It’s time for another long-overdue Trashy Diva roundup! Please see my first roundup and second (all minidress) roundup for previous reviews.
You may see a few repeat patterns and styles in this post. But the same dress style fits slightly differently from print to print. And in the past couple years, I’ve swapped quite a few dresses for different styles in the same print or sold off ones I wasn’t wearing very much.
I’ve gained a wee bit of weight since my last roundup, so my current measurements are 38”-29”-43” with a height of 5’6” and bra size of UK 28GG/30G. In these photos, I’m wearing an Ewa Michalak PL bra in size 30GG.
Since my last roundup, Trashy Diva has changed their site so that each dress no longer has its own unique size chart. Instead (and unfortunately), there is a universal size chart. As such, I’m listing the actual flat waist measurement here since the branded size chart is no longer useful. I’ll detail the bust fit in the review below each photo.
Here are what the letter grades mean:
A = Perfect for big boobs of all sizes—the holy grail
B = Better fit than average, but maybe not great above G cups
C = Comparable to average off-the-rack brands, may need to size up
D = Expect major boob squash unless you size up; and/or no bra solution in sight
F = Don’t even bother
1. Bitsy Dress in “Geisha Fans”
Fabric: Heavyweight stretch cotton
Size: 8
Back invisible zipper, sleeveless, notch neck, pockets, self-lined bodice, unlined skirt
Flat waist: 15.25”
I originally tried this print in the Loop style in size 6. My usual TD size is 8, but the Loop has a single waist seam rather a wide waistband, so it stretched enough for me to size down. However, the bust was very tight, so I sold it and later purchased this Bitsy style second-hand. I fiercely love the colors! And I’m a big fan of TD’s contrasting waistbands. The Bitsy is obviously pretty short, so I usually wear it with tights or tall boots. The bust space is okay. It’s not squashing me and the stretch makes it a little more flexible, but that waistband is pretty high, so I think a substantially larger bust would have trouble with it.
Boob-score: B
2. Anchor Dress
Fabric: Heavyweight rayon
Size: 8
Side invisible zipper, tulip petal sleeves, pockets, unlined
Flat waist: 15”
This is described as “heavyweight” rayon, but it’s really not heavy. I mostly wear it in the summer. It’s only slightly thicker than TD’s “flat rayon.” TD has never released this cut again, but it’s similar to the more common Ashley dress. The bust is the same and the skirt has a similar profile, but the Anchor waistband has diagonal stitching, overlapped petal sleeves, and skirt gathering at the tummy, whereas the Asley waist and skirt are flat and the puff cap sleeves are a single piece. There are pleats at the shoulder and the underbust, so there’s a pretty good amount of boob space. However, once again the waistband is a little high. The sleeves are two overlapping layers, so you have great ease of movement.
Boob-score: B
3. Ashley Dress in Crepe Myrtle
Fabric: Rayon crepe de chine
Size: 8
Side invisible zipper, puff cap sleeves, no pockets, unlined
Flat waist: 14.25”
Speaking of Ashley dresses, here you go! The rayon crepe de chine is super lightweight and slightly textured. It would probably be semi-sheer if it was a solid pale color, but it’s great in hot weather. This particular dress runs a little small. The waist is very tight and the band pulls upward a lot. I actually removed and re-sewed the zipper to let out some of the seam allowance, but it’s still quite snug on my ribs. As well, the fabric at the cleavage tends to fold outward because the bust space is a little too small to properly lay flat. The sleeves also limit movement pretty badly. Don’t expect to lift your arms straight up in the air. But I love the print, so I just reserve it for “skinny days.”
Boob-score: C+
4. Doris Dress in Preservation Hall
Fabric: Flat rayon
Size: 10
Side invisible zipper, sleeveless, pockets, unlined
Flat waist: 15”
I previously reviewed the Doris in cotton voile (released in 2010!), and it remains one of my favorite cuts. The entire Preservation Hall collection ran a size small, as I understand it, and this cut was no exception. The bust is gathered at the shoulders and underbust, and crosses over itself, providing plenty of boob room and enough cleavage coverage. My only critique is that the waistband comes up a little high, but that may be less of an issue for someone with a shorter torso.
