# Why aren't women who wear padded bras mercilessly made fun of? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 11, 2010, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-women-who-wear-padded-bras-mercilessly-made-fun-of/549976 "2010-08-11T20:59:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-women-who-wear-padded-bras-mercilessly-made-fun-of/549976/21 "2010-08-11T21:47:40Z")
> [@CrazyCatLady](#): > > **Skammer** , pretty much every Victoria’s Secret commercial is an ad for a padded bra. They don’t use the term padded, of course, but anything listed as a “push-up” or “cleavage-enhancing” bra is pretty heavily padded. There is talking during those commercials? ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-women-who-wear-padded-bras-mercilessly-made-fun-of/549976/22 "2010-08-11T21:55:50Z")
> [@Polerius](#): > > Well, obviously, I’m not talking about women with big breasts who wear padded bras for other reasons. The OP is about small-chested women who wear padded bras to make their breasts look bigger than they are. I’m sorry, but that isn’t really obvious. We’ve had similar threads before. Why would you assume that a smaller breasted woman isn’t wearing her padded bra for the exact same reasons as **DiosaBellissima**? I wear a B cup, and a padded bra looks better under many of my clothes and prevents nipple show through. Isn’t it fairly well understood that what’s in our bras is going to look different when we take them off? Padded and push up bras aren’t designed to fool people. They’re made to help us feel comfortable and confident in our clothes. Oh, and not all padded bras are pushups, and not all pushups are padded. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-women-who-wear-padded-bras-mercilessly-made-fun-of/549976/23 "2010-08-11T22:01:42Z")
> [@Polerius](#): > > Well, obviously, I’m not talking about women with big breasts who wear padded bras for other reasons. The OP is about small-chested women who wear padded bras to make their breasts look bigger than they are. I haven’t seen these padded bra commercials. I have TiVo, and almost never watch commercials. Do they say on the commercials that the purpose of these padded bras is to increase apparent cup size? ---
**Author:** ![Polerius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-women-who-wear-padded-bras-mercilessly-made-fun-of/549976/24 "2010-08-11T22:02:28Z")
> [@gwendee](#): > > Why would you assume that a smaller breasted woman isn’t wearing her padded bra for the exact same reasons as **DiosaBellissima**? I wear a B cup, and a padded bra looks better under many of my clothes and prevents nipple show through. I’m not familiar with the various types of bras, but are padded bras (specifically the ones that increase the cup size), the only ones that prevent nipple show through? ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-women-who-wear-padded-bras-mercilessly-made-fun-of/549976/25 "2010-08-11T22:02:33Z")
> [@gwendee](#): > > Oh, and not all padded bras are pushups, and not all pushups are padded. And yet, as someone with a big chest, I wear padded push up bras. Win win. > [@Polerius](#): > > I’m not familiar with the various types of bras, but are padded bras (specifically the ones that increase the cup size), the only ones that prevent nipple show through? You’re missing the point: most of them aren’t designed to increase cup size. They designed to lift, they’re designed to hide nipples, they’re designed to correct the breast shape under clothing, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Polerius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-women-who-wear-padded-bras-mercilessly-made-fun-of/549976/26 "2010-08-11T22:05:00Z")
> [@Anne\_Neville](#): > > > [@Polerius](#): > > > > Well, obviously, I’m not talking about women with big breasts who wear padded bras for other reasons. The OP is about small-chested women who wear padded bras to make their breasts look bigger than they are. > > I haven’t seen these padded bra commercials. I have TiVo, and almost never watch commercials. Do they say on the commercials that the purpose of these padded bras is to increase apparent cup size? I don’t have a TV commercial link, but here is the [Miracle Bra](http://www.victoriassecret.com/swimwear/the-miracle-bra) which states “Get perfect push-up, with removable\*\* padding for extra oomph\*\*” I assume the “extra oomph” is that it increases apparent cup size. ETA: And then there’s stuff [like this](http://www.amazon.com/Commando-Cleavage-Cupcakes-Enchancers/dp/B000NHXGUG), for which I have seen ads on TV. I don’t believe the company who makes “the bulge” for men would dare advertise it on TV. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-women-who-wear-padded-bras-mercilessly-made-fun-of/549976/27 "2010-08-11T22:06:24Z")
