Strapless Dress/Small Bust = Good or Bad Idea

I posted this in my blog, but since I received no comments there, I thought I'd post this question here:

I have been checking out Macys' plus-sized clearance section online over the past few days, and this dress keeps appealing to me: http://www1.macys.com/catalog/.....ryID=32926

I think it's adorable, and it was listed as a dress for apple-shaped women, but I've always avoided strapless anything because I am small-busted. I know, there are always strapless bras, right? Well, sort of. If I wore a smaller band size or had fuller breasts, strapless bras might not be a problem. However, it's hard enough finding a regular bra in my size that fits well. I am a size 40B.

I don't have full breasts, so whenever I go to plus-sized stores, like Cacique to find a bra, the band fits fine, but then there is always so much extra space in the cup of the bra. I know I am not an A cup, as I've tried on those too and spilled out of them, but I'm not a full B either. I just have irregular shaped breasts, tis all. Right now, I only own two bras, both from Victoria Secret. They are both 38B sized, but I wear an extender with them. The cups on the bras are smaller and fit my breasts much more closely than others.

I suppose I could find a 38B strapless bra and do the same thing (or keep working out regularly so I'll shrink in the chest width area and hopefully not the width and cup), but strapless bras are a whole 'nother beast.

So I can't decide whether to get this dress or a dress like it or not. I suppose I should solve the bra dilemma before anything else because I definitely need the support of a good bra to look as polished as the model in the picture in the pretty black, strapless dress. (I mostly love it because I LOVE my shoulders--I think they're one of my best body features--and a dress like this would be a chance to show them off.)

14 years ago

Maya

Veteran

I think you should get a fitting somewhere other than Victorias secret before anything else.

Amy

(website)

Active Member

I got the only fitting I've ever had at Lane Bryant/Cacique, actually, but yeah, I definitely need a proper bra fitting.

Debora

I agree, first start with a good bra fitting and then give the dress a try. Do you have a Nordstroms near you? Angie often recommends going there for a bra fitting.

Actually, I do! (I keep forgetting I live near/in a big city now, Atlanta!) Is it free?

Once you find the right bra, maybe you can take the dress to a tailor and have them add some straps. It does say that the dress has elastic, so that will help some in keeping it in place.

marianna

I think there is an Intimacy in Atlanta too. That's a good bra-fitting option. Yep, it's free!

I may be going to Nordstrom's this weekend then!

Amy, if you have an Intimacy near you, please go there! Nordstrom is okay for people who don't have a bra specialty shop, but I honestly don't trust their sizing. No offense to those that prefer it, but the sizes I hear people claim they are just don't seem right to my very discriminating eye.

I really did not know what a well-fitting bra felt like until I went to Intimacy. I *thought* I did, but I was totally wrong. I find that this is a very typical Intimacy experience, so I encourage anyone who is within a 3 hour distance (seriously) to go there.

Hmm, thanks for the suggestion Maya! I thought Intimacy was like Cacique to Nordstrom's or something. Didn't realize it was something different. I will check out Intimacy. Thanks!

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