I'm fuller on bottom, and somewhat even, but definitely not full-on-top. So please take with a grain of salt those who claim (usually due to hearsay) that this bra is the one you try to test if you're full-on-top, or that it would not work for full-on-bottom breasts. I wish I had tried it earlier.
This bra can work for you if you are bottom-heavy because of the forgiving upper lace section. If you want to test if you are full-on-top and more shallow than projected, try the Cleo Juna, with its wide upper and shallow lower section. This bra is not shallow at all, so if you ...are full-on-bottom and shallow, that's a whole different story.
These cups fit perfectly on me, and the mesh lace upper section lies nearly flat against even my smaller boob. The Marcie does not have the "speed bump" issue that Cleo Millie / Lily / "sister cuts" have. Specifically, the lace section on those other narrow, projected Cleos will bulge and be loose where the thinner mesh or lace meets the cup, unless you're definitely full-on-top. Also, unlike those "sister cuts," the Marcie is made from a solid color of soft mesh, whereas those have smooth, unstretchy fabric underneath a loose mesh top section.
Good immediate projection, relatively narrow wires/cup widths--one of the narrowest cups you can get in this size without going to a Polish brand (5.2"). However, the wires become wider at the top outsides of the cups, which is annoying because the edges of the cups are almost under the armpits.
The tops of the cups, and therefore the straps, are a bit too far apart for me. Straps are pretty thin (not strap width, but thickness of the strap when you pinch it), so they cut in a little.
The elastic of the band also cuts in, mostly because I am muscular--I wish Panache and Cleo used thicker, less stretchy materials on their unpadded bras, so that the elastic would not always be tighter than the band. I also wish the Marcie came in a longline style. That would solve the only discomfort issue I have with this thin band. Wires under stiffer fabric were also painful against the sternum and ribs initially, but bending them and washing the bra helped a lot.
The cups in 28F run very slightly small at first, but stretch out with wear. The band is extremely tight at first--I think the Marcie could work on someone who needs 26 bands, because I'm about 27".
This review was for the pink color after three wears and one wash. Read more 326 more words
Thank you so much for this review! This bra can work very well for bottom-heavy projected breasts and its nice to read such an in-depth fit analysis.
Thanks for this contribution, although I think this was added years ago its helpful now. I may give this one a try, I think it will work as long as I dont overestimate the size I need. I have tried a few Cleo bras such as MiMi and Juna. I use to be even with more topfullness now I am more full on bottom with a lot of innerfullness and need some projection, I thought the Juna kind of fit but the mimi fit me better.
MY SHAPE: round, projected, even, tall roots, close set, on the narrow end of average root width.
THE TAKEAWAY: Marcie shape + stretch lace = a winner for those who are even/FoT/or tall-rooted. Those who are FoB or have short roots might get a pointy shape with this. Comfortable and smooth interior cup fabric and stretch lace; good for those with sensitive skin. Band is stretchy; consider sister sizing down.
DETAILS: Stretch lace is love. Stretch lace is life. I can see why this comes recommended as a starter bra for those beginning their ABTF journey! I get a lovely rounded Marcie shape in this but with the added benefit ...of stretch lace, which is perfect for 1) dealing with a touch of asymmetry 2) my tall roots and 3) monthly size fluctuations. Other than the band running a bit loose (we can add Hettie to stack of Cleos with stretchy bands - ahem, Bluebell Marcie, plus all colorways of the Della and Blake), I have no major fit complaints. Hettie doesn't have a side sling, but it definitely pushes my breast tissue to the front. I would say that it minimizes the *width* of my bustline by moving the tissue to the center. In larger cup sizes, you might end up TOO front and center/busty for your liking. Read more 109 more words
Very pretty! I'd have to lose 20 lb to fit one tho.
Loooks lovely on you! I have mine in Black/Blue and love it! however i bought used one, and I believe previous user washed in washing machine so it wrinkles a bit -_- and also im waiting for the teal version that is coming soon
martka00 I feel like the Hettie is a more accessible version of the Panache Jasmine. It gives a rounder shape than the Jasmine, with a more comfortable cup fabric BUT with the same amount of projection and front-and-center shaping. I'm not planning on keeping this colorway, just wanted to try it out for fun. I've got my eye on that teal one though! I might grab it in the spring :)
I've been interested in this bra for a while, but can't justify buying one right now, because I bought a lot of bras this year. So, is it more comfortable than Marcie? I like the shape I get in Marcie, but by the end of a work day, I just can't wait to take it off.