> [@Polerius](#): > > I’m not familiar with the various types of bras, but are padded bras (specifically the ones that increase the cup size), the only ones that prevent nipple show through? No. My padded bra was lightly padded. It didn’t increase my apparent cup size, but did prevent nipple show through. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-women-who-wear-padded-bras-mercilessly-made-fun-of/549976/28 "2010-08-11T22:06:44Z")
> [@Polerius](#): > > > [@Anne\_Neville](#): > > > > I haven’t seen these padded bra commercials. I have TiVo, and almost never watch commercials. Do they say on the commercials that the purpose of these padded bras is to increase apparent cup size? > > I don’t have a TV commercial link, but here is the [Miracle Bra](http://www.victoriassecret.com/swimwear/the-miracle-bra) which states “Get perfect push-up, with removable\*\* padding for extra oomph\*\*” > > I assume the “extra oomph” is that it increases apparent cup size. Whereas I’d read oomph to mean sexier looking tits- which means higher, rounder, etc. Not necessarily bigger. You forget that most women’s breasts aren’t perfectly round, so you need a bra that shapes them correctly. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-women-who-wear-padded-bras-mercilessly-made-fun-of/549976/29 "2010-08-11T22:08:34Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > > [@Polerius](#): > > > > I don’t have a TV commercial link, but here is the [Miracle Bra](http://www.victoriassecret.com/swimwear/the-miracle-bra) which states “Get perfect push-up, with removable\*\* padding for extra oomph\*\*” > > > > I assume the “extra oomph” is that it increases apparent cup size. > > Whereas I’d read oomph to mean sexier looking tits- which means higher, rounder, etc. Not necessarily bigger. You forget that most women’s breasts aren’t perfectly round, so you need a bra that shapes them correctly. Yep. ---
**Author:** ![lexi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lexi/32/6806_2.png) [@lexi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lexi)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-women-who-wear-padded-bras-mercilessly-made-fun-of/549976/30 "2010-08-11T22:09:27Z")
Even among the IBTC members (myself a B cup) - to cover nipples (which can be far more sensitive in smaller breasted women) and also to fit clothing better. It really isn’t about looking larger at all - if you want to look sexier, you don’t use a padded bra, you wear a demi push up! ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-women-who-wear-padded-bras-mercilessly-made-fun-of/549976/31 "2010-08-11T22:14:40Z")
Being fake is not on the high list of things guys care about, or breast implants would not be so popular. Women are the more selective gender, so they get to have the luxury of not wanting their guys to be fake. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-women-who-wear-padded-bras-mercilessly-made-fun-of/549976/32 "2010-08-11T22:21:27Z")
(Just to clarify, I didn’t mean ‘How would _you_ know?’ but ‘How would you know they’re buying padded bras at all unless you’re following them around Victoria’s Secret, and then how would you know why they’re wearing them?’). ---
**Author:** ![Polerius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-women-who-wear-padded-bras-mercilessly-made-fun-of/549976/33 "2010-08-11T22:26:46Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Being fake is not on the high list of things guys care about, or breast implants would not be so popular. Women are the more selective gender, so they get to have the luxury of not wanting their guys to be fake. Actually, it’s good you bring up breast implants, because they still do carry the stigma of being fake. Basically, padded bras and bra inserts that are used to increase the apparent cup size, have lost the stigma of fakeness, while breast implants still have this stigma (even ones that look natural, and not like balloons) ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-women-who-wear-padded-bras-mercilessly-made-fun-of/549976/34 "2010-08-11T22:31:06Z")
I can spot a padded bra from a hundred yards, even with beer goggles. Just sayin’… ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-women-who-wear-padded-bras-mercilessly-made-fun-of/549976/35 "2010-08-11T22:31:24Z")
