One of my biggest peeves as a large-breasted woman is when small-breasted women condescend to tell me how great my big-boobed life is, and how I should “embrace” my rack. Like, I hate it when small-breasted women say, “If I had your boobs, I would always show them off!” Or: “If I had that cleavage, I would have a husband!” While “the grass is always greener” syndrome exists in all of us, don’t tell me about my big boobs! I live with them. I live with the back pain and weird, hard-to-find bra sizes and I live with always having to consider whether or not I’m going to look like a cheap hooker in certain clothes because of how those clothes would fit on my chest. Anyway, I just had to get that off of my (sizeable) chest. This Behati Prinsloo story pisses me off. Behati gave a short little interview to the NY Daily News and like most small-breasted women, she has absolutely no idea what it’s like to NEED to wear a bra every day.
Victoria’s Secret stunner Behati Prinsloo has more than four dozen bras, but doesn’t wear many of them. The lingerie-modeling stunner, frequently spotted footloose and brassiere-free, tells us letting it all hang out is really no big deal.
“I don’t see the huge hoo-ha around it,” she told Confidenti@l. “Everybody has the same. It’s a body, it’s beautiful,” she told us, though we beg to differ on all bodies being equal. She says, “Don’t go naked, but if you’re not wearing a bra and it’s appropriate, totally.”
Prinsloo has been making jaws drop since she started working for VS in 2008. She became an official Angel for the line in 2009. Her background isn’t that of a typical sex symbol. She was born in Grootfontein, Namibia, to a minister father and a mom who runs a bed-and-breakfast. She counts Jehovah’s Witness supermodel Coco Rocha among her close pals. And we’re pretty sure that in one of Africa’s 3,000 languages, Behati means “The Hot One.”
When Prinsloo does wear a bra, she tells us, she prefers lace ones. Otherwise, her esthetic is a little more rough-and-tumble than one might expect from the 5-foot-10, slender 24-year-old.
“My personal style is definitely more tomboy, but I do like to wear a summer dress,” she said. “More like hippie-bohemian kind of tomboy.”
The only part of Prinsloo getting more attention lately than her often-uncovered bosom is her recently covered ring finger, which modelizing Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine put a ring on three weeks ago.
“He’s dated the entire Victoria’s Secret catalogue!” Levine pal and TV host Carson Daly joked on Thursday’s “Today” show.
While that might be a slight exaggeration, Levine also has been linked to models Nina Agdal and Anne Vyalitsyna.
When Confidenti@l last spoke to Prinsloo in February, she told us she had more than 50 bras, and stopped just short of saying that Levine got personal lingerie shows.
“I’m not going to comment on that because it’s going to start a multitude of rumors,” she said coyly. “I will say I have such an extensive collection of Victoria’s Secret underwear and he definitely appreciates it.”
In May, Prinsloo and Levine briefly split, but things clearly worked out for them in the long run. Her on-off relationship with bras is another thing entirely.
What do you think she is? Maybe a 32B at most? Of course she can braless. She’s young and they’re perky and small. I don’t have a problem with women not wearing bras if they don’t want to (unless it’s a professional setting, in which case every lady should wear a bra), but let’s not pretend that every woman should or could follow the same braless standards.
Oh, and dear Behati: your fiancé is a douchebag. Yeah, I said it.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.
Agree. When you’re over 30 – and definitely when you’re over 40 – a proper bra makes a huge difference to how you look and how you carry yourself. Otherwise your girls end up down around your waist and you just look schlumpy and frumpy.
I just went to a bra specialist and came out looking about 10 pounds thinner and two cup sizes smaller. The bras weren’t cheap – about 40 bucks apiece – but it was a great investment!
I’m 45 and never ever wear a bra. They’re uncomfortable and feel restrictive. My boobs have not drooped at all and I do not look frumpy. They still look as perky as when I was 20.
There was a study done a few years ago that wearing bras actually accelerated the sagging process as opposed to not wearing a bra. I can understand however, why a large breasted woman would want to wear a bra and I don’t judge her for it.
Thank you for not judging us, YuYa. As for your study that bras increase rather than decrease sagging, I refer you to National Geographic.
Study:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/11/women-bras-study-france-false-necessity_n_3062114.html
curious, have u been pregnant? i was always under impression that pregnancy is a major factor that gets them saggy.
