As a bra nerd, it's pretty cool to finally hold a bra in your hands you've been seeing only pictures of from season previews... I'd wanted this bra from the second I saw the first trade show pic of the pink leopard.
It's just as cute in real life as it was online. However, there are some issues. First, the band runs quite big, stretching to 33.5 in. I'll be exchanging it for 30FF. I thought it was quite odd because Panache unpadded bras typically run tight. The shape seems like a new one for Cleo--it's not a Marcie clone, a Lily/Erin clone, etc. It is a 3-part ...balconette, but different from those. The top section is more closed than those, but I get that dreaded diagonal wrinkle. I'm hoping the tighter band will hold me in better so I can fill out the cup all the way. It is a typical Cleo round shape.
I'll have a more in-depth review when I get the exchange and I can wear it for a day (in 3 days--bless amazon!), but so far I'd say this bra is probably best for FOB, maybe better for taller roots, and worth trying if you liked Lily or other Cleo balconettes. Read more 99 more words
Cleo Bella arrived yesterday and it was comfortable enough to immediately put on and wear out! I don't usually have enough confidence to wear a bra until I've tried it on twice.
Really pretty. The yellow butterflies and aqua back are my favorite design elements. The shape is similar to the Ellis, but more closed on top. The closed-on-top aspect can offer an odd shape when combined with the usual Cleo front, center, lifted approach. Since I have a short root, it really works for me.
The gore tacks perfectly, but I didn't need to do any bending outward at the gore tips. The wires are slightly wide ...for me, but since they angle lower, I don't get any armpit stabbing, so it's ok. I'm pretty assymetrical, so I have some slight gapping on my smaller side, and some slight quadding on my larger side, but that's about as good as it gets for me without an alteration. The gapping is less significant than it is in my Cleo Ellis or my Cleo Lily Parrot colorway (don't have gapping in Lily Aqua). The band is more immediately comfortable on the loosest hook than the Melissa or the Ellis were on first wear.
As far as fit, this is my 2nd favorite after the Melissa. As far as shape, third after Melissa, then Lily. As far as aesthetic, 2nd favorite after Ellis. As far as comfort, this is second after the Cleo Lily, but I get the feeling it will be my favorite after a wash. Overall, this is a great addition. I feel extremely supported and cradled in this bra. It makes me happy to wear it. Read more 170 more words
I think the Neve bands run tight. I managed to fit into a 30G, but the cup was a bit big and the band was so snug it seemed ridiculous (although I could fit it on me). I opted for the 32F and am happy with my choice. This bra gives GREAT cleavage and a smooth appearance under thin tees. I would agree with another review that says the cleavage given is similar to the Freya Deco's, but because the fabric is a touch thinner, it doesn't stick away from the chest.
I own the Peach Neve and I love the color choice. The little bow and charm are a nice touch! It's an adorable and functional bra.
Bra Journey = 2-3 Weeks Measurements/Size Est: 31/27.5/37/39/37 = 30G/+32FF/-28GG Full = Center + Top (2/5 or 3/5) Set = Close + Low Root = Short + Narrow + Splayed Asymmetric, Soft Tissue, Projected
History: I tried a 32GG - Cleo » Marcie Balconnet Bra (6831) (my first est. size before re-measure) and the cup was a bit of a wrinkled, empty joke. Undeterred, I sized down to 32F - Cleo » Marcie Balconnet Bra (6831) which fit well enough that I was ELATED and proceeded to go nuts ordering Cleo's on Amazon, including this one.
Fit: It's too big and just won't stay in place. I can adjust ...it so it *seems* acceptable, but then it just does whatever it wants as soon as I move. The cups are slightly too big, closer to fitting on my larger side, the straps are too wide for my chest. Most curiously, immediately after proper adjustment, cups are filled and when inhaling verge on the side of quad and when exhaling have a ridiculous gape (illustrated in photos). The side wings however, are high and wonderful and I feel all tucked in.
Style: Love the color of teal bra matched with the fuchsia/hot pink trim. Cups are seamless with a slight sheen; band fabric is double layered wth lace on top and mesh on the inside; band is continuous with added elastic (think: strap fabric) in trim color. Small bow at gore top, hooks and eyes, and Cleo slogans on inside channel all in trim color. The cups are moulded and evenly lined with no contour padding. If it fit well, this would be a great t-shirt bra.
Comfort: Cups are lovely and soft inside and out. The mesh pretty caused no problems against my skin. The wires seems fairly rigid to me and I could see the elastic trim on band causing irritation to sensitive and, after a full day's wear, all but the thickest (firmest?) skin. While initially comfy, the straps dug into my underarms and caused chafing, which I attribute to sizing. To compensate, I had the band fastened on the last column, and while that felt supportive, the bra still slipped down and dug into my ribs a bit.
