How to Wear off the Shoulder Tops when you have Big Boobs

*Edit* So it’s now a year after I originally wrote this post. It’s been getting a lot of traction, so I wanted everyone reading to be as up to date on the topic as I am! I recently discovered a SECOND option to wear with your off the shoulder tops/dresses! Keep reading to learn more, and decide which option is right for you!

Off the shoulder tops and dresses. Arguable there isn’t another summer trend more popular than these. Like any other fashion lover, I can’t get enough of them. There is only one downside. What are you supposed to wear underneath? Wearing a normal bra is just not an option, no matter what. Your bra straps do not look cute, so please please please don’t even try it. 

If you have a smaller chest, you probably have several strapless bras that can do the job for you. If you’re on the other end of the spectrum, like me (I wear a 34 DDD, or 34 F), the thought of having to wear a strapless bra sounds like a nightmare. I’ve hated strapless bras pretty much since I found out they existed. When I was in high school, I had to wear one under my cheer uniform, and it was absolute hell. It slid down all the time, dug into my sides, and gave me zero support. My sister and I both invested in the nicest strapless bras out there, and we still hated all of them. I purposely avoided wearing any tank tops when I was younger, because I didn’t want my bra straps to show, and I refused to wear a strapless bra. 

Another popular option is the sticky bra. Once again, this works great for the smaller chested ladies, but not so much for girls like me. Most sticky bras do not even come in a size large enough to cover half of one of my boobs. I’ve owned several sticky bras, but not one has been comfortable, or looked good. They provide basically zero support, and just weigh you down. Most of them are also very thick, which makes them very noticeable under tighter fitting tops (and if you have big boobs, most tops fit pretty tightly). This is also the same problem I have with nipple petals. The faint outline of a nipple petal under a t-shirt is never a good look.

Before you suggest going braless, don’t. As nice and simple as that sounds, it just doesn’t work for me (and many other women with a larger chest). Going through a full day with no bra on is fine when you’re chilling at home, or binge watching Netflix all day. When you’re out running errands and on-the-go however, it’s extremely uncomfortable, and even causes back pain. No thank you. 

This brings me to two of my favorite discoveries in recent years: Breast Shapers and the Lilyette Minimizer Bra! They. Are. Magical.

Breast Shapers

Let’s talk about Breast Shapers first! These are why I originally wanted to write this blog post. I discovered these things in Target first, but it appears they have been discontinued as of late. Never fear, I found them on Amazon (of course), and promptly ordered a couple new pairs (I believe they are also available at Walmart). I honestly wouldn’t survive summer fashion without them.

They are 100% silicone, and come in a beige shade, as well as clear. They come as two individual cups that stick right onto your boobs. The center is thick, and non-sticky, so you won’t nip through your shirts, and it won’t hurt to take them off your nipples. Depending on how you place them, you can decide how much support and lift you want. They stay in place extremely well, even through sweat and humidity. Adjusting them is also super easy, if you need to. I honestly can’t say enough positive things about these little guys. They range from an A/B cup, to a DDD, which is awesome! I found that the DD cup works best for me, as the DDD was actually too big! I am not sure how many uses the brand says you can get out of one pair, but I just wear mine until they don’t stick anymore. So far, each pair has lasted me a couple months, and quite a few wears! I wear them with off the shoulder tops, tank tops, low cut wrap tops, off the shoulder dresses, the list goes on and on. 

They do note on their amazon page that if you are over a 38DDD, you should pair the DDD shapers with their “Instant Breast Lift”, for more support!

Click below to check out their Amazon page!

Lilyette Bra

Next up: the Lilyette Tailored Minimizer Bra. A kind reader saw this original post (scroll down to the one comment below lol), and suggested I try out this strapless bra. I was hesitant at first, I honestly didn’t see how a strapless bra could work for me. It’s super affordable, has outstanding reviews, and is also on Amazon (score!!), so I figured I would give it a shot. My mind was blown. This bra is so lightweight! It isn’t full of unnecessary padding, so it actually stays up all day long! When I wear it for hours, I adjust it maybe once or twice, and that’s only tiny adjustments! Because it has no padding, it’s basically just for support. Perfect to pair with my favorite off the shoulder tops. It won’t give you any push-up effect, and won’t keep you from nipping down the ice cream aisle at the grocery store. If that is a deal breaker for you, you can always add some nipple petals with it! I wear this bra more than the breast shapers at the moment, because it’s easier for every day! I do prefer the breast shapers when wearing something low cut, or with a cutout, because this bra would definitely show!

Now let’s talk sizing. This bra actually doesn’t come in anything higher than a DD, cup wise. Personally, I ordered the “sister size” of a 34DDD, which is a 36DD. It fit perfectly for me, but I do worry that this won’t work if you wear a G cup, H cup, etc. At the moment, the sizes listed on amazon go from 34C, to 42DD. If you are unsure if it will work for you, I highly recommend scouring the reviews for one from someone of a similar size!

Ps. If you try these out and they work well for you too, please let me know!! Also feel free to let me know if they aren’t working for you, and maybe we can come up with another solution together!

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