I bought the Juna thanks to reviews that it ran really shallow - my breasts are wide and shallow, so this is exactly what I need. I've had good experiences with Cleo, so I was pretty sure on this fit and quality, and I was not let down.The bra front is made of a satiny fabric that's really nice and should hide rather well under most tops. The lace is not the highest quality, but I do not find it uncomfortable. The straps are covered and somewhat thick as a result, but not obtrusively so. I guess what I'm saying is that the Juna is somewhat plain, but ...a pretty good everyday sort of bra, made nice enough that you don't feel like you're sacrificing for the sake of wanting to wear t-shirts. It's got the necessary bits and bobs, plus some extras like padding to prevent show-through. Now, there are a few slightly unpleasant aspects to the bra. The straps are not fully adjustable, and while I don't find them problematic, others might. The lace at the top of the cups most assuredly does not lay flat. It's sewn on in such a way that it angles abruptly back towards the chest, and as the bra is low-cut, it hits my breast tissue. So the top of the lace is against my skin, and the body of the lace is formed into a fabric bubble. But it's really only noticeable if I'm looking down at my breasts, and doesn't show through clothing.The band is much larger, unstretched, than most of my other bras, so I do fear it will wear out faster. And the seam on the two-part cups is very centrally placed, and so does not hit me where my breasts are fullest. But these are minor quibbles, and while they keep the bra from being perfect, it is still a great bra.
I would definitely recommend trying out the Juna, as it is a continuity bra for Cleo. It is especially worth looking into for those with shallow breasts, since finding truly shallow bras can be a challenge sometimes! Read more 242 more words
I originally bought this bra to fill my much needed t-shirt bra gap. It has very thin molded cups, just enough to provide some modesty and a smooth shape, and nowhere near enough to increase your apparent size. That this bra happens to be a plunge was only incidental - I appreciate being able to wear it under lower shirts, but it's not the plunge I would select for dressing up. And it performs its intended function admirably! I can definitely wear this bra under anything without the cottage cheese look cropping up. Now, let me enumerate the faults of this bra, just so we're clear. The center ...gore is extremely thin, so I know I'll have issues with it wearing out. It already gets twisted so easily. The Hawaiian blue color is very pale, and I've already picked up one mysterious discoloration on the band - there's no telling how many more of those I'll find. The cups are very shallow - which I need! - but are also fast-closing. This is a bra where, for the first hour or so after I scoop, I'm definitely quadding. It settles down throughout the day, so I'm not sure I want to buy a 28DD, but I'd assuredly try one on if I got the chance. Oh, and on the Hawaiian blue/pink colorway in particular, I've found the band to be slightly loose. It's not all bad, though. The straps are fully adjustable! And this bra is a regular in the Cleo lineup, plus they release fun new fashion colors each season. I'd say it's like the wide-breast friendly Deco, because it's our versatile plunge-smoothing-molded combo bra. Similarly to the Deco, it's off by about a cup size, but in this case, size up. And as a bonus, the band is tighter! I'd really strongly recommend this bra if you've previously tried and disagreed with the Deco, because it's a very clear counterpoint to that fit - instead of narrow and deep, this bra is wide and shallow. I would call this *the* t-shirt bra for wide breasts to try. But, if you're on the large side of your regular size, do size up! Read more 254 more words
This is a very great bra! I bought the Lucy on a guilty whim, because the yellow color looked so fanciful and I have long lusted for an unpadded bra to fit me. Surprisingly, the Lucy pretty much does! This bra has fully adjustable straps, a great selection of colors, is a continuity design from Cleo, offers great lift and support, and is generally a good bra. It's given me the most up-and-front shape I've ever gotten, which is not an easy task on wide-set, wide-rooted breasts. I feel really secure in this bra, and while it's not very cleavage-y, it handily trumps the shape provided by most cleavage-inducing bras. ... There are definitely some shortcomings, as with any bra. It's a 3-part seamed cup, which I've decided my breast shape has some issues with. Specifically, the top section does tend to bunch up a bit, because I've found that these cups are rapidly closing. My breasts don't end low enough for them, so the top of the lace will lie flat along my chest, while the fabric just below the edge makes a fabric bubble. This has not been an issue under clothing, and I've even worn this bra under very tight, very thin jersey tops. But it is a bit of a bummer as far as shirtless appearances go - I really wish I could get that 'painted on' look that larger busted ladies seem to find! In the end, this is a bra to try - it's really beautiful, fun, and comfy! It's made for wider-set and wide breasts, and should do fine on multiple fullness levels. It will probably cause trouble on very close-set breasts and full-on-top breasts. If you fall into the 'wide' category, though, try this bra! Read more 182 more words
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.
