Where to Buy Bra-Sized Swimwear in 2013

Top Picks:

Victoria's Secret: Easy to navigate; choose "32DD" from the drop-down men and revel in 160 choices of different yet mix-and-matchable swimwear. No one-pieces here, but we knew those were a needle-in-a-haystack anyway - you're better off with tankini. If you need help understanding their "collections", here's my take: 

• Beach Sexy: Push-ups
• Forever Sexy: Slightly more demure options; no extra padding on the top
• Very Sexy: Skimpy styles and push-up tops
• Bombshell Swim Tops: Add 2 cups & skimpy styles.
• The Gorgeous Swim Collection: Pushup and Add-2-cups tops. 

Rating: B. I saw a few things I would wear, and may come back before my June trip.

Bare Necessities: It's one of the top-advertised places for bra-sized swimwear, but I'm not sure about the selection. They definitely deliver: if you figure out how to navigate to their bra-sized swimwear and choose a 32DD, you get about 75 results of legit 32DD-sized swimwear, with 6 brands represented: A.Che, Cleo by Panache, Curvy Kate, Fantasie, Freya, and Panache. The styles didn't wow me, but there may be some gems there. Rating: C. 

If you're starting to get desperate:

Nordstrom: You'll only find a couple of options here. Choosing "Full Bust" then filtering to "Cup Size" seems to refine the search down to your options - which are sparse. Rating: D-. At least they had something.

Land's End: Hope you like tankinis! Land's End definitely has DD cup swimwear. The problem is selection, and trying to figure out how to order it. If you navigate to their DDs, and get over your mono-choices (the blue tankini or the pink floral one?) you'll find that at first glance you have loads of ordering options. Do you want Regular, Petite, Long, or Plus? D, DD, DDD, or Masectomy? If you click on Petite, though - all your cup options go away! Great. So back to Regular, if you choose DD, your size choices shrink. At this point, you only have dress size options from 4 to 18. What am I supposed to do with that? Click on the Fit Chart, and learn that bust size is your only way of knowing which top is right for you. Of course that's useless for us. So I use the next measurement I know that kind of applies - waist. A 26" waist says I should be a 2 ... BUT THAT IS THE SIZE OPTION THAT DISAPPEARED WHEN I CLICKED ON 'DD'! Rating: F.

Venus: Also a top-rated site, and all seem to be available in 32DD? (There was no place to filter.) Seems very dated. I didn't stay long. Rating: ?

Swimwear Boutique: This is not the easiest place to shop. There is no way to filter by bra size (or filter by anything at all), but they carry brands that support DD's. It's an incredibly frustrating experience ... the only reason you might come here is to find a really unique swimsuit. Here are a few of the brands that are available in bra-cup sizes:

• Aerin Rose
• Swim Systems
• Tara Grinna

Rating: Fail. I couldn't stand the horrible navigation.

Meet the 32DD Models at Zappos!

If you're not aware, Zappos has taken clothes shopping to the next level by using models of various measurements, and publishing their measurements! This is such a brilliant and novel idea. Instead of guessing how something will look on me vs. the generically small-busted model in the picture, I can see right there! The downside is that not every model is shown wearing every top, so if a shirt you like is being modeled by an A cup -- sorry. You can meet all the models here, but I'll save you some time, there are two 32DD models: Laura and Nicole.

Now, Nicole is busy making a case for my point that strappy tops make big boobs look like they are busting out. The strap is just way too delicate - it looks like it won't be able to hold them up much longer! Doesn't Laura look way better in her wider-strapped tank?? Back when I discovered this feature, I actually wrote to Zappos and recommended that they make each model photo a link to everything she has modeled, so for example, I can see every shirt that Laura has modeled - if it works on Laura, it will probably work on me. If they ever do get back to me, I will be sure and ask why so  many of their models seem to be staring so intently at something to the extreme right or left of camera.

While this should be a great feature, the bad news is that I have yet to see Laura or Nicole model anything. However, there is one model that gets a pretty heavy rotation that is useful. All though she is "only" a 32C/D (she's listed as both depending on where you look), Paige has the same problems I run into:




















Here, we see Paige in an incredibly unflattering crew neck T. Only one boob is present, and the result is sort of an undefined mess. Next, we see Paige in a much more flattering V-neck. Even though the V-neck isn't very deep, it does way more for her than the crew neck in terms of separating the breasts into two distinct body parts. I will say that that color looks fabulous on her; she can really pull of turquoise.

Personal Shopper Experience at Nordstrom's

I recently decided to try out the personal shopper experience at Nordstrom's. If you're not familiar, it's a good deal: first, you send them an email with the objective you're trying to accomplish. It doesn't say so, but decided I didn't want any issues with my budget to be a problem, so I clearly stated the amount I wanted to spend. Second, the manager at the Nordstrom's you want the appointment at contacts you with follow-up questions and dates/times that work for you. Then, you're assigned a stylist the manager thinks you are best suited for. There is a confirmation email, and then, voila - you show up, check in at customer service, and wait for your stylist to grab you. The dressing room is all ready for you with clothing they've pulled based on your objectives and the sizes and colors you gave them in the preliminary emails, and your stylist stays with you the whole time, evaluating the fit of each item, accessorizing, coordinating and pulling more clothes as she gets to know you and your tastes better. Did I mention all of this was free?

