My shape is low set, narrow and short rooted, and soft.
This is my second Cleo Spencer in 30F. I also have the navy one. This bra is the best bra I've ever tried for lifting and centering tissue. It works better for me than Ewa Michalak's chps ever did, probably because the top edge of the cup curves back in towards the breast. It's like I have a push up on, but it's only regular padding. Vava voom! This bra is excellent for someone like me that needs immediate projection and a short cup for short roots. I think the lining along the upper cup edge would cut ...in too much if you have tall roots. I do get some bubbling on my larger side, but it's not really obvious under clothes, and it fits my smaller side great. I'd rather have a little bubbling on my larger side rather than gaping on my smaller side, so this is how most of my most-worn bras fit. It is a short long line with 3 x 3 sets of hooks. The band is a true 30" band and is a bit too stretchy for me, but I can wear it on a tighter hook. I wouldn't want a long line to be shorter anyways, as it wouldn't be comfortable on my rib cage (which flares a bit). The front bottom of the band does tend to flip up when I bend over or slouch, but it's not uncomfortable when it does. The cups have a mermaid pattern, which is cute in a grown up kind of way. The material is satiny too, so no boob tents from sticky material. The straps are wider than average and have just enough tension/support, and they are fully adjustable.
(Sorry for the blurry pictures. I have a thumb injury so it was hard to take these).
Overall this bra is excellent quality and construction for my shape. It's very very comfortable, and I think it has an excellent appearance. Read more 225 more words
I’ve been eyeing this one for a long time. It reminds me of dragon scales. Thanks for the review, looks great on you!
Sheena YES dragon scales! You should go for it and give it a try. Look on ebay to see if you can find your size. I bought it on ebay (from Belle Lingerie) at a really decent price. They are starting to run out of sizes though, so if you want to try it, I wouldn't wait too long.
Cute!
Thanks Calluna . I got matching bottoms through Amazon too for about $15.00 cnd, plus my yellow bird bottoms also match (not sold with bra, so I'll just keep them). I managed to find some thong bottoms that are dark navy too to match my navy spencer.
Is the fabric like velours on the pattern? It kinda looks a bit like that. It looks great on you!
Ooh that’s pretty. How’s the center gore? I’m narrow and short rooted, but also pretty center full and close set, so lots of Cleos have way too wide a gore for me. Also does it only come in longline?
alisa It is a satiny textured material. And thank you!
confused The gore isn't the most narrow, but it doesn't bother me at all. I did do a bit of reverse scooping, but it wasn't too terrible for centre tissue. It only comes in this short longline unfortunately. I wish it came in a regular bra because I much prefer a regualar bra over a long line.
Oh I have so many feels for this bra, though not all good, and I don’t even know where to begin.
In my recent growth spurt (aka weight gain), my current 30F Marcie in navy has been fitting in the cups way better than when I first got it. Not that it was a horrible fit then, but it was just the reality of a minor shape mismatch. It’s a bra with full on top breasts in mind, and mine are more even to full on bottom due to my soft deflated tissue. Because it’s one of the two bras that fit me well and I wasn’t spilling ...out of (mostly), I opted to get this one, which is the same size, but in black. The band looked like it was a little looser which was a plus, since my navy is actually a bit too tight still. The rest of the specs looked ok, with maybe the cup depth a smidge bigger, which I didn’t anticipate as a problem, especially as I’m prone to swelling after I ovulate. So, I made the deal and received the bra, despite my city being one of the early ones that Canada Post had a strike in (rotating strike).
The bra actually came with a new tag! I didn’t expect that! I also didn’t expect the bra would fit differently from the navy one, but it does, and not necessarily in a good way. The whole thing is like a half inch taller all around, and the cups are a tad bigger too. This is not the worst thing though. Even though it is gapping on both breasts in a similar manner to how the navy one did when I first got it (although I think it is a bit worse with the black), the biggest problem is that the fabric between the wires and straps is also higher, and it is cutting into my armpits and tail of spence and uncomfortable in some positions. I actually don’t think that the half inch difference is that much of a problem with the gore - it’s already high on the navy, but I can deal with it so long as I don’t wear it again for a second day in a row. The wings/band being marginally higher is also not hugely problematic - I’m ok with it a smidge higher as it feels more supportive, but only as long as it is comfortable. I’ve marked it as fit, even though technically, with the gapping and straps placement, it technically doesn’t. But the lower half of the cup fits well, and I know that the gapping is shape mismatch. The straps bit may or may not be tolerable long term...it’s not my only one with similar issues.
I have included pics of the navy one over top of the black one being reviewed - remember that they are both 30F. I did also include pics from today (technically yesterday now) where the fit is slightly better. My breasts and nipples have been sore for a few days and I think I just ovulated, or am about to, so I am starting to swell up. You might be able to see the difference in the fit, including the difference in the amount of gapping. You’ll also probably notice that I am actually in cup quadding some, where it’s less noticeable in my navy. I also included a few pics of an experiment that I did in which I folded a thin section of the lace at the top of the cup and then tucked it into the cup to hold (some - it doesn’t stay put for long) and you can see the shorter cup makes it fit loads better except for the in cup quadding. It’s actually kinda cute that way!
There’s lots of lovely things about this black Marcie though. As solid black with no contrasting colours, it’s subtle and understated, I think, and maybe slightly more adult looking than the fun colours that Marcie comes in. You can see I kind of had fun with a tunic top of mine and it looks sophisticated. It’s got the trademark polka dots on the mesh cups, and the bow at the gore, though it is noticeably larger than the bow on the navy one. As usual, it’s a nice round fit with lightweight materials. Although I might be outnumbered, I do actually like the thinner straps, at least in my size range.
I have yet to decide whether not to keep it or relist it. It sort of does the job that I got it for, but just not as well as I had hoped. I don’t really want to list this as a fit request, but I would love some basic feedback from those who have been following me for a while now.
Also, 25 pics! I’m not sure if it’s a record or not, but holy doodle, I can’t stop, and I even cut some of the pics out of the upload...lol! Read more 730 more words
You have shifted size so much since I have first started talking to you! It looks really pretty on you. I see that it definitely is taller than the other blue one. Perhaps this is a newer or older model of the Marcie? If you can't see the looseness of the lace under shirts, I would mark it as a win as well. Have you thought about throwing a few stitches in the spot where you folded the lace under to keep it there? Although I do think this looks a bit tight. Since you know, Ewa and Comexim are the only brands in the world making their bands looser while every other brand it making there bands firmer (ofcourse cleo/panache is still doing the same thing they've always done, but I just wanted to throw that out there lol) now that the world is finally trying to hop on the "well fitting bra" train.
It looks great under a shirt! I'd say if the tall wings and wires are not a problem comfort wise, the issues can be overlooked cause the shape it gives you is very nice.
First, I *love* all the photos. Each and every one of them is helpful and holds value. More is always better IMO, as we can never predict what each person is looking for when they utilize them, as we each have our own unique set of fit issues and bra priorities, so great job with the photos!
Second, excellent review! Very thorough and descriptive. Anyone researching this bra will be overjoyed with the plethora of information provide. Yay!
Don't you get frustrated with inconsistency in manufacturing? Maybe this one was a slight second, not of full quality so distributed at discount stores or eBay discount sellers. Some advertise them as such but often they don't let you know. I've gotten several like that before I realized the "great deal" wasn't such a deal after all, haha.
I'd say it all comes down to your own comfort. Will you actually wear it, or will it sit in your drawer because you know that it's not comfortable? If the wings and/or gore and/or straps are cutting into you and chaffing, then maybe think about relisting and trying a different Marcie. If you're comfortable wearing it, and a little bit of gaping doesn't bother you, then keep it. It gives you a great shape (and I also always appreciate lots of pictures)! I personally have two Marcies that fit quite differently, but I kept both. I tend to reach for my purple one more than my aqua one because I find it more comfortable. These days, I only keep bras that I KNOW I'll reach for because they're comfortable.
opps. I accidently downvoted you because I hadn't realized I already upvoted your review. Sorry. I re-upvoted you!
lol Wilderness1 I do that ALL the time by accident. I basically upvote most things and forget then try to upvote again then I try to upvote again then downvote then upvote again, forget... you get the point.
Hi friends, sorry for the late response. It was cuckoo bananas at work today, plus I'm starting to get sick, and I'm beat. Zzzzz. Borscht, pierogi, and kielbasa are in my future. Probably more of the soup.
I'm not terribly fussed about the gapping because it's not visible underneath my shirt, and I wear an under shirt under my uniform shirt to help it stay clean longer as I pay for my laundry. The taller sides is not itself a problem, just that they are part of the reason that it is digging into my armpits which is where my greatest hesitation is with this bra. I've had other bras that do this and it always bugged me, though at a point in the day, sometimes I just get used to it and forget about it. I wore this bra for a short while yesterday morning and ended up switching to a different one shortly after. I'm probably going to be mindful of that and try it again when at home, as I am not prepared to test it with an all day wear yet. I might just have been a bit temperamental...
I'm glad that everyone is in agreement that it still looks good despite it not being the same fit as my navy Marcie, or as good. It's super frustrating when this happens. I mean, on one hand, if they are responding to customer complaints that the band is too tight or loose and they've adjusted the template for the future runs, I can't really blame them for trying to make it better. But it's the inconsistency that changes all the time that makes it super hard for the consumer who is buying with the expectation that it will be the same way that the others that they have are. I have no idea if this is older or newer than the navy. I got it from a user here, and it still has a tag on it, but that still doesn't mean it is recent. It could still be old stock that is simply new to the consumer but not necessarily a new release. But I think it's new still. I'm just not totally sure.
