My measurements for reference: snug 32, BTT 30.5, standing 38.5, leaning 41, lying 39. Pendulous, projected, narrowish shortish root, FOB/even (I think). I have a lot of outside fullness.

Well, this is a very cute little bra. I like the parrot print, which is actually much more subdued than my crazy neon Lucy or yellow Marcie. It's a very lightweight mesh construction, but damn, it does the job. Why can't every bra just lift like this? All my Cleos do provide a great profile, but this one is the best so far.

The band is comfortably snug on the loosest hooks, not like my Marcie which still ... practically cuts me in half after six months wear. The wires are pretty much the perfect width. The gore tacks. The straps are nicely placed and fully adjustable. I fill the cups nicely, although I have to swoop and scoop more enthusiastically on my smaller side.

There is virtually no wrinkling in the bottom of the cups. The most amazing thing, though (to me), is that they don't ride down at all throughout the day. I guess I finally got the magic combination of wire width and projection. I think this is why I find this bra much more comfortable than either Lucy or Marcie, because the wires don't move around and cause chafing. They don't seem to be any more padded or anything. The band under the cups doesn't even curl up. That might just be a first for me.

Alas, it is not perfect. https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_sad.gif" alt=":(" /> Thanks to the combination of Cleo construction and my soft tissue, I still get the in-cup quad boob going on. I wish Cleo would figure this out and fix it. People with squishy boobs deserve better!

Except for that, I do love this bra. I think it is my best fit so far. So of course they're discontinuing it. Story of my life. https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" />




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Parrot Print colorway

Updated on Dec 02, 2014 Flag this

Oh, Melissa! Nice to meet you dear. You are so cute and spunky and just fun to look at. I really enjoy the way you lift my soft breast much like my good friend Lily does. I feel so comfortable with you on.

So Melissa is a currently tied with Lucy. If you've read my past reviews, I found that Lily fits the best followed by Lucy. She might actually be taking over Lucy's 2nd position but I won't know for sure until I wear her again. I feel like she fits very close to Lily, but the band is a bit snugger than I would like. So ... I do wear an extender, but just to add 1 extra row. So if the bra came with 4 rows instead of three, it would be perfect.
I wore it all day yesterday and I had to adjust a couple of times, scooping and swooping to make sure everything stayed put as they day went on and I played with my toddler. The underwire did slip out from my fold, but only a little bit, and mostly on my higher breast, and that happens with my number 1 favorite Lily, so it's not a deal breaker. I really like this bra.
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Updated on Mar 02, 2015 Flag this

Sweet lord.

I tried this bra before in 32G, which was too big in the cup for me, but I got the sneaking suspicion that this would be a pretty great bra for me in the right size. It was difficult to find the right size anywhere, but I finally managed to track one down on Ebay.

And as I said before: Sweet lord! Sweet lift! Sweet projection! This seriously is the most lifted and front an centre I've ever seen my boobs, and I love it.

Even in 32FF, the tops of the cups still have a little bit of room left, So I'd say this bra is more FoT friendly that the Marcie or Minnie.

The fabric is slightly nylon-y and scratchy, but very firm and supportive, so I'll take it!

I'll be on the look out for more of these, so anyone who has a Lily in 32FF they want to part with: I'm your girl!

This bra is not owned any more

Updated on Oct 13, 2015 Flag this

I have had a lot of bras come into my life this past month. The reining champion is currently 32FF - Cleo » Lily Balconnet Bra (7351) . In fact, I am wearing it right now (after taking off my Chantelle C Chic Sexy Plunge (3641) after it started annoying the heck out of my armpits - More on that in its own review.
Lucy is my 2nd in command when Lily is taking a much need rest after hoisting my lovely lady lumps all day, Lucy is ready to step in and sub.

Now with any sub, they just don't do it ... quite like your first choice, but you are so very glad to have them around.

Here are my (very few) issues with Lucy:
The very bottom of the cup does not have the same angle as Lily, so my soft breast tissue is more apt to slid down and push the cup with it even after scooping and swooping. I find that I have to adjust more often throughout the day to make sure my breasts are in the cups properly. Annoying, yes. Dealbreaker, no. It still does a better job than most of the bras I tried.

The other issue I have with Lucy is that the very bottom of the gore (the part that touches the top of my stomach) feels sharper than a razor as the day progresses. When I wore it the first time, I felt like I was being stabbed there. Its NOT the wire, its like the fabric is so thin and pulled so taut between the wires that it is less forgiving of my stomach area being slightly less than flat. I think its because its not a full banded bra like Lily. Maybe this will go away with time, and wear and washings, so I don't consider this a deal breaker either. For one thing, it does help remind me when my stomach is full.
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Updated on Feb 21, 2015 Flag this

Hmm…not too thrilled with this one.

