Strapless tops and dresses - yay or nay? - YouLookFab Forum

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Strapless tops and dresses - yay or nay?

Itari

(website)

I must say that I love the look, both formal and casual. I'm sorely tempted to buy some tops and dresses, but I'm not sure how would they look on me. I've got nothing similar, so no pictures to rate, sorry. How do you think, is it a good or a bad idea?

This is how I look (it doesn't really show my upper body, but is more or less accurate):
http://s867.photobucket.com/al.....nt=002.jpg

Dressing

30 replies

Latest reply was from Itari

Srujana

Veteran

try some on and see how you feel =) no harm, no foul, right?
I think you could look stunning in the right kind of strapless...I prefer styles that float away from my midsection..or else are 'corset' like, to give me a streamlined look..see what you prefer and ofcourse take pics for us

florida

Veteran

I don't see why you couldn't wear strapless! Yes, try some and post pics!

Itari

(website)

Srujana - yes, I prefer corset-like tops (as opposed to tube tops), mostly because they usually have lacings and therefore are more versatile.

st4rrgrrl - my main concern is that they're supposed to look better on someone with wide and defined shoulders... or am I wrong?

Actually, I think that drawing some attention to my upper body wouldn't be as bad as I thought earlier. Mostly because it my bottom half is worse

cciele

Veteran

Yes, you should totally try it! A structured bodice would definitely be a better choice than the tube type. Also, I like the looks I've been seeing with a buttondown or tshirt under a strapless dress.

rute

Veteran

For me it's just a matter of support... maybe you can find a good strapless bra ( I never did).

I'm sure the look will be lovely on you with the right support.

Itari

(website)

Ha. Apparently Bradley Bayou wrote in his "Science of Sexy" book that women wearing size 12 and up should avoid strapless dresses. Not that I want to listen to him, but it made me feel... hmm... abnormal?

Thanks Mr. Bayou, I'll stick to Angie.

Steph

Veteran

Itari, I agree that you should try out strapless and see what you think. I think that the size 12 rule sounds silly.

Having said that, after attending a ton of weddings and watching way too many episodes of Say Yes to the Dress, I do believe strapless is not the most flattering neckline on a lot of people. I'm always surprised that the large majority of women seem to choose strapless dresses for their weddings, because I think a lot of them could do better.

Itari

(website)

Steph, can you elaborate? I'm curious... Do you think that strapless works better with any particular body (or shoulders, or arms, or bust) shape, or it's just a matter of having toned upper body?

Maya

Veteran

I agree 100% with Steph. I find strapless unflattering and hard to wear on virtually all body types. You can't wear a bra so the structure of the dress has to do triple duty (shape, support, and flattery). Not an easy task on anyone of any bust size. I also find it odd how the bodice of strapless dresses always seem to move independently of the person wearing it, if that makes sense.

I saw a girl on the train today wearing a casual strapless dress and it looked, bluntly, awful. She was either wearing no bra or a bandeau and her boobs were completely smashed, resulting in a sort of muffin top of breast tissue spilling out the top of the dress.

Not that I know or even care much about wedding dresses, but I think the dresses on SYTTD are seriously some of the ugliest looking creations I have ever seen, in part because they are all strapless.

Dashrashi

Veteran

I tend not to like strapless tops and dresses in the real world (as opposed to in theory): if they are structured enough to support the bust, then there's likely to be, uh, spillover in the armpit/upper-bosom region (regardless of the size or body-fat percentage of the wearer) AND the bodice is likely to look like armor that moves independently of the wearer (like Maya said); if they are soft enough to avoid the armor pitfall, they tend to mash down the bust and not support it adequately, and you still get the spillover effect. My boyfriend actually hates the look of strapless dresses and tops on anyone, primarily for the spillover reason.

Itari

(website)

Maya: I think that a good strapless bra might be an option. Unfortunately, I don't own one, so it's just my idea. The armour-like bodice is definitely not something I'd like to achieve, and neither is a dress that would turn my boobs into pancakes. A strapless piece of clothing should be perfectly fitted to look decent and I realize that this is hard. I completely understand your point. I've never watched SYTTD and I'm not going to, because I don't care much about weddings.