> [@CrazyCatLady](#): > > As for the OP, I’d say the major difference is that women tend not to look at a guy’s crotch when judging his sexual attractiveness–either we don’t care about the size of your dick, or we’re pragmatic enough to know that size when flaccid has little or nothing to do with size when erect. So if you’re stuffing your pants, you’re doing it for yourself, or to impress other men. Men, otoh, do look at a woman’s boobs when judging her sexual attractiveness. So a padded bra could be for yourself or for other women, but it’s equally likely to be for guys. I think this is the big issue. A guy who thinks a bigger bulge is going to make him more attractive to women is comically clueless, an absolute adolescent. It’s something Beevis and Butthead would do. They aren’t being mocked for faking a package. They’re being mocked for thinking their lack of a bulging package is the problem. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-women-who-wear-padded-bras-mercilessly-made-fun-of/549976/36 "2010-08-11T22:38:13Z")
> [@Polerius](#): > > Actually, it’s good you bring up breast implants, because they still do carry the stigma of being fake. Being in CA, I know plenty of folks with tig ol bitties of silicone and saline. I assure you, while maybe some catty women whisper about it, men don’t give a fuck. I know plenty of men who will say they give a fuck, but trust me- the folks I’m thinking of constantly have guys after their surgically enhanced titties. Most women think they are cool, too. > [@An\_Arky](#): > > I can spot a padded bra from a hundred yards, even with beer goggles. Just sayin’… So, I assume you then notice, with your beer goggles, that about 98% of women are wearing some form of padded bra. ---
**Author:** ![Audrey\_Levins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Audrey\_Levins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Audrey_Levins)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-women-who-wear-padded-bras-mercilessly-made-fun-of/549976/37 "2010-08-11T22:55:34Z")
As noted, makeup and high heels are also false advertising; so is any kind of clothing, actually. Highlighting hair, shaving armpits…these are all not “natural.” Unless we’re all supposed to go around naked and hairy so as not to be accused of “false advertising,” I don’t see the difference between a woman wearing a padded bra and a woman wearing a flattering pair of pants. I have a pair of jeans that makes my ass look awesome. I also have bras that make my tits look awesome. Mr. Levins has seen me in and out of both, and he thinks I’m stacked. Padded bras are just another way to make yourself look better in clothing. A guy who stuffs his package, OTOH, is a jackass. I don’t know many girls who want to see a guy in a pair of pants that tight anyway, and the majority of guys are “growers” not “showers” so it’s a silly idea to begin with. A man’s penis is only important when it’s about to be utilized. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-women-who-wear-padded-bras-mercilessly-made-fun-of/549976/38 "2010-08-11T23:08:05Z")
> [@gwendee](#): > > I’m sorry, but that isn’t really obvious. We’ve had similar threads before. Why would you assume that a smaller breasted woman isn’t wearing her padded bra for the exact same reasons as **DiosaBellissima**? I wear a B cup, and a padded bra looks better under many of my clothes and prevents nipple show through. Ditto. I also have no idea where I’d even find a completely unpadded bra that isn’t a cheap thing that would fall apart in three washings. The padding in my bra is maybe 1/16 of an inch at its **thickest** point. It’s hardly boosting my cup size. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-women-who-wear-padded-bras-mercilessly-made-fun-of/549976/39 "2010-08-12T00:49:24Z")
This reminds me. Boys I went to school with _did_ regularly accuse girls of stuffing their bras, and mocked them for it. Not a single one did (we swam together), and clearly the boys just wanted to rile them up (and, likely, get flashed to prove them wrong), but there you go. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-women-who-wear-padded-bras-mercilessly-made-fun-of/549976/40 "2010-08-12T00:53:20Z")
> [@Cat\_Fight](#): > > This reminds me. Boys I went to school with _did_ regularly accuse girls of stuffing their bras, and mocked them for it. Not a single one did (we swam together), and clearly the boys just wanted to rile them up (and, likely, get flashed to prove them wrong), but there you go. This was in, like, middle school though, right? Not college, I presume. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-women-who-wear-padded-bras-mercilessly-made-fun-of/549976.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-women-who-wear-padded-bras-mercilessly-made-fun-of/549976.md?page=3)