Today, I got into a conversation with a lady at work about weight and working out. She is rather health conscious, just like me, but harbors a lot of common dietary misconceptions (examples: carbs are bad, you will look thinner if you lose weight fast, eating nothing but rice cakes and celery in a day is good, weight training will make you bulk up). When we got on the topic of weight, I found out that her and I are identical - both a little over 5'6" but a little under 5'7" and 135 pounds.

I was surprised to know she weighed 135 because I thought she looked SO much thinner than I did. Then, I realized why:
She's FLAT!

For some peculiar (or not so peculiar) reason, I always think flat chested people look thinner. While saying that, I definitely do not my breasts to shrink.

So, to you, out of curiousity, who looks thinner? Ladies with big ol' "girls" or those with a more modest set?

Modest girls, for sure, at normal weights. It's the ONE consolation we get for not filling out tops properly and having to buy our bras in the junior section, near the training bras.

HOWEVER, when you're heavier, I think a bigger set makes you look LESS big, because they are proportionate. They balance with the rest of you and look more normal. I think when I was heavier my stomach looked bigger because it was huge, in comparison to the modest chest.

I've often wondered the same thing. My chesticles are out there as well. Granted they are getting smaller as I lose weight.

Perhaps it appears she is smaller because her shirt/blouse doesn't stick out and she can probably buy a smaller size because she has nothing to hold it out.

If you develop a friendship with her and can ask........take her to a store and find a padded bra that is your size and have her try it on. Then have her put on the same shirt and see if it makes a difference. I know, a bizarre request but it is the only thing that comes to mind.

mandalinn, you are so right that big boobs make fat girls look thinner. No wonder everyone was shocked to find out I weighed 175 I have the typical hour glass thing going on, which I LOVE having and did not have before I lost weight, but I feel like if my body was more like a stick (or a guy's haha), I'd probably look thinner.

cbmare, shirt shopping can be tricky for us big booby girls, BUT I've had some luck finding shirts that are form fitting to both my breasts and the rest of me. If I become apart-from-work friends with this chick, I definitely will ask one day.

There are some shirts at Nordstrom that are geared specifically towards your breast size, too. They're expensive but fit nicely.

People all carry their weight differently (as I'm sure everyone here knows) but to my eye those who end up carrying more on top look like they weigh a little more than those who do not have a lot on top to carry.

I've always thought myself somewhat fortunate to have a top that's fairly proportionate to my (enormous ) bottom. (Detracts from the stomach at least!) But, because of that, I doubt I'll ever look slim, regardless of my weight.

I think its a matter of proportion and dressing right. Ever see What not to wear? The right clothes can make you look thinner, the right bra, etc.

What a funny topic lol.. but it is interesting once you start really thinking about it. I have a big chest myself right now and sometimes I think it makes me look fatter but people say I'm pretty proportionate. My stomach doesn't stick out farther than my boobs for example. I guess as long as you are proportionate then you will look fine.

Well I was not so blessed in having big girls! But I say both, most people say how skinny I look and I'm a 36 A, but then again my waist is real small and I am a tall drink of water too, so I think that elongates my body, plus I am proportioned evenly, being my broad shoulders balance the booty. But then again sometimes I see peeps with big girls and I think having a big ole chest makes you look smaller for some reason 'specially if you have a small waist. All depends on proportions though really.

FYI, I was blessed with a booty instead, so I am certain my girls will be "perky 4-EVA". I won't have to worry about saggy boob syndrome in my future. My girlfriends who have big chestage, always complain that in 20 years they will just have to tuck them into their pants and they will be good to go! I just chuckle and say not me.

I think any significant misproportion that distorts the classic "hourglass" draws attention to the widest spot and tends to make a person look bigger than they are. My mom had a friend who is extremely pear shaped, I mean freakishly so. Very flat tiny top (a size 4) and huge hips and thighs (size 12 to 14). She looked like two different women sawed in half and put back together wrong.

I think that's probably why overweight women with hourglass figures seem to carry the weight better than extreme apples and pears.

I've always had a small chest compaired to the rest of my body size. I used to get asked ALL THE TIME if was pregnant because my stomach was bigger than my boobs.

Even with a smaller tummy my boobs still look small. Then again I have two kids. so saggage is common.

I bought myself a nice pushup bra... they're still small, but then again I hate tight shirts, so I guess it wouldn't really show much now does it?

I wear nothing but padded bras. Ever. If they made padded sports bras, I'd probably wear them. Well, maybe not. But any other time - I have padding. It makes me look smaller, I think, because it provides some difference from my waist to my chest.

I don't have any hips, either.

Amanda- That's exactly what I was going to post

I have no waist and narrow hips, and wide shoulders. I need some bra assistance so I don't just look like a block. My only redeeming feature is that my legs seem longer than they should be for my height, and are the leanest part of me. I like to think that with legs and a padded bra, I look taller and have some shape.

Mel

I think a person that is proportional looks thinner than the same weight same height person that has a small chest. Bigger chests tend to even out the body a little more if someone carries weight in the tunny area or the hip area.

I definitely agree with the posts above regarding larger breasts and being overweight. I have always looked smaller than my actual weight as an obese person. People are truly shocked when I tell them my starting weight. But, even at 215, I had an hourglass shape (well, till menopause anyway - LOL). I also perfected the wardrobe tricks to make the girls look big and the waist look small.

I haven't been a normal weight in so long that I can't intelligently comment on whether I look smaller or larger than others with smaller breasts at the same weight.

I love the comments about padded bras! I have a hard time finding one that isn't padded that I like. I can't figure out why I would contemplate buying a push-up, padded 38DDD. But someone must, since there are a lot of them for sale

Counting
Oh I laugh. Who on earth needs padding when they wear a 40D ( hey hey down from a 42D congrats to me ). Good heavens I have enough padding all of my own. I have a heck of a time sometimes finding bras without padding.