I came about the bra because I was perusing what other 32FF Panache Sport wearers were wearing that fit. The measurements looked like they might work for me, so I went for it.

Unfortunately, not a good fit by ANY means. Notably, the wires are too narrow for the amount of depth. It pushes me up and in. I guess if I were looking to create cleavage, this bra would be a winner in that aspect. The band is also very snug and only measured barely over 30” stretched. Being a black bra, that’s to be expected.

The bra itself seems well made, but also kind of cheap? The material is scratchy and not appealing in the least. I believe it’s made out of mesh? The top part of the cup is not stretchy and is also uncomfortable. I’m definitely not a fan!

Black colorway

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Updated on Nov 21, 2023 Flag this

ORIGINAL REVIEW AND PICTURES (April 2019):
For background, I have a 33" loose underbust/32" snug underbust, so I sometimes fit into a 32FF and sometimes in a 34F depending on the bra. I couldn't find the Cleo Skye in 34F, so I only tried it in 32FF.

I picked up the Cleo Skye fully expecting it not to work for me because I see it recommended for full-on-top shapes and I thought I was full-on-bottom, but I was surprised. It fits me quite well. The band stretches enough to be comfortable for me. The gore tacks slightly harder than I'd prefer, but I have definitely experienced worse. The ... cups fit me well and give me a slightly rounded, natural shape. The seams don't appear to show through my shirt, but nipples may because they don't fall behind a seam and the fabric is thin. I think the light fabric will be especially nice for staying cool in the heat of summer. Finally, I often have trouble with Cleo and Panache bras digging into my armpit area, but this bra doesn't seem to do that. Again, I think the fabric helps here - it does come up into the area that often gets irritated, but the fabric is soft and doesn't feel like it is digging in. Overall, the Cleo Skye was definitely a pleasant surprise.

I have mixed feelings about the color combo. I don't hate it, but it feels a bit tweeny and I think the bright pink straps may show through lighter fabrics. However, I like the fit enough that I'm keeping the bra anyway.

Update: After wearing this bra consistently for a while, the gore feels much better. It seems to have softened up and become more comfortable. This is definitely my go-to bra now.

UPDATE (November 2021):
This bra got a lot of use over the last two years. It fit well and gave me a shape that I liked. However, I am currently 24 weeks pregnant and my bra size has changed. I now measure at a 34G or 34GG. I can still wear this bra but it feels tight and no longer fits as well. On the last hook, the band feels very tight and restrictive which makes sense given that it is ~2" too small. The cups are more forgiving than most bras and my tissue actually does almost fit but it does quad if I swoop/scoop properly. My tissue pushes the underwire down out of my IMF and it settles ~1.5" too low a few minutes after putting it on. This is another bra that I'm very sad to no longer be able to wear, especially because it is a discontinued model that I won't be able to buy again when my size stabilizes.
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Violet mix colorway

Updated on Nov 09, 2021 Flag this

Shape: Projected, even/center full, narrow/tall roots, soft tissue.

THE TAKEAWAY: A lightly-padded 3HC (three-part/two-seamed half cup). The shape and construction are definitely similar to the 32HH - Wellfitting » Liftsational Classic Demi (aka, a Comexim 3HC). One big difference is the lack of a top section, which probably makes this bra friendlier to true FOT shapes. Good for even or center fullness, and at least moderate projection. The outer material is soft to the touch, and the seams are nicely subtle, but unfortunately on me the lip of the bra is pretty noticeable under thinner t-shirts, which stops this from being a true t-shirt bra for me. ... One word of caution is that the straps are quite wide. This bra is a rare Cleo that's comfortable on me in a 30, so you may want to consider sizing down from your usual, especially if you're between bands.

Edited to add: My 32, at least, does not stretch to 36". It definitely only hard-stretches as far as 34". But without distorting the wires? 31.5 is about the limit. This is my problem -- bras that _hard-stretch_ to 31.5" are about my size, but bras aren't categorized by their hard-stretch...

THE DETAILS: I went ahead and tried the blue leopard print because that's what was on sale in my size on Amazon; my plan was definitely to buy the AW16 rose print if it worked for me. Unfortunately...

