[neurotic.nelly]

I'd say that for the most part I approve of my body. I am strong, tall, curvy, and domineering ( I mean sexy and confident )

My percentages:

65% I approve of my body. 25% I disapprove. 10% No mind on the body.

**********************************
I have a lesson learned about body image from a friend, she was overweight her whole life, and then she started on the swim team, and she was still big but she was toned and hot, but she still thought she needed to lose the weight, still had low body image. That was in college. Now many years later, she looks back on that body wishing that she had appreciated it then. I think it is an important lesson.

[honeybunch]

Hmmm...

I don't know if I could break it down in percentages, but most of the time I don't like my body. The best I usually do is ambivalence. The was only one time in my life when I truly liked my body.

[crinoline]

Summer... how nice it is not to HAVE to wear a bra! No one will notice if I go without, so I count that as a blessing in this 90-100s heat.

starship- the green one is like this except it's made of lettuce edged ribbed green cotton. The other one is like this except it's nude with pale pink lace. They're amazingly comfy. Next I want this lace one and this ruffle mesh bra (it matches their ruffle mesh panties that I adore).

Yeah, I definitely yo-yo on the body image, sometimes I think I'm okay, sometimes I feel hideous, I never really reach a "hotness" extreme (except maybe when I go down on the boy- great self confidence boost!). I also enjoy pre-men. boobies, the boy never really notices a difference, except to say that "they're heavier", but I notice every tiny swelling.

[Vendetta]

Ahhh.. summer. The beach. Boobs everywhere. Boobs in bras, boobs in bikinis, boobs in cleavages, boobs in strapless tops. Saggy boobs, perky boobs, small boobs, big boobs, pale boobs, tanned boobs.

And me and my padding.

[starship]

Hi mantra:).Hope you stick around...I definately get ups & downs regarding my body image too. Hmm, its hard to put into percentages stongirl. My dislike for my body usually seems to be there like a sort of undercurrent. Most of the time I manage to keep it in perspective but every now and then it will really get to me to the point that Ill just cry about it. Although sometimes Ill find myself on the other extreme, thinking im damn hot and wanting to flaunt it. The majority of my time is spent somewhere in the middle. I cant even remember the last time Ive gone an entire day without thinking about my breasts at some point:/
The past week Ive been enjoying pre-menstrual boobies:). I dont even change cup size, just get a little fuller and yet thats enough to keep me happy. Makes me think how mad these women are who pay thousands to get 'big boobs' despite already having perfectly good B/C cups. Id be over the moon to have what they consider small and inadequate
Have you got a link for these honeydew bras crinoline?

[strongirl]

Hi, Mantra. I'd never posted anywhere either and I just started here a few weeks ago. It is a pretty amazing place!

I completely know what you mean about the ups and downs. I was just trying to put numbers on it last night while I was out on a run - like maybe 60% of the time my looks are just not important enough to me to think about, 30% of the time I think I am unattractive (and sometimes become very upset about that), and 10% of the time I think I'm pretty hot! This really bugs my boyfriend since he has a high opinion of my looks and observes that I get hit on a lot, so he can't understand why my assessment of myself is so out of synch with external feedback. No matter what she actually looks like, I think it's fun for a guy to drool over a girl who is flaunting her hotness but not so fun to comfort a girl who is crying and curled up in a ball over feeling ugly.

So I try to do things to keep my perspective positive and feel comfortable in my own skin, and if I can help other women do likewise, then I will.

I'm curious about other people's percentages, if anyone wants to share/compare.

[crinoline]

welcome mantra!

I just got two bras from Honeydew, and they are sooo comfortable and cute! The size small is about a 30 or 32 AA-A, I highly recommend giving them a try! One is just a triangle bra of green lettuce edged cotton and the other is nude cotton banded in lace, so cute.

