Because as someone else pointed out, a lot of large-breasted women are big women. Not many big women want to wear backless dresses, and most of society doesn’t want to see a big woman in a backless dress.
What I want to know is why men don’t wear those powdered wigs anymore. Boy, those were sexy.
A lot of large-breasted women are big, but some aren’t - my missus, for example. She gets upset because she can’t wear a ton of stuff that other women can.
I will have to get my Legos out and make her one.
Um… when it gets cold, you can tell if she isn’t wearing one. I’m not sure why elsewise, though. Feels underdressed, unprofessional, or childish without one? I’m sure there are good reasons.
As a small-breasted woman, I can tell you exactly why I wear a bra. Even though they are not droopy, saggy, or tube-like, I wear a bra all the time, especially when I’m going out in public. Almost every shirt I wear is form-fitting, and you’d be able to see practically every detail of my breast without a bra on. I know most of you men would say “Awesome!”, but imagine you having to wear form-fitting cotton pants with no underwear, and then having that image be the first and foremost thing that people face whenever they see you. Probably wouldn’t be much fun, huh?
You are wrong. If us guys knew the ladies liked it, then hell, it would be very fun indeed.
::Looks around for Speedos::
That’s why I wear one, for shaping. You get a nicer silhouette with a good bra.
They do make them: backless strapless longline bra but they’re mostly used for fancy wedding dresses. They’re not very comfortable and as you can see, waist size is an issue and adds an extra variable into the mix.
All of the above. Plus, a smooth-lined bra is more comfy on the nipples than most clothing is, and add in the “these are not free-range boobies” comment. I don’t wear low-cut outfits, and have zero desire to have any extra reasons to have anyone stare at my chest.
jjim, since you’re in the UK, what about Bravissimo? They have lots of cute bras for large-breasted women who aren’t necessarily large everywhere else.
Believe me, she’s tried. There’s a branch of Bravissimo about a mile from us. The “strapless” have a wide band across the back, and everything else has wide straps over the shoulder. It’s the cantilever thing that doesn’t work; it’s dealing with the force from the breasticles in the wrong vector. tremorviolet’s corset is along the right lines, but I think a good engineer could do better.
I use (I’m not kidding) first aid tape. I’ve described the process here before, but you can use first aid tape to hold them up. They also have stick on bras that work surprisingly well - but tape is cheaper and seems to work better. I’m a D cup.
jjim, go for it! There’s always room for innovation in lingerie. I used to wear a brand of bra that had been designed by one of the engineers on the Golden Gate Bridge. They worked quite nicely, too, until I out grew them. A genuinely innovative backless bra that* stays put* would be cheered by countless women, or at least your wife.
<Insert juvenile “I provide boning services at a discount” joke here.>
Well I’m solidly in the middle as a c-cup, but in addition to the smooth lines under clothing, and the issue of nipple pokage, there is also the jiggle factor. As much as you may enjoy looking at it, it’s still an uncomfortable feeling to be jiggling around all day.
Ditto. Also, I can’t speak for other women, but my boobs get tender when PMS rolls around, and it gets rather uncomfortable shifting positions–everytime their weight shifts, it hurts a little. It’s bad enough with the extra support, I’d hate to think what it would be like without it.
Q: “Why do large-breasted women wear bras?”
A: <Tim Curry> “Antici…”
say it!
“…pation…!” </Tim Curry> 
Another reason small breasted women wear bras - gravity does not discriminate based on size. I thought the advantage of being small was that I wouldn’t sag as I aged. Then one day at the beach I saw an ederly woman in a bikini with the shoulder straps undone. Yes, Virginia, A cups can sag. Looked like two sad little pancakes hanging there wrapped in hot pink spandex.
I think the real issue isn’t the “how to keep them up” but the great variety of style in backless dresses. A low cut bodice isn’t sufficient for the truly “to the waist” backless. Straps need to be designed to fit both a halter style dress and one with straps and one with sleeves. There are the “nearly backless with crisscross straps” dresses." That’s why I like to have first aid tape around or sticky cups.
Don’t mind me, I’m just making a list of who all responded.
You know, for posterity.
Psst, wrong end.
And codpieces.