TLDR, very stylish and looks great, but ultimately not the best fit for me. Love the visual design of this bra.


DESIGN: I first had this bra in pink, but as I grew I had to part wiht it since it got too small. I prefer this specific one's color scheme though - turquoise/aquamarine and black is really stylish, it feels classy.
I like the overall structure of this bra and i really enjoy the way they've accented black vs aqua in this bra. Black cup edge, straps and the top most part of the band in the back. It gives a sense of that the curved shape of ... the band continues with the straps when it's worn and i really like it!
The hooks are black too and so is the text on the inside of the wire channels that says "Crafted for fit. Styled for fun". The strap adjusters and eyelet that attach the straps to the band are aqua. One of my favorite things about how bras are made is seeing how the colors complement each other!

The cup fabric has really nice pattern. It's hard to describe the pattern exactly, but it looks like the bra fabric has millions of little dots weaved into it. Pretty cute.
The color is a little greener in real life than in photos, it resembles the results you get when you google "aquamarine color" more than "turquoise". The bow at the gore is OK at first look, but when you look closer you can see the black ribbon actually has a diamond pattern on it, which makes the bow secretly stylish.


FIT: I wore this regularly for a little bit, but I'm not sure for how long - it's a long time ago and it would not fit with an extender now so I'm not about to try it on. This bra doesn't have enough immediate projection for me so it ended up sliding down and digging in to the top my stomach skin during the day, and the cup edge would cut into my inner full tissue a little bit. It wasn't super comfortable and the fit wasn't always super flattering, but I wore it because I felt cute in it and honestly, what a mood.


QUALITY: Solidly constructed, as usual from Panache. Seams are good and even. The wires are stiff in usual Panache fashion.
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Turquoise colorway

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Updated on Mar 02, 2021 Flag this

Shape: round, projected, even to FoB, close set, on the narrow end of average root width.

Holy heck, Cleo, what's with the stretchy bands lately? This is the second new colorway with a ridiculously stretchy 30 band I've had to send back (the first was a Cleo Marcie in Bluebell). It's SO stretchy you guys. I could fasten this on the tightest (!!) hook right from the get go. All the fit pictures are of the band on the tightest hook - it's a mess otherwise. On the loosest hook, there is so much gapping and wrinkling in the cup, the gore pops up off my sternum if ... I move in any direction that isn't chest forward, and the band is creeping up my back. If I move to the tightest hook, it greatly reduces the gapping and wrinkling in the cups, but it's not perfect (note the pronounced wrinkling at the bottom of the cups). The pros are that the shape is nice and rounded, the fabric is soft and comfy, and this colorway is just the best - turquoise and black look excellent together.

I'm returning and grabbing a 28F to see if that fixes the fit issues, otherwise, too bad.
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Turquoise colorway

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Updated on Aug 31, 2016 Flag this

This was one of the 8 bras I tried in my first Amazon Prime Wardrobe Box! (Sadly, 8/8 did NOT fit)
Out of all 8 bras that I tried, this one fit the best. It wasn't a good enough fit for me to keep the bra, mostly because my larger, left breast had some quadding going on, and the band is a bit too stretchy for my tastes. Plus, I got a weird, upside down 7 (I think that's what it's called?) shape that I really don't like. I didn't try it on with a shirt over it, so maybe it wouldn't even be noticeable, but *I* know it's ... weirdly shaped!
(I think I've been spoiled by Polish bras. That, or my breasts are primadonnas who demand only bras all the way from Ewa Michalak in Poland and will settle for nothing less, hahaha.)
The search continues! Anyone have any tips on what I should try next, preferable that's available through Amazon Prime Wardrobe?
(I do wanna say, it's a bit annoying that Amazon requires UPS only to return these. They sent them to me in a box that's too big for the UPS Drop Off box, of course, and you HAVE to mail it back in the original box. So stupid! So now I gotta figure out how the heck I'm going to send it back without having to drive all over looking for a UPS Store. First world probs, I know. I'm still grumpy about it.)
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Updated on Jun 02, 2018 Flag this

