Dressing for Your Body, Which Happens to Be Awesome: Big Boobs Edition
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. That’s Newton’s third law, and incidentally, it is also the guiding principle behind this week’s topic. After reading over the comments on the most recent column, about dressing a small chest, it seems that those of you with a bit more on top would like a guide for yourselves. Stellar.
For those of you who are new, this column focuses on dressing for your body shape while truly embracing – and loving – said body. While there are ways to “hide” whatever you consider your “flaws” to be, I completely reject the notion that your body is anything but flawless. This column is about picking out your favorite body parts, and highlighting them with appropriate enthusiasm.
I will admit that I happen to fall into the category of large-chested women, and learning how to dress myself was a long series of trial and errors. (In middle school, I had to wear a polo shirt every day. It was, to say the least, unflattering, but no one expects an eighth grader to have D cups.) Thankfully, I am now older and wiser and feel qualified to pass my discoveries on to you, dear CF readers.
I could go on for days about the pros and cons of large breasts, but let’s just talk about the pros. First of all, they can be about as effective at attracting boys as walking into a room naked, if that’s your goal. You just can’t help but project sex appeal, even if you’re wearing a big sweater and like, six scarves (which is sometimes necessary in a New England winter). We’re more Marilyn than Jackie, and I think that’s awesome. Also, I once snuck a disposable camera into a concert on campus by hiding it in the space between my boobs (#winning).
Tips for Dressing Your Awesomely Big Boobs
V-necks are your friend.
Find your perfect v-neck tee, and buy it in every color. For me, the perfect v-neck is low cut, but not obscenely so, and just loose enough that it’s not hugging my body. Essentially, you don’t want to show too much, but you don’t want to hide your assets either.
Love your curves.
Invest in high-quality bras — when they have a lot to support, they’re especially important. Get fitted somewhere that has a wide range of sizes, like Nordstrom or Macy’s. I wore the wrong bra size for three years because one girl at Victoria’s Secret convinced me that I was “pretty much” a 34D. Once you’ve got the right support, you can do pretty much anything.
Think about your waistline.
By that I mean, consider whether your clothes are flattering to your waist. A lot of times, I have to buy something in a size up to accomodate the breasts, and it loses its fit everywhere else. If you can get to a tailor, have them take it in wherever necessary, but if not, I’ve found that belts and fitted jackets can help a lot.
Outfit 1: Keeping it Casual
Shirt – Les Pomettes, Jeans – Mango, Necklace – Wallis, Nail Polish – Essie, Shoes – Bank
This outfit looks like your basic casual outfit, mostly because it is. However, this v-neck tee shirt appears to be the ideal combination of moderately-low-cut and just-kind-of-loose. Of course, no one can say for sure (the number one rule of dressing for your body is try everything on), but if you can find that perfect shirt, you really don’t need to dress it up much. That said, adding a small necklace does form a nice visual line down to the focal point of the outfit, as it were.
Outfit 2: Flaunt what you’ve got
Jacket – Fat Face, Shoes – Modcloth, Dress – Modcloth, Sunglasses – OC Shades
This dress is sexy, and yet what I’m really loving are the pink panels on the top. While I love the look of a sweetheart neckline, I often find that my boobs spend the whole night trying to jump out of my dress, which just isn’t a good look. The panels keep that visual effect, but provide more structure, which I love. If at first you’re hesitant to show off all your curves at once, throw on this relaxed denim jacket to tone the look down. Then, when the clock strikes midnight, you take the jacket off and everybody in the room faints. You are a super-villain.
What are your thoughts?
How do you balance the natural sex appeal of your body when the situation doesn’t call for it? Where do you buy high-quality bras? What body shape should I cover next? Answer these questions and more in the comments!
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Posted on on July 29, 2012 / Filed Under: Fashion Tips / Tags: Body Image, boobs, breasts, Casual, Clothing, Confidence, dressing for your body, essie, everyday, Fashion, Fashion Inspiration, Inspiration, Night Out, Outfits, Summer, Teal, Tips, Trends, v neck
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Ashlyn
THANK YOU!! I have such a hard time being a 38D because clothes never seen to fit right.