Of course, I'm sure shoppers who take advantage of this service spend more than your average shopper, so it works out in their favor. Really, it's no different than going in on a slow day and hitting it off with a really attentive sales clerk who starts grabbing stuff for you. If you are short on time and like your shopping experiences to be productive, this is definitely the way to go.

It was a little justifying to see my stylist struggle the way I do to fit my chest. I had sent her my measurements and bra size, and got there to discover that she had pulled clothes based on my bust measurement (36"), which of course puts you in mediums -- wayyy to baggy for me. She had to pull almost a new closet right away of smalls, and after that it was just trial-and-error to see what smalls worked on me and which ones didn't.

The most profound things I learned was that I still had some lingering misconceptions about my own body, and that I really didn't know how some clothes should feel when they fit. The bombshell was that I'm actually a petite in tops! This was revolutionary information for me. Now I know why blazers never seemed to look good on me, and why I have so much trouble with necklines and armholes being a little too low. It seems obvious now, but I've been dressing myself for 15 years and never once thought of this. I suppose it never occurred to me because I'm not short (I'm 5' 5" - fairly average). However, being a petite on top has to do with a short torso, not total height.

The other revelation was having someone talk me through the way things should feel when they fit right. This is pretty specific to the actual item, but a couple of things I tried on, I thought were too tight and did not "fit." My stylist insisted that that was the intended silhouette of the item; they were supposed to fit snug. This kinda blew my mind too; I think I may have been buying lots of things a size too big for years now.

I'll still shop on my own, but I'm really happy with the pieces I did eventually come home with. They've been in very heavy rotation in my wardrobe. I did end up returning some of the pieces, only because I decided they weren't going to get enough use in my lifestyle to justify the price tag. I will definitely make an appointment to do this again, especially when I have a defined objective (like a specific outfit or work-wardrobe overhaul.)

Celebrity 32DD: Kim Kardashian

Huzzah! I recently learned that Kim Kardashian is a fellow 32DDer. As you can, uh, see from this handy internet photo. I would like to point out that she's done a great job dressing them. Note the sweetheart neckline - did I not say that was flattering? (Of course you don't have to go extreme as Kim to get the effect.) Plus, there are no tiny straps in sight - those sleeves are well-proportioned to her chest.

Top Pick for Spring: Michael Kors Cowl Neck Sleeveless Blouse

I'm grateful for Michael Kors - if you are chesty AND a petite in tops, he's definitely a designer to keep checking back with. This Cowl Neck Sleeveless Blouse is super cute and has everything I look for in tops: the neckline is flattering; the material is opaque and doesn't require an undershirt; it's a tank that will look great layered with sweaters or jackets but can be worn on it's own, and there is plenty of coverage on the shoulders to keep bra straps hidden. GREAT work staple. Available in regular and petite.

V-necks are Your Best Friends

.... and crew necks? SWORN ENEMIES. This lesson took forever for me to learn. It seemed counter-intuitive to wear something lower-cut if you've got big boobs you want to downplay a little - at least to make sure they are not the only thing people see! The tough thing about larger breast sizes is that when you wear top like a crew neck sweater or t-shirt, you don't get the impression of two separate boobs. Instead, because the material in the middle of your chest stays stretched across your nipples, you give the world the impression that you have one large uni-boob - which conspires to make you look heavier than you actually are. That's right - fatter PLUS a uni-boob. Crew necks are ubiquitous in our shopping malls and clothing catalogs. They are probably American's Favorite Neck. If you are a 32DD or another healthy boob size, you are going to want to steer clear of these at all costs.

The good news is that you can wear tops your smaller-busted friends can't (or at least, won't look as good in). V-necks are the go-to, because the V-shape creates a line that visually separates your breasts, but they are certainly not the only ones. Scoop necks and U-necks are great, as are (most) portrait collars. Cowl necks and turtlenecks are a wild card; I usually have to try them on and evaluate. You can also totally pull off a bustier (hello, Ren Faires!) Bateau, boatneck, and ballet necklines have all the negatives of a crew neck plus, without fail, your bra strap will either poke out of one side or the other. Strapless works (sweetheart is the most flattering). Tank tops are usually fine as long as the strap is wide enough to look proportionate. Skinny straps are the worst - the effect of very delicate straps next to big boobs makes everything look disproportionate. The tiny strap will look like it is bravely doing it's part to keep your boobs from falling to your knees, but could lose the battle at any moment.

Intro Post

Hello, gentle readers, and welcome to what might be the most niche-y blog in the internet. I was diagnosed as a size 32DD bra size ten years ago (when I was getting fitted for my bridal lingerie, incidentally). It's a fairly unique bra size and if you're a 32DD (or one of the other unusual sizes), you know it can be pretty hard to find bras, swimsuits, even clothes. Fun tank tops and strappy tops, that  look super-cute on your smaller-busted friends, make you look like you should be wrapped around a pole with some dollar bills sticking out of your cleavage. Sports bras resemble straight jackets, and don't get me started on swimwear! I've noticed that I have a head-slapping "duh!" moment at least once every two months when it comes to learning new ways to dress my curves. I figured I'd start a blog to share them with other with similar conditions to mine (plus I'll be able to remember them. : )

I should probably point out that 32DD is my natural bust size. I'm sure there are some ladies out there who have done this to themselves with the help of cosmetic surgery; personally I would caution against it, for all the many reasons I'll be telling you about. It really does limit your options for dressing. However, I love my girls, a genetic gift from my mother's side of the family, and though I might complain every once in a while, I wouldn't trade them (neither would my husband) for a more common size any day.