I almost gave up on buying more Cleos after I got bored of my Lucy - as it is way too loose now on me and I stopped wearing it after I start buying Comexims and EM. However, when I saw Blake in the preview it made me to think that I could give a try as it looks very simple. It was great choice - better than my Hettie that I was in love but again is too loose on me - so im trying to sell it and get it in 32DD or 30E instead.
Blake has so great materials! like a new better Cleo! Fabric feels ... so good quality and is very soft. Also, I love the combination with beige trim. The only think that I don't like is the bow with animal print.
It gives obviously rounded shape, the wires are narrow enough and works well on me.
The band is bit loose, I could close it on the tightest hooks however the second set feels comfortable and supportive enough. The band unfortunately is made of 1 layer of mesh - so I think that it may stretch out with the time..
the straps are not too wide - feels like my EM BM Szmaragd, also are fuly adjustable.
Overall Im very happy with the purchase and Ill be trying to get it in new blue version *_*

EDIT:
Ive got with it panties in 12UK (M, 38) and they fit like real M (38) size. Front is made of the double layer of mesh while back of one layer of the see through mesh.
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Cerise colorway

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Updated on Jul 16, 2016 Flag this

The 28F Cleo Blake is my new best fitting bra. This bra gives the rounded Cleo shape (much like Marcie) with no trace of the "in cup quad" that Cleos are prone to, probably because the entire cup is made from the same fabric. (The seams are still visible under tight tee shirts, though). The fabric is understated and comfortable, with most of the support coming from the inside lining fabric. The outer fabric is quite stretchy, and the top of the cup is finished with a piece of beige elastic. I've uploaded closeup pictures from the 28FF I first tried.

I was able to size down in the cup relative to my usual Cleo size. My guess is that the stretch in the fabric allowed more projection and/or fullness at the gore which I need. I'd suggest that those who usually need larger cups than their measurements indicate may be able to go with their actual measured cup size in this bra.

The band is medium, sort of between Cleo and Freya in terms of firmness.

Cerise colorway

Updated on May 02, 2016 Flag this

note: I ordered this before my size change. This is why I didn't originally get the 30GG.

I fell in love with the colour of this bra (and the Cerise as well, but I couldn't find that one anywhere near my size) the second I saw it.
Unfortunately, I do think a 30GG would have fit sliiiightly better, but that is impossible to find.
On top of that, I have some issues with it that make me think it's maybe not worth even looking for a 30GG.

I think Blake fits a lot different than my two other Cleo bras in the same size. There are some positives and negatives to that.

One, ... the cups feel slightly narrower, and the wires extremely U shaped compared to the others. They are three part cups made of non stretchy tulle and covered with slightly sheer material (I really don't know what this material is called. Mesh, maybe? Not sure.)
Unfortunately the cups seem to be a slightly wrong shape for me and by that I mean the wires make it so I can't quite fill out the bottom of the cup unless I try really hard. Like, I have to pull on the cups to make the wires fall into my imf (won't happen by just adjusting the wires and such). I have empty space along the wire. Regardless, the cups do have great lift, but I wouldn't say the shape is the typical Cleo shape I see in the photos (even on most of other women's photos). The shape is slightly more natural. Being a huge fan of the natural shape (with that slight peak at the apex) I quite like this.
The cups are finished with a black non-stretchy strip, and this always cuts into my soft tissue but for some reason I am not experiencing this with Blake as I do with other bras. Make of that what you will.
I do get some in-cup quadding however, both sides.

The band is slightly stretchier than my other 30G Cleo bras as well. Not in a bad way, though, it's still tight enough for me. Only 2 hooks https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_sad.gif" alt=":(" />

The strap situation with this one is BAD for me. They adjust long enough but they're so thin they might as well have just put a piece of string up there.

The wires on Blake are sturdy! They wouldn't budge while I was doing my stretched band measurement, and kept their shape the whole time. No distortion whatsoever. The gore is narrow, it tacks beautifully, nothing much to say about it.

Overall, I do like this bra and I think it looks amazing. I just feel like it's not quite right for me (and wouldn't be even in 30GG).

Should I give up on Cleo? I gave up on Panache in general, but for some reason keep clinging onto their Cleo bras because they are so fun. Maybe they are just not for me. The 2 hooks and thin straps in 30G (and from some investigating, there are 2 hooks in 30GG as well) baffle me.
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Updated on Dec 31, 2018 Flag this

The Cleo Blake I received runs bigger than the bra it's based on, the Cleo Marcie. I've been a very consistent 28FF cup in Marcie and her clones, so this is something of a surprise. The measurements seem about the same, perhaps it's the cup height or maybe the fabric has more stretch? FWIW, I have short, narrow roots and inner fullness.