Jessie
I love this! As a petite 32DDD, big boobs are the bane of my existence. Good call on the v-necks! Also, beware of more flowy shirts or dresses – they will often balloon out, making your waistline hard to find.
Kelsey
Not much to this post.. Wish there was more!
Meredith
Any advice for a too-skinny girl who is a 30E and apparently too modest to show cleavage?
Ali
I happen to be well endowed too, but the outfits on this post are too basic. I wish there was more to it too.
Natalie
Wait, if you’re talking about putting emphasis on the waist line, which I think is important for me, why would you put a tshirt on here that looks like a potato sack? I would look for a more tapered shirt with a vneck so that the top half of my body won’t look any larger than it is.
Sam
I agree with Kelsey. The outfits are nice, but I’d love to see more than just a tshirt/jeans and dress/jacket idea.
Clara - Brown University
Natalie – I agree completely — the way a shirt fits (especially around your waist) is major. It’s hard to find a picture of a shirt that shows the way it’s tailored, though, so I just went with this one which seemed to have a great neckline.
Kelsey/Sam — Unfortunately, what I found with this topic was that the best thing you can do for large boobs is get the right kind of underwear and tailor things that need tailoring. A bunch of pictures of bras and tailors wouldn’t be very interesting either :/ These outfits are just ideas meant to illustrate the concepts!
Nina
Wow, was I disappointed by this post. Ever since this series started I was looking forward to this edition being made, but this was a total let-down. I have a hard time shopping for my chest, and my options are… tshirt/jeans or a fancy dress? The other outfits in this series have managed to highlight the respective body parts while still appearing casual, put-together, and fun. I understand the comment about right underwear and tailoring, but I was really looking forward to some neat outfit ideas.
Katie
The outfits are nice but I too would have preferred a bit more information. Also, has CF covered tailoring before? I’m sure they have. I’m sort of confused on what should and can be tailored.
Lauren
I was so excited when this article popped up on my news feed–but was disappointed when I opened it! I’m a 34DD and little everywhere else. I know I need to flaunt my waist but when I have no behind, it can make me look extremely top-heavy. Any ideas on that?
Elle
I would really appreciate and article about how things SHOULD fit. Like examples of where the sleeves should hit , how the seams should rest on the shoulder, and examples of how to get things tailored. Stuff like that. Getting really into the specifics of tailoring would be useful for pretty much everyone and would be a great compliment to this article!
Emily
Please do a post for girls with a big booty! I am definitely not as well endowed up top as some of these lucky ladies, and I always have trouble finding skirts/dresses/pants that look good with a rounder bum!
Amanda
Fantastic! I wish you had some more outfits, but great great tips! V-necks are a def. must. My favorite v-necks are from Ocean Pacific, they are around 4-5 dollars a shirt (Super Cheap! :D ) and fit perfect, so I’ve bought them in basically every color haha
Jessica
THANK YOU!!!! Thank you so much for writing this. I’m starting my BTS shopping and it’s hard trying to figure out how to dress my 44DD chest let along the rest of my body.
Clara - Brown University
Elle – That’s a great idea!
Ashton
I am one of the people the small-chest post was tailored for, but a former suitemate of mine has a fabulous website for those of you who have bigger busts – a lot of it does have to do with undergarments, but she has a fantastic sense of style and I’d recommend checking it out regardless of your size. Google “Thin and Curvy” and you’ll find it. :)
Stefani
Ever since the Dressing for Your Body column started, I have been looking forward to a post on larger chests but am very disappointed. The post about dressing for a smaller chest had way cuter clothes! The two outfits posted here are much more basic, which would have been fine if it included a couple more outfits that were more interesting.
Yvette
I don’t know how common the hourglass figure is, but can you do an article on it? I’d totally appreciate it as I really don’t know what goes and what doesn’t with my shape!
Rebecca
I’m 38C with a size 12 butt and is kind of difficult to dress sometimes, i Love fashion and being confortable though, i wish You girls make an article about hourglass body :)
Sierra
Love this column, especially this post. Great tips!