Dashrashi: the spillover effect, as I imagine, is something like this?
http://balkonetka.pl/static/up.....icja1.jpeg
Yuck.

I've just read this on Imogen's blog: http://www.insideoutstyleblog......large.html

This might be a good idea if I could find a strapless dress that would accomodate my bust instead of smashing it.

Maya

Veteran

I don't care about weddings either. My mom used to watch it sometimes though, and we'd make fun of dresses together

You should totally get a strapless bra. It's not just for strapless dresses, but you can also wear halter tops, racerbacks, spaghetti straps, and other types of dresses that you would normally have to avoid dude to visible bra straps. I really want one, but I am just too hard to fit

Anne has worn a strapless dress like Imogen before and it looked incredible on her.

Steph

Veteran

Itari, I think there are a few issues I have with strapless. I think that because it creates an unbroken line from shoulder to shoulder, it can end up making the wearer look wide. I think this is exacerbated if the wearer has larger upper arms. My weight fluctuates, and I sometimes like the way strapless looks on me, but only when I am at the lower end of my weight range. When I gain a few pounds my arms tend to get bigger and I feel like a linebacker in strapless.

I also think that a lot of women don't pay attention to detail when it comes to strapless. I hate the look of a strapless dress with obvious tan lines, and I see it done all the time. A strapless neckline when I can see the imprint of the halter shape or spaghetti straps of someone's bathing suit looks terrible, in my opinion. I also think that back fat is really unflattering on anyone, and I see it in strapless dresses quite often. It can be difficult to avoid, no matter how thin you are, because if the dress is snug enough to stay up, it often ends up cutting into the skin and creating the look of back fat. If you're a person who bloats easily, even a dress that fits properly in the morning can show back fat later in the day.

I think strapless can look great on some people, but it can definitely be a difficult style to wear well.

Itari

(website)

Steph, thanks for your wisdom

I don't have any visible tan lines because I don't tan (it looks terrible and fake on me), so that's not an issue. I'm a bit hesitant when it comes to looking wide. I don't want to seem bigger than I really am, but if it could balance my wide hips and thighs...

Back fat... oh no! The mere thought is scary, I'm serious. I suspect that I'm vulnerable to this effect, because the difference between my waist and my bust is about 30 cm (12") and it's hard to find good clothes with such proportions.

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

Itari, you would have to find a strapless item that had a thicker fabric; i.e. not cheap! Also, considering laying under a strapless dress...ala:

http://outfitdiary.blogspot.co.....ay_16.html

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

BTW, I have a Freya strapless bra. It's fab.

Sarah

(website)

Veteran

I have one strapless dress and I love it.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_JA8_.....gs+004.jpg
I think it all depends on the style of dress and if you can manage decent support. This dress has a bra sewn in, and it actually worked for me. Not all strapless dresses do, though.
Strapless bras hardly ever work for me either.

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

There are a lot of new strapless bra options these days. I am amazed that the one I have "works" as well as it does. sometimes I even wear it under a spaghetti strap top when I don't want to wear a cardi over on a hot day!

Sarah, that dress is soooooo cute! Makes me want to shop for a B&W summer dress!

Maya

Veteran

If anyone knows of a strapless bra that comes in a 28G, I'm all ears. So far the smallest band size I have found in any style is 30.

lwc

Body-wise, I can pull them off. But boob-wise...fuhgettabout it!

Steph

Veteran

Maya, how about getting the 30 and having the band altered? I know Intimacy does that for free if you order from them. I had it done with a regular bra and it worked really well. I wear a 32 DD/DDD in strapless, and I know how difficult that can be to find, so I can understand why you are having trouble.

Maya

Veteran

Intimacy's selection is unfortunately less than stellar in this department. They do not carry 30's or 28's at all, so all of my bras need to be altered from a 32, and their range of strapless bras in a 32F was very limited. I think there were only 2 options. I would have to size up to a 34E to have any choice at all, and since Intimacy does not accept returns (or even exchanges if the bra is altered), I just didn't feel it was worth the risk.

