Looking Good, Feeling Great - Plus-size clothing for a girl with small boobs?

Hi everyone,

I'm new to these forums, and I wanted to see if anyone has the same issue as me. I carry most of my excess weight in my hips and thighs. I only have A-cup breasts, so it is REALLY hard to find dresses. They either fit my upper half and squeeze the life out of my lower half, or they fit the lower half and are way too baggy on the top. I usually wear between size 16 and 21 (depending on the brand) for pants, and I have a hard time even finding shirts. I usually buy a medium or a large for shirts, but it really depends. I have broad shoulders, so shirts that tend to fit me end up sagging in the boob area. Does anyone know of any retailers that sell plus-size clothes that can be worn by someone with this body type? I can't imagine that I'm the only plus-size woman in the world who doesn't have a gigantic chest (even though that's what retailers try to make me believe).

Thanks everyone! :)
Jen

Jen! I'm one of your species! I have an A cup too, altho you wouldn't know it. I have had to buy bras that are b or c AND use extenders in back so they fit me. They don't make 44a or 42a or 40a bras. So here is what I know...

I usually wear skirts and tops bc almost allllll dresses will not fit right. :mad:

Retailers DO believe all heavy girls have big boobs, as do most men. ;)

My best advice is to just go up a size or so in bras but get one that is molded and rounded that smooths you out nicely and will look good under all your clothes. It also helps to hold out your tops to prevent some of the sag there. :belly:

It's bad enough to not have big, bouncy boobs like most big girls do, but to have ppl assume you DO have them is ridiculous. And that's what retailers do. :tantrum:

The thing I know about all this that is good?? We won't have to worry about them sagging to our knees in the coming years! Ours will remain perky. :D (What choice do they have?!?) :yikes:

Jen! I'm one of your species! I have an A cup too, altho you wouldn't know it. I have had to buy bras that are b or c AND use extenders in back so they fit me. They don't make 44a or 42a or 40a bras. So here is what I know...

It makes me so mad!!! I'm about a 38a, and it's hard to find even those! I've had the most luck at Target and specialty stores (there's an outlet around here that sells only undergarments, and it's great because they're cheap!). Once in a while I can barely fill a b-cup, but it's pretty rare. Right now I wear cotton pullover bras most of the time. They squish my boobs, but they're already small anyway. :P Oh yeah, and what flip is up with the fact that one 38 bra can fit around my chest, and the next 38 bra will squeeze the life out of me? I guess it's plausible that cup sizes would vary (seeing how much women's clothing sizes do), but 38 is a measurement! Why can't they get at least THAT part right?

I usually wear skirts and tops bc almost allllll dresses will not fit right. :mad:

Retailers DO believe all heavy girls have big boobs, as do most men. ;)

Haha, yeah. I've always said, "Wow, it's really nice that I got stuck with giant hips and thighs, yet I don't even get the the benefit of having big boobs. THANKS!" Not that I want gargantuan boobs, but it would be nice if I could at least regularly fill a b-cup. Is that so much to ask!?!?

My best advice is to just go up a size or so in bras but get one that is molded and rounded that smooths you out nicely and will look good under all your clothes. It also helps to hold out your tops to prevent some of the sag there. :belly:

Yeah, I have a 38b wonderbra, but it's so uncomfortable. :( Plus it kind of makes me boobs look triangular. :lol:

The thing I know about all this that is good?? We won't have to worry about them sagging to our knees in the coming years! Ours will remain perky. :D (What choice do they have?!?) :yikes:

Haha, that is true! :D

I have always had small boobs. I'm a B cup (well, to be honest one side is probably a full A and the other is a B, yes I'm VERY lopsided). As if the lopsided-ness weren't enough of a hurdle, then there's the fact that I am at least a 38. Some 38's are even too small, depending on the brand. I can't stand having myself sucked in with bulges sticking out everywhere so I only have 2 or 3 bras that REALLY fit me well. And I also have to pad one side to fill it out enough to make up for the smaller boob. I think it's ridiculous that people assume we are large EVERYWHERE! I wasn't blessed with that asset!

Mememmeme toooo!!!

It makes shopping SO hard for me because I can't even fill out the tops! They fit around my waist, but I'll have to take them in a good 1-2 inches in order to make it fit my boobs, and shorten the strap. =(

I hate the fact that they all assume that women have huge boobs if they're overweight or plus sized, because not all of them do!

BTW, I'm a 44B. I can't even fill a C cup.....