This one feels like it might run a touch small all over. The cups are a bit too narrow for my wide-set, broad-rooted breasts. The embroidered section at the top is very strange, as well... The top of it cuts in disproportionately, while the majority of that section is too loose/wrinkly. I also found the straps to be too short, but my breasts also lay somewhat low on my chest. My shape is not very compatible with this bra, so you may find it lays better for you. If the vertical seams were further away from the gore and the lacey stuff wasn't there, this might have fit ...me better. If you have more even fullness (I am full on bottom and on the outsides, but very shallow on top and in the center), you will probably have better luck with Zia than I did.
The material is weird for me, but it is impressive. It is polyester. It seems very durable and tough, but the cups do not stretch (the band does). It is unlined, but it's definitely thicker than sheer/lace bras. Read more 74 more words
I think I jumped the gun a little bit with the first size I tried on in this bra! I originally was in a 28DD and it fit so well (compared to my ill fitting 32 A's and B's) that I was so excited and thought it was perfect. Thank goodness a Bratabaser (is that a word?) recommended sizing down on the cup size to solve my too-wide strap issue!
This is truly the best possible fit for me, don't you think so? I wore it all day today, adjusted 0 times, and when I took it off when I got home had no red marks, even from the wide-set straps!
Today I learned the importance of letting your breasts settle a bit in the cup before deciding whether a bra is too small! Thank you so much cjarasmithhttps://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" />
I don't think red marks are necessarily a bad thing, as long as it doesn't cause pain
Heh mercury, you're so right! For me in the 28DD, by the end of the day I had painful red marks where the seam was between the cup and the strap since the cup was a little bit too wide for me!
Do you find the top edge to show through a lot of tops? I bought Maddie in orange animal print (discontinued) and that top edge is different -- I thought it would be less visible through clothing than what you bought, but it does stick out pretty badly, despite being a perfect fit. I'm wondering if the embroidered top edge is better or worse.
Idk why I didn't see this river_wilde , until now, I logged on and batch uploaded like 10 bras.
Yes the top edge shows under clothes :( Usually I wear this one with loose clothes/thicker fabric like sweaters, or wear a tank top under to hide the top edge.
My new favorite bra is the Masquerade, Ardour in 28D. It fits perfect as well and stays flat under almost everything!
I don't know whether to laugh or cry or both. Marcie fits just right in every way and looks good. And now that Cleo is making it in black and nude, they've dropped my size. Marcie is now only available starting at 28E which is much too big. [insert string of profanity here]
Edit: Okay, I should try to review this properly, given that it's currently my favourite bra but also has the least informative review.
My roots are narrow-ish and very tall. My ribcage is on the small side of 28" and my bust is full on top and /relatively/ projected for my size. Take all of the previous ...descriptions with a grain of salt because I'm still learning here. 28D Cleo Marcie in red is basically the perfect bra. It fits like it's painted on. The cups are open enough on top (by which I mean, they are extremely open on top) and the wires follow the edge of my root all the way around. The shape it gives is beautifully rounded (which is impressive, given my size). The colour is a bright bold fire-hydrant red and the fabric is just the right level of sheer. Perfect perfect perfect. /endrave
If you have a 28D Marcie that you're not 110% happy with, pleeeeaaaaase send it to me and I will love you forever! On that note, thank you biesmie for this one. Read more 126 more words
That way you are showing them that the demand is there! I sent a message off because with their new changes I will be in one of their smallest bras, and that's just silly!
at least the Maddie and the Juna are still available in the smallest sizes.
