#30dayglowup - Day 23
Having a flat-chest is often underrated and perceived as an undesirable trait, but here's why you should love having less cleavage...
Being flat-chested
has always been one of my bigger body image related insecurities, especially as
I find it difficult to put on weight and have always been on the skinnier side.
For some people this may seen desirable as society puts so much emphasis on
being thin, however with the recent increase in popularity of the body positivity
movement came the pressure to have more of an hourglass figure. For someone
whose body shape resembles that of a stick, this brought a lot of insecurity
and a lack of confidence about my body.
Growing up
being flat-chested made me feel undesirable and made it a lot more difficult to
be confident within my appearance. Even now in my university life, being
involved with a sports team and regularly participating in fancy dress socials,
it feels like having a flat chest is more of a hindrance with fitting in with
the other, stunning girls around me. However, despite all the grief my A cups
have brought me, I do recognize that they do come with benefits which may be
more desirable for the larger-chested girl. A big part of my glow up journey
has involved feeling confident in my body, with means tackling this deep-routed
insecurity head on since I have no intention of undergoing any plastic surgery.
A significant part of that has been recognizing the advantages that come with
my body type so that I can view it more positively, so in this article I’m
going to be discussing 10 benefits to having a smaller chest in the hopes of making
you feel more confident about yourself if you have a similar body shape to me.
If you are
on the opposite end of the scale, I don’t mean to drag you down either – I’m
sure you look fantastic! I’m just looking to give a bit of recognition to the A
and B cups out there, so take everything I say with a pinch of salt here.
1. Exercise is easier
Even when I
go downstairs without a bra on, I still feel the need to hold my chest to keep
it secure, so I can’t imagine what girls with bigger chests must endure. We can
get away with less supportive sports bras which do tend to be cuter, or maybe
even none at all, without feeling that huge amount of discomfort from your
boobs jiggling around. Running, cycling, jumping or any form of cardio has
never posed any issue for me and that’s something I’m very grateful for.
2. Revealing tops are more flattering
With the
recent ‘Y2K aesthetic’ trend emerging among young adults and teens as the desirable
fashion sense, the rise of dainty, lingerie style crop tops have come with it.
I’ve never felt uncomfortable or exposed from wearing smaller tops out in
public because I have so little cleavage, and we’re less judged than girls with
larger chests doing the same thing (Not that this is how it should be at all,
in an ideal world everyone would be able to wear what they want). I feel that I
can wear what I like, and it’s seen as fashion and a form of self-expression,
not me wanting to show off my body and draw attention to myself.
3. We don’t get back pain
I’ve never
experienced lower back pain because of having too much weight on my chest and
not enough support, which I’m very grateful about. A lot of people with bigger
chests develop aches from a young age and have to endure them their entire
lives, whereas with a small chest we never have to go through this problem.
4. Bras? I don’t know her
I’ve never
needed a bra for support and have only ever chosen to wear them for aesthetic
purposes. It’s so much more freeing with your outfits to not have to worry
about needing that support – wearing a backless top is a breeze, you can wear
dainty, pretty bralettes under everything or you could just choose to wear
nothing at all. The only person who would ever know I’ve chosen not to wear a
bra would be me, because it’s so subtle.
5. Smaller boobs tend to stay perkier over time
Since your chest
doesn’t weigh very much it’s easier for you boobs to not sag over time and keep
looking the same as they did in your 20s. It may seem like right now you want
that sought-after large chest look but think about in 30 years how that will
look and how sustainable it is over time.
6. It’s easier to look androgynous
This may
not be what you want to hear if your boob-related insecurities come from
feeling like you look less feminine, but having a flat chest gives a more high
fashion, androgynous look that can be so stunning and make you stand out as an
individual. Why do you think you need to look feminine anyway? Because society
tells you that you should? Use your small chest as an advantage and as a foot
hold to evaluate why you feel you should look a certain way. If you prefer
larger chests that’s fine, but for me once I realized that it was my impression
to over people that was worrying me and I actually quite like having a more
flat chest, it was easier to learn to love the way I look.
7. You can lie on your front
As someone who’s
always done a lot of indoor sports where I’ve needed to sit around and wait,
lying on my front on the floor has never been a problem for me. Certain
stretches and conditioning exercises which may cause discomfort to other people
aren’t an issue and there’s something strangely melancholic about just lying
face down on the floor when you get the chance. With a flat chest this is
completely painless, so you can unlock something that a lot of women struggle
to do.
8. You look more elegant
There’s a reason
many successful ballet dancers tend towards the look of having a flat chest and
slimmer figure: it makes the lines of your body clearer and it makes you look
so elegant and sophisticated. Think about how your body looks when you move –
graceful and more like a dancer, and it may help you to reevaluate the way you
see your body.
9. It’s easier to find clothes
Us flat
chested girls never have the risk of being unable to do up a top because of
your breast size or worrying about it being too revealing. Clothes shopping is
easier because you get to know how things will fit on your body. I love baggy
jumpers and they make up a good portion of my wardrobe because I like how they
fit on my body but also, I never need to try them on because there’s no risk of
me looking frumpy.
10. You can
control how much cleavage you have
With a
smaller bra size, you have options. There are always sports bras and push up
bras for if you’re wanting more cleavage for example on a night out or special
occasion. If you had a bigger chest, you’d be more limited to make your boobs
look smaller especially in more revealing clothing. I love having the option to
go completely braless or have minimal support on the day to day, but when I’m
wanting to show cleavage, I do have that option.
A note on self-love
Loving
yourself especially regarding body confidence can be very hard and it’s
something that I’ve struggled with for a long time. I’ve written a full post on
how to cultivate self-love through journaling if you’re interested which you
could adapt to use for loving the way your body looks. For example, you could
use prompts such as:
- Things I love about being flat-chested
- Things my body has helped me achieved
- Why I’m grateful for the body I’m in
- Reasons you’re proud of your body
- Things that are unique to your body that you love
In conclusion
I will accept
that loving being flat-chested with the society we’re in can be very difficult
and can involve a long journey to finally appreciate your body and what it’s
done for you. Remember to keep reflecting on the positives and not dwell on
things you dislike. But, another form of self-love is if you know you want to
change something about yourself and you have the means to do that then allowing
yourself to become a ‘better you’, physically and mentally.
This is my
first post related to body confidence on my blog and I feel that my insecurities
are different to a lot of common body image issues, not that I’m undermining them
in any way. Part of my glow up journey has involved working on parts of myself
that I can change such as building muscle through workouts and healthy eating,
but also learning to love and appreciate my body for what it is now. I hope
that you’re able to do the same, and that this post has given you a new
appreciation for a commonly underestimated physical attribute.
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