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!

I like to look smaller too. 32 F/FF, at 5'6" size 14. Looking for tips and also bras that minimise but don't end up with boobs going under- arm. Watching eagerly for more tips….

Get the bra right and you're 75% of the way there. I wear a moulded bra the same style now for 5 years, I will wear no other - it's the fantasie moulded t shirt bra. It doesn't look pretty but it gives fantastic uplift and great shape - other bras gave me a matronly shape that no top would disguise.

I'd agree with that Snowdon, although funnily for my norks fantasie make them really matronly - everyone's different! I like Ewa Michalak and Cleo bras for good uplift and quite a projected shape which is the opposite of frumpy.

Clothes wise, I'm a 30HH on a pair of size 14ish hips so not much fun. I also have a terrible mum tum although I do have a waist. As a rule I have lived in dresses although I'm trying to experiment a bit more so have been buying tops and skinny/straight leg jeans. Recent purchases which have worked for me have been:
maddy which drapes really well and I swear looks better on than it does in that photo!
dana - this sits a bit lower neckline wise on me (you can vary it a bit) so it's low enough that I don't have a boob shelf!
tallie, lower necked on me...running theme there!
red pepperberry dress, flattering but tummy friendly
likewise, skims tummy very well
work dress, boob friendly
this should make my norks look like a shelf but is remarkably well cut and gets loads of complements (I have a different colour)

I also have a fair bit of stuff from French connection which is often boob friendly and not frumpy. Phase eight is generally boob friendly but you do have to choose with care, they do some nice things but some are awful. Hobbs works, Ted Baker occasionally do good tops and I got a lovely blazer from there purple version which looks nice open over jeans

Generally cowl necks, or quite wide scoops/square necks are very good on me and avoid me looking matronly

Empire line, but the fitted type rather than tent-like. It's the only style I feel remotely nice in. And anything more than half an inch above my cleavage makes me feel frumpy too.

Oh, or a low cowl neck.

Scarletohello I am the same size/shape as you and pretty much live in Fatface/Whitestuff-type tunic and skinnies.

I'm 5'7'' and 30g, quite slim but hourglass so easily look bulky

StatisticallyChallenged, you have very similar taste to me!
I was about to suggest cowl-necked tops (there seem to be loads about atm). H&M have cheapies in pink and burgundy; Pure have some in the sale (although the neck hangs too low on me so might go back); I also found some Esprit ones at Zalando; even popped a beige one into my trolley at Sainsbury's the other week!
I wear a long-sleeved vest underneath, but they look ok under an open-necked cardi (obviously not dressy or formal work situations).
I have a similar dress to the red one, from Oasis, in forest green, but mine has short sleeves so, again, needs a vest/t-shirt.
Jigsaw have a red drapey jumper which is almost identical to one I have from Kew which I wear to death in the winter - it's light but warm. I think Whistles are still selling the jersey blazer I bought last summer, that's flattering. And Jigsaw's little wool jackets are usually lovely - I'd love one, but can't justify £200+ - maybe next Christmas . . .

Agree with empire line - yes not the gathered type, but the fittted sort gently skims over everything without bulking out.

Must look at that bra mentioned - now that I'm 50 the styles I used to wear give me a definite matronly look, which I hate. I have a moulded Freya Deco which is better, but they look a bit 'presented on a plate' which is sad but maybe unavoidable - I definitely couldn't wear a neckline low enough to show it!

Jigsa

< warms up >
Forgot to say, the flared dress has made me realise I can wear that shape, as long as there's no gathering at the waist. It feels really feminine and comfortable, but balances out the boobage.

I always tended towards pencil or straight styles before, but I'm now on the lookout for a skater skirt that's not short, like the ones DD wears, but finishes on the knee. Probably a tall order.

Oh yes, I love skater/fit and flare type dresses. They're really flattering on me.

