Big Boob Phobia!

I am afraid of clowns. I think they have machetes in their trouser-legs and they kill people who go to the circus. The logical side of my brain says there's probably a very small percentage of weapon-wielding, murderous funny-men but nonetheless I feel like crying when I see one. Perhaps the reason so many women have hang-ups about wearing a bra over a D cup is that they are actually suffering from Pectorusgiganticus; Fear of Big Boobs! (a word I just made up, naturally.)

Joking aside, it never ceases to amaze me how many women are afraid of bra letters over a D cup. It makes no difference what label you put on the ratio between your breast mass and your ribcage measurement (sexy right, that's what your bra size refers to) your boobs are still going to be that volume. Letter Phobia doesn't stop your boobs are spilling out of your bra or bouncing around so it's worthwhile getting educated about bra fit and what bra sizes actually mean.

Over several decades we have built up layers of phobias around boobs; women with big boobs are bimbos or promiscuous and they can't play sports or be pain-free. These phobias stem partly from a misogynistic language that keeps women feeling guilty about their bodies (but that's a topic for a whole other dissertation!) and partly from years of dreadful bra fitting knowledge. By fitting knowledge I don't just mean getting a good fitting at a boutique, I mean, being educated about bras.

As we grow up we're educated about periods, why we have them and what to do to manage them as they happen. Imagine never being told why you have periods or how a tampon should feel and work if used correctly. You'd spend your life blindly buying what you thought was best for you and wondering the whole time if there was something wrong with you. This is what we do to young girls about bras. We don't explain that bras should fit snugly at the band, how your cup size is relative to your band size and that breast sizes change regularly (every couple of weeks for some women). If we gave them this knowledge then the phobias around bras would begin to fade away.

It's such an old-fashioned idea that only a professional fitter can tell you about your boobs and bras. Your doctor gives you advice about how to live well (good diet, exercise etc) they don't just prescribe you antacid every time you have heartburn without ever explaining that cutting out fatty foods will stop the problem in the first place. Similarly a good bra-fitter should teach you about your fit, your breast shape, which styles work for you and how to keep an eye on your size. This way you'll understand your breasts and bras and there will be no room for phobia.

I think a lot of women worry that wearing a cup size over a D cup will make them look like they have big boobs. The reality is that a correctly fitting bra will make you look much more contained which makes your boobs look smaller than when they're bashing together somewhere near your waist!

If you think you might be suffering from Pectorusgiganticus then I want you to remember 3 things to try and overcome your phobia:

1) No one else needs to know your bra size so what difference does it make?
2) In the right size bra you won't bounce around or spill out of your cups (the two things that draw the kind of attention that can make you feel uncomfortable)
3) You can take your time but try to keep a piece of your mind open to the possibility that a different bra size could make you feel physically and emotionally better.

To every one of our customers and every reader of this blog I want you to know that you are changing the landscape for future generations of women. By educating yourselves about great bra fit you can pass on that gift and ensure that no-one has to suffer the terrible fear of Big Boobs!! xx

The Price for Chasing Perfection

"I wish I had her boobs; they're so perfect and my boobs are so big and ugly." This is part of a conversation I heard between two young women (late teens early 20s) as they thumbed through a magazine. My heart sank at this statement because it felt like such a waste. This young woman, like millions of others, will spend a good portion of her life chasing a perfection that doesn't exist and the price will be missing out on the beauty and brilliance of her body today. That feels like a waste.

There's no one definition of perfect which makes it even more illusive; how will you know when you have the perfect body, hair, boobs, skin, wardrobe, home, job etc? The commonly held idea that the perfect body looks a certain way doesn't account for whether that body is healthy or happy. There's no hairstyle or waist size on earth that defines health or happiness.  

All these women were told at some point that they didn't have 'the perfect look'. They refused to change their appearance and remained perfectly them.

Big boobs often come under fire for being 'too big' and I've never understood what that means. Too big to be happy or beautiful or athletic or intelligent? I loathe seeing bodies being compared "Are small boobs better than big ones" or "Are skinny bodies better than curvy ones?" It's just so meaningless. It doesn't achieve anything to compare these things it only focuses us on the things that we aren't rather than celebrating the things that we are. When we compare ourselves to a mythical version of perfection we feel lessened. Less than perfect, less than right, just less. How is that helpful?

I wanted to shake the girl on the Skytrain who was berating her healthy, unique and beautiful breasts and say "Do you know how lucky you are? Do you know what it means to lose a breast, to live without a limb or to battle daily with physical pain? Be thankful you have the one perfection you could ever wish for; a body in perfect working order." I know this sounds like old lady preaching but it's so true. We waste so much time worrying about the things we aren't and this means we miss out on enjoying being us, being happy and being now.

