The Ellis has a beautiful floral design and embroidered upper panel. Traditional three part construction balconette bra. I have heard that cleo bras have narrow wires. For me they were on the wider side as I prefer the wires on Polish bras. The cups are great for projected breasts. Bra is smooth under thin fabrics. The bra almost gives a more conical shape; it's not very rounded. If you prefer a less rounded shape this is a good fit.
Since I received this bra used it has stretched out a bit and it fits best on the middle set of hooks.
In addition to the underwire being too wide for ...my preference I would prefer it have three hook and eye closers instead of two. The band is nice and supportive but I think it would have better support for anyone above a UK G cup with three hooks. The gore is also too high for me. I'd prefer it be 3". As someone with full on top breasts I prefer stretch lace for the upper panel, and also prefer a full cup style over a Balconette style. I do get a bit of overflow, but not enough to justify going up a cup.
Ellis (and Cleo in general) is good for people who find Polish wires too narrow, but British wires too wide, wants a smooth look under clothes, has wider shoulders, is full all over/full on bottom, likes a Balconette style, and prefer a less rounded shape. Read more 138 more words
One month update: I've been wearing the Zia for a month now. The band is stretched out to where I now wear it on the tightest set of hooks. I've noticed this in the past with Panache bras. Ideally I'd like my bands to not to stretch out so fast. In addition I have since gone up 1-2 cup sizes so the cups no longer fit me. As mentioned in my original review the style doesn't suit me. Overall I'm not a fan of this bra, but someone with broader shoulders and shallow and wide set breasts would probably love it.
Original review: The Zia is absolutely beautiful with ...its large polka dot design and embroidered upper panel. Traditional three part construction balconette bra. I have heard that cleo bras have narrow wires. For me they were on the wider side as I prefer the wires on Polish bras. The cups are great for projected breasts. Bra is smooth under thin fabrics. The bra almost gives a more conical shape; it's not very rounded. If you prefer a less rounded shape this is a good fit.
In addition to the underwire being too wide for my preference I would prefer it have three hook and eye closers instead of two. The band is nice and supportive but I think it would have better support for anyone above a UK G cup with three hooks. The gore is also too high for me. I'd prefer it be 3". As someone with full on top breasts I prefer stretch lace for the upper panel, and also prefer a full cup style over a Balconette style. I do get a bit of overflow, but not enough to justify going up a cup.
Zia (and Cleo in general) is good for people who find Polish wires too narrow, but British wires too wide, wants a smooth look under clothes, has wider shoulders, is full all over/full on bottom, likes a Balconette style, and prefer a less rounded shape. Read more 223 more words
The strap positioning and wire width appear to me to reflect a too-large cup being pulled tight into a semblance of fit by a too-small band! Cleo runs small in the band already so sizing down from the 30s and 32s that you have been wearing recently would produce a lot of cup distortion--I can't see if you're using 1 extender but I think you'd need 2-3 for this one. Really, even if you are more of a 30, most Cleos run so small that a cleo 32 can fit like a firm 30. I think this would be worth a shot in 32GG and you'd find the strap and cup width issues much improved.
no,no. my 30HH cleo Zia was 30, not less. I could wear 30HH with sewed in center Gore, or 28J with exender (but still center Gore sewed in) in most Cleos on my 29" frame. So, they may run small in smaller cups sizes, but not in HH.
I bought this bra for two main reasons: I needed a bra that fit (duh!) and I LOVE the color. It looks great on and the slightly blue-ish red suits me very well.
I first tried Marcie in a 28H but the cup was definitely too small and caused quad-boobs. The 28HH is much better even though I have teensy little bit of gaping at the top and the wires are a little wide. It isn't very noticeable and doesn't bother me, I just wanted to mention it because of sizing: My shape is rather balanced but for those with more bottom-heavy breasts I suggest you try a smaller size, too. ...I think the cup is rather open at the top.
