Big boobs, the fashion mags tell us, are "in." Thanks. For plenty of us, they're in vogue 24/7, 365...and dressing around breasts? Not so easy. Herewith, we get to the heart of the matter!


"I just accepted my breasts as a great accessory to every outfit." That's Jennifer Love Hewitt, and while the sentiment's terrific, in practice it's a bit harder when said accessories aren't, strictly speaking, fitting into the outfit in question. "Big bosoms are the new must-have accessory" for fall, says fashion-crank Liz Jones, but while that's all very well, as Christina Hendricks herself could tell you, the genuine article, when not optional, requires a lot of support and no small amount of tailoring.

The good news? (Besides the, um, must-have accessories, that is.) You're not alone, and not only are there more resources available nowadays, but there are communities devoted to exactly these issues: a great one to keep in mind is BigBustSupprt.com, which covers everything from wedding gowns to supportive sleepwear. All of these are excellent means of finding specific items, getting other women's takes on brands and sizing, or just venting at the difficulty of not finding a shirt that doesn't need to be tailored everywhere else.


As with all these things, there are a lot of "rules" for things not to do: horizontal stripes, high necks, tight tops, tight bottoms, anything big or baggy, large purses - I've seen all of these proscribed by one maven or another. We're more concerned with what to do - for best fit and maximum comfort. The rest is up to you! The following are less negotiable!

Bras: This is something we've discussed before, but it bears repeating: for the big-busted woman, it's not just about shape and lift, but comfort and health, too. We've talked about fit and sizing before, but let me repeat: if you can get a professional fitting, do it. (BiggerBras.com, for obvious reasons, is a terrific resource.)

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For finding what they rightly term the 8th wonder of the world, we can thank Big Bust Support, a strapless large-cup bra

A lot of women like to have a minimizer in their arsenal, just to work with different tops. A minimizer quite literally smushes you down - without making you look as smushy as that sounds. Not imperative, but a useful tool. Wacoal

When it comes to sports bras, don't settle for the layered bra any longer: the name of the game is " shock absorber


Bathing Suits can be daunting, but there are great options out there! A few things to look for?

Underwire

Halter-necks (not necessary, but supportive and flattering)

V-necks

Bravissimo, which specializes in sizes D-K, makes a line of swimwear, some of which is very cute indeed. Meanwhile, the Swim Outlet has a whole section devoted to "D cup and up" whose bikini selection, especially, rates a look. And if you like a retro look, although it's not explicitly big-bust, Esther Williams' classic line comes in shapes just made to flatter a full chest.


Clothes:

As if it needs saying, find a good tailor and make him your friend. Your blouses will thank you. If you need to get jackets and shirts that are too big everywhere else, a tailor or drycleaner can take them in, shorten the sleeves, add a judicious dart. Alternatively, if a top is gapping, it's easy to have an unobtrusive snap put in on the button placket.

If, like many of us, you're bigger on top, a wrap dress

In general, an open neckline can indeed draw attention away from the bust if that's your goal; something vertical, like a pendant, good-sized necklace or scarf, can also break up a line visually.

The shirt question is really eternal. While a lot can be done with camisoles, with double-stick tape, with a judicious snap, with tailoring, there is another option. It's called Carissa Rose shirts


Whatever shirt you buy, make sure it's sufficiently long, because your bust shortens the length. Look for an open neckline and structured fabric. Wrap styles look nice. The common wisdom is to avoid high necks; I say try any such top with a long pendant before ruling it out - but really, just stick with what's comfortable.