I’ve introduced you to the Butterfly Collection blog before (here and here), and today its founder, Claire Dumican, comes to us as a guest blogger. I love her positive attitude, and it’s just what those of us in the United States need before we face platefuls of food on Thursday and hours of dressing room mirrors on Friday.
I began reading Hourglassy after meeting Darlene on Twitter. We form part of the Big Bust Brigade who are always talking big boobs, how to support and dress them, as well as how to live with them. I speak to women from all walks of life, from the busy working mom and 20-something woman to retired ladies who want to feel stylish and comfortable, and one thing that has become very apparent to me: the majority of busty women are still trying to hide or downplay their bust.
Now I know that not every busty woman wants a molded balconette bra that’s going to make her cleavage front and center, but why are so many of us ashamed to showcase our figures? I think there are a number of factors going on here:
- Lots of busty women have struggled to find the right bra so have ended up wearing the wrong bra for many years, and the wrong bra will make you look bigger (and more lumpy) than you are.
- As a society we have been taught that busty women aren’t to be taken seriously so we are ashamed of our busty-ness because we think we will be judged for it.
-  It’s cheaper to design clothes for women without curves (they don’t require darts or tailoring) so the retail sector has marginalized us, which makes us think that boobs are wrong.
I know that feeling great about your body is so much more than just wearing the right bra or outfit. If you don’t believe in your body, then it can’t do you justice. Self-belief is the key to accepting, celebrating and embracing your figure. There is so much nonsense out there about the ideal figure or how we should look, and the truth is that the most beautiful people in the world simply radiate confidence. That confidence comes from being grateful for and joyful about your one and only body.
I’m not saying that my body is perfect. I would love to lose the 10 pounds that seem to make up a shelf around my hips, but I am going to love those hips and dress them well while I eat right, exercise and see if I can’t shift them. If I can’t shift them then I’ll just make sure I continue to dress well and avoid resting drinks on it!
Wearing the best bra and underwear you can afford and investing in three or four keys pieces (like Darlene’s Signature White Shirt) will make loving your body much easier. Remember that what you put in is what you get out. So stop hiding your shape and being concerned what others think and stand tall with your chest out and celebrate being a busty woman with a glorious shape!
Claire Dumican is the co-owner of Butterfly Collection Lingerie, an online boutique specializing in D-K cup bras for Canadian and American women. http://www.butterflycollection.ca
There’s another major reason that women will dress to downplay their bust: To mitigate harassment and stares. If men didn’t harass women so much, I guarantee you that more women would be comfortable wearing clothes that fit instead of baggy shirts and minimizing tops.
*This is not to say that men don’t harass women in baggy clothing. Unfortunately, they do. Also unfortunately, a top that fits can read as a top that’s “sexy,” just because you have big boobs. So there is a conflict for busty women: You can either be dowdy or sexy, when what you really want is just to look well put together.