Zooey San
I think your next topic should be advice for women with short legs! Especially for those who are quite tall and don’t feel comfortable wearing high heels all the time. Anything you can do about these short legs other than wearing heels? That would be quite helpful!
Bailey
Can’t say this one applies to me, but I am eagerly awaiting a wide hips/thunder thighs edition :)
Andy
Thanks sooo much for this post : it really helps, especially when you love fashion and happen to have big boobs !
Shannon - Boston University
I have broad shoulders, courtesy of years of competitive swimming…any advice on flattering silhouettes that won’t make look like a linebacker?
Jasmine
Can you do an article on a petite hourglass figure? I’m short and thin but I have curves, they just aren’t too exaggerated and I would love to know what goes with my body shape.
Chloe
I believe good, quality bras are the most important thing!
Rin
Some additional tips for top heavy girls like myself:
- Stock up on a camisoles without built-in bras (which often cut your chest in awkward places)… I own them in every color of the rainbow and in duplicates. They’re a lifesaver for covering up the girls.
- Try to create an hourglass figure. If you already have one, yay! Belt those billowy tops and go. If you don’t, like me, try adding some volume on the bottom. I like to wear empire waist dresses, A-line skirts, or cargo pants.
Nicole
As a girl with 32DDD (32F) breast, I think the low-cut tops are a bad idea. On the one hand, v neck tops are great because they balance you out, but I don’t want to be remembered by my breast. I’ll personally be sticking to higher cuts of v necks to stay school/work appropriate and save the cleavage for the weekend.
@Meredith: what works for me is wearing a higher cut tee with an a-line skirt that has a hemline just above the knee. It balances breast, but so long as the skirt is not a micro-mini, the look comes across as feminine as opposed to immodest.
Caitlin
I had the same problem with Victoria Secret. They told me I was a 34 C…well guess what? I’m a 32 DDD. Not only did they get the band size wrong, they got the cup extremely wrong.
Getting a good quality bra makes all the difference. GET FITTED at Nordstrom. They really know what they’re doing and they have amazing bras. This isn’t something to skimp on. You’ll be happy when you get old and they aren’t sagging!
Steph
I was fitted at Intimacy. I, again, had issues with VS. I was wearing a 34C, but I’m a 32F. EVERYONE should get fitted by ACTUAL professionals! VS people have no idea what they’re doing. Measure your rib cage. DO NOT add 4. This is your band size.
Lauren
Thanks so much for this article! I always feel like fashion is geared more towards the bottom-heavy and so trying to make a lot of those outfits work on a top-heavy figure just adds bulk where it isn’t. I have exactly one curve on my body – my chest – so if you had any more tips on how to balance things out they would be much appreciated!
Rayna
I have been a 34D-34DDD most of my adult life and I’ve found that the best way to dress my figure was to wear skirts and dresses that add weight on the bottom since I don’t have much there. This creates a great hour glass figure and is really easy to pull off for a number of outfits. I have tons of high waisted skirts and empire waisted dresses that do just this. I usually add a belt for more emphasis. For jeans, yes I have my favorite vneck tees that are great for lazy days, but the peplum trend is perfect for my big boobs- a peplum top paired with jeans or pants adds the volume I need to look balanced. The right under garments are essential as well. Well fitting bras and camisoles or tank dresses are my saviors. Hopefully there is a part two to this article! I’d love to see various options for this topic.
melba
yes!!!!!! i love ly ladies and i really had to invest in some good bras.
AnnieK
I agree with the other readers saying that this post was a bit of a letdown. I had been looking forward to this post but I don’t think I learned much from it…some more outfits would have been nice.
Jamie
I think Frederick’s of Hollywood has great bras that are reasonably priced, and they have more cute colors and patterns than most stores have in my size!
Rita
For any girls in the Chicago suburbs, I wear a 30G/30FF, and I buy my bras at Tina’s Closet in Lisle! Wonderful little shop with a huge variety of sizes (ranging from A-M). Tina does wonders with a bra, it will blow your mind!