@Goodnames The National Geo pics you see have other factors. A lot of those women have piercings that weigh their breasts down heavily. Can’t really judge anything on that
@Lana I had my son 5 years ago, and my breasts did look pretty bad for about a year. I only wear a bra when I have to and they have definitely returned closer to their pre-pregnancy form the last couple years!
From the article:
“Despite the findings, Rouillon said it would be dangerous to advise all women to take off their bras based on the study’s sample, which may not be representative of the population.”
I’d hardly base my decision on that.
Hey, if it works for you, and you feel it’s appropriate for your professional and social life, it’s none of my business. But I have always worn a bra, and I think my breasts have benefitted from the support.
Ladies don’t all kill me at once but breastfeeding also plays a part in the sagging of breasts. It’s not just an age thing because it even affects some mother’s in their 20’s.
From my understanding wearing a bra helps decrease the sagging. Halle Berry said that’s why she wear her bras while she sleeps. I’ve heard some women who say they wear a bra to bed to prevent sagging but they don’t wear underwear to bed in order for the vajajay to breathe.
I tend to not wear a bra when I’m home but God forbid if I step outside without a bra with these headlights that I have on my chest.
What a wonderfully smug thing to post at the top of the thread!
First, your link is the Huffington Post so there’s that. Second, there is not link to the actual study (or translation of said study since it’s probably written in French), only the media’s spin on it which we know how accurate that can be. Finally, you are basing your opinion strongly on anecdotal evidence (your own personal experience) which would be like me saying I never had stretch marks and I rubbed honey on my tummy every day so therefore stretch marks can be prevented.
Age is only one factor in sagging. Size, pregnancy, nursing, muscle tone, skin elasticity, etc. are all factors. I’m thrilled for you that you don’t need a bra. You also admit you find them uncomfortable so that certainly influences your opinion on their necessity. I personally am uncomfortable without one and will always wear one. But that’s me.
That doesn’t change the fact that this model is an idiot. 🙂
Lucinda, google the study, it’s true – they claim that wearing no bra makes your breasts firmer and perkier. But it’s limited to women with smaller breasts.
That said I can’t believe the study. It makes no sense that breasts, which consist of tissue and fat, stay firm without support. Sure, the breast muscle provides a bit of support if you train it, but not so much that it’s able to prehevent the signs of time.
I am 49 and have never worn bras. I hate them and despite umpteen professional fittings, I (and even the professionals) can not find one that fits. They look nice, they can be sexy, but for me they are extraordinarily uncomfortable. I do not have a sagging problem; then again, I never had kids which I think is a huge factor. My breast size is best described as “medium”, so I have built enough muscle to support them having never been reliant on bras. However, for large breasted women or those who’ve had children, the discomfort of a bra surely outweighs the physical discomfort and self-consciousness of going without. To each their own.
Thanks, Yuya for not judging us, I don’t know what I would have done otherwise, probably burned all my bras in the ritual bonfire.
If you think your breasts are still the same at 45 as in your 20s, you must be delusional – which is also suggested by your assertion that you don’t look frumpy braless. I find that highly unlikely. Unless someone has really small breasts, that is not a good look.
@Liv, I wasn’t saying the study didn’t exist. I was simply saying I didn’t trust Huffpo’s interpretation of the study. It didn’t report sample size or criteria so I was questioning Huffpo as a reliable source as much as anything. You are right; I could have taken time to google the study. I just clicked on their links thinking they might actually be using the study as their reference instead of simply paraphrasing other articles.
I also read that study. I was linked to it through my yahoo reader and it was not from the Huffington Post.
I understand what the study was saying, how your body was designed to carry certain weight (i.e. breasts) and how bras are not necessarily the right thing. However, there have also been studies saying larger breasted women may benefit from wearing a bra all the time; even while sleeping.
That’s a bit much for me. I have always been well endowed and the thought of not wearing a bra in public makes me cringe and want to hide in the corner. It’s also annoying when smaller chested girls go on and on about wanting larger breasts. No you don’t! Remember all your favourite dresses and tops? You couldn’t wear them anymore. I’ll happily give you some of mine for the chance to buy empire dresses and tops and not look 20 lbs heavier with one poor outfit choice.