This subject was particularly important to me this weekend because Remembrance Sunday is a time I remember friends I have lost both in and out of the military and the bottom line is... life's too short to worry about your size or shape. So let's stop waiting for the perfect backside or perfect boobs and get on with living our lives with joy in the perfectly wonderful and diverse bodies we have. xx

Are You Wearing Your Bra Too Low?

When your cup isn't filled at the bottom you're probably wearing your bra too low on your body

I see a lot of women wearing their bras too low on their body. This is something that can make you uncomfortable and leave you wondering why no bras ever fit you. With this simple piece of information you can check whether your bras actually fit you much better than you thought.

Finding a bra that is the right size and style for you is fantastic but if you put your bra on too low then you may never know you have the right bra. Your bra is on too low if you have empty bra at the bottom of your cup. The easiest way to check this is to stand side-on to a mirror and look for unfilled bra cup underneath your breast.  By ensuring that your wires are flush with the bottom of your breast you are making the most of your cup volume and can prevent your boobs from spilling out of the top of your cups.

FERN BRA Left: The breast is bubbling over because the cup isn't completely full. Right: The breast is encased and the cup is full

The Curse of the Front Fasteners
One of the most common causes of wearing your bra too low is if you're a front fastener. If you fasten your bra at your front and swizzle the bra around your body then you have to pull the bra up your body and many women don't pull their bra up high enough so part of their bra is left literally unfulfilled!

How to Fill Your Cup When You're A Front Fastener
Once you have twisted your bra around to the front and pulled the straps onto your shoulders get hold of the ends of the wires of one cup (left or right it doesn't matter) and pull upwards until you feel or see that your breast is at the bottom of the cup. Repeat on the other side. You may need to adjust your straps. Don't forget to sweep your breasts away from your armpits to ensure that all your breast tissue is inside the cups.

How to Fill Your Cup When You're A Back Fastener
As you lean forward to lower your breasts into the cups pull the band towards the bottom of your breasts before fastening your bra to ensure your breasts are right at the bottom of the cups. When you stand back up check that your breasts are filling the bottom of the cup.

Exception to the Rule
Some women have one breast higher than the other (the bottom of the breasts is literally higher on one side of the body than the other) and this causes the bottom of your cup to be empty on one side but not the other. This is totally normal. The most important thing is that your breasts are encased at the top so if you find you get spillage on your higher side it's worth going up in your cup size and padding your lower side. If you don't like padding then you can have your lower side tailored to fit.

I hope this helps you discover that some of your bras actually fit you - it's always a nice surprise! xx

5 Reasons Your Bra Straps Slip

One of the most common problems we see when doing Online Bra Size Consultations for our clients is slipping straps. To help you solve this irritating bra issue here are the top four causes of slipping bra straps.

When you're wearing the correct band size your straps will sit closer together on your band and on your shoulders

1. Your Band is Too Big
If your bra band is more than a couple of inches bigger than your ribcage measurement then the chances are your band is loose enough that it can ride up your back and cause your straps to slip off your shoulders. The proportions of a bra with a bigger band can add to the problem too. For example, even though the cup volume on a 38E is the same as the cup volume on a 32G the straps are slightly closer together on the 32 band than on the 38 band. It's worth checking that your band size is close to your ribcage measurement as this could be the source of your slipping straps.

Solution: Smaller bra band size. Remember you will have to increase your cup size when you reduce your band size so that you don't lose cup volume.

You can see that the strap isn't flush against the body because the breast is lifting the strap.

2. Your Cups are Too Small
Rather than slipping off your shoulders your straps may be 'popping' off your shoulders. If your cups are too small then you have rogue boob spilling out at the top of your cups and this can interfere with how your straps lie against your body. Your straps should lie flat against your body and over your shoulder but if there's stray boob wedging itself under the strap then it can cause your straps to 'pop' off your shoulders. If you have breast tissue spilling at the top, sides (under the armpit) or underneath your cups then this could be the cause of your slipping straps.

Solution: Larger cup. You may be able to keep your same band size and simply increase your cup size. However, you may discover that you need a slightly smaller band once all of your boob is in your cups as some of your breast tissue may have been living in your band rather than the cup. If in doubt we can help you find your best size with a free online size consultation.

3. Your Cups are Too Big
If you have lost some breast volume or your bra cups have stretched out over time then your cups can become too big for you. When you fill your bra cups your breast anchors the cup into place. When part of the cup is empty the cup can move around causing your straps to slip off your shoulders.

Solution: Smaller cup. You will most likely be able to keep your same band size (if you are comfortable in that size and your band doesn't ride up) but reduce your cup size.

If you have a short torso or high set breasts then bras with shorter wires will keep your straps in the right place.

4. Your Bra is Designed for Taller Women
If you are under 5ft 5" (or you have high set breasts) you may find that no matter what size you try your bra straps still slip off your shoulders. This is because the wires are too long for your torso or the height of your breasts so the straps don't sit in the right place. 