FTR, when a strapless bra slips down it can actually mean the cup is too small, rather than having anything to do with the band.

Steph

Veteran

Also, Itari, I don't want to scare you off of strapless with my back fat obsession. I just think that it's something some people don't even consider. The key is finding a strapless top that fits well. I loathe back fat so much that when I was in a wedding last summer and had to wear strapless, I was completely stressed and barely ate anything the week before. I ended up dropping weight and not only did I not have back fat, but I had to add a bra under the dress at the last minute to help hold it up.

What I never understand are women who wear strapless for their weddings with visible tan lines and back fat and say "I'll just get it airbrushed out of the photos." Perhaps they will, but they can't airbrush the memory out of my mind!

Steph

Veteran

Maya, I have the problem with the cups too. I find that I often need a bigger cup size with strapless than with regular bras. I'm disappointed Intimacy doesn't have anything for you, and can't order anything. How about ordering the 30 you found and taking it to a seamstress for alterations? I realize that's a big commitment of finances because if it doesn't fit properly you can't return it. But maybe you could try it out first by safety pinning the band to where you would want it taken in?

Also, despite my large chest, I have been able to wear certain strapless dresses that have a lot of boning without a bra. I know you are a little chestier than I am (not something I'm used to saying!), but maybe some styles like that would work for you as well?

I'm sorry Maya, and I know how much it sucks. I actually had a breast reduction surgery about 13 years ago, and even though I am still big, I know how much easier it is for me now than it was beforehand.

Maya

Veteran

Well, I have no interest in wearing anything totally strapless anyway. It would just be nice for skinny straps, halters, wide necklines, etc. But I've managed to live without those styles until now so it's not a big deal if I continue to do so. It's not something that is a worthwhile investment for me.

While I recommend Intimacy enthusiastically for bra fittings, I don't necessarily recommend them for bra shopping unless you're an off-the-rack size, so to speak. They don't do special orders unless you order 3 or more bras at a time. I don't think I'm comfortable having a regular tailor do bra alterations. First of all, it's weird to anyone who doesn't understand bra fitting (which is the vast majority of people). Second, I'm not exactly trusting when it comes to alterations, especially since this is likely something most seamstresses have never done before.

I like to get sized at Intimacy, get a couple of "starter bras" from them, and then just shop online for more.

And yeah, the goal is to have a reduction by my 30th birthday, even if it means spending my 30th birthday in the hospital or in a surgical bra! I can't live like this forever.

Steph

Veteran

Maya, I agree with you wholeheartedly about Intimacy. I also found that their prices were a little more expensive. In terms of alterations, I don't think it would be a tough alteration. You could probably take it to your local dry cleaner, show the band, and say, "I want you to bring this in right here, an inch on each side." But obviously, it's up to you.

I am so happy I had my reduction done. I was 19 when I did it and I have never regretted it. If you ever want to talk to someone who has been there, feel free to send me a message. I could even recommend my surgeon (in the NY area).

Itari, sorry for kind of hijacking your thread with boob talk!

Rosie

Veteran

Sarah, that dress is so sweet. I love it.

Magda, the dress style Sarah is wearing might actually work well for you, too, provided you find the right bra. Like Srujana mentioned, it glides over the rest of the body but is nipped in under the bust, which is flattering on a lot of people.

ImogenL

(website)

Strapless styles can vary so radically in shape and style - that there is no easy answer.

What strapless does is draw a horizontal across your upper chest area, which will draw attention to your upper arms and shoulders - if you feel they are broad enough already, then stay away from strapless, if you want to broaden, go ahead.

It's much easier to wear a strapless top or dress over a t-shirt, then you don't have to worry about the whole bra issue, plus it's way more casual.

anne

Veteran

Thanks for the mention Maya. Itari here's the pic, http://i297.photobucket.com/al.....0_8510.jpg

FWIW my figure is a good bit straighter. I have only 5" between my bust and waist, and don't have a back fat problem.

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