[mantraeadg7]

Hello! This is actually my first post ever on any site in the history of my life . . . this place is just too good to be true!
I'm a cancer (anybody else love astrology?) and sometimes the moodswings get me waaaaaay down. Usually I'm OK/unconcerned/sometimes-even-happy with my physical self (slim, 32A), but when one of those moods come around I'm just a mess. It's not uncommon to find me curled up in bed, crying, with a snickers bar jammed in my mouth. Anyone else experience these extreme ups and downs?
There's so much I want to talk about . . . but I'll try to space it out instead of taking up an entire page hahaha. Bye for now!

[oceangirl]

Thank you guys for the tips on where to look for bras/bralets I appreciate it.

I'm sure the poster was intending for humour because isn't "bitch slap" like an incredibly offensive term to women?

Seriously, I don't know a single guy, who has the audacity to describe women in such a disrespectful and chauvinistic way, and if one did so in my presence, I'd bitchslap him into oblivion.

[neurotic.nelly]

here is an uplifting story. i was in the gym locker room the other day and there was a huge swarm of young girls who had just gotten out of the pool. i literally had to wade through them to get to my locker after my shower. i was changing, and trying to modest in front of the little girls, but they were all around me. this cute little mixed girl who was right at my feet looked up at me and said, 'your boobies are pretty!' i was slightly mortified, but blushing was out of embarassment and joy. just thought i'd share.

This is such an adorable story. Too cute!
*******************
Pencil Test: I always thought that if the pencil fell to the ground it meant that you passed the test because your breasts didn't sag.
*******************
Here is an awesome small breasted sex symbol:

Michelle Pfeiffer as the Cat Woman, yum!

[honeybunch]

That's so funny, I always thought the pencil test was a bad thing! The day I realized I could hold a pencil under my boobs I almost cried. It drove home the fact that I was going to look just like my mom.

I think the pencil test is confusing everybody. See, I thought I failed b/c I couldn't hold a pencil under my boob.

[strongirl]

Thanks for helping clarify my comments, Crinoline. And thanks, Pherber, for re-reading and reconsidering. I hope you don't "fuck off".

"It can be painful to possess a body type ("flat-chested" if you will) that does not exist in mainstream imagery of sexy women. This is a space where we celebrate the small (perceived) victories that make us feel "normal" and "sexy"."

Crinoline - that is so well-articulated and thank you for saying it. I want to share as many of those "victories" as I can, even if they come from sources as questionable as Playboy.

"Oh, I can see how reading playboy works wonders for developing a feminist attitude."

Pherber - not to be defensive but for the sake of providing a more complete picture, I am an older feminist (got rocks thrown at me marching for ERA in the 70's) not one who is still "developing" and I actually was sponsored by a feminist anti-pornorgraphy group in the 80's to research and teach a class called "What's Wrong With Playboy and Penthouse?" about why those magazines were counterproductive to healthy sex and gender equality. I guest-taught that class at local universities for their Human Sexuality classes and also presented it at a number of conferences on women's issues, domestic violence, etc. I know the issues but in the context of just sharing one of those "small victories" I didn't bother to do the disclaimer, which I guess contributed to your assumptions. I still read those mags from time to time, both in the context of "know thy enemy" and for enjoyment, since I am bisexual and they have definitely gotten better (less sexist) over the years.

On Carla Bruni's politics, I had no idea - never saw her till that spread and simultaneously googled her which led to listening to one of her songs. Thanks for educating me. I wasn't advocating her as a person or political figure, just saying hey, it's nice to see a hot woman with small tits being appreciated by a magazine better known for silicone and airbrushing. If Playboy can evolve and open up a little, that's progress.

[dj-bizmonkey]

i just did a google search and i found this: http://www.gnxp.com/blog/2008/03/traits-of...easts-booty.php

wow. the blog which stated that women with large breasts are more likely to get married was a closed forum, so i couldn't read that load of bullshit.

i am going to look up the ancient article in the university library and let y'all know how it turns out.