Solution: Look for bras with shorter wires that are proportional to your torso length (or breast height).

The racer clip on Panache Sports bra is ideal for sloping shoulders

5. Sloping and Narrow Shoulders
Straps can slip off narrow and sloping shoulders even when you're in the right size so style is really important.

Solution: Look for styles where the straps are set closer together or have a V back where the straps form a V at the back to prevent slipping.  Bras with racer clip backs (like the Panache sports bra above) are also a great option for narrow or sloping shoulders.

See Also: Bras for Narrow and Sloping Shoulders

As well as checking these five tips it's worth making sure you have tightened your bra straps so that your straps are flat against your body but not digging into your shoulders. Bra straps will lengthen as you wear your bra so they need to be adjusted regularly to fit your height. If your band rides up when you shorten your straps then your bra may be old or you need a smaller band size.

Besides finding your best bra size it's equally important to find your best bra styles that compliment your body and breast shape. Finding your best style can eliminate the annoying slipping straps forever! xx

Breast Bullying

October is anti-bullying month and this is a subject close to my heart (my post back in February on Pink Shirt Day struck a chord with many of you). Many of my customers have experienced bullying over their breast size at some point during their life. You may think that this is mostly kids teasing each other during puberty (which of course is rife) however, breast bullying happens in many more places, most dangerously, and sadly, within the family.

Bullying is an invidious weapon that hurts the victim from within. The effects can be experienced for years and affect how you feel about yourself long into adulthood. I think we have an opportunity to change decades of ignorance and bullying so that future generations of girls can grow up without the weight of breast-shame to deal with.

Bullying within the Family
You may be surprised to know that this is the most common form of bullying my clients tell me about. Many are singled out for being the most busty sister or daughter and made to feel that they are somehow 'wrong' in their physique. Perhaps much of this taunting stems from jealousy or insecurity with their own shape (it's much easier to bring other people down than to raise them and yourself up).

Perpetual breast taunting and shaming establishes doubt about the validity of your body and makes young women question if they have done something wrong. This can lead to seeking validation about your body and worth for a long time. A supportive and enlightened family can save a busty teen from years of searching for self-esteem and body acceptance.

Ignoring developing breasts and covering daughters in layers of baggy clothing to hide their figures also contributes to a sense of breast-shame. This passive bullying is to try and force girls into a certain 'mold' that women ought to be. Breasts are still incorrectly linked to morality so many parents think that by making their daughters look as though they don't have breasts it will somehow 'save' them from moral peril. This simply doesn't work. You can teach body-confidence and morality at the same time.

Bullying from the Media
It's well disguised but there is no doubt that women are bullied into feeling they 'should' be something in order to be acceptable. We are bombarded with images and words that narrow the size, shape, colour, height and weight we should be. From the tiny selection of magazine covers below you can see the imbued guilt and shame woven into mass media.

"How Smart Women Lose Weight" because we all know that most of us are just too stupid to be thin. "Fight Flab & Win" because only losers are fat. "My Body After Baby" because let's face it, creating the miracle of life is nothing compared to looking great in a bikini.

Having a great internal compass that says "this is just one way that women can look, there are millions of other ways" allows us to see these women as beautiful but not the only valuable women in our world.

New strategies are coming into effect to stop the runaway train of media weight-dogma. The UK seems to be leading the way with groups like the All Party Parliamentary Group on Body Image who were part of the first Body Confidence Awards recognizing advertisers, authors, websites, individuals and organizations promoting confidence in children and adults. I don't think that governments ought to be left to determine confidence, but we certainly need some consequences for companies who blatantly prey on our insecurities to keep us in a fear-based-buying-cycle.

Internet Bullying
A couple of weeks ago our community here in Greater Vancouver was rocked by the suicide of a young girl after years of relentless bullying via the Internet, phone and in person. A tragic litany of events included a barrage of abuse about the girl's breasts. The complexities of digital communication, young women, breasts and society is a topic for a whole other blog, but this journalist's piece is thought-provoking. We need to start arming our young girls and adults with the education and language to understand their own bodies and to be supportive and accepting of other women's bodies before they start looking for validation and acceptance in a faceless place.

As you've probably figured out by now I think words are powerful and even though they can inflict such dreadful wounds they are also a busty girl's best defense and liberation to live happily and confidently in her beautiful body. By giving the women and girls in your life words of encouragement as well as arming them with the vocabulary to love their own bodies, we can change how future generations of women treat themselves and other women. xx

Self Confidence Sites
http://loveyourbody.nowfoundation.org/
http://www.2dayswoman.com/health/body-image-part-improve-body-confidence
http://www.campaignforrealbeauty.com/

Body Confidence Sites
http://www.stylehasnosize.com
http://www.bodypositive.ca/Home/tabid/121/Default.aspx


Anti-Bullying Sites
http://www.antibullying.net/
http://www.stopabully.ca/

7 Facts about Changing Breast Cancer

Visit the Website

As most of you will know October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. There is a huge amount of information, activity and merchandise around this campaign but the two most important facts at the heart of this month are:

1) Learn how to examine your own breasts for lumps and bumps - most are completely harmless but for many women who can catch their breast cancer early it saves their life.

