefer ... the newer styles but this one is still nice. The button in the middle of the gore isn't my thing, it's cute but not as stylish as the slim leopard bow on my red Marcie.

All in all, since this bra doesn't fit it's hard to give a very thorough review, but it's got all the Panache qualities I love. Which includes great quality, looks, design and feel. The fit isn't quite right but ah well.
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Pink colorway

Updated on Mar 01, 2021 Flag this

I really like the Hettie. It was actually the first bra I got when I bumped up to 30H--I had a pink one that's now worn out. Hettie has decently narrow wires, is decently projected, and in GG and above cups, it has an extra layer of stretch lace, which I really enjoy. I do wish it had 3 instead of 2 hooks, but it's not a big enough deal to bother me.

Over all, a really nice, comfortable bra for my shape! Still having my recent slight gaping issue with this one--a bit more noticeable on my smaller side. The pictures are definietly exaggerating the amount of gaping ... though.

I also /really/ like the black on me. My camera doesn't though--my very light skin paired with the black bra confused it, so sorry if some of the pictures are weird. I think the little dots are cute, but if you don't, they're very faint.

Final thing I'll note is that, at least on my body, the Hettie is really creaky (this was the case with the pink one I had before too).
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Updated on Jan 24, 2021 Flag this

Since my 28FF Marcie gave quad boobs but the Envy was fine, I concluded that 28FF is my size, but I need the stretch lace for my top fullness. So, I ordered this bra which is supposed to fit my projected, fuller on top & centre boobs, with tall and narrow roots, close-set and soft tissue.

I'm not sure what's happening here - are the cups too big or the wrong shape...? I'm having lots of wrinkles on the mesh portion of the cups. Despite this, I feel supported and my boobs look good. The cups are deep and narrow, and the stretch lace definitely accommodates my top fullness. The band is snug and nice.

Black colorway

This bra is not owned any more

Updated on Jan 16, 2021 Flag this

The Cleo Hettie in 34GG is the closest I've found yet to a bra that fits, but it's not quite perfect for me.

The band is perfectly snug on the loosest hooks (only 2 x 3 rows, but felt fine).

The straps are long enough for me (but I'm pretty short at 5'4 so check the photo of the back to see how much adjustment you may get). However the straps are set too wide for me (as always with my 11.5" frame width) and they cut into my TOS/tissue too much unless I'm only standing with my shoulders back and not moving at all. I ... could see about getting them moved in; I think I'd want to also reduce the height of the side panels. (Correction: it's not really the side height that's an issue Upon closer look it's only where the strap meets the wing that digs in.)

The gore tacks great! It's significantly taller than what I'm used to (been wearing plunges) so that would take some getting used to.

The cups are ACTUALLY NARROW enough for me. (A first after trying about 12 "narrow" bras!)

The cup tops fit my larger breast pretty well (but over a few minutes it did start to show a bit of gaping) and there is space at the top of the smaller breast (enough that I'd need a cookie). The cup bottoms both have some wrinkling. (Still trying to determine if that's a wire projection deficiency or some other shape/size issue; I do have mild ptosis and I'm trying Polish bras next.) I don't think I can get alterations to deal with the wire gap and I'm concerned that over time it would press into my rib flares, so I think it's not a close enough fit to keep.

The seams and upper gap do show a bit under a shirt, but I'd still wear it.

Overall I'm really impressed, it's just not my unicorn.
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Black colorway

Updated on Jan 04, 2021 Flag this

QUALITY:
The quality was excellent as usual. All of the seams felt solid and smooth, the fabric looked nice, etc. The magnet clasp was pretty smooth as well, and I didn't feel like it was a weak point in the bra. It had edges made so it wouldn't slip and unhook. The whole bra felt solid like Panache bras usually do.

DESIGN:
This bra is just ridiculously cool. I just love the design so much! Which is why i was heckin disappointed when it didn't fit anywhere near wearability for me. Absolutely love the design. All the fabric was strategically placed and the stretch lace had a really nice pattern. ... The overall bra impression is nice, I really like how it looks, the color, the fabric, the structure, everything. Especially the style of the back with the lace panels was really cool! But this also makes the straps not fully adjustable, which might be an issue for some people.

FIT:
I ordered this in a 28G and when it arrived I had just measured myself to a 30F, so I had to use an extender to try it on. It wasn't a great fit - my shape is very round, narrow, full in center and on the sides, even vertical fullness. I need bras that have a fairly high cup edge and a very rounded shape with a lot of immediate projection.
I don't remember accurately what the immediate projection was like in this bra, but it was definitely a shape mismatch. The Cleo Atlanta has much more of a Plunge style shape than a Balconette style shape, but this wasn't really specified anywhere as the bra was really new and didn't have a lot of reviews or talk in the bra circles.
Plunge styles generally don't work for me, the bottom of the cup wrinkles and i spill out the front. That was the case for this bra as well. Stretch lace isn't' really that helpful as I've come to realize over the years, and it was of no help here. The cups didn't have enough of a round, uplifting shape so my boobs were resting in the bottom of the cups and pushing them out from my body. In the side pictures you can see this happening.

The straps when clasped over the shoulders weren't super comfortable, and while they weren't directly UNcomfortable, it just wasn't super comfortable. The clasp was easy enough to clasp I think, but it was harder to unclasp than I'd thought.

Thoughts: Was really bummed out that this bra didn't fit since it was so incredibly cute in the photos. A good bra, but not for me.


