Why have large breasts become "must haves"?

[Hullygully]

I know someone on here will know the sociological history.

Even in my generation we didn't want them, indeed tried to hide them. Now they are de rigeur (inc implants). What has wrought the change?

This comes from a thread about implants and the whys.

The only time I have had penis envy is they look like a convenient way to piss... Otherwise if you compare the with womens reproductive systems, they look kind of lame and pathetic.... And size it obviously everything....

But the best way to get big boobs (if you don't have them already) is to put on lots of weight, or become pregnant / breastfeed.

It's not actually just about big boobs, is it. Because women don't say "oh big boobs are fashionable, I'll put on a few pounds" - it's the whole "package". Big women with big boobs are not what is required. What is required is slim, toned body, slim hips and buttocks - the body of a slender teenage girl - with the breasts of an older more physically woman stuck on the front. Obviously some women and girls are built like that naturally and that is fine but it is not a common body type. And the actual breasts - real large breasts are big, fleshy, heavy things, from a young age gravity takes its toll. These things shaped like pyrex bowls under the skin - they don't have anything to do with actual breasts. Again, I understand about natural style implants so on, but these pneumatic things? Nothing to do with what women's bodies look like naturally even if they have large breasts.

All the girls I know with large breasts from a young age have had a really bad time. Inappropriate behaviour from adult men when you're 13 just because you have big breasts is no fun at all. It is often scary.

One of my friends had a reduction, another has worn a bra in bed every night since about 14 as she was so uncomfortable. It's not fun, it's not actually good. So maybe that is why society goes for it? Women have to pay in some way.

I should say for some women and girls it is not good.

The women and girls I have known with very large breasts have found the whole thing a bit of a double-edged sword.

is there any way that boys can develop early, or large, or both, which invites sexual harassment when they are doing things like trying to get to school in uniform? Hmmmmm..........

Is it notable that models very rarely have big breasts?

They can't, since clothes won't hang well on them (whether or not this is actually true is up for debate; clothes hung remarkably well on Marilyn Monroe, for example) - they are preternaturally slim all over, and this means small breasts as well.

Is it interesting/notable that many young girls aspire to be models, but big breasts are still deemed the most desirable?

How has that disconnect happened? The model face and figure is the ultimate, but yet the average model's breasts would be deemed too small by today's fashion standards.

I do agree that it is fashion which determines what is desirable, but the factors that feed into fashion are so varied and often quite insidious.

I have c-cups and love the size of my boobs. I am tall and a size 10-12 so they are very much in proportion on my body shape - i.e. they probably look small compared with the desired standard (c-cups on a size 6, 5-footer may not OTOH). They are, in spite of two pregnancies and over two years of breastfeeding, pert, at least in a bra. They wouldn't be if they were any bigger. I don't want them to be any bigger - I don't like that 'look'; the disproportionately large-breasted look. It's not large breasts per se that I don't want for myself, but disproportionately large breasts. I am late 30s though, so obviously less susceptible to things I might have been in my youth.

Right this is not a situation I am entirely comfortable discussing so forgive me if I sound a tit (pun intended)

I have had my breasts "done". They were done on the NHS. The (male) consultant gave me two options.

One: Have a reduction in one breast. The end result being, not an exact match but both breasts would be roughly the same size again. This would also have some significant scarring. Possibility of retaining milk ducts and nipple sensation.

Two: Have a small implant in the larger breast, a large implant n the smaller breast and both breasts lifted. High possibility of losing milk ducts and nipple sensation.

Straight away I opted for option one. Option two made me feel horrifically uncomfortably and squeamish. To put it simply it felt very wrong. I didn't want things in me and I knew that if I had had the implants I wouldn't be me. Don't get me wrong, I'm nowt special, I don't have super human self confidence. But I felt that if things were to go wrong I would blame myself more for having implants than the reduction.

The consultant's (who did the surgery) response to my decision was interesting. he had been incredibly brusque with me before. Afterward he was lovely, and told me I had made the right decision as I was allowing my body to continue it's natural development, and would be able to simply get on with my life without the worry of future operations or upkeep.

I asked why I wasn't told this before, he stated he wasn't allowed to unduly influence my decision. But he made a good point. Our bodies, as women are by definition, meant to change and vary.