So I'm not sure if my issues are solely size related or a combo of size and style, but I really like this bra and would love to get into a good fit. Read more 292 more words
I would not say it is too small. I would say that it is a shape/style issue. Marcie is a fairly narrow and fairly immediately projected (leaves a lot of space near the underwire at the bottom of the cup) style where Morgan tends to be a bit wider and a bit shallower. Have you explored root shapes/widths yet? If you post a fit request on the Marcie, with the same kind of great photos you have here, I think you could get some really helpful information. Molded cups hide so much. The soft cups of Marcie, and Marcie's general popularity, would give more information on your shape and what might work better for you. I hope you stay excited in your bra search and that you do not get too frustrated or discouraged if it takes some time!
For context, I measured myself a while ago at a 28G but lean towards 30FF for comfort because my ribs are prone to getting sore. I'm in this weird place right now where I'm right between a 28/30 and right between a G/GG, so not a big enough difference to officially re-measure, but enough that my bras are fitting a little differently than they used to--I'm getting a bit of quadding in bras that did not quad before, and some of my 28/30 bands are perfectly fine, while others have gotten a bit uncomfortable.
I actually ordered this bra 3 separate times in order to try it on in ...3 different sizes. Why? Because while it's rare for me to find a bra in my size that's a good shape match, is reasonably comfortable, and fits my preferences for projection, cleavage-assist, etc, it's *extremely* rare for me to find a bra that covers all those bases AND where the cup isn't too full/tall/wide for me, so when I discovered that this one worked under even my lowest V-necks and did not extend into my underarms, I was determined to make it work.
I recently donated an older Cleo bra that had started to feel too tight in the band. That one was a 28G, so I went for the 30FF as my first size for Koko. It was waaaaay too small in the cups, and the band felt tighter than the 28 I had donated. I also had an issue where I was quadding a lot on top but the cups had empty space at the bottom. Next, I tried the 30G, hoping that the bigger cups would solve all of that. It did not. The band was still uncomfortably tight, and while I wasn't really quadding anymore, I still had empty space at the bottom of the cup. I also couldn't get the underwires to sit in the correct spot--they'd always slide down, leading to even more empty cup space. Overall, the cups for the 30FF fit better than the cups for the 30G, so I reordered again in the 32F. Bingo.
The band for the 32F fits about the same as my 30 bands, maybe just slightly tighter--it's not a very stretchy band at all, so it generally feels a little more restricting even though it technically fits the same. With the cups, I do quad when I first put the bra on and adjust, but when everything gets settled, the top of the cup forms a smooth line (undetectable under my t-shirts!), and there's no empty space at the bottom of the cups anymore. Finding the right strap length was a little tricky, and they dug into my shoulders for the first half hour or so until I'd figured it out, but they're fine now. My only issue was with the underwires. They were pressing really hard against my ribs, but all I did was bend them outward very slightly, and they're a lot better now. To test out the fit, I wore it for 11 hours straight yesterday and experienced minimal discomfort.
In terms of looks, I mean, it's a plain black bra. There isn't anything special or fancy about it, because that's not what I needed. I needed a plain, everyday, black bra to replace a different plain, everyday, black bra that's showing major signs of wear. It does have a cute ribbon with polka dots at the center gore, but that's it.
Fit is great, as mentioned above. Cleavage is something I tend to have to work for; I have issues with lack of cleavage in many bras, especially ones in my size, because they do not usually include any padding and the cups are usually a little too wide-set or separated for my needs, so I was worried I'd have the same issue with this bra. Not so. My cleavage looks amazing. And my cleavage looks amazing without the bra flattening me out and without me worrying that I'm going to fall out of it, which is always a plus. I've had no strap slippage (usually a problem) and no lines across the tops of my breasts after taking it off despite the cup being a little bit closed on top (also usually a problem). Comfort is between good and great. Because of my inability to find stuff in my size that suits me, I'd defaulted to a US 32DDD as it was cheap, padded, and the biggest-smallest size that was readily available, so I'm pretty used to wearing looser bands and thought this would feel too tight since it fits like a 30. It's honestly fine, it feels secure, occasionally a bit restricting, but not like it's cutting into me anywhere. It stays put all day, too, even when reaching for stuff on unfairly high shelves. I think once I wear it more and get used to a band that's actually the right size, I'll feel better in it.
Construction is pretty sturdy. The cups feel just a bit stiff, which was why I'd been concerned about it flattening me, but, again, not an issue. The underwire channels seem like they'll hold up well, and the band and straps feel like they'll be able to go a long time without getting stretched out. As a bonus, this bra has a J-Hook, which is fantastic because I wear a lot of racerback shirts as well and have no racerback bras in my actual size. As a bonus to the bonus, it's a *sliding* J-Hook, so I (or you) can adjust the straps as much as you need to when the hook is not in use, and when you do need the hook, you can clip it wherever makes sense for the clothing that's going on over it.