I'm glad I am ok with pics. I always feel like I upload more than everyone else does...but I like to be thorough when I can. I see some who have like 5, maybe 10, and here I am with 25. But I have pics of the bra on me with different angles, bra off for details, bra under clothes... and it all adds up.
As for the down vote/up vote, you're not alone. I've done this more than once. I think that it's partly because it's in colour when you do it, but when you come back to the comments, it is all grey and then you can't tell that you have already voted. Would love a pop up saying that you've already voted on this, would you like to change it or cancel it to leave it sort of like how now I get a message saying that I have already published the comment so as not to duplicate it.
Anyway, I'll keep testing it out for a bit and then decide what to do. For now, it's find a tissue and then pass out on the couch for a bit, then heat the borscht.
Thanks Wilderness1...and sorry for not responding individually and tagging in my comment above.
Hope you feel better!
If I remember you said you're pre period and I know that I am more sensitive to what I wear during those days (and esp if I'm also coming down with something as well).
So I say give the bra a test ride when it's all over and if it still bothers you, then don't torture yourself with it, definitely!
brasaremean, I’m just waiting on one more temp to confirm ovulation, though maybe two, because the initial rise temp from Saturday morning might be questionable and artificially high from less sleep. But it’s matching my other body signs so possibly legit still. But you’re right, I might have just been in a hormonal mood. I know my right shoulder had begun to throb with pain, which I attributed to the bra whether or not it was the cause or not. So I took it off.
Borscht was delicious. Straight outta Poland, yo. ;)
Yay, glad it was delicious.
Update: I’ve worn this a few times now, including a full day at work (possibly more...I can’t recall now) and it’s been ok. I think it’s dependent on what I am wearing with it, but I also end up forgetting about it. I’m a few days into my period now and I never made the lace not gap at all, but I did fill it out a little bit better then. I’m going to keep it for now, though judging from the fit, I’m considering a Lucy in 28G (or 30FF Kali because the band seems tighter on Kali) which appears to have similar cup measurements to this Marcie, but as it’s for FOB breasts and potentially more closed off than Marcie, I’m wondering if it’s a possibility. Wow, could I say Marcie any more times?!
Here’s the comparison of 30F Marcie with 28FF and 28G Lucy. Note that my navy Marcie cup depth is 9.7” or 9.8”, whereas the black is 9.9” or 10” in depth, if that helps. Lucy looks like most of the bands are stretchy compared with the Kali.
Comparisons are awesome! It helps paint the whole picture IMO. Thank you for adding the compare link!
Well, the comparison links are only partially helpful because the Marcie measurements for this black one is in between the 28FF and 28G Lucy and the 30F and 30FF Kali. I’m going to have to wait until the next bra arrives and factor its measurements and fit in order to determine whether or not I go up in the cup width those two styles.
LeProfessor you mentioned something looks tight in your comment above. What looks like it is tight? The folded over lace or something else?
No, I feel like the band looks to be a bit tighter than what i am used to seeing with you.
Ahh. The band actually feels great! I have to use an extender with the navy Marcie as it was 28.5” new when I got it. I’m just about ready to go without it now. My Ellace bras needs to have an extender too, just one extra row of hooks on the crimson, and one or two on the latté. I did actually wear my crimson without an extender recently though. Those were also 28.5” to start with too.
But to be fair, when you were helping me earlier this year with my shape and such LeProfessor, I was getting 29-29.5” snug and I have been at 28-28.5” snug for several months now. Might have been just me adjusting, though the fitter at the specialist shop that used to be here also got 28” snug for me which is why she tried to put me in 28s (but they were sooo tight, even if they did think that it was a better fit than 30s). So I don’t know what happened there. Maybe I wasn’t going snug enough or was measuring myself wrong. But anyway, it’s been 28” ish since spring.
It makes sense, many women have to make steps towards are "perfectly" firm band. They're just not used to how tight it can feel. My UB measurements have technically gotten smaller, but snug is most comfortable at about 27 now I would say, but my bust has also gotten larger by about an 1-2 in bust circumference and between 0.5"-1.5" in horizontal perimeter. I think what we are comfortable with just changes over time Calluna . ^.^
Thanks. Right now, I’m most comfortable with bands at least 29” and up to 30” stretched, but maybe a little more. My 60HH Comexim Victoria is 28.75” stretched and I can manage all day, but it is a bit tighter than I am most comfortable in. I was told that I should consider bands that have stretched measurements of a half to whole inch larger than the snug in measure. Seems to be mostly accurate. I find that anything between 28-29” I can consider snug, but closer to 29” it’s bordering on the loose measurement, and closer to 28” is tighter. But I feel my snug measurement can fluctuate slightly from day to day and sometimes the time of day. Sometimes it’s easy to get the 28” and sometimes it’s better at 28.5” or even in between.
I second the opinion that it if it is comfortable you should wear it, it looks great on you under your sweater, so that is good news :) Feel better soon!
Thanks veggiechic. I had a week of feeling off, but my neti pot really helped reduce my symptoms and how bad I might have been. I’m mostly ok now, with minor congestion.
Thank for the review. Looks great under that green shirt, btw. It's interesting that your runs larger. I also have a black Marcie (shame on me, still have to add picture) and it actually runs smaller that my other colorways. Maybe they got complaints about it and changed the pattern.
Thanks aboobaccount! It’s super odd, but yeah, since black dyes are known for causing tighter fits, maybe they are overcompensating and going bigger...but that still doesn’t explain the taller everything.
I love that sweater. It’s a nice light one with the burnout design and loose/open knit. I generally do wear it with a grey or navy cami under it, but it’s interesting to see how it looks when I don’t. I have tried it with my latte Ellace and it disappeared under the sweater and blended with my skin. It’s certainly more breezy with only a bra under than if I am wearing a cami under.
But I agree that the bra looks really good under it solo.
I’ve updated the gallery with new pics from today. I’m high tide and possibly still a little larger than when I got the bra. The bit on the sides and under arm area is still bothering me, but as one of the few better fitting bras I own, I am just dealing with it.
It looks like a wonderful fit now. Sorry it's still bothering you on the sides. :-(
Thanks MamaPagan. It’s definitely a better fit right now than when I got it. Small side does wrinkle a bit still, but super minimally. I’m not sure if I have more tissue than before or if it is just high tide. I have to see how it goes with low tide.
Keep us informed! :-)
Will do. I have a little bit of loose lace on my small side but it is not gaping as much as it is in my original pictures.
A bit of gaping on the small side is better than a lot of quadding on the larger side though!
I originally ordered this bra on Amazon US from The Lingerie Outlet in January with a few Freya bras to be sent to my friend in LA, where I was headed to in mid February. For whatever reason, it got cancelled and refunded and I never got it with my order. After I had been back for a month or so, I saw it was on sale in the Canadian Amazon store for a really good price, so I snapped it up and ordered again from The Lingerie Outlet. I had a few more communication mishaps with them because they kept confusing the previous US order that my ...husband had placed for me in January (which was returned for a refund) and the one that I had placed in the Canadian store, but I eventually got it. And I was happy.
I have had this bra for 3-4 months now, but have only just gotten around to reviewing it. This is because my original pictures were meh because I took them at home when I got it, which was after work one night, and I was losing natural daylight pretty quickly. I got rid of the original pictures, but then I never got around to retake them again until today, while my husband was yakking away in the other room for a podcast he does. I *think* I might have overcompensated a little bit on the pics because I took a lot! I posted most of them too. Because it is such a dark navy colour, with monochromatic detail, it was still a bit challenging to get the best pics from the mirrored closet doors reflection with the light from the windows behind me and have the details show. So I propped my phone up against my copy of Goblet of Fire that's on my nightstand and used the 3 second timer delay timer for a few alternative pics with better lighting, only the camera is slightly tilted because it is leaning against the book to be hands free, meaning that I don't have completely accurate shots, or they look a little bit funny at the slight angle, but the better lighting highlights the bra better, I think. The wires are easier to see. Anyway, I'll move on to the fit portion now...
A bit about my boobs first...
I have deflated tallish so functionally short and narrowish roots that are center full and even to full on bottom. My tissue is pretty soft and malleable as well as pendulous. I need immediate projection, but only average apex projection or else I have a pointy shape because my soft tissue just sinks into cups like pudding. Wherever there’s space. Cue Envy and Jasmine on the pointy...
Also, hooray for the small bit of a tan I have going on right now!
When I got this bra, it was tight! I could do it up, but I knew from the experience with the Ellace that I would not be able to wear it that tight all day, or for more than an hour or so. I looked at it and it looked just like the 28 bands from the Jasmine and Envy bras I tried on at my local store with the hook end looking short and stubby. It actually only measured 28.5" stretched! So I was very thankful that I had an extender, and popped that puppy on asap! Here's the thing though. From a technical fit perspective, I think that the band tightness and tension are actually pretty good because I had a good fit in the cups and wires. As soon as I added a few rows of eyes from the extender, the cups began to wrinkle some, more on my small side than the larger side. However, under a shirt, this wasn't (isn't) noticeable, and the comfort from the additional columns of eyes was (is) worth it. I started out with the middle set of eyes, relaxing it to the loosest ones after work when I was reclining against the pillows in my bed or on my couch, since the posture changes affect how my band and gore fit. I'm now on the tightest hooks on the extender (one extra row) generally and, while it's snug, I am able to do a full day at work like this. Occasionally I have moved to the middle again, if my sternum is sore or I'm pre-period swollen. All pics are sans extender though...