[starship]

I hope we don't have to explain everything we say from now on:/

oceangirl- there are all kinds of cute lacy "bralette"s available, I know there are some at urbanoutfitters.com, and elsewhere as well.

I love these strapless (almost)bras from urbanoutfitters (not sure if they sell the same in the U.S). I like to wear a bra under strapless summer tops etc for a bit of shape (lets face it the only reason i wear a bra) but the usual strapless bras are uncomfortable and usually reaquire regular hoisting up despite the irritating rubbery stuff. Actually makes me glad that i can get away with less supportive bras in return for comfort

dj-biz- a comment like that from a non-pervy stranger would have made my day:).

Why is it when googling 'small breasts' a large proportion of the results are either offering a 'treatment' for small breasts (since when are small boobs a disease:/), teen-based porn sites or young girls who have barely started puberty writting to agony-aunt type figures (usually about how they're 13 and only an Acup, i might add).... This site is among the minority of websites giving a positive outlook on small breasts

I dont think there could be any stage of my life when I'd actually 'pass' the pencil test. They can sag all they like but it aint gonna happen

[dj-bizmonkey]

i remember reading about the pencil test for the first time in sixth grade. it was in one of those pre-teen books, 'the daffodils' or some cheesy shite like that. the young girls who couldn't hold the pencil up definitely 'failed.' the girl who could then had to go ask her dad to buy her a bra because her mom was dead yadayadayada. long story short, all my girlfriends at the time were reading the same book and MAN did i get made fun of. not that everyone had big breasts at 12, but the cool girls did. i actually spent two years in middle school stuffing my bras because i was convinced that the real breasts would be growing any day now. 15 years later and here i am, the same size i was when i was 11!

welcome oceangirl! i would go back about three or four pages into the archives of this thread. we have all listed tons of websites that have cute, small-sized bras. if you don't want to shop online, try your local women's petite store. even if you don't fit into all of the clothes (i do NOT!! ) they will be more likely to carry smaller bra sizes and hard to find sizes, like 36AA. some of my favorite websites are aronsales.com and lulalu.com. good luck!

[crinoline]

oceangirl- bralettes : Gathered lace
Lace bandeau
Printed cotton
Stretch lace

good luck!

and dj- that is a totally awesome experience, thanks for sharing!!

hellotampon- We've discussed before that it's interesting that all girls seem to assume that they "failed" the pencil test, and that failure means different things to different people. I know that when the pencil (of course, I have no under-breast crease) hit the ground, I despaired.

[hellotampon]

That's so funny, I always thought the pencil test was a bad thing! The day I realized I could hold a pencil under my boobs I almost cried. It drove home the fact that I was going to look just like my mom.

[karategrrl]

here is an uplifting story. i was in the gym locker room the other day and there was a huge swarm of young girls who had just gotten out of the pool. i literally had to wade through them to get to my locker after my shower. i was changing, and trying to modest in front of the little girls, but they were all around me. this cute little mixed girl who was right at my feet looked up at me and said, 'your boobies are pretty!' i was slightly mortified, but blushing was out of embarassment and joy. just thought i'd share.

OMG, that totally makes my day!!!!!! (If it personally happened to me it would make not just my day, but my LIFE!) Thanks SO MUCH for sharing! (and I hope that totaly makes up for your other not-so-fun experience in the locker room with those bitchy girls!

[oceangirl]

thanks for replying. OK dumb question but what is a bralette??

[edie52]

Pherber, it's funny that you see the pencil test as an ugly euphemism for large-breasted women... as crino said we've discussed it before, and I think most of us small ladies thought that we "failed" if the pencil fell... and of course that failing was a bad thing. I for one never tried it, because, duh, I knew the pencil would fall, but it used to make me feel bad just hearing about it.

I just watched "I'm Not There." Didn't love the movie, but I loved the little glimpses of Charlotte Gainsbourg's boobies. I think Carla Bruni is beautiful too, though I don't know much about her personal politics, at all. So no comment there.