Yep, there is no getting away from the fact that I have big boobs. Although many people have told me they are a blessing, I have always found them to be a curse. So many clothes look awful, your back aches, people make assumptions about you, you can’t just walk into a shop and buy a bra. It is only now that I am older that I realise that I should have appreciated them more and learned how to control them earlier.
I am fairly tall (5ft 7in/1.7m) and of average weight. I don’t have hips and the rest of my figure is boyish but my chest is 32H/70H. My posture is not good from years of trying to hide my breasts, and they have caused backache over the years. They look horrendous in some things and nice in others.
Some things I have learned over the years:
1. Be professionally fitted for good bras. Most women wear the wrong sized bra, so make sure to be measured regularly because your breasts change size and shape regularly – weight gain or loss, exercising, breastfeeding, time of the month all contribute. Don’t be embarrassed. The people that work in lingerie shops and departments do this all day every day. There is nothing they have not seen before and they really want to help you be comfortable and look good. Make sure that the back is not too big and that the cups are not too small. This causes the back strap to ride up and the cups to overflow – the dreaded ‘four-boob’ effect.
2. Look at bras designed for big busts – Fantasie, Panache, Lunaire, Freya, Prima Donna are some.
3. Look at underwear/swimsuits designed for big chests. I have a one piece bathing suit from Seafolly.
4. Underwear specifically designed for big chests is often pricey, but well-worth worth the investment. If you take care of it and wash it by hand in gentle cleanser it will last for ages. Buying from the US is often cheaper than buying from Europe, even if you have to pay a little extra in customs. I tend to buy one bra ‘in person’ and once I know I really like the style’ I buy others cheaper online.
5. When you are busty, it is difficult to find dresses – if they fit over the top they hang over the bottom and vice versa. But wrap dresses are comfortable, adjustable and flattering.
6. Shirts tend to gape at the top or bag at the bottom so buy off the peg and have them altered, or have a seamstress make them from scratch. Bravissimo makes clothing especially for busty women. Their sizing system makes it easy to order online.
7. To avoid flashing cleavage with deep v-necks or wrap tops, wear a camisole or tank top underneath.
8. V, square, sweetheart, cowl and scoop necklines are much more flattering than high or round necks if you are busty.
9. A single button on a jacket is better than a row of them or double breasted.
10. If you must, try a minimiser bra (Triumph do good ones) – they can be uncomfortable and I have never figured out if they work or not. I wear balconette bras and they work under most clothes without making me look wobbly/four-boobed/tarty.
11. A good bra for a large bust does not have to be hideous. It does need to be comfortable though, so look out for thicker shoulder and back straps – this helps take the load off your neck and back. My favourite of all time is the Prima Donna Deauville bra, a model designed for ‘difficult’ breasts. They look fantastic and are light and comfortable but they really supportive. At time of writing I have them in dark blue, black, white, beige, latte, grey, and red.
12. If you find sleeping uncomfortable you can wear sleeper bras – styles vary between a camisole with more support and a more relaxed sports-bra style.
13. Watch the length of your necklaces. If you have a large bust and your necklace is too short or small it will make the ‘expanse’ look enormous, and if the chain is too long it will dangle terrifyingly over the precipice. I find medium or very long ones work the best.
Hope these small tips help!