Let's talk about bras

I have large breasts and usually keep them covered and don't show any cleavage. It prevents me from getting unwanted attention (although it is not foolproof. There is only so much you can do to hide them).

Yay me for not having massive breasts

Or going braless could cause some difficulties ....

I can't not wear a bra as mine are too saggy and big to not do so. It's a pain trying to find bras that fit as the bigger and more supportive ones are more expensive. Also a lot of them are less attractive, and it makes you feel better about yourself wearing a nice bra, not a 'functional' one. No one sees them but that's not the point really, is nice to wear nice things, even bras.

I have loads of bras but tend to stick to the same ones. Underwires are not food for you so I like wearing non wired ones, but they don't always support as well.

Would not go without, though. Not a pretty sight and they are saggy enough.. lol.

I went to two outlet malls this week and found a store chain called "Hanes,....playtex...." (with other bra names.) I actually had my chest measured again, since I found myself bulging out of the bras I had and they were even riding up. Ouch!

Turns out I measured a 38D--and was trying to wear a 36B. Wow!

I also bought some playtex bras in two shades of blue, blush (sort of a peach), and pink! But I bought a couple of beige bras for when I wear a white top.

I had a hoot over the comments you all made about what to call bras and breasts. My sis and I laugh about the lines from the movie "The Trouble with Angels" (speaking of nuns)---the nuns are sent out to buy bras for the students in their all-girls academy (do they really do that?). When the reverend mother asks one of the young nuns to help with the task, the young nun says, "but, Reverend Mother, I don't know anything about binders!"

At that the Reverend Mother rolls her eyes and says, "Brassieres, sister, brassieres."

I ended buying 7 bras, with the deals the stores had. How many bras does the average woman own? Do most put on a new one every day? I've been known to wear the same one for a week! Is that a sin?

It is a sin, according to Nordstrom where I buy bras. They say that to prolong the life and shape of your bra, you should alternate it with other bras. I have three bras and make sure each of them gets at least a day's worth of rest. I then go buy new ones every 6 months. With all the weight gain, Zyprexa and other stuff, I measure 42 DDD. I started being smaller than 32D. Apparently larger breasted women need to change their bras every 6 months and smaller breasted, every 9 months. But that is with owning 2-3 bras total. If you have 7 or more, you would be wearing each so infrequently (unless you repeat one day in and day out) that they will last for much longer. That said, weight gain makes one change in size, so a trip to a fitter is still a good idea. The last bit of bra virtue so that you would not sin - start wearing a new bra on the loosest hooks and later, as the bra gets stretched, move to tighter hooks. Sin no more, I say!

When I was thin I wore a size 36 band and was in between an A and a B cup. I could never find a bra that fit right. Then someone gave me a lightly used bra that had underwire and was sheer and even though I didn't like the way it looked it fit perfectly. Years and many pounds later I found 2 size 46C underwire bras in a plus size store. I didn't like the style but I bought them because they too actually fit. Some more pounds later I now wear a size 50C bra. It doesn't fit great but it's very comfortable. I've had to buy them online because I can't find a bra in that size even at plus size stores. And now unfortunately the online sites have quit carrying this style of bra in my size. I would like to find a true 50 band bra in-between a B and a C cup with no underwire and no thick band underneath the front.

Interesting thread because I never considered the difference in having large or small breasts.

My issue about bras has always been sexuality at work: as a woman you either have to feel super-confident enough to brandish your sexuality or to keep it off the agenda. The comment about underwired jock straps made me giggle. I go bra-less often but didn't like my nipples showing at work or in other situations where I feel sexually vulnerable.

It is a sexuality issue for me. Leading on from that, I wonder how relaxed you women feel about sun-bathing topless. It's normal in several places that I've lived, and makes me feel good to see other women doing this. The whole thing about "covering up our bits"...

I am always braless at home; I used to go braless when grocery shopping. Men from less uptight cultures (as opposed to their white American counterparts) do sometimes stop me and shower me with unrefined, sincere, and pleasant compliments (the unrefined and simple side to this is what makes it pleasant, and the fact that I am past my mid-40s makes it hilarious), but now my work is so close to my home that I usually put on a bra even when I go grocery shopping because I do not want to accidentally be seen braless by my coworkers, manager, or reports (and I have reports who are younger than my son). I do love how my nipples show through blouses when I go braless, but I value my professional image > and do not risk damaging it.

Topless:

Regrettably I spent my young years away from European topless beaches, but I think I would have still put on a swimsuit because I would have been worried about the sun reaching the thin and sensitive nipple and areola tissues. It is known that lips are especially vulnerable to skin cancer because the skin on the lips is thin. I always make sure to put on SPF lip balm in addition to the facial sunscreen. So, lovely as this may sound, I would say that topless bathing does not appeal to me.

Braless no more! Custom bras are taking over the marketplace
I loved this article. It was from yesterday.