Boob-score: A
5. Getaway Dress in Birds of a Feather
Fabric: Cotton voile
Size: 8
Back invisible zipper, adjustable straps, removable neck tie, no pockets, self-lined
Flat waist: 14.25”
I’m wearing this one with my bra out so you can see how the straps line up (or rather, don’t), but normally I wear it with a strapless or a black cage bra that blends in with the dress straps. I adore this frock, but I have to admit it runs a little on the small side, so if you’re between sizes, go up because it has no stretch or give. The straps have three button holes on the back to change the length, but one of the buttons ripped off my dress, so I just sewed the straps in place permanently. The bodice is quite flattering on a fuller bust and it almost has princess seams, but to be honest it’s a little squashy. It kills me that there are no pockets because it’s got a box pleat right on the side seam that would perfectly camouflage a pocket!
Boob-score: C+
6. L’Amour Dress in Tropical Nights
Fabric: Flat rayon
Size: 8
Back metal zipper, adjustable straps, adjustable front tie, stretchy shirred panels, no pockets, self-lined bodice, unlined skirt
Flat waist: 14.5”
Apologies that I didn’t zip the back up all the way! Normally, I close the hook and eye so it’s easy to get the zipper up all the way, but I was in a rush when I took these photos and missed it. I promise, the back actually does fit well. And the metal zipper is a real pleasure considering that most of TD’s garments use a fiddly invisible zipper that gets stuck at every seam. I had counted this dress style out for many years due to the bust construction and the keyhole, but then I saw it modelled by a few busty gals in a Facebook fan group and completely changed my mind about its potential. It’s literally my favorite cut now! The adjustable straps, adjustable keyhole tie, and stretchy shirred side panels make it work for a variety of body shapes. Even the underbust seams are actually under my bust even though the straps are on the shortest setting. The waist seam also sits at my actual waist (miracle!), so the effect overall is slimming and very flattering. I also adore the full circle skirt. You’ll notice that my bra straps don’t line up in front, but they do match pretty well in back, so if you can find a bra with center-pull straps, you may not need to wear a strapless. However, depending on how big you tie the keyhole, bra gore may be visible, so at the very least, this style requires a nude bra to match your skin tone.
Boob-score: A-
7. L’Amour Dress in Ruffled Feathers
Fabric: Stretch rayon
Size: 8
Back metal zipper, adjustable straps, adjustable front tie, stretchy shirred panels, no pockets, self-lined bodice, unlined skirt
Flat waist: 15”
Yep, it’s another l’Amour dress! This one is stretch rayon, though, so it fits a little differently. The construction is still entirely the same, but the waist is an inch bigger and the stretch factor makes it feel looser still, even though it doesn’t look it. So if you’re between sizes on this one, even if you have big boobs, I’d say you can safely size down, as long as you don’t mind your boobs being pretty highly emphasized.
Boob-score: A-
8. Forties Dress in Lovebirds
Fabric: Stretch rayon
Size: 8
Side invisible zipper, no pockets, unlined
Flat waist: 15”
One of TD’s longest standing styles, the Forties dress always looked very boob-friendly to me. I finally tried it out in stretch rayon, and would not hesitate to purchase it again. The shoulders and underbust are substantially gathered, allowing for loads of expansion to suit any cup size. The waistband is composed of three bands (though older runs had only two bands), and I do have to admit that the top of the three sits on my breast tissue. But the second band down stays perfectly under my bra band, so I basically just think of the top band as being part of the bust and the second and third ones as the real waistband. You can actually wear this dress backward too. The back zip only goes partway up, then there are two hooks and eyes about an inch and a half apart. So if you want to show off more cleavage, you could wear it backward with one or both of the hooks open. I think you could also wear it frontward with one or both of the hooks open to accommodate boobs in front even more. My bra band is visible behind the lower hook, though, so once again this is a garment that requires a nude bra (or a color that coordinates with the print).
Boob-score: A-
9. Obi Dress in Green Kimono
Fabric: Rayon crepe de chine
Size: 8
Side invisible zipper, no pockets, unlined
Flat waist: 15”
Boy, do I love the Obi dress! It is super boob-friendly. Like, you can’t wear it if you don’t have boobs, because you need something substantial to hold those loose sleeves up. The bust and sleeve combination is very blousy and tends to look weird (in my opinion) without being filled out. With my 30G bust, there is still room to spare. I love the detail of the shoulder loops (which you can see in the second photo). They do cover my bra straps as long as I place the strap strategically into position, but you could also add sew in lingerie loops for a little extra assurance. It’s hard to see in the lighting of these photos, but the waistband has fabric hanging off each side that you can wrap around your waist and tie in a variety of ways. I generally like to wrap it twice and tie it in a knot in front with short tails.
