Despite a never ending stream of hype, mass media exploitation and unrealistic portrayals of women with breasts that “naturally” stand to attention on command (via a little help from augmentation, that is), the actual fact of the matter is, sagging breasts are quite natural.
More and more females, especially those with naturally plus-size breasts are becoming increasingly obsessed with obtaining perky, perfect boobs, yet in actual fact, the breast was never designed by nature to stand at attention.
Why the breast is shaped the way it is
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As I mentioned in a recent post about where to ask other real women questions about plus-size bras, there is an active forum at BustingOut. There you can ask questions about where to find the right plus size bra for you, or simply share experiences. I got a chuckle out of this post written by a woman who works in a retail store as a bra fitter:
Customer: “My daughter is looking for a bra with a lot of support. She’s having trouble with backaches and she’s very active.”
Me: “Ok. To start with, I think she’s wearing the wrong size. I would suggest going down a band size and up a cup size, see how that feels, and then try something in the xxxx or xxxxx line. If she’s anything larger than a DD, I would recommend xxxxx brand, which unfortunately, you can’t get here, but has always been great for me. They’re not terribly pretty, but the extra support will help with her backaches and cut down on bouncing.”
Customer: “How do YOU know she’s wearing the wrong size. She’s wearing a sweatshirt!”
Me: “Well, because this *points to self* is what it looks like when you have a proper-fitting bra with excellent support. Now, I have to special order these online because you can’t get double-Fs anywhere in Connecticut, but this particular brand is definitely worth it, and I would suggest–”
Customer: “DOUBLE F? But… you look so–normal.”
I love this sexy red dress from MonifC Plus-Size Fashions. This dress is so sexy that I feel sorry for skinny women who don’t have the plus size curves to fill it out!
The secret to this dress is the soft, drapey rayon jersey fabric that is gathered top-to-bottom (this is called “ruching”.)
Rayon jersey is so soft and comfortable and the ruching enhances beautiful curves and smoothes right over your body.
Since this plus size dress has spaghetti straps, you’ll probably want to wear a strapless bra or a bra with clear plastic straps. If that style of bra doesn’t work for you, take a look at the equally sexy brown dress. Like the red dress, the brown dress features ruched jersey fabric that shows off your curves in a beautiful way. But instead of spaghetti straps the brown dress features a nice V-neck and three quarter length sleeves so you can wear any style of bra underneath.
Problem #1: Your plus size bra rides up in the back
Solution: Try a smaller band size. But to compensate for the smaller band size you will need to increase the cup size one size. For example, if you’re currently wearing a 38C and you find that your bra rides up in the back, go to a 36D.
Problem #2: Your breasts bulge out the top and sides.
Solution: Try a larger cup size, but keep the same band size. So if you’re currently wearing a 36C, go to a 36D.
Problem #3: Your bra sags or your bust droops with your bra on.
Solution: Try an underwire bra or a bra with crisscross support under the breasts. And make sure you follow the steps for getting the right band and cup size.
Problem #4: Your plus size bra underwires stick out under your clother or poke out from the ribcage.
Solution: Try a smaller band size and add a bra extender to the back.
Problem #5: Your underwire plus size bra cuts into your underarms.
Solution: Try a smaller cup size and add a bra extender to the back of your plus size bra.
Problem #6: Your plus size bra shoulder straps dig in.
Solution: Try a plus size bra with an a wider band under the breasts (for support) and wide padded shoulder straps (for comfort). You also may need to decrease the band size. This will give you more support in the band area and put less stress on the straps.
Problem #7: Your plus size bra shoulder straps slip.
Solution: Try a bra with straps that V in the back.
With thanks to Ladylife for tips.
Here is a highly recommended plus size bra for everyday comfort. This microfibre leisure bra from Goddess (style #16743C) features:
- Silky two-layer cups for smooth, gentle support.
- Special finish wicks away moisture, so you stay cool and dry.
- Subtly seamed cup design gives you shapelier curves.
- Padded straps ease pressure on shoulders (plus, they adjust discreetly in back)
- Sides and back stretch for feel-good fit.
- 95% nylon/5% microfiber for softness against your skin.
- available in white, black and nude
- in sizes up to 48FF
A woman named Amy recently wrote in to a plus size clothing discussion forum with this common question:
I have nowhere to get properly fitted for a bra and have a terrible time to get them to fit. They never lay flat against my breast bone. A DDD is too large and DD is iffy depends on the size around but if I get one according to my circumference they ride up to my shoulders! I always try 5 or 6 at a time to get the best fit and comfort but they do not really fit like you say they should. What can I try next time?
What can Amy do to get a more comfortable fit?
Wearing a bra that fits properly not only makes a large-breasted woman look good, it can also make her feel better. A bra should provide both comfort and support. Yet many heavy breasted women put up with the discomfort of straps that dig into the shoulders, bands that are too constricting and under wires that pinch because they just don’t know how to buy a properly fitted bra or where to go to get one.
Good fit
Most women will put a great deal of money, time and effort into purchasing just the right dress for a special occasion, yet few actually put a lot of consideration into the what they are going to wear under it.
What’s more, heavy breasted women run the very real risk of causing permanent neck, shoulder and back injury because, without the proper breast support their posture can be adversely affected.
Does this sound like you? Without proper support for heavy breasts, many women tend to compensate by hunching over to try and relieve the strain on their shoulders, which in turn leads to back and neck pain. Some medical personnel opine that this overcompensation can potentially result in irrevocable damage to the spine
Bad Fit
What are the indicators of wearing the wrong bra?