As I said above, the cups fit best with no extender. That said, I have a very small amount of room in the cup in the lace portion, but I don't think it's enough to size down. The lace does lay flat against my tissue when I am in a neutral position. As I am even to full on bottom, I am assuming that it is just a minor shape mismatch as this bra is more open on top for fuller tissue than I have. It just wants a little bit more boob than I can give it. I think that it's evident from the side view, as it's quite round on the lower 2/3 (3/4?) of the bra and then a little bit flat or sloped on top against my tissue under the lace bit. I don't think that this is a huge issue, and I seriously doubt that the average person I run into will have any idea or give a shit, you know? Especially under my work shirts (I wear one under the other as an under shirt to help keep the uniform shirts in better condition over time).
My biggest problem with this bra is the gore. It's a little bit too tall for me. And it just presses into my sternum and hurts! I think that if it was not as high, I might have been able to tolerate the tighter band a bit better/sooner. It's also just a tiny bit too wide. My boobs want to push the wires together and it overlaps some, as I show in one of my pictures. It's not that huge of a problem, and the wires seem like they are not on breast tissue (barely). My gore bow twists a little bit because of my closeness, I think. Again, it's trivial and only an issue to me.
All that said about the band tightness and gore, I really do love this bra in many other ways. I adore navy, and it's been somewhat easy finding underwear locally that matches well enough (sometimes it's hard finding the particular shade locally I'm looking for like the latte shade of my Ellace...it's equal is elusive locally!) I like that the straps are a little bit thinner. My bust is only minorly large (mediumish?), so I don't have a problem with the support from the thinner straps the way larger busts do/might have. I like the lighter mesh and lace of the cups, especially in the warmer weather (when it decides to show up here) and is forgettable under the uniform I wear for work. I also like how tall the sides are. I feel like I have a little bit more support. However, it's just shy of encroaching into my armpits...any higher and it would be uncomfortable. It's possible that it's also the mesh of the band that gives me the feeling of support and not entirely the height. And of course, it would probably not be as high if the gore was not as high, so a tradeoff from the evil high gore. The wires feel like they're a little bit too wide, but wire marks when I take it off do follow my roots pretty well. This is probably the widest cup width I can do though.
The best thing about this bra for me is...
wait for it...
THE POLKA DOTS!!! AAAHHHHHH!!!!
I freaking love polka dots (Cleo Mimi is on my wish list). I love the subtle polka dots on the lower mesh portion of the cups as well as on the contrasting red bow.
I'm hugely torn about this bra, and also whether I want it in more colours (I just saw the khaki/olive green and dusty pink shades that are coming, and the current new cornflower blue shade...more love!!!). I mean, I know that I *want* it in more colours, but can I do the gore in multiple bras? I don't know...
Anyway, sorry for the delay in getting the rest of the profile complete with the pictures and my usual novel of a review. Thanks to the troopers who made it to the end of the ramblings. Smoochies...you're the best! 😘
I think you actually beat me in the amount of photos taken for a single bra, & I wouldn't have thought that was possible, haha! More photos are way better than not enough though, right? :D Same goes for the long reviews-you can never have too much info, as each tidbit is helpful to someone at some time in the future! So, great job all around! :-)
Great review. The bra is very pretty! It is so fun to find one that you really enjoy. I have had that feeling with a sternum on a particular bra before, and I wondered if it was because that band was pretty tight. Does the sternum feel better when you wear the extender?
MamaPagan lol! I usually like to have some on me, in clothes, and some details. It adds up. I actually cut some of the ones that I took, believe it or not. No one can ever tell me that I am not thorough. Right?
veggiechic it is better with the extender but still a bit of a pain sometimes. I will eventually forget about it during the day. So right now it's all about balancing the band tension and comfort.
Great review. I saw this bra on your your profile and always wondered, how it fits you. Hope this doesn't sound creepy, haha.
It looks good on you. Too bad it's not comfortable. Did you try to bend the gore away from your sternum? Also don't be afraid to test a 30E or 32DD as well. Especially in Cleo / Panache bras I always get that gore pain your describe if the cups are slightly too large. This is the main reason I wear the Marcie in a 28F even thought the cups are a little small. In the 28FF it feels like most of the tension from the band is used to press the wires against my chest, where the 28F distributes the tension across the cups which is more comfortable and gives me an even rounder shape.
But to be honest, it's still really uncomfortable to slouch or recline in most of my Cleo / Panache bras. So I just switch to a loose wireless bra or no bra at home.
Thanks aboobaccount , and I don’t think that it’s creepy. When we follow others with similar sizes, it’s only natural to see what others have and how they feel about them.
It’s mostly comfortable. At some point, I forget the wires and the snugness. As for other sizes, I actually first tried a Marcie in a Bravissimo store in London when we were there for our 20th anniversary trip. I’d asked for a 32DD as that’s what I was wearing then (but not swooping and scooping until that visit) but they didn’t have any, so I tried the 32E. I was told in a fit check earlier this year when I was reevaluating my size and shape that the 32 was the wrong band size because it was not pulling enough on the side at the wire from band tension. I was told that it also looked a little bit big, but I think that we determined that the loose fabric at the top was partly from not enough band tension at the wire, but also from my softer tissue leaning towards full on bottom. In person, I have had 2 fitters tell me that this is the right cup size, but just a slight shape mismatch. I have been told that the nude shade is a little bigger in the cup and band, so I might be able to take it in a 30E. I’m curious to whether or not the new colours will have stretchy bands. I’m not in a buying position yet, so for now, I’ll see if anyone reviews the new ones.
As for trying to make the gore better, I tried the cotton ball but all it did was make it tighter. I lightly tried to bend the gore, but I didn’t really know what I was doing or if I was doing it right. I really don’t want to break one of my better fitting bras, you know? It’s also pretty flush in the channels, so not much wire to work with shifting it around.
Hey aboobaccount ... here are the only pics that I took of the Marcie in 32E when I tried on at Bravissimo in London. I wish I had taken more, but I didn't. I'd already picked up my Lepel Lilly at the Birmingham store, so this visit was to try on lots of styles and make notes for sizes for future reference. I specifically picked styles that I knew were core styles do that I know would fit if it was a different colourway or print (or so the intention was). I wanted to have some notes and ideas for when I was able to place an order from home. It was always on my mind to get this one when sometime later after I got home, but it just took a lot longer than I was thinking it was going to be. Probably for the best, because I had only the one bra in 30E and I was not really aware of breast shape or anything then anyway. And I had a year mixing in the 30E into my routine. I have considered a 32 Marcie for a more relaxed fit if it is cheap enough.
Ah, that's very interesting. I agree with their assessment regarding the loose fabric under your arms. A tighter band generally helps with this by pulling the wires wider and therefor stretching that fabric. You see the same effect in the Curvy Kate Ellace, where the elastic between the wire and the strap is actually too long by design (in my opinion): It get a lot of wrinkling on the sides in the 30F http://bra.pe/XYt0/ but not so much in the 28F http://bra.pe/XY3C/.Of course it's a different cup volume as well, but I'm sure you would also see less wrinkling in a 28FF. The big difference is that CK uses more flexible wires. So the 28 band actually pulls them too wide. Even though the band is relatively loose, stretching to 77cm http://bra.pe/IiGq/ compared to the Marcie's 74cm http://bra.pe/Ihc0/ where I can literally only get two fingers under the back but the wires are perfect for my wide roots: http://bra.pe/IkT1/ , http://bra.pe/IkT2/ . So I really need tons of band tension in the Marcie. A 30E is better in terms of breathing- and eating room but the tips of the wires dig into my boobs so much that it's less comfy overall and a 30F just gives me too much wrinkling.
However that doesn't have to be the case for people with narrower roots or less wide set breasts. The wires of the 32E fit you pretty well, even with the loose band. I think more band tension will make them too wide. And you also say
“This is probably the widest cup width I can do though. “
about the 30F.
Maybe you can get away with a 32DD because the cup elastic near the wires will be shorter. The cups also won't be as high. And they look slightly too high in the last imgur picture. But definitely also try the a 30E. The navy version is my second tightest colorway, after the black one. My Bluebell and Tangerine ones are stretchier and could be perfect in 30E.
EDIT: Somehow broke a link and can't edit my comment.
I get the same fabric tension problem with my Ellaces and, when I had it, the Florence. The bands on all of them are/were really tight. So it's not a tension issue with those. I agree with you that it's a design flaw with the fabric.
I will definitely consider a cheap 32DD or 30E in a colour that is known for being stretchier. I worry that the cups will be too small but it never hurts to try.
You could try sewing the gore together. It’s going to make the band just that might tighter. I really like Marcie and Lilly and another one with stretch lace I can’t remember the name of... but the gores are all a bit tall and wide for me and end up poking over time because the tissue tries to push the wires together. I have never gotten rid of my Lilly though. I don’t wear it every week any more, maybe not even once a month, but I still keep it lol
I could, yes, but as you say, it will be tighter in the band. And it’s already too tight. More than anything, I just need a shorter gore and less snug band.
It seems a bit crazy to me that I waited for so long in my bra fitting adventures before daring to try this bra and getting a good fit into it. A bit of backstory: I started wearing bras that truly fit me just after I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, and I gained about 14lbs during my first two years with fibromyalgia, which impacted my bra fitting experiences and made it hard for me to find a truly good fit, as my shape and size would change every few months. I tried Cleo Marcie only once during that period, and at that point I was stuck between 30F ...and 30FF in this bra. Now after 9 months of training and counting calories, I am finally back at the weight I had before fibromyalgia, and (spoiler alert) Cleo Marcie now fits me in 30F!
I am the textbook shape that works for Marcie: full on top, tall roots, narrow, projected. I also have some inner fullness and I'm rather close-set.
