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Sizing, shapes, comparisons for boob-friendly clothes
I am finally biting the bullet and realizing that if I want clothes that fit "off the rack," I'm just going to have to buy ones that are made for actual boobs. I am starting with Biu Biu, Urkye, and Pepperberry.
Looking at the sizing for all of them, I'm so confused. Add to this the fact that I've lost a lot of weight since I've joined Bratabase, and I'm lost. (My stats say I've only lost about 20 pounds, but I think it's more like 40. I probably fudged the weight at the top end more than I care to admit.)
I bought a gently-used Biu Biu top in 40 BB/BBB (stretchy) and it mostly fits. The top fits my shoulders, the boob part fits my boobs (hooray!), but the bottom is too tight across my belly. I always thought I was what Pepperberry calls a balanced shape (even shoulder/hip, defined waist, but squishy), but now I'm thinking I'm bottom-heavy. I think this might be partly because of my pooch. Straight on, I think the widest part of my hips are balanced, but the stomach part and upper hip are bigger than the proportion predicts.
Even when I was a thin teenager, I bought tops a letter size bigger and one or two number sizes bigger than my bottoms. I always thought it was because my shoulders were bigger. Now I know it was probably because of my bust. My frame width/shoulder width is smaller and frame depth is deeper than most clothes seem to think they should be for my current size: Tops are M/L (shoulders) or XL (bust) or US 10/12 (shoulders) or 14+ (bust, but armscyes pull forward and side seams are almost on boobs). Bottoms are large or US 12, mostly, with some 14 depending on the cut.
Can anyone with a little experience give a some input on what sizes I should probably try?
Current measurements without clothes, with 32FF unpadded bra:
Shoulder frame: 11" (28cm) Narrow for my current size
Overbust: 39" (99cm)
Full bust: 42" (~107cm)
Underbust for bras (I like snug, but not crazy and I'm squishy): 32" (81cm) btt-30", loose-35"
Waist: 32" (81cm)
High hip at hip bone: 39.25" (100cm)
Hip at widest: 42.5" (108cm)
I am thinking these are close:
URKYE: 42OOO or 44OO
BIU BIU: 40 BBB or 42 BB
PEPPERBERRY: UK 14 Super Curvy or UK 16 Really Curvy
For all of these, I think the first size would fit my shoulders but be snug on belly/hip and the 2nd would be big on my shoulders (especially frame width/necklines/back) but fit my belly better. I also have short boobs, so I didn't think I'd be the OOO/BBB/Super Curvy in any size, but the way the 40 BB/BBB fits on my upper torso, it seems to be fine.
*Also, I seem to still be on a downward trend for weight/size, so, for thriftiness, I'd rather go with slightly snug now so it will still fit me a few months down the road. Can't predict how much smaller I can get without actually exercising, though.
Does anyone here have enough experience to know if any of these brands are more forgiving in the belly pooch or upper arm areas? Or if they tend to run larger/smaller?
Thank you!!!
(Edited to update some measurements.)
Filed under Clothes
4 comments
My body shape is pretty reliably proportioned even though I am prone to abundant weight fluctuations.
waist=n
Bust=n+2
Hips=n-2
So I'm currently a US 16-14-12
I usually go with 14 and crush my boobs.
I have almost no gluteal projection, but I get a lot of lower belly pooch and some muffin top.
Bra sizes are 34-36 gg-h
I bought two fitted knit dresses from biubiu. The 44bb/bbb fits beautifully. The 42bb/bbb will be great after a 20lb loss. I never bought a T from biubiu because my muffin top is really jiggly and they looked like they wouldn't conceal it at all.
I have two dresses from pepperberry, both 16sc, not stretchy. One is a fit and flare, so my belly is fine. The other has a more pencilish look, but the skirt has pleats built around the belly that give the space I need. It gives a little booty room that I don't have the lower fullness to fill. I have a chiffon empire waisted blouse from pepperberry that gives the belly room I need.
I have a size 16 knit pencil dress from Simply Voluptuous, which I gather is Simply Be's pepperberry knockoff. It seems to offer a balanced shape. If I had bought it live instead of on ebay, I probably would have tried a 14 instead.
So, long story, but I think biubiu is the most slim-through the pelvis option, but they have fit and flare dresses I never tried which would probably work for you. Pepperberry gives some room. Since your bust circumference is so big, you might be best off looking at only the styles available in the new super-duper curvy cut, since I'm pretty much maxing out the super curvy with a lower bust/waist ratio. I'd recommend the Simply Voluptuous. They're probably cheaper than pepperberry.
Awesome! Thank you so much @ElectricBarbarella for that thorough explanation of your experiences. It helps so much!
(Hmm. Taggy no worky on my phone. I'll haveto come back to link you.
Yes! It's the jiggle I don't like in that top. I don't care as much about people being able to see my size/shape. They're already aware I have more actual boob than they thought.
I did update the post with other/newer measurements. I think my full bust measurement is deceiving because of my boob shape. There is a chasm between naked boobs that tape measures span when I measure. Also, I really do have short boobs, so volume doesn't come close to what you might expect. If you go by inches-in-difference counting, you'd think I was a 32:10 or 32:11, but I'm a 32:8 or 32:9 in most right now, as far as bras and volume. I have sized down in band/cup to try to alleviate my cup height and narrow frame issues,
In clothes, I still need the sticky-outy room since the boobs still stick out, but depending on the cut, I may need to size down in curviness. Anything expecting boob volume to push back on fabric at inner upper quadrants is going to be loose if I go by pure numbers.
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