Shotgun, I think most skater skirts are basically a short circle skirt. I've recently bought www.karenmillen.com/leopard-wool-jacquard-skirt/sale-skirts/karenmillen/fcp-product/062SR03874 this which is lovely on ( I wear with a black, tucked in cowl neck)

I think the quality of fabrics Pepperberry uses are atrocious given the price.

I agree with the bra being key. I don't do 'sexy' underwear I'm quite sexy enough all on my own - I do do bras that fit properly. I really like Damsel in a Dress for special outfits and wish I could afford more!

Statisticallychallenged I wear really similar styles to you but have never worn a fit and flare dress before.I also love the Karen Millen skirt but would it look right on a 5ft 3 woman with short chunky legs.I've always tended to go for tube skirts with a slouchy jumper over and worn with boots before.I do love your clothes though and agree that Phase 8 do really flattering cowl next tops.

I see what you mean, SC - lovely skirt, although I think I need the flare to start from lower down, iyswim - adds bulk to my belly otherwise. Might be worth a try though.

Teta, I'd suggest trying the style of dress on and taking a photo in the changing rooms. I do it a lot and it's good for giving a more objective view than just looking in the mirror.

Good advice on here

I think empire line dresses that tie at the back work well on big boobs as well Dvf style.

I can't do skater dresses at all Statistically challenged - they make my boobs look enormous.

I've got a couple of really nice Desigual dresses - this style rather than the round-necked ones, although they are quite scoopy so can work too.

www.desigual.com/en_GB/womens-clothing/dresses/prod-tibet-37V2135?selectedColor=2000

I do have to chose with care - some of them have a sort of round t-shirt neck which doesn't work so well but as long as it has a v, scoop or even boat neck it can work for me. I do love wrap dresses too.

Shotgun, I know what you mean. I have a belly but it's quite low down and that shape of skirt hides it very well as all you see is the skirt IYSWIM. That's why I wear tucked in tops with them as my waist is the narrowest bit so it highlights that then disguises the mess that is my hips and thighs :( In terms of overall body shape (i.e. hourglass) thene pencil skirts and very fitted dresses like the two tone phase eight one I linked to really suit me, but because I'm not as slim as I'd like to be I have to wear spanx under them to make them work.

I wear blokish clothes. Men's shirts. Long oversized jumpers - again usually men's ones - bought from eBay. The quality and fabric is often better.

And jeans.

It's a sort of non-stylish style.

OOH StatisticallyChallenged These suggestions are all so fab!
Anyone in the London area want to go shopping together some time? Otherwise I shall just print out and keep this guide...

Forgot to add I've been wearing boots a lot with skinny jeans - boring but the boots balance me out a bit, 34JJ but no hips or arse
Ballet pumps I like but then I can look a bit top heavy

Thanks Shotgun for the jacket tips!

Alas goodasitgets skinny jeans are just a cruel, cruel joke on me. [Sighs] Actually I find casual far harder to do than 'smart'. I can't wear dresses and pencil skirts all the time and tend to fall back on tracky bums. I hate them though - they just make me look like a lump.

Those of you checking out Ronen Chen, do let me know if anything suits! I've promised myself this one if I lose a stone, how's that for motivation?
www.ronenchenstoreuk.com/ronen-chen--hayden-dress---navy-12970-p.asp

I am BFing, so have mainly been living in a stretchy top/cardigan combo, which with the right neckline is ok although not all my tops have the right neckline . Now DS2 is cutting down on daytime feeds, I might be able to wear the occasional dress, which for me can often be more flattering and more likely to fit right.

ocelot41 have you tried Uniqlo jeggings? Find these are very easy to wear & don't have muffin tops.

THey have elasticated waist at top but designed to look like jeans.

I wear them with shirts (cover bum!) and cardy/V-neck jumper

No I haven't - thanks for the tip Stokey! Who needs store advisers, eh?

ocelot I so agree about casual being harder to do than smart. I struggled for years to find jeans that looked good and found it very liberating to give up on jeans 2 years ago. The closest thing to jeans I wear are straight leg cords but I'm mostly in dresses these days.