I like my lingerie to be two things: reliable and mood reflecting.  And of course that opens up to a whole plethora of styles and colours, which makes lingerie so complex and, importantly, fun!

Summer is a great time to expand your lingerie collection if you like your underwear bright and breezy as you can always count on gorgeously wearable styles in light hearted prints and cheerful colours.

Cleo‘s newest line – Skye – oozes summer charm with its sorbet shades and pretty lace fabric.  It combines that classic balcony shape with a delicate aesthetic, the perfect kind of lingerie to brighten your mood while doing its job brilliantly.

That’s what makes Cleo one of my favourite full bust brands; they’re the youthful sister brand to Panache which means the lines are always brimming with the cute and kitsch, and because they’re mainstream, easily accessible to buy.  I know it’s frustrating to hear about a product that you just can’t source so at least you can find ample shops selling Panache.

Cleo sent me the Skye balcony bra in a 30H with the matching brief in a UK 14.

The bra is a balcony style which means it offers a broad level of coverage that’s low across the bust.  It has underwired three section cups and a not too wide band that fastens on a double hook and eye closure so it’s a fairly substantial, medium support bra.

Skye’s most prominent appeal is the gorgeous aqua blue lace mesh.  As the fabric is unpadded and soft in nature it has a delicate look; the pattern appears raised so while it’s a fairly neutral design it still stands out in a chic way.

The zesty lemon accents and hot pink picot trim pulls the whole look away from ‘lady-like lace’ to punchy and spunky – great for anyone who kinda likes lace but feels it can too often look dull.

Skye’s straps follow the usual Cleo style of three quarter adjustment, which I’ve found with Skye are particularly accommodating.  Often I need to adjust right to the limit on these kinds of straps, but for this bra I’m only half way down.  Another positive aspect that comes with semi adjustment is an added level of support, because the front rigid part of the strap stands firm and upholding.

The fit is very well attuned to my shape.  The wires are deep but stop short of my armpit in a comfortable place and they’re not over wide, so end where I need them to, just off my side.  The central gore has a high placement but feels slim enough to sit happily between my boobs, not creating much of a split.  This is important to me: as I have a naturally close set bust it means I don’t particularly like styles of bra that separate and spread.  This bra, to my needs, is exactly how a balcony ought to be.

The fabric doesn’t have any stretch, and together with its narrow lace trim along the top edge of the bra has an overall softness that doesn’t provide any sort of rigidity.  I found that, because of this, the cups don’t always lie flat and can gape a little with wear.  Not like my previously reviewed and still much loved Della that, while it is another non-stretch fabric, it seems to have a closer fit.

The brief is a lovely midi style of knicker that co-ordinates well with the playful aesthetic.  They have a rigid lace mesh front and a stretchy plain mesh back, so attractive but also comfort focussed.

The size 14 actually feels generous, and had me wondering whether a 12 would be a better option for me.  They aren’t baggy-loose but I would have liked a little tension around the band.  I am so fussy with my knickers!  I can’t deny how cute these are though, so perfect for wearing under my summer maxi skirts.

And so…

I absolutely love Cleo’s Skye!  While it may not be my ideal preference of fabric fit, it still has that fantastic, reliable style that is comfortable and easy to wear every day.  It also looks amazing in its yummy soft summer colours.  Like a zingy smoothie, Skye is a refreshing mood brightener just perfect for this time of year.

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How do you like your summer lingerie?  Bright and colourful with straps you can flash or neutral tones to hide away under your summer clothes?  I’d love to hear how you like to wear your lingerie through the hot months.