Since I discovered sister sizing up in the band in Marcie bras, I'm not going back.
Despite my 27"/29" ribcage, I find that 32 band in this solid black Marcie is just perfect:
- The band is nice, snug and supportive, but not cutting in. It's stretching to close to comfy 31". From experience, I know that Marcie bands are not likely to loosen up anytime soon, so comfort is key here. (I have a 3 year old Marcie and I just recently had to switch to the 2nd hook. Incredible quality and durability!) - The gore is super comfy, even with longer wear! In contrast to the 30F version that ...digs in painfully after just 30 minutes. - The underwires are comfy everywhere, no digging or chafing at the sides. Boob tissue actually *stays in the cups*, instead of escaping to the sides. - The straps are closer to the middle than in the 30F version, and less likely to bother my armpits. This is excellent. (Seriosly, if you have frequent issues with straps cutting into your armpits, try the sister size with larger band. You might be pleasantly surprised!) - The straps are narrower than in the 30F version. While this does not affect the fit much, it looks nicer in summer under a tank top.
Overall, I'm under the impression that the 32E continuity colour black Marcie runs slightly small in band and cups, maybe half a size each. The beige version I have runs both stretchier and slightly larger in the cups. I can fit into a beige 30E right now, but wanted a 32E Marcie for those days of my cycle when my boobs are larger than usual. The 32E black Marcie fits the bill and I'm very happy with my purchase! Read more 181 more words
Thanks for the review! It looks like I should give another shot to Marcie in 32E as 30F has also painful wires to me!
Very interesting! I have a 28F black Marcie that's sat in my drawer for over a year. It's so pretty and seemed like it should be the perfect bra for me, so I'm stuck in denial that my dingy 30E one in aqua more. Never been able to pinpoint exactly why since they don't measure very differently.
Last time I wore the 28F I was so uncomfortable I took it off halfway through the day and went braless, lol. Sizing up is a good idea
I tried a pink 32E in a Bravissimo in fall 2016 and while it felt fine (aside from the cups gaping a little since I'm more FOB), it was evident that the band was too loose because the wires weren't flexing back enough for a proper fit. So I recently bought the 30F in navy, and while I can hook it on the loosest hook, and it fits pretty good in the cups despite the openness etc, it's very snug and hardly stretched to 29". If I use an extender, the cups gap more. Maybe I will try another 32E, preferably one of ones that have been known for tight bands. But it's a bit frustrating. I really like it but the gore kills me if I don't use the extender, but then I sacrifice fit if I do. I'll have to keep my eyes open for a 32E (maybe 32DD). Would be interested to see if it helps.
Calluna Good luck! Going down in the cups certainly helps with digging. Maybe a 30E in beige would be a good idea? It seems to be the most stretchy colour they have on offer regularly, and also the cups run slightly large.
There are quite consistent size differences between the older and newer colorways. I guess the change happened with the AW2014 collection - I've been able to wear 30 bands comfortably since (which was unheard of previously). Black is an exception to that rule, but then black bras run smaller/tighter in general, so no huge surprise here.
bracrastination thanks. I do like the beige and would not mind a 30 that wasn't so snug but also still technically fit.
annabellynn, I think the black Marcie is just less stretchy then the other colors. I have a blue and a black 28F and while the black version is only 1cm shorter it fits so much tighter. I even have to ask my boyfriend to help me into it.
bracrastination what do you think of the band/cups on the tangerine and lime colourways (compared with the beige)? I’ve heard that bluebell is stretchy too. It looks like my navy is after AW2014 but it’s still really tight...maybe because it’s so dark and has the same dye issues that the blacks do?
Calluna I haven't tried any of these. My rule of thumb is that light colours run wider, while dark/saturated colours run tighter. aboobaccount's experience seems to confirm this.
Yay, finally this bra is mine! I've loved this design since I first saw it, but it was already discontinued by then, so it's taken me years to find one in my size. The one I have now I got from violetknight and it's in excellent condition.
The 32E is exactly the right size for me, and the fit is great, with one exception: I get some in cup quadding just above the horizontal seam. This is a new problem for me that has started to pop up after I lost weight and went down 2 cup sizes, especially in Cleo bras that used to ...fit me perfectly. I think it has something to do with the position of the horizontal seam that now cuts straight across my areola and the fact that there's less tension in the lace top part of the cup than there is in the stiffer, bottom part of the cup. I am going to attempt to fix this by taking in the lace part a little. Let's hope it works, because I love this design so much! Read more 77 more words
I've been wanting to try the Cleo Piper since its first incarnation, as the true longline. However, I knew that the original longline version was quite closed on top, so I didn't dare get my hopes up. Then, when Cleo came out with the midi version, I heard that the fit had been tweaked so that the cups weren't quite so closed off on top, but that it was still advisable to size up in the cup. So, when martka00 posted this for sale in a (distant) sister size, I felt like that would be the best opportunity to try it.
