Surprise! Writing about large chests isn’t just for niche bloggers anymore. I’ve been catching up on mainstream media and finding writers who go beyond complaining or making fun of their big busts to offer truly helpful suggestions and fresh perspectives.
Below are my favorite finds from the past two years. I’ve also included some of the authors’ (or their subjects’) Instagram accounts for extra wardrobe inspiration, plus stated bra sizes. Of course some of the writers could use smaller bands and larger cups, but I’ll let you figure out the conversion–that’s what readers of big bust blogs do!
Author: Erin Mayer, size 30F/FF, @erinkmayer
How to Dress a Petite, Large-Chested Frame
You never really know how something will look on you until you put it on. (Except those teensy bustier tops, you know exactly how they will look, and it won’t be good).
Busty Rules to Throw Out the Window
Apparently we all look huge and shapeless in things that aren’t skintight… except we don’t. Besides, loose-fitting pieces are comfy. I don’t need to dress like Sofia Vergara all the time just because we have a similar cup size. If you’re going for something boxy or oversized, make sure it still has a tailored fit so you don’t get lost.
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Author: Dallas Thompson, @dallasbthompson
In Praise of the House Bra
It allows me to live my best life at home, unencumbered by both unruly, floppy boobs and restrictive layers of industrial boob jail. It’s the garment version of the moment a woman in a yogurt commercial takes a bite and closes her eyes in pure bliss. It is not meant to be the star of the show, to please anyone but me, or to do anything but be a comfortable, lovable workhorse.
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Author: Ellie Krupnick, 34DD, @elliekrupnick
Life as a Secret Big Boob Girl
I go to all the trouble because otherwise my boobs would be the star of the show, so to speak. There are plenty of women who don’t mind that, choosing to accentuate their big busts instead. And that’s great if it makes them feel good! But I prefer my own body to not be quite so obvious, so on display. I don’t want my chest to be the first thing people notice.
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Author: Olivia Fleming, 34C, @olivia_fleming
Article: 7 Stylish Women on How They Dress Their Secret–or Not so Secret–Boobs
- Tamara Abraham, 30F, @tamaraabraham
“Traditionally, stylists will tell curvy women to wear a V-neck because it draws the eye down and helps lengthen the overall silhouette, but I love a high-neck sweater with a statement necklace, while an oversized silk button-down with skinny jeans or leather leggings is a staple office look because I love the androgynous look and the contrasting proportions remind people I have a figure.
Though there are many amazing people working to fight against it, the fashion industry is largely still dismissive of boobs – and curves in general. There are real women, and there are fashion women. Even editors are expected to boast model proportions when they get snapped by bloggers on the streets of New York at Fashion Week – and those model proportions don’t include boobs. I think some credit should go to Kim Kardashian and her stylist husband Kanye West for proving that one can be a fashion trailblazer with bombshell curves. I’d love to see Kim-alikes on a major catwalk. Do designers really think women with boobs don’t want designer fashion and don’t have major buying power? Whoever successfully taps into this market is onto a winner.
But even if a garment is a good fit, large boobs can make a woman look frumpy in certain fabrics, prints or colors. I tend to buy everything in a large, even though I am by no means a large person, so that I don’t get that awful stretch across the chest. Instead, I tuck in my tops or belt dresses to indicate that I actually do have a waist under all that fabric. You’re fighting a losing battle if you don’t wear a decent bra though. They can be better than Spanx at making you look slimmer, and can even improve your posture. I spend a fortune at Rigby & Peller on designs by Empreinte, Fantasie, and Panache.
2. Sara Stephens, 34D, @sarahstephens7
“It’s frustrating when it’s my chest that’s the problem as there’s really nothing I can do about it except, of course, a breast reduction (which had been suggested to me a few times). My chest will always limit the fashion work I get but it also sets me apart and makes me somewhat unique in the fashion world. Luckily, I’ve found clients and photographers that love and embrace my frame.”