I'm being sized out of all their bras too, and I actually did send them an email letting them know I'm a disappointed customer. I didn't get a reply. However I am very happy to see that the new Cleo Mimi in lilac is supposed to come out in a 28D and 30C, and I think I'll be able to wear the Koko Muse in 30D. http://brasandbodyimage.com/2015/08/29/moda-preview-cleo-ss16/
Ah, Jude. Everyone seems to hate you, but I'm very glad we met. Sure, we had a rough start... Your wires stabbed at me painfully, but I bent and played with them, and now you are comfortable. Yes, I quad slightly because your cup closes so abruptly and your straps aren't quite long enough to remedy the issue, and hiding inside your molded cups are some random gaps that sort of confuse me -- but none of it is visible through clothing and I still feel your support. You are my best t-shirt bra, despite not being a perfect fit. Thanks, Jude.
You might like to try the Cleo Jude in 28DD too. I usually wear 30D and 28DD and I found that in the Cleo Jude 28E fit better.
Saskia_C I hadn't actually considered that, because the wires on this one are just about as wide as I can go. But I was just checking out the individual measurements of each size, and 28DD on average is only about 0.1" wider than the bra I am wearing. Thanks for the tip!
I'm pretty excited about this bra, because it is the best fit I have encountered thus far in my bra search since discovering my proper size. Now, technically I am 26DD, but 28Ds have been sufficing. Maddie feels great compared to my old 34As (yeah...), but it is not without just a couple slight faults.
What I don't like:
The top edge of the cup, despite looking flush enough when my clothes are off, shows prominently through almost all of my clothes. I got the obnoxiously orange colorway for only two reasons: It was about $20 cheaper than the continuity colors; and the top edge seemed a lot smoother than ...the embroidered edge of the others. Well, I didn't avoid the issue I was most worried about, but I'm glad I could afford to try this bra on.
The band is very stretchy, and I have to wear this on the tightest hooks in order to not have (far) too much gapping at the top and some shifting around throughout the day. I measure 26 underbust, though.
What I love:
The gore and wires don't bother me!
The smooth surface makes it (almost) the perfect t-shirt bra.
It is the perfect width and depth for me! I -almost- quad out on my larger side, and there's a small gap on my smaller side (the best I can hope for, really), so I add a bit of padding to that small side and suddenly I feel fabulous! I know, I'm weird, but I couldn't stop staring at my boobs when I put this baby on. I've never looked like I had big or round ta-tas in my life, and Maddie did that for me. Honestly, I should return it because I probably won't wear it a ton (only because of the issues stated above), but... I can't. Not until I find something that better fits all of my requirements. I've invested too much time and effort into this journey to not own a single bra that is a perfect fit.
If you are shaped like I am (broad roots, full on bottom/outsides, wide-set, on the shallow end), definitely try this one out. Read more 245 more words
If you have a seam ripper you could (very carefully) take out the lace edging.
Saskia_C It actually isn't the lace at all, it's the edge of the cup itself that curls out just enough to show too much. Maybe it's the thickness of the material or that it hits my breast at just the wrong part of the curve. It's hard to say.
I had the same issue. It fits me but the edge of the cup shows through my clothing so I ended up returning it. I got it in black and I thought it was the thickness of the material and where it hits my breast that made it show. I had much better luck with B.tempt'd By Wacoal Ciao Bella Balconette (953144) though I am still trying to find the right fit with that one too, but it didn't show through my shirts as much even with all that lace.
The only thing that wasn't perfect about the 30C Cleo Minnie I got from runs_with_scissors was the fact that the band was loose. So I swapped my Cleo Lucy for this 28D Minnie from tealeaf_egg , expecting it to fit like Marcie.
