Professional boobs?

[TittyGolightly]

I work in HR and have had a senior manager come to me today seeking advice re a member of staff’s chest. Apparently a few comments have been made that this lady - who they praise for in terms of knowledge and professionalism - has attended a couple of meetings recently in clothes which are too low cut for her (in the manager’s words) “ample bosom”. They wanted to know how they should advise the employee that they risked “appearing unprofessional” if they showed a bit too much boob.

I did the professional thing and advised in line with our policies, but it got me thinking. As it happens I am also big-boobed and take great care to make sure I don’t have bra showing/buttons gaping etc, but it got me wondering whether this is reasonable or not. We are very understanding of women’s needs around pregnancy and menopause as an organisation, but then judge part of their worth on how much chest skin is shown? Isn’t this part of the same argument around bhurkas?

Incidentally, I’ve never been asked to give advice on a man wearing a shirt/trousers are too tight.

So, thoughts?

If I wear something that is too high and not fitted though I look like a big fat frump and I still want to look somewhat attractive.

That's the thing, if I wear clothes that fit, I look "busty"
Because I have a huge bust/waist difference. Someone once said about a photo of me, "it makes you look very booby"
Yes. Because I am? You wouldn't say "that photo makes you look flat chested" would you?!

A male friend of mine has a massive belly that's quite hairy, but manages to go into work every day with his belly peeking out of the bottom of his three sizes too small shirts, and a bit of hair poking out the top. No one has said anything to him. He doesn't even iron his trousers, not that I'm into ironing much myself. Just saying.

You sound gorgeous ollivander very vintage proportions. Some women just have sexy bodies. Beyoncé in an a line dress and opaque and flats is always going to look more voluptuous than Taylor Swift in the same outfit. But possibly look a bit fatter than she actually is.

"Men don't have these problems" because men's clothing is far less varied than women's. A man who didn't conform to social expectations would be speedily informed of his transgression, but very few ever do.

That sounds like a disadvantage for men (O what a shock, that there could be any) but maybe not so much. If you wear a uniform, you never have to worry about what to put on, you don't have to be concerned over what's in fashion, there's no expectation of variety, you're immune to criticism as long as you wear the clothes properly. Remember that Australian TV presenter who wore the same blue suit every day for a year, and nobody noticed.

I don't know if I agree with that. Men don't have a uniform body shape and talking of uniforms even my friend in the police force had to adjust her uniform to take into account her enormous norks.

But as I said my male friend constantly has his belly peeking out and no one says a thing.

If a woman, even pregnant turned up to work with her belly showing at all words would be had. It's accepted from my guy friend I assume because they can see he is struggling with his physique.

I can remember being sent off the shop floor in my 20's because of my chipped nail varnish. I had a quick manicure on my lunch break. I can't imagine what would have been said if my clothes were ill fitting and crumpled. But yes I was in the beauty industry.

I emailed bravissimo a couple of years ago about the dresses they sell as work wear having too low necklines, they have improved to some extent I notice.

No shoulders on show?! So no armless tops or dresses. By much.

I think it 's automatically harder for women with bigger breasts to look professional. I'm the other extreme and i could wear anything and nobody would bat an eyelid so it is unfair that big breasts are seen as unprofessional and sexy when small breasts aren't.

I have largish boobs, and I find that tops and dresses have a tendency to change position through the day. Stretchy tops are particularly bad, they lose their spring through the day and start to sag. I glance down and realise I have 2 inches of cleavage showing.

My solution is to wear a close fitting camivest under almost everything.

I don't however see how work could discipline me over my top going a bit saggy without my knowledge.

Could you discipline a man for having a visible semi-hardon in his trousers?

Count - I'm a male ex nurse and as a ward manager in a psychiatric unit sent home a male nurse who was wearing lycra cycling shorts which outlined his little chipolata in some detail . Summer on the wards was always stuffy and hot and appropriate clothing that was comfortable and professional could be a difficult call for some of our staff .

If she's wearing office dress, I should think that the complainants need to be told to get over themselves and concentrate on their work.

Good call ginandbearit! Not appropriate for work!

Mince - in every other department he was a big lad ...it wasn't a great look ....

Thus happened to me yesterday; I dressed fur dirk in smart ride keg trousers, heels and a loose cream shirt with a thin vest under to cover my cleavage. I bent down to put a shoe on the kitchen and DP said: “careful you can see right down your cleavage when you lean over.”

I didn’t realise. It’s so difficult sometimes to not appear like I’m letting it all hang out.

I don't think it's that difficult. Breasts are sexual. Cleavage is part of breasts. People with bigger breasts have more cleavage so their neckline may need to be a smidge higher than those who don't. There's no one size fits all. People with bigger waists need to buy a bigger size than those with smaller waists.

Sheeesh the advert that's under my message is for half nikkid wimmin Boux Avenue ...wonder what algorithms are working away on this thread !?😁

Shame it sounds like it has turned into a grievance. Managers by and large need to be walked through a talk track on how to handle conversation like this. It is quite sensitive. In my experience these conversations are best held by someone from HR.
Yup, some of us are busty, arsey, skinny, fat- it's down to dressing for shape and audience. Whilst one of my colleague always wears tight and low cut tops on a night out, in work she is sensible sally.

Breasts are sexual.

They can be, but I wouldn’t argue that all are or all of the time. For some people feet are sexual. For others ears. Unless we’re going to start wearing balaclavas and wellies as well, that’s pretty unfair.

it's down to dressing for shape and audience.

Not for comfort or confidence? I don’t dress for other people.

There’s a big push to raise awareness about menopausal women needing to wear clothes that are comfortable/cool/not restrictive etc. Why not all women?

Or all people for that matter?

Well I would hope people wear things that are comfortable but in a work setting there needs to be a level of appropriateness and awareness of what is expected.

Some many argue that cycling shorts are comfortable but they are hardly appropriate in an office. Equally plunging necklines and tight pants are not-

A bit of common sense and a robust dress code would seem to help.

But breasts are sexual. They are a secondary sexual characteristic. Ears are not comparable.