Style 101: Bustin' Out

There's only one thing I love more than shopping for myself, and that's shopping for others! (I get all the buzz of retail without the pain of dropping dough) So when my friend, let's call her...Wen, asked me for some style advice, I lit up like a Chirstmas tree.

Wen wanted some easy options for office wear, but she is one of those rare Asian ladies blessed with a plentious bossom. She often finds shirts are too tight on top. But if she makes room for the girls, the rest of her top looks tent-like and shapeless.

So what's a bustily blessed girl to do?

The key, I think, is structure, structure, structure. The important thing is to nip in the waist while letting everything else breathe. The best and easiest way to do that is with option 1, the blazer.

#1 The Blazer
I love blazers. A good blazer hides a multitude of sins. It gives structure and shape without revealing any bumps and lumps. The key is not to be all matchy-matchy with your suit. Wen has only black pants, so here are some great "pair with black" blazers...

The ever versatile khaki blazer from J.Crew. I just got a similar version at Banana for $85 on sale.

A great tweed pattern looks fabulous with black pants. These are a very affordable option from New York and Company.

This outfit from Kenneth Cole can be bought at Nordstroms. It cinches in your waist and still leaves plenty of room for the chest. This is the epitome of big-busted dressing.

If you're tired of blazers, or it's too hot, you can get the same effect with a vest. This is from Nine West at Macy's.

#2 The Peplum Blouse
You may not have heard the word "peplum" before, but all big chested girls should embrace it. A peplum is the part of the shirt that flows out past the waist--a huge part of 40's style clothing. The peplum does exactly what a big-chested person needs--it nips in the waist while leaving room on top.

Beautiful option from The Limited. You can pair this with a long boyfriend cardigan in grey merino wool.

Here's a shirt with the same peplum effect. Look for elasticized or nipped in waists and you'll be able to wear a shirt that fits the girls without making you look like a shapeless tent. Also from The Limited.

Beautiful peplum blouse from Banana.

#3 Belted Shirt
The belt is probably the best accessory for busty girls because it allows you to wear a big loose shirt (comfortable!) without looking like a walking pillow-case.

Take, for example, a nice, loose, silk shirt like this...

This is from Ann Taylor, but this style of shirt is ubiquitous. All you have to do is add a belt and you go from tent-like to polished.

You can do a looser, hip-slung belt like this.

Or go for a structured, big-corset belt like this.

Now that I've given my 2 cents, let's hear what the experts from Lucky have to say about dressing a big bust...