The underwires don't come up too high and don't poke me in the armpits (I'm short and this happens a lot to me). The centre gore is okay, I really prefer lower centre gores because of my close-set breasts but it is completely wearable. The wires are comfortable enough given that they are not very padded. What I do to make underwires more comfortable is that I bend them to suit my body shape better. I can easily wear this bra the whole day without discomfort. Concerning the band, there are both pros and cons. It is a typical Cleo band, which means it has only two rows of hooks and eyes. Seriously, in a HH?! Bad Cleo! A 3 hook-and-eye band would not only be much more comfortable and supporting but also look better because it would cut in less. Still, the band is tight enough for my 27.5 inches back. I've worn this bra for a few months now and I can still use the loosest setting.
The straps are fully adjustable (yay!) but the embroidery on the straps make it a little hard to adjust them. Marcie gives a great round shape and a lot of lift from the root of the breasts. In terms of shape, I think Cleo makes the best unpadded bras on the market.
I experienced some weird quadraboob IN the cup but that has thankfully disappeared with wear. The seams and embroidery of the cup aren't very noticeable under clothes, even wearing tight t-shirts works for me.
Even though it may sound like I'm just ranting about the Marcie, I actually love her and I'm even thinking of getting another one. There is room for improvement but that is mostly the underband. I would recommend her to anyone looking for a really beautiful bra https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" /> Read more 311 more words
I'm not really sure what to say about this bra. The band was ok, but a tiny bit looser than what I'd like. The cup fit itself is just plain odd. The underwire isn't really too big, as much as it just goes too far back. It is literally around my ribcage, past the sides, to where my back and sides meet. It is slightly too big in the cup, but I think if the cup wire wasn't as wide it would fit better. There is slight wrinkling at the top of the cup, just along the extra panel on the top of the cup.
The shape from the side is nice, round but still natural and uplifted. The band is firm but comfortable. The straps are not fully adjustable, but they work for me. The center gore is a bit too wide for my close set breasts, but I was able to fix this by sewing the center gore together. My only issue is that the wires sometimes dig in under my boobs. I think if the band extended to under my boobs, this wouldn't happen.
This bra fits quite well, but the construction is a little weird. The seam where the two lower panels and the upper panel meet is a little tight so the top and the lower part bulge a little around that seam.
Other than that, it's very comfortable and gives a nice shape. I like it's look a lot more in person than I did from the photo on the website.
The straps are not fully adjustable, the cups are decently close together. Unfortunately, there are only two hooks per column.
If you like this bra, keep your eyes peels for the Sasha. The Alexa was based on the Sasha, and Sashas are starting to turn up on eBay. Bravissimo also has an exclusive model, the Olivia, with this same cut. (This is NOT the same Olivia that Cleo is selling elsewhere in Europe, which is confusing.) I hope that helps!
Got my hands on a 28HH, so adding those measurements for comparison. While both this one and the 28J work for me, I think I like the tighter fit on this size a bit better.
One thing I have noticed, having worn this bra a lot now, is that there is an exposed seam at the bottom of the cups, where the band is attached, that can get a bit irritating after wearing the bra all day. Since the band rolls up a bit anyway, I usually flip it under to cover the seam, which takes care of the problem. Aside from that, I'm very, very happy with this bra. It's easily one of the best wireless bras available in a 28 band and large cups.
For some reason the cups on this run really big, there is a lacy part at the top of cups that has tons of extra space and therefore did not fit me even though I fit most other bras in this size.
gorgeous bra! Hate that I can't fill the 28HH at the top, and the 28H feels too tight because I have too much bottom projection https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_sad.gif" alt=":(" /> not meant to be!
I accidently ordered the totally wrong size. I accidentally scrolled the size scroller and placed the order. And of course figleaves just ignored the e-mail I sent just 5 minutes afterwards. But it is incredibly pretty, like, the type of bra I'd like to have in the right size https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" />
This bra runs small in the cup - it didn't fit me, so I decided to send it on.
Structure-wise it is very similar to the Meg (which is one of my favourit bras) and as for the fabric it is made of, it is quite thick and smooth, almost like something you'd find on swimwear.
I ran into the Bonnie on the Bras I Hate & Love blog and decided to order it for two reasons - according to the blog author, it creates a very rounded shape (and I take her word on many things), and then, also, it's pink and I've been looking to add a pink bra to my stash.