This bra is giving my tall roots some love! It's very open on top so it doesn't cut in at all. It's also very comfortable and the gore is rather narrow compared to many other bras I've tried. My only complaint about this bra is how thin the straps are, especially compared to Freya Rio's wide 2cm straps.
Not to mention: this red colour (I think it's F/W 2017?) is lovely and disappears completely under a white shirt, and the leopard bow is a nice touch. Read more 144 more words
This bra looks excellent on you. I have to size up to 30FF in Marcie because I have so much side tissue. You obviously don't have this problem. I love the fit of this bra.
Gorgeous! I have a 30F in the navy on right now. I love it.
Stunning on you!
Yay! How lovely this gorgeous red disappears under white because it is so much more beautiful than beige.
I got lucky and got my hands on a Cleo Piper!! I had to sister size up a band due to availability and pray. Overall I'm desperately in love with it. It's projected, fairly narrow, stunningly gorgeous... and I'm way behind on my bra reviews and just got this in yesterday but I felt it was important to get this review out to the masses ASAP before Piper is released on a large scale, because there are Two Glaring Problems that I think are going to affect everybody who tries this https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_sad.gif" alt=":-(" /> and I know a lot of us love it. Full review on the blog.
Thank you so much for the review! I would need a 30 band for sure, but I'm almost positive this won't work for me due to the issues you've mentioned. I have problems with high and wide gores. That and my post twins tummy probably won't work the best for a longline anyways! As for alterations.... What about opening up the wire channel and shortening the boning itself, then shortening the wire and boning channels together? I think that may work, but might be hard to do cleanly.
As tempted as I am by pretty this bra is, I still don't have a nude or even pale bra that fits well, so your review made passing on it a bit easier. ☺️
Oh man, looks awesome on you! The wide gore, closed on top cups and wire channel issue give me serious pause, but I don't think I can resist trying it anyway. Is the shape typical Cleo round? (Looks like it from the pictures :) Thanks for the super informative review!
Is it possible that the bra will have a slightly more narrow gore and less tall cups in your appropriate size? Still, infuriating about the wires. :(
VioletIridescence i found the shape rounded yet slightly more natural than Marcie-basketballs.
annabellynn i had the exact same thought. Then I thought - how much *really* changes between a 28 & 30 band. I can see the possibility if I'd sized up 2+ band sizes but just one? Idk. if I stumble across a 28FF I'll try it out to compare.
and Dvrgrl812 thats the kind of alteration I'm considering. I'm not sure how to shorten the side boning though. Is it plastic? can you just clip it off?
I'm not sure if it is plastic or metal, but you can use tin snips to cut it if it is metal. I'm decent at sewing but not sure if it would look neat enough. If I got the bra used I might try it, but not at full new retail.
I sew all the time since I make bralettes. But not sure if I want to attempt it. I'm torn. I got it at a tiny bit of a discount on Poinsettia since they're a discount site. I honestly don't know what full retail price will be once it goes live in the US. I suspect it'll be more than a new $55 Marcie since it's longline, but it could be the same, either way I hate to take apart a new bra. On the other hand - can I really tolerate wearing it the way it is. If I find I'm ignoring it, I might as well try to alter it.
Like you, I'm low-set so I never have issues with bras colliding with my armpits, and I'm more likely to grumble about straps that don't adjust long enough. So, even though I'm in the minority as I'm not sold on the colour (cobalt blue is actually a horrible colour on me), I do like the design, and I'd actually really curious to try this myself, to see whether I encounter the same problems.
You should give it a shot Alexa. I'm in love with the color, I've never seen cobalt or royal blue clash with anyone's skin tone! If you want to wait till SS17, it's coming out in coral :)
lcl0706 , side boning is plastic. It should be easy to cut, but perhaps a puzzle as to how to smooth. With your skills, I doubt it would faze you for long.
I recently cut down the wires of an unlined Passionata half cup bra. I used a Dremel tool to cut the wires and the flat side of the blade to smooth the cut end. The wire channels themselves can stay in place. You sew shut the channels so the cut wires stay where you want.
Coral is much more my colour, so I think I'll hang on until next spring, especially as I currently need to stock up on all the old Comexim designs before they discontinue them!
When I first heard about this bra, I was excited! Cleo finally did a padded, two-seamed halfcup again. Its cut is similar to the famous Masquerade Georgiana (5471) which is an awesome bra that fits well on so many different boob shapes.
So, let's compare these two. First of all, it's noticable that Mimi has slightly more cup height than Georgiana. So, while Georgiana ran half a cup smaller for most, Mimi is true to size with regard to the cups. The rest of the cup shape is nearly identical and also the wires are the same as the Georgiana's. (Side note: Mimi has exactly the same wire shape ...as used on the Cleo Marcie Balconnet Bra (6831) type balconettes.) The wires are as wide as the Cleo Juna Balconnet Bra (6461)'s but half an inch shorter at the center gore, and therefore less prone to digging into one's sternum. Excellent!
The band runs true to size, stretching to barely 30" in a 30 band. It is way tighter than the Cleo Juna's, and comparable to Cleos unpadded bras.
The cups are seamed, but the seams are flat and don't show through shirts. Also, I was delighted to notice that the top seam is completely visible under T-shirts. For me, Mimi totally works as a T-shirt bra.
It works even better than Cleo Maddie Moulded T-shirt Bra (7201) because the rim is not that pronounced and lays flat against the body. Also, Mimi's cups offer more depth than Maddie and have more projection, in especially near the center gore. Mimi is noticably deeper than Maddie (but then Maddie is known to be a bra that runs *very* shallow and also smallish in the cups, so I'd consider Mimi average projected, comparable to Cleo Marcie).
Mimi's cups are kind of open on top, and can accomodate high roots quite well, but not as much that the rim would stick out under a T-shirt. (I have even fulness and this shape works for me. If you have more lower fulness or a teardrop shape, it might not work for you that well.)
I found the padding of the cups to be most similar to Masquerade halfcups (say, Georgiana or Masquerade Rhea (6121), Masquerade Angie Balconnet Bra (7171) or Masquerade Hestia (4541)). It's not as thick as the Maddie's or Cleo Juna's, but it feels more sturdy. It doesn't add much to your shape, but it keeps everything covered nicely.
Last but not least, some words about appearance. Regular readers of my reviews know that I don't care much about how a bra *looks*, but how it *fits*. Animal/leopard print is not everybody's cup of tea (I'm not thrilled about it either), but then Cleo currently only makes this shape in this kind of pattern, so considering that this bra is a very good fit on me, I can totally live with it. I found the pattern to blend in surprisingly well under any type of dark clothing, and that's all I can ask for.
Last but not least, I tried this bra in 30E (my regular size) and 30F (because I suspected it would run as small as Georgiana), and since the cups are true to size, 30E fit me very well, but 30F was too big in all ways possible (wires, cup height and cup depth).
To sum up: - True to size in the cups - Firm/true to size band - Same wires as Cleo Marcie and sister cuts - Invisible under clothing, makes a great T-shirt bra for someone with even/upper fulness - Average projection, in especially near the center gore - Gives a very rounded, projected and centered shape - Light padding Read more 497 more words
Thanks for the in-depth review! I really want to try Mimi but I'm not a fan of leopard print. Luckily for me, the AW16 print is a pretty floral pattern (in my opinion)!
The long awaited Cleo Riley is here! Riley is a new, slightly modified version of the Cleo Maddie moulded halfcup bra. It's the navy-pink colorway - the main color is a classy dark navy and there are some pink accents. I like that! The fabric is really soft and smooth and the bra appears to be really well-made and comfortable.
Now, let's talk a little about differences and similarities between Riley and Maddie. What I like most about Riley is that it has an U-back (or leotard back) instead of a straight back like Maddie. I feel that bras with an U-back fit more comfortably and the band is less prone ...to cut in or move around. The band runs tight, a little tighter than the solid-colored Maddie and about 1 band size tighter than the older, animal print Maddie. It runs very tight for a 30, so you might want to size up for comfort. (Note: The fact that darker colored bras that run tighter is well-observed in the bra fitting community. If Cleo ever released a brightly-colored Riley version, band fit is likely to vary.)
The cups are similar in Maddie and Riley, molded and in a slight 'sweetheart' shape - the center gore is a little lower than the side wings. The gore fits comfortably and is not digging in.
However, as opposed to the Maddie, Riley runs very closed on top. On the plus side, this means the bra is less visible under a T-shirt. The solid colored Maddie had a very pronounced rim, which was often complained about by people with bottom-heavy boobs. For my part, this has never been an issue for me. My boobs are quite high-rooted and evenly full at the bottom and on top, and the rim cuts into my roots. At the same time, the cups are gaping a little at the center gore, which indicates that the bra is slightly to big or it just requires more center fulness than I have. (I cannot size down, because it's already cutting in at the outer sides.)
Apart from that, the cups size appear to be on the smaller side, running about 1/2 - 3/4 cups small in my opinion. This is another similarity to Maddie, which is also known to run small. (This is of course dependent on my boob shape, so YMMV.)
tl;dr: If you are bottom-heavy and the solid-colored Maddie always gapped on you, Riley might be a good bra to try out. If you're even-shaped or top-heavy, better stick with Maddie and its open cups. Read more 311 more words
Thanks for this review! I always appreciate first looks at new season styles and cuts. I've been wondering how Riley would fit in comparison to Maddie. I used to be FoT, but Maddie didn't work for my short roots, and now I'm more even, so I'll keep an eye out for Riley.
This is great, thank you! Maddie one of my best fits, but I'm fob and the closed top scares me. Will have to try it!