• Red, painful indents (grooves) in the shoulder area.
• Tingling in shoulders, arms or fingers (if this occurs, you should consult your doctor immediately – there may be an underlying reason for this that is not related to bra fit.)
• Shoulder straps that are so loose they hang down the arms or so tight they dig into shoulders.
• Excess perspiring in cleavage area.
• Under-wires that stick out.
• Boobs fall out or spill over during bending.
• Breast spill over top of cup, appearing like a second set of boobs, even when standing.
• Wrinkling of bra under sweaters.
• Lumpy appearing bosoms under tight fitting tops.
Ways to customize your plus size bra for a better fit
In addition to buying a bra that fits properly from the outset, there are some accessories on the market that offer comfort for the most prevalent problems. Listed below are a few of the most common ones:
The Strap-Mate band prevents bra straps from falling down. They are easy to attach, convenient to use and adjustable. Shown here in the far left photo in black but available at Strap-Mate.com in many colors.
Bra extenders supply added comfort to any bra. You can add up to two inches to your bra band for comfort. Bra extenders have a soft cotton backing, are machine washable and have hooks that fit most bra bands.
The b&w photos above illustrating good fit and bad fit are courtesy of PlusSizeBras.info
Despite a never ending stream of hype and unrealistic media portrayals of women with breasts that “naturally” stand to attention (via a little help from plastic surgery, that is), the fact is sagging breasts are quite natural.
Sadly, we live in a culture where women feel shame at having breasts that are anything less than perfect. Yet, the breast was never designed by nature to remain perky throughout a woman’s lifespan.
Why the breast is shaped the way it is
A woman’s breast is made up of milk ducts, glands and fatty tissue. Pectoral muscles are located under the breast mass. Various combinations such as pregnancy, breast feeding, weight loss or gain, age and the effects of gravity itself are all determining factors in the shape of our breasts.
What can we do about it?
Relax and get wise to the face that for most women past teenage years, having perky breasts is a media-created illusion. Celebrate what you have and let go of unrealistic expectations. Go to the gym or swimming pool change room and notice the range of breast sizes and shapes. Recondition your expectations and you will start to appreciate your breasts just the way they are.
Remember, every woman’s breasts are as individual as they themselves are. The sooner a woman ceases to evaluate herself based on the size and shape of her breasts, the happier she will be.
When Oprah featured professional bra fitters on her show, women across North America were stunned at how many women are wearing the wrong size bra. According to a spokesperson for La Senza Lingerie, 75 per cent of women regularly wear the wrong bra size.
My hunch is that this statistic may be even higher for women who need a plus-size bra. So why do so many plus-size women wear the wrong bra? Here are five possible reasons:
• We assume that plus size means boring or ugly. We don’t realize how many gorgeous styles are available in plus size.
For example, although the white Elila 1305 pictured on the left above is kind of matronly, the black Elila 2311 to the right is downright sexy! Elila is a great manufacturer as they design exclusively plus size bras.
• We are unaware of how to properly measure our bodies in order to ensure a perfect fit, or we go by measurement charts that provide incorrect calculations and therefore the wrong fit.
• Most bra manufacturers traditionally target the “average-size” market and concentrate on sizes that are meant for the most common body shapes.
• We don’t have access to a trained bra-fitter in their town, or we feel intimidated by the idea of shopping in a specialty bra store.
• Some women get caught up on the numbers. They refuse to entertain the thought that their “D” cup should, in actual fact be a “DD” or larger. They buy the size they wish they were and/or really want to be rather than invest in a comfortable plus size bra designed to meet their specific needs.
This final point is an important one. Just as squeezing one’s feet into too-small shoes is a painful exercise in vanity, wearing a too-small bra achieves nothing.
In my opinion, wearing a bra that fits our actual body shape is way more important than wearing one that fits a pre-conceived idea of what size we think we should be.
And remember, plus size doesn’t have to mean boring or ugly. The Le Mystere Tisha bra at left is Oprah’s favorite bra, and I think you’ll agree that it’s a nice-looking bra.
There are as many myths about bras as there are styles. One of the most prevalent bra myths is that feminists in the late 1960s and 70’s burnt their bras in public demonstrations.
Although this myth has been repeated for decades, no documented proof has ever surfaced that women actually set fire to their bras. They did, however toss undergarments into trash cans. This was done during demonstrations to critique how modern beauty culture paid far more attention to a woman’s appearance than to her intellectual and spiritual being.
It is widely assumed that this myth actually originated because of the timing of two unrelated events – young Americans who were protesting the Vietnam War were publicly burning their draft cards at about the same time that women were protesting the Miss America Pageant by tossing their bras and girdles into the trash (the first recorded instance was the 1968 Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City).
It appears some enterprising reporter decided to amalgamate the two newsworthy events into one identifying act and the myth caught on. Unfortunately, it is still embedded in the minds of many as an actual fact.
A few years ago my parents told me about a radio program that reported wearing a bra contributes to breast cancer. Although I loved the idea that my parents would henceforth approve of me going bra-less, I wondered if the report was actually true.
Well, it isn’t. Ongoing and intensive research into the causes of breast cancer categorically refutes this claim. Although some independent researchers say they notice a correlation between cultures that traditionally go bra-less and a lower incidence of breast cancer, their statistics were compiled without factoring in any other high risk causes for the disease; therefore their conclusions cannot be verified as fact.
Bottom line: there is not now, nor has there ever been any conclusive evidence that wearing (or not wearing) a bra of any kind contributes to breast cancer.