Realty check - body image

[annie]

Still, you can't stop people from voicing opinions. And we all have them.

True. What an awful, boring world if we all thought exactly the same!! Trouble comes when we try to impose our beliefs on everyone else and assume we are the only ones who are right.

Annie

[Crankin]

Well, I have felt the same way about comments regarding what we do to our bodies. I haven't had a boob job, but I probably am a candidate for one. However, in my case, finding some well made bras that fit have enhanced the body image in a cheaper way. I always wear bras with fiberfill padding, not the heavy stuff, or else everything shows through. I buy my bras on line at BraSmyth, that specializes in having a huge range of sizes. They mostly do bigger sizes, but they do have a page or two of petite sized bras, some with padding, some without. They are not cheap ($50-70), but they fit and sometimes go on sale. I did get fit in a local lingerie shop and it was worth it.

Yes, and I wear make up, get high lights in my hair, paint my nails and love buying clothes. Well, i do buy most of them on line because there are hardly any stores that carry petite sized clothes that are not either for old ladies or teenagers.
In spite of the above, i don't mind getting dirty or sweating. I will never be one of those people who takes their helmet off, shakes their hair out and looks great. And that doesn't bother me at all.

[silver]

Well, I hadn't read this thread yet. I'm posting to tell you, Annie, that I agree 100% with you. Sometimes the comments about boob jobs can be hurtful. A lot of people make judgements about breats implants without really knowing where a person comes from.

I, too, have breast implants. I was barely an AA cup before I lost weight and then when I lost 40 pounds, there was NOTHING. Worse than that, there was nothing and my nipples fell into themselves to make little inverted hammocks. Because I spend 98% my time in workout clothes/tri clothes, enhancing bras were not really an option. I have a boyish figure, slim hips, no rear, muscular waist. Honestly I looked like a 12 year old boy. I worked hard to get fit. I have 6 pack abs. But the more fit I got the worse my breasts looked.

I went to the PS and told him that I wanted to have some breasts. I told him my athletic activites. He agreed to give me implants that would give me some shape and fit my activity level. Mine are some of the smallest that he's used. I'm now a large B/Small C. In some bras I wear a 34B and in others a 34C. I don't think that they look as good as "REAL" breasts, because they are not "real" breasts. But I didn't get that choice.

I don't think that anything had been said here that was terribly offensive, but just wanted to add my support to Annie. Sometimes it seems that the negative extreme examples of breast implants overshadow the others.

[Geonz]

I've gone to a D cup and the last bra I got in that size requires the ductape solution, but I *think* it's a style issue. I wish I knew... and I don't like shopping either. I hate it when Bali takes *my* bra out of circulation. (I'm of the category of people who can neither execute nor imagine spending beau coup bucks on my 'body image.')

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Well, just to clarify my own stance on the subject a bit, for whatever that's worth:

I think it's great that women who feel uncomfortable about the size of their breasts can have them surgically adjusted to make them bigger or smaller- whatever makes them more comfortable about themselves. This is especially understandable for women who naturally have very little or very large breasts, or who have had breasts removed of course.

My only objection to implants is when women get gigantic implants that make them look deformed and bizarre- I feel the promotion of the huge deformed beachball look as an ideal sends a very unhealthy message to young men and young women.
I have no issues about implants or reductions that fall within the realm of what *might* be a natural size. Not my thing, .....but hey, it might BE my thing if I had nothing at all there, or way too much there!

[Brandi]

Ok here's mine.
When i was 14 years old and not comfortable with my body yet (who is at that age), My mom who was the same size as me (34b, very common i would say) had a breast job. It scared me for a long time. I really thought there was something wrong with my size.
I am so over that now! And am very proud of my boobs. They are still pretty perky for a 39 year old very active women. I also know a few women whos' breast are very samll and understand they would like bigger. And support them wanting to improve them. I just don't understand someone like my mom who had perfectly wonderful breast and made them bigger? And the fact that she didn't consider her daughter might be affected by this.

[annie]

Well, I hadn't read this thread yet. I'm posting to tell you, Annie, that I agree 100% with you. Sometimes the comments about boob jobs can be hurtful. A lot of people make judgements about breats implants without really knowing where a person comes from.

I, too, have breast implants. I was barely an AA cup before I lost weight and then when I lost 40 pounds, there was NOTHING. Worse than that, there was nothing and my nipples fell into themselves to make little inverted hammocks. Because I spend 98% my time in workout clothes/tri clothes, enhancing bras were not really an option. I have a boyish figure, slim hips, no rear, muscular waist. Honestly I looked like a 12 year old boy. I worked hard to get fit. I have 6 pack abs. But the more fit I got the worse my breasts looked.

I went to the PS and told him that I wanted to have some breasts. I told him my athletic activites. He agreed to give me implants that would give me some shape and fit my activity level. Mine are some of the smallest that he's used. I'm now a large B/Small C. In some bras I wear a 34B and in others a 34C. I don't think that they look as good as "REAL" breasts, because they are not "real" breasts. But I didn't get that choice.

I don't think that anything had been said here that was terribly offensive, but just wanted to add my support to Annie. Sometimes it seems that the negative extreme examples of breast implants overshadow the others.

Thanks, Silver, for sharing your story and viewpoint and reasoning. I agree that nothing said here was terribly offensive, I guess I was just ready to open up a dicussion from the POV of someone with implants, since it seemed that most comments came from those without.

Lisa SH, just gotta tell you - I do not have, nor want beachballs! LOL! Mine may not be quite as saggy as naturals would be at my age, but I'm ok with that. I've still got a ski slope, but it just doesn't scoop out as much as before. No big air for mini-skiers.

Brandi, Did you ever ask your Mom why she had a boob job? Maybe she didn't think they were as wonderful as you did? That's a good question. I know women worry about this and the effect it might have on their daughters. No easy answers. How to decide what is more important - your own self-esteem or the possible (yet unkown) effect on someone you love? You raise a very good and thought-provoking situation.

Annie

[Kitsune06]

Still, you can't stop people from voicing opinions. And we all have them.

A wiseazz once said "Opinions are like azzholes, we all have them, just some stink more than others". ... sometimes people need to be more careful about the way they choose to express themselves.

Well, just to clarify my own stance on the subject a bit, for whatever that's worth:
...
My only objection to implants is when women get gigantic implants that make them look deformed and bizarre- I feel the promotion of the huge deformed beachball look as an ideal sends a very unhealthy message to young men and young women...

My opinion, too. I like boobs. I do. Lots. but yeah, the cantalope-sized fake boobs you see on some chicks are very unappealing. Just enough for a hand or mouth, I think, is easily enough... and as a person into piercing/tats, body mod, etc.. people need to do what makes their appearance match their mental perceptions of themselves- in a positive and healthy way.
I was okay as a AA, and ok as an A. I'm happy as a B, and would still be ok if I lost weight again and went back to A or AA... *shrug*

[Zen]

A wiseazz once said "Opinions are like azzholes, we all have them, just some stink more than others". ... sometimes people need to be more careful about the way they choose to express themselves.

I don't think anyone directly criticized Annie. If they did, I missed it. As she herself put it-

Thanks, but don't worry! I am NOT offended. I think it was my problem that I was defensive for awhile and am now past that.


Annie

And in a situation like this you also have to consider that when you read something it may not sound the way the writer intended it. When we compose the written word we are transposing our thoughts as we "hear" them. Emphasis and inflection are lost and sometimes misunderstanding arise.