Thanks for the review! I'm a big Maddie fan and from a quick try on of the Riley I'm not sure if it works as well on me - I don't gape at all in Maddie & suspect the more closed cups are verging on quadboob. And yes, the band is definitely tighter than usual - I can fasten my usual 32 but the 34 feels more comfortable from the off. Do you reckon the band is likely to stretch? Or if going up a cup size might help? It's a super pretty bra but I may need to play around with sizing if I'm going to get/keep one.
cakeset Which Maddie do you own? The solid-colored versions are way more prone to gapping than the fashion-colored ones (animal print, floral, etc). It makes a huge difference.
The band didn't make the impression that it was likely to stretch out. It was both short and rather rigid to stretch in my impression.
I have the solid coloured Maddies (nude, burgundy, and red) and they really don't gap at all. I did try a cup size up from my usual 32DD when I bought my first one as I heard they ran a little small and that *did* gap/went up a bit high, but otherwise wasn't a bad fit, so possibly a 32E or a 34DD might work in Riley.
And thanks for the tip about the band, I've been stung before by bands that I thought would stretch and then didn't. The 32 in Riley isn't terribly uncomfortable (not like Cleo Neve, which is *ridiculously* small in the band - I'm on the loosest hooks on a 34 in that and I've had it for a while) but I'll do some more careful trying on before I commit to buying it or a particular size.
Ok, the 32E is much better on me than the 32DD - there's a tiny bit of gapping in the centre but it goes away if I do some vigorous scooping, and the band feels roomier, presumably because more of me is actually in the cups. It definitely feels smaller in the cup than the solid colour Maddies.
This is a really pretty bra and the colour I bought (aqua) is really fantastic. It's in a balconette style so the cups don't come up too far, and it has embroidery on the tops of the cups.
I find the cups give a really nice rounded shape. There's a bit of gaping on my smaller side, but that's what happens when one side is smaller. Otherwise it fits really well. The band is nice and snug, the wires don't dig in, and there's no cutting in from the cups!
The thing I didn't like was that I found the cups itchy initially, ...but it went away after a few washes.
I found the cups to be nice and wide, but a bit shallow. I sometimes find bras that have wide cups, but they're also too deep. If you are wide, but your breasts don't stick out too much (sorry, can't find an elegant way to say this), this bra might work for you. This is one of my favourite bras now https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" />
Update: I bought this bra in late November 2010. It's March 21, 2011 and I'm now having to wear it on the second hook. Read more 106 more words
If the Cleo Lucy fits you well you could try trolling ebay.co.uk for the Cleo Frances. The Cleo Frances has a similar cut.
I tried the Frances a while back, when I was still figuring out my bra size. I'm not a huge fan of purple so I don't think I'd go for it again.
Anyway, are there any particular UK ebay sellers you particularly like or would recommened? I generally like to buy a couple sizes to compare and return the one that doesn't fit.
I seldom try a padded plunge bra since I joined Bratabase, because they are usually wide and shallow, and can cause shape mismatch on me, or the color can be very boring. But I really need such a cleavage booster, so I never give up for searching. And today I finally found it.
I was attracted by the design, because it looks like the dress of the princess Viola in the Japanese anime 'One Piece'. The interpolated measurements is also close to my perfect fit, so I purchased it.
On Bratabase, this bra is recommended for wide set boobs, but the center gore is low and very narrow ...at top. So I guess it fits more likely a close set, splayed shape, and actually it does.
The material is cheaper than I thought. I have already seen a lot of wrinkles in the cup as I unpacked the bra. But they don't affect the wearing and can be flattened.
This bra has extremly short cups (14.7 cm) compare to other 30F bras. However when I'm wearing it, the cups/wires attach to my body like a V-shape, so they can still cover my areolas.
Summary: A bra with very adorable design, good choice for wide set or splayed boobs with projected shape and narrow to average wide roots. Read more 106 more words
This Cleo Toni is absolutely adorable! It gives you a great shape, too! I would never have guessed it could work well under a thin tank top. The ruffle at the top of the cup edges don't interfere at all. Thanks for the review!
Super cute! Love the ruffle and pattern. Looks really good on you.
Cleo Spencer looks soooo good on you! If I could wear a gore that isn't a plunge, I would buy it immediately. Love the color, too! You're right they really should release it in mint and green. I think peacock green would be good, too.
It sure does give you a great shape! I think this one could really work on me too,,,I might have to give it a try! Thanks for the review.
Gorgeous!! Bring on the greens :-) :-)
This is so pretty!! But nearly 6” wide cups - ouch!!
I own this in the old-school parrot print colourway.
QUALITY: It's nice! Maybe not as luxe as some other $$$ bra brands out there, but it feels sturdy, there's no loose threads or unfinished, itchy corners (cough, Freya), and the elastic holds over over time admirably. It was designed with a real person wearing real shirts in mind, and the seams aren't obtrusive under shirts - even the flashy pink stripe at the top of the cup is just sheer fabric, not ribbon, so it doesn't poke out or interfere with the rest of the cup construction. The fabric is a little acrylic and stiff, which is weird ...when you first put it on, but as your tissue relaxes into it, it becomes a perfect and secure fit. COMFORT/FIT: This is the best fit in a bra I've ever had. The gore doesn't dig, the band is just snug enough, and while I get some puckering at the top of the cups, it disappears after a few minutes of wear. I wish the wires were padded up just a little more - the wires can dig in the underbust after a long day. I highly recommend this bra for people with close-set boobs and with centered/evenly full tissue. APPEARANCE: I'm so down for these parrots. The print is kind of busy, but as long as it doesn't interfere with the bra's functionality, I truly don't care. The pink ribbon at the top makes your boobs look like luminous, perfect spheres through the power of forced perspective, and the shape this bra gives under shirts is great - rounded, lifted, and unlike many other unlined bras, your nipples aren't the center of attention when it's cool out. IDEAL USES: Boppin' around town, lookin' cute, day-to-day boob business KEY AESTHETICS: Modern Independent Woman, Abbi From Broad City, Cold Brew & Cults Concerts, I Own A Succulent Garden And Also I Do My Own Taxes, I Have A Record Collection But I'm Not Going To Be A Douche About It Read more 228 more words
I love this review :D I just wish the lily didn't wrinkle weird on me :)
Lily parrots is super sturdy. I wore mine weekly for over a year before I had to start moving the hooks to a small setting.
I got a Lily Swan print set listed for sale in the sister size to this, 28FF. Just an FYI ;-) The Lily's are classic, well made and give a great rounded shape to those who have the even fullness and short roots they demand.
KEY AESTHETICS: are you stalking me? (minus the cold brew..give me blazing hot coffee, or give me death)
Thanks for this review, I really want to try this bra and it is helping me to make a decision. :)
I got this bra in a swap for my Jasmine. It’s a decent fit, but a bit too snug in the band. It’s also really pressing on my sternum even though I have an extender on it. Hard Cleo/Panache wires.
The design is a bit weird with the polka dot cups and rose/floral print on the lace. The previous owner snipped the elastic strip to make it more fot friendly. I have no problem with that. It’s maybe a teensy but loose in top, and would likely have dug into my soft tissue had it been there.
The material the cups are made from is soft and smooth and kind of thick feeling. I feel like something is restricting the band from stretching more.
It’s not a bad fit, but it’s not my favourite bra or fit so I’m probably going to list it. I have to measure it first.
I wrote a massive, and I do mean massive, review last night for this bra. I knew that my phone was low on battery power, so I plugged it into the backup battery I had. Little did I know that the backup battery was also low on juice, and I was nearly done with my review and my phone died. I was so engrossed with finishing the review, that I didn’t see the battery power begin declining once the backup was done. And everything was lost, as I had been typing in the site as I always do, but hadn’t thought about copying the text at “save points” ...in case something happened. So here I am again, trying to see what I can recall from last night.
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Warning: this is going to be long. Like really really really long. For the tldr, skip way to the bottom. Like WAAAY to the bottom. Sorry...
This review begins with teenage Calluna, in the early 90s, shopping for bras at Victoria’s Secret with my bestie, as you did. I think that this may very well have been the peak, or start of the peak when VS was really popular with teenage girls. Like any and all 5’ tall 100 lb girls, I was put into a 34A/B (*snort* because you all know it is true). I remember having this beautiful white eyelet bra, one of my first underwire bras. I don’t know why I remember that one, but I do. I think that my friend might have also had the same, or she had really liked it. Anyway, I’d often complain about the straps slipping from my shoulders and would be told it was because I was so petite. Later I would be remeasured and told that I was a 32 band. Think that I listened? Ha ha, you’re right, I didn’t. I think that for me, the idea of a 34A/B seemed hugely normal for someone like me that was hugely abnormal in my eyes. I have a lazy eye for a start, and at the time, I’d already had 2 surgeries as a kid and my muscles grew and my eye would go out again. As mentioned, I was tiny. I still am tiny. And I look young. Nobody believes that I’m 44. I have size 4.5 feet that come with their own set of problems, my ears were huge and stuck out so much that my parents opted for me to have surgery, and I was very smart in class (except for math). Socially, a bit awkward too. I was so very abnormal on so many levels, that fitting what seemed to be a normal size was a comfort, so being told that I was not what I thought in my mind was normal went in and out of my ears so fast. At the time, I had very little knowledge about bras or even the social myths and misconceptions or anything about size.
I do recall that sometime after high school, I would submit and accept my 32 fate, and would you know it, my straps felt better and slipped less. I was still tightening them a lot.
At one point, I went on the pill, and every underwire bra irritated the crap out of me, and I lived in that kind of pullover lounge bra that had the wide elastic band at the bottom and was ribbed like a tank top on top. It was also VS. I eventually realized that I it looked crap under clothes and I was starting my first office job that was business casual and so I found some wireless bras that worked. I can’t recall if this is when I adopted the 32 bands or if it was pre pill, but that’s not important.