I don't think this bra provides enough projection for me. In the 32FF, I get pretty major quadding, but in the 30GG - Cleo » Mimi Padded Balconnet Bra (8091) (bought because of 100percentawesome's spot-on advice to size down) the bra shows its true colors, quickly sliding down out of my IMF when left unattended. (I'm wearing it right now, and I keep glancing down to see that it looks like the GG suddenly fits, only to tug it up back into my IMF and see the return of the gaping.) This makes me think that the 32FF is giving me orange-in-a-glass, which is well-disguised by the firm padded cups.

This bra would work better for me in 30GG if I were more FOT or had more outer-fullness (which would fill out the outer gaping in the 30GG; it looks pretty perfect in the center, but the rest of the bra casts a wide shadow on my tissue), but I think ideally I would also be less projected. Still, that this works on me at all makes me think it can definitely handle at least SOME projection. The gore is also a smidge wider than my ideal, but gores so rarely bother me that I didn't even notice until I _really_ started inspecting the fit.

But the biggest dealbreaker might actually be the strap wideness. When I wore a 34, I frequently had problems with straps being too wide, but on smaller bands it's usually less of an issue. Yet in the 30GG (and maybe even especially in the 30GG, versus the 32FF), the straps are basically in my armpits, and I think it would definitely get uncomfortable over time.
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Blue Animal colorway

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Updated on Nov 01, 2016 Flag this

This is the 2nd of 3 of the same bras. This one has slightly misshaped cups from shipping, but I'm hoping that'll fix with wear. It's a touch too small, but I'm trying to lose weight and I think it'll be a great fit in a few pounds. Until then it's not uncomfortable and looks fine under a t shirt.

If I have three of the same bra, same size, same model, same color, how do I add them? Three times individually? Or once? Or once but mention that I have 3? Am I just over thinking it?

Updated on Apr 25, 2016 Flag this

I would say this bra runs true to size in the band and cups.
(The band stretches to 34", but it feels plenty firm to me.)

I bought a 32FF, which has fully adjustable straps, and one layer of stretch lace at the top of the cups (larger sizes have half-adjustable straps and two layers of lace).

I'm narrow, projected, and mostly even, and this bra works fairly well for me.
I have quite soft tissue, and I get some in-cup quad in this bra (I do with the Lily as well).

Some of the materials used do seem rather fragile. The lace is very soft and somewhat delicate, and I worry about it, and the thin fabric overlaying the cups, damaging easily.

Comparing it to another bra with stretch lace, this bra does seem to give a slightly rounder shape than the Panache Jasmine.

This bra is not owned any more

Updated on Oct 20, 2015 Flag this

I loved the prints that came into fashion this spring/summer. Some of my favorites were the bird prints, and of these my number one print was the swallows. I know that my dove-print dress and my swallow-print shirt are going to seem dated by the time next spring rolls around, so the idea of a swallows-print garment that I could go on wearing without looking off-trend was appealing.

This is my first Cleo (first Panache of any kind, actually), and I knew from reviews that the fit was going to be tricky. All in all I'm pleased with it, but I have some notes.

Size wise, I suspect I could ... probably have gone down a cup. I've got some slight wrinkling at both the bottom and the top. However, the top of the bra is a bit weirdly constructed, and it's possible a smaller cup would have squished the tops of my breasts into a deformed shape. As it is, the side silhouette I get is the strangest of any of my bras- they slope up very nicely from the bottom, but then flatten out at the top, at a 90 degree angle to my chest bone. Fortunately this isn't noticeable at all under clothes, not even tight fitting clothes- not that I'd wear Meg with anything tight, because the seams at the top show through. The shape from the front, on the other hand, is great.

The bra isn't very supportive, my breasts bounce a bit more than I'd like (possibly a smaller cup would have partially alleviated this?). But the lift I get is incredible: my breasts have never felt so high! If the top angled/sloped up rather than flattening out like a table they might even be too high. Nevertheless it's a great feeling.

Others have mentioned the marvelous attention to details on the Meg, and I must concur. My favourite detail is the red metal clasps on the straps, to match the red in the bird print.

Best of all, this bra is immensely comfortable- at the end of a long day I don't want to take it off.

Update- I've discovered this is my perfect PMS bra. For one week a month I swell up to fill Meg's cups perfectly.
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Updated on Dec 07, 2012 Flag this

A very patient fitter found this one for me. I'd thought an 30G would be a size I should be trying, but it wasn't quite right like the 32F's I'd found a little off. The fitter did say that the Cleo range do run quite snug in the band, and I definitely found this 32FF tight, but not uncomfortable. I'll see how it goes over time. Definitely the shift to an FF cup made a very comfortable difference. Nicely supported without my breasts trying to escape out the sides. The lace at the top does become a little loose with movement, but I suspect a lot of that is due to migrated breast tissue that keeps trying to go back to its old spot.

