Cleo Lucille bikini

It’s coming up to summer now in Sydney, with some lovely hot days interspersed with ugly winter weather, and then bush-fires in the mountains, and then the heat, and then storms and rain. Typical. I have an aversion to clothing that I would not be able to run away from a murderer in, and my wireless bikini and one-piece, however pretty, fall into the I-wouldn’t-be-able-to-flee-in-this-without-clutching-my-heaving-bosom category.

I needed a wired bikini, and so I ordered the Cleo by Panache Lucille from the UK (http://www.panache-lingerie.com/us/cleo-swimwear/collection/21541953/Bandeau-bikini-top/), because buying a 28FF in a store locally (and trying it on first) would have been waaaay to expensive, and it is impossible to fit into a commercial wired bikini top.

Aesthetic wise, the bikini is young and kitsch. I would have preferred something a little more sophisticated, or boho, or pretty, but the Lucille was within my price range (actually, it was on sale), cute and inoffensive. The colours are clear and bright, and the nautical theme works, given that its swimwear. I am not a fan of the heart in the middle of the bikini, and may snap it off.

Gratuitous beach selfie

The bottoms are flattering, coming up high-ish, without being high waisted. They give no camel-toe, do not bunch in my butt-crack, gape, expose my butt-cheeks, or do anything undesirable, and I would say they run pretty true to size (I got a size 8).

Now for the bikini top. I ordered a 28FF, given that my size seems to have settled on the FF rather than the F side of the fence. When I took it out of the packet, it struck me that there was a lot of cup. Like, a LOT. The cups begin almost at the band. Also contributing to this impression is the smallness of the band. It was only 22 inches unstretched, 28 inches stretched, making it quite true to size, which is good.

Surprisingly, when on, the cups almost seemed too small. They were quite shallow, and though the wire sat fine on me, my high-set and full on top breasts spilled out a little, or at least, I got cleavage that looked a little funny from the side, sort of flattened and pushed up. I would not be able to go up a cup size, as the wires would have been too wide, and also have way too much coverage. When I lay down however, my boobs fall out the top, leaving the bottom of the cup a little empty. I would say that the Lucille might work for lower set/fuller on bottom boobs.

Sorry about the side-ways-ness

Under a t-shirt 

 That pushed up, flattened shape

From my bigger side.  

And my smaller

Support-wise, the Lucille is much better than any of my non-wired bikinis, I can walk and swim and cavort about without anxiously hoicking it up and worrying about nip-slips. I can’t run in without the top, exposed parts of my breasts jiggling, but whatever, it’s a bikini, not a sports bra.

Overall, I am happy with the bikini, and can’t wait to see what Cleo Swim comes out with next!

Xoxo

Gossip Girl Princess

Zia Spot by Cleo

I promised a review, and here it is. I ordered this one (not the panties) along with my nude Juna from Bravissimo a few weeks ago. It was so difficult to choose between all the purdy bras, and if I would have been a little less impatient, I could have waited until midyear sales and gotten more bras for the same price. As it was, I chose the Zia spot in 28F on the basis of 3 factors. 1, it was under 30 pounds. 2, it was my favourite colour, purple, and 3, I wanted to get a brand I had never tried before.

The colour is really nice in person, vibrant and fun, exactly how it looks in the picture. You get what you see, which is great. There is also a tiny charm on the gore. It is hardly noticeably,and you don't feel, see or hear a thing. I apologize for the lighting, the colours are being distorted by it!

In terms of fit, I pulled the thing out of the box...And held it up in dismay. The band looked too tight even for Kate Moss! Indeed, the first time I wore it, I felt chocked, the second I used an extender, the third it was tight...and after that it felt fine. It just needed a little stretching. First judgments girl, watch out!

Invariably,  the stretched-into-proper-shape band had problems too. Like most bras I have tried in 28, the band was too high on my back,  because my breasts are high, pulling the bra up higher, which feels a little irritating. Upon measuring, the stretched band was 29.2 inches, which is a tiny bit big for a 28 band, and certainy for my 27" ribcage.  The gore was fine, and the wings dug in a little at my armpits, but ^high boobs thing. Also, the lace on the cup, where it attachs to the actual cup itself,wrinkles slightly, which you can see a little in the photo. Fortunately, Boosaurus (http://www.boosaurus.com/2013/06/picture-tutorial-how-to-take-in-loose.html) has a tutorial n how to rectify this.

