Remember to join our birthday party this week, and come out smelling like lavender, eucalyptus, grapefruit, jasmine or simply a natural, complements of Eucalan.
Why do I enjoy writing my column on Hourglassy?
I suppose it often doesn’t come across how long I struggled to find my style being the shape I am. This includes coming to terms with my shape in my current size. It wasn’t easy accepting the changes in my body after I was forced to quit riding and could not exercise for six months after a few surgeries. Weight then piled up, and it’s been a long journey to get riding back into my life, which only happened this August after eight long years.
My boyfriend actually was the first person ever to point it out to me that my bras were too small for me. So I went to a specialist store and got fitted. They did not carry my size, and I am thankful that they did not try to sell a bra to me anyway. They even referred me to the ONLY place in Helsinki where I could find bras in my size UK 32FF back then. In that process I learned to understand how bras should fit and never turned back. It’s now five years ago.
The next natural step was that I got sick and tired of not fitting into work clothes properly, having to size up and wearing ill fitting shirts, jackets and dresses where the classic “underbust seam sits in the middle of my bust”. So I wore tunics and flowy clothes that fit over my bust–but added about 10kg to my weight. Then I started browsing online for information, blogs, articles, anything that could tell how busty women can find styles that fit them.
I never liked plus-sized clothing stores because their clothes are mostly designed to hide thick arms or big tummies and look like a sack on busty women with a waist. So that was not a solution. But still that was all I could find! There was no easy-to-find info. BUT I did find Bravissimo, which became my source for bras and their amazing clothes! I cried the first time I put on their tailored tweed dress that fit me like a glove. It’s still one of my favorite dresses.
Along with Bravissimo I found their Facebook page where women shared photos of themselves in the Bravissimo clothes and met a bunch of women with body proportions like mine. That sense of community was wonderful. Having a bigger-than-average bust does make your self appearance revolve around the bust. You always have to wear a bra, and all bra styles do not come in your size. You always have to think how clothes fit and consider the C word: cleavage.
Actually the busty women blogs in the UK were a continuum to the Bravissimo community on Facebook to a significant extent. And I think quite a few US blogs were inspired by the UK blogs. Suddenly busty blogs multiplied. Now there’s tons of info, like Hourglassy. I personally love to contribute here for the niche I found was lacking: adult women well over thirty with their grown-up style. I especially like to focus on style because bra information is everywhere now, and many of the bra bloggers are real enthusiasts and experts that I would rather refer to than try to write about bras myself.
Hourglassy is also dear to me because of the different personalities and styles. I mostly like blogs where there are multiple contributors for I find them more dynamic.
Sometimes I feel I could be more helpful, by posting how I found my style, for example, but to be honest, I’ve been so happy with finding my cohesive style that I’ve forgotten most issues I faced. The main struggle was to find a cohesive style that suited my age, life and career. This was because I do love several styles and it was a learning curve to start understanding what is ME and what looks great on others. So I tried a lot of different styles and have abandoned most now and stick with an inside out style that’s me all the way. That makes me feel happy in my clothes and gives so much confidence. This is a message I want to relay to all women as it applies to everyone no matter what their style is.
And most of all, I write my Corporate Curves Report column because I would’ve wished there was something like it five years ago when I started to look for information online. Even if I only manage to give peer support, inspire or help one person, I will have reached my personal goal. It’s a big transition from a young woman to an adult career woman, especially with a big bust. This is not covered in the media well at all, so I find that the online blog community plays an important role.
Big thank you and please keep posting! I so enjoy your corporate curves series of posts. I am always excited to see a new post, and agree that your perspective is quite unique and truly needed in the busty blog community. I am also in my thirties, also in a profession where I have to look put together and professional. I too often give lectures and speeches and I recognize so much of what you wrote in your recent posts about dressing for your important speech. Thank you again, from a fellow (Swedish) busty working girl.
Mrs B
Tack so väldigt mycket Mrs B! You made my long and stressful day with this comment and so nice to hear from a fellow busty professional woman.