It has taken many years to figure out how to try and be confident with clothes and bras and figure out what works for me and after much time figuring this out I thought I would spend some time giving some advice on a topic I have over seven years of experience with. The key element with all of these tips is adapting it to your size and body type as these can affect how things will look and fit. Similar to snowflakes no two sets of boobs are the same and look the same.
It all starts with the right bra
Get measured at a specialist shop or one that stocks your size. My personal favourite is Bravissimo, where their cup sizes start from D and go up to L and their band size from a 28 to 42. They do free measuring, and every time I’ve been in I’ve had wonderful service. They also explain how your bras should fit, an underrated feature as there is always a point with shopping for big boobs that you give up on the idea of the bra not cutting in or spilling out. They’re also very kind about the fact that so often people come in wearing the wrong bra size. When I went in two years ago I was wearing a 32G, I was a 34HH and I just felt mortified.
Try to get bras that have a second clasp at the top. This is an absolute game changer for support. It takes pressure off your lowerback and side and means its less likely your boobs may fall out or spill. It’s also a great way to wear halterneck, strapless or backless tops as you can get some pretty lace elements to the back of the bra that can look nice with the top.
Accept they are not going to be cheap. This may be incredibly hard for so many people as an average decent bra for big boobs can be around £30 to £40. Whilst the bitterness of how much you have to pay never really goes away you do just have to look at it as an investment. Build your collection slowly, look out for sales, and even if you feel comfortable look for newish second-hand options. When you’re first starting out I’d recommend trying to go into a Bravissimo or any other store that caters for large bras, (M&S now go up to a H), try things on, and ask the assistants.
If you’re going to invest, it has to fit right.
Get yourself at least one non wired one. There are going to be days where you do not want the feel of wire, you are tired, and you’re not doing something strenuous. Whether this is bralette, non wired sports bra or a random one that you found in T X Maxx that works you need something for those gentle days. Your boobs may not looks their absolute perkiest, but they deserve a day off.
Styling the events you hate
Disclaimer: wear what you want. I’m not going to be here telling you not to wear horizontal stripes or avoid chunky jumpers. Some of these tips may also sound like I’m teaching on how to hide away your boobs and in a way some of them are. Body positivity of course teaches to be happy and proud of your body and wear what you want. However, sometimes that means not wanting to draw attention to your boobs for a myriad of reasons, including safety.
The night out
Now, the night out is simultaneously easy and difficult. On the one hand, its super easy to look sexy. Wear a tight or low cut top and a pair of jeans and bam. Sorted. Many a time this has been my go to, and there is nothing wrong with this. It’s a classic, and a reason half my night out wardrobe is halter neck tops.
A long sleeve mesh moment can work nicely too. There are lots of tops that have varying levels of mesh so you can decide exactly how much you want on show. It also means you can wear a bra underneath for more support when dancing.
Speaking on wearing a bra, a bodysuit is a great way to go. Everything stays in place, you can get bra friendly ones, and it means you easily get to show off the waist. I have a quick couple that are my go tos if I have a last minute drinks that I can wear with jeans or a maxi skirt.
Think about tops that are adjustable too! Whether that be through buttons, zips or different ways you can tie, it allows you to wear the top differently throughout the night. This can often be key for feeling comfortable and safe, so you can cover up if you feel exposed or vulnerable. As I said, people have a sense of entitlement around boobs, no more so than drunk people in bars or clubs. My favourite here is a cute shirt that you can wear over a little top or you tie in a knot but allows you to have different levels of coverage.
Alternatively, just wear a cute top you like. It doesn’t have to be sexy or revealing, you’re dressing for you and that’s the most important thing.
The black-tie event
The horror. The tiny straps that look like they’d burst at any moment, the necklines that would cause everyone to call you a whore at the formal event and wearing a bra is nearly impossible. Your friends are look so cute with the cowl necks or the bandeau dress and you’re panicking, you may as well give up and not go! No. Gone are these days.
