Our internet friend Tracy writes:
Dear Francesca and Plumcake,
I’m a woman of aspiring superfantasticness and I have a question for you. I see all the cute fashions out in the world and can’t wear them. You see, I’m busty. No, not D-cup busty, but H-cup busty. Most of the superfantastic fashions don’t look good on me. What tips and choices are there for the massive mammaried amongst us?
Much love,
Tracy
Ayyyyy! Francesca is aware that having the super-sized boobs is the mixed blessing. On one hand, the chest lends itself to feelings of uber-womanliness, and one can easily play the role of the floozy plaything or of the staid, solid Midwestern farm matron. Such a chest also makes it much, much easier to fit in at the Renaissance fairs.
On the other hand, the Tracy is indeed in a bind, a bind stronger than that of the over-the-shoulder-boulder-holder required for these circumstances: what does one wear?
Before we discuss the specific clothes, Francesca wishes to outline certain basic principles.
First, she cannot stress enough the importance of good posture. Slouching is not superfantastic! Stand up straight and show off those girls!
Second, we once again emphasize the importance of the strong, underwired, well-fitting, non-pointy bra, and of replacing said bra often. One does not wish to wake up one drizzly morning to discover that all one’s bras are stretched out and frayed and were well-fitting, once upon a time, say 15 pounds ago. Our readers rave about the plus-size bras of the British vendor Bravissimo. Here, too, is the site which specializes in the bras for the racktastic women.
Third: Accentuate your shape; do not attempt to hide it. Many the well-endowed woman thinks that if she wears big, loose clothing, such a style will “minimize” her chest and help her avoid looking like Dolly Parton. To these women, Francesca says: You are not kidding anyone. In fact, the best way to make the superboobs look conservative is to wear fitted clothing which skims the breast and comes in to the waist. Loose clothing which hangs straight down from the breast will look like a tent. Fitted clothes which do not try to make a secret of the breasts look put-together and ladylike.
For this reason, Francesca strongly recommends wearing pretty belts, or – if you are appley—buying tops with princess seams or well-placed darts.
Fourth, the “rule” against wearing shiny clothing, which reflects light off of one’s, eh, largesse, generally holds, although sparkly or satiny fabrics may do well if the top is structured to provide shape.
Fifth: Make friends with a seamstress. It may indeed be required, often, to buy blouses and dresses in large sizes in order to fit over the chest, and then have the waist and arms “taken in.” The little bit of extra effort and expense involved is more than worth it, to have clothes which fit you perfectly.
Bravissimo has a wonderful line of clothing just for the big of boob (up to size 16), including coats and jackets, tops of all kinds
and dresses.
Stateside, here is a lovely kimono dress from Silhouette which would look excellent on the woman of massive mimis:
And here, a blouse which Francesca has recommended before, from Talbots (also available in Woman Petite sizes, as is this one). If it is too big in the waist, have a seamstress take it in:
And for the young at heart, here is a cute little jacket which can be worn over a t-shirt or cami to create an attractive shape:
Happy shopping!
xoxo,
Francesca
Francesca, we can always count on you for the attractive AND pragmatic suggestions. You ARE a treasure.
Comment by Toby Wollin — December 10, 2007 @ 11:39 am
All good points, but I gotta say–I love Dolly Parton!
Comment by Catherine — December 10, 2007 @ 11:46 am
As another gal with H-cup boobies, I have a few other suggestions to offer!
I have a lot of camis and some cardigans that fit my waist. I wear the cardis over the camis, partially buttoned; it’s slimming and flattering and helps the boobs look properly in their place. I do this with buttondown tops, too (and buttondowns with a little stretch to them are best).
I buy a lot of my bras from figleaves.com — returns are easier there than with Bravissimo, plus you won’t get killed by the weak US dollar if you’re in the US! (Bravissimo’s sizes are UK sizes, by the way — I wear a 12/14 US and a 14/16 UK, so probably anyone bigger than that will have trouble fitting Bravissimo clothes. But their clothes are well-fitted for the bosomy, there is no denying it!)
Scoop neck and v-neck tops are the friends of the bosomy lady — the lower neckline makes the boobs look smaller. And it’s work-appropriate, as long as it’s high enough not to show cleavage.
I also look for longer-length sweaters and tops — boobs take up some of the length, so sweaters that are made to hit at the high hip hit on my waist. I go for low-hip length, and then they hit at the high hip — much better! (I’m also long-torso’d, so that doesn’t help. Thanks, genetics!)
Comment by Laura V — December 10, 2007 @ 1:31 pm
As yet another H-cup girl, I’m going to have to really emphasize the use of the cami. Lane Bryant makes them in a very versatile fabric in many many many colors for something like $12. (I own three in black alone.) You can make tops and dresses that are just too busty or don’t stand a chance of not showing bra totally wearable and cute. For instance, the suggested kimono dress above would never work for us H-cuppers. That’s total bra city. But it would work with a nice cami underneath. I love wrap style tops and dresses but they are only possible with the help of my camis.
And like Francesca said, posture and a good bra goes a really long way!
Good luck!
Comment by Brittany — December 10, 2007 @ 2:46 pm
Brittany — I completely forgot to mention the utility of camis under dresses! Mine get used for that ALL the time. I especially like the visual-bust-reduction of a contrasting cami under a low-v-neck dress. I have four dresses in regular work-wardrobe rotation that never go anywhere without a cami underneath.
Comment by Laura V — December 10, 2007 @ 6:38 pm
What about the boob line? You know what I’m talking about ladies…when a dress or top has a seam that is supposed to go right under the boobs, but on us big boobie girls it ends up half way in the middle of them? My numba 1 rule is STAY AWAY FROM THE BOOB LINE!!! (unless it’s under the girls)
Comment by Jabri — December 10, 2007 @ 7:58 pm
Yes, but Bravissimo designs The boob line to go underneath the H-cup boobs; I know, because I frequently buy my clothes from Bravissimo, and I am the H, edging into the HH/J cup.
Comment by megaera — December 10, 2007 @ 8:40 pm