2) Breast cancer needs a cure (in fact several as there are many different types) and this means we need to make finding the cause and cures a priority.

Visit the Website

BCAM - The Good and The Bad 
I like that Breast Cancer Awareness month is a superb opportunity to leverage the media to remind women how important it is to check their breasts. What I don't like is that we've become immune to the impact of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and forget that this disease happens every day to women across the world.

The insane abundance of PINK during this month has literally got in the way of two crucial facts:

1) Research is needed to find the cause and cure for breast cancer

2) Governments of the world need to commit to transparency in uncovering the causes and funding cures for breast cancers. 

The public donating money is a vital part of fund-raising but in reality medical research requires the public spending power of governments and for this to happen the political leaders of the world have to make finding cancer causes and cures a priority. It's not hard to work out that those products and industries that are linked to cancer are also the ones pumping money into the economy and political donations so it's going to take a huge amount of public pressure to move governments into taking a proactive stance on cancer research.

3 Practical Things You Can Do in the Battle Against Cancer
There are three things you can do this Breast Cancer Awareness Month (or any month in fact) that will make a difference to beating this dreadful disease:

1) Check Your Breasts

2) Donate any money DIRECTLY to cancer research (either to Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, Canadian Breast Cancer Network, American Cancer Society or to the Susan Love Foundation ) all the 'Walks for the Cure' or '2% of this lipstick goes to cancer research' won't make as much financial impact as just mailing a cheque to a Cancer Research Organization directly.


3) Use your power as a citizen to let your government know that you want breast cancer research to be prioritized in your country. In the US you can do this using Breast Cancer Action's Online Petition or by visiting American Cancer Society's Cancer Action Network website. In Canada visit the Prevent Cancer Now petition page.

Like most people breast cancer has affected my family and friends and the reality is that it looks nothing like a Pink Ribbon so we need to do more than just light up the White House with pink lights, we need the people inside it to hear us and put an end to this devastating disease. I hope you find this post helpful xx

Useful and Interesting Links
Elisabeth Dale - A New Approach to The Cure
Worldwide Breast Cancer Site with Tools and Information
Think Before You Pink
Breast Cancer Action
American Breast Cancer Foundation
Breast Cancer Action Network

The Shame of Big Boobs: Claudia's Story

The contents of this blog post are from an email I received from a woman who wanted to share her story of life in big boobs. I am always so touched when women get in touch to say that they want to help other women come to terms with and feel proud of their boobs. If Claudia's story reaches just one woman feeling ashamed of her breasts and helps her feel like she's not alone then it's a wonderful gift. My personal thanks to Claudia xx

Claudia's Story 
My name is Claudia, I’m a 25-year-old Italian girl and my adventure in bra-fitting began six months ago. When I came across your site by chance, I instantly fell in love. The passion you put in what do you is palpable in every word. I felt the urge to share my story with you and your readers because maybe it can help other women who are experiencing what I went through until not too long ago.

After years of being stuck in the wrong size and loathing for my boobs I ultimately decided to get a breast reduction. Since then, my life has changed. I now share your understanding of how important a good fitting is for women with big boobs.

A Child in a Grown-up Body
Ever since I hit puberty, I’ve had big boobs. They developed so fast that at the age of 11 I needed to buy my first bra. I was still a child, even though my body had suddenly decided to change and move into woman territory. I was shocked, I was ashamed, my boobs were my enemies, because I was the only one among my friends and classmates with “those things” and, mostly, I wasn’t ready for the strange stares that started coming my way, often from men the age of my dad and often followed by rude, offensive comments. I would have done everything to hide that unwanted presence that kept growing on my chest.

At the age of 20 my breasts stopped their development and I ended up with what I used to call “my ginormous, ugly boobs”, which were a nightmare to dress, carry around, live with, and totally disproportionate compared to my otherwise petite body. Men kept ogling at them whenever I went, I even received inappropriate looks/comments from other women, sports were a problem, the idea of going to the beach almost made me cry and jeez, they were heavy! Bra shopping? A living hell, a dreadful, humiliating, frustrating experience.

The Nightmare of Bra Shopping
When I bought my first bra, and up until relatively recently, every store only had sizes that went from 1 to 4, sometimes 5. These numbers are the old-fashioned Italian bra sizing system, 1 means “very small breasts AND ribcage measurement”, size 5 means “OMG you’re boobs are huge and so must be your band size”, and everything in between. If you wanted something bigger than size 5, you had to visit a specialized store, where the styles were for your grandmother, cost a fortune, and big cups were only on big bands. A few years ago the number/letter system reached Italy, but even now only a couple of brands offer a decent range of sizes. For the record, they don’t fit me and I must shop online.

