flattering clothes for the ample busted

[GettinTrimmer]

My bust measures 43in, I am hoping to reduce that as I lose weight, but at my slimmest I am still a DD cup. Can anybody recommend flattering clothes? I know to avoid polo necks from watching Trinny and Susannah ages ago! Does anyone have more tips?

A note of caution on Bravissimo - I find a lot of their fitters are not very good to be honest (there was an article in Which? recently which found much the same thing)and they have a tendency to stock a lot of "balcony" bras, which look nice and sexy as a bra but don't give a good shape under clothes.
Small lingerie shops in towns rather than cities are best in my experience though stock will be limited and prices fairly high.

"Rules", particularly those peddled by Trinny and Susannah or Gok, are to be ignored - use your eyes instead, not all big-breasted folk suit the same stuff. Wrap tops never fit me and look awful, but a slim fitting black polo neck looks fine.

I got fitted at Rigby & Peller before I got married (4 yrs ago) - and nearly fell over in horror when she told me I was a 32G. Had previously thought I was a 36D . I actually burst into tears - not sure why, except I did not want to look like Barbara Windsor on my wedding day!

Anyway, correct bras are a MUST - M&S are rubbish at measuring...in fact, steer clear of anyone who whips out a tape measure. The real experts can tell by looking at you! And Bravissimo say they can do fittings over the phone (not sure how, as have not tried this). In any case, every time you wear a new brand, the fit will be slightly different, so I always try before I buy. My favourites for consistency of fit, shape and support are Freya & Fantasie - both on Bravissimo.

Clothes wise, I like:

• good quality shirts, with darts & seams in the right place. Any old £9.50 job is a total false economy
• wrap dresses (with thin vest underneath if needed)
• deep V necks (with vest)
• deep-ish scoops
• Cardigans that you can leave unbuttoned to create a V neck

NEVER polo necks or chunky knits - you will look like a walking ball of yarn. Think layers.

Bottom half - not skinny jeans, I think they look awful (but I concede that could just be me) - something to balance out your proportions. I do like a nice pencil skirt though.

And high heels.
Fishnets also divert the attention nicely

Bravissimo is all well and good for the well-endowed, but useless if you are both well-endowed and fat. They may do a K cup, but they only do a 40 fitting.

I went in and was sneered at. Will never darken their doors again.

Im a 30FF (and growing daily now that I'm pregnant).

Teh right fitting bra is crucuial - I wore a 36DD my whole life till a fitting at Rigby & Pellor gave me my right size. I look thinner in the right bra as my mass is no longer round my waist (as it was in the wrong bra) but at my chest, where it should be.

Bravissmo does fantastic clothes, cut to show off your waist but generously cut over your boobs. Im a 10 or a 12 there and a 14 dress size in most other places to accomodate my cleavage.

If there isnt one in your town they have a good website and they have always refunded me promptly if a purchase isnt right.

Wrap dresses work really well with my hourglass figure, as waist lines are often lost when you wear separates.

PS The best thing about wearing the right size bra is that you dont need to keep adjusting your bra and hoiking your boobs up - they stay up all by themselves!

definitely get measured by bravissimo.
They do lovely bras. They do nice tops and dresses too :-)

And fab bikinis - I got my honeymoon bikinis there and I felt gorgeous on the beach in them!

i like plain seamless unpadded.
not frilly ones to show through

i like the m &s total support bras give a really good shape and not nearly as granny as they used to be i always buy Black

Am a 32FF - bigger when pregnant - and can honestly say have never had bad service at Bravissimo. If you cant get to one, an independent lingerie stop should do the trick too.

In terms of what to wear, I've recently found that cowl neck tops (particularly jersey ones) are a revelation in that they give a nice shape but dont make my boobs look enormous. Not a huge fan of v-necks as tend to accentuate my boobs too much -scoop next tops work well though. I tend to use block colours, and accentuate with scarf/belt as needed, as patterns seem to accentuate all the worst bits...

Can anyone suggest good coat styles? If they fit my shoulders they don't do up, not great in this weather!

Currently bf and 34G - used to be 32D so not used to this problem!

TIA

Rigby & Pellar are good but the range is smaller than a good independant. My favourite brand is PrimaDonna- expensive at over £70 but I now get away with cheap V-necks from M&S! And my best coat ever was from Asda this year at £15!

One other tip which I got from my bridal boutique over 12 years ago- 'lift' your boobs into the bra once you have got it in place. Much more comfortable as the wire doesn't dig in and gives a much better look. I have never looked back on this advice & for years thought I was treating myself to the best buying fantasie until I met PrimaDonna!

Lobyd - I noticed on the Bravissimo website a double breasted coat.

I would agree with those who say that a proper bra fitter is about the person not the shop. I once had a bra fitting in France where the woman just gave me a gentle measure with her hand - not a full cupping, just sort of feeling the side and the relationship with the back - and although I was utterlydumbfounded somewhat taken aback, it was the best-fitting bra I've ever had!

i dont think Bravissimo goes up to a 42 or 43 inch bust do they?

They go up to 40 back but many women overestimate the back measure and way underestimate cup size.

I am thinking of indulging on bravissimo pyjama top with sleep bra inside.
Love getting into my jammies early but don't like the floppy boob feel.

ah yes i know what you mean
cheaper to leave bra on
or buy a maternity sleep bra?

Aah I love my bra-in jims jams. They support but are much less uncomfortable than a bra to sleep in, especially as I am a rather snug-fitting Bravissimo 32GG.

32H here

lots of good advice here re bras.i wear a lot of cardigans and in the cold weather have taken to wearing a tight fiting crew neck with a v neck over the top.

also some in betterwear some modesty panels that you clip onto your bras so you can wear a v neck but this strip of material looks like you're wearing a tee shirt or vest underneath and therefore gives the higher neckline. am going to order some myself as i find a lot of lovely tops gape

at ggrirl! Yes I know- it puts me off too!!!!!
Lovely to have a good big boobed conversation- makes me feel less alone.
For what it's worth my recommendation for those in the area is Perfect Fit Lingerie, Woodseats, Sheffield.

SilkyBreeks totally agree re balcony bras, look great on their own, but not good under clothes.

Oh, if you're in or around Chester there's a shop in Hoole called Valerina, she is an old school bra fitter, (looks but doesn't measure) and was the first to put me in a 32 inch bra (been in 34/36 for years before that) but tends to vere towards the "Granny" bra rather than the push-up and look nice styles, or at least she did with me, but I was pregnant at the time!!

I didn't know there was such a thing as sleep bras in pyjamas, what a good idea.

The door sometimes needs to be answered in a hurry, I wouldn't want to be seen without a bra!