Lauren, I am not delusional. I am 43 and my boobs look BETTER than they did at 20. They are fuller now than ever before, and no sagging. I have had two children (but no breastfeeding). Disclaimer- 36B. Time has taken its toll on OTHER areas of my body though. 🙂
I would also note that YuYa is 45….right before menopause. I also had perky girls for many years, and I’m a diet and exercise fanatic….but when the estrogen goes, so does the perkiness.
Mine actually grew a bit, enough to make me get all new bras and make the bodices of some of my very best dresses too tight. But the girls are soft now. They’ve lost their old spark.
YuYa may have the same experience over the next 5-10 years.
Maybe, maybe not. My mother, who has gone through menopause is 73, her boobs are still not sagging. They aren’t quite as perky as they were decades ago, but, nothing is heading towards her belly button yet. My boobs will never be big enough to have enough mass to reach my belly button, ever. We all age, so it’s a moot point anyways, if it’s not the boobs, it’s gonna be my gut or my legs or my ass…everything goes south, including men’s balls.
Don’t worry, she also has perfect genes on her side, so menopause won’t change things at all! We’ve found the 45-year old, non-model (but perfect!) Behati, right here!
It is possible to have fantastic breasts later in life. My grandmother in her 70’s had breast that were amazing. I remember being stunned one time when I saw them. But I do believe it is rare. And ftr, she wore highly structured bras all the time.
VS models are full of SHit! Remember Miranda Kerr talking about acting dumb so she’s more f***able for her husband ..
facepalm
Yes, I’m 30, my boobs are huge and little bit saggy (being overweight doesn’t help) even if I always wear a bra (I prefer not think what they would looks like without). Plus, when I don’t have a bra, it hurts me, so yeah, bra forever.
$40?? Lucky you. i’m a size not carried in regular stores so I have to go to specialty bra shops to get fitted. My bras are all around $135-$165. While they try, they aren’t very pretty either. Gravity affects all of us – certainly larger breasts first, but I have a friend who will be 52 in october (I’ll be 52 in January) who is maybe a B cup … and she’s sagging to her belly button. You need a bra, otherwise, you look sloppy.
My boobs are DDD and when I was breast feeding they ballooned up even bigger.
What trashes big boobs is when you quit breast feeding and your boobs shrink back down the skin does not. So you get sagging. Do that with a couple of kids and it multiples the effect.
Unless your boobs weigh 18 pounds a piece (yes I’ve weighed them) you have breast fed a couple of kids and your over 40 your opinion is unrealistic if it’s that we dont need bras or bras make you sag.
It hurts to not wear a bra, and God forbid I do more than walk fast without one on, they fly all over the place.
So that’s great if you small to medium sized girls don’t need to wear bras but what applies to you in no way applies to someone with DD’s or bigger.
I’m sure her employer, Victoria’s Secret
appreciated that comment.
Yes, he’s a douche and she is clueless.
Haha you’re right! I was going to day something else, but that’s not very smart on her part as a spokesperson and model of a lingerie brand. But look who were talking about…and look who she’s with…lol
lol exactly! aren’t you selling them girl? she can go braless as long as she wants, I need my sitting just below the throat, it’s how I like them don’t judge!
That was my thought. Personal choice is great and all, but her JOB is to sell BRAS.
haha, my guess is she took underwear model literally and didn’t realize she had to peddle the matching bras with it.
I thought that was funny, as well.
To have a braless day would be a dream. But with a 30F, there’s just no way. And no, no one should envy the big boobs. Beyond the problems described above, the straps for my bras are always super thick and unflattering. I can’t even wear a basic, thin strapped tank top.
Isn’t she a Spokesmodel for a bra company? Great work.
An 18F here. (Australian Sizing) And hate that 90% of my shirts can show off WAY too much if i bend over the tiniest bit. Anything that isn’t a t-shirt will show the girls off. And the extremely sexy full coverage bra that keeps them in check.
Personally in the morning i visit the bathroom, brush my teeth and put a bra on. I find the sagging feeling WAY to uncomfortable.
Some ladies find bras constrictive and uncomfortable- let them run free! I find going braless super uncomfortable. And really unflattering.
It’s easy to say that at 24 years old. A tip for young Behati: small boobs sag, too.
