Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Required Reading

Dolls: As you know I am very up with the "make sure your bra fits, you only have 2 boobs" message that Oprah's made so popular lately. In truth, many others talked this talk for a long time (till it got on the O radar) so there's lots of good reading on the subject.

Over the past couple of days, Karen from Of A Certain Age (the age of great style, apparently!) has talked about Isaac Mizrahi and his new book and website. I've always been a big fan of Mr. M. I think he's nutty, adorable and talented all at the same time. And I get the impression he really loves his mother and she taught him to respect women.

Long preamble short, I checked out his site on Karen's advice, and was pleased to find this very good article about supporting one's breasts with an excellent bra. What I really appreciate about it is that, for a change, the woman writing is slight of cleavage.

Intriguing sidebar: Though the writer's breasts are not of the stature one imagines could cause insecurity on account of their noticeability, she still feels bad about looking like she has them. Which boggles the mind of someone who occasionally has to ask men to look at her face when conversing. What hope is there when women of all shapes and sizes are self-conscious about tits? (Not that I'm particularly self-conscious, I should disclose, and I do appreciate my shape. It's just not easy being as curvy as me if you want to blend into the background.) My question for y'all is, how do you feel? Are you happy with the size of your chest?

20 comments:

  1. With my super wide body I have to go with size 14. Wide right? Then if I could find 14A I'd try. Too small. 14B on the other hand.. my bosom can't fill the cups. Sad right? I used to envy curvaceous girls all the time. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love Isaac M. He is funny, passionate, smart and has fantastic style( and I have the same read as you on his mother love). His new book is loaded with beautiful pictures. I read it in one sitting at a bookstore--but I think I have to go back and actually buy it.

    I have done bra fittings and they were revolutionary. I was seriously wearing the wrong size. At first it was a bit shocking to have the girls looking so high and front and center. I did get used to it. I am fine with my size. I am not as pleased about how gravity has started to take its toll.

    ReplyDelete
  3. After three children, I need a lift. But like the author on the Mizrahi blog, I'm frustrated by contour cups. Nipple coverage is a must in my profession, but I like to be small and greatly resist the "padding," whether or not that's what the specialists call it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I like mine :) They may be on the small side, but they will always point north. That's how I think of it, anyway. I have a friend who constantly points out their smallness, though - she has a big pair, and she tends to emphasise them and go on about how 'real' women are voluptuous and big-breasted and make cracks about mine being like two peas on an ironing board. It makes me a bit sad :(. Actually, reading over this, I should just tell her to shut up.

    :)

    A xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh, and yours are amazing! I have always thought so. But not in a creepy way. Although this probably sounds a bit creepy. I'm going to stop now.

    ...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Every client and friend to whom I've recommended a bra fitting has 1. Been told she's wearing the wrong size 2. Felt completely transformed on being sold a bra in the RIGHT size. OK that, said ...

    While I have more than my fair share of perk, I am lacking in the size department. And while it's unlikely I'd ever consider anything surgical, I do consider my breasts to be smaller than ideal and they bug me. I make no bones about my use of push-ups, padding, and chicken filets: They are my boobtools, and I adore them.

    I've literally never had the "please look at my face" problem, so I honestly can't relate. But it makes me uneasy to hear that a woman of normal boobsize is self-conscious about hers. Geez, can't we just be women?

    ReplyDelete
  7. I like the size of mine (and they are fairly smallish), and I have experienced (via pregnancy and breastfeeding) the big boobs lifestyle. I prefer mine little!

    Also, even if your breasts are small, my experience is that plenty of men will talk to them not your face. It's a universal problem.

    ReplyDelete
  8. What an interesting topic.

    There's so much emphasis on size, isn't there? And it's all really unnecessary, isn't it?

    I'm quite happy, but it took a long time to get to this point. For awhile, I was swept away by the idea that nothing short of a C was good enough. I'm grateful for what I have and I don't need or want more.