I knew big cup/big band bras clearly weren’t a good fit – they didn’t stay in place, offered no support and uplift, my boobs spilled over the top and the sides, wires poked here and there, straps dug into my shoulders – but I kept buying and wearing them because they were the only pretty bras I could find. I can’t even begin to count how many saleswomen have looked at me like I was some kind of alien, with either a pitying or a you’re-so-damn-lucky expression. I definitely didn’t think of myself as lucky, I envied the small-busted girls who could find tons of lovely bras and didn’t have to hide their boobs, but I totally understood the pitying stares. If you live in a world where big boob stereotypes are everywhere and you can’t find bras, swimwear and clothes that are good for you, self-loathing and shame are an easy mistake. And when “bra fitting” is a meaningless concept, no one teaches you that it’s not your fault if manufacturers are ignorant, that a 32-38 A-D range is extremely limited, that the “plus 4” method is wrong… well, being stuck in the wrong size for years is even easier.

The Consequences of Bad Bras
I spent more than 10 years of my life blaming myself and my curves, torturing my boobs with horrendously ill-fitting bras and thinking there was something wrong with me. The consequences, of course, didn’t only affect me emotionally; wearing bras that were too big in the band and too small in the cups also had a major impact on my posture, breast tissue (aka migration) and health, the lack of proper support leading to severe neck, shoulder and back pain.

Two years ago I decided I’d had enough, and finally found the courage to have the reduction I’d been dreaming of for a long time. To make it short: surgery went well, my boobs were still big but proportional to my body and I was extremely pleased with the result. Do I regret it now? More on this later.

Being at Peace with my Boobs
So… I didn’t hate my boobs anymore (I loved them, actually), but unfortunately I kept wearing the wrong size for the same reasons as before. Things changed six months ago, when for the first time I considered the option of online shopping; deep inside of me I knew there had to be pretty, not too expensive bras for big-busted women. I Googled a few keywords and… discovered a whole new world. I learned how sizing works; that you don’t have to add inches to your underbust measurement to determine your band size; that DD+ cups really exist and no, it’s nothing scary; that yes, I can find pretty and sexy bras in my size; how to tell if a bra is a good fit or not. All this, and much more.

I will NEVER forget the feeling of wearing a well-fitting bra for the first time. So supportive and comfortable! And what an amazing silhouette! I looked thinner because my boobs were where they are supposed to be and not near my navel, I could lift my arms up and bend over without worry because they were perfectly encased in the cups. No more back rolls, no more discomfort, no more quadraboob. My posture? I couldn’t believe the difference.

Back to my breast reduction… I don’t regret it. I decided to have surgery for many reasons and one of them is that in spite of everything I didn’t like my boobs, aesthetically speaking. I’m happier now, I think they better suit my body. But all that self-loathing, the frustration, having to deal with constant pain? Ah, if only I had well-fitting bras back then, if only proper bra fitting was common knowledge! I would have chosen to have a reduction nevertheless, but I’m sure my journey toward self-confidence and acceptance of my curves would have been easier. And this is the point I’m trying to make with my overly long story. Wearing the right bra has been a total life changer for me and I took the matter to heart; I keep reading as much as I can on bra fitting, I try to educate women, and I have a dream: a world where no woman is ashamed of her boobs because of stupid myths and thinks she’s a freak just because she needs bras in sizes that aren’t always available due to manufacturer’s ignorance. Not all body image issues would be magically resolved, of course, because self-confidence is a complex thing. But it would be an important achievement nonetheless.

A Big Bust Self Exam Story

"Today I am handing you over to my friend Gemma who wanted to share her story with you because in order to have good breast health we have to overcome fear and that's not always easy. Here's her honest and familiar story xx"

Finding a Lump
One Monday in April I was in the shower and decided to do a breast exam. I am ashamed to say that I am a bit slap dash when it comes to self-exams, I kind of do them (a squeeze here and there) but it had been a few months since I had done a proper one. As I was doing my exam, I felt not one but two lumps in my right breast. After the initial panic, I tried to calm down and re-did the exam and determined that there were definitely two lumps in my breast.

Rights Reserved

I work in healthcare so the rational side of me knew that 8 out of 10 breast lumps are benign, but the irrational (and terrified) side of me instantly turned to the worst possible scenario.

Plucking Up The Courage to See a Doctor
I decided to wait a couple of weeks before seeing my doctor to see if the lumps went away later in my menstrual cycle and in that time, I managed to wind myself up into a total mess. I read pretty much every blog and website about breast cancer I could find. I also physically bruised my right breast by feeling the lumps every few hours to see if they were still there!

