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!

One of the critical fashion blogs I was reading about Pepperberry recommends this Polish firm instead www.biubiu.pl/category/en/nowosci

I don't know their stuff but their prices are great! Anyone have any experience of them?

I find only fitted clothes suit me. They still make my boobs look large but I don't look fat all over. I can't wear anything floaty or loose or square. Those short jumpers with round necks that are in the shops now (for young people) look awful on me. And I can't wear scoop necks either.

Ooh , nice stuff!

Yes, those boxy, cropped jumpers would be disastrous.
I'm trying to wean myself off jeans as well - since having my gallbladder out last year, it's left me with a band of podge just below the waist (a normal side effect apparently), so my muffin top has doubled. Hey ho.

I'm always looking for a dark denim skirt, but it's hard to find one with the right shape and colour. I do have a burgundy one from White Stuff/Fatface I think, and a few shortish straight velvet ones to wear with woolly tights.

Also a plain as plain cotton t-shirt dress from H&M - scooped neck and pretty shapeless, but good for a schlepping around at home day.

ocelot yes I have several shirts and dresses from them, prefer them to pepperberry. Shirts are longer and dresses don't have the massive cleavage pepperberry loves. Have bought according to the sizing guide and everything fits well.

Some lovely clothes in those links Stats. I recently had my 'colours done' by HoC and am desparate to shop but have now booked a style day so am sitting on my credit card until then .

Ooh this is nice from BiuBiu. Never heard of them before

www.biubiu.pl/en/martini-cream.html

Thinking of getting my colours done too-pretty sure I'm a winter ( pale cool skin very dark hair, dark eyes. ..high contrast) )but would be interesting to see for sure

I'm a (Jewell) Winter!

Style day is a great idea. It's so useful to just 'know' whether something is right for you or not.
I do find I sometimes still have to compromise, usually for practical reasons (ie I just need strong, waterproof boots atm and the Timberlands don't go with my style personality, but tough. I will, however, look and feel like an idiot in them .

My DM gave me a Color Me Beautiful sesh for a (big) bday. Invaluable! I didn't learn much that was new in the shapes bit, but helpful to have the diagram and colour sample book in handbag when shopping

Thanks for your voice of experience on Biu Biu BTW HazleNutt. I think I will try them. Hallelujah for affordable and well-fitting clothes!

Thanks from me too HN.

Btw folks - 5 % off if you cite the code on Biu Biu's Facebook page. Thought I would let you know as it sounded as if some folk might order. Every little helps!

Oooh! That Biu Biu site is lovely! Is the quality good? Mind you with those prices I don't think I'd mind so much. www.biubiu.pl/en/monaco-blue.html is trying to jump into my basket

Some biubiu reviews here
www.curvywordy.com

I'm a 32J and an hour glass shape and about a 12/14 (but not a jane norman 12/14 ). I find I look best in tunic style tops. With an empire line, which I often wear with a cardigan on top, and skinny jeans, leggings or boot cut jeans.

I find if I don't wear the tunic top with the tie round the back, I look as big as my boobs, when I have actually got a waist (although these days somewhat hidden by my mum tum!).

I tend to get a lot of my clothes from the white stuff and fat face. I also like mantaray and some John Rocca from Debenhams. They suit my style, and shape. Alternatively, when I need something slightly smarter, I like the dresses from phase eight, again just a jersey type fabric with an empire line, and often a tie at the waist.

the curvyworld blog also mentions this place, dd-atelier.com
Some nice stuff, will probably order some to try.

Saint bustier has some lovely stuff too

OOH LOVE dd-atelier! But appear to be between sizes ...[Sigh]

Some of the items those shops offer are funny - I really don't need a special big-bust, expensive, massive stretcy boxy t-shirt. I can just buy a normal massive stretcy t-shirt, if this is what's missing from my wardrobe. Although big busted women don't really look that great in massive floaty t-shirts anyway.

I would guess most of us are not having so many issues with t-shirts and sweaters, but rather buttoned shirts, jackets and fitted dresses. Would rather make sense to concentrate on those, not on items we can buy from high street.

That's true, Hazle. I was hmm when I saw the lumberjack shirts - I wouldn't be seen dead in one even if If they fitted like a dream!

I think learning to sew would be very, very rewarding in your case. It's easier than you think. You could then buy patterns that fit your shoulders properly (the key to looking smart) and simply then do a full bust adjustment. At the moment you are probably wearing a size that is too big just to accommodate your bust. This will make you look frumpy. If you go down a size, it will pull across the bust and make you look a little too "hello sailor!" Being able to customise would be a godsend.

Here are a some sites to check out for inspiration:

1. A sewing blog by a woman in the US, she is over 40, large busted and pretty fabulous www.ericabunker.com

1. Vogue patterns, check out their figure flattery key when you click through to a particular pattern. You would be an inverted triangle. They also make many patterns that come with different cup sizes so you can customise the fit without doing any extra work. voguepatterns.mccall.com/new-sewing-patterns-pages-174.php

1. Trudy at HotPatterns is a British lady living in Florida, who launched her own independent pattern company. She is fashion forward and happens to have a big bust and a small bum herself. She also has a lot of Utube videos explaining how to use her patterns and giving ideas, using herself as a model (size 16.)

www.hotpatterns.com/fast-fabulous/

HTH

Sorry meant up there ^

HazleNutt, I am a 34F which puts me dead on the BiuBiu 40BB size - in the jersey, do you think 40B/BB or 40BB/BBB would be better?