[karategrrl]

Hey ladies, just logging on again after a weeklong hiatus. Strongirl, I have to say I appreciate your comments and honesty. I have the athletic body but always idealized the curvy type and wished it was mine. Not to put "curvies" down, but you have reminded me to look for the beauty in my own type. I often remind myself but it helps to hear it from someone else.

I went to the baby shower of a close friend over the weekend. This is someone who was also always very small-breasted, and at one point was scheduled for breast augmentation. Anyhoo, there she was, pregnant, saying how she finally had her B-cups but she doesn't feel ANY DIFFERENT about her body, even with the bigger breasts. I knew at that moment I had to share with you all.

[Aithinne]

You know, I will be really excited when small boobs become the beauty statement when the whole population is full of women with humungous breasts. We smallies will become the exotic minorty.. lol.

[starship]

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/sciencetech/...le-Britain.html

[KeraBear]

I definitely got some negative comments from some boys. The best was once at work, walking past a class lineup of junior high boys, I heard one say to his buddy "hey, she's hot," (yay!) and the other reply, "no, look, she's totally flat" (sooo embarrassing!) Of course I remember it for the negative comment, not the positive one. In the end, I know that boys that young haven't seen a lot of girls naked (in real life, anyways) and learn most of their ideas about what's hot or not from TV and porn. At my age, most guys I choose to hang out with know by now that it's what a girl can do that's hot, not how she looks.

Thinking more carefully, I would say most of the negative thoughts I had were my own or (just like the boys) were learned from TV and magazines

Don't get me wrong, i've still had my share of mean comments from guys. I remember in sixth grade, a boy called me "the braless wonder" (cuz I wasn't wearing one yet) and my freshman year, another told me i have "nipples on my ribs". STOOPID IMMATURE BOYS!

Good point about the media influence though. And now that you mention it, I think you are right about how when all is said and done ultimately most of the negativity comes from ourselves.

[Allison-Shine]

Interestingly enough, it seems I got more crap from other GIRLS about my tiny breasts than the boys.

Oh me too, I never thought that it would turn out that way. I get it from my sister, her friend and usually girls who are younger and bustier than I am.

[angie_21]

Interestingly enough, it seems I got more crap from other GIRLS about my tiny breasts than the boys.

I definitely got some negative comments from some boys. The best was once at work, walking past a class lineup of junior high boys, I heard one say to his buddy "hey, she's hot," (yay!) and the other reply, "no, look, she's totally flat" (sooo embarrassing!) Of course I remember it for the negative comment, not the positive one. In the end, I know that boys that young haven't seen a lot of girls naked (in real life, anyways) and learn most of their ideas about what's hot or not from TV and porn. At my age, most guys I choose to hang out with know by now that it's what a girl can do that's hot, not how she looks.

Thinking more carefully, I would say most of the negative thoughts I had were my own or (just like the boys) were learned from TV and magazines

[KeraBear]

But now I try to appreciate everyone as people (after all, if we are judging so many people on their boobs, then we are just as shallow as the teenage boys who made us feel bad in the first place!

Interestingly enough, it seems I got more crap from other GIRLS about my tiny breasts than the boys.

[Aithinne]

Kind of off topic, sorry ladies.. But I found this article when I was feeling a little down about being curveless, and loved it.

About the author of "Real Women Have Curves".

[honeybunch]

I don't think they look like cows. Matronly? Maybe. Cows? No. It definitely doesn't sound too loving in that context. I was 36-30-40 at 5'5, and never got called matronly. I guess it's the relatively small boobs?

[solaria]

it's been a while since I've gotten measured, I don't know my measurements any more. I've always been on the petite side though, between a size 4 and 6, and wear a 34A bra. I always thought of the "tight, athletic" body as the ideal, and tried to match it. It wasn't until I started taking bellydance classes that I started to truly appreciate really curvy bodies, and actually wishing for bigger hips and a even a round belly and butt.
I don't think "matronly" or "cow-like" should even be insults-- they both really mean "motherly" right? Like a mama cow? I wish our culture valued mothers more and could see the matron as a beautiful thing. Hopefully some people do.