Interesting postings, 16 months ago I had male breast Augmentation procedure done. My PS suggested that I go bigger than I had originally thought to get the "look" I wanted. So I agreed and ended up with rather noticeable boobs. anyway I now wear bras for the most part I don't mind wearing them now actually I would not think about going out without wearing one, I would feel somewhat vulnerable Too

How did I not know about bra extenders?? I'm getting some post haste!

[My apologies in advance if this is TMI!]

Boobies are the #2 thing I dislike about being female. I used to be have bodacious tatas at size DD, but I had a reduction many years ago in attempt to take some strain off my back (medical necessity). But....but....the real reason I wanted a reduction was to make the girls smaller. I told the doctor that I wanted to be as small as possible when I woke up from surgery. She told me in advance that the smallest she could make them was a B/C - due to logistical limitations with my body, and for surgical reasons (there are limits to how much stuff they can and should remove and re-direct).

Size wise, they're much more tolerable than they were. However, I'm quite a bit older now, and sagging (gravity) is the main issue. I can't afford a surgical lift, so it's up to the double barreled slingshots.

Pro tip, if sweating under the twins is a problem, use a gentle antiperspirant. I have extremely sensitive skin, and I was afraid to try this for a long time, but it does work for me!! Corn starch powder can be used in place of or in addition to it.

On a humorous note, whenever I think about fun bags and rackpacks, this song becomes the ear worm for the day (may not be suitable for all audiences - it is the Divine Miss M, after all - and consider the subject matter of this thread):

Interesting point you bring up about going braless at home but not going out. now that I have boobs via male breast augmentation I am the same way to a point. Mine are very firm so I could definitely get away without wearing one except say for running or going up / down stairs, the only time they really move but after I had the surgery I was in a surgical for like 6 weeks and had to wear a bra afterwards for another few weeks so now it is just more comfy for me to wear one especially going out. I don't mind wearing one but Ive only been doing so since my surgery 16mos ago

Interesting point you bring up about going braless at home but not going out. now that I have boobs via male breast augmentation I am the same way to a point. Mine are very firm so I could definitely get away without wearing one except say for running or going up / down stairs, the only time they really move but after I had the surgery I was in a surgical for like 6 weeks and had to wear a bra afterwards for another few weeks so now it is just more comfy for me to wear one especially going out. I don't mind wearing one but Ive only been doing so since my surgery 16mos ago

I also use bra extenders. I tried a 42C and the cups were too big up top. I have a narrow upper chest so I don’t need big cups all the way up.

I’m seriously thinking about making my own bras and bralettes. I have patterns and hardware bookmarked on my computer. Just need money. It’s about as expensive as buying a bra anyway.

I used one of the new extenders I received yesterday. It actually helped quite a bit!

Hope this song is okay. I couldn't resist.

Hope this song is okay. I couldn't resist.

I like Sports Bras

I'm fine with the size of my breasts but because they've always been large I never really got to have perky boobs. That's the thing I most envy about small breasted women, I think it must be nice. I used to be a 38D but gained over 50lbs and now I'm a 42DDD. I found it so frustrating trying to find new bras recently. Many stores had my cup size but only went to a 38 or 40 band. As if it's okay to be thin and have large breasts (I'm looking at you LaSenza) but not be a plus size person with large breasts. I wasn't having any luck at the plus size store I normally shop at because most bras were super push up or minimizers. I just wanted a normal bra! Then I heard about Torrid and they recently opened a store in my city in Canada. I found two I LOVE! Plus size friendly bras with support, full coverage, cushioned straps and cute colours too. The ones I got go from a 38B to a 50DD so the range is very inclusive. Not cheap but not overpriced either, especially if you grab them on sale.

Irresistible indeed!

OMG I had male breast augmentation back in 2017 ended up with very noticeable boobs so the need to wear bras. don't ask me way but I was thrilled over the moon, totally cool with it. fast forward now, not so much.Once they settled and all, kind of heavy, get in the way a lot of the time and the thrill of wearing a bra has lost its appeal. While they look good and the over all results are great I wish I had gone smaller and now look forward to coming home and removing my bra

I found sports bras awful to get on and off. Anyone else?

Yes, absolutely, unless you get one of those that zips down the front. I just got a new pull-on sports bra from Hanes and you should just see me trying to pull it on and off. I nearly throttled myself in it yesterday.

I'm going to try a new approach next time: pulling the body of it over my head, then trying to clear the straps. We'll see how that works.... LOL

My sports bra just has regular clasps so besides being super tight it isn't too bad. I tried the pull on one's and found them impossible, didn't buy.

I have mixed feelings about my breasts, if there was free surgery to remove them I would do it in a heartbeat. I think I am about a C cup. I wear Hands cotton sports bras (pullover) and knockoff varieties of the Bamboo Miracle bra or whatever it's called. My job is physical and definitely not sexy so I need something to prevent flopping and movement. At home I don't wear a bra.