First of all, I ...love the appearance of this bra. The light blue with contrasting yellow bow, the eyelash lace peeking over the bottom edge of the band.. so cute! I personally like that this is a midi band now instead of the true longline, as I've learned that I'm not a huge fan of longlines. I'm petite and I don't like how longlines make me feel restricted and covered up, like my torso has been shortened. So the midi is a great compromise. The band has plastic boning in each of the side seams to keep the band from rolling up.
Fit wise, unfortunately this bra doesn't fit me. I was prepared to shorten the band if everything else fit well, but that is not the case. I get a lot of empty space and wrinkling in the top of the cups, which is my main fit issue. It seems to fit me depth-wise, however, so perhaps this bra runs a tad shallower than other Cleo balconettes. The gore is maybe slightly wider than I'm used to, which might be remedied if I actually got this bra in my proper size. I can't say for sure if the cups would be too closed off in my proper size or not.
So, at least I know now that I would have to try a 28F, but other than that, my trial was somewhat inconclusive. I may wait and see if I can snag that green colourway on sale at some point. Read more 245 more words
The cleo Meg is related to the Lily which is good for even shapes. This bra fits okay. There is some wrinkling on the smaller breast. The cups wrinkle on the bottom but the tops do not cut into my roots.When I first tried it on the gore was sitting on breast tissue and it hurt slightly. I altered the gore so the wires would overlap. Tried it on again and the gore hurt even more. With the gore overlapping it is sitting on less tissue so all its pressure is more concentrated in a smaller area, so it hurts more. I have decide me and Cleo/Panache wires do not get along. They all cause me too much pain even if the cup fits okay.
Sigh. The plague of close set breasts and an industry not yet adapting to our needs. Cute bra on you!! Sorry the alteration created another problem. Ugh.
Its the same exactly with be. I even didbra surgery with one cleo: I put shorter and softer wires into the tunnels. Perhaps this could save your bra too? Otherwise I recomment Fauve half cups. Soft as can be.
Gorgeous bra. Seamed but smooth, structured but not thick. The lace at the top of the cups might stick up if you don't fill the cup completely; I need to "lift and drop"to fill this bra out properly so the lace rests on my skin. The lace is smooth, though, and if the bra's filled in properly it doesn't bunch or stick out, so it's fancy-looking but layers smoothly under clothing. I appreciate that.
Note, at the center of the bra I had to bend the top 2" of the underwire a few degrees away from my sternum. Before I did this, the underwires dug into my sternum and left raw red marks. Since the adjustment however I've had no complaints.
For being thin coordinating print straps, the straps are quite strong and nonstretchy. Not a bra for physical activity but great for everyday, walking and office wear.
Not for wideset breasts—the underwires touch in the middle.
My shape: close set, center full, full on bottom, average/narrow width roots, tall shallow roots, soft tissue.
This bra is cute and fun with the little pink detail on the edges. I'm not a huge fan on the floral print, but it's not too bad. The gore is super low (4 cm / 1.6" in) and doesn't hurt like all of the other Panache/Cleo bras I tried. The cups fit well, except at the top edge where they cut into my breast tissue and give me quad boob. Also, it did not give me a lot of lift, more of a natural shape, but still somewhat rounded. Maybe ...sizing up the cup would help with this since it looks a tiny bit small for me. I loosened the strap the most I could, but it still cuts in. The band is okay on the middle hook, but what I didn't like about it was that where the straps connect to the band in the back of the bra, it doesn't lay flat. I think I got a bra with a defect, since even without wearing them you can see in my picture that it's pulling up the band. Read more 90 more words
Short, projected, slightly narrow, close set, center full, even breasts....
Two tenths of an inch more cup width and a narrower gore, and I would keep this bra. This is a comfortable Cleo bra; a first for me. The fabric is lightweight, slightly stretchy, and soft. However, the cup width is .2" too narrow. Sigh. Strangely, when a cup is too narrow, not only do I feel discomfort under my arm, but also the pain radiates into the center of my breasts. This is not a sensation I can tolerate for more than a few minutes.