Rights Reserved by Busty Girl Comics

Finally I got my act together. I knew that for the good of myself and my family I had to deal with whatever was causing the lumps and went to see my doctor. My doctor confirmed that there was at least one lump and we needed to take action quickly. As I am only 35 I was recommended an ultrasound rather than a mammogram.

Testing the Lump with Ultrasound and Mammogram
Ultrasounds are less invasive and can pick up findings easier in younger women such as myself, who may have denser breasts. I had an ultrasound the following day and the technician confirmed that there was a suspicious lump in my right breast – approx 1cm in diameter. The radiologist recommended that the lump needed to be examined further and I was sent for a mammogram.

Even the term mammogram terrified me. However, with my husband supporting me every step of the way, two days later I went and had the mammogram. All I could think of in the waiting room as I was waiting for the doctor to call me was, ‘I’m 35, I have a 2 year old, I run half marathons, I go to Pilates, I am in the best shape of my life – this doesn’t make sense’. But then life doesn’t make sense sometimes does it? In that waiting room I can honestly say I wanted to run away as fast as my legs would take me. I didn’t want the mammogram, I didn’t want the probable biopsy, I just wanted to go home. However, at home I had a husband and 2 year old who needed me to be around and to be healthy so I went through with both tests.

I cannot say enough good things about the Women’s Health Center where I had my mammogram and biopsy. It is a centre that specializes in women’s conditions and the whole environment is very feminine and as non-clinical as possible. My radiologist and technicians were amazing, reminding me that 8/10 breast lumps are benign, and that my lump appeared to be that way –but they wanted to be 100% sure not 99% sure, hence all of the tests. Again the rational side of me wanted to believe them, but the waiting between each test was excruciating.

The Results
A couple of days later I got confirmation that my lump was in fact benign! Ecstatic and grateful does not begin to describe how I felt – and still do. However, I got a warning and a kick up the bum I needed to be more vigilant about self-exams and well woman visits in general. No longer will I delay such important exams.

Between finding my lump(s) and getting my biopsy results, I read too many stories from women, of all ages, who are less lucky than me. Their ‘99% probably nothing lump’ was breast cancer – in some cases at an advanced stage. No-one is immune to breast cancer and less than 15% of women with breast cancer have a family history of the disease.

Breast cancer affects 1 in 8 women in North America. Everyone knows someone who has battled this disease. Both self-breast exams and well woman visits are vital because they really do save lives.

There are plenty of resources that provide great advice on how to carry out breast self-exams:

http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/types/self_exam/bse_steps
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breast_self-examination
http://www.coppafeel.org/

Visit the website

If in doubt see your doctor and get a medical opinion; I rush my son to the doctor if there is anything wrong with him, and after this experience I have learned that I need to do the same for myself. Make it a priority for yourself to go for regular well woman visits. For those of you in the US, due to the Affordable Care Act, all insurance companies now provide access to well woman visits for free, which gives you even more reason to get checked.

A New Relationship with My Boobs
I have always had a bit of a love-hate relationship with my boobs. The attention my ‘great boobs’ have received over the years has been both flattering and frustrating. If I had a dollar for every time I’ve shouted ‘there is more to me than just a pair of boobs’ I would be a rich lady! However, in general I am very grateful for what I inherited from my mum.

A few years ago I gave birth to my gorgeous son who I happily nursed for 10 months. Post-nursing my big full boobs simply deflated and like many new mums I have been overly harsh on my new body shape – particularly my boobs. After this scare, I am so much more grateful for my boobs! Yes they may not be as full as they used to be, but they are still amazing and most importantly they are healthy! With the help of Claire at Butterfly Collection I celebrated my healthy boobs by getting measured for the first time since I had my son and treated myself to lots of new beautiful lingerie. Now I celebrate my boobs and promise to look after them in the way they deserve.


Disclaimer: Please note these are my personal opinions not those of my employer.

What Makes Boobs Real or Fake?

When you're a busty woman you become the target of mindless (and completely unoriginal) comments about your bust. Some strangers, and sometimes friends and family, feel within their rights to whistle, ogle, insult or ridicule your boobs. Developing a thick skin, and ultimately learning to be immensely glad you're not one of these idiotic and sad individuals, gives you the tools to deal with boob-ignorance. One of the most common unwarranted comments thrown at busty women is "fake!" and it's always seemed like such a strange insult to make.

We all know that people are referring to breast implants as fake boobs but the word 'fake' suggests that there's something less relevant, less true about the woman who has implants and this is what really aggravates me because all the women I know with breast implants are incredible and brave women. I personally know several women who have had breast implants and these are the reasons they chose to have breast augmentation:

1) Reconstructed breast/s after single and double mastectomy
2) Evening out size after significant infection and tissue loss in one breast
3) Complete deflation from an F cup to AA after 3 pregnancies
4) One breast significantly larger than the other
5) Did not feel that her A cup breasts were proportionate with her frame, increased to a C cup

These women range in age from 25 to 63 and have all felt happier and more whole after their surgery. I know the journeys these women faced before their surgery and I can tell you that there is nothing fake about the struggles they endured or the bravery of their decision to undergo surgery or the authenticity of their confidence and peace after having their surgery.