There are two styles I have found work the best. One is the classic V neck, with thick straps, a back and preferably a quite thick, stretchy material. This allows you to wear a bra no concerns and often you can adjust just how booby the dress is based on how tight the bra straps are and also playing around with the neckline. This is perfect for the kind of event where you’te moving around or its quite a professional or work event.
The second is backless. Hear me out! A high neck but backless dress means you often still get the a lovely shape of boobs to waist with enough material coverage to not worry about slippage. Your best friend here is boob tape. As your entire boobs are covered you have quite a large area to work with to tape and get them to sit how you want without anyone seeing the tape. Get thick boob tape and play around with it before the event.
The interview
A job interview is the one time I will bluntly say we are specifically hiding the girls away. We don’t want to worry about spillage, we don’t want them to be a distraction and we certainly don’t want buttons popping open. However, at the same time, we don’t want the shelf look.
The best combo for this is your most supportive bra with a buttonless shirt. Without the buttons there is no risk of the shirt pulling or straining at the widest part of your bust. Do not be afraid of sizing up to avoid anything being too tight, the number on the shirt doesnt matter.
A lightweight shirt in a fun colour or pattern with a v-neckline can be the perfect professional look. To still get the sophisticated silhouette, pair this with a wide leg trousers that you can gently tuck the shirt into.
For accessories, a nice pair of drop-down earrings firmly keep all the attention up to your eyes and what you’re saying. For the same reason, avoid a necklace.
The gym session
This is not as complicated as it may seem! I have workout gear from Primark to Tala to Gymshark to Nike and lots of different styles. Your standard loose top works perfectly for any workout and again don’t be afraid to size up, the one thing we don’t want to be worrying about is anything riding up.
The sports bra is another matter. Not only do you have to take out a small mortgage to get one trying to find a high-impact one that actually can withstand high impact is incredibly difficult. As someone who plays netball competitively (a sport centered around running in a weird stopping / starting way and jumping) this is incredibly difficult to figure out. I have actually bruised myself from punching my boobs back into my sports bra previously in training.
Sports bra quick tips
- One set of hooks? absolutely not. We need two sets minimum, ones with support at the top are also great.
- When trying a new one on do jumping jacks. This exercise is your worst nightmare due to the movement of arms and legs and the easiest and quickest way to figure out support levels. If it only a little uncomfortable the likelihood is you can run in it. My favourite sports bra is uncomfortable with jumping jacks but I can jog a 5K straight in it.
- Look for ones that are covering the whole set of boobs. We want as much front coverage as possible.
- Try not to play around with going up a band size if your size isn’t in stock. I’ve found that with sports bras this doesn’t work very well for how the bra is meant to fit and the intended support.
Unfortunately with sports bras, you are still quite limited for intense support. As much as I try and stay positive, sprint training and similar drills in netball training is where I feel my worst. I’ve tried a lot of options across my different sizes and sadly ones that worked for me when I was an F or a G don’t go up to my current size.
Overall the best brand by far that I have always stuck with but with different bras is Shock Absorber. They don’t go above a HH which limits some people but overall it’s the best one if you are within these sizes. My current favourite is Shock Absorber Multi, but previously I have liked their run bra also.
That concludes our whistle stop tour of large breasts. Everyone’s journey and style is different but I hope this has served as an insight whether you deal with this, your friend or partner as well as offering guidance on fashion and shopping. At the end of the day your boobs are lovely.
Final favourites
Sports Bra – Shock Absorber Multi
Bralette – Bravissimo Zara
Versatile – Bravissimo Alexa
Everyday – Bravissimo Jenna
Cute set – Boux Avenue Peggy and Leah (These only go up to a G)
Non wired bra – Tala
Featured image credit: J Andrews
Film, Media and Journalism student who writes about things that catch her interest. Instagram @charlsutcliffe
