In Judy Blume’s Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, which I HIGHLY recommend for anybody, but especially tweens and teens, the main character is an everyday girl navigating her way through adolescence and puberty. In one part of the story she contemplates stuffing her bra with cotton balls before going to a party.
Even though I read the book about a bazillion times in my early teens, it never occurred to me way back then to actually stuff my bra. I just thought it was something they only did in books, and not in, like, real life.
That’s how clueless I was as a kid. We didn’t have the Interwebs or the Googles back then! 🙂
And now that I think back about it, I hated having to wear my first bra. It wasn’t one of those things about growing up that I looked forward to, because I was a bit of a tomboy back then, and my mom and I never had that “your body is going through ch-ch-changes” conversation.
The only reason I started wearing that first bra was because my best friend’s mom mentioned something to my mom about me/it. I think my mom was in total denial about the fact that I was visibly going through puberty, but she still dug deep and eventually took me to go bra shopping at the mall.
So we got one, and it felt annoyingly oppressive. I hated wearing it, and the thought of stuffing it never crossed my mind…
Until I hit my 20s and 30s, when I did use those chicken cutlets bra inserts from time to time with tops and dresses that I felt could benefit from a bit of a boost.
So yes, I have stuffed my bra.
I know that for many women, this subject is a sensitive one that takes on a different meaning because of breast cancer. My mother-in-law is a breast cancer survivor, and we’ve talked many times about specialty bras.
In whatever ways and however it applies to you, have you ever stuffed your bra before? The comments here are a safe place (I STRICTLY enforce that).
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Yes, numerous times. For a few years I didn’t even consider wearing a non-stuffed bra, that and push-ups were all I owned. That changed when I got older, and now, with the preggo-chest, I am for once satisfied with my cleavage without help.
nope. But i was accused of it by mean people. the same ones who made fun of me for my “false eyelashes” which were my natural makeup-free lashes.
what can i say, i have good boobs and great lashes naturally. It’s ok now, but it wasn’t fun in 7th grade.
I had to think about this for a while, but I don’t think I ever did stuff my bra. I do remember the first bra shopping experience to be quite embarrassing!
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found that having the right size bra makes a huge difference. They can be expensive, but definitely worth it.
And Judy Blume! I read all of her books when I was younger. I’ll have to see if my library still has them to check out.
P.S. Tabs, you are such a good sport! Love the expression on your face. 🙂
I never had to stuff my bra. I can’t remember my first “training” bra (don’t know what they were being trained to do) but I feel I went from that to a B cup pretty early on. I currently wear a D cup, and they’re all natural. I did use extra padding on my wedding day to hold the shape of the dress, but other than that, no.
The only time i actually stuffed my bra was when I dressed up as a Hooters girl for Halloween (hey, I was in college) and it actually looked pretty real! But most of my bras do have some sort of padding because 1) I don’t like to nip out and 2) I’m an A cup
I did use some padding on my wedding day- I couldn’t find one of those strapless bra/corset things with padding. Other than that, I usually just wore Wonderbras when I was younger. Now I really don’t worry about it.
My youngest niece (9 y/o) is just like you were- she is horrified that she has to wear a bra w/ t-shirts now. Such a little tomboy! Until she needs to wear a dress; then she picks out the frilliest, poofiest, laceyest monstrocity she can find. Go figure!
No, but I’ve clearly thought about it. I’m small chested, and when I was in my teens and 20s I was really tiny (both in size and cup). Like, my bra size wasn’t carried at most stores, and I was really wearing them for… decoration rather than because I really needed them. I could only find bras that looked like they were made for young teens, and even then, the cups were usually too deep. I suffered from that, I felt like my flat chest was making me less feminine. Good thing is that I didn’t attract the kind of guys who see women as just bodies… A few times people like that actually pointed at me to their friends on the beach and laughed. True story!
Anyways, I tried stuffing cotton balls in there at home a couple times and it just looked ridiculous so I never went out like that.
I’ve put on weight for the past 5-6 years, and while I’m not too happy about it, at least I now wear a bra size that’s easy to find and I can finally get both cute and sexy bras! I still feel more confident wearing padded or push-up bras though.