One day I realized that my 32C Chantelle wireless bra was not fitting anymore. I consulted with my best friend (different one from high school) because frankly, she has a much larger chest than I do, and we’re super close and have no TMI issues. I mean, we met in the IUD Divas group on live journal and discussed our insertions which were both the same day. So yeah, discussing the plastic T in your uterus is pretty open and revealing. She gave me so many resources. I learned about Fig Leaves, Bare Necessities, and Bravissimo, along with the basics of bra fitting via the sites and her. I ordered the first round of bras, took pics with my phone and emailed, and she suggested I try one size higher...32DD. That seemed to work, and I had two Fantastie bras and a Panache Tango Plunge which I ended up getting in a 32E. I actually have the two bras from Fantasie still, and I even have one in my bras here (Rimini), but mostly because I wanted to add data. I have not worn them a decade, but have put them on over the years as my weight has shifted and affected my size...I used them to gage size. I later got a Freya Pollyanna which I liked even more. I still have that too, and I used it for data here as well when I first started. I got rid of the Panache plunge, because gorgeous as it was being a Bravissimo exclusive colourway option, it was a love hate relationship. It took a while to readjust to wearing underwire...I weaned slowly. The Fantasie bras were more comfortable than the department store ones.
And thus began my long affair with 32DD and feeling like I was more educated on bras than the average person. At one point, I tried a t shirt bra at Gap Body after resisting them (I don’t remember why), and realized I was getting a nice shape, and while I still wore my Fantasies and Freya, I was beginning to realize that I had a bit of a pointy shape.
I started to wear molded cups, even with a few size fluctuations. I was now in Canada and La Senza was my go to, and once I sized out of the Cotton ones, I switched to the So Free Lightly Lined Balconette. I’ve had soo many of them over the last several years. At some point around 2014/2015, I am trying bras at the newly discovered specialist shop and told on more than one occasion that I should be wearing 30s, but of course you know that I resisted. Right? https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_wink.gif" alt=";)" /> I’d admitted that the 32s from La Senza were feeling a bit loose and stretched out fast, but 30s felt too tight and I didn’t want to use any extenders.
Flash forward to two years ago...October 2016. It’s our 20th wedding anniversary, and we’re headed to England. Our honeymoon was there, and it seemed only natural to go back for this. And you all know what this meant. BRAVISSIMO!!! My plan was to visit as many as I could. Screw the rest of the vacation, I wanted to go to Bra Mecca on pilgrimage.
Side note:
Dear Apple,
Thanks for putting your stores close to Bravissimo stores so that hubby can be babysat while I try bras. Lol!
Grateful, Calluna
Anyway, I got to TWO different Bravissimo stores...Birmingham and Oxford Street (?) and had tried to get to more. At the Birmingham shop, I went in hoping to try a Freya Patsy Half Cup. Asked for a 32DD. Tried it and it was huge. Like, it was just ginormous! Everywhere. Seriously. Band and cups. I tried a 30E and 30DD...the former was gapping a bit, but the latter was too small. I wanted it so much but I was not having luck with the fit.
After trying on different bras and then explaining what I liked about the one I was wearing, I was brought a 30E Lepel Lilly. She had said that it was a stretchier band and people were sizing down which was why the 30E sister size. I really liked it...the shape was good, and I absolutely loved the bird print. I’m also a sucker for navy blue. The strap had a weird thing about it but it was discounted as a result, so then I called my hubby to come meet me to buy the set for me. Matching briefs, oh yeah! I was ecstatic and over the moon! For whatever reason, the 30 bands felt fine at this point. Maybe because they ran big? The Lilly was a little bit tight, but I was able to manage.
Later in the trip, at the other store, they had no 32DDs in anything I wanted, but as I was just scouting out sizes and fits of the bras and clothes for potential web orders back home, I opted to try a few 32Es. At first I thought that they were too large. And then I was reminded to swoop and scoop from the fitter, which I had not done in ages! Surprise! The 32Es fit. Well sorta. I had some shape issues going on (I’m looking at you Envy and Jasmine!) but this is when I fell in love with Marcie. Only I was pretty broke upon returning home after such an expensive trip, and I never had a chance to get it...I was relegated to only buying the La Senza ones on major clearance. But Marcie would pop in my head periodically.
I bet you are all wondering where this is all leading, but it is leading somewhere, I promise. I swear.
Flash forward to the beginning of the year, maaaaybe the tippy toe end of last year. I co-admin a group on Facebook thats focus is wavy hair (we’re the hair type that no one knows how to handle because it’s not straight, exhibits elements of curly hair, but isn’t inherently curly either). We often allow the occasional off topic post and someone was asking about bras and that opened up the rabbit hole and so many people commented. I think that she was looking for places to buy and suggestions. I think that it had 200-300 comments. Now at this point, I’ve been in 32DD mostly, and feeling like I was pretty educated on bras and sizes and fits. Only a bunch of really smart and intelligent ladies piped up and brought up things like A Bra That Fits, this site, Polish bras (say whaat?), breast shape, and so on. Suddenly, I felt very very dumb about bras and boobs.
After reading a ton of the links and guides and getting totally lost and confused even further from figuring out my breasts, lcl0706 came to my rescue. She helped me out and was soooooo instrumental in my learning and understanding what my breast shape was and what the characteristics were, as well as what I needed to look for in a bra that would fit. I’m hugely grateful for all her help answering my questions, often more than once. We determined that we were actually pretty close in size and shape, so that when she sold her crimson Ellace, she offered it to me first. In trying to figure out whether or not it would fit, she told me to get my best fitting bra and she taught me how to measure that bra over Facebook messenger as she was measuring the Ellace. We determined that it would probably fit and that it might be a little small so she included an extender. Anyway, along the way, she was suggesting that I try Polish bras because they had been her best fit. If I wanted basketball boobs and a molded cup, I really needed to go Polish to obtain the depth at the wire that I needed. What did I do? Naturally, as has been shown is my nature over decades, I was resistant! To be fair, it was a lot of unknowns on my end, and ordering cheap UK bras from Amazon was hitting the right buttons at the time, but spoiler alert: she was totally right about Ewas and Comexim being best for me. But in the meantime, I was working with the UK brands because they were more accessible to me, and less mysterious and unknown. Among one of the many discussions, she had said that the ones that fit her best (aside from Polish) was Curvy Kate Ellace and a few Cleos. She’d said that Cleo Lily was amazing and although it is discontinued, should I ever find it somewhere in my size, that I should snap it up, because it’s become one of the mythical unicorn bras. She thought it would give me a great shape and lift and so on the way it did for her. It’s everything that I needed and was looking for. I saw the reviews on her blog and I just about died when I saw the parrot print. I swooned! Well, try as I might, I could not find my size anywhere. I checked eBay regularly. At one point I found a 32E parrot print on braswap for a good price, but the band was super stretched out to over 32” iirc. So I passed on it with hopes of finding one a bit closer to my size. Nope nopity nope. I waited and watched and searched and mythical unicorn bra was indeed mythical unicorn bra.
Then I spotted this one, right here in the listings, for $3. Wait...what? What? Really? Now this was at the time when I was starting to fit my Marcie better from weight gain and although it was the same size, it was a smaller cup depth (9.4 vs 9.8), and I worried about it not fitting. I wavered back and forth on it but decided to go for it, with the hopes that maybe I could at least wear it for low tide...but I was still super concerned with it likely not fitting in high tide. I knew that I had to at least try it, and if it was not going to fit, I would not be out a lot of money. And thus, my first package from Norway was sent.
Fun fact: my aunt sent me my grandma’s cameo brooch on November 5th from Texas, and this was sent out from Norway a week later on the 12th, yet I received both the same day. 🤔
I was super happy to see it. Not only did it have a super adorable small glass jar of Formosa Dong Ting oolong tea, a favourite of hers, but the bubble gum ice cream blue and cotton candy pink brightened my day as it was cold, grey, and rainy, and the bra was like a ray of sunshine. You can see the little jar of tea in one of the pics. It smells so amazing, and I am going to have some soon...
Now we can get to the proper review...
My shape tends to be narrowish and tallish roots, though they are vertically shallow or deflated and therefore are functionally short. My tissue is soft and malleable, pendulous, center full and close set, and even to fob vertical fullness. I’m still learning about my shape and suspect that it’s slightly changed from the beginning of the year.
The shape of this bra is amazing. So round! The band feels great on the loosest hooks*, and the cup height is great on my shorter roots. I spill a little at the center, but that’s pretty consistent with my bras in general right now. The material is soft and light and although I would prefer the parrot print, this one is super fun. I don’t even mind that it is a little bit cutesy and girly. Straps are thin and comfortable, as is the gore, which I was also nervous about after my experience with Marcie, and the wires are just at the edge of too wide. I can do narrower with my soft tissue, but this is as best I can tolerate.
With all the excitement of this getting this bra, I definitely have a few quibbles with the fit. The first is cup depth. I was worried about it when I got it, and I was right to be. I’m getting a little bit of cutting in at the top on my larger breast, and to a lesser extent on my smaller side. Loosening the straps seems to have helped a bit, but I still have minor quad boobs and some in cup quadding. It’s not *too* bad, but it’s not perfect. I’m also getting wrinkles near the the gore. I’m guessing not enough depth at the gore. On one side I have wrinkles in the fabric from where it attaches to the straps. It’s definitely not a problem from the band being too loose;not enough wire tension, as I have the same thing if I use the tightest hooks. I’m guessing it’s expecting more tissue to fill it out than I have there, given the center fullness. I have been wearing the bra today for the first time, but *while I was totally comfortable with the band on the loosest hooks, I could feel the bra wanting to slide down my rib cage out of my IMF. I could feel the gap between wire and boob. I moved the hooks in one to the middle and I think that was ok. I think that the bra in general is designed for projected breasts, but that maybe it’s a size issue more than shape that’s making it artificially too shallow for me. That maybe it’s because my boobs are fighting for space at the apex and pushing it down the same way it does in my 65F SM Wrozka. Given the minor quadding, center gore wrinkles, and this, I wonder if the 30FF were to be a better fit (were I ever to come across more mythical unicorns).
