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Tips On Embracing a Large Chest

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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Mass Amherst chapter.

Having a larger chest isn’t always as glamorous as people could think. It comes along with shoulder and back pain and limits the options you have for clothes drastically. No cute open-back shirts, or spaghetti straps, tank tops are impossible, nothing off the shoulder, you can never find a strapless bra that actually supports you and you can’t participate in the no bra trends. And forget about trying to find a bra that actually fits and is cute or finding a bathing suit you like. It is not always easy, but the more confidence you have the better you will look and feel. So here are some things I have found to help me gain confidence.

Boob Tape

I know you are probably thinking, no way, that’s never going to support me and never will lift me like I need. If you watch a tutorial online ( I saw my first one off of TikTok), have some patience and allow yourself to mess up the first few times I promise you once you get it you will love the results. This has helped me so much with dresses and backless tops I can’t even remember a time I didn’t use it. I like to order mine off of Amazon, I usually prefer the brand VBT but you can pretty much work with any brand or even just buy Kinesiology athletic tape.

Picking The Right Neckline

Picking the right neckline is so important. The goal is to make your chest appear elongated from your chin to wear your boobs end. The best way to do this is usually with a v-neck or scoop neck. However, be careful with certain scoop necks that are very deep as they can appear to make your chest look like it sits low. I also love square necklines because they show off your décolletage (the area in between your neck and your breasts) drawing attention away from your breasts. Lastly, more recently I have been becoming familiar with the cowl neckline and have found it very flattering.

Bras

Bras have definitely been one of my biggest struggles. Anytime I do actually find a bra that fits me it is not cute whatsoever. If I find a cute bra, it does not fit correctly and it is therefore very unflattering. Although this is a current struggle, my current favorite bras are the Skims T-shirt Bras. Although they aren’t the cutest bras in the world they are very comfortable and flattering. A solid bra is way better than some of the other ones I have tried. Another issue is sports bras. It’s so hard to find a bra that gives good support while still being comfortable. The best sports bra I have gotten is from Athleta. For the sports bras I wear to workout, I just size down. They are on the more expensive side but they hold up really well and are definitely worth the price.

Bathing Suits

This may be as hard as bras. Bathing suits are pretty much a terror. You can’t shop like everyone else can on websites like Shein because you need a bathing suit where you can choose a different top and bottom size. And even if you find that, there are problems with coverage and support. When you finally find one that fits everywhere it really isn’t that cute and isn’t what you wanted. It is a struggle. The best luck I have found has been with Hollister’s Curvy bikinis and ASOS larger bust swimwear. ASOS is definitely a bit cheaper but you will have to do a lot of searching.

Leopard print bikini set
Forever 21

My biggest piece of advice is just to give everything a try. I used to see shirts I loved and just think that wouldn’t look good on me or that they won’t fit me. I started finding the most flattering clothes when I just started giving everything a try. You would be surprised at how many things you assume won’t look good that end up pleasantly surprising you.

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Jolie Leavitt

U Mass Amherst '25

Jolie is a Sophomore at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, majoring in Legal Studies with a Business minor. Some things she loves is reading, travel, female empowerment, music, and anything Harry Styles or One direction.