(more accessible but a smaller size range?)
dbmamaz by more accessible I mean the shape it gives is more acceptable, my mistake. A lot of people don't like the Jasmine because of the pointed/torpedo shape it can have.
LadyInBlue what do you find uncomfortable about the Marcie? The wires? The gore? The lace on the cup?
ive tried 2 panache jasmine in 30f, and the light blue was too big, the pink one was good in cups but straps way too wide, and yesterday ive tried the dark blue and was diseaster as was so pointy. The 30F ive tried were fairly round and I liked them, so I need to try the other colours in 30E then! oh these bras drive me mad sometimes!! :D
The wires and the gore are OK, but I think the straps and band get somewhat itchy and annoying after a while.
LadyInBlue I pulled out my Bluebell Marcie to compare, and I think you will probably find the straps to be just as annoying (they seem to be made of the same material), but the band is made of a different, smoother fabric on the Hettie than the mesh on the Marcie, so that may be an improvement. In general, I found the primary difference in comfort to be the cup fabric.
The profile you get in Cleo Hettie is fabulously round, 100percentawesome ! Thanks for the review.
Hmmm, I may try it in the future, as my current bras start to wear out. I think I'm just getting spoiled by the comfort of my Ewa Michalak bras. Thanks for the additional info!
This looks like a terrific fit on you - I wish it had fit me that well!
Another one to try...
Also it sounds like this is one where you recommend sizing down in the band even more than on the Mimi, huh?
rainbrasspetals yes, definitely size down in this one. The 30 band was so, so stretchy. Do note that the construction of the top stretch lace changes over the GG divide; I believe it switches to a double layer of lace with an elastic edge that *may* cut in depending on your upper fullness. If you can sneak by in a 30G that's your best bet!
I usually take 32FF in Cleo; even the Mimi where that was too small in the cups was still kind of too big in the GG, so 30G is definitely my plan. :)
But also thank you for that warning, that's good to know and sweet of you!
Shape: round, projected, even, close set, on the narrow end of average root width.
UPDATE: After wearing this a few days over the last couple weeks I have to amend what I said in my original review: while the sides don't LOOK super tall in the armpit, and didn't bother me during my review + fit check, my experience is that the underwire + side boning do end up rubbing in an uncomfortable way while wearing over the course of a full day. I don't have this problem with any other bras :/ It's disappointing, and it means that I'll probably limit wear of the Piper to special occasion ...or short wears only.
Original review: It's here! I finally got my hands on the Piper. Here's my quickie review:
The good: - The color of this bra is even brighter and more saturated in real life. It's very striking and quite the statement piece - if you're into subtle, this ain't it.
- Love the little details. The eyelash lace at the bottom of the bra, the tiny polka dot print on the top mesh section of the cup, the lime green hooks to match the lime bow on the gore.
- The band fits true to size! I'd been worried after running into stretchy band after stretchy band in new Cleo colorways (Bluebell Marcie, Floral Della, and Turquoise Blake, with reports that the Leopard Della and Cerise Blake also suffered from the dreaded too-loose band). I was so concerned about this that I also ordered the 28F, just in case. Luckily, the 30E is comfy on the loosest hooks. The 28F - Cleo » Piper Longline Balconnet Bra (9351) is too tight to be comfortable for me, even on the loosest hooks.
- The cups are on the narrow end of average width, which is just about perfect for me. The cups have good immediate projection (are we calling it depth now? Immediate depth?). Wires sit right in my IMF, and don't budge. Actually, NOTHING budges in this bra. Perhaps it's the nature of the longline, but my breasts don't move *at all* in this thing - they are locked down in the cups.
- I'd heard there was the possibility of the sides running really tall under the armpits. I'm happy to announce that this isn't an issue for me at all.
The not-so-good: - While the cups fit, I get some annoying wrinkling in the top (near the strap) and sides of the cup. The bra isn't too wide for me, and I fill out the cups, so not sure what's causing it.
- FOT or particularly tall-rooted folks take note: the top of the cup closes in quickly. I get the tiniest bit of quad boob on my larger side (check the angle shot), and I'm even-to-FOB.
