It’s Summer!

A few, er, several, weeks ago (sorry for the delay), one of our best commenters asked what us BBGs did in preparation for warmer weather.

Well, that’s a fantastic question.   Summer is tough.  Until recently, bikinis were out.  Tank tops are also tough.  Either there isn’t enough fabric to cover my breasts, or the shoulder straps are too big, or the arm holes too wide and my bra shows through.  Oh, and some tank tops, the straps are oddly aligned and don’t cover the bra straps, which is just annoying.  Do larger bras have straps that angle out more or something?

And I can’t wear spaghetti straps obviously, because the bra strap will show.  Oh, and no, that “bra” inside some tank tops is not a viable option.

Halters? Not really feasible.

I guess I should look on the positive side.  There is always Malia Mills.  And American Apparel has some solid tank top options.  And, for a black tie affair, I have this nice strapless dress that I wore to 3D’s wedding and a solid strapless bra to go with it.

Dressing My Boobs

I’ve always admired those wrap-like jersey dresses women have been wearing for the past three or so years but I’ve never been able to make them fit.  My boobs just don’t fit in the space that’s meant for the boobs and my bra is completely exposed (like, completely).  A few weeks ago I saw one on sale for $20, and at 3D’s recommendation, I tried it on with camisole.  It wasn’t obscene and I figured that for $20, it was fine.

Unfortunately I wore it today and it just doesn’t look right.  You can’t see my bra or anything, but my breasts just don’t fit into their alloted space.  It stretches and pulls in all the wrong places.

Check out how my breasts get pulled to the side as the elastic band inches up:

This is very depressing.  These dresses always look so comfortable.  I hate having to miss out on fun fashion.

I guess as a consolation I could focus on the fact that I look good naked.

-DeeDee

Another Oops at the Office

Bras, nipples, and cleavage at work seems to be a big topic in the big boobed community.  For example, 3D wrote about nippleitis a few months back in one of her very first posts.  In fact, she wrote about it twice.  I weighed in, with a slightly different view.  Nippleitis isn’t the only problem — sometimes we choose the wrong bra.

That happened to me today.  In my hurried state this morning, I accidentally put on a very lacy bra under a very thin shirt.  It actually occurred to me that maybe I was wearing the wrong bra, but I was too rushed to check myself out in the mirror.  I didn’t realize it until I went to the bathroom before lunch, after I had a long meeting with my coworkers.

Wardrobe malfunctions are hard at work, because we aren’t amongst strangers whom we will never see again, nor are we among our friends with whom we feel comfortable. Instead, the viewers are people we respect, or should respect, or who should ideally respect us.  And the bigger the boob, the more opportunities for malfunction.

I hope when I leave my job I won’t be known as the girl who always wore the wrong bra.

-DeeDee

Bra-Llelujah? Maybe. . .

I just read that Spanx — you know, the company that makes the slimming hosiery and underwear we all own and obsess about — will soon be expanding into bra territory.

I wonder if they’ll work for big boobed gals.  The big selling point for their bra line is that since their over-the-shoulder-boulder-holders are “the first-ever all-hosiery bras” you’ll have no visible bra lines.  The price is right at $34 but I’m concerned that they’ll only go up to a D cup.  Here’s hoping they’ll realize there’s a giant market (no pun intended) above the D ceiling.

In other Spanx related news, I loved this post about a man who decided to figure out what all the fuss is about. . .

-3D

You don’t have to burn your bra, just buy this T-shirt

I’m all for feminism but I think I would be doing a better service to the world if I kept my bra on and burned a girdle or something. Fortunately, this T-shirt allows me to compromise:

via Feministing

-3D

BBB Linkage

• Yesterday, the Today Show tackled the tough question of how much is too much cleavage in the work place. (They did not however venture into the issue of nippleitis at work).

• And, while we’re on the subject of nipples, has anyone ever heard of the nipple badge? They were originally designed to teach about sexual health and support the fight against breast cancer but with Halloween just one day away, they could serve as some sort of costume in a pinch (no pun intended), don’t you think? (via Buzzfeed)

-3D

Catching a glimpse

I had an exceptionally good hair day today so I thought that if anybody was looking at me at work, they would be checking out my ‘do. Instead, I caught a few people checking out my bra, more precisely the fact that you could see my bra poking out over the top of my dress. I got dressed in a rush this morning and commited the fashion faux pas of wearing a light bra under a black top. I noticed only after I had left the house that parts of the bra were noticeable and the color of the bra made them even more noticeable.