On the one hand, it fits better than Lucy, but on the other hand, I'm somewhat disappointed. The band is true to size and fits me much better than the 30C Minnie. But the cups, which SHOULD be identical, since they're sister sizes of the same model, have a bigger lace section. For whatever reason, that makes the cups way more closed on top than the 30C version... which makes this an awkward fit for my tall-rooted boobs.
Going by the 30C Minnie, I can see why people say Minnie and Marcie are sister cuts, but it seems Cleo is inconsistent with their cup construction? :/ I guess I'll be altering the band on the 30C after all.
too bad! :/ the lace on top of the Cleo can really change the way a bra fits you :/
Yeah, I don't know if that 30C bra is just a snowflake, or what. The 28 band version has totally different cups. I was curious about the 28D so thanks for posting! It seems to be exactly like the 28DD that I have.
I have been wearing my 28DD as is, even though the lace is all weird. When I pinch the lace how I would alter it, it looks a lot like the 30C version. Oh, Cleo.
glad I saw your post - I was thinking about trying this one out but maybe not - I think I am a little bit FoT - I don't know I'm having trouble figuring that one out. but also a little bit FoB. Tall & wide roots, and shallow - do you think this bra is worth trying? It's so cute - I just want it to fit
I still have it listed for sale if you want to give it a shot. it could work
thanks! I just saw the comparison thing to bras that fit me - the natori feathers, and it looks like the cup on the minnie would fit someone with more projection than myself. I also noticed that it's wires are as wide as the Feathers too, so it prob won't be a good fit for me - thanks though!
This bra gives great projection but is not a very rounded shape. It looks great under t shirts that aren't super tight if you don't want a pointy look.
This bra is really, really cute and lacy, something that's hard to find in this size. It's hard to find unlined, unpadded bras - everything in small sizes seems to be push-up and padded. Those are fine, but sometimes I just want something sheer and lacy.
Now, first of all, the band and underwire fit perfectly. The band is just right for me, possibly a little bit loose, but not so much that it doesn't fit. I really appreciate that this bra runs wide in the wire - it comes up much further under my arms than a lot of bras, which makes it great ...for gathering up "extra" boob. And I am wide-set, so really, I need these wide underwires. This is great.
I fill out the bottom of the cup really well, but the top wrinkles very, very slightly on my left (bigger) boob, and more noticeably on my right (smaller) boob. If I push all the boob in carefully, I can fill the top of the cup on my left. But no amount of pushing and prodding can fill the top on the right.
It isn't that visible under clothing, so it's something I'll live with to have such a cute, lacy, comfortable bra with nice wide underwires that doesn't poke into my sides and sternum. The gore tacks perfectly on me.
It doesn't give any cleavage - it gives a very natural look, with a good amount of support. Nipples can show through if they aren't perfectly placed on the seam. But it is what it is, very cute and feminine. It's not going to be my everyday bra (I wish it could be!), but definitely a nice bra for those times when I want to feel pretty under my clothes and just want a natural appearance outside, without a bunch of pushup and padding. Read more 209 more words
I am really upset that Cleo seems to only offer size 28D in padded and moulded cup bras. So far I have not been a huge fan of them even though they're comfortable and look pretty good. I really like the low coverage of this bra, but it was not designed for a bust like mine. I think this bra was supposed to have a fuller coverage like your average moulded cup; only cut balcony style. It sort of follows the natural shape of my breast. I'm not shallow at the bottom of my breast, but most my tissue falls in the center of my breast making ...it so I need the most room at the apex. This bra has a VERY shallow bottom and very open top, my nipples aren't far below the top edge of the bra. So, it 'fit' and it made my bust look voluminous and rounded. The straps are your typical "elastic" style straps and these are fully adjustable. These straps appear to made of two separate "elastic" fabrics,l. The top fabric is covered in tight horizontal lines that are bit hard to stretch and the bottom looks like a more typical cotton elastic. They're also set very wide. Oddly enough, the way the straps are attached the cups they do no go straight up like usual, but the seem to angle away from the body. So far I have not had an issue with straps falling off of my broad shoulders. I spent the whole night slipping the left strap (but not the right strap for whatever reason) back onto my shoulder. Boy that was annoying. This is a used bra and as such the band stretched to 29" without the cups distorting (not that they could easily distort with the shape of the under wire). Which, IMO, is really not too stretched out for a well loved bra. So, it's still reasonably firm. I wore the bra on the loosest hook and should've worn on middle or tightest hook as the bra was not very stable on me, but the band did