- No super round and uplifted Marcie basketballs here. I would describe the shape as "my breasts but better" - a lower set, more natural shape. If you're VERY close set or have oodles of center fullness, you may find this to be a shape mismatch.
- Let's just put it out there: while this longline is beautiful, fastening the 5, yes, FIVE, hooks in the back is a huge pain. Save your wrists and get help, lol.
Overall: I'm really happy with this! Love the color, the fit is comfortable (especially for a longline), and the matching briefs (a good fit in UK10 for my 38" hips) are adorable. It's a keeper - and I look forward to stalking next spring's Acid Coral colorway!
Shape: round, projected, even, close set, on the narrow end of average root width.
I'm going to try a slightly different review format moving forward that highlights what I think are the most important fit characteristics of a particular bra right up front, so those skimming reviews will see the most relevant info first. Here goes!
THE TAKEAWAY: This is the t-shirt bra of my dreams, folks: a smooth silhouette under figure-hugging clothes WITHOUT the limitations (read: lack of immediate depth) of a molded cup. Want cakes on plate cleavage without going Polish? The Mimi excels for even to FoT shapes. It handles center fullness nicely, and the gore is ...not excessively wide or high. Wires run about average width. Band is stretchy. Consider sister sizing down for best fit.
DETAILS: In previous seasons, this bra came in not-so-appealing (to me) animal prints and I entirely dismissed it. With the AW16 rose print, I was willing to give it a shot - and I'm so glad I did! All of my bras are unlined, with the exception of the full-cup 30DD - Parfait By Affinitas » Charlotte Padded Bra (6901) , so this 3 part padded half cup is a brand new shape and experience for me. Um, IT'S AWESOME. Don't get me wrong, you will pry my perfectly fitting 28F - Cleo » Marcie Balconnet Bra (6831) from my cold, dead hands but having a nice, lightly padded bra to wear under t-shirts is a welcome change of pace. And did I mention the cakes on plate cleavage? I've yet to find a non-molded plunge that both fits AND gives me some cleavage (seems to be an either/or - I get NO cleavage with my unlined bras, and hella cleavage with my Cleo Neve, although it's wayyy too wide and shallow for me), but the Mimi fits the bill. It's not *crazy* cleavage, but it's there, and is a nice complement for v-neck tops.
This is a keeper. I can't tell you how thrilled I am that they're moving away from the animal prints moving forward - the blue polka dot print for SS17 is also cute and very wearable. If only they made this in a selection of nude tones, this could legitimately be a holy grail bra for a lot of people - I feel like it could sell like hotcakes, especially in the US, where unlined bras are not the first choice for most. Read more 303 more words
Whoa what a sexy bra. This bra is cute off the body but once you put it on - yikes - this is the sexiest shape any bra has given me... ever.
The Alexa runs big so I originally bought this in my go to size for Cleo (28GG) and almost overlooked the fit because I loved the look on.
The Alexa has almost no stretch in the cups. Actually if it has any at all I'd be amazed. The band is a great 28 band - firm but not restrictive and comfortable to wear. It's true to size. The cups really pull your boobs dead on - there's absolutely ...no east/west spread going on here. And once your boobs are facing forward, covered in the dark Alexa fabric - very slimming and sexy. The cups are very uplifting and round rather than pointy. From the center seam that runs across your nipples the top horizontal pieced section almost runs back towards your chest at a right angle.
I'd be very interested to see how this goes on ladies that are full on top and full towards their collar bones, because my boobs are full and fleshy especially towards the center of my chest, but I don't have a lot going on on my sternum and at underarm level. Does this mean I have "shallow" breasts I'm not sure but I'd swear the Alexa was designed for me.
It doesn't cut in at all. In the 28G it cuts in just a tiny bit if I breath in deeply but it's wonderful. Love this bra. Just love it. Can't wait to get it in a million colours.