I also wonder if this means that the 28G/30FF Lucy/Kali would fit based on this one. The 28FF/30F depth is about the same as this, and it is more closed in on top.
Anyway, I very much like the bra, but being honest, it’s got a few flaws with the fit. I’m sure that it’s going to be ok for now, as long as I don’t grow anymore or try to wear it in high tide. But for now, it’s minor fit issues and nothing is major. If I lose weight, it’s probably going to work better.
I’d love to have some feedback on this.
Thanks lovelies!
If you read this whole thing, comment with “cotton candy pink” 😂 Read more 2992 more words
The combination of cotton candy pink and blue raspberry is fun! I see what you mean,there are aspects of a good bra, but definitely some minor fit issues. As long as it's comfortable nothing to stop you from wearing it while you keep you eye out a different sized unicorn
Thanks veggiechic ! Do you think that I can size you in this if I can find one?
*size up
I think you could size up in the cup, with the little bit of quadding, and on the side it looks like you are being squeezed a little too. That being said, it is pretty on you, and gives a great shape under your shirt too.
Cotton Candy Pink :-D
This was so much more than just a mere review, it was a window into your soul, allowing us to get to know you better. 22 years of marriage is very commendable by the way!
It is a gorgeous bra, & I agree with veggiechic, you should size up in the cup.
The dreaded side boob! That looks uncomfortable. I do think you should size up on this one. I enjoyed reading the whole thing, cotton candy pink 🍭😀
Entertaining read... too bad the bra is a touch small, but it still looks good on you. It does look like your smaller side fits better, but you are getting some bubbling and side boob that is more noticeable on your larger side. Like others said... watch out for that 30FF if it ever magically shows up somewhere.
Easy cup fit test for super-petite ladies: take hold of both straps up at the shoulderline, keep them as tense as they are when you wear the bra, and gently move them outward to the point where they'd sit if you had [much] broader shoulders. In your case it may be in mid-air, but that's ok--you just need the straps to be at normalish tension and to sit nice and vertical so they are not angling inwards anymore.
Now, with the straps vertical, observe the cups: are your boobs (a) busting out of the cups, or (b) fitting perfectly?
If (a) this means the bra is just too small in at least one dimension and sizing up has a chance of working. The only reason it looked like it kinda sorta fit in the current size is because angling in the straps also angles the cups in towards one another, artificially making the cup edge fit more generously and minimizing spillage even if the cup is too small.
If (b), unfortunately this means the size is pretty good but the wide-set straps are forcing you to angle them inwards to the point that the cup orientation is too distorted and the poor fit is caused by its inability to hold its shape.
I love a good story about finding your way out of poor-fitting bras. Totally relate about resisting your size - the first time I learned how to correctly measure myself and counted up inches to cup sizes, I got GG. I thought this was crazy and deliberately ordered a band size too big and an E cup. Tried to force myself I tom it for a week before even I knew I was being ridiculous! 🤣
Myself into it for a week*
Sorry typos!
Hey all...I’ve read your comments but been really busy, so I’m going to try to respond back as soon as I can.
Hey all...I’ve read your comments but been really busy, so I’m going to try to respond back as soon as I can.
MamaPagan thanks so much! I mean, I could have just cut to the chase and skipped all the backstory, but this bra is an important part of my bra fitting journey, and I think that seeing the journey of how I got there was important. So what if this review is over 2500 words? Ha!
Sovavosi its not uncomfortable, and I never thought I had side boob. Is there a picture that illustrates this?
Wilderness1 I’m glad you enjoyed and hopefully it tells you what you need to know, as I know that you were curious about it.
wendybien do you mean to test this while wearing the bra? I think that in my case, at least with the bra, it’s too small regardless of whether I have the straps angled in, because I routinely angle them for better strap fit and comfort. If angling them leads to more room in the cups and I’m still spilling, it is too small and won’t matter what they do not angled. Am I understanding this test right?
Robras I think that because I hadn’t been hugely different, and my size has slowly crept up over the years, I had less size shock. I also learned a good bit about how sizes work and the myths of the D+ cups way back in the mid 2000s. I’d have people say that I couldn’t be a 32DD because they were DD and way huger. I’d basically say that I had the same volume as a 36C. But that my rib cage was smaller.
Everyone, thanks for taking the time to read everything. I know that it’s long and not necessarily essential to have the whole story, but this just felt like the right bra to have a coming out story, so to speak. I’m definitely going to try to find a 30FF in Lily, but in the meantime, possibly try Kali in 30FF Andy Lucy in 28G as the band appears stretchier then Kali.
Also, my reread spotted some errors that I have to fix...sorry.
Calluna , to my eyes, the pictures where can see your armpit, and a good example is the one with the giraffe curtain in the background, are the ones where I am concerned about side containment. Not really sure if your full breast has been totally swooped in from the side, but it looks like the bra is a bit low to contain it on the side and it is trying to escape in that direction...
Calluna I can see your tissue bulging at the side wires, because it looks like it ran out of room in the front and is running to the side. I find this uncomfortable.
COTTON CANDY PINK! Had to all caps that since I love reading stuff like this. Bras are such an integral part of ourselves here that it’s really interesting to read these kinds of journeys, if that makes any sense. I don’t have anything fit-wise to add, but what size in the parrot print would you be after? If I ever see one that size, I’ll snag it up for you!
mandapandarawks The small photo makes it look like those are ice cream cones instead of birds. 😆
Calluna Exactly! And believe me when I say that I know for a fact that several of us on here do love sharing in the journey just as much as the bras, as you are an important and valued member of our bra family. :-) I also agree this one is too small in the cup regardless of what you do. Sizing up is the only viable solution here for sure.
Cotton Candy Pink! and aah yes the struggles of small feet, I know them well (I'm a 4)
Hmm..can't really say anything much different than what anyone else has said re: the fit..
But I will say that the colourway of the bra is cute on you! ^_^ and the shape is good too
Thanks MamaPagan! I will definitely be on the lookout for a 30FF or even a 28G, given that the band is stretched out enough as I’m good with this one on the middle hooks on this one.
I never really looked at the side as side boob as I thought it was just because my upper tissue is wider than the lower tissue...almost like soft conical, I think...and it’s a lower band/wing height so it shows more. But I guess it’s side boob and I juydidn’t realize it, as I don’t really have any pain or discomfort.
Calluna If you haven't already, do an EBay search then save it with alerts to your phone. That way if any do show up on EBay, you'll get notified automatically. :-)
Yeah I have done some searches but maybe not in these sizes. Good idea.
I found a 28G Meg (similar to Lily) in the listings here, only the user has not logged in for 4 months, sooooo.....
I’m really glad that everyone has liked what I wrote. I worried that it was too long, too revealing, and not wanted. But I think it’s a relevant back story for this one in particular.
I would be leery of that listing. If you go to her profile front page feed, you see she listed it in Sept 2014 so not likely still available 4+ years later. ...... Last bra entered was 2015, so again not very active on BtB. :'/
And the review backstory was appreciated. Not too long, not too much information. It was perfect. :-)
Yes, agreed on the listing.
Calluna yes, I meant to do it while wearing. The point of the test is to see if the strap-angling is DISGUISING a too-small cup and making it look like possibly an ok-sized cup. If that is the case, in a bigger cup size it is possible that the bra would look and feel good (even though you will still angle the straps). It is also possible that in the bigger size you would get gaping somewhere, but that is always a risk regardless.
* because angling the straps also distorts the cup and in some cases it distorts it just enough that it makes it appear too small when it's actually big enough. This is usually when the person has more side / outer fullness, since angling in the straps reduces the space available in the sides of the cup.
wendybien thanks for explaining the test. Now given that I angle all my straps based on the fact that I have narrow and sloped shoulders, can I assume that even if it’s artificially creating more space while angled, that it doesn’t really matter so long as it fits? I’m not angling them to make the cups fit, I’m angling them for better and more comfortable positioning and anchoring. I’m going to angle them regardless. Thanks!
Calluna ok I must be doing a super crappy job of expressing myself or something here...
The fact it creates more volume--or more exactly, displaces the available space in the cup from the side to the inner (mostly upper) quadrant of the bra--is not inherently good or bad, it just is. If you need more space near the sternum and won't miss the space on the sides it's good; if you didn't it's not. Likewise it can pose a problem if it tilts the cups inward and distorts them to the point they lose support or acquire a weird shape. The vertical strap test is strictly to assess if sizing up or down will help!
Example, I haven't tried the following bras at my current size but a few years ago, the Cleo Marcie was unwearable for me because my necessary strap angling caused the cups to lose stability and acquire a bizarre shape. So the 32FF gaped all over the place and was too big, the 32F was theoretically a good volume and did not gape but was unstable as described above. In contrast the Fantasie Elodie, which fits generously at the apex but not at the cup edge, superficially appeared to be an ok fit in 32F but after being annoyed by the droopy uncomfortable fit all day I realized it was a too-small cup masquerading as a juuuust-big-enough one due to the need to angle the straps for them to stay on. This was bad news for my pocketbook since I'd worn it but good news for the bra as it meant the 32FF solved the weird shape problem and the distortion caused by my strap angling simply eliminated extra space on the sides which I could not fill anyway as I have no tissue out there.
