At last! Clothes for women who are big up top... and fed up with outsize clothes

Mandy Appleyard has a size 8 figure and 30G bust



She finds it hard to find clothes to flatter her figure

She was delighted to hear of a new clothing range for big-busted women

Here, she gives her verdict on Pepperberry by Bravissimo's collection

Busting at the seams: Mandy has always found it difficult to find clothes to fit her size 8 figure and 30G bust

Some women may envy my size 8 figure and 30G bust but, believe me, they don't come without their own particular challenges.



I haven't dared run for a bus since 1976, for example, and have lost count of the number of men who look me firmly in the breasts when talking to me, without making a single moment of eye contact.



But perhaps the biggest problem of all is finding clothes that actually fit when, like me, you have a bust that's bigger than the rest of your figure. There are many thousands of us big-busted girls out there.



Indeed, a third of UK women say they have to buy a bigger dress size just to accommodate their breasts.

Dresses, bikinis and anything that fastens at the front (from shirts to jackets) are generally off-limits: for if they fit round the bust, they undoubtedly look like a tent everywhere else.



If they're a perfect fit around my waist, then they gape and strain, fit to burst, over my bust. Neither is an elegant look.



So it's not before time that a canny clothes manufacturer has designed a new range for big-breasted women of any size, cut with extra room so you no longer need to wear a circus marquee just to ensure your chest remains under wraps.



The genius of the Pepperberry range by Bravissimo is not only that its size 8-18 clothes come with carefully positioned buttons, darts and seams to give even the largest-busted lady a more streamlined shape, but that each item is available in Curvy, Really Curvy or Super Curvy, depending on just how much extra breast room you need.



Curvy is cut for women who find tops and frocks tend to pull a little tightly across the chest; Really Curvy is for those who tend to have to go up roughly one dress size to get a good fit over their breasts; and Super Curvy is for women like me - who normally have to forego our natural dress size altogether if we're to have any hope of accommodating our ample bosoms.



Clothes that are generously cut over the bust, yet nip back in to follow the line of your body? They certainly sound too good to be true.



So I tried the new autumn range, which hits stores this week, in a Super Curvy size 8 to find out...

DRESSING IT UP PERFECT JACKET

Full skirt floral stripe dress, £79



For me, if dresses fit the hips and waist, they're too tight over the bust. I see so many that I have to leave on the rails, as I know they'll never fit.



VERDICT: The use of double darts in an inverted 'V' means the extra fabric needed to cover an ample bosom is nipped in for a fantastic fit. But it's way too young and fussy for me. 5/10



Perfectly simple V-neck T-shirt in red, £22, jersey blazer in navy, £65



Fitted jackets are normally a no-no. And if I can find a T-shirt that fits my bust, the rest of it is big and baggy.



VERDICT: My favourite look. The jacket accentuates my waist, skims my hips and accommodates my breasts. The T-shirt fits perfectly thanks to some neat little darts.

10/10





UNDER WRAPS A CUT ABOVE

Floral jersey dress in red floral, £49



I love a wrap dress but usually end up showing so much cleavage I look like an ageing glamour model. I avoid them or have to wear a frumpy high-necked vest underneath.



VERDICT: It's fabulous - the high neckline means my breasts are firmly under-wraps. If this came in different prints and colours, I’d be sold.

8/10 Belted workwear dress, £79, with peplum suit jacket, £79, in midnight blue



Jackets usually gape or pull across the bust, feeling like a straitjacket. I’ve never owned one that fitted well.



VERDICT: The jacket is well-cut, lovely and trim around the waist and the peplum is fun. I’d get lots of wear out of the dress. The fabric feels a little flimsy, but I could live with that. 7/10





TAILORED ELEGANCE PEPPED UP TOP

Classic shirt in white, £39



Whenever I see women wearing white shirts with business skirts or jeans I think how stunning they look, but I can't go there. Within an hour or two, I'm always missing a button.



VERDICT: Hoorah! It fits my bust and my waist with no signs of strain, even after a few hours. The extra fabric is gathered in by two seams, keeping it flush against your torso. 7/10

Floral peplum top in navy print, £39



Fitted tops have always been a no-go: it’s impossible for a standard size 8 to fit well in both the bust and the body. I always end up feeling as if my breasts have been flattened.



VERDICT: This top is versatile, wearable and fun. I could easily wear this with a smart skirt for work, or dressed-down with jeans.

8/10

For details, call 01926 459 800 or visit pepperberry.com