# The boob factor...whats up with them? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 26, 2004, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boob-factor-whats-up-with-them/271256 "2004-10-26T16:39:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boob-factor-whats-up-with-them/271256/21 "2004-10-26T20:02:20Z")
> [@Sternvogel](#): > > Here’s a [direct link.](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62540-2004Oct25.html) The story is four pages long, but well worth the read. I’m too lazy to sign up for the Post. Is [this MSNBC story](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6332146/) the same story? ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boob-factor-whats-up-with-them/271256/22 "2004-10-26T20:51:23Z")
> [@SusanStoHelit](#): > > Yes, the Golden Age of Grunge. I remember wearing my boyfriend’s clothing. Yep. Back in my teen days (which was only a decade ago), I had a perfect body and we never wore the tight revealing clothes teens wear today… You couldn’t find jeans or t-shirts that tight unless you shopped in the childrens clothes sections. Baggy sweaters, pants, flannels and concert t-shirts were what we wore. I just get sick when I see the skin-tight crap on pre-teens. They all want to be Britney Spears. Back in my day, Madonna was the tramp all the girls want to be. Madonna’s outfits were much more modest than Britney Spears. Anyway, I am convinced the reason you’re noticing more boobage is the padded bras + the tight clothes, without a doubt. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boob-factor-whats-up-with-them/271256/23 "2004-10-26T21:20:13Z")
In other news, **GrizzRich** decides an apiary would be a great addition to the back yard. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boob-factor-whats-up-with-them/271256/24 "2004-10-26T21:34:08Z")
IIRC, there was a discussion around here a while ago about girls developing earlier. Since this isn’t GQ, I won’t bother searching, but as I recall, the contention was that the higher fat content of the modern diet _was_ causing puberty to start earlier. Apparently, diet doesn’t have the same effect on puberty in males, which is why you still don’t see bearded 11 year old boys very often. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boob-factor-whats-up-with-them/271256/25 "2004-10-26T21:36:30Z")
Another factor in the phenomenon is that even clothing that isn’t all that tight often contains spandex. I’ve noticed that some shirts I own look much more…_slinky_ than others of the same size, and I recently realized those are the ones that have spandex in them. They tend to cling to portions of your body that stand out from the rest, if you know what I mean, so even if the shirt isn’t all that tight, any protrusions are accentuated. ---
**Author:** ![\_m\_c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/f475e1/32.png) [@\_m\_c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_m_c)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boob-factor-whats-up-with-them/271256/26 "2004-10-27T00:34:33Z")
Wasn’t there a news story about a study showing a connection between hours watching TV, and kids developing faster? ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boob-factor-whats-up-with-them/271256/27 "2004-10-27T04:06:34Z")
> [@Cluricaun](#): > > You think this is interesting? Wait until you see what I do with the other two wishes… 😃 speak very clearly, or you’ll get a fourteen-inch pianist. ---
**Author:** ![DadWagonDriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@DadWagonDriver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DadWagonDriver)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boob-factor-whats-up-with-them/271256/28 "2004-10-27T04:45:21Z")
> [@slortar](#): > > [sub]…_checks Mapquest for directions to Virginia_…[/sub] 🙂 carpool? ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boob-factor-whats-up-with-them/271256/29 "2004-10-27T08:10:08Z")
> [@Peter Morris](#): > > speak very clearly, or you’ll get a fourteen-inch pianist. Either that or a vase of tulips atop his Wurlitzer. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Ilsa\_Lund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a6a055/32.png) [@Ilsa\_Lund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ilsa_Lund)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boob-factor-whats-up-with-them/271256/30 "2004-10-27T09:47:33Z")
> [@nyctea scandiaca](#): > > Madonna’s outfits were much more modest than Britney Spears. Except when she was naked. Every ten minutes. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boob-factor-whats-up-with-them/271256/31 "2004-10-27T11:05:26Z")
Damn! I want my adolescent years back. The best I got to look at was the neon colors and the big hair of the 80’s. Which seemed cool at the time. But damn! compaired to low-rider jeans and bigger boobies I really feel like I’ve been screwed!! :mad: 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Iceland\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4bbf92/32.png) [@Iceland\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iceland_Blue)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boob-factor-whats-up-with-them/271256/32 "2004-10-27T12:52:19Z")
This thread needs pictures 😛 ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boob-factor-whats-up-with-them/271256/33 "2004-10-27T12:54:03Z")
> [@wmulax93](#): > > carpool? We might even be able to pick up some Ohio dopers on the way. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boob-factor-whats-up-with-them/271256/34 "2004-10-27T13:56:28Z")