Well, I am 31, but the ladies will give any 18-yo a run for her money 😉
You go Anna. I’m over 31 and my boobs are still in great shape. Some of my smaller chested friends say they envy my DD’s and I think their crazy. My new boyfriend appreciate them as well but I still think more than a handful is wasteful. I would kill to be a C cup.
Some are lucky, others look like Katie Holmes during a marathon.
Yes, they do. And wearing bras doesn’t help whatsoever. Mine were find and perky all the way up until 40. Then I had my baby and breastfed for 2 years (wearing supportive bras of course). The girls were sad and deflated after that.
I honestly think that that is most of the reason for the breasts we see in Nat Geo. Oh the horror! *sarcasm*
Yeah he’s a douche. And I hope he is still interested in her once she is over 30.
Skinny, flat-chested and usually braless here. But I find it toothgrindingly annoying when women tell other women what they “should” be wearing or, well, not wearing.
Thanks — I like this attitude. Whether we wear ’em or not doesn’t have anything to do with the next lady — I wouldn’t tell a girl what type of panties to wear (or whether to wear ’em), I sure as heck won’t tell em whether or not to wrangle their rack, at any size or age.
I just hope they don’t breed. The world doesn’t need a baby with douchebag genes that strong.
I’d say she’s not too bright, but that’s fairly obvious given her personal life, isn’t it?
I agree. Some women can and some women shouldn’t.
My partner’s sister has just come back from spending a year at a uni in San Diego. And while there appeared to burn her bra and all her deodorant too…her boobs are way to big for this!
I”ve said it before and I’ll say it again… If my girls weren’t DDs, but rather Bs or smaller – I would never, ever wear a bra. I would be shameless. My nipples would cut you, lol!
But as it is, I’m a skinny girl with huge knockers – which doesn’t sound bad, but it is. I can’t find bras in shops, I can’t find clothes. People constantly think I’ve had implants. My back hurts, they get in the way and they’re the first place I gain and the last place I lose weight. I’m crazy jealous of girls with petite tops!
I rarely wear bras too, love my small boobs. I don’t envy big boobs at all but I appreciate a nice set on a lady (hope that makes sense, I just feel a woman has nicer aesthetics and beauty to appreciate). Also it is very humid in my country all year around so a bra is not that comfortable. I do wear nippies though because I don’t think showing your nips is necessary. I think if I had big boobs I would definitely wear a bra and be conscious of my clothes’ necklines.
Us ladies are majestic creatures and there is nothing wrong with appreciating another woman’s well formed assets. I personally covet other women’s butts- mine is fine, if it was half the size!
When one has not-so-small boobs and is out and about in a hot humid weather, sweat appears at all angles. On top of that my type of job, in front of people would not allow it.
I do have stopped wearing them around at home much. I prefer a tight top or nothing, because of circulation, and also I worry that the bra “overheats” them in this weather.
umm … am I the only one not reading her quote the same way? I don’t think she is telling all women to go braless, it sounds like she was asked why she goes without bras and answered to the effect of “it’s no big deal.”
I do, however, agree that her fiance is a douchebag supreme and I doubt they will make it down the aisle.
I read it that way too, but it is her JOB to sell bras.
She’s supposed to say that a lot of women love the feel of going braless and because of that she’s thrilled about some “lighter-than-air” VS creation that gives you that “feeling of freedom, with the confidence of great shape and support, yadayadayada…”
She IS a blond(-ish) model though, so allowances have to be made…
lol!
In professional settings, you not only have to consider a bra but a padded bra sometimes so that your nipples don’t push out. you don’t want your pervy work colleagues staring at your nipples because they can see their shape.
Or maybe the pervs can stop being so pervy.
I agree. I don’t think it is a matter of people being “pervy”, though. Nature gave breasts the special ability to pull focus. They are people’s first source of food, they were there when you bonded with your mom when she held you, they are key players in arousal and therefore procreation.
I think we just have to acknowledge the power they have no matter what their size and use the power accordingly. 😉 I know that if I am flaunting them in a professional situation, they won’t give as much attention to what is being said.
I refuse to wear a padded bra since I am a D-DD, and I haven’t found one that is supportive. Therefore, nipples are noticeable. I haven’t found a solution yet for that.
I find a lined bra is a good balance. Enough coverage to not show when you are bold, but not “padded” to give extra where you don’t need extra.
