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    The A-B-Cs of Cleavage: Getting it Right

    By SHAPE magazine | Fashion – Tue, Feb 21, 2012 11:37 AM EST

    The A-B-Cs of Cleavage: How much is too much?The A-B-Cs of Cleavage: How much is too much?Salma Hayek, Sofia Vergara, Kim Kardashian-celebs lately just can't stop showing off their assets! And why should they be shy? It's no longer taboo to flaunt what you've got! But, there's a right way, and a wrong way-no woman wants her cups spilling over. So whether you're a barely there A-cup, a blossoming B, or a curvaceous C, we've got the A-B-C's to pulling off the coveted amount of cleavage for every occasion!

    How much is too much? Jessica Simpson's overexposed, but Kim K gets it just right.





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    Raven SymoneRaven Symone2. For evening wear: An evening event is probably the only time you'll be allowed a little leeway if you happen to show a little too much skin. Far from her Cosby days, Raven Simone works her womanly shape in this sweetheart neckline, the perfect strapless option for larger busted ladies. But beware; a half-inch lower and this ballroom look could quickly go from red carpet to red-in-the-face. Also, with a dress like this one, be sure to give it the "bounce" test. Any event where you'll be dancing the night away should be tested in the dressing room before you hit the dance floor.






    La La VasquezLa La Vasquez3. Wedding day: A bride's Big Day is her time to shine, but everyone should be looking at her beaming face and not her "booming" décolletage. "There's nothing wrong with a bride showing cleavage, but if your wedding will be held in a house of worship, you may want to keep your girls covered or at-least semi-covered," advises wedding expert Anne Chertoff.

    La La Vasquez ensures her beautiful smile is what takes center stage by not going overboard. If you choose a strapless style like the TV host did, give your bust proper support by looking for a dress that has built-in boning or having the bodice fitted. "A wedding is a family affair and you want to be just as comfortable posing for photos with grandpa, dad and great-uncle Ed as you are with your groom. If your boobs are pushed up so far that you can fit a shot glass between them, then you probably should take them down a notch," Chertoff says.




    Gisele BundchenGisele Bundchen4. The gym: She may be famous for showing off that supermodel physique but when it comes to the gym, Gisele Bundchen's motto is modesty. "When working out, if cleavage is used like an accessory, it's sexy, but if it's in your face and people are noticing while you're bouncing up and down, then it becomes distracting," says fitness expert and gym owner Lisa Avellino. Celebrity trainer Jolene Matthews agrees: "The most tasteful way to wear cleavage at the gym is to avoid the three don'ts: armpit spillage, too much jiggling from an unsupportive sports bra, and over-cup spillage."








    Christina AguileraChristina Aguilera5. For the office: If you ask a few people, chances are they'll have differing views on what's deemed office-appropriate cleavage for the cubicle set. But no matter how relaxed your office may be when it comes to wardrobe, you don't want your choice of blouse to become water-cooler conversation. "As a rule of thumb, don't show more than an inch in the boardroom and two inches on a date," says Jill Homiak, creator of the Presenza Wrap Top, a blouse made specifically for fuller busted women. Christina Aguilera's working girl look would be better suited for real-life if she buttoned up a little higher. But, we're not expecting her to quit her day job.





    Sofia VergaraSofia Vergara6. A night out: A night out on the town is the perfect time to let those puppies come out and play. This bustier style dress is hot and sexy on small screen siren Sofia Vergara, but her bubbling-over bodice teeters on the edge of being "too much" up top. Vergara could solve this problem by adding a cropped, fitted blazer, so you only see a peek of her, um, peaks.








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    Salma HayekSalma Hayek7. On the go: Salma Hayek's got easy breezy travel-style down-pat, and the flowy bottom of this dress balances out her ample top half and creates the ultimate hourglass shape. A v-neck with wide straps is the perfect choice for larger bustlines and this one is low-cut without going too low.










    More on SHAPE:
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    Edible Cosmetics: Eat Your Way Beautiful?

     

    18 comments

    • doe eyes
      doe eyes  •  3 months ago
      Maybe I'm crazy, but Jessica and Kim seem to have the same amount of boobage showing.
      • Jeanine
        Jeanine 3 months ago
        I looked at the photo of Kim and Jessica up top, and thought the same thing. They are showing the same amount of cleavage, but Jessica's is too much. Hm.
      • Heather
        Heather 3 months ago
        Thank you. Thinking the same thing here. I am sitting here analyzing women's boobs because someone obviously likes the Kardashians better
      • Celestina
        Celestina 3 months ago
        I thought the same thing. What's the difference?
    • Celestina
      Celestina  •  3 months ago
      Sorry, I'm a prude. No cleavage in the office.