The bra itself is a blue toned pink/red. The cup is made from 2 layers of knit fabric, with a "pebbled" effect on the outer layer, and a smooth inner layer. Unlike Marcie, the upper part of the cup is made from the same fabric as the lower cup, which may be less "in-cup-quad" prone than the lace on most Marcie Clones. The top of the cup is sewn to a piece of pinkish beige elastic, which means that the top of the cup has a smidgen of stretch. YMMV if very FOT or tall rooted.

The band also seems biggish for Cleo.

I haven't yet decided whether I'll return or exchange it for a 28F.

Cerise colorway

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Updated on Apr 15, 2016 Flag this

My shape: average/narrow roots, tall roots, projected/very projected, immediate projection, even fullness.

This bra is perfect on me - the cups are deep, with immediate projection, and *just* wide enough. As with my 30DD - Cleo » Blake Balconnet Bra (9151), the ribbon at the top of the cup tacks perfectly against my tall roots with no cutting in.

I get a perfect round, projecting shape in this bra. It's more subtle than the Kayla in terms of its projection (and the wires are a smidge wider too).

The band is too big, but I knew it would be when I ordered it in a 32. It was ... a steal on Amazon, and I'm small busted enough that the reduction in support is no big deal. I wear this on the tightest hooks and it's fine.

The material is soft and comfortable against the skin, but is very supple/giving. I wouldn't recommend sizing down unless you are large-busted, however, because the wires do distort on this 32 band at around 32.5, although the material makes it feel bigger than it is. If you are in my size range and prefer a firm fitting band, perhaps skip this one.

Appearance - this is the cerise colourway, it's a deep, slightly dusky pink with pale pink/beige trim and hardware and a leopard print bow at the gore. I thought the bow was the same pink as the trim, but am so pleased it's not - the leopard is a subtle detail that adds some interest. I adore the look of this bra and will be trying to get my hands on a couple more because, as with the turquoise colourway, it's just perfect on me.
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Updated on Sep 10, 2018 Flag this

The Cleo Blake is a nice and supportive bra with an attractive design. As a Panache bra it lives up to the standard, the quality is excellent as always - no loose seams or threads or anything. The band is somewhat looser than a flunking new Panache band, but it isn't an issue.
It's comfortable to wear, but after slouching or sitting down for a while the edge of the band beneath the cups digs into my skin. This doesn't happen with any other bras. The fabric edge is sort of sharp or rough, which I'm sure could be smoothed out with sandpaper but I'm not willing to ... do that to the fabric... I start noticing after a little while that I'm wearing this bra, it's not as comfortable as the Panache Jasmine.
So all in all it's a nice bra, not as comfortable as I'd like, but has a cute and simple design. If you've got tub around your stomach I would not recommend this bra for you, as for me it irritated my skin quite a bit where the edge of the band folds with the skin.
After investigating the details of it, I can see that this bra has more band underneath the underwires. There's more fabrc that extends vertically downward than in the Panache Jasmine; the band is longer/wider below the cups. This might contribute to the band rolling/folding into my tub(chub, pudge, fat, rolls). The edge of the elastic is what folds and the fabric edge is, as said, sharp.
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Pink colorway

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Updated on Aug 20, 2018 Flag this

Goddamnit Cleo. 32GG stretches over 34 inches, 30H stretches to 31.3 inches. I can't win, can I? All I want is this bra in a true to size band, is that REALLY too much to ask? I can fasten it (my tight UB is 30.5") but it doesn't feel comfortable. There is wire distortion that is pulling the cup shallower and it's also giving the cup a pointy shape that it doesn't normally have.

Partially adjustable padded straps. Cups narrow, deep. Cups made of two layers, bottom layer is a sturdy mesh, top layer is a geometric stretch lace. Side wing is a single layer of sturdy power ... mesh. Definitely doesn't allow as much room for top fullness as Marcie. Has a good amount of room at the bottom of the cup, but not as much as Lily/Hettie. Average amount of room at the center gore (it might be pulled more flat, will try again with extender and revisit this). Side seam but not side boning, two hook closure. Okay, with an extender the shape isn't as pointy and there seems to be a little more room at the center gore. Note - unlike previous Cleos I own this one has hooks with wide vertical spacing! My extenders don't fit well.

I bought this bra for the looks, no doubt about it. It's been described as a Bond girl bra and I do get that vibe. Cerise and light peach is a striking combination, the only decoration is a dainty leopard print bow which is just kooky enough for Cleo. The geometrical stretch lace top layer is tasteful and stylish. Hardware is a matching light peach.
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Updated on Dec 12, 2016 Flag this