Overall, I'm super happy with this bra! I must have tried on at least 50-60 bras since resizing myself, including a bunch from Cleo, and this is the first one that I feel truly fits, is a great shape match, is not too tall, and does what I need it to do. Would happily repurchase in different colorways if I managed to find any available. Read more 915 more words
This bra is so adorable and comfortable! The cups run significantly bigger in the Parrot print 32F than in the Aqua colorway of the same size, which is my absolute favorite. In fact, there is a .2 inch difference in cup depth which is absolutely huge in effect. The cups gape pretty terribly in me in this parrot print, whereas the Aqua is amazing.
After a huge failure that 32F - Cleo » Ellis (7211) was (gore digging into my flesh, huge wrinkling) I though I have to give up on Cleo softies, but somehow this bra (altough Ellis and Melissa are supposed to be the sae cut) fits me so much better! Melissa makes my boobs like 2 sizes bigger, they are round like apples and the bra itself is very cute - it reminds me of traditional Slavic embroidery.
Still trying to find my proper size. Got this bra here on bratabase as an experiment. What a great way to try a different bra that didn't work out for someone else.
Generally, I think the cups are too small for me. Not sure what band to get our how many cup sizes to go up.
I was so bummed that this bra didn't fit because it's beautiful and was a steal. It just feels to me that it's small all-around. The gore doesn't sit quite flat because the band is a little right tight and the cup cuts into my tissue because I'm ever so slightly full on top. A plus though is the wide underwires. I have wider roots and the underwires actually encapsulate the runaway boob!
This bra gets the job done. I'm not entirely sure I'll be keeping it. It's too ornate to wear under knit tops, so no t-shirts. The cups are comfortable, and the thick straps are nice, but it's a very "vanilla" bra. Nothing particularly remarkable about it.
You look 'full-on-bottom' . . . you might want to look for that when looking for other bras to try. i mean, here on bratabase or on other social media - manufacturers and retailers wont tell you the shape of a bra lol
Hi, dbmamaz! Thanks for the input! I would agree that I'm full on the bottom; I was encouraged to purchase this as a diagnostic bra of sorts, and I think it confirmed the full on the bottom bit for me. I'm not sure anything by Cleo is going to work for me, so my next venture will probably be a Freya Padded Half Cup of some sort.
Why this bra was discontinued, I do not understand! The outer cup material and cup lining feel like cotton. The color is a good nude for my pale skin. The gore is low and narrow. The wire is wide enough that my tissue doesn't fall into the center. And, the cup is not collapsing despite its shallow appearance. Admirable characteristics. https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":-)" />
However, I will seriously consider shortening the wing wire. I am short-waisted and the wire is tall enough and wide enough that my lymph nodes scream. Hoping the Ewa Michalak 3D and/or M cuts remedy the too-tall-wing issue.
I bought this bra for 20€ via Ebay after trying out the Lucy in a shop once, knowing they fit similarly. It fits almost perfectly on my FoB, short-rooted, projected breasts. The volume is spot-on, the band could be a tiny bit tighter (it stretches to 32.3 inches).
The gore is the perfect width and it tacks. It could tack a bit harder but I fear going up to a 32FF will cause gaping. The straps are fully adjustable but rather wide set. I am thinking about moving them a bit. Wire width is good - neither too wide nor too narrow.
Only the appearance is a bit of a bummer. It is very neon. I find the writing on the wires, "Crafted for fit. Styled for fun." a bit childish. And I cut off the bow at the gore.
common problem with cleo bras - wonderful fit, colored for children
This comes in a few other colors most of which are more subdued. The purple us pretty but I felt like it ran a half cup smaller. I have the pink one. It's kind of a coral color.
I now used marine-blue fabric dye on it which makes it a lot easier on the eye.
I for one, am happy with the "childish" colored bras in large sizes.
There are plenty of other bras that are muted or run-of-the mill florals, in my opinion.
Bra description: Sunshine yellow, with subtle feminine details. I typically wear 30 bands, but size up to a 32 in Cleo to avoid stretching the wires and altering the cup fit. I've noticed that sizing up in the band also makes that weird in-cup-quadding disappear. The Marcie is shallower than I expected (shallower than the Cleo Lily and any of my unlined Freya), but still creates that classic cleo round shape. This bra is a little too big on me, so the top lace always gaped. The 32E fits like a dream though, so please check out that review for fit.
So this bra fits okay in the lower cup, but the top has extra fabric. I think it's a cup too big. I'll keep it though because my cup size has increased from 30E to 30F and might keep going with migration so who knows? Maybe it will fit in a few months from now. I think this is equivalent to a 30FF? Might be wrong. Could try altering the cups in the mean time.