      One good sneeze and Sofia Vergara's chest will be all over the place. It's a little too much.
      • degausser
        degausser 3 months ago
        I'm not a prude, and I say no cleavage in the office.
      • island asylum
        island asylum 3 months ago
        I agree, no cleavage in the office. Just looks unprofessional.
      • Wendy
        Wendy 3 months ago
        No cleavage anywhere, except in my home for my husband.
    • Dan Santos
      Dan Santos  •  Yigo, Guam  •  3 months ago
      If you put Kim, Jessica, and Selma together, and gave me a choice on who to date by thier clevage....I easily choose Selma! Why? Because she falunts it but in a very conservative way, yet still sexy! I just dont understand why kim and Jessica feel they have to show skin?! To me that is just an invitation that you want something and you want it badly - kind of a desparate way to get what your're looking for. But thats just me!
      • degausser
        degausser 3 months ago
        I agree. Selma's dress is low-cut, but without exposing 80% of her boobs. It's much classier.
    • Han
      Han  •  Fargo, North Dakota  •  3 months ago
      Even if I had some really awesome breast implants, I would still not show that much cleavage. I'm not religious or anything, but I agree with the christian folk when they say that their private parts, including breasts and cleavage, are best kept for the bedroom. I'm not a prude. I was raised to be humble and modest. I've shown my cleavage before to entice my boyfriend, but I got all kinds of unwanted attention from other males and a few dirty looks from females. Cleavage in public, no thanks.
    • Katrina
      Katrina  •  3 months ago
      You said A-C cups at the beginning of the article, yet bet anything all these ladies are a D or over. And there are cleavage rules for those of us who are small chested. (Let me get this out of the way before the trolls say otherwise: YES, A and B cup women have breasts. NO, we are not "flat-chested". YES, we can still have cleavage when in the correct bra.) I've often been told that I can wear really low cut tops and "not look skanky". I don't agree with this. Low cut tops look better on women who really fill them out, for one thing. For another, I can have a wardrobe malfuction like anyone else or give everyone a peep show if I'm not careful while leaning over. So if I AM going to dare a low-cut top, I will still wear a cami under it for a little modesty. Having a small chest doesn't give you a pass to be immodest. So please, still wear a bra.
    • ANNA-LE
      ANNA-LE  •  Kingston, Jamaica  •  3 months ago
      very interesting
    • Jessica
      Jessica  •  3 months ago
      Personally, any cleavage showing is too much. I would never wear a top that showed even a little cleavage. Call me a prude or whatever, but I believe that boobs should be covered up when in public.
      • Gina Terrell
        Gina Terrell 3 months ago
        You are not prude at all,, I do same thing :-)
      • Celestina
        Celestina 3 months ago
        I feel similarly, which is what I meant by my "I'm a prude" comment :D. If another woman wants to flaunt her chest, she can if she wishes; it's not my business. As for me, there's nothing I dislike more than to have everyone staring at my chest if I wear something low-cut. It's so embarrassing. But I'll do backless ;)
      • Jessica
        Jessica 3 months ago
        Aside from not wearing tops that show any cleavage, I also wouldn't wear shirts that show any part of my bra. :I
    • Wendy
      Wendy  •  Portland, Oregon  •  3 months ago
      A lady has style and class. She doesn't show her beautiful assets for all the world to gawk at.
    • Alison
      Alison  •  Stevens Point, Wisconsin  •  3 months ago
      Too much cleavage is seeing more than 1 inch of boob crack. For myself it takes an extreme push-up bra from VS to see any cleavage at all. Haha I'm small chested.
    • BigHeadLites
      BigHeadLites  •  Jackson, Mississippi  •  3 months ago
      I love cleavage in the office, most chicks just don't know how to use it. Rule of thumb- the boobs will get you there but its the brains that keep you there!
      • Han
        Han 3 months ago
        If you're avatar and comment is any indication of what you look like in real life, you must be the type to give what you got to any dick in the office and flaunt your way through life without having to really work that hard. Let me guess, overly tan, tons of trailer trash blue eye shadow caked on, bleach blond hair that now looks yellow and brassy with a thick layer of nude lip stick that women seem to think makes their lips appear bigger.
      • Niki
        Niki 3 months ago
        If you have to use your boobs to get there, you clearly have no brains.
    • KathyL
      KathyL  •  San Francisco, California  •  3 months ago
      I'm with Celestina. No cleavage at the office; only collar bones.
    • I'M SO
      I'M SO  •  3 months ago
      Viola Davis' recent orange dress, was wayyyyyyyy tooooooo much cleveage.
    • Dan Santos
      Dan Santos  •  Yigo, Guam  •  3 months ago
      Well, you know the saying.....If you got it, flaunt it!!
      So, what us guys got ......if we flaunt that we get arrested!!
    • Karen
      Karen  •  Quincy, California  •  3 months ago
      Really, they're just boobs. I wonder how much ballsack is ok for a guy to show when he's wearing shorts?
    • degausser
      degausser  •  3 months ago
      I like that they called Christina Aguilera's leopard print blouse a "working girl" look. Not exactly my usual office attire.
    • Meg
      Meg  •  3 months ago
      One of my friends very wisely told me that you can pull off showing shoulders, boobs, or legs, but only one at a time. Once you start showing more than one you start looking a bit trampy. Of course, it also depends on the location, showing off any in a workplace would not be particularly appropriate.
    • Leah
      Leah  •  3 months ago
      Cleavage is prefectly ok to show ...as long as you wear flattering and fun shirts ...and for all of you stuck up flat chested #$%$ I would like to say go cry to your moms because you didn't get any good melons like the prettier more sexy girls got that hose out to you Celestina and kathyL ...I have DDs and you guys probably have what b cups ...so save it for somebody that cares because you know the bigger chested beauty will always get paid more then you will ever get suck on that
    • Gina Terrell
      Gina Terrell  •  Doylestown, Pennsylvania  •  3 months ago
      They have fake boob and flaunt 'em all over,, I bet men thinking sex when they stare their clevages!!,,, I wears 36C padded push up bra style and don't show my cleavage, screaming "look at my bigger boobs" I wears respect clothes. My boyfriend love to watch me take my work shirt off, see my sexy black bra in evenings :-)
     Post a comment

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