How do you not look tarty or frumpy if you have big boobs..?

[Scarletohello]

I'm a 34g and find it an absolute nightmare ( and v time consuming ) to find clothes that either don't make me look bigger than I am or make me look top heavy. I think Bravissimo is great but I am sooo disappointed in Pepperberry, I think their clothes are overpriced, frumpy and often just bigger versions of clothes in normal stores, ie styles that are for smaller busts that are unflattering to bigger ones and often cut v high under the bust thus emphasising them. Wrong! I suit styles that are more long and flowing and that skim the bust ( long, floaty skirts and waterfall cardigans etc to balance my top half) but they are hard to find and not v fashionable...

How do you cope with/ dress yours?

People with little bust say, oh you're so lucky but I have literally spent a day going round the shops and found nothing and come back depressed and wanting a boob reduction!

RL Style advisor might be a good idea? Let them to the shopping to flatter you & you eat cake and drink tea apparantly. Haven't done it myself but I prob should!

Thanks for that but a few years ago I say a personal stylist at a dept store. She was useless and condescendingly said, yes you do have a difficult figure to dress. I know that ! Left me feeling humiliated and despondant. Needless to say u didn't buy anything. Just feel like a freak sometime....:(

I guess I sort of embrace them now (am 34JJ)
Generally I wear a lot of skinny jeans with v neck or scoop neck tops, often with a longer cardigan belted over
Or dresses with a belt or tunics over leggings.
I loiter on two blogs - curvywordy and fullerfigurefullerbust and I've bought a fair few things they've recommended

This is easier now I've lost a bit of weight. I tend to wear a fitted top (scoop, boat or V) then a floaty cardigan over the top. This seems to show that I have a figure but softens the side of my boobs so helps not tip over into "look at my magnificent bossom"

Goodasitgets, thanks for the blog recommendations, ill check them out! Am so fed up I am thinking of learning how to sew so I can make my own clothes. Have a few nice dresses, if I could make some copies of them I'd be v happy!

I was going to suggest making your own but you beat me to it.

Other places I can think of (that those blogs recommend) are Collectif clothing, Urkye, Biu Biu

Apart from big boobs, what shape are you?

I'm a 32F. I swear by a good quality scoop necked, quarter or long sleeved t-shirt in black or navy (from M&S) and a tube or pencil skirt - New Look have some really good ones, great, modern patterns, nothing frumpy.

Or a well fitting sweater. I have one in green and one in navy from Cos and they both fit really well (which I didn't expect, as boobs don't seem to be a major concern at Cos ). I'd usually wear them with a tube/pencil skirt or skinny jeans.

Big boobs can be a pain to dress (I can't wear anything that buttons up) but I'm glad I have them as I have wide hips too and they give a bit of balance!

I'm a size 14 but classic apple shape, put weight on my tummy but have no arse and skinny legs. That's why I tend to wear longer clothes. Have a few maxi dresses that look great on me but can't wear anything short ( even tho I've got great legs!)

Re making my own clothes does anyone know of patterns that are for bigger busts...?

I wear v neck / round neck tops. Not too low cut but don't wear high ones either they make them look worse.

I wear shortish / knee length skirts but not with anything low cut any more.

I am too scared to make tops. As there aren't many patterns out there that fit and then you need to adjust them. You can go to places that will help you do it but I am usually ok on tops. Am on a mission to make lots of pencil skirts and wear then with jersey vests / long sleeve tops this year.

Wrap / fake wrap dresses. Great Plains is great for lovely jersey dresses. I just splashed out on a dvf wrap dress which is really flattering. You can pick them up cheaper on ebay. I went to the outlet so wasn't soooo expensive.

Can't do belts around the waist at all....makes me look frump and fat. I'm hourglass so fitted is best but I get bored with the same shapes. Would slash necks loosely fitted work to disguise your middle, or what about ruching? Have you tried Baukjen?

I'm a 32G. Baukjen are good, as are some things at Me and Em. But my hidden secrets are cowl neck tops from Baileys Bamboo (supplier Blackbird in Blackheath or online) and killer dresses from Ronan Chen. When I have any money... just isn't now!

Sorry that should have been Ronen Chen. Much more than I would normally spend but comparable with Baukjen. HOWEVER he makes possibly the most easily wearable and flattering dresses known to womankind so I luff, luff LUFF him. Buy during his sales if you can - good discounts to be had.

He is on the record as saying that he thought it was an outrage that no one was making clothes for real women, so he decided to cut everything on the bias in order to flatter those curvy of bosomage, hips, butt etc not to mention the thunder thighs .

I have had one of his dresses for four years and every time I wear it I get complements - I wear it about once a week, it throws in the washing machine, hasn't pilled or worn or anything. It still looks new

My lovely DH bought my first RC dress for me after DC no 1 when I was a bit teary about what had happened to my stomach but knew I would have no time to diet or exercise for man, many moons. He's STILL reaping the partner points for that one!

Fitted tops, v or a scoop, shorter tops, often 3/4 sleeve. skirts that end at the knee, boots. Makes me feel good.

Try having 30G boobs and being under 5ft - I'm on a constant mission to avoid frumpy. I quite like square necked tops - got a couple of really nice silk ones in the Phase Eight sale. I always wear 3/4 length sleeves and ankle skimming or slim cropped trousers in the summer. Somehow showing off my skinniest bits counter balances the rest (or so I tell myself!). Tops and jackets must be fitted as I do have a bit of a waist, but anything that hangs from the boobs makes me look like a blob. I've never found a shirt that did up without gaping and was the right length for my torso so have completely given up on shirts/blouses.

Hmm thanks all, some suggestions I've never heard of before. Will investigate new brands, don't mind spending some money IF THEY BLOODY FIT!!

Hmm thanks all, some suggestions I've never heard of before. Will investigate new brands, don't mind spending some money IF THEY BLOODY FIT!!

Oh dear posted twice. Well must be due to my bloody frustration. Just glad not to be alone. Off to google Ronen Chen now...

scarlet it sounds as though we have a similar body type. I'm 5'6", size 14, 34FF. I could deal with the big boobs if I didn't carry pretty much all of my excess fat around my belly. I tend to think I look OK, but then see a photo of myself ...

Thanks for the Ronen Chen tip, ocelot, I'll give him a go!

Nigella would be a good style icon to follow

No problem Scarlet and Msvestibule !

Btw, sounds like I am a similar size too (5 ft 5 and a 12/14 depending on the shop). I will be watching this thread eagerly for more tips. Now if anyone could tell me where to find jackets that fit....

Thanks from me too for the Ronen Chen recommendation. Cant wait to try something but will have to wait till the end of the month.