I altered the bra slightly - the center gore is stitched together, so it is barely 0.5 cm wide. After this alteration, which turned the cups of the bra a little, it fits very well. Maybe it's because of this change, but I think the cups are quite large for a ...28HH - usually I'm between a HH and a J, but with the Bonnie, the fit is spot on... (it even gapes a little on "small" day). It could be the gore, though.
The shape is very round and stays that way for the entire day!
The fabric is somewhat stiff and the wires are wide, but not uncomfortably so. The straps are pretty average as straps go.
The band, however, is reeeeeally stretchy. I am a standard 28, I think, maybe even on the 28/30 side, but I could fasten this band on the third row immediately and it actually slides up when worn for a longer period of time https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_sad.gif" alt=":(" /> So if you can, I'd definitely recommend sizing down on the band. It surprises me to see that several reviews mention the band being too tight (!) - perhaps it is a question of different batches or colorways? I have the bright pink one. Read more 159 more words
Well this bra is fabulous. One of my old timers which I keep around just because its comfy. If my boobs swell (as we all know they can) I get the quadboob effect. However this bra is perfect for any other day. The bra wires can also dig in and leave me with a red mark all around my torso (this may be from the band as well) but I find this with all my bras and have to not found one which does do so. It is pretty and although I have washed it many times it still fits lovely and the colors are still clear. As this bra is old now the elastic has started to poke out of the band. I will however wear this bra to death as it is one of my regulars and can be worn under any t shirt or dress.
Measure approx 28HH; close-set, round, even shape (full on top + bottom).
Wires/Straps: Are wide as per usual in my sizing range and, depending on my posture, does cause creasing underneath although sometimes this disappears depending on how I stand. Straps are pretty wide set like most are in my size, usual frustration and poor comfort. What I do like about Cleo straps is the soft material they place under the strap so, despite them being annoyingly wide, they are soft and much more comfortable than the harder material on top which most companies seem to have above and below the strap.
Cups: Fit well, running true to size. The ...lacing on the right side up top is marginally loose depending on posture but I think this is a shape issue as I am fuller on top on the left side than my right. The Cleo Lily is not as open as the Marcie or Millie but not as closed as the Lucy I think.
Profile/Look: Typical rounded, uplifted Cleo look. I love the material and pattern of the Lily print; it looks much more fun and pretty in person than in photos. I love the coral/navy colours and the coral mesh at the top of the cups plus the little bright yellow bow on the gore (always a bit hidden because of how close my shape is).
Band: Typical 2 clasp bra which I didn't think I'd like but is actually okay although my band is riding up and I can pull it back a fair amount on the loosest clasp. Not sure why; I measure 28 comfortably and only 26 inches ‘break the tape’ tight (inhaling) and 25.5-25.25 (exhaling). Generally the unpadded run quite tight in the Cleo from what most bloggers and reviewers say. Read more 186 more words
This bra is really pretty but, IMO, not really a balconnet, and more like a full cup bra. The gore sits really high and the fabric encases the entire breast. It's really pretty, though. I really wanted this bra to work, so much that I bought it twice (in two different sizes). This size has underwires that aren't quite so "pokey" in my armpit, but nonetheless, the wire still goes back entirely too far for me.
Otherwise, band size is perfect for me and the bra is comfortable, it just doesn't work with much of my wardrobe.
Looking at your pictures, the likely problems that have to do with the full coverage nature and pokey fit of your bra is probably because it's too big (the band also looks too small for you). I think you would do better in a 30GG at the very least. The narrowest part of my torso is a centimeter below where my bra should sit, and as a result, too tight bands can be closed lower on my torso. This appears to be the case in the bra. The cup is too big, so you can pull it up high enough, and it's pushing down the cup, plus the too tight band might be playing a roll it your (potential) in ability to adjust where the cup sits.
I wish the pattern from the majority of the cup continued in the top 'decoration.' I would possibly try to make this work if it did. Wires are HILARIOUSLY wide, so wide that I lose support - yet it is not because of the cup width itself, just the way the wires are shaped/the bra is constructed. It's very strange. Possibly it would be better in a cupsize down.
Also, straps are not fully adjustable (padded/lined halfway with a soft material). & The band starts out very tight but even one try-on was enough to loosen it a bit.
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This looks beautiful on you!