We arrived in Sarasota last night, and I couldn’t wait for this morning–not because I wanted to get into the ocean, but because I wanted to visit Sea Cup and Up! There’s a lot to tell you about Cheryl, the store’s wonderful owner, and the bras and swimwear I tried on there, but it’s so late in the day that right now I’m simply going to highlight something I only discovered at the end of my two hours in the store: sundresses from Bolero Beachwear.

big bust friendly bolero beachwear dress front

Something about that extra horizontal seam across the bust line made me ask Cheryl, “Are these meant to fit large cups?”

She could barely answer “Yes!” before I was back in the dressing room, pulling this zebra-print dress in size medium over my head. I’m sure your well-trained eyes can already discern some of the big-bust-friendly features:

  • no bra strap or side bra peek-through (sometimes a girl just wants to wear a boring beige bra)
  • flattering scoop neckline
  • big-bust fitting bodice
  •  waist-displaying torso

Ready for more? Look at the fabulous vertical draw-strings that let you adjust your cleavage exposure.

big bust bolero beachwear cleavage adjuster
And check out the nice scoop in back. (Okay, so maybe my boring beige bra straps ARE showing here, but it’s totally fixable. By the way, I’m wearing a terrible old bra here, and I can’t wait to show you a before-and-after when I write later about the new bra I purchased.)

big bust friendly bolero beachwear back

I don’t know anything about this company except that it’s a startup, and the garments are made in the United States. I forgot to inspect the quality of the workmanship, but nothing egregious stood out to me or I wouldn’t be thinking about going back to purchase one in large (because of my back bulge, not because of it being too small in the bust) after I’ve had a chance to look at my budget and think about what items of clothing I need for the rest of the summer. The fabric is a wrinkle-free polyester/spandex knit that has a very nice drape to it, and it comes in other flattering prints as well as solids. It retails for $95, which isn’t cheap, but I know that the cost per wear for this dress would be exceptional. It’s the kind of dress I could wear over my swimsuit to the beach, with wedges out to dinner, and with a little shrug if I wanted a less casual look while running errands in Manhattan.

If you’d like to try one, give Cheryl a call at (941) 951-2727. Then send me pictures to share with other Hourglassy readers!

July 8 update: I recently spoke to Patricia, the owner and designer behind Bolero Beachwear, and she told me that she also offers cotton/spandex fabrics. The polyester/spandex is popular with travelers.