Please note: the band will stretch beyond 31". However, the wires distort at ...31". I have a 28" underbust and sized up to the 32" to eliminate wire distortion. If you don't require maximum immediate projection, the distortion may not bother you. I may have a slight omega shape to my breasts and need as much immediate projection as I can find.
This band is too big because I receive very little support. But, when supported by a band more appropriate for a 28" underbust, my breasts become very close-set from top to bottom. To date, I've found one wired bra that can both support my breasts and has a narrow enough gore. And, the support from a too-large-band is less than I receive from some wireless options. Wireless is my preference until I can find a gore narrow enough.
Despite my affection for Cleo's choice of fabric and the excellent immediate and center (near the gore) projection, this lovely will journey back to the vendor.
This is an excellent review. It doesn't come up too high in the pits? I might try it since the fabric is soft. Compared to other Cleos did you size down in the cup because of the stretch or is it scaled for that?
I sized down in the cup and up in the band compared to Curvy Kate. In this fabric configuration, it will be less supportive than CK Florence in your range. I hope they increase the fabric sturdiness for the upper range...it is delicate.
could you bend/stretch the wires a bit wider? its a shame they're too narrow, considering all the pluses of this bra. Also, I've always had to size up in curvy kate compared to my cleo/panache/fantasie size, too.
It may be possible, but the fraying at the ends of the wires makes it feel like it won't last long. And, for $50, I want a better bra. If I find it for less, I may try. :-)
And, I'm selling nearly all my underwired bras. I've finally accepted, I can't tolerate the wires sitting on my breasts anymore. The wires sitting on my breasts is causing swelling, heat, and pain. When I read about the signs of breast cancer, these are near the top. My breasts are happy (no heat, swelling, pain) in a bralette. It seems a clear message.... SIGH. If I have anything you'd like,...fire sale. ;-)
I'm sorry they aren't working for you! On the plus side we are in the era of cute cheap plentiful bralettes. I hope you find your ultimate wireless bra.
This bra fits well and comfortably, other than some slight wrinkling on my smaller left boob at the top of the cup. The Pink Leopard pattern with a beige background is *slightly* ugly but it's quirky-looking and it shows smoothly under t-shirts other than super thin ones. I bought it used so the band was already stretched out a bit, which is probably why this 32 band fits me better than my other, newer, Panache/Cleo bras. My boobs have a short root and are functionally full on bottom due to soft tissue and it fit well. The thin fabric is stretchy and moderately soft. I find myself liking the stretch top panel a bit better than lace stretch top panels.
Although the size of this bra is 32:6, but it's the most perfect bra I have. The band fits me very comfortablely, and the lace decorations are very lovely, just like ice cream waffles. Awesome!!
This is one of my favorite bras, and I have had it in two sizes because it's so pretty. However, the lace at the top is very loose and hard to fill. The band runs tight compared to other Cleos I've had. I also think the shape can be a little strange-- very narrow and projected looking under tops.
First of all, I love the look of this bra. I'm normally not a pink girl, but this soft coral/salmon color looks great with my skin tone! The white polka dots look like they were sponge-painted on, giving them a delicate vintage-y appearance. I usually size up to a 32 band in cleos (I wear a 30 in everything else) so the wires don' t get stretched back.
As for the fit:
Meg wants to be your best friend, there to support you from the bottom, sides, AND top. She's also got really high expectations and wants to lift you up where you belong. Like her Cleo sisters, ...she thinks your boobs should be front, center, but she adds in a lot of uplift. This means that the bottom of the cup is a little shallow, and the apex is unusually high. Despite my usual need for immediate projection, Meg works for me. I don't know if its the cut or the material, but she takes my dense boobs and pushes them right up and center. I get some odd wrinkling around the cup (probably strain from Meg pushing my firm tissue around), but nothing is visible under a shirt.
Sadly, I can't quite fill out the top of the cup. Tightening the straps minimizes the issue, but doesn't eliminate it. Maybe my boobs are just a little too firm and won't conform to Meg's expectations. If I take a deep breath and pull my shoulders back, I fill out one side almost perfectly, but the other still has a little gaping, regardless of how I tighten or loosen the strap. Read more 164 more words
This bra was a gamble. I normally wear a 30 band but this 32 seems to fit fine. I wear it on the middle set of hooks and it is decently tight enough, though not as tight as my 30 bras. I think I'm forgetting how sister sizing up works, but I think this 32E size is equivalent to a 30F band? The cup fits great. I wasn't sure if it would work because I keep reading everywhere that Marcie is for upper fullness and I identify more with having even fullness. But it seems to work for me so I'm not sure what's going on exactly. I haven't come across a Cleo unlined bra that hasn't worked for me (in the correct size, anyway.)
