Law #2: KNOW YOUR BREAST SHAPE
Illustrations by Diego Sabogal
Your breast shape is as important, if not more so, than your breast size. Different types of bras and outfits suit different shaped breasts differently. All bras are not built equally, and the bra styles and outfits you choose will have much to do with your comfort and appearance-based confidence. When it comes to bra fit, you're not the problem. Be empowered by learning the nitty gritty about your breasts, and forever change your bra and upper body shopping experience for the better.
We profiled Vanity Girl and lingerie expert Nicola Rodney-Crook, head diva over at Bras & Honey, for today's issue. Nicola became a TikTok sensation with her simple, relatable advice about different breast shapes and how they impact bra choice. With over 3.6 million likes, we thought her advice would be essential to the Vanity Girl World of beauty advice. So here goes!
Asymmetrical. Asymmetrical breasts are of two different sizes. It’s common for breasts to be uneven by a cup size or less, and more than half of people have some variation in breast size.
Bra type - Our Vanity Girl lingerie expert says you should size to the larger breast and use a side shaper for the smaller breast. As an alternative, she recommends bras that stretch with fabrics to frame your breasts’ natural shape or options with removable inserts to even out the smaller breast to match the larger one. Check here for more guidance.
Styling outfits - Because you’re going to even your breast size out with bras that offer padded options, your breasts' other characteristics will guide style options. For our style recommendations, review the different breast shapes below to see what other features match your breasts.
Athletic. Athletic breasts are often more muscular, wider, and firmer, with less fatty tissue, but they are not exclusive to athletes. Since your genes have much to do with breast size and type, you may naturally fall into this category even if you don’t consider yourself athletic.
Bra type - The lack of volume up top can cause cup gaping, so you’ll want to look for bra types that form to your breasts and comfortably lift them. Here’s an option. Go here for more guidance on bra fitting for athletic breasts.
Styling outfits - Athletic breasts often accompany a more traditionally defined athletic body. If that matches you, rock halter or racerback styles, scoop & round necklines, or anything strapless! If you’re on the curvier side, more narrow necklines like crews, cowls, or v-necks will help to downplay shoulders or elongate your neck if that’s your goal.
Bell shape and relaxed. Bell shape breasts resemble a bell—slimmer toward the top with a rounder bottom and are more common with larger cup sizes. Relaxed breasts have looser breast tissue and nipples that point downward. A more relaxed breast look often comes with old age, but never feel like this has to diminish how sexy you look or feel! We’re discussing these two types together since fashion advice is similar across both types.
Bra type - You may experience overflow with minimal coverage styles like demi or balconettes bras, so explore ones with padded straps and full coverage that provide sufficient support, comfort, and lift. Here’s an option for you. Our Vanity Girl lingerie expert recommends plunge-style bras or full-coverage ones with stretch lace.
Styling outfits - Try loose-fitting, silky t-shirts or dresses that flow across your body and bring focus to your gorgeous curves and your total body.
Close set. This breast shape has little to no gap between them, sitting to your chest’s center chest. You’ll see more distance between your breasts and underarms.
Bra type - Since there isn’t much of a gap between your breasts, look for bras with minimal distance between cups. If having underwires between your breasts causes discomfort, a plunge bra may be a good choice. If you want to avoid the appearance of your breasts looking too close together, an underwired bra can help with separation, but make sure the underwires fit well and don’t rest onto your breasts. Underwires should fit comfortably around the breasts, holding them inside their separate cuffs and keeping them apart. Finally, opt for a wireless bra or bralette if you struggle with underwires and don’t prefer a plunge bra. Learn more here.
Styling outfits - Halter necks that cut way at the shoulders will draw the eye to your upper body rather than the waist and hips.
Side set and East-West. Wide-set breasts characterize these breast shapes. Because they gravitate away from the chest’s center, your nipples may point outward, away from the center of your body, a specific characteristic of the East-West breast shape.
Bra type - Achieving cleavage may be difficult with some tops. Go for full-coverage bras that help transport your breasts up and together to provide comfort while lifting. Our Vanity Girl lingerie expert explains that side-set and East-West breasts need the support of a plunge bra with a lower center or one with more side support. Here’s an example to kickstart your research. Go here for more guidance.
Styling outfits - Avoid halter necks and other styles emphasizing the upper body and arms. Instead, choose comfortable dresses and t-shirts that emphasize the center of the chest.
Round. This breast type features a rounded shape with an equal amount of top and bottom fullness.