not ride up either. It was juuuust gripping me. It's made of an interesting fabric that is quite soft and smooth. If you hold it up to the light you can see faint columns in the fabric with horizontal lines going through them. It's an interesting pattern. The fabric is still fairly firm, but no where near as firm as the elastic remains. The elastic is thicker/denser on the bottom of the band than the top of the band. The visible side of the bra has the elastic covered by the band fabric while the inside of the bra has the elastic on display. The bottom elastic feels a lot more plush than the top elastic which feels more like that elastic that has a tendency to dig in. It's nice and grippy and managed to stay put even though it was just barely wrapping my rib cage. The elastic of the band continues across the whole bra and is attached underneath the cups. I wish the band was wider on this particular bra. These under wires have a very different shape compared to all the bras I've seen so far. Most the bras I've looked at have a familiar 'U' or 'C' shape to them. These under wires are shaped for like a slightly curved line . They come down in the typical 'C' fashion from the gore, but then the other side straightens out. I hope the pictures assist with my description. Because the wires are shaped like this and are fairly short, it allows my breasts to try and escape out the sides. I felt the need to pull my breast back into the cup fairly frequently. These wires are very firm and do not flex. Although they do seem to have some padding between the wires and your skin. Which may have been the only reason they did not dig in on me. The wires almost touch at the top of the gore and remain fairly narrow towards the bottom of the gore. Normally this would be great for me, but because of where the bra sits on me this gore is too wide and as you can see in my frontal picture, it's obviously sitting on tissue and would be an overall better fit if the gore was more narrow than it is. It is really narrow compared to most bras I've seen. Fortunately, if have this issue with many bras and my inner tissue is shallow enough that it hardly ever bothers me that the wires are sitting on it. The cups are made of a seamless moulded foam and covered in the same fabric used in the band. There is also some edging details (maybe lace?) on the top half inch of the cup that causes the cup to curl in some. It's not closed in enough to affect anyone whom runs away from bras that have closed top. In fact it is still very open on top and would not work for those whom need a closed edge. The lightly closed edge works well for me as it prevents any gaping I might have gotten from this moulded cup bra. This moulded cup is shaped completely differently from any other moulded cup I have come across. While I appreciate this, it does not hold my breast in very well. The bottom of the cup feels like it is squeezing the bottom of my breast instead of lifting and supporting it; while the top of the cup is just resting around my breast instead of holding it in and continuing the bras job of support. The outer edge of the cup does not seem like it's designed to pull your bust the center of the chest and hold it there. It seems like the whole cup is just designed to boost the bust up and allow it to sit there, unsecured. All in all; I really do love the way this bra makes my bust look under clothes even though you can clearly see the top edge of the cups through clothes. Perhaps it would not show through a very thick fabric, but it easily showed through my ribbed knit tank and thin cami's/tee's. It pretty d**n comfortable to wear but gives me no cleavage. I think this bra could do wonders for those whom are fairly shallow or women with FOB breast without a lot of "at the wire" projection needed. And I don't see any issues for those with FOT breasts. Tall and short roots alike should get along well with this bra as there is nothing to cut in and yet the cups are a much shorter height compared to the majority of the moulded cup bras out there. This certainly wouldn't work for close whom need closed top bras or those with ample amounts of projection. If you have loads of inner fullness and need lots of space at the gore, you may not get along with this bra. The same is true with those whom have ample amounts of outer fullness, although you may find this bra puts all that outer fullness front and center. I wanted more from this bra, but alas, it just barely fits. Read more 1114 more words
This is my first bra I've tried in my journey to find a bra that fits. I got size 28 D from the calculator, but this bra is way too tight in the band. Being new to bras, I can't really comment on much else, with one exception. This bra gives my breast a kind of strange shape - it pushes the tissue upwards, which gives a good, full look, but it leaves the sides of my boobs looking awkwardly flat. I will try to capture pictures of this. Otherwise it's a cute bra, I was really hoping it'd work for me, but I guess I'll have to try a band size up. About the band size: I'm not sure how this is supposed to work, but this bra is a size 28D, however, the band's stretched maximum length is 27 inches. It sits at 22 inches un-stretched. I'm not sure if this is normal for a 28 band size, but I'm sure this contributes to why it feels so tight on me.