Appearance-wise it's a very pretty bra. A nice bright red with lace that doesn't scratch and it gives my breasts a very nice, separated and round appearance without trying to shove them into an unnatural position.

Updated on Oct 16, 2012 Flag this

Gorgeous bra!

Pros: lovely, great shape, wide-placed straps, nice lift

Cons: the seam right before the top is too tight and cuts in... but the rest is fine? Strange. Also, the straps DO NOT STRETCH... they will curl strangely if too tight. Also, it claims to be a 32, but fits more like a 28 or 30. My other 32s from Panache are much looser.

Advice: go up a band size (and down a cup size) if buying this bra.

This bra is not owned any more

Updated on Mar 11, 2012 Flag this

qlyla

404 reputation

46 bras

I am UK 32FF/F, even fullness, narrow roots and projected.

Polish bras have the best fit in terms of construction for meas there is rarely ever any UK bras that have narrow and projected enough cups for me. Cleo Asher included, but it fit a lot better than I had expected!

I have dense breast tissue and often find that padded cups are really hard to wear. Often they will push down because the shape just doesn't match. This includes polish brands like Comexim, which is the only Polish brand that is feasible for me at the moment. I want to try their balconettes, but they are mostly ... unlined, which doesn't sit right with me at all.

My first ever bra - the Cleo Asher is still by far the best fitting because of this, but it still has its fair share of fit issues.

Cleo is a sister brand of Panache, they do keep the quality of Panache bras. (The stiff band and all). But one thing I found different from these two is the cup separation. I think Cleo's cup separation is more close-set that Panache, which may be why it fits a lot better than the Envy I tried and faied miserably to fit. As for the Cleo Asher, it is similar to Panache envy and Jasmine in that it is a lined blaconette bra made fully with stiff, fabric as the cups. It's also more known to be a FoT bra, and I agree - I'm having some sort of fit issues on the bottom of the cups due to my even fullness.

Overall fit is good!
The wires are as usual, too wide for me. But, It's comfortable enough to wear long. I bought a black one, and due to it being black, it was slightly too stiff and tight for me - I had to get a band extender. Other than these few issues, the bra is still my favourite.
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Updated on Jan 23, 2023 Flag this

I have owned this bra and worn it regularly for a couple of years. I have lost a little weight (minimal change in breast-related measurements), which has improved the fit slightly. It is a little too small and shallow at the wire, but the projection is decent overall. The wires are narrower than a lot of bras in this size, though not as narrow as my Ewa Michalak bras. The gore twists slightly, though not enough to really cause discomfort. The gore now tacks pretty well, it used to be more of a soft tack. The band and straps have stretched a bit, but the straps initially were ... barely long enough when fully extended, so a bit of stretching is not a big deal. Otherwise, Mimi has held up quite well. Still looks lovely.

I have softer tissue and am deflated/very shallow up top, so no matter how I shove my tissue around, I never really get the super mounded, almost implant-like look. Mimi manages to give me a "higher", subtly mounded look. Near my period, I quad and explode out of it, even after losing weight.

My biggest complaint was and is the thick edge at the top. It causes a noticeable line regardless of how well the cup fits, both in and out of clothes. This is a bigger problem than the seams. If you are quadding at all, it is accentuated by the edge. The edge can also give the illusion that there is gapping (when looking from an angle or the side), simply because the bra seems so thick (I do not think the foam is actually as thick as it appears with the bound edge).

I also tried the 32G, it fit fairly well, but the edge made it seem bigger than it was. Since I was still losing weight, I decided to go with the smaller size. I think that the 32G was technically a better fit in some ways (at the time), despite appearances.

Caveats: I am full on bottom, somewhat soft-tissued, projected, slightly pendulous, close-set, inner fullness, need a lot of immediate projection. I have narrower roots. I am long-waisted and tall for a woman (5'8"). I have a smaller frame, am a bit deflated on top and have some looser skin. It is not super obvious, but likely affects fit slightly.
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Rose print colorway

Updated on Dec 24, 2019 Flag this

Pulling out some older bras I know dont work for help to see where to go next. Center gore angles outward and sits on breast tissue. Bottom of the cups are a bit empty, and wires are definitely too wide. It gets pushed down out of my IMF as the day goes on. It cuts into my left breast pretty significantly, and even digs on my towards the middle. Hoping this will help nail down my shape so I know where to go next. I'm definitely center full, pretty sure roots are on the narrower side of average. Think my vertical root height may be on the shorter side of average, and I know I'm short waisted. This makes an interesting combo and I'm really having trouble finding bras I like that fit well.