    ReplyDelete
  9. sigh. this is my biggest bugga-boo. I have been "professional" fit several times and I have to say sometimes these ladies don't know their a** from their b**bs. That being said, I love my, um, friends. I loved them more before nursing three kids but what're ya gonna do?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Excellent post, and I love my boobs. Always had an A, until I had the baby. Now they're a B - wait, I probably should go get fitted.

    Hate hate hate shopping for bras, would like to wear no bras and a muumuu...

    ReplyDelete
  11. flat as a plate of dried fried eggs and happy...lol...:)

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'm an expert bar fitter so always get it right - honestly breat tissue is the most flucuating thing going and rib cages! Even if you're small up top 9/10 you are wearing wrong bra size. I saved someone £3k on breast surgery - she thought she was a 34 A and was actually 32D!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hey Y'all: Loving these comments. And I esp. love that 3 guys responded to a post about boobs!

    Dr. Monkey: I have other terms, but I don't want to shock you too much :-)

    Songy: We have different sizing here so I don't quite understand that width. But in your photos you seem very narrow in the ribcage.

    Belette: Gravity's a bitch. I agree!

    Miss C: I am not into the contour cups (which I call molded cups) because they positively don't work with my breasts. And I'm of the mindset (as that French woman in the article was) that breasts should have a natural shape that seams (within reason) enhance. I don't mind perky nipples (within reason).

    Andrea: Love your comments. Thank you for such a lovely compliment which I accept in the uncreepy way in which you meant it. You do have to tell your friend to be quiet.

    Sal: What I love about small, perky breasts is that they are easy to enhance and easy to deemphasize. And small breasts allow for more fashion choices. So I hear you, but I think you're very lucky, actually.

    Skye: Isn't it great that you've had the chance to experience both ways and you like the natural you best!

    Enc: You have just the shape I'd like to trade with if I had the chance - or at least put on whenever I feel like it. So it may have taken you a while to get comfortable with it, but lots of women really appreciate the lines of your figure.

    Thanks Mr.Style.

    Tessa: You're hilarious. Three kids are bound to take a toll. But I'm sure you are gorgeous.

    Tanya: Nice to see you again. You know, Secrets from your Sister (Bloor and Bathurst) is great for sizing and beautiful stuff that suits all tastes - from flirty to lacey to sporty etc. You may wanna check it out. PS Not cheap, regrettably!

    Matt: I wouldn't want you any other way :-)

    Kate: Are you an actual professional bra fitter? If yes that's so interesting and you must do a post on this! I love that you saved that woman all the cash but, seriously, for a D cup to imagine she's an A cup is fairly extreme!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. This is a great topic K.
    I must check that post to know more about the issue and what was being talked.
    But I very pleased with my size, I'm a B and I did't want (please God, please God)biger :)

    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  15. You are very lucky indeed, Seeker. I think a B is big enough for cleavage when you want it, and small enough to wear all the best styles!

    ReplyDelete
  16. So true!

    I'm on average a 12F-G depending on brand (that's 34F-G in European terms). When I was quite a bit younger, I had a t-shirt that said "Stop Staring" across the bust - when I wore it in the UK - every man used it as a reason to stare at my chest, but in the US, every man looked away quickly - I wondered did he think I'd sue him for harrassment?

    ReplyDelete
  17. I'd say yes and no.
    Yes because men don't usually look at my chest first (it all depends on what I wear but still not very often).
    No because it's darn hard to find one that fits my body. Wide chest and back requires size 14 but my boobs not big enough for a B cup but little too big for A (if one was available that is) Argh

    ReplyDelete
  18. Imogen: I've read and heard in numerous places that 34F is the average breast size of Westerners. All the label-lookers think that's insane, but honestly, it's pretty regular. A D cup is pretty tame. Many of those gals with boob jobs are finding that their new tits don't fit into any bras. For real!

    Songy: Well considered response. You know, there must be one of those fancy lingerie boutiques in Perth that can size you up with something gorgeous. La Perla might be perfect on you (not structural enough for me but if I had small breasts I'd be wearing it every day!) Of course, it costs a small fortune, but what's money when it comes to the tits??

    ReplyDelete