There are a lot of girls like this in my college. Women that walk past and make all the guys do a double-take 😛 . It may seem silly, but I find that women that are built like this are harder to approach/interact with- I don’t want to be blatantly staring at a certain part of their anatomy, but when they are shaped a certain way and wearing certain clothes, there’s just some parts of a woman’s body that jump out like a big neon sign! I guess you could say that for me, while I find it attractive, its often too much of a distraction; often the women that dress conservatively, or are a little more plain looking are the ones that I can sit and talk with, because I feel a little more comfortable without so much visual ‘distraction’. Something else that I have noticed is women who seem to be wearing ill-fitting bras…you can see it with the ‘double-bump’ effect- one set of bumps that are the woman’s bra, and another smaller set above them which are the woman’s boobs apparently starting to ooze out of the bra :eek: These women rarely, if ever, wear shirts that show cleaveage, yet they have boobs out the wazoo. Is this normal?! Seems like they are wearing a bra that’s a bit too small! ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boob-factor-whats-up-with-them/271256/35 "2004-10-27T14:03:46Z")
> [@plnnr](#): > > There’s an article in today’s Washington Post concerning this very issue. The Post requires you to register, but does not charge for access to the site. > > To summarize the article - younger and younger women are getting boob jobs. Many now get them as graduation presents between high school and colllege. May I say, this is the PERFECT way to introduce an article from a website one has to register for. You told us what the newspaper is. You told us we have to register but not pay. And you summarized the article, so we know if we even want to or not. Kudos, and thank you. Now…back to our regularly scheduled program. ---
**Author:** ![Jennyrosity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@Jennyrosity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennyrosity)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boob-factor-whats-up-with-them/271256/36 "2004-10-27T14:08:02Z")
Ah yes, the double boob syndrome. It’s usually down to one of the following two things, or a combination of both: Woman in question has recently put on weight, and hence her boobs are bigger. So the DB syndrome is because a) _She’s in denial, and buying bigger bras will mean admitting she’s gained weight - and anyway, even if she has, she’s going to lose it, so it would really be a waste of money_ or b) Bras are expensive and she can’t afford to replace her entire set all at once. Of course, it could be she’s one of those women who, for reasons I fail to comprehend, doesn’t know what size she is. Get measured, for God’s sake! ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boob-factor-whats-up-with-them/271256/37 "2004-10-27T14:21:29Z")
> [@Jennyrosity](#): > > Ah yes, the double boob syndrome. It’s usually down to one of the following two things, or a combination of both: > > Woman in question has recently put on weight, and hence her boobs are bigger. So the DB syndrome is because a) _She’s in denial, and buying bigger bras will mean admitting she’s gained weight - and anyway, even if she has, she’s going to lose it, so it would really be a waste of money_ or b) Bras are expensive and she can’t afford to replace her entire set all at once. > > Of course, it could be she’s one of those women who, for reasons I fail to comprehend, doesn’t know what size she is. Get measured, for God’s sake! Or…it might be a certain time of the month when a woman is more well-endowed than she usually is, and she doesn’t want to buy a bra that will only fit properly for 2 days out of each 28. Of course, if she’s showing up every day with the double-breasted look, that kinda blows that theory out of the water. ---
**Author:** ![Jennyrosity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@Jennyrosity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennyrosity)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boob-factor-whats-up-with-them/271256/38 "2004-10-27T14:22:34Z")
If you can have period pants, why not a period bra? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boob-factor-whats-up-with-them/271256/39 "2004-10-27T14:35:00Z")
> [@Jenaroph](#): > > Of course, if she’s showing up every day with the double-breasted look, that kinda blows that theory out of the water. I teach high school, and the number of girls who have no idea what size bra to wear is enormous. I coach debate, so I have to look. Presentation/appearance is important. Then I mention to my (female) assistant which ones need to have their mothers take them shopping for new underwear. 😃 On the OP…it’s the clothing, not the girls. Some are just early bloomers, but the rest just show more because they dress in sausage skins. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boob-factor-whats-up-with-them/271256/40 "2004-10-27T16:11:05Z")
My local highschool has revised their dress code regarding t-shirts: no exposed midriff, no spaghetti straps, no cleavage. Of course, now that the weather is cooler, we don’t see that other teenage abomination (exposed thong with low-cut jeans). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boob-factor-whats-up-with-them/271256.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boob-factor-whats-up-with-them/271256.md?page=3)