Bra type - Round breasts work with most styles. Because you may only need a little coverage or support, padded bras may be unnecessary. Our Vanity Girl lingerie expert recommends opting for something that makes you feel your best since just about any style will work for you. While most of the traditional bra industry caters to your breast shape, full-coverage plunge bras may offer the most flattering fit.
Styling outfits - You lucky girl—almost anything will suit you! A halter neck with straps will enhance your perky shape. For a more casual look, a V-neck will serve you well.
Slender. Most common with smaller breasts, the slender shape features narrow and long breasts, longer than wide, often with nipples pointing downwards.
Bra type - Go for bras that give you a flattering, natural lift. Great options that provide sufficient support for a slight lift include push-ups, balconettes, or bralettes.
Styling outfits - Pieces that feature ruffles, bows, or a voluminous element around the chest area will dress up a smaller chest. You could also choose sleeveless options—high-neck halter tops, cropped bustiers, and single-shoulder blouses—to highlight your arms. Also, remember that you can often go braless with ease, so feel free to be daring with your slender breasts!
Teardrop. These breasts are generally round but with less tissue at the top than at the bottom.
Bra type - Avoid cup gaping with full-coverage bras. Balconette or demi cups can help distribute volume evenly to eliminate cup gaping. Here’s an option to help kickstart your research.
Styling outfits - Many styles will suit you! V-neck t-shirts enhance your natural shape, and scoop necks are equally flattering.
Get a bra fitting. Knowing details about your breast shape and size will help you find the best options. Here are some tips to measure your breasts at home, which could help you find better fits. If you want to learn more about your breasts from an expert, you may enjoy a session with a bra fitter who can take the complexities and frustration out of shopping for bras. With their enhanced product knowledge, you may learn things you wish you’d always known about bras and your breasts. The Vanity Girl expert we’ve profiled today offers a virtual bra fitting experience that we have our eye on.
Breast health. See a doctor right away if you start to experience:
unexplained tenderness, soreness, redness, or bruising
bloody or otherwise abnormal nipple discharge
swelling or lumps in breast tissue
any sudden changes, like a raised nipple that becomes retracted
puckering
thickening of breast skin
a pulled nipple
hard lumps
breast pain
changes that make one breast look significantly different than the other
Check out boob tape. If you need or want to go without a bra but still need support and lift, try boob tape—a fabric strip with an adhesive backing that you can apply to your breasts for coverage and support.
Aging breasts. Breast changes are a normal part of aging. There is no guaranteed way to prevent age-related breast changes, but you can slow the aging process by avoiding smoking, eating healthily, exercising, and taking care of your skin. Some common expected changes include:
stretch marks
a stretched or elongated appearance
breast flattening
increased space between breasts
downward-pointing nipples
lumpiness
Breasts and exercise. Fatty tissue is a significant component of breast tissue. If you gain or lose weight, you may notice a difference in your breast shape and size. Building up the muscles in your pecs may cause them to appear perkier and firmer.
Breasts and pregnancy and breastfeeding. Hormonal changes during pregnancy and breastfeeding can cause breasts to swell and alter the way fatty and other tissues are distributed throughout the breasts.
“If you don't know your breast shape, it just creates this problem of not being able to get into the right style of bra. Because all bras are not built equally, they are built dependent on your shape. If you don't fit into that ideal, then you struggle. And that's what nobody ever tells you: That [the problem] is not you. The problem is the brand manufacturers that are building bras based on this outdated concept.”
- Nicola Rodney-Crook, Bras & Honey
"I recommend purchasing a new bra every six months to a year, depending on how often you wear it, to ensure you have the best, most flattering fit.”
- Ra'el Cohen, co-founder and CCO of ThirdLove
“Never feel embarrassed to admit you have teardrop boobs or close-set boobs; all types of boobs are beautiful and can look incredible given the right styling.”
- Sarah Healey
“Your breast tissue changes according to your menstrual cycle. For instance, you may find that your breasts feel fuller and are more sensitive when you're ovulating; and, in fact, they actually do get bigger because of water retention and additional blood flow. This is also when they're most likely to be the same size, however; one study found that breasts have the least amount of asymmetry on the first day of ovulation. During menstruation, breasts shrink again.”
- Arpana M. Naik, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University Portland, OR
We love anything that inspires us to learn more about our bodies and to strike with tactical precision during the shopping experience.
There is no reversal of this law. Love your breasts by knowing more about them. But when it comes to styling, we love these recommendations, but do what feels good to you!