Well THAT was a surprise headline! 🙂 I’ve never actually stuffed a bra but, like you, have had the bras with the half moon (or chicken cutlet… potato, potahto) inserts. I’ve never wanted to increase the appearance of size but all my bras are padded because I live in a cold climate and don’t want the high beams comin’ atcha! 🙂
Ah yes!! When you are 13 and don’t need a bra you try everything to look bigger!! And Tabs is looking awfully cute in the bra!!
I loved that book as a kid – “we must, we must, we must increase our bust!” LOL
I haven’t ever stuffed my bra, but only because I never needed to. I was blessed/cursed with these boulders at a young age. DDD and still going! >,< At 34, they are starting to not look quite so perky, so I do have a set of cutlets to stick underneath for lift in a strapless bra, but I haven't used them yet. I haven't found a strapless that supports the way I need it to, so I've gotten by on wearing a regular bra and a cardigan for strapless dresses!
Pretty sure I tried putting socks and things in my bra when I was in Junior high/High School – but they always looked super silly, so I don’t think I ever wore them out! I’ve worn push-ups, though, on and off through the years. In fact, most of my bras right now are push-ups. I’m finding, to my surprise, that I actually like the look of a slimmer bust sometimes. It depends on the outfit, but sometimes my “padded” chest can look a little odd to my eye. Funny how that works out!
When I was a flat chested tween I couldn’t wait to get breast .I have 3 sisters and we talked about getting breast and our periods all the time. I was so happy when I finally got a pink training bra, lol! When I advanced to probably a A cup , I stuffed socks , tissues whenever worked LOL. I grew into a C cup. Now I like padded bras and own a couple sets of chicken cutlets that I like but rarely use.
Nope. I developed early and they grew FAST. I had to start wearing a bra in 4th grade and I HATED it. I had a reduction in my mid-twenties, it was the best thing I ever did. They were just too big for my frame and when they grow that fast they don’t look nice.
NOPE, been wearing a bra since 4th grade. Used to get made fun of all the time. ONe time some guy actually pushed my boob and then said, Oh, I didn’t know it was real. He had a fat lip for a while (I’m not one to hold back. LOL)
I’ve always been well endowed but truthfully even when I was younger I was always of the mindset, well if I stuff and then get undressed in front of someone, aren’t they going to notice something is missing? lol
I’m just glad that there are finally some pretty bras out there in the 34HH range. (NO, I did not make that up.)
There are some great websites like Bare Necessities and Figleaves and I have a great store that I go to in Matawan NJ called Bra Savvy. (just in case anyone is in need) 🙂
When I was a young teen, my breasts were pretty lopsided. Left was AA cup, right was a full A. My mom was completely unsympathetic and just said it was no big deal and I’d grow out of it. So, I stuffed a homemade doll pillow into the left side of my bra every day for like three years. Thanks for your help, Mom. Fortunately, by the time I was 18 they were almost even at a B cup. Now that I’m 39 and have nursed two babies, I’m a 34C long. But at least they match!
I love Judy Blume books! I think I was in 6th grade when I read that book. My mom didn’t have time to talk to me about the Birds and the Bees or about having my period. I learned so much from reading those books. I grew up in the late 70’s/early 80s and both my parents are from the Philippines so you can imagine. I didn’t stuff my bras but I did wear padded bras long before Victoria’s Secret was out. Not because I wanted bigger boobs but I thought it made my stomach look smaller cause I didn’t have a flat tummy.
In my early teen years..yes (11-14… I devolved “late”). I totally stuffed my bra with toilet (or socks..don’t ask me why). But only ever in my room. I never left the house with them stuffed. Once I finally did get boobs..I realized they weren’t really a big deal, and as someone who hated having attention, I kind of got annoyed. Eyes are up here boys.
Nope, I didn’t need to. I was a B cup in early junior high and kept growing. I’m now between a DD and DDD. As I have a smaller frame, it’s hard to find bras which fit and those that do are expensive.
No, I’ve never had to. I’ve been wearing a bra since I was 10, and I was a 36 C by the end of 8th grade. I’ve been a DD since college, with the exception of when I was pregnant (G cup…yes, it’s as scary as it sounds).
I was pretty flat chested growing up, and there were time periods I did not wear bras altogether. However, I was also very thin due to varying factors, and once I got to a healthier weight, things ballooned, LOL. I don’t think I ever stuffed my bras, but I did wear padded ones sometimes (not like those add two cup sizes ones they have now though!)