Sam
Can you do petite/short waisted? I’m not talking petite as in super skinny, but petite like short waisted. Many articles just tell you to try to hide your waist so no one knows its short… but I think that’s really stupid!
Josie
I swim competitively and have the shoulders to prove it. Would love to see an article on how to show off nice arms, and shoulders, not just hide them.
Doyin
I totally love this. it will help a lot of large chested girls who think that the best way to go is to wear something loose. J’adore.
Lyndsay
A little more information and variety of outfits would have been helpful. I like to go with the rule of thumb that if I wear something billowy on top, I wear a tight bottom, or if I wear something tight fitted on top I wear a looser bottom. V necks are the most flattering for busty girls. I just recently found out my correct bra size. I thought I was a 32D for about 3 years, but am actually a 30F.
Kristin
Could you please work on a post for girls with short legs?
NatalieF
I used to have hard time with my 30G boobs, which are believe it or not, not huge at all. Everywhere I go, they tell me I am a 36D and as long as I believed them I was sure i would cry everywhere in stores. Girls, serously get fitted it is the most important thing on your look. I read girls saying they are 38C, and i am almost 100% sure you are a different size. Right size of bra makes a difference on your body. Once I started wearing the right size I also started getting compliments, people were asking me how much have I lost. I am a size 10 and 5 foot 9. Get fitted! :-)
NatalieF
And I forgot, once you are fitted try buying bras online from the UK, they got the most amazing cuts, colors and everything…I even get to wear a spaghetti strap tops with bulit in bra of my size(30G)! I suggest: http://www.brastop.co.uk and http://www.bravissimo.co.uk :-)
Trisha
Any advice for a petite girl whose 5ft 1″ bust size 34D hip 34.5″ but actually doesn’t look proportionate at all and has really tiny legs? I love wearing short dresses and shorts but i hate how my legs look :(
Sarah
I am totally with you on the neck line dilemma. The V-neck is a heaven sent for big chested women. My problem is everything other than my chest is so tiny and clothes and style doesn’t seem to tailor to that. I’m only 5 feet tall and my measurements are 32-24-34 with a DDD cup size. Things (such as dresses) that fit my bust always seem to be wayyyy too long. any suggestions?
AK
I agree completely, GET FITTED!! I survived my teenage years by thinking I was a 34DDD and constantly wore a sports bra over my regular bra, or a cami with the bra-shelf straps yanked all the way up. After doing this for years, the muscles in my shoulders have degenerated and I have deep indentations in my muscles forever. I am only 22 years old.
When I found out I was a 32G, the world opened up to me. I went to a custom bra shop in Atlanta GA called {intimacy} and although the first bra I got was $200, it was worth every single penny. I looked way smaller than before and even better, I was able to fit comfortably and look good in tops I otherwise couldn’t! Not all of them, mind you, but my options surely opened. I have since discovered Natori, who sells through Dillards and Macy’s for about $60. Seriously girls, having the right fit is what it’s all about!
I know it’s expensive, but it’s for your health. I luckily haven’t had back problems yet, but the issue I mentioned above about the degeneration of my shoulder muscles should be testimonial enough as to why these bras pay for themselves. If you had foot problems, you’d by orthopedic shoes, right? A bra for support shouldn’t be any different. Granted, orthopedic shoes can be covered my insurance, while my insurance laughs at me when I ask for a breast reduction to be covered, evidently they’re just a “cosmetic” issue….
Karen Carlsen
I thought article was great. I had a breast reduction … best thing I ever did!
Melissa
The best article I have come across so far! Your suggestions and outfit examples genuinely helped. Can you please post more summer examples of casual dresses/shorts outfits? I feel like the style right now of either oversized or sheer or crop tops are virtually impossible to suit to these puppies. Thank you!!!
Melissa
These are really amazing suggestions. This is the first blog/article ive found that isn’t all about making them look smaller. Would you be able to do a few examples of summer outfits? I always feel great in winter and spring but the second spaghetti straps come out I’m out of luck. Thanks so much!
Melissa
Sorry about the awkward double comment!