What Full Bust Women in the Know Need to Know about More Front Room

There are two types of busty women: (1) the busty lady who thinks that baggy clothes are the only way to fit her boobs; and (2) the busty lady who knows she doesn’t have to hide her waist because we have some pretty great options out there.

When I studied the More Front Room website, it seemed geared towards reaching the first group, which made me wonder how much we could expect from this new brand. Fortunately, founder Melanie Love is firmly in the second group, as I discovered in a two-hour phone call with her that flew by last Friday.

The first thing I wanted to understand was why, with so many big bust clothing options now available to us, her About page said that she’d had “a hard time finding work-appropriate tops that kept my full bust under wraps and still looked good”? It turns out that Melanie’s bra size is 30JJ, and Pepperberry’s Super Curvy is simply too small for her. Her underbust measures 28/29.5″, her waist measures 31/32″, and her bust measures 42.5/43+”.

She’s the fit model for her own brand. This is GREAT news for H+ readers who are tired of explaining that no, they can’t simply shop at Lane Bryant. The full bust clothing industry finally has a company that begins with a JJ cup instead of considering it as a possible add-on later.

Next, I wondered about the quality. The high prices indicate that it should be good, but it’s impossible to assess from a website. I wrote Melanie ahead of our call to see if she would send review samples, and I was thrilled when she said yes. The favorite pieces that I posted last week arrived last night.

Sure enough, the fabrics for the shell, peplum and dress have the weight, hand and drape that you would expect for the price. The silk charmeuse blouse feels feather-soft without being flimsy.

However, as I suspected, it isn’t only the fabric that makes these garments special. Melanie has paid attention to little details that she hasn’t enumerated on the website.

Melanie’s criteria for any design is its versatility. As she put it, “If I won’t pack it in a carry-on for a business trip, I won’t produce it.” She wants customers to be able to repurpose and remix each piece in order to obtain the best cost per wear. Pieces that she adds in the future will build on her current separates.

Finally, about the fit. If you’re like me, you’re probably wondering about a size chart that goes from XXS to XL without an additional metric for bust. Short answer: each size is designed to fit the largest cup size but also meant to look good on smaller cup sizes.

I currently measure 41″ at my bust and 32″ at my waist, so Melanie sent me size S in each of the samples. The dress and shell fit perfectly, but the peplum and silk blouse felt slightly large. She’s sending them to me in XS to compare. Once they arrive, I’ll take photos and post a more complete report on the fit. Until then, if you’re at the larger end of the cup size spectrum, you should feel confident in the size chart. If you’re at the smaller end, you may want to consider sizing down.

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Here’s a sneak preview of the scoop neck lace tees that will be added to the More Front Room website soon. The neckline binding is velvet and the lining is Spandex.