I second that Behati. Haven’t worn one since I was 17. Hate the things!
Yeah, hoohaaa… I’d love to go braless but with my set of girlies, I couldn’t walk anywhere without loads of pain and shaking happening. Be happy if you happen to be small chested because the pain (back, shoulders) of large front is far from fun.
I’m a 36 A and always have to wear a bra. Seriously, it’s never an option for me. There’s more to consider than just size.
Judging from her candid photos above, I doubt this girl is even a B cup. Makes the whole braless thing a lot easier!
Oh Kaiser, I feel your pain. My 36E cups got to the point where they were taking over my life. I’m skinny from the hips down, a size 8, but had to wear a size 14 on top to accommodate the torpedoes. Back and neck aches, bra strap gullies in my shoulders, not being able to find a bathing suit that fits, chafing from the underwires…I finally had them downsized in 2007 and have never looked back. I’m a C cup now and I can go without a bra if I choose but I don’t want guys ogling my nips or any wiggling going on so I just do it around the house.
In any event, you should look into a reduction, it’s wonderful not feel like you’re lugging around a couple of watermelons on your chest.
Oh, and she’s an airhead and he’s a douche.
I must be in the minority…I have small breasts (barely B) and cannot stand going braless. The first thing I do when I wake up is put on a bra. I can’t stand movement or friction.
And yeah, Adam Levine…ugh.
judyjudy, I hear you. 34C (once a 32, sigh), the only time I’m without is shower or sex. And I go for serious support. No flimsy flip-flopping around for me!
Well, if we all were boobless as she is, we’d be very glad to do so.
I love my bras! I sleep in them almost all the time. I’m 42 and have a pretty good rack. Two kids, no sagging. I credit that to my bras.
Quite frankly, I don’t care if you wear one or not. But if you’re bigger than a C cup, going braless often looks bad – think Drew Barrymore at the Golden Globes (http://beautifulgirl.yuku.com/topic/479/Drew-Barrymore).
I’m a SAHM with big, had-two-babies-recently boobs. I never ever wear a bra round the house because they are so uncomfortable. I stick to tank tops with shelf bras. Not that shelf bras really hold up my big knockers but they keep them from drooping down towards my belly button. But, yeah. Out of the house? Not wearing a bra is not an option. If I had perky, 20 year old A cups maybe. Must be nice.
Bless everything in the article and comments (I’m currently lying to myself and stuff the girls into a DD, though I know I’m bigger 🙁 ), but I’d like to know the context surrounding her statement. “Don’t go naked, but if you’re not wearing a bra and it’s appropriate, totally.” I actually don’t have a real problem with how it’s read. I’m not sure if she’s really advocating going braless, but simply stating that it’s fine if you do?
She looks perpetually stoned. I am not saying that she is, she’s just someone with that look in her eyes.
I wear bras out and about and definitely for running, but once I’m home, off goes the bra.
Well said, same here.
She never says, in that excerpt above, that women should go braless or shouldn’t wear bras. She seems to be saying, ” if it’s appropriate, do whatever you feel like.” Which seems pretty reasonable to me?
Uhh, VS model telling people NOT to wear bras/ the unimportance of bras, not the smartest move is it?
VS needs to do some PR damage control. Leo, Levine etc. are treating it like some high class escort shop and these famewhore models throwing themselves at celebrities isn’t helping anything either. VS is starting to become a trashy joke.
Has Leonardo gotten ahold of this one yet?
This little girl sounds like she belongs to Mensa? What a novel and clever idea? What planet is this flat chested chick from? Rainbows & lollipops? She is perfect for the vain, womanizer Levine.
Totally agree with everything you said about living with large breasts. I would like to add 1 more thing that is a pain: shopping! I am a size 14 and have DD cup size and finding dresses that fit my chest is a nightmare! Even when I was younger and thinner, size 8-10, I still had issues bc my boobs were still proportionally larger than I guess what the clothing makers deem appropriate. The funny thing is that I don’t feel that I look that abnormal or out of proportion either. You know, I don’t feel like extremely and abnormally large unless I go shopping. Ugh.
And yes her fiancé is a douche.
There’s been a lot of bra talk lately. Lol!