Some custom measurements:
Strap length at max: 21.5cm
Strap length at min: 12cm
Lace panel length: 17cm
Magnet clasp strap: 18.5cm
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Chilli colorway

This bra is not owned any more

Updated on Oct 27, 2020 Flag this

Me: Average projection. Fuller on bottom. Slightly wider left breast (I suspect this breast is also 1-2 ml taller than my other breast). Usually wear 28DD or 30D.

It's a cute bra but definitely not for me. It's comfortable and helps emphasize my waist. However, there's some serious side quad boob going on. The cups seem to mostly encompass my breasts; after I scoop and swoop, there is slight quad boob at the top of the cups but barely noticeable. Slight wrinkling in the cups, too. My wider breast seems to fill out the cup nicely but not so much for my other breast. I do think this bra might be for someone who isn't as broad-shouldered as I am. I think my broad shoulder contributed to the side quad boob.

Coral colorway

Updated on Jul 29, 2020 Flag this

Me: Tall, vertically shallow roots, not narrow. Center full/close set when supported. Soft tissue, relatively even.

This bra: A perfect fit except that the cup cuts in on both sides! It's common for me to have a bra that cuts in on my larger side for a mild quad-boob effect, but unusual that it's both. May be due to my root height or something about the elastic they used on the cup edge. I like the magnetic clasp back piece - it feels like it adds a touch more support. My shoulders are probably about average to slightly on the narrow side relative to my frame and boobs (god, ... isn't trying to objectively say facts about your body relative to the average hard??).

I also love the front-adjusting straps. The straps feel nice, not too stretchy. The interior of the bra has the side sling, plus that same soft mesh-type material on most of the cup and the band is comfortable as well.

Basically a great-looking bra, probably best for people who are about even tissue-wise. Not ideal for tall roots due to the elastic band thing along the edge of the cup. Might also not work for very FoT.

Edit: I'm considering buying this bra again and seeing if it would be a good candidate for removing the elastic on the cup edge (saw this trick on /r/abrathatfits), after checking the overall fit more closely.
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Petrol colorway

This bra is not owned any more

Updated on Feb 06, 2020 Flag this

Bought from another Bratabase user to take my first leap into the world of true bra sizes.

I took one look at the package and thought "Oh no there's no way I'm filling this out," and sure enough, the cups looked like they needed double the volume I had. I laughcried at my epic fail, threw the bra into the closet, and tried to forget that I spent money on it.

That was last week. This week I had the bright idea to tighten the straps so the cups would sit more flush with my body. It worked somewhat; now I just get normal gaping instead of hilariously towering walls. ... The tightened straps also caused the band to start creeping up, but I'm hoping that's just a natural symptom of stretchy Cleo bands because I already feel pretty snug in this 30. I probably could've accepted the fit had the cups been cut just an inch lower (I mean, this IS a halfcup bra yeah??). But sadly, I need to size down like the original owner did.

On the brighter side of things, this bra is amazing in every other respect! The main color is a very nice muted cerulean and the contrasting almost-neon coral isn't prominent enough to throw the whole balance off. It's more outgoing than my usual fare but still tame enough for my very vanilla taste. I have a narrow enough tacking gore for once in my life. Wires wrap comfortably, although tbf I've never found painful wires in any bra I've tried. The bottoms of the cups are filled out just fine. The straps don't dig in. But all of this just makes it more regretful that the bra doesn't fit lmao.
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Spot Print colorway

This bra is not owned any more

Updated on Jan 14, 2020 Flag this

Yay, finally this bra is mine! I've loved this design since I first saw it, but it was already discontinued by then, so it's taken me years to find one in my size. The one I have now I got from violetknight and it's in excellent condition.

The 32E is exactly the right size for me, and the fit is great, with one exception: I get some in cup quadding just above the horizontal seam. This is a new problem for me that has started to pop up after I lost weight and went down 2 cup sizes, especially in Cleo bras that used to ... fit me perfectly. I think it has something to do with the position of the horizontal seam that now cuts straight across my areola and the fact that there's less tension in the lace top part of the cup than there is in the stiffer, bottom part of the cup. I am going to attempt to fix this by taking in the lace part a little. Let's hope it works, because I love this design so much!
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Updated on Oct 26, 2019 Flag this

I've been wanting to try the Cleo Piper since its first incarnation, as the true longline. However, I knew that the original longline version was quite closed on top, so I didn't dare get my hopes up. Then, when Cleo came out with the midi version, I heard that the fit had been tweaked so that the cups weren't quite so closed off on top, but that it was still advisable to size up in the cup. So, when martka00 posted this for sale in a (distant) sister size, I felt like that would be the best opportunity to try it.

First of all, I ... love the appearance of this bra. The light blue with contrasting yellow bow, the eyelash lace peeking over the bottom edge of the band.. so cute! I personally like that this is a midi band now instead of the true longline, as I've learned that I'm not a huge fan of longlines. I'm petite and I don't like how longlines make me feel restricted and covered up, like my torso has been shortened. So the midi is a great compromise. The band has plastic boning in each of the side seams to keep the band from rolling up.

Fit wise, unfortunately this bra doesn't fit me. I was prepared to shorten the band if everything else fit well, but that is not the case. I get a lot of empty space and wrinkling in the top of the cups, which is my main fit issue. It seems to fit me depth-wise, however, so perhaps this bra runs a tad shallower than other Cleo balconettes. The gore is maybe slightly wider than I'm used to, which might be remedied if I actually got this bra in my proper size. I can't say for sure if the cups would be too closed off in my proper size or not.

So, at least I know now that I would have to try a 28F, but other than that, my trial was somewhat inconclusive. I may wait and see if I can snag that green colourway on sale at some point.
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This bra is not owned any more

Updated on Oct 06, 2019 Flag this