[crinoline]

I don't think the terms "cow-like" or "matronly" are at all loving appreciative or respectful, strongirl. Please remember that while this IS a thread for small breast support, the key word there is support. Can't we try to support each other without resorting to putting others down?

The Venus de Milo, which is not large breasted, has a 35-26-38 figure and is mathematically perfectly proportioned. Do you really look at Classical sculpture of female nudes and see cows?

Anyway, while I agree with your final point that we should strive for an ideal where we don't make negative comparisons, I think it would be nice to also strive for an ideal where we don't use such negative and hurtful language toward other women who don't happen to have the same body type we do.

[Allison-Shine]

I think the age thing may be coming up again here but to my personal aesthetics, 36-26-36 is not "fantastic". It's too big, everywhere. I think of that figure type as zaftig, cow-like, matronly.

While I embrace diversity and definitely appeciate and love larger women's figures, I have had to work at it. I am stuck with the ideals from the 60's and 70's - Twiggy, Edie Sedgwick, Goldie Hawn in her Laugh-In days. An extra ounce of bodyfat on myself and I feel fat.

There is beauty in every body, I truly believe that. But when I hear you girls bemoan your smallness compared to family members with those big, curvy bodies I just have to notice the difference in my own inner reaction. I feel sorry for them and glad I have a small, tight, athletic body. I would never say anything unkind to them about it and I hope that they feel just as happy with their lot as I do with mine, but that is defiinitely part of my reaction.

I'm not proud of this and I only throw it out here in case it helps any of you view yourselves more favorably. The ideal for all of us would be to stop making negative comparisons, whether we come out ahead or behind.

I was disarmed by your first paragraph myself as well. If anything around 36-26-36 or larger is cow-like, then most women out there then qualify. Why must we be so stringent in society on what is perceived as "not fat or plump". Having a slender figure (like mine at 32-24-34, if anyone needs to know "the numbers") is unattainable for many women, we are not all born to be Twiggy, Kate Moss, the chick who played Ally McBeal or even me, LOL.

But the rest of your post makes very good points, it helps a little bit.

[angie_21]

Ha ha at 5'7" and 36-30-43, I would loooove to have those measurements. I know I am no longer anywhere near slender but I doubt anyone would describe me as matronly. And my big fat booty is generally highly appreciated by the boys. However, I can see where you're coming from, an athletic figure is awesome. I think it is great that you love your body stronggirl, and not at all insulted! You have your preferences, and I have mine, and all body types have a beauty in their own way.

I read an interesting book a few years ago ("A House for Mr. Biswas" interesting title too!) about a man who felt "tied down" to his family and many children, and fantazed about being with a woman with small breasts because he associated large breasts with "matronly" women like his wife and mother. It was interesting to see the cultural differences in perception - I think it took place in Trinidad. In the book, small breasts symbolised youthful and sexually liberated women, and I think were also considered a bit exotic.

[edie52]

It really depends on height, strongirl. My measurements are slightly bigger than that (besides the bust), and I have never been called any of those words (partially because of my small bust, probably). I'm 5'10", and considered slender-to-average. And many supermodels (also tall), are considered stick-thin at slightly under these measurements (I know this from reading style.com!).

I hate thinking about measurement and sizes, we definitely all need to work towards self-acceptance and self-confidence outside of these molds. I appreciate the honesty in your post and how much you love your body, but I have to admit I cringed when I read the first paragraph of your last post, even as someone who is far from zaftig.

[strongirl]

I think the age thing may be coming up again here but to my personal aesthetics, 36-26-36 is not "fantastic". It's too big, everywhere. I think of that figure type as zaftig, cow-like, matronly.

While I embrace diversity and definitely appeciate and love larger women's figures, I have had to work at it. I am stuck with the ideals from the 60's and 70's - Twiggy, Edie Sedgwick, Goldie Hawn in her Laugh-In days. An extra ounce of bodyfat on myself and I feel fat.