I don't have your problem, ladies, but I do have very large boobs and I too have a hard time finding the right kind of dresses to wear. I have to be especially careful of v-necks because it can end up being more bosom than I wish to reveal. I love these wrap dresses that are popular now but I bought three from a catalog without trying them on and I looked awful in them. I have to buy tops to fit my bust and then the material sometimes sticks out so far, I look pregnant.

However, I would recommend www.jms.com (justmysize) or www.womanwithin.com. Those are two catalogs that have a very large selection of bras and under garments for those of us who are on either end of the spectrum.

BTW, I wear a 46F and I feel that a larger bust makes me look matronly in a lot of clothes even with a really good bra. Also, all of the weight from my breast tissue wears out bras quickly. So, there are some "perks" to having smaller boobs.

Same here! I am very pear shaped, so anything that actually fits in the top doesn't fit in the bottom. All of my suits would look great if I had the boobs to properly fill them out. It takes a 16W to fit my top but my bottom is still a 20/22. Very sad.

42B The only ones I have seen fit nicely are the Lane Bryant wire ones. Nothing fancy, no push up or anything like that, just the cotton ones.

I'm a 40B (barely B) and I also second Lane Bryant bras. I get the underwire padded ones though with the little chicken cutlet insert! It gives a nice fit under shirts/blouses/tees which obviously in my size are created for gals with large bosoms! I actually have to buy my tops to fit my large upper arms though. They are more of a fitting concern than my small breasts.

I get the underwire padded ones though with the little chicken cutlet insert!

I get those same ones just not in that size. But I so ROFL'D at the chicken cutlet insert. I still have no idea why they put those in bras that are like 44DDD, like a girl that size needs extra enhancement.

Well if it makes anyone feel better I am not happy with being too large on top. Like pamatga I also look 3 times as big in blouses unless they are form fitting. Another problem is getting my picture taken from the waist up which makes me look alot bigger than I am. I cannot find clothes that fit me the right way either. Here I thought if I were only smaller on top clothes .would look better on me.

I still have no idea why they put those in bras that are like 44DDD, like a girl that size needs extra enhancement.

:lol: I'm a D and I accidently bought those! They make me look unnaturally large. It's horrible!

:lol: I'm a D and I accidently bought those! They make me look unnaturally large. It's horrible!


Who was the silly man who thought girls like us actually want that kind of enhancement:dizzy:

Who was the silly man who thought girls like us actually want that kind of enhancement:dizzy:

They have them for DDD gals too!

The only time I had larger was when I was pregnant LOL. I went from a D cup to a B cup - and some smaller c cups (but are usually pretty snug).

I feel your pain!

I tend to buy my clothes at second-hand stores... for some reason many of them fit me better.

If I have the money, I'll go to Penningtons 14+ store. They have many ranges :)

Not sure if they have them in the USA though.

Been watching all the makeover shows - they make the point that many women can really benefit from tailoring. My problem was my gut - it's getting better now, but the shirts would hang from my shoulders and be tight around the tummy.

Most of the shirts that used to fit, I'm now giving away.

Sue

I used to work as a bra fitter (yuuup, really) and a trick that SOMETIMES works if you're having a tough time finding bras in your size (especially with a larger band size/smaller cup size) is go DOWN a band size and UP a cup size.

So... I'm probably a 38B, but a 36C fits exactly the same... and because a 36C is MUCH easier to find, I just buy 36Cs... This trick usually works for one size up/down, but not much more than that... For example, I wouldn't even TRY to do a 34D :)

Bra manufacturers are CRAZY.

Though -- in a perfect world -- you should be MUCH more concerned about your band size than your cup size. Believe it or not, the BAND is what makes the bra work... If you find that the band is cutting into you, GET A LARGER band size... vanity aside. And, contrary to popular belief, if the band is riding up your back, get a SMALLER band size.

I'll never forget fitting a woman who was wearing a band size 4-5 sizes TOO small because it was the largest they had a victoria's secret (38)... and it was so painful for her. When I finally got her in the right band size, you could just see the relief on her face... it makes SUCH a huge difference.

Ookaaayyy... enough bra fitting talk for one day :)

I'm so glad to hear that there are other gals out there with this same problem.

Does anyone else feel like a chubby pre-pubescent girl from the waist up? No boobs and thick in the belly? Fortunately I have broad shoulders, which fake an hourglass shape, but also require a large shirt (also for my thick upper arms).