Boob-score: A+
10. Day Dress in Venice Nights
Fabric: Stretch rayon
Size: 6
Side invisible zipper, single pocket on right, unlined
Flat waist: 15”
The Day dress and similar styles (Hopscotch, Maria) are usually not especially boob-friendly. They are pretty flat up the front with only shallow darts, and my boobs usually pull up the waist seam to give me a faux pregnancy look. But this stretch version works a lot better. I even sized down! The torso is a little short on me and the waist seam does pull up slightly, but it’s not nearly as bad as non-stretch fabrics. The waist is even a little loose, so I tend to wear it with a belt to cinch it in. I think I could even size down further to 4 since the stretch would still allow my boobs to fit into it.
Boob-score: A
11. Hollywood Maxi Dress in Diva Holliday
Fabric: Flat rayon
Size: 8
Back invisible zipper, stretchy shirred side panels, adjustable spaghetti straps, pockets, self-lined bodice, unlined skirt
Flat waist: 14.25”
Sorry, I forgot a back photo on this one! I was really not into the Hollywood cut when it was first released, and then TD kept making it over and over with slightly different skirts. But then they made this full maxi version, and once I saw photos of it on real people, I fell in love! The spaghetti straps have three button holes so you can wear them at different lengths, and the ruffle neckline can be worn on or off the shoulder. The ruffle is also elasticated, so it’s got complete ease of movement. I much prefer the off-the-shoulder look. As for bust fit, it’s surprisingly great! There are seams up the front that allow it to mold to my shape, and the stretchy shirred panels on each side expand to a range of bust sizes. Uncharacteristically, I like wearing the straps on the longest length because I think the resulting cleavage frame is very flattering. The straps are a little narrow and don’t match up with my bra, so normally I wear this with a strapless, which is covered up just fine.
Boob-score: A
12. Bianca Dress in Temptation
Fabric: Stretch rayon
Size: 10
Side invisible zipper, pockets, unlined
Flat waist: 15”
This particular style ran small. Not sure if the rest of the Temptation collection also ran small, but this 10 is perfect on me. I have another Bianca dress in leopard-print rayon crepe de chine, and there are some minor style differences here: The cuffs on Temptation are not as tight, they are about twice as long, and they close with invisible zippers instead of three buttons. I liked the look of the buttons, but the zippers are just so much easier to get on and off myself that it’s worth the trade-off. I also prefer the slightly less tight fit and the longer length of the cuffs—now I can fit my Fitbit under the cuff instead of pushing it up my arm to sit under the bishop sleeve part. And I think the longer length makes the sleeves look more dramatic. The stretch rayon makes the bust fit slightly better too for some reason. The inner edge of the bust doesn’t float away from my chest the way the leopard did a bit (I actually tacked down the leopard bust to fix this issue). There is plenty of gathering at the shoulder and underbust, so there’s plenty of boob-room. Coupled with the stretch fabric, that makes this one of the most boob-friendly TD dresses I own!
Boob-score: A
13. Courtney Coat Dress in Midcentury
Fabric: Heavyweight stretch cotton
Size: 10
Double-breasted button closure, pockets, acetate lining
Flat waist: 15.5”
Last but not least is this amazing find I got for only $45 on Poshmark! The Midcentury print is hotly contested in TD fan circles. Some people adore it, others hate it with a passion and call it the Matrix print (as in, the Keanu Reeves movies). It never really called to me one way or the other until I found it for such a cheap price. I bought it thinking if I didn’t care for it in real life, then I could re-sell at a profit knowing how rare it is. But then I loved it on me! It’s a little hard to see with the busy pattern, but it’s double breasted with a big notched collar, a wide waistband, and full pleated skirt. In addition to two large functional buttons at the waist for closure, it has a trio of tiny snaps along the outside edge of the button areas to keep the “belt” laying flat. I do have to note, however, that the little snaps are attached slightly too far away from the button, so the slightest movement causes them to pop open. But I just moved the button over a bit so it’s closer to the snaps (making the waist slightly tighter), and it solved the issue. You can wear this frock as a coat or a dress if you get your larger size (as in my case), but if you get your usual smaller size, it would probably be too snug for layers. As for boob room, once again there is plenty of space. And this time, the waist is actually a little long on me, so it wouldn’t even matter if your boobs pulled the waistband up higher.
Boob-score: A+