Highly recommend. Try it in 1 cup size down from your norm! Read more 177 more words
I bought the Juna thanks to reviews that it ran really shallow - my breasts are wide and shallow, so this is exactly what I need. I've had good experiences with Cleo, so I was pretty sure on this fit and quality, and I was not let down.The bra front is made of a satiny fabric that's really nice and should hide rather well under most tops. The lace is not the highest quality, but I do not find it uncomfortable. The straps are covered and somewhat thick as a result, but not obtrusively so. I guess what I'm saying is that the Juna is somewhat plain, but ...a pretty good everyday sort of bra, made nice enough that you don't feel like you're sacrificing for the sake of wanting to wear t-shirts. It's got the necessary bits and bobs, plus some extras like padding to prevent show-through. Now, there are a few slightly unpleasant aspects to the bra. The straps are not fully adjustable, and while I don't find them problematic, others might. The lace at the top of the cups most assuredly does not lay flat. It's sewn on in such a way that it angles abruptly back towards the chest, and as the bra is low-cut, it hits my breast tissue. So the top of the lace is against my skin, and the body of the lace is formed into a fabric bubble. But it's really only noticeable if I'm looking down at my breasts, and doesn't show through clothing.The band is much larger, unstretched, than most of my other bras, so I do fear it will wear out faster. And the seam on the two-part cups is very centrally placed, and so does not hit me where my breasts are fullest. But these are minor quibbles, and while they keep the bra from being perfect, it is still a great bra.
I would definitely recommend trying out the Juna, as it is a continuity bra for Cleo. It is especially worth looking into for those with shallow breasts, since finding truly shallow bras can be a challenge sometimes! Read more 242 more words
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.
MY SHAPE: round, projected, even, close set, on the narrow end of average root width.
THE TAKEAWAY: Hooray, a new Cleo with a true to size band! This bra is very similar to the Panache Floris Balconnet Bra (7311), but the cup is shorter and the lace section closes in more quickly. In this size range, Minnie's shape is best suited for short-rooted, even to full on top breasts. Could potentially work for tall-rooted FoB if shallow on top. Average wire width. If you have very little tissue on the sides, you may experience some cup wrinkling.
DETAILS: This is one of the few unlined Cleo cuts I ...haven't tried, and that was only because I disliked the polka-dot aesthetic of the prior colorways. This brand new for SS17 multi-colored print is great and I couldn't resist giving it a try. Unfortunately, it's not a perfect fit. The biggest issue is the inflexible top lace/mesh section. It cuts in too quickly on my tall roots, essentially making the cup too short to accommodate my breasts. The result is that the top section both cuts in AND isn't fully filled. I also get a bit of wrinkling on the sides, but that's not a deal breaker (in general, I seem to have less tissue there than many bras expect - wrinkling ALWAYS happens in bras with side slings, and occasionally in bras without).
In the takeaway section, I note that this bra reminds me quite a bit of the Panache Floris. The fabric feels identical, very smooth on the outside of the cup, with a patterned mesh/lace portion on top. However, the lace top on the Floris is taller and more open, which better accommodates my shape. So - if the Floris fits you well, the Minnie may not, and vice versa.
A final note - after stretchy band after stretchy band in new Cleo colorways the last year, I was shocked that this one felt firm/true to size! I've lost my tailor's tape in a move, so I can't confirm how firm-TTS it fits, but I will say that it is a little firmer than my TTS 30E Panache Olivia and Floris on my 28.5" snug UB. If you're on the top of your band size (closer to a 30" snug UB), I would consider sister sizing up, particularly if you're sensitive to TTS/slightly firm bands.
Thanks for sharing this! I didn't realize that they had a new colourway. I have the polka dot one in red, and I have never been a big fan of the looks of that bra, but I have short roots and the cut works great for me. I'll have to keep my eye out for this one when it (eventually) comes on sale.
The only polka dot Minnie I liked was the navy & yellow one. I tried it & it was unfortunately a disaster on my shape. I am even with very short roots, I just think it is too projected at the apex for me.
I missed out on the Minnie in navy/yellow (I tried it on when I was a 30FF and got in-cup quad, but now I think it might work better in my new size). I'm glad it's back and excited to try it again.
Hettie is a bra that I fell in love with the moment it was first announced last year, but was wary about, due to all of the conflicting info about what cut it'd be the most like. As a result, I missed out on the cobalt blue one, only to learn that it should be almost perfect for my shape. Sigh.
My shape: very narrow, very projected, very short roots. I need all of the space imaginable near the wire. UK bras generally cannot accommodate my shape well. Hettie doesn't do so perfectly, but it does do a damn admirable job at it, enough where I'm putting it ...at my best UK fit.