It's a complete misnomer that most women who have breast augmentation do so for extroverted, 'porn-star' reasons. The reason breast implants have got this reputation is that we see the extreme cases of breast-augmentation on reality shows, in the news and on tabloid covers. I don't suppose a reality show about '32 year old, insurance broker, Mom of two goes about her busy day with 32C implants' would have the level of gratuity viewers are used to!

Most women who elect to have breast implants do so for deeply personal and emotional reasons. They are women from all walks of life who do not feel entirely in sync with their body and choose to have a procedure that makes them feel better about themselves. I have a hard time seeing this courageous and individual decision as a busty slur you throw at someone walking down the street. Attaching negativity to breast implants is just as ludicrous as attaching negativity to D+ breasts.

I believe that EVERY woman deserves to be treated with respect regardless of her bust size; Boobs do NOT dictate your personality, kindness, morality etc. When it comes to bra shopping there may be some specific fitting requirements for augmented breasts that don't necessarily apply to unaltered breasts so don't be afraid to tell your fitter about your surgery. It should make no difference to your fitter if you have augmented breasts because you are real, your breasts are really yours and you really do need a bra! xx

A Little Bit Of Bra Info is a Dangerous Thing

There has been a bit of hoopla this week because an established and respected bra fitter has condemned 'modern' bra sizes as being Vanity Sized. This statement has provoked strong reactions on both sides of the argument - those who say 'yes, bras are vanity sized' and 'no, there is no such thing'.

When I read an isolated statement like "modern bra sizes are a scam" it makes my heart sink a little because I know that thousands of women will read that and feel worried or confused because they don't have a wider understanding of bras, fitting and design. I spend my life submerged in the science, beauty, emotion and practicality of bras so when I read anything about bras I have a wealth of knowledge and experience to bring to the topic; most women don't have this luxury.

Because Butterfly Collection is an online boutique I spend a vast amount of time online and know that while the Internet is a blessing in furthering bra education it can also be a curse because we're bombarded with fragments of information - try conveying the intracacies of bra fitting in 140 characters! Truncating details about bra fitting into a soundbite, tweet or Facebook update takes a great deal of context away from the information and I think this can harm the pursuit of better bra knowledge.

I have concerns about the condemnation of modern bra sizes as being vanity sized because the statement doesn't account for the following facts:

• Very few 'Full Bust Bras' (bras with 28-38 band sizes and D-K cup sizes) existed before the 1990s.
• In the last twenty years almost NO pre-1990s brands have grown to include D+ cups in 28-32 bands (Playtex, Warners and Maidenform are a few examples of companies who have not added full bust sizes to their repertoire) so I'm not exactly sure who the boutique is referring to when saying that bras that used to be labeled as a 36D are now labeled as a 32G.
• In 1958 the invention of Lycra completely revolutionized the design and fit of a bra and yet many companies were still using the 1930s sizing method. The modern garments were completely unrecognizable from the 1930s bras. 
• The Plus Four Method was used across the board in England and North America, a system devised for old elastic and boned bras. Modern bras do not need inches to be added to the band to compensate for basic things like breathing!

Vanity Sizing is a very loaded phrase because it suggests that your fit is to flatter your ego and not your bust. Working day in and day out with women who have been well outside the 34-42 A-D mainstream I know that the modern bras in 28-30 D-K are LONG OVERDUE! They have been needed for many decades but have only come into reality in recent years. I think it's a dis-service to the physical and emotional misery of busty women to suggest that they are being conned by Vanity Sizing.

Bra sizes will never be an exact science because we ladies are unique and infinitely diverse. Bra sizes are a starting point to learn more about your fit and I think the advances and increase in 28-38 D-K bra sizes are a great step forward in good bra fit.

At the very core of my professional ethos is giving women the tools to understand their breasts. I think as professionals we have a duty to give women all the facts so they are empowered not afraid. I know that the boutique at the center of this storm is deeply committed to good bra fit and that a media snippet can be taken hugely out of context. However, I have to come down on the side that says, "No, I don't believe modern bra sizes are a scam, I think they are the beginning of a desperately needed bra revolution that acknowledges there are hundreds of different bra sizes." xx

Response from the boutique 

Do You Have Breast Migration?

You may not have heard about breast tissue migration before but it is one of the most common conditions caused by wearing the wrong bra size. Breast migration refers to breast tissue that starts to move into the armpit and towards your back after long periods of wearing the wrong bra size and style. This can affect the fit of your clothes and make you look heavier than you are. The good news is, the situation is reversible.