Shapewise, it was a tiny bit minimising, ie not the most projected (perhaps due to wrong size). The cup was VERY snug fitting, and cuts in a little. I am not gong to fault the bra for this. 1, its barely noticeable. 2, my breasts are full on top anyway, and 3, I am not 100% sure if a 28FF wouldn't have fitted better, so perhaps I am simply in a too small size. I also got the feeling that, in softer and more 'natural' shaped boobs, a slightly more natural shape is probably what the bra would have given.

All in all, I am not displeased wit the bra. Certainly, it is not perfect in some respects, but who gives? Its comfortable, well made, well priced and pretty!

Here are some lovely and artistic photos illustrating the fit and shape:

Cleo Foray and Ewa Michalak lust list

After my little annoyance at my boobs (why you change sizes yet AGAIN?) I got over myself and went online to get new bras in my guesstimate size 28F. Assuming that I am still growing, not knowing my correct size for SURE and being kind of broke (I should stop harping on about that. Maybe just a savvy consumer. Environmentally conscious minimalist shopper. Whatever) I ordered two bras from Bravissimo, the Zia and the Juna, both by Cleo.

I think they are both going to work ok, but neither gave me an Ahhhhh moment. To be honest, the couple of Freya bras I own or have tried on have been more comfortable, just due to the fact that the bands are a little looser, making the gores more comfortable (less digging). This is making me reconsider the necessity for 28 bands for my 27 inch torso, I mean, comfort-wise band 30s are less gore-problematic, but still annoy me due to their shifting bands, and the fact that the cup is sometimes distorted over my too small frame. Also, Freya gores do not seem to come up as high. There are no boobs on my sternum, wire go away! You hurt my boniness!

What was right with the Juna:
The colour was just fine, too pink toned to be any kind of realistic nude, and too pale for me, but that shade could well suit some people, and it was still skin-coloured. The lace at the top of the cups was cute, it was well formed. It contained all my flesh (ughh, what a horrible word!), the wires and cups sitting just so.

But the bad:
Let me note that most of this stuff diminished with wear. It was noticeable the first day I wore it, and has been decreasing, with the exception of the shape the bra gives me. After a few washes and wears the bra should be fine. Ok. First off, the gore. WHY S HIGH??? At least in the 28  bands, for us with bony rib cages, make it lower! I could feel it as I breathed, or folded forward, but now he feeling is much less acute. Also, the seam between the top of the cup and the elastic is somewhat visible under clothing,but whatever, I really couldn't care. I wear a bra. You see the seams and are aware of the fact. BOOM. The tag was also a tiny bit itchy, but I will rip it out, so no biggie. The band felt fine, but angled up just a little, ie was not flush with the ground, which is a little odd. Other than that I can't fault the bra. Its a good everyday bra, which is what I wanted and got.

Construction, the half cup style did NOT work for my top heavy breasts. There is too much flesh above the top of the cups, without cleavage, just subtly there under my collar bones, and a little bulging, or disturbance of the nice, clean shape, above the rim of the cup. As I mentioned, the gore was too tall, and thus irksome. Perhaps I could have gone up a cup size. Coupled with the fit of he Zia I think I am a large 28F, small 28FF. Size established, I now want to buy ALL this stuff from Ewa Michalak!

Like:

The Satine. It is an S style with a tighter band, and looks good for everyday.\


The Onyx (PL) with matching panties, which are basic and black with cute detail. I just want a basic, well constructed Ewa bra.


Dammit,so cute WANTIT this Burek bra, but it starts at a 30F, and I may be sized out.


The Rokoko is gorgeous, and the matching panties have ruffles on the butt, but the set is REALLY expensive.


This 3D Lolitka bra, or the S bra n the same material. Unfortunately, they are both sold out in anything that could be my size.
I emailed the brand to ask about sizing, and reminded myself that I should really review my current EM set.

Back to the Juna. Shapewise, the look was projected, but not extremely so. It was not circular and blob like, like t-shirt bras, but a bit natural. The shape was fine. And there you have it!

I will be reviewing the second bra I got, the Zia, wen I can be bothered.

Xoxoxo, Princess