You wouldn't be the first person to experience two cups of growth from tissue migration. I found my red Cleo Marcie molded to my shape after several wears. When I first got it, the upper fabric seemed a little loose. Now the fabric lies smoothly. I did have to size up to 30FF in Cleo Marcie to get enough coverage under the arms.
So far so good for the Erin. I've found it fits very similarly to the Lily, if not exactly the same. The biggest difference I've noted is the scalloped edge at the top of the cups sticks up, which doesn't happen with Lily.
The colors are much brighter than the stock photos; the pink is very bright, and there's also a little turquoise colored circular charm at the gore that hangs below the bow, which I don't see in the stock photo. I have to say, at first I wasn't very keen on the colors/pattern of the Erin, but in person it's actually quite pretty (and I'm not much of a pink fan).
I also got the underwear in my usual size 14, and they fit just fine.
Which colorways did you try of the Lily which were identical to the Erin?
I'd say the parrot colorway fits the closest to the Erin, and perhaps the swan print as well.
Have you worn the Aqua colorway? Because I'm not sure if it's just mine, but my parrot print is most of the way to a 32FF measurement-wise, and my Aqua is more true to size (fits like my Melissa). Wondering how the swan print is?
I've only tried the Aqua on a few times, not properly worn it, but all of my colorways seem to be true to size, including the Swan.
Any updates on your Aqua comparison? (as it were, I only have the aqua and magenta) Sorry to bug you about it again!
janearmena Please note that I am now closer to a 32FF, so I get overspill in 32F's.
Aqua Lily: Larger breast has overspill. Band is comfortable. Gore tacks.
Erin: Larger breast has some overspill, but a tiny bit less than the Lily. Band is comfortable. Gore tacks. The scalloped top edge of the cups does not lay flat like the Lily, but it never has even when the bra fit (see photos here: http://www.reddit.com/2whdep).
I just received this bra in the mail and I couldn't be happier! There are no shops where I live that sell Cleo bras, so I wasn't sure what size to order. I made the right choice. I typically wear a 30F in Freya/Fantasie and either a 30F/FF in Panache. I erred on the side of caution with the Marcie and ordered a 32F – the 32 because it's the pink colourways which I had read was a bit stiff compared to the other colours. It was the perfect choice. I also own the Panache Andorra in this size, and while I love the lace upper cup, I find the gore far too tall for my comfort. The Marcie is a much better fit in that regard, plus I love the paired-down cups and wings – a rare find with bigger busts! All in all, I'm very happy and will certainly be purchasing more Cleo bras.
This is my favorite! I now have it in two colors! Round shape, minimal gapping, and only on the smaller side. Great support! The band fits true to size for Cleos and the fabric is sturdy. It's smooth enough to wear under things, although the colors are pretty loud. I have the Aqua and pink color way and the parrot print. Now I want the magenta and the swans! For the record, I did not think that my breasts were the right shape for this sort of bra at all, as I thought of myself as sort of wide and shallow and needing a low gore when I first started this journey. That's because I can pull off bras like the Deco and the Darcy, but this is my new fave, so maybe I was wrong about my shape.
I need more Lily in my life. Yesterday I ordered the Swan print off Amazon. I'm obsessed with this bra and I won't stop till I have all. (Insert evil laugh here)
I need more Lily in my life. Yesterday I ordered the Swan print off Amazon. I'm obsessed with this bra and I won't stop till I have all. (Insert evil laugh here)
Brahaphobic, did you find the swan print to be closer to the parrots in size? Or does it run smaller, like the Aqua?
This bra is shockingly not alike anything I have ever owned. It's Cath Kidston-ish, retro-like, sweet and what not. It has laso a very firm band and projected cups, which is a new thing to me. The right cups wrinkles slightly, but that is due to my asymmetry. I think tissue migration will catch up someday. It feels very sturdy and good quality.
I love the kitsch combo of pink and peach in this floral print. I even tried this on at Nordstrom Rack, but like all Cleos it was a total mess on me. Glad you can wear it!!!
Perfect fit. Fits exactly like my older pink Marcie, I was worried they changed the cut as others have said the new Marcie's are different, but that was not my experience. Band is a little tight, as usual with cleo, wearing an extender to break it in. Wire length is perfect. Material is a bit scratchy but will likely soften in a couple washes. The berry color is lovely, the pictures don't do it justice. It looks more red in photos but it's really more of a dark, deep pink. Very pleased with this bra!
I had to use an extender for the first couple of wears, but it "broke in" to a good point for me and has stayed there for several months now of wearing it about twice a week. The top section of the bra only sits flat if I keep my shoulders all the way back, but I still like the shape it gives me (nicely lifted and forward). I feel very supported and secure in this bra, and it's just beautiful on top of that. The center gore is pretty high but narrow, and I like that.
I appreciate the review of a new Cleo cut. Hope the exchange works out for you!