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YahooI’m petite and very curvy. I wear a 38D bra, and it is impossible to find tops that fit right. Either they’re too tight across the chest and I look cheap, or they fit across my chest but hang off the rest of my body, making me look fat because my waist is rendered non-existent. Any help you can throw my way would be much appreciated!
Ali
When you're fitting a larger chest, the first step is to find a really terrific bra* that fits properly. While you can do it yourself (instructions are here) I would suggest that you have a professional help you out. Oprah recommends the bra department at Nordstrom, or you can look for a small lingerie boutique. Keep in mind that the bra you are wearing and the bra you SHOULD be wearing may very well NOT be the same size.
In addition to a great bra, girls with bigger chests need a great tailor. Some pieces--woven shirts, for example--will need to be altered. When you try things on, check the fit through the chest; the sleeves, shoulders, and waist can be taken in.
Balance is key when you have a larger chest. Choose tops with a lower neckline (a V or scoop neck, for example) rather than a crew neck. Showing some skin above the bustline gives you some proportion on top. But! Keep in mind that you want to show some SKIN, not necessarily some BOOBS. Tank sweater from Chicos, $32.00.
Look for jackets and woven shirts with a three quarter (or bracelet length)sleeve, which helps put your arm in proportion to your chest. Again, be sure that anything with buttons up the front fits properly over your breasts, even if it has to be taken in other places. For a larger chest, the highest button on the jacket should hit just below the bustline (at the band of the bra). And I know you're thinking, But I NEVER button my JACKETS! Well, try--if you CAN'T button the jacket, it's too small. Period.
Keep your top and bottom proportioned; pair a tailored shirt with an A-line skirt or wide legged trousers, something that adds some volume on the bottom to balance the volume on top. Look for pieces that nip in at the waist and show off your hourglass figure (and yes, if you have a nice size chest, you DO have an hourglass figure). Highlighting a slim waist and legs will help to put your chest in proportion to the rest of your body.
*And here is where I need YOUR help, BlogHers: what is your favorite bra for a larger chest? I know that some of you are feeling for Ali and I'm sure you would love to recommend the Universe's Greatest Bra. Have at it, please.
Coming Saturday: strategies for small chests.
Susan Wagner writes about fashion at Friday Style and about everything else at Friday Playdate. She wears a 32 NearlyA cup bra. Yes, really.
What is the biggest blessing motherhood brings you?
I haven't seen my feet in years
Poppy June 26, 2008 - 10:11amso I must have great advice, right?
Right!
A fitting is a great idea, but you need to make sure you're not getting fitted by an "expert" who's making minimum wage and has been in retail for two months.
If the retail help at the department store seems clueless, check to see whether they're offering any fit clinics, which is like a trunk show for lines like Wacoal that specialize in bras for the boobtacular. They tend to do this around Breast Cancer Awareness times.
Another option is to check the Yellow Pages for a lingerie store that offers post-mastectomy fittings. They tend to have extremely knowledgable sales associates.
(These stores are also the best place to buy bathing suits--another fit issue when you're wearing a DDD cup.)
FWIW, I wear the Wacoal 85154 seamless minimizer:
http://snurl.com/2pdeg
Wacoal Seamless Minimizer Bra 85154 at BareNecessities.com [www_barenecessities_com]
I buy four or five at a pop and get new ones after about a year. Even washing in cold water and hanging to dry, spandex gets stretched out.
Poppy Buxom, who blogs at www.poppisima.blogspot.com and www.mamarazzi.org