The bra itself is gorgeous, and the quality of the materials is surprising for a Cleo bra. The inner lining is very soft, not scratchy at all. The outer mesh is very smooth and shows just enough of the hot pink to make this lovely deep magenta color. The straps are lined with a thick, fleecy material. The stretch lace on the top has a subtle but pretty pattern that reminds me of crochet. The metal hardware is the same hot pink of the lining, and the bow on the gore is black and hot pink. All in all, it creates a very striking look, and is very comfortable to wear. It also looks a lot more grown-up than most of Cleo's offerings, and that's with it being hot pink!
The fit on me is not 100% perfect. I'm disappointed that Hettie wound up being wider than I had expected. That said, basically every UK bra is too wide for me, so I don't really count it as a huge deal. The gore is just a bit too wide and sits on breast tissue; I may narrow that at some point. While the cups are very closed in on top (excellent for me!), I do get a bit of gaping in the top near the gore. Not enough to be visible through a shirt or for me to really care, but it's there. Again, something I can probably alter to fix. The band is surprisingly stretchy for a Cleo band, but not enough where I'd want to size down. It still feels nice and snug once on, on the loosest hooks.
It does, however, sit in my IMF. I cannot stress how big this is for me enough - I have an extremely hard time finding bras that can do that, due to the fact that my boobs just demand *so much* room at the bottom of the cup for them. No UK bra I've tried, not even my precious Elomi Etta which was, previously, my best UK fit, can do that. Only my Comexim 3HCs can reliably stay in place. But Hettie can do it. And Hettie will stay there all damn day. I am incredibly impressed. And that makes me willing to ignore all of the other minor fit issues and decide this to be my best UK fit.
The shape is a bit on the pointy side, especially on my smaller breast. But I'm not surprised by or disappointed by this; I've seen the bra described as a mix between Envy and Jasmine, so I expected some pointiness. This is also a description that I'd say is 100% accurate - it's got the bottom depth of Envy with the shape of Jasmine, just compressed into a shorter area. I could probably get a more rounded shape if I sized down a cup but...ehh. It's not terribly important to me.
The one thing that bugs me about it is the lining and elastic on the stretch lace that's present in the GG+ cups, and hence in this one. I feel like it's probably unnecessary (I say as someone at the top of Cleo's size range), and that without it the top of the cup could probably conform to my shape better. It also hides the pattern on the lace. But, ehh. It's not a dealbreaker. It's just a small annoyance. Also, as ever, I wish that Cleo would do three-hook enclosures in larger cup sizes, but two still works okay.
Basically - love this bra. Read more 590 more words
Wow that bra really holds you up! The colorway is super vibrant too.
Hettie... well Cleo, really, hasn't been on my radar because the 2 hook aspect really turns me off. It was one of my biggest annoyances with Freya Deco, as well. I'm in your camp; 3 hooks feels more secure! I'm a big fan of Jasmine and Envy tho', so if a Hettie colorway excites me I know it's probably a good bet. Thanks for the review. :]
It looks great on you! I'm looking forward to the spring release (greenish/teal) and I'm probably going to get one and cut the elastic away. This also makes me wonder if I'm less short rooted than I originally thought.
I think this is just reeaaally closed off on top and I'm unusually short, haha. Bardot also wasn't quite short enough for me. I also don't have as much inner fullness near the top of my breasts even though I'm pretty close-set.
I so need that spring colorway, the dark teal and purple just work so well together and those are my two favorite colors.
bliz - the lack of three hooks is annoying but I do feel like it doesn't make much of a difference; it's still comfy and supportive. I'd just love for it to have an extra hook for the band to be a bit wider!
It looks great on you and that color is fantastic!
Amazing on you!!!!
So glad it works for you <3 and appreciate your thoughts! I don't think this bra is *quite* right for me but I might be swayed by sales or the spring colorway!
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)!
Ah, Marcie! Marcie, Marcie, Marcie. You lured me away from Poland with promises of wispy soft blue hues, coral accents, and firm bands. Then you broke my heart with your purple truth, your TRAFFIC CONE NEON ORANGE highlights, and your Freya level stretchy band :''( Horribly deceitful and horribly expensive!
I so badly want a soft cup bra that gives great shape that is in a cool hue. All Ewa has coming out in my SM are pinks, and no, no more pinks please. So I wandered to Marcie, because in promo images Bluebell is gorgeous, like a hydrangea. The trimmings and bows look like a bright coral, which is pretty against ...the blue. Either my monitor sucks or the promotional images do, and I'm telling you that with my husband's computer obsession, I'm pretty sure it's not my monitor. This is purple in real life. Nothing against purple, but it's not what I wanted. The accents are neon, so bright, and I hate them. The disappointment is real people!
