It often comes up in conversations about gowns or dresses.  “Does this show too much?” “Is cleavage okay?” “I don’t really fill this one out.”  “Am I spilling over?”  This page is a guide to all things related to the bosom. 

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First, as I’ve said elsewhere, nothing about your size or shape should keep you from going to or enjoying a gala or party.  Celebrate life wherever you are in it!  Just be in the moment! But I am going to speak to things I hear, and you can decide how deeply (or not) you care about this.

Is it okay to show cleavage?

How can I determine whether my cleavage is tasteful?

I’m pretty big and tend to spill over.

I wish my girls were bigger!

My tan lines are showing.

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Is it okay to show cleavage?

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Of course it is, depending on the event. I wouldn’t recommend showing cleavage at a baptism party, but at most galas there are many tasteful dresses with some cleavage.  “Tasteful” is the key.  Unless your cleavage is your most spectacular and lovely physical feature, and you live for the chance to hang the girls out for everyone to see, you will be best served by following the “less is more” approach.

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How can I determine whether my cleavage is tasteful?

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It’s up to you, but here’s my viewpoint.  Nipples and areolas are not tasteful.  If you can see them when you bend over and look down at yourself, that’s a problem.  Boob tape is a solution many women use to avoid that particular problem.  A dress that gaps so much at the side that most of your girls show while dancing, for example, is also poor taste.  And dresses that are cut so the underboob hangs down are not just in poor taste, they’re unattractive.

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I’m pretty big and tend to spill over.

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I would choose a dress that fits me up there, not something so small that it made me spill over.  There are so many choices in off-the-rack dresses that you can find several options.  And, the right bra can help make a nice look.  If the difference between your bust and waist is extreme (over 20 inches) you already know you will need alterations somewhere, so you will only spill over if that’s what you want.

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I wish my girls were bigger!

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Many of us have that wish! There are a few options that I discuss here that can grant your wish temporarily or permanently.  It’s amazing to me that so many of us are not satisfied with our size, but it’s a true thing, and it can be solved, with or without surgery.

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My tan lines are showing.

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I hope you used sunscreen! I don’t think of tan lines as a big deal unless it’s the Academy Awards, but makeup will make most tan lines disappear, unless they are extreme.

If you have a question that I haven’t covered here, and would like me to answer either privately or on this page, send email to edie@galagirl.social and I’m happy to give my perspective.