Big breasts are a pain in…eh, my chest! I just had to get that one out of the way, it was weighing me down.  Moving onto the bigger stuff. Quite literally. What IS the right breast size anyway? Too small and you have issues, too big and you still have issues. For those women in the middle, you’re the lucky ones. For my ladies on the larger side, I can understand that the problems never end- back pain, expensive bras, lack of options, breast sweat- are just the tip of the iceberg. It’s safe to say that bras annoy most women, but when you’re on the larger side, the struggle is so much more real.

See also:

Finding a bra is an incredible pain as it is, but finding the perfect fit in a large size is like looking for a needle in a haystack; a very lacy and colourful haystack. Most of us have a tendency to settle when it comes to choosing a bra, and nobody blames you; we’ve strapped on at least 20 of them, have seen enough of our shirtless bods under dressing room lighting (terribly unflattering!), and by the end of it, we just want to hightail it out of the store with the closest possible fit that we can manage. Unfortunately, you’re investing a good amount of money and time, so it’s better to do it right the first time wouldn’t you say? So here are some tips and tricks to help my large chested ladies out: 

  1. How to put on a bra: Sometimes the simplest things make the biggest difference, and this is testament to that. The way you wear a bra can affect how it feels when you have it on! The way to do it is: start by slipping the straps over your arms, and then lean forward so that your breasts fall into the cups of the bra. Once they’re sitting comfortably, hook it up and stand straight again. This will ensure that you have a better fit. After you’re done with this, scoop your breast and bring it forward into the cup, and repeat with the other side. 
  2. Get fitted: This has been said before and it will be said again: get fitted! This advice is worth taking seriously especially if you’re on the larger side. Regular lingerie stores are not sufficiently stocked with all variants in larger sizes and as a result, you might be settling for something that fits, but isn’t an exact one. Women with big breasts rely on bras more heavily for support and if you’re not giving your girls the help that they need, chances are that you’re going to experience more back pain than necessary. They might be a little awkward at first, but you’ll get used to them eventually and it’s worth the 20 minutes. 
  3. Try on each bra that you buy: In the world of online shopping, we take for granted that everything will come to us with the click of a button and the biggest mistake we make is that once we’ve got ourselves measured- if at all- we sometimes don’t even try the bras at different stores and just pick up our size because we assume that it’s going to fit us. As much as I would like that to be the system that exists, it isn’t; they differ from brand to brand, because the materials that are used are unique to that brand and as a result, the elasticity, durability, etc. vary as well. So, try them on before buying them! 
  1. Prevent slippage: Sometimes a large bust can cause your bra straps to loosen throughout the day and things can start to get a little sloppy on the straps front. If you’re sick of yanking your straps back into place every five seconds, you can sew the straps into your top, and it’ll only take a couple of minutes! 
  1. How to go backless: Lots of women with big breasts aren’t comfortable going braless in public, which is understandable. But that also removes a lot of options from their wardrobe; backless tops and dresses are usually not on the list. Hopefully that is about to change; thanks to the wonders of the internet, I was recently informed of a hack that has the potential to change a lot of lives: all you need to do to rock the backless look is take an old bra or buy a cheap one, cut the straps off, and sew or pin it into the front of your garment. Is that amazing or what?! And why haven’t we thought of that before?
  1.  Hand-wash your bras: This is generally advised regardless of the size of bra that you own, but is especially important when you’re on the larger side. Washing machines and dryers damage a bra’s elasticity and shape over time. Considering the amount that good big bras cost, and the previously acknowledged scarcity, making sure that they retain their shape and supporting power should be a priority. 
  1. Conquering the strapless: Strapless bras are a pain, no matter what size breasts you have, but it’s nearly impossible to keep them in place when you’ve got some extra jiggling and bouncing up top. Luckily, there’s a hack for that; leave one strap attached to your strapless bra and wrap it around the bottom band to hold things in place. If you need some direction with this, check out some YouTube tutorial videos. 
  1. Wide is the way: When you’re looking at bras, go for the ones with the wider straps; they translate into more support for your shoulders, and less pressure on your back and neck, which is a win-win situation! If you’re going to be wearing a bra for long periods of time, you should definitely invest in some silicone pads that you can stick in between your shoulder and the strap, for some added comfort and they’ll keep them from slipping too! 
  1. Learn to repair your bras: I shudder at the thought of going bra shopping; not only because it’s an extraordinarily cumbersome process and nobody really wants to make it easier on you, but because they’re so expensive! This is even more true in the case of bigger sizes. So what you can do, is learn how to repair your bras and extend their shelf life by a couple of months at least. Whether it’s your underwire, your straps or the cups, there’s a way to sew it up! There are options like band extenders and moleskin patches that you can incorporate into your bra to buy you some time between replacements. 

Besides comfort, there are a lot of things that make your bra an important part of your wardrobe. It’s important to know what works for you; for large breasted women, the best options are full coverage bras, balconette bras, minimizers or multi-way strapless bras. Underwire bras are generally not advised as they can snap and cause you discomfort when they poke into you. Don’t let a bra, or the lack of a good one, get in the way of looking gorgeous and feeling comfortable.