Lingerie inspired dressing has revolutionized the way we wear intimate apparel, but it isn’t always easy for women with big boobs.
Corset, bustier, or lingerie inspired dressing has revolutionized the way we perceive and style intimate apparel. While it is a big thing now, 2023 is not the first time underwear as outerwear has been popular. But since the pandemic in 2020, these fashions have reached new levels of acceptance. And it doesn’t look like lingerie dressing is going away anytime soon. Whether you are going for full pajama dressing or just want to add a little lingerie vibes, the corset can be a staple of this style.
I brought up the fact that this is not a new trend for one reason: I have always had larger breasts. I am 36D now, but was a DD in my younger, pre-baby days. However, even in my youth, I had a hard time finding corsets that fit properly. You would think fitting my perky Ds when both Madonna and this catalog called Victoria’s Secret were new on the scene would not have been a problem. It was. Now that I am 50 and my boobs are nowhere near what – and where – they were when I was 18, finding a corset that fits is either impossible or expensive. And this is not a “new trend” I want to spend any money on at this point in my life.
A bustier accentuates the bust while a corset works on the waist. A corset can decrease your waist size by 2-4 inches, a bustier can add the same to your bust. To tie a traditional corset is a production of sorts — laces at the back, hooks up front and requires some help.
That being said, I love the look of corset dressing and want to incorporate more of it in my current wardrobe. Luckily, I have found a few ways to get the corseted look without too much fuss or investment. Here are my tips and tricks to corset dressing when you have big breasts.
1. Embrace Your Body & Curves
I know it is cliche at this point to say that the key to any successful outfit is confidence, but it is soooooooooo true for corsets, bustiers, or any lingerie dressing, for that matter. Corsets and bustiers, in particular, have a long-standing history of enhancing and even celebrating feminine curves. They will, “make the most of what mama gave you,” on even our smaller sisters, so when you have larger breasts to begin with….You need to own the look from the inside out.
However, the reverse can be true. For those of us with bigger breasts, and who may want to invest in this garment for a variety of reasons, corsets offer excellent support and shaping. They are made to accentuate the natural beauty of your figure, so investing in a corset might give you that external spark we all need occasionally to boost how we feel on the inside.
TL;DR A properly fitted corset can make you feel like a sex kitten and that can be good for your self-esteem.
However you choose to style a corset, be sure to embrace your body and your curves, and appreciate the perfectly amazing silhouette you possess.
2. Look for Built-in Lingerie Inspired Details
I bought that bronze satin dress below a few years ago because it was a modern take on what I called a renaissance, beer wench silhouette (with a lot less cleavage). Only my dress is made of satin with a soft ribbed bodice that mimics boning, but softer. The tie does offer some cinch but not a lot. This dress & Other Stories dress is a few years old but gave me all the snatched waist corseted feels.
Nowadays, there are a lot of dresses, jumpsuits, and blouses that give the appearance of a corset without having to bother with boning, cup sizes, or straps. Besides dresses,. I see more and more tee shirts with boning and other bustier details.
3. Strive for the Silhouette
Alternative title: A corset by any other name still makes you look snatched.
One of the things that I love about corsets over “regular” clothing is the overall silhouette it gives you. This type of layering gives shape to an otherwise shapeless look. For my look with the floral jeans, I was able to achieve the silhouette I wanted even though I was unable to find the right corset. Instead, I layered a tube top with straps from Free People over an oversized men’s button down. It cinched the voluminous shirt, defined my waist, and added some visual interest to the top of the outfit to balance out the statement graphic on the bottom.
Basically, you can get the same overall silhouette without using a corset or bustier. Try a camisole, tube top, or even a cropped tank. Get creative with the layering pieces you choose and have fun.
4. Make it Monochrome
Speaking of Free People, there is a look on their website right now that I am obsessing over. It is a white underwire bralette over a white tee paired with a white denim skirt. At first I thought it was a fancy tee with a lace detail (see tip #1), but after zooming in I saw it is two separate pieces. As I mentioned earlier, when you have larger breasts, this look is probably going to come with attention, so this white on white look was a subtle take.
Layer the same color lingerie over the same color top or pick the same hue and play with shades. It might make you feel less corsety (yes, real word) and more like you are playing with layering and proportion.
5. Fake the Fit
The good thing about the Free People and my floral jean look is that you can fake the fit a tad and have it be ok – and yes, it hurts me a little bit to type that. You see, I am someone with a tailor on speed dial, this is not a thought process I normally subscribe to. An outfit is nothing without the proper fit in not so humble opinion, yet here I am saying to let the fit of the garment slide a little.
You see, I am STRONGLY thinking about adding the bralette and a couple of other pieces from the Free People outfit to my closet. And in all honesty, if that dainty lace bralette isn’t the most flattering thing on my gravity-stricken girls, with the tee shirt over it and an underwire bra with padding underneath it all…..who’s gonna know? My actual perk of my not-so-perky girls is well hidden from the outside world. That is the benefit of using a base layer and styling your corset, bra top, or bralette over it.
As I said earlier, this is not a trend I want to invest in, so unless I already own it or find a perfect fitting corset at a thrift store, I won’t be able to partake in this trend. I could shop fast fashion, but a fast fashion corset is no match for my 50 year old, 36Ds unless I fake the fit. This is one of the few times I would give this advice.
6. Go the Vintage Route
For those of you on Poshmark, Ebay, or hunt in person, searching for lingerie can bring you both the look and the support you want at more affordable price points. I own a vintage Frederick’s of Hollywood corset that can handle 36Ds and beyond. I found it at Savers thrift for $9.99 and I plan on keeping it forever. But I thrift all the time and finding a well constructed corset in great condition and in my buxom size is one of my Holy Grail of Thrifting items. Unless you are a serious thrifter, like me, then I suggest an online search.
Bonus Tip – Vintage Lingerie Brands to Search For
If you want to search online for vintage corsets and other lingerie, besides Frederick’s, these are a few of my favorite brands: Vanity Fair, Maidenform, Lily of France, Vassarette, Olga, and Trashy Lingerie. I am not talking about true, vintage, handmade undergarments. Those can get rather expensive and are true collector’s items. The brands I listed are a few of the mass market lingerie brands from the 1940s and beyond, before fast fashion was a thing, and we mainly shopped at mall department stores.
Corsets, bustiers, and other lingerie inspired pieces are versatile items that can be effortlessly integrated into your everyday wardrobe no matter your chest size. Layering is a fantastic way to incorporate underwear as outerwear into your outfits while adding a touch of sophistication.
TL;DR A properly fitted corset can make you feel like a sex kitten and that can be good for your self-esteem.