Flatter Your Flatness

No Reconstruction

Our Flatter Your Flatness dialogue is dedicated to the courageous women who choose not to reconstruct after mastectomy or choose to deconstruct after failed reconstruction. A growing trend in this group is the desire to avoid wearing prosthetic breast forms, which can be heavy, hot, and uncomfortable. We would rather plump and pouf our chests with ruffled styles and other embellishments!

Those of us who want to break free from reconstruction failures and “go flat” are determined to find fashionable clothing that would plump and pouf our chests in order to avoid having to wear uncomfortable prostheses. In some styles, wearing the bare minimum foam shapers in a lightweight bandeau-type bra is the most comfortable, but that is it.

Soon we will be creating a referral base for fashions that will flatter your flatness and free you from prostheses. It is so liberating!

Unilateral Mastectomy

The ultimate contour challenge after mastectomy is unilateral surgery. This one-breast contour almost forces women to wear prostheses because most are embarrassed or self-conscious of their unevenness. Many styles have enough chest ruffles or embellishments that can camouflage this condition.

Early Expansion Issues

Those in the early expansion process of implant breast reconstruction will feel flat until their “fills” are underway. This period of time is longer for some who have to postpone their fills for various reasons: surgery complications, expander pain, or breast cancer treatments.

Asymmetry after Reconstruction

The final results of breast reconstruction are not always perfect. Many women have asymmetry that forces them to wear a bra just to minimize the unevenness. The problem is that some find it uncomfortable to wear a bra; the compression around the torso or under the reconstructed breasts causes discomfort. We will strive to find FlatterYourFlatness styles can help camouflage this condition.

Asymmetry after Lumpectomy

Asymmetry is also an issue for women after lumpectomy, especially for those who have large areas of their breasts that need to be removed. Again, FlatterYourFlatness style recommendations can help this situation

Naturally Flat

We welcome our naturally-flat sisters to flatter their flatness through the styles we promote. We understand how soothing it can be to pouf your breasts to make them appear larger! We look to you as our mentors as we adjust to our flatness. You are like runway models to us, and watching you helps us realize that flat can be fabulous! Thank you for your inspiration and for being role models in living the flat life!

Style Guidelines: Embellishments are a Girl’s Best Friend!

Any embellishment on the chest or bust area of a garment will trick the eye and camouflage a flat chest. There is a wide array of detailing that can achieve these desired results. Optimal designs incorporate ruffles, rosettes, ruching, pockets, yokes, pleats and other decorative appliqués. The width and depth of the embellishment is different for women with contour deficits. Too narrow a strip would not provide the adequate coverage needed for post-mastectomy women.

Necklines are key to functionality as well, since post-mastectomy women can have concave indentations in the line of a V-neck top. Those who are flat with no reconstruction need a neckline that is high enough so that the chest is not exposed if she leans forward.

Layering pieces are the old standby and are the easiest way to add girth to the bust line. Jackets, sweaters, vests, shrugs and shawls do wonders for this purpose.

Tanks and camisoles to layer under tops, sweaters and jackets are essential. But, the tanks need to have adjustable straps to hike up the front for full coverage in the event of chest contour irregularities. Light padding is always welcome, especially for those with no reconstruction, and also for those with asymmetry.

Scarves are an indispensible way to plump the chest area, as are chunky necklaces. Diverting the eye to the prominence of a scarf or necklace deemphasizes the flatness below.