I guess I wasn’t surprised that people stared. I stare too when I see a woman who is showing a little cloth. I just can’t figure out why. Is it the idea that we are catching a glimpse of something not intended to be seen? Is it because it helps us imagine the woman naked, or at least without her outer garments on? Does it make us feel sexy? Perhaps for women it’s just a bit of schadenfreude; we like to see other women looking messy because it makes us feel better when we look neat. I’d like to think of it as just more research on bras and boobs for this blog.

-3D

Bra Review – Wacoal Slimline Underwire Minimizer

One of the first bras I ever got when I had my awakening and realized I was not wearing the right bra size (I promise I will eventually get to writing a post on that) was the Wacoal Slimline Underwire Minimizer (Style #85154). It’s a bra I seem to keep buying over and over again and continue to really enjoy.

The Slimline is a classic everyday bra which is probably why I wear so many of mine to shreds. It’s my go-to bra when I reach into my lingerie drawer in the morning and want something that I know will be comfortable and supportive all day long. I have a really old white one that I actually wear to the gym because I don’t have a good sports bra and it works as a substitute until I find one.

The cons of this bra are that I have only found it in three colors: white, nude, and black. Since it’s one of my favorite bras, I’d love to see it in every color. I also think that is loses support after many wears faster than my other bras do. Though, that could just be because I wear my Slimlines more than other bras so maybe I just put more mileage on them than anything else I own.

The pros definitely outweigh the cons on this bra. In addition to the support and comfort, I love the Slimline’s simplicity. Its design allows for the fabric and underwire to connect with each other beautifully. When I move, my Slimline follows me flawlessly. Even at the end of the day it’s there letting me know it’s up for the next challenge (salsa dancing? no problem!). It’s like we are navigating the day in concert with one another. It’s a great feeling.

I also like that the Slimline isn’t overly feminine, meaning you can wear it under a T-shirt without having a ton of lace or design poke through, but at the same time it still looks and feels like a sexy bra. The sides of the cup are embroidered with a floral design and a cute ribbon with a trio of pearls ties it together in the center. The straps are also wide enough to give you comfort and support but not t0o wide that you can’t wear it with a tank top.

It’s also helpful that this minimizer doesn’t cut so high at the top of the cup meaning I can wear it with most low cut shirts without my bra showing (see photos below). That’s probably one of the best things this bra has to offer. I can’t think of any other minimizers I own that go so low.

Here are two shots of me in my Slimlines, one is nude under a white high cut shirt, the other is black under a low cut black shirt:

This bra retails for about $62 dollars. I have bought it at Bloomingdale’s and Town Shop on the Upper West Side of Manhattan but have found the best prices for it at A.W. Kaufmann on the Lower East Side in New York (they also do phone orders – ask for Miriam). Kaufmann’s makes you order a minimum of two if they don’t have your size in stock but if you don’t live in New York, they will mail you your bras and you don’t have to pay sales tax. The bra comes in sizes 34C – 40DDD.

-3D

This is why I love minimizers

I don’t have a ton of time to post today but I thought I would write something that will remind me to come back to the topic of minimizers later on.

I wore a minimizer yesterday and was really pleased with the way it toned down my big boobs. As much as I love them, sometimes I don’t want my breasts to be the focus point of my outfit.

Here’s a shot of me wearing a Chantelle minimizer yesterday. Maybe I’m kidding myself but I actually think I could pass for a D here.

Does anyone have any great minimizer recommendations?

-3D

Coincidence? Or the mark of a good bra?

I wore a fairly new Chantelle bra to work today. I’ve blogged about this one before; it’s the one that set off the metal detector at a Los Angeles airport last month. I thought nothing of it when I got dressed this morning but later in the afternoon someone I work with (but don’t know very well) passed my desk and commented “3D, you look lovely today. Is this a new look for you?”

I was struck by his compliment; it caught me by surprise as I’m not used to older men in the office taking notice of what I’m wearing. Also, there was absolutely nothing new to my look. . .except for the fact that under my layers of officewear was a super supportive new piece of lingerie!

I let out a nervous laugh because I wasn’t sure what to say. He laughed (less nervously) with me and then walked off. I was left to wonder, was it my new bra or did he just like my sweater?

-3D

From cleavage to he-vage

We show a lot of cleavage on this blog but so far it’s just been female.

The UK’s Daily Mail asks an intriguing question. . .just how much cleavage, or “he-vage” as they call it, should a man show?