I wear a 34 DDD / F (not as big as it sounds, I swear – I don’t look like I wear a big cup size), but I still like a good push up from time to time. I’m also lucky to be perky enough to get away without anything heavy duty the majority of the time.
i stuff my bra almost daily. Righty and lefty are a full cup size apart, so I have an insert to make them even. I have no desire to go under the knife and have them adjusted, so chicken cutlets for the win!
I developed early, and had to start wearing bras at age 10. I remember wanting them smaller. But we are often unhappy with what we are given! I hated my chest during athletic activities, and even now when I run I have to go full support. My mom is considering breast reduction, she has a lot of back issues from them, and my grandma’s doctor recommended it but never wanted to go under the knife. I’m not quite there yet at size D, but I’ve also never had kids! I know women’s bodies change quite a lot with pregnancy so we’ll see for the future what happens.
First, I must say that Tabs looks pretty irritated to be in that shell bra. I’m going to have to ask that you send me that photo so I can put it away forever on his behalf.
No, I’ve never stuffed. For a petite person, I’ve always been “well-endowed.” It was annoying in junior high but quite useful later in life. 🙂
What does it say about my brain that I have no memory of shopping for my first bra? I know I probably went with my mom or my grandma but I’m drawing a total blank!
I never really got a chance to stuff my bra. At age 8, I went from no boobs to DD in about a year, eventually ending up with HH size cups. I have always been jealous of the girls with A cups, and a lack of back pain. 🙂
I love that book!!! Omg, the price!! I’ve never stuffed my bra…I developed way too much, too fast in grade 6, and was made fun of SO. BAD. I read that book so many times because of it. Anyhow, I tried to smash and hide my big chest, wore layers of shirts to cover them up. In college, I discovered healthy eating and fitness and they shrunk, so I did wear a padded bra…not too extreme tho.
Yup, I’ve used chicken cutlets when I was younger! But I was always worried about them falling out or twisting and ending up making my boobs look all weird and wonky, so in the end I just went back to wearing padded bras.
Yeah, I wish that I didn’t have to but, I always have to stuff my bikini tops. I’m very petite. I always wear slightly padded bras. I guess the “you’re making the walls jealous comments..” when I was a teen left a lasting impression.
no, but my bra size is 34DDD…I wear minimizing bras sometimes for work though.
As a teen I was smaller than now (i’m in my early 30’s) but I was still a full D cup from age 16. I tried very hard to hide my breasts then
I’ve never stuffed my bra but I do own a few push-up bras; however my bra size and frame are small anyway so I just embrace it! It’s taken me many years to build the confidence in myself and peace with my body. I wear bralettes and t-shirt bras most days!
Ohhhh yeah. I had the inserts, padded bras, the works, I would stack them all, making my boobs look pretty huge, up until I was 20 I think, and then I sprung for saline partial under (335cc). Now, I wish I went bigger! I was mosquito bite flat up until the day of surgery so the blossoming stage never happened, and I don’t think ever would have. My boobs are the same size today, 5 years later, as they were after I had them done. So they never would have grown, lol! Glad I didn’t wait around! Looking forward to MAYBE having them done just a bit larger once I finish graduate school. But for now, I am really pleased with my size, (small C). No one knows or suspects they’re enhanced, and I still look very modest in professional attire, which is very important to me.
Ladies, if you’re thinking about it, I would say go for it!
Lol, I was like you…tomboy and totally into sports. I never thought anyone really stuffed their bra, and for me, it would have meant stuff getting in my way to play sports. When my mom told me it was time to wear a bra, I screamed and cried and shut myself in my room. I felt ashamed, betrayed by my body that just wanted to play ball. I never spent time at sleep-overs doing hair and makeup, I went to games instead. So I’m doing the hair and makeup thing now, lol, making up for lost time.
I remember when that book FIRST came out and I read it a thousand times (I was a 70’s kid). So yes, I owned the original cover. It was a little controversial at the time but it was sold at the book fair at my elementary school. I remember one of the mom’s saying that she couldn’t believe they had that book at the fair but the mom’s were buying it for their daughters.
So jealous that you have had the original cover! I’d love to have a copy of that book now.