As for fit, the band is so incredibly stretchy. I bought a 30, because Cleo Marcie is notorious for running tight in most colorways. I had 28 banded Marcies way back when red was new and they were torture to my ribs. So up to 30 I went. It easily stretched to 32" and frankly I probably could have pulled it to at least 33" if not maybe 34". In my pictures you can see it push up into my lats and give me a nice big bulge over the band.
The cups were okay. The wires aren't too bad until they suddenly widen out at the top by my armpit. Immediate projection was okay. There could have been more or maybe I could have used a cup up. I had some looseness at the top, but I expected it, Marcie is more suited to FoT shapes and I am even, functionally FoB. So, I don't fault her for that.
I noped right out of this bra. It's going back and I'm not reordering it. If it ever makes it to a clearance price (and I mean less than $20) then perhaps I'd revisit it. Get a smaller band size, remove all the awful orange trim, because I still badly want a cool toned soft bra. I know this review is brief, but I didn't wear the bra that long, mostly just long enough for pictures. Read more 288 more words
I like the color of the bra, and I could even deal with the orange bow, but that orange trim on the bottom has to go! I recently got a Marcie in nude in my normal band size, and the band was tight the first time I wore it, but it loosened up very quickly. Granted, I seem to have lost 1/2 inch around my ribcage, since I put my measurements in Bratabase, but I don't think it should have made that much of a difference.
I actually don't mind the main color. It's a lot more purple in real life than it is in any photo but it isn't bad. It just isn't what I wanted. The bottom trim would be really easy to remove. The only orange that'd be left is the hardware, but you can't see any of that while you're wearing it anyway.
I think what I miss most about VS is that they actually could match colors properly!
Oh, i dont like the orange at all. I have only one Marcie, a raspberry. I also ordered a band size up after someone here said they run tight and immediately sent it bak for my normal band size - which was still kinda stretchy. i've gone up a cup size but its stretched out so much i can still wear it . . .
its a shame because its such an easy fit, but its horrible quality
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.
I finally found a bra that fits correctly! Its a glorious day! The cups are literally the perfect size for my boobs (no overboob, and very little gaping when I bend over). Its such a fun green color, and it gives my boobs an awesome shape (no torpedo boob) and my nipples are concealed! The 28 band is a little tight, but everything else fits so well that I'm not even mad.
I originally bought this bra to fill my much needed t-shirt bra gap. It has very thin molded cups, just enough to provide some modesty and a smooth shape, and nowhere near enough to increase your apparent size. That this bra happens to be a plunge was only incidental - I appreciate being able to wear it under lower shirts, but it's not the plunge I would select for dressing up. And it performs its intended function admirably! I can definitely wear this bra under anything without the cottage cheese look cropping up. Now, let me enumerate the faults of this bra, just so we're clear. The center ...gore is extremely thin, so I know I'll have issues with it wearing out. It already gets twisted so easily. The Hawaiian blue color is very pale, and I've already picked up one mysterious discoloration on the band - there's no telling how many more of those I'll find. The cups are very shallow - which I need! - but are also fast-closing. This is a bra where, for the first hour or so after I scoop, I'm definitely quadding. It settles down throughout the day, so I'm not sure I want to buy a 28DD, but I'd assuredly try one on if I got the chance. Oh, and on the Hawaiian blue/pink colorway in particular, I've found the band to be slightly loose. It's not all bad, though. The straps are fully adjustable! And this bra is a regular in the Cleo lineup, plus they release fun new fashion colors each season. I'd say it's like the wide-breast friendly Deco, because it's our versatile plunge-smoothing-molded combo bra. Similarly to the Deco, it's off by about a cup size, but in this case, size up. And as a bonus, the band is tighter! I'd really strongly recommend this bra if you've previously tried and disagreed with the Deco, because it's a very clear counterpoint to that fit - instead of narrow and deep, this bra is wide and shallow. I would call this *the* t-shirt bra for wide breasts to try. But, if you're on the large side of your regular size, do size up! Read more 254 more words
This is a 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.
Thank you so much for this review! This bra can work very well for bottom-heavy projected breasts and its nice to read such an in-depth fit analysis.