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Updated on Dec 22, 2019 Flag this

This was my first long line bra. I'd debated of whether to try one; I have a short torso (very little space between the bottom of my rib cage and the top of my hip bones) and I worried it would be too long on me. Luckily my torso length (or lack of length https://d28qt14g3opchh.cloudfront.net/smileys/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" />) is not an issue.

The cups fit true to size for a 32FF. The cups are closed on top but do not cause any cutting in or quad-booming (I have even fullness). The wires do come up a bit too high into my armpit for my liking (for ... this reason, Bratabase flagged this bra as a non-fitting one for me) but it isn't painful.

The band fits snug like a typical Cleo. It feels a bit too tight right now -- probably due to the additional length -- but I know once I break it in a bit it'll be perfect. Getting the bra on was a challenge for me - took me a while on my own. When I sit I do find the band rolled up a bit but it wasn't visible under clothing; I was able to swiftly pop it back into place with my thumb once I stood up.

Now onto the color! The online pictures do not do the color justice! It is a rich, vibrant cobalt blue - more vibrant in person. I think this shade will look gorgeous on many different skin tones.

If you're on the fence about this bra, my vote is to try it! You might be surprised.
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This bra is not owned any more

Updated on Oct 02, 2016 Flag this

I'm a big fan of color and pattern, as well as on a perennial hunt for a molded bra with enough projection, so I was delighted to find Karen on EBay. Well, she sure is cheerful and bright! Pink, purple, blue and yellow stars on a black background, with deep pink rickrack trim and a little pink grosgrain ribbon bow. Fun! The material is slightly shiny, smooth, and extends all the way around. The straps are very thin and very, very stretchy - the band does the work here. The band is a little small for a 32, but not uncomfortable. The wires are a deep U shape, ... and come up well on the sides while the gore is quite narrow at the bottom - providing firm enclosure on the sides and in the center. A front & center profile. For a molded cup, the immediate projection is good, similar to unlined Cleo's like Izzy or Ellis; but not shallow like Maddie (which is what I expected). The wires are definitely Cleo-firm! The smooth cup and little trim are completely invisible under tight knits. However, the top of the cup toward the center cuts in firmly and I quad pretty badly. An extender doesn't help, as it sometimes does. This bra might be better for short and narrow roots without a lot of center fullness. I think my breasts are being held in and up too much, then encountering the firm top edge. Pity, because Karen really makes me smile!
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Updated on Aug 18, 2016 Flag this

I don't think it's my shape. Plenty of top wrinkling, due to a combination of stretch lace and my FOB. Wires feel uncomfortable at the sides...I don't think they're too high but they do dig. Gore is correct even for my close-set inner fullness. But the wire shape is more of a U, whereas I need closer to a sideways ). Even though I don't think it's too narrow on the sides, it's still too ...peaked at the front I guess.

Also, from the side I think the shape looks fine, but form the top they are impressive torpedos. I think this bra just lets my inner fullness take over, so all the tissue slumps into the center. Not a fan of what my tissue & shape do in this cup.

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Updated on Jul 15, 2016 Flag this

I'd say this bra would work well for someone needing fairly narrow wires and immediate projection, along with a lot of upper fullness (which I don't have).

I'm even to full on bottom, projected, fairly narrow, and pendulous.
I'd say the band and the wires are a good fit for me. The band does stretch to 33", but it's plenty firm, and I wouldn't size down.
The major issue for me is the cups have a lot of empty space at the top. I'm not sure if the cups simply run large, or if the bra just wants a lot more upper fullness than I have. I'd really need to try a 32F to know for sure.

More photos can be found here: http://imgur.com/a/apKd0

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Updated on Oct 10, 2015 Flag this

One of my current favorites. It is very dimilar tovthe Minnie, but the lower part of the cup seems a bit shorter, which means my nipples hit the seam where the lace meets the fabric which sometimes shows a bit.

The colors are nice and summery, and I like the neon pink straps.

It gives me very uplifted, front and center, narrow boobs, which I like very much under certain clothes. However, viewed from the side and top my boobs are a little bit pointy, but not in an unattractive way. I hear many people say Cleo gives them very round boobs, but I find that most unlined Cleos (especially those with stiffer lower cup fabric, like this one) give me this same slightly pointy look. The Marcie is an exception.

This bra is not owned any more

Updated on Oct 07, 2015 Flag this