I have no regrets with the operation. But when I discussed the options I was given with other women, friends and family. They all, without fail, told me I was a dick for passing up free cosmetic surgery and I'd regret it further down the line.

I don't. My bosom is still my own. It has fed two dc's. it is, frankly, worshipped by dh , he doesn't care about the scars or that they are wonky - I don't think he'd particularly care if they were bright green.

I wish I could have been brave enough to have not had the operation at all and learned to love the body I had, but every look or comment in changing rooms and every "difficult" bra fitting wore me down. I didn't do it because I wanted to be attractive for men though. I did it to be attractive to other women. It took me a good few more years to realise I was hanging around with the wrong type of women.

Sorry that was so long

I received inappropriate attention from adult males from the age of 13 and (as previously mentioned) I was an A cup until having children. So it's probably more to do with male sense of entitlement as opposed to breast size.

It's funny, but here in Japan large breasts are not desired on the whole. In fact the whole point of the kimono is to flatten the breasts, and if your cup size is larger than the average, they just keep padding out the top of the kimono until you look completely flat. The prostitues and women in hostess bars tend to wear kimonos, which I only mention because when men are paying for something, they want a woman to look a certain way: well, here it's flat chested (although fashions have been changing for a while with the influx of western images.)
It's like fat isn't it. Large women are desired in certain countries (especially Arab countries) and have been in the past in the UK, especially in times of scarcity, but now fat is out of fashion.

Breast implants.. is nothing but eugenics really. Chopping up women into acceptable shapes for men.

and yes, I agree with SardineQueen , it's not about big boobs at all, it's about forcing women to become something impossible. Japanese women are skinnier than western women will ever be, but they have tiny breasts and no hips, so it's all in proportion. Western women tend to be larger all round, and taller, so again, proportion. What we're supposed to aim for is a teeny tiny waist and large breasts. It's ridiculous.

I was happiest as a teen when I had big boobs (maybe an F) as they were the one thing on my body I didn't hate.

Two babies later and they are about an H-J, I HATE them. If I wasn't scared of surgery and complications I would really consider a reduction.

OTOH my DD talks quite positively about having boobs one day, when she is a mummy and can make milk with them (I didn't drum this into her particularly, just not shy at home and she has a little brother who was BFed)

But the other day she came home really upset because a boy (who seems to tease her a lot) said something nasty to her. I asked what it was, apparently he said "you have big boobs" they are 4.

Most women I know wouldn't go for the big fake boob look.

Probably more likely to choose a model's figure if they had to choose between the two. Why the difference I wonder?

I love you, Miss Honey

There was a time when someone like Jordan was a spectacle, now it's a 'look'.

There are only a few female 'types' in the fashion world and if you don't fit one of them then the fashion world will try to make you.
I've got an hour-glass figure and am constantly given messages about what I 'should' wear to 'complement' my figure. Never mind that I'm the least girly girl ever - because I have hips and boobs and a small waist the whole world of shops and clothes tv and magazines want me to dress like Marilyn Monroe!!!

OTOH - you don't see any boobs on 'next top model' cause that's a different 'type' of female.

If I won the lottery tomorrow I would have a boob job, not massive but a c cup.

Because we are heading for another recession, and fat is attractive in times of scarcity.

I think large breasts are marketed to men as an ideal as well. All the men's magazines feature prominently busty women as the ideal of beauty. Add to that the glamour/porn subculture. Boys are exposed to this from their early teens, surely they must grow up under the (subconscious?) expectation that it is normal/appropriate/desirable to find larger breasts attractive?

I agonised over my breasts during my teens because they were small compared to my friends and stopped growing at a B cup, but now I've grown to like them and am glad I didn't do anything drastic. I like having an athletic figure. However I'd be nervous about getting naked in front of a man, because I know that they are considered 'ugly' from a (general) male POV: small to start with, and kind of deflated looking after 3yrs breastfeeding.

You only have to look at Jodie Marsh, who has announced that she regretted getting such large melons breasts.

Her breasts look like melons, false, huge, and unnatural. She would get no sexual pleasure from having them touched, no nipple sensation.

I'd rather have deflated anyday. I knew someone with deflated, pendulous breast and she was 26 and had no children. Breasts come in all shapes and sizes. They are unfortunately the target for objectivity and can bring self esteem issues.