I enjoy wearing bras. You may not think so but there is still weight when you’re a smaller cup. Especially when you have a small frame and weight just 115Lbs. Everyone’s different.
So she models bras for a living, but condones wearing them? Yeah that’s smart, not.
It just seems a no brainer, that if you always artificially support your breasts, those muscles will atrophy. However, I think a lot has to do with their size, and (of course) personal comfort. Going bra-less around the house is about as much a boobie workout as I get.
There are no muscles in boobs.
No, of course you are right. The breasts are suspended by ligaments and connective tissue that can deteriorate if not used (i.e. a bra support is replacing them).
I only wish it were true that we could ‘work out’ our boobs by letting them hang, but as every single woman on the planet with breasts larger than a B can attest, it ain’t so. Full stop!
what’s with all the sag-shaming? it happens; it’s a natural part of life; it’s probably the majority. i’m sick of perky being the new skinny. seems we throw off one imposed beauty standard, only to run and find another one to take it’s place. just sayin’…
Ditto. Women should just go according to what makes them feel comfortable and not worry about natural changes in breasts as we age. Maybe we’re just seeing too many fake breasts today and have lost a perspective on the natural process.
She must have buds. I used to have buds and went bra-less as much as was socially acceptable. Then middle-age weight-gain hit and now I’m almost in a C cup, which might not be huge, but is still too big to be flopping around and pulling on my back muscles.
I know that if I do not wear a bra, it will be IMPOSSIBLE for a man (and some women) to focus on anything coming out of my mouth or my brain. Nature gave boobs a special power to pull focus, and when I am in a professional environment I would rather they didn’t.
I am lucky, perky breasts, although larger than her. I was raised on the beachside and rarely wore a bra after high school, college years, etc., when hanging out with friends or going out.
When I get home now from work or shopping or wherever, my bra comes off, and no sagging yet.
She’s not saying no one should wear bras. She’s saying it’s not a big deal if someone doesn’t want to. Which is completely true.
I have very small breasts, and I don’t NEED to wear a bra for support, but I like wearing one because it makes my chest look better and I have nips that stand at attention constantly.
Sigh. She’s small? I wish my boobs were that big.
She had them done. When she was doing runway before VS she was flat.
I just have one question: In response to the study that found wearing a bra conditioned breasts to sag, if that were true, why is it that in National Geographic photos of half-naked indigenous women the breasts always sag?
She is almost certainly wearing a bra in the first picture.
And her legs are scary skinny.
she’s not saying every woman should go braless-just that its okay if they do
If I did not wear a good bra, my ta-ta’s would hang down past my knees for God’s sake. Enough said!
I don’t like bras either. When I was 11, 12, and 13, they were a sexy symbol of womanhood. Now I only wear them in the winter, in professional/formal settings, (unless it’s a dress that you’re supposed to go braless in) or if I find one that looks really pretty/sexy for special occasions. Most of the time I don’t wear one, even though I’m a 34 C and certain family members feel that I should wear one at all times in public. It’s more comfortable and convenient to go without. I don’t care if other women do like them, but it always annoys me when people say catty, pearl-clutchy things about girls who don’t wear bras. And why should I care if my boobs start to sag as I get older? It’s natural. I don’t really care that much about how I’ll look when I’m my grandma’s age.
Uh…that’s great and all, but weren’t you being a bit catty when you made a generalization as to why women wear bras in the first place, a while ago?
This is Behati’s figure before she got implants:
http://www.sawfirst.com/behati-prinsloo-hm-swimwear-summer-2013-2013-05-08.html/behati-prinsloo-hm-swimwear-summer-2013-7
She used to do mostly runway and editorial & high fashion. The VS stuff came later and that’s when it became obvious she got implants.
Eh, it doesn’t really sound as if she’s advocating to go bra-less per say. To me she’s stating that if the situation is appropriate, what’s all the fuss about? o_O
I’m an A cup normally but since I’m nursing at the moment I’m larger and I effing hate it. I want nothing to do with large boobs. There are night I sleep with kleenex between them because they’re fat and sweaty. Having said that, even in my 20’s, I couldn’t go braless; they look like gross little chicken giblets. I love me some bralettes but forget commando up top and keep your wires and pads.
I can see why Adam Levine proposed, beautiful, but not the sharpest tool in the shed.