I'm a 34F, and This Is the Only Cocktail-Dress-Shopping Rule I Follow

I don’t really believe in giving other people rules for how to dress, but it came to my attention recently that there is one I’ve enforced pretty strictly upon myself for as long as I can remember. And specifically when it comes to one of my greatest dressing challenge: What do I wear to a wedding? In perfect timing, I have two such occasions coming up.

As a woman who wears a size 34F bra, there’s a nice little internal monologue that happens whenever I’m shopping for nearly any item of clothing, but specifically dresses: Can I wear a bra with this? Ergo my one rule: If I can’t answer that question positively, I don’t purchase. Does this limit my options? Absolutely. Will I change my rule? Never say never, but no.

While I love the look of a backless dress or teeny-tiny straps, the best way I can think of attending any special affair is in an outfit that makes me feel comfortable and in a bra that fully supports (strapless usually doesn’t cut it). There will be no sneaky tugging, hiking up, or adjusting. If I want to be on the dance floor (I often want to be on a dance floor), I should be able to lift my arms above my head or bop around without any distractions.

So with my one rule in mind, I went hunting for cocktail dresses for big busts in a plethora of styles. Some show cleavage, some don’t. Some are floor-length and others are quite leggy. The one common denominator: You don’t have to worry about concealing a single bra strap. If that’s as important to you as it is to me, keep scrolling.