Cleo bands tend to run tight. You are correct 32E is the sister size of 30F. Do you identify as having even fullness when you're wearing a bra or when you're not wearing a bra? The fullness thing is based on how your breasts tend to look in a bra. Paradoxically, it's something you tend to learn after you find bras that fit pretty well.
I always thought fullness was based on how your breasts look while leaning 90 degrees at the waist while bra less. My nipples point towards the ground while doing this so I've read that means even fullness. At least that's what the Reddit community explains.
Yes, leaning parallel to the ground can give some information about fullness on top vs. on bottom. I believe in our size range it tends to be less useful than for those in the 30H range. The blogger at brasihate.blogspot.de came up with the idea, and she was in the 30H range at the time. The blogger is an extreme FoT shape, and her best friend is apparently an extreme FoB. The 90 degree leaning over test is more useful for those at the extreme end of FoT or FoB.
The more subtle manifestations of FoT or FoB appear when boobs are in bras. If Cleo Marcie works well for you, then you may be even, or perhaps you underestimated your upper fullness. Does the Cleo Lucy's cups work well for you, too? As you probably already know, Lucy will work for FoB breasts that don't find a good fit in Marcie. If both Marcie and Lucy work well for you, you probably have even fullness.
I feel like this doesn't do anything for my shape. It makes my breast look very sad and downturned. I'm not sure what's wrong with the size. The back band seems to ride up a little bit even on the tightest hook, but I'm not sure if it's the construction since my CK in 32 doesn't do this.
This is a really nice and goodfitting bra and the longline style offer a lot of support. It is really pretty and the cups are comfortable and true to size, compared with the longline styles from Freya are the cups on the bigger side (I own the Nieve longline bra from Freya in a 30FF). The band is also true to size and nice and firm in a 32 (I often wear a size 30). It gives a nice shape and only a little cleavage that I like, because I planning to use it as a bralet/top on festivals in the summer. You can´t see the longline when you wear clothes, and it definitely underlines the figure and avoid lumps. Compared with the Nieve longline bra from Freya, this has plastic bones in the sides, so it doesn´t “roll up” through wearing.
(The picture with the side shot shows a tendency to overspill, but I first noticed when I uploaded the picture, this isn´t how it normally sits)
This is a very cute lacy white bra. The only problem I had with it was the band being too tight, which seems to be a common problem with Panache/Cleo. The cups slightly wrinkled on my smaller left boob, but it's barely noticeable. The lace is soft and cute, and I can't feel the flower detailing when I'm wearing it. It seems like this bra is good for projected and full on bottom breast shapes. The straps are slightly wider than most bras. I recommend sizing up in band and down in cup. There is also no elastic band running along the bottom band part of the cups. It will show under thin t-shirts, and maybe even normal thickness shirts too, but it's slightly better about showing under shirts than Panache Envy.
32E is my normal size but I definitely should have gone with a 34 band. Something else about this doesn't fit right. Well, the straps feel too short. But I can't tell if the bottom of the wire is in the right place and somehow the cups feel small. But something feels like it is the wrong shape. Can't quite identify it. Quality seems good, though. The cups feel too short maybe?
The straps are very far apart, cutting into my underarms and the wires in the center gore are quite high. The cups are smooth and the band feels comfortable. Looks great under a shirt and gives a very nice rounded shape.
The straps are very widely set, which makes it feel as though they cut into my underarms. The center gore has high wires that are a little irritating. Overall, the cups and band fit well. I really enjoy the shape it gives me and it looks smooth under my clothes.
This is a cheerful-looking bra. The purple is very bright, and the cups are very round. I'm still in the process of figuring out my correct size, so unfortunately it doesn't fit me. The cups are about two sizes too small, but their shape appears to be a good match for my FOB, projected breasts with narrow roots. The band and straps are moderately stretchy, but wires are firm.
This bra is beautiful but the wires are too short/narrow and dig into my underarms. They barely make it to the edge of my breast tissue. The lace on the upper cup is stretchier than the fabric itself so it creates a quad boob effect. I may try a larger size to see if that alleviates the problem with the wires and quadboob.
Thanks for the review! It looks like I should give another shot to Marcie in 32E as 30F has also painful wires to me!