You see breast migration so often we've come to think of it as normal. All these pictures show women who have tissue migration or are wearing a bra that will cause breast tissue migration.

 

The Cause
The most common cause of breast tissue migration is wearing a cup that is too small for you. Women with large breasts have breast tissue all the way to their armpit and all this tissue needs to be inside your cup. If you wear a bra with a cup that is too small for you the wire of the cup rests on your breast tissue. The pressure of the wire divides your breast tissue pushing some inside your cup and the rest is forced back into the armpit area.

Your bra cup should enclose all the breast tissue right under your armpit (Melody Bra)

What to Look For
If you have excess flesh around your armpit then it's worth reviewing your bra size because it could be that the excess flesh is actually breast tissue that needs to be inside your bra. It's easy to mistake wrinkling at the armpit for tissue migration. Most women get some wrinkling or folds at the armpit where your breast tissue rises to meet you armpit - this happen when you're in the right bra! 

What Can Be Done?
By getting your breast tissue into the right cup size you can gradually reverse the tissue migration by training the tissue back into the cup. There is no proven health problem linked to breast tissue migration, however, it can be painful and unsightly so it's worth ensuring that all of your boobs are inside your bra. If you need help working out your bra size you can use our Free Size Consultation or book a Skype fitting with one of our fitters. Have you experienced breast tissue migration and managed to rectify it over time with the right bra? xx

The Women Who Need to Add Inches to their Bra Band

As regular readers will know, the Plus Four Method (adding inches to your band size) is the epidemic causing so many women to be in the wrong bra size. Given my dedication to eliminating the ubiquitous Plus FourMethod you may be surprised that today’s post is about the women who NEED to add inches to their band size for good fit. 

There are two groups of women who need to add inches: Those with little flesh around their ribcage or who have a muscular ribcage and women who have small, close-set breasts.

Small, close-set breasts don't apply to my customers because we only sell D-K cup bras. But some women with AA-C cups will have breasts in a position that means they need to add inches. Most women, and almost every woman with a D+ chest, will find that their breast tissue begins right at their armpit and ends somewhere around their sternum. 

Like almost every D+ woman the breast tissue on our lovely 30FF model Victoria, begins right next to her armpit

Why women with small, close-set breasts need to add inches

For some women, however, their breast tissue doesn't begin at their armpit, it begins further into their chest (usually parallel with their ears rather than their outer collarbone). These women need a longer band to literally reach where their breast tissue begins.

You can see that the breast tissue on this model starts about two inches away from her armpit.

It's the space between your breast tissue beginning at your armpit and starting farther into your chest that dictates if you need to add inches. If the woman in the image above didn't add inches to her band then her cup would start too close to her armpit where she doesn't have breast tissue. If your breasts start about 2 inches in from each armpit that's 4 inches extra that have to be added to the total circumference of the bra band.

This image of Scarlett Johansson and Christina Hendricks illustrates the different band lengths needed for woman with small close-set breasts and women with full cups. 

Despite the fact that Christina is wearing an horrendously ill-fitting garment you can see that her breast tissue actually begins right next to her armpit so her band doesn't need to be so long, she needs more cup and less band. On the other side Scarlett Johansson's breast tissue doesn't start until much farther into her body so she needs a longer band that will reach her breasts.

Women with skinny or muscular ribcages

In a recent post I wrote about how women with squidgy torsos need tighter bands to get great breast lift and support. One reader asked “I’d love to see a follow up post about bands for women with very little body fat around their torso because that too is difficult.” 

Body fat creates a natural cushioning between your ribs and your bra band (or more specifically your cup wires) which makes everything sit comfortably. If you're skinny and/or you're particularly muscular around your ribs then the lack of body fat can make your bra painful. If you're busty with a skinny/muscular ribcage then you need a tight band to support the weight of your breasts but you don't want to be in pain with your band 'clicking' against your ribs.

Here are some tips:

1) Increase your band size by one size (if you usually wear a 28 but find you get painful clicking try a 30 band and come down one cup size). If the compromise in lift and stability is too great then this isn't a good enough solution for you, but for many, wearing one band size bigger is a more comfortable fit.

2) Look for bras with deeper bands. When you band is deeper the weight of your breasts is spread over a greater area. This means the bra can't click against your ribs so longline bras are ideal.

3) If all else fails it's worth investing in the oh-so-sexy bra liners. These are usually marketed to absorb breast sweat, however, they're ideal for giving some extra cushioning between your bra and your ribs.

No Hard and Fast Rules
I say to my customers that I can give you all the science in the world about how your bra fits and why but the most important thing is that you feel comfortable. If your bra is comfortable and you are happy that is the most important thing. I hope these tips shed some light on why some women need to add inches where others need to deduct inches from their band size. xx