Large chest, clothes never fit right

kimd · 08-28-2003, 12:23 PM

To give you an idea what my figure is like, I'm a 36DDD. I wear a size 12/14 pant/skirt/whatever. My problem is I can never find tops that fit right. They always gap or stretch or look plain horrible. I've seriously considered reduction but I don't want to do that until after we have a baby. I've tried minimizers (the one I'm wearing right now is SUPPOSED to hold me in over 1" more) and larger tops. Nothing seems to help.

Can anyone offer me some advice? Do you think a place like Lane Bryant might have some tops that would fit better? It is just really embarressing when you are going to work at a military college and you look down and one of those important buttons has undone and you are flashing people!

Astrolaura · 08-28-2003, 12:40 PM

Hiya!

Been there done that! I've worn anything from an 8 to a 16 pants size over the years but all my tops were an XXL or larger and sometimes those didn't even fit correctly. Finding bras was impossible. I was a 38G but crammed myself into a 40DDD and that didn't even fit, I was busting out all over the place. Even at my smallest, a size 8 pants, I still wore a G cup bra and L or larger tops. Losing weight obviously did nothing. The only thing I could do was grin and bear it until I had a breast reduction just a little over a year ago. Now I'm a 12 pants and almost back into my 10's and size medium top at the biggest. I wear a 38C bra and have never been happier.

If you want a BR, I would recommend waiting until after you've had kids. I know you're in discomfort and can't find clothes now, but sometimes pregnancy makes your breasts even biggewr than before. I was always large, a D cup but after having my son, I went up to a G cup and stayed there. Some women go back to their pre-pregnancy size but some of us don't. Also there's only a 50-50 chance of breast feeding after a BR. Some women can with no problems but some can't. How important is breast feeding to you? It was majorly important to me. That's one of the reasons i waited so long. I wanted to be done with children before having a BR. I had to wait 12 years before we decided one child was enough and I wish I'd had the BR sooner, but better now than never. It's such an amazing feeling to have those huge old ehavy milk jugs gone from my body. I am painfree and have zero problems finding clothes that fit.

Laura

Quote:

Originally posted by kimd
To give you an idea what my figure is like, I'm a 36DDD. I wear a size 12/14 pant/skirt/whatever. My problem is I can never find tops that fit right. They always gap or stretch or look plain horrible. I've seriously considered reduction but I don't want to do that until after we have a baby. I've tried minimizers (the one I'm wearing right now is SUPPOSED to hold me in over 1" more) and larger tops. Nothing seems to help.

Can anyone offer me some advice? Do you think a place like Lane Bryant might have some tops that would fit better? It is just really embarressing when you are going to work at a military college and you look down and one of those important buttons has undone and you are flashing people!

kimd · 08-28-2003, 12:57 PM

If we are able to conceive, I would really like to try to breastfeed, which is why I want to wait a little longer (my neighbor had br and advised this as well). Were you ever able to find a particular style of blouse that seemed to cover better than others? I bought a box of safety pins to help me through today but it is just SOOOOOOOO annoying. I found out that the military did hers for free since it was causing so many other problems (back, cysts, etc.) so I'd like to get it done some day.

I really appreciate your prompt reply!

Astrolaura · 08-28-2003, 01:24 PM

No, I never wore blouses. I could never find ones that didn't gap no matter what the size. I mostly wore pull-over sweaters and t-shirts and other pull-over types. Button downs never fit, even if they were literally 10 sizes too big. I wore an XL or XXL t-shirt and a size 24 buttondown top still gapped at the buttons but was too big everywhere else. They looked like hell so I never wore them. Even now I'm still a bit scared of button down shirts. I guess I should go try some on and see if they fit now. Hrm, time to go clothes shopping

LAura

girlygirl522 · 08-28-2003, 04:01 PM

Hi!

I know exactly where you are coming from on the what to wear front. I am a 42DDD, and I have a hard time finding a button down shirt, too. In my experience, I either have to buy them a bit too small for my chest and wear them them open and layered over a tshirt, OR I have to buy them to fit my chest and have them tailored to fit the rest of my body. Of course, that costs money. IMHO, it is worth it not to have to wear a sack, or run the risk of putting someone's eye out with a over strained button.

My sister wants a breast reduction, but is waiting til she has kids... I personally am not that unhappy with what I have got. (Now if someone offered me a free breast lift, I might be tempted.)

Good luck in finding some shirts!

WendyKay · 08-28-2003, 04:29 PM

I am a size 12, 38DDD. I find that the better the bra fit, the better the shirt fit, so I am forever searching for the perfect bra (sadly, most of the bras that fit well do not look that great under t-shirts, but I can live with that).

I like v-neck or scoop neck styles best, they don't really minimize but make me look very feminine. Sleeveless shirts look better on me, too. And fabrics with a little cling but not too much, because showing my curves is fun, while making them shout LOOK AT ME isn't. Hehehe.

I never wear buttoned shirts. I've never found one that remotely fit. Jackets are difficult, too. Fitted blazers can work, if the manufacturer is not a moron. But I look like a sausage in suits, so I avoid them and wear a dress with a fitted blazer instead. Luckily I work in a casual office.

Here's to curves! I don't want BR until I start having major back pain, so why not embrace what I've got.

Wendy