To recap, I have composed an ode in blank verse, because it's better than doing work: MOST FULLER BUSTED PEOPLE HAVE TO ANGLE THE STRAPS ON AT LEAST SOME BRAS THIS IS FINE SOME PEOPLE MAY HAVE TO ANGLE IN THE STRAPS ON ALL BRAS AS LONG AS IT IS COMFORTABLE AND FITS THIS IS ALSO FINE IT'S MORE THAN FINE, IT'S GREAT COS STRAPS STAYING ON IS A PRETTY BIG PRIORITY UNLESS YOU LITERALLY HAVE A LITERAL ANGEL ON EACH SHOULDER STRETCHING OUT THEIR LITTLE ARMS TO HOLD UP YOUR STRAPS ALL DAY 2" OR MORE AWAY FROM YOUR BODY WHICH I GUESS IS POSSIBLE BUT NOT THAT COMMON REALLY SO ANGLING STRAPS IS A PRETTY SOLID SOLUTION IF THE STRAPS ARE TECHNICALLY TOO FAR APART FOR YOU AND ANGEL-ING STRAPS IS NOT AN OPTION ACTUALLY ANGLING MAY BE THE SUPERIOR CHOICE AS ANGELS COULD BALK AT HAVING TO MATCH THEIR HEAVENLY ATTIRE TO THE DAY'S CHOSEN BRA AND THEN WHERE WOULD YOU BE YOU WOULD EITHER HAVE TO CLASH WITH THEM OR STICK TO WHITE BRAS WHICH I THINK WOULD BE A SHAME SO ALL THINGS CONSIDERED I WOULD RECOMMEND ANGLING STRAPS AS THE PREFERRED WORKAROUND EVEN IF YOU HAVE ANGELS CHILLING ON ONE OR MORE OF YOUR SHOULDERS ALSO THEY WILL BE HAPPIER AND FILE FEWER WORKERS COMP CLAIMS Amen.
I’m more center full anyway, so less space to fill at the outside from angling the straps is a ok with me since I already lack tissue at the sides anyway. ;)
In the case of this bra, angled straps or not, it’s just too small in the cup. I tried the test and I had zero change.
Not sure if those are CAD but the store is based in Toronto. Can't beat a new bra for $25 tho!
wendybien There is no need to shout. Seriously, it is a review and Calluna knows her body better than you do. Using all caps will not force her to listen to your theories and honestly is quite rude. If you can't be respectful, please stop commenting on her review. Thank you.
@Calluna Loves <3
Ooooh the price IS in CAD! so CAD 25 not bad at all
Wow, great find! I personally prefer the parrot over the swans but it is a great price. I hope it is still available when I have funds again. I don’t have any money to spare for anything else but food and rent right now. We just had to fix a crack in the windshield that was getting worse with the heat being used now. It was almost too far gone. Thank goodness for the insurance paying a good chunk of it, but we still had to pay money that we don’t really have to spare right now. I can’t wait to see your swan print when you get it.
I like the swallow print too, but the contrast in this is amazing. I am having second thoughts about getting 30G lol
30GG is also up, but I find for me cups are so deep (and wide) on Cleos and Panache in general I have to size down a cup usually.
Yeah, I love the swallow print. I’m a little bit concerned with the stretched measurements on the listing, so pending reply, I will ask for updated measurements. It’s a little bit too small for my comfort, but if it’s stretched since it was entered, it might work. I’m not sure if I would be able to use an extender with it and maintain a proper or decent fit in the cups. But we’ll see. As for the swans, I’m going to contact the site and see how much they have in the 30FF... I am guessing just the one. I’m going to see if they can hold it til after the strike backlog clears which hopefully will also give me time to save money again. I also have to see what the return is like given the price reduction, if any. I’m told that the prints vs solid colours fit different as well. So it’s possible that it might not fit still.
Ok, message sent to the website asking if they had more than one 30FF Swan print and whether they could hold it til after the Canada Post backlogs clear for me to buy as it would also allow me to save money again. They also have a 28G Lucy in red that I am interested in. Red would be great. It’s the new nude under whites and frankly, I have enough black bras and have little interest in a solid white one right now. Plus, the red is cheaper than the white one on Amazon anyway, but I gotta check specs on the red though in case I need a 30FF instead. But it looks like the band is stretchy on the Lucy.
I hope they reply with good news!! :-)
Me too, though I’m doubtful that they have more than one given the reduced size range available, and thru probably won’t hold it, but it’s not a well known site so maybe it will not sell right away. Still, never hurts to ask.
wendybien omg your poem about angels angling bra straps killed me. Literally dying of laughter over here. I did not know about your quirky side- I should have known you would be wordy quirky, being a translator and all.
So it looks like the 30FF prints, parrots and swan alike, run bigger than the aqua print I have here. So, brasaremean the 30G might be ok. I’m still interested in trying it but worry that it might be too big.
I just searched the FB group and found the post I referenced. It was from December 23, 2017 and had 302 comments. It’s amazing how taboo bras and boobs can be in society...no one willingly wants to talk about them, but as soon as someone says they are this size and looking for help, everyone is open and revealing what their sizes are. Or giving tips to remeasure and teaching others the ways of the bras...and it becomes a community with putting our tits out there, so to speak. 😂
Late to the party but cotton candy pink <3 This was a wonderful read, I can also connect a Cleo Lily to the journey of bra discovery!
Oh really corvidsandtea? How does it connect to your journey?
omg Calluna I just read further up into the thread and realized, months and months later, that some other user thought I was yelling at you and being disrespectful and contradictory when I used all caps for my stupid bra poem!!! I am just checking in to make sure you didn't think the same thing! I was just being silly. (Also if they had bothered to read the poem they would also have seen I was agreeing with what you had said you preferred to do, but I know some people jump to conclusions a little fast.) It just really, really upset me to think you may have also thought I was being mean :-( I guess it wasn't funny, but it definitely was neither disagreement nor yelling and certainly not disrespect. I very much respect you. I remember you had thought at the very beginning of that tangent we went on that I was disagreeing or criticizing in some way and I had explained and maybe even overexplained to be as clear as possible that I was not.
wendybien if you are going to mention me at least have the courtesy to tag me, haha. FYI all caps is yelling in written form, and is rude even if it wasn't your intention. You simply sounded crazy or on drugs honestly, but I think you know that which was why you removed yourself from the feed until you could come up with an acceptable reply, yes? Please play nice and let Calluna have her moment with corvidsandtea.
wendybien I for one loved your capslock bra poem <3 It was really funny and it was a clever fun word thing you did :D I think the user just misread the situation. Capslock is technically shouting, but you did it for clarity AND it was a poem. So it was a combination of things that maybe went over their head.
Calluna Well, as it turns out, my first bra that fit was one of these elusive Cleo Lilys! That year had a lot of firsts for me, and I might just add that bra a new so I can re-review it as well as measure and such.
MamaPagan I'm going to mention you now, since we both spoke about you. I'm going to call you out directly and say I think you're being condescending to wendybien . Saying "Please play nice and let these two people have their moment" in a public comment section, where noone has intentionally done anything to stop or interrupt the conversation, is plain rude. I still don't like the comment you left on my bra adventure about bra shopping, but I wasn't interested in trying to explain to to you how I thought it was ignorant. You could have made one click and seen that I have enough reputation and bras to likely know what's good routine and what isn't.
Saying you assume someone spent a month "coming up with a decent reply, yes?" is honestly plain petty, and downright condescending when you phrase it like that. Wendybien apologized for potentially coming off as rude. I understand if you're confused or misreading the situation, but there is not more you can do in these comments after her comment. If you don't think either of any of us are in the right, I suggest you take it up in a personal message instead of making Calluna's review so incredibly long.
corvidsandtea Okay....you are entitled to your opinion and we can agree to disagree. :-) Have a beautiful day!
As always love review! Though it seems to me that Cleo seems to be turning into every other bra brand out there, aesthetic wise. I'm glad the fit is still amazing!
I've been wondering about this bra since I saw the preview pictures for it! Thank you for reviewing it :)
It's such a beautiful colour and unique style.
Oh, and the glittery straps...mermaid bra.
I have been waiting for a review since i saw the promo photos too! Thanks for uploading. Doesnt it seem like a totally different bra to the promotional photos though?
Yes! I saw this as well! I am excited to see more reviews on it!!! Thanks for getting and reviewing it. It definitely looks like it could work perfectly for medium busted women. I would change the design ever so slightly if it were mine lol. XD
Up front apology, I did not measure this bra because I needed to get it back in the mail to be returned. This bra was ALL wrong for me. I am seriously disappointed too because I was sooo looking forward to getting this.
Anyway, the band fit well, I have a 27" ribcage measure and the 20" band seemed just fine. The cups were a different story though. WOW - small would be an understatement. I wear a 30F in Anita and 28FF in Freya and the F in this bra is probably 2 cups sizes to small in this bra. Without even ...trying this on I knew it was not going to work.
I spoke to a representative who said that this bra runs true to size but I am not sure I agree with that assessment. I sent this back and reordered a larger size so, keeping my fingers crossed on this one.
Appearance of the product, I have some reservations, the fabric is not laminated and the top layer of fabric moves freely over the bottom layers which always causes concern about wrinkling. Also the quality of the material does not seem as good as the Freya bras I own. But this is is a cute bra nonetheless.
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.
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!
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.
I’ve been eyeing this one for a long time. It reminds me of dragon scales. Thanks for the review, looks great on you!