Browsing for tips on how to measure the other night, I found this YouTube video: “How to Dress If You Have Large Breasts”. The woman’s deep voice mesmerized me, but it couldn’t hypnotize me into agreeing that it’s best to wear dark colors on top. Stacy London gave similar advice in this month’s People magazine:
Use color strategically. Dark shirts de-emphasize a full chest. Wear light colors, brights and patterns on your bottom half.
Sometimes we do want to de-emphasize a full chest, but only sometimes. Everyone knows that dark colors are meant to hide weight, but full breasts are not synonymous with being overweight. Besides, I take issue with hiding (that’s why my company is called Red Violet rather than Shrinking Violet). There are gorgeous colors and patterns out there that we can wear on top without being all breast. The key is fit, which of course is the biggest challenge. I’ll post examples as I find them.
On another note, even overweight women should not be relegated to always wearing dark colors. Sometimes dark is sophisticated, which is good, but often it comes across as mourning your very existence. A friend of mine is putting together a plus-size clothing collection. She herself is plus-size and loves wearing orange. It’s energizing just to look at her.