I wear a 36A, but I don't fill out the cups. Even though I wear padded cups, I have to be careful that they don't get bumped so they don't cave in. I tried a 38A, but it seemed too big. If only they had a 38AA.

I tend to wear a 12/14 top and 18/20 bottom, so regular shops are too small and plus-sized shops are too big. I'm in my 30s, and I often have to get plus-sized juniors, which are difficult to some by, and tend too often toward low-rise pants.

Victoria's Secret's padded no-wire cotton bras have been a staple, but they don't seem to carry them anymore. They now make them "unlined" which is just a nightmare. The *only* reason I have to wear a bra is for the nipple factor, and unlined does nothing.

I've been wearing a lot of babydoll / empire waist garments, but it's borderline between cute and maternity looking.

As for dealing with the bottom, Lane Bryant's "Right fit" jeans have been a miracle. It's too bad that the slacks they offer are so cheap looking in that gross polyester. If they had nice tweeds, heathers, plaids, stripes, etc. I would buy all my pants there. Or if they were as cheap as they look. But they charge $55 for the ugliest pants; I've purchased similar looking pants from WalMart for $19. (sigh)

I too wear tops and skirts. However, skirts have the same problem. I need a minimum size 16 (often 18/20) to fit over my 50" hips, but that's like a hoola-hoop on a 32" waist. And I'm long-torso, so shirts ride up, bottoms fall down onto my hips, and my rolly tummy hangs out. Very frustrating.

As I mentioned, I often end up wearing babydoll tunics, and I've starting layering long tank tops under shirts so that something covers my midriff.

Tailoring is also great, but as a grad student, it's not something I can afford. As for the dress issue, I just search for styles that are fitted on top and spacious below, like '50s stlye party dresses, empire waist, etc. Still, it's difficult to shop for that if it's not the hot new look.
Thanks for letting me vent a bit!

Here's a link for a website that will deliver bras in virtually every size, and they have a great selection of all brands, too:
http://www.laurensilva.com/
Hope it helps...
Kira

I am so happy!!!! Not because I have small boobs, but because other woman have the same problem!!!!! I really thought I was not normal being plus size and having small boobs. I've had good luck with Lane Bryant bras. Most come in B cup sizing, although sometimes even a B seems a tad too big for my boobs. I wear a 40B. I am going to try that tip someone suggested of going down a size and up a cup. I was recently searching online for plus size lingerie and found this British plus size lingerie site. I've been browsing their site and they have super cute and sexy bras in sizes ranging from 34-46 A and 34-46B!!!! I have never seen a brand with that size range. They also have bustiers and underwired slips in this size range too. simplyyours.co.uk

for the first time i know people who have the same problem as me!! i have no breasts and bras are terrible for me to find..i actually buy bigger bras and stuff away :) ( lol so i cheat a little) i also have a hard time with jeans..because i have, as my ex would say, a JLO booty....i hate shopping for clothes and shoes because nothing fits! i am relieved that i am not alone :)

I wear padded bras--have to have no choice. Maybe you could experiment with some different bras to find some leaving you with some curves up top to make you more proportionate.

I have the same problem! I was so happy when Lane Bryant started carrying B cup bras, there was one molded one with air pockets I got a couple years ago that I liked because it made me look chestier, though the molding seemed to get hard to keep in form after a while so my white one is starting to look a wee bit deformed.

I also have a lot of bras from just my size that I think I got from walmart ages ago. They seem to have an excellent selection on their website too. My favorite workout bra was this wireless gel-strap bra I got forever ago, it's still in great condition. I wish I had a couple more though just so I don't have to wash the one I have constantly. Sooo comfy. :)

I recently bought a strapless bra for my wedding dress and the b-cup was just way too big for me. (And yet still nothing compared to the cavernous chest area in the dress that the seamstress is taking in this weekend...) Fortunately the place I went was able to sew cup pads right into the bra though. I might eventually go back there for an every day one.

I'm a giant pear as well. My back is broader and my shoulders are on the narrow side too. I have to get a bra about three sizes too small, B cup, and use a bra extender in the back. I've bought the Lane Bryant bras too, with the underwires and the air pockets. My girls flop around inside and it feels uncomfortable. I'm on the prowl for something new. I'd even pay someone to make me a custom bra!