There is beauty in every body, I truly believe that. But when I hear you girls bemoan your smallness compared to family members with those big, curvy bodies I just have to notice the difference in my own inner reaction. I feel sorry for them and glad I have a small, tight, athletic body. I would never say anything unkind to them about it and I hope that they feel just as happy with their lot as I do with mine, but that is defiinitely part of my reaction.

I'm not proud of this and I only throw it out here in case it helps any of you view yourselves more favorably. The ideal for all of us would be to stop making negative comparisons, whether we come out ahead or behind.

[Allison-Shine]

I do feel out-boobed at times, but saying that to myself lessens it...sometimes.

I sure wish I had inherited the type of figures on my dad's side of the family! I mean 36-26-38 type figures. They look fantastic!

Geez, the things that "Busties" say on here that are so true. My 16 year old "little" sis is 36-26-36. Talk about coincindences!

And umm yes, she looks fantastic. LOL

[honeybunch]

That's good that you don't.

I have seen the same thing as well, girls with bigger breasts than their mothers. One of my close freinds who is 40 and is a nice C cup has a 15 year old daughter that is a D. And her 14 year old (from her 2nd husband) is already her equal with a C too. These things are simply a result of different things, including nutrition, genetics (you'd be suprised what they can get from even their father's side of the family) or maybe just simple "evolution" for the want of a better word. But I am sure of you have seen your own instances as well.

But my mom does not have antyhting to worry about with me .

I do feel out-boobed at times, but saying that to myself lessens it...sometimes.

I sure wish I had inherited the type of figures on my dad's side of the family! I mean 36-26-38 type figures. They look fantastic!

[Allison-Shine]

In a way I dont' feel bad about being out-boobed. If you looked, some of the girls have bigger boobs than their mommas.

That's good that you don't.

I have seen the same thing as well, girls with bigger breasts than their mothers. One of my close freinds who is 40 and is a nice C cup has a 15 year old daughter that is a D. And her 14 year old (from her 2nd husband) is already her equal with a C too. These things are simply a result of different things, including nutrition, genetics (you'd be suprised what they can get from even their father's side of the family) or maybe just simple "evolution" for the want of a better word. But I am sure of you have seen your own instances as well.

But my mom does not have antyhting to worry about with me .

[honeybunch]

((((loonydaray)))))

In a way I dont' feel bad about being out-boobed. If you looked, some of the girls have bigger boobs than their mommas.

[Allison-Shine]

I am also trying to catch up with all the posts! I know exactly where you are all coming from, getting annoyed at being out-boobed. I used to actually get mad at the beach, like it was somehow their fault that these 13 year olds had big boobs and were flaunting it in my face. But now I try to appreciate everyone as people (after all, if we are judging so many people on their boobs, then we are just as shallow as the teenage boys who made us feel bad in the first place!) and recognize that we all have beauty, and we all have faults, and in the end it's unimportant. I also look back now and realize how much I got hit on at the beach, but didn't even know it because I refused to believe guys were even looking at my boobless body. If only I had known at the time!

And Starship - I have done a lot of fairly intense upper body work over the last 3 years, and I have found that although my cup size is the same, my proportions are much more balanced and my boobs appear bigger. It really does work, but it takes a while for girls to build up that kind of "bulk." And I don't look at all muscle-y. the key is to build muscle without loosing any fat, because it is only when you loose too much fat that your muscles become defined and start to look manly.

Yes, Summertime, my favorite time of year but it can be tough at the pool or beach. Especially when seeing or being with younger girls that not only have "out-boobed" me but also have those curves and are simply taller and leggier, my 16 year old sister was one of them. But its good that you are dealing with it much better with it Angie, I hope that I can get to the point that your are at now someday.

I also hope that my workout regimen still continues to help me get more shape and curves, I do not want to wind up with "manly definition".