Did you ever figure out what caused that side flattening issue? I seem to get it more and more and I'm having trouble figuring it out. I thought it was lack of outer fullness causing it, but I have some bras with identical measurements that don't do it, so I don't know.
Cleo bras are known to have tighter bands then most. Most women feel that their new truly fitting bra feels tight, after all you have been wearing bras that have been 4 or more inches too big for you. Makes sense that the bra feels tight. Cleo bras also have projections and push the breast front and center of the chest. It does not look awkwardly flat on the side. It looks really nice. I would suggest trying a cup size up and see how that fits, a 28DD. Make sure you scoop and swoop your breasts into the cup. You are used to bras that push your breast tissue to the side of the body, which is why you think this one makes you look "flat", it's actually holding your breasts where they should be instead of flattening them to the sides. The bras band will also loosen up with wear and will stop feeling tight. Bras need to be broken in just like shoes and anything else. You also need to get used to the feeling of a firm, not loose, band.
After reading your your information, not just your review, I definitely think a 28DD will fix almost every problem you are having with the bra. Besides not being used to a truly fitting band, the cups beings too small is the number one reason why a band feels too tight. The cups are too short and the wires are too short and narrow, because the bra is too small.
this was my bra, a few transfers ago, and I had a similar shape issue with the cups, both in this one and the 30C. I think it might just be weird construction. the bra pushes all the breast tissue up and in, but leaves the outer sides looking weirdly smushed, especially right below the straps (even when they're loosened). It's hard to see from pictures but I know from my own experience that it looks much more bizarre and unnatural in person. It's definitely not just a matter of the cups having a projected shape. In my case, it looked like slight dents on the outsides of my boobs.
This review is for the black/magenta Jude I bought new on Amazon. I have another review for Jude in aquamarine/purple in the same size, which I bought used from a Redditor. There are some subtle differences in fit between them. This black one has cups that are overall smaller. The wires are 0.2" narrower, the cups are 0.4" shallower, and the they also seem to be a bit shorter. All of this causes more serious quadding than I was getting with my other bra, and I'm not sure I can justify keeping it. The band is also a little bit bigger, and I really couldn't afford a larger ...band.
I really wanted to snatch up another Jude because they're discontinued and all but sold out in my size, but this one seems a little too small. The wire width is perfect though, and the gore is comfortable (my other one was not, until I bent it out). I would try this bra in 28DD out of curiosity, but I can't find it anywhere except Amazon, which only has it in a purple animal print that I find very unattractive and impractical. Perhaps I just got lucky with my first one that it fits well enough to wear. If I ever find a nude version in either size, I would like to try it. It's hard to say which of these two was the fluke, measurement-wise. Read more 126 more words
I HAVE FOUND MY FIRST ABTF! The Riley is the solution to my only problem with the Maddie, which is that the Maddie gaps at the top of the cups if I slouch at all. The Riley is closed at the top and it's a smooth cup (no lace detailing at the top with the Maddie), which makes it a perfect t-shirt bra.