“It’s easy to design clothes that look good on a flat chested model but I want to see more designers designing with the female form in mind—that really emphasize yet flatter the female figure. After all, the average bra size in America is a 34DD. I want to see styles that cater for a bust, nip in the waist, and give that desirable hourglass shape while looking effortless, not tarty or matronly.”
3. Karley Sciortino, 32DDD, @slutever
“You have to understand your body and dress for it. The people who have the best style understand what they look like. It’s about self awareness.”
4. Claire Sulmers, 34G, @clairesulmers
“One time I purchased a leather Alexander Wang dress in a size 10 (my waist is a 10, my bust is a size 12), and the dress wouldn’t zip at all. So I purchased leather from Mood, and took it to my tailor to add fabric to the top so that it would fit. I will go the distance for my clothes accommodate my girls.
“I definitely feel sexy with big boobs —I don’t seek validation from the fashion industry, I’m already an outlier! I’ll never forget, one time I was walking to a fashion show I walked past a group of street style photographers and they all put their cameras down, almost in unison. And then I passed by a construction site, and all the guys were hollering! The truth is, in the real world, shapely women are highly desirable, even though the fashion industry promotes the stick thin.”
5. Felicia Walker Benson, 30E, @thisthatbeauty
“I tend to err slightly conservative when it comes to dressing: I rarely put the girls on full display. Sometimes they just sort of end up on display and when that happens I just go with the flow. I’m way more confident than I used to be so a little accidental cleavage spill doesn’t bother me at all. Sometimes I’d love to wear one of those delicate little bralettes without having a uni-boob. But, honestly, accepting your body means honoring and accepting everything it can and can’t do. If I go to my grave having never sported a bralette, I think I’ll be okay. These bad boys nursed my daughter for six straight months so I’ll just hang on to that little fact and focus on all the things my boobs can do versus what they can’t do.”
6. Sydney Reising, 32F, @sydneyreising
“I refer to my boobs as my secret boobs, I pretty much hide them all the time. Big boobs are not cool, they’re not chic, nor are they in style. I never used to hide my boobs until I moved to New York and got into the fashion industry. I always used to wear a proper bra, with proper support. Now I wear bras to compress or hide them—if I wear a bra at all. When I was younger I was confident about my boobs so I dressed very classic and preppy, I didn’t really care what my boobs did. Now I’m very much aware of what I’m wearing. I’m always trying to minimize my chest.”
7. Brittney Escovedo, 32DD, @brittneyescovedo
“Though I feel very sexy with my breasts (I don’t desire smaller breasts at all), I’m always figuring out what is most flattering for my body type. Which all women can relate to. And it would be wonderful if there were more dresses that were tailored to women with big breasts, because any predetermined cup size is likely too small and many of the seams are not placed at flattering points, meaning your breasts take up more space than a flatter-chested woman.”
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Author: Krista Anna Lewis, 32G, @krista_anna
Articles:
Ruffles on the bottom might just be more fun than boob ruffles. Think of all the twirling you can do!
The biggest revelation: don’t try to hide the ladies. They’re there and they aren’t going anywhere. So what does this mean? It’s all about the balance, the wabi-sabi, the yin and yang, if you will, of dressing.
It’s Fall: 4 Layering Ideas for Big Boobs
I spent so much of my youth loving a baggy sweater more than my morning coffee, but I have seen the tight-sweater light, my friends. Not only do you get cozy feels, but also the figure-defining grace that my mother always expected of my sartorial explorations. However, you can’t trick me into wearing tight on top without something high-waisted and flared on the bottom. I like to think it’s all about balance, rather than hiding my thighs, when the ladies are on display.
How to Wear a Halter Top if You Have Big Boobs
[G]o forth and prosper with a breeze on your back, and your under-boob sweat nicely concealed.
Big Boob Styling Tips: Bra Straps and Tank Tops
On such occasions that demand you [go braless], opt for a thick-denim bib that’s tight enough — and wraps around the side enough — to hold you in. This is best used for lazy days where you know you won’t be doing any physical activity besides eating brunch.