We’re not particularly concerned with male cleavage but we are happy we found a way to incorporate George Clooney into a blog about big boobs.

-3D

BBG’s dress dilemma

I recently bought a dress with a “criss-cross” top. It’s sort of like a V-neck and is created by crossing two pieces of fabric over the other. It’s a great dress but my boobs make it difficult to wear the dress as it was intended.

Here is a photo of the flat chested model in the dress:

Here is me:

As you can see, I’m either forced to wear a low cut bra and decide that this is going to be a “sexy” dress, or I have to wear a camisole under it which in some ways kind of ruins it. I suppose a Bosom Button could fix this problem but I don’t like the way they look.

-3D

V-Necks

After I left my state of Double Denial and came to terms with the fact that I have big boobs, I realized it was time I started shopping in the best interest of my breasts. Over time, I have learned a few tricks.

Here are two shots of me in scoop necks:

I feel like I should just call these pictures, “Tits on Display.”

Not that these tops don’t serve a purpose. The shirt on the right looks great under my favorite jacket. And sometimes I feel like showcasing my boobs.

Here I am in a V-neck (no, I’m not meditating):

My boobs look a little smaller and kind of more shapely, but I still get a bit of cleavage. I would think that the ruffle-type thing would draw attention to my breasts, but it actually contributes to the minimizing effect.

Are there any physicists out there who could explain to me the mechanics of this optical illusion?

-DeeDee

I’m a goddess

Okay, so I have a great strapless bra. I swear I have told 3D about it. In fact, I remember bringing it along with me to a big boob convention 3D once hosted, but whatever.

The label that makes this bra is called Goddess. The reason it is great is simply because it provides an admirable amount of support. It is definitely the most supportive strapless I’ve ever come across (read: it doesn’t fall down). No, it’s not like my Rigby & Peller, but I find that it works fine. I wore it to 3D’s wedding and I don’t think I readjusted once the whole evening, even after the hora.

The method is quite simple. It has a shit load of underwire traversing my boobs. Nothing fancy. Nothing innovative. But it works.

The only downside is that it shows through thin garments so it can’t be worn with everything.

The other problem is that I bought it three years ago and have no idea if they still exist. Any of our readers wanna to some research?

-DeeDee

Nippleitis and Shame

So I thought I’d weigh in on the nippleitis wars.

Unlike 3D, I never enjoy nippleitis. Well, scratch that. I don’t think much of it if I am around good friends/people I am intimate with. But in any public or semi-public situation, and certainly in a professional situation, I’m always embarrassed when I discover that I am poking through my shirt.

It’s funny — it’s not so much that I notice people looking at me. In fact, I never notice people checking out my breasts. Never. I’m kind of oblivious to things like that. It’s more that I feel like nippleitis means that something is wrong, that a wardrobe malfunction has occurred and that I am being unprofessional/messy/gross.

I think my shame in nippleitis stems from the fact that as a kid, I was always kinda messy and my parents always gave me grief for not being put together. Although I have pretty much moved passed that, even now, I often feel that my clothes aren’t fitting right. For example, my boobs are not only large, but they are particularly large for my frame and so often my tops fall off my shoulders, revealing a bit too much cleavage and sometimes some bra as well. When that occurs, my first reaction is to be hard on myself for buying clothes that don’t fit properly or for not standing up straight or for wearing the wrong bra. Likewise, I tend to think my nippleitis also reflects my inability to appear put together — perhaps I could have avoided it with a better bra, a camisole or maybe I should never have bought the top to begin with. And so I get embarrassed and subsequently angry with myself for being so sloppy.

As I’m writing this, I realize that sometimes it just can’t be avoided and my nippleitis-induced self-wrath is a bit ridiculous. But no, I don’t think I will ever revel in my nipples.

-DeeDee

Big boobs we like – Christina Hendricks

DeeDee and I love the AMC show Mad Men about a 1960s ad agency in New York.

Forgetting the costumes, set design, and writing, (which is all quite good), for the purpose of this blog we’d like to call your attention to the character Joan played by Christina Hendricks. She has great boobs and we love the way her period clothing shows off her curves.

-3D

A big boobed girl’s best friend?

I read about the Bosom Button today. It’s a pin cleverly designed to prevent wardrobe malfunctions for busty gals like us who tend to spill out of wrap dresses and button down shirts.

I feel like I have been looking for one of these for my entire adult life. But, aren’t they a bit odd? Don’t they just attract more attention to the area?

-3D

via sheunlimited