Georgia

You can't believe how happy I was to find this! I generally wear a size 22/24 top and a size 20/22 bottom.. because my tummy is large, and I'm shaped like an apple, with skinny legs! It's awful.. but the worst is the problems I have with my breast size and bra's. I breastfed my kids and when that happened I was only a B cup.. I can fill a C but it is mostly with just the skin left over from what USED to be BREASTS! So.. I tried the going down a band size and up a cup size... and that did NOT work for me.. I've tried underwire, padded bra's... but because of the fleshy parts under my arms on the sides and on my back, everything hangs over and sticks out.. this is NOT an attractive look. Lately, I've gone to wearing those TUBE bra's ... looks like a tube top with a pad for each breast (chicken cutlett) They do ok until you have worn them a few times.. then they stretch out and roll up.. thank goodness they are only about 7$ a pop. I do have a preference for bra's from Lane Bryant... but NOTHING ever seems to REALLY fit.. anyone fall into my catagory?? I generally wear a 42C but only if it is padded and underwired!

Lane Bryant fitter tells me I am a 42 C but those cups gape so I bought the demi in a B and the C in a padded one with air implant things. I was a girl that was wearing Victoria Secret in 38 C with an extender and I looked horrible. I look bigger and better in LB bras for really the same price but I kept all those VS ones because I will be back there one day my friend!

I am 52, 180 pounds and had breast reconstruction after cancer a few years back. My boobs were reconstructed with my own tissue and are shaped rather wide and flat, like they were before, but then I was a size 6 and I would wear a bra size 36A. Now, most bras are way too pointy and the cups are too big for my size 42 back. I found these silicone triangles at JoAnn Fabrics that I am about to try. One type adheres to your skin and another type sticks to your clothes. I thought a camisole or shapewear tank top could go over them to smooth out any weird shape and help me feel like I am wearing more underclothes. I only have a few bras that I wear and the get tight during the day, which I hate. I used to have some older camisoles with bras built in, but you can't find them anymore. The weren't the shelf bra variet and not the underwire variety either. The had a soft molded bra shape only in the front, very comfortable. I could probably make a million bucks if I could make these. I'll post when I know how the triangle works.

I went to the fashion bug yesterday they have a bunch of cloths for big chicks, and I needed a new bra but it turns out they didn't carry a A48, I feel your pain and it seems like there's no places to find the right bra without selling your arm or leg.

Wow! This is amazing,so may of us! I think there should be a new forum started for us. " T I B T C" The Itty Bitty Titty Club. I'm a 36 B ( the B stands for barely). I almost always buy Maidenform bras that have a bit of molding which helps make my pear shape look more hourglass. This is so interesting to hear from the larger chested ladies. Every time I try on a form fitting top,especially one that buttons up, I wonder how a woman with even an average size chest could fit into some of them. Several years ago a very large chested woman I worked with mentioned she bought some new "sleeping bras". I was like "Ummm...huh? What is that?" I had no clue some people needed to wear bras to just sleep in! Eeeewwww! I'll take my tot size "girls" any day over that!

I feel your pain I avoid dresses because of my pear shape they don't look right on me.

Good to see I am not the only one with this problem.Despite being 14 stone plus I am a 38b and tops and dresses always gape at the neck, shoulders and "bust". Any time I have lost weight before this is always the first place it has gone from, leaving me with even smaller boobs and a big belly! Having said that, the older I am getting I am getting slightly more appreciative of them becase at least they are still perky. A recent discovery for me has been "fillers". Never used to like using stuff like that before - always thought it was cheating and vain. However, even although they resemble chicken fillets they give you a better shape, I look more in proportion and tops fit better.

Hi! Just wanted to pop into the convo and say that I'm an A cup too (and was at 200.) If I'm small chested now, I think I'll be really small by the time I reach my goal weight. It might be a life-long clothing obstacle, but it's an aspect of our bodies we'll need to learn to love. Just like bigger chested girls, smaller chested girls have dilemmas at any weight. My sister is thin, but small-chested as well, and she is displeased with how she fits into clothes. Go figure. I think she's beautiful in every way. Just shows you that people are really self-critical even when they're lovely.

I too am a member of the IBTC. At the moment I am wearing a 46 A from justmysize dot com. No, I take that back. I'm not wearing a bra because I can get away with NOT wearing one! :cb:

always been apart of that club...i've recently stumbled onto leading lady full figure bras, and they've actually been pretty comfy. i've got both no wire and underwire and so far so good. plus, they've always had my size in stock when i've looked. maybe they'll be helpful to you girls as well?