I wish it came in black and nude colorways!
P.S. I'm new to this (32A-->28D/DD, could even go down to 26). What breast shape would I described as if the Riley (and Maddie for the most part) fits me perfectly?
I have the same (and only) problem with Maddie. I'm glad you posted this, I was wondering if it was more closed at the top based on the stock photo but I couldn't tell. I'm going to have to try this one out if I can get my hands on it!
I would say you are likely to be more shallow, probably full on bottom (especially since you have upper gapping in Maddie), and possibly broad-rooted. It's hard to say for sure, though, without more info. :)
Sorry, I also meant to ask: do you find the Riley to run smaller or larger in the cup than Maddie (or are there any other notable differences)? I noticed you tried Maddie in 28DD but Riley in 28D.
river_wilde Definitely try it out if you get the chance! I ordered a 2nd bra off Amazon, but one of the cups was bigger/off than the other and at the time, it was the last one in stock but it looks like there's 2 in stock. Unfortunately, you still won't be able to control which you get but know that there's a faulty bra floating around.
The Riley runs about the same in the cup as the Maddie. I tried both 28D & 28DD in the Maddie. Hope this helped!
nimblemomonga Thanks for the info! Very helpful, and good to know about the faulty bra.
I really should save more money before I buy any more bras, but I have a feeling Riley in 28D has been discontinued (not sure about that though), so I will probably just grab it while they still have a couple left.
The Riley's cup is a bit taller too. I was in between 28D and 28DD with the Maddie because of that gaping issue; the Riley came up higher and didn't gape... if that makes sense. Good luck!
nimblemomonga Very good to know, thank you. :) Maddie gaps for me probably because of where the edge of the cup stops, in addition to the cup curling out a tad (I have the old animal print one, not the one with the embroidered edge). So taller but more closed on top might make it perfect!
I'm not usually one for bright colors, but the vibrant purple and splash of pink are really cute. The mesh is weirdly soft! I noticed that it completely lacks side boning, which feels a little weird and sad, but I don't think it affects fit in my case.
The fit is eh-more-or-less-okay. The wires are a smidge wide and the wings are lower than I'd like, and there's a hint of extra space up top, but it's comfy and supportive and the wrinkles dont show under clothes so I don't mind the mild wrinkling at all. The band is nicely snug around my currently 26" or so ribcage even though the numbers say that it stretches all the way to nearly 31", probably thanks to the type of elastic or something.
Pretty thing. Fits just like the bra -- very open on top and perfect for tall roots and/or upper fullness. The band is perfectly tight and the cups fit me like they're painted on.
The lace part that hangs down is completely sheer and open in the back. Not exactly nightgown material and it's much too gorgeous to lounge around in anyway, so I intend to use it as a layering piece. It's especially perfect under this (semi-sheer) white dress http://www.freepeople.com/shop/voile-and-lace-trapeze-slip/ or as a skimpy sheer top paired with a sexy leather jacket to hide the open back and equally sexy Blackmilk leggings http://blackmilkclothing.com/collections/leggings and ...I'm derailing this review too much so I'm going to stop now.
I like it.
Minor edit: The centre gore is exactly half a cm taller in the babydoll compared to the bra. this is visible when held up against each other. weird. doesn't really change the fit. Also, I didn't include the floppy lace thing in the front in my measurements.
I am on a mission to collect as many 28D Marcies as possible. This yellow one was my first ever eBay purchase. It's pretty much the exact colour of piss on a hot summer day when you haven't had enough water. It's the colour of the Walmart smiley. Bright, shameless, obnoxiously yellow. I thought I would hate it but actually... I kind of like it. It is now the loudest piece of underwear I own. And because it's a Marcie and fits me like it was made for me, it makes me happy.
For a plunge, I am surprised that this shape fits me so well! The material it's made out of is very soft, and it looks smooth even under a tight tee shirt. The band fits me pretty well, so I would say that it runs tight. Overall, supportive and comfortable.
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.