From butt shapes to breast shapes, you’re the owner of a unique and beautiful body. But when supporting your boobs, it’s useful to understand the different types of breasts to help you choose the right style of bra. Luckily, a hemp bra, whether a racerback bralette or a triangle bralette, can do the trick regardless of your ta-tas’ shape.
Boobs come in all different sizes and shapes, and no one body is considered “normal.” But for the sake of generalization, there are nine distinct breast shapes. You’ll still find variations within these categories, and you may even fall into more than one category! Even if similar, my boobs will inevitably be different than yours.
To better understand these nine different types of breasts, use this guide to learn what sets your gorgeous ta-tas apart from others, and what bra style works best for you.
WHAT DETERMINES BREAST SHAPES & SIZES?
You’re told to “shake what your mamma gave ya” because you’re born with distinct genes that determine the shape, size, density, and tissue of your boobs. Although genetics is the most significant influencer, a few other factors can impact your breasts’ shape.
- Weight Fluctuations. If you’re like me, then you may notice a change in your boobs whenever your weight fluctuates. That’s because your breasts are a mix of tissues, including fibrous, glandular, and fatty tissues. As you gain or lose weight in the form of fat, some fat cells will accumulate or burn off in your boobs.
- Focused Exercise. Have you ever tried to replicate Marty’s boob exercises from Grease? No, just me? Well, it turns out that you can’t grow your boobs with exercise because they don’t contain enough muscle tissues. However, slightly above and behind your breasts are your pecs, which you can strengthen to help your ta-tas appear more defined and firm.
- Menopause. After menopause, your body stops producing hormones that support your milk ducts, which causes the “lobes” in your breasts (milk sacs) to decrease and shrink in size. With a loss of density and breast tissue, boobs may appear smaller or lose their original shape and sag.
- Pregnancy. Did you know that the average adult woman has 15-20 lobes in each breast? I sure didn’t! When pregnant and breastfeeding, they grow to produce milk, but you might notice a change in shape once you stop breastfeeding. Your boobs may return to their standard size or stretch out a bit.
BREAST DENSITY & BOOB SIZE
The density of your breasts can also influence the size of your chest. As I mentioned above, your boobs have three types of tissues:
- Fibrous Tissue holds all the different tissues in place.
- Glandular Tissue is where you’ll find your lobes and milk ducts.
- Fatty Tissue sits in between and around the other tissues and plays the biggest role in defining size.
Doctors determine breast density by looking at the ratio between glandular and fibrous tissue compared to fatty tissue. If you have less fatty tissue, then you’ll have dense breasts and vice versa.
Much like a range of breast shapes, the density of boobs also varies. According to the CDC, 20% of women have boobs that are either highly dense or made up of almost entirely fatty tissue. The bulk of women, 80%, have evenly dispersed tissues or pockets of density here and there. Because the fatty tissue impacts breast size, the more fat in your boobs, the bigger they will be; but low- or high-density boobs come in all shapes.
WHAT ABOUT THE NIPPLES?
Nipples have little to do with overall breast shapes, but much like your boobs, your nipples can also vary in size and shape. If you’re concerned about your nipples, here’s a list of the most common variations. And guess what—they’re all normal! (But if you have concerns, please visit your doc just in case.)
- Bumpy. If you have more noticeable Montgomery glands, little bumps called tubercles can appear on your areola. These glands can release a small amount of milk, but their main job is discharging oil to clean and lubricate your nips. Typical things like blocked glands, pregnancy, and hormonal changes cause these bumps.
- Inverted. Inverted nipples retract into the skin instead of sticking out. If you have these, don’t worry—about 2-10% of women have an inverted nipple.
- Everted. Everted is the opposite of inverted, as in the nipples are always erect.
- Hairy. It’s common to have hairs growing on or around your areola—no need to worry!
- Raised. Some nipples create a little raised mound with the areola or a slight puffiness at times.
- Third Nipple. Chandler Bing isn’t the only one with a third nipple, known as supernumerary. Still, it’s rare. Only 1-5% of the American population has two or more nipples. I’m basically saying if you have one, you’re special!
- Asymmetrical. Just like boobs, nipples can be asymmetrical. One could be inverted while the other is everted, for example.
- Large Areola. Your areola can be large or small, light or dark. You may also notice changes during puberty or pregnancy. All of this falls into the normal category.
TYPES OF BREASTS
With nine different types of boobs, how do you know which one(s) you have? Remove your shirt and bra and get cozy in front of a mirror. Have a good look head-on, and take note of how your boobs sit on your chest. Look at the shape, length, size, and nipple placement.
Then, use the guide below to determine which category (or categories) you match. I’ve also recommended which of WAMA’s hemp bralettes work best for each shape. I personally love them both, but sometimes one can feel comfier for particular breast shapes.
1. ASYMMETRIC
If one of your boobs is bigger or smaller than the other, you have asymmetric breasts. Of all breast types, this one is the most common, with one study finding 62% of women having some asymmetry in their boobs. The average disparity ranges between 15-20%, meaning one of your boobs could be 20% larger or smaller, and that’s normal!
Many women with asymmetrical breasts also fall into the other categories of boob shapes. So you could have round boobs and asymmetrical boobs at the same time.
SUGGESTED BRA STYLE
The racerback bralette is your go-to because it offers more support, regardless of size or evenness. What is a bralette? Bralettes give you the best of all worlds (comfort, support, and style) and flatter all shapes, making them great for asymmetrical boobs. A racerback bralette will bring those ta-tas together and even out the shape.
2. ATHLETIC
Despite the name, athletic boobs have nothing to do with whether you’re athletic or not. You could never do any exercise in your life and still have athletic breasts. The name just refers to a wider set of breasts that appears more muscular due to a smaller amount of tissues. It’s more common for this type of breast to be smaller, but that’s not always the case.
SUGGESTED BRA STYLE
I know it’s tempting, but going braless is not the solution here, I promise! If you have firm, athletic breasts, you’ll love the triangle bralette. Its traditional fit will help accentuate your natural shape, and the adjustable straps allow you to cater the bra to your wider-set boobs.
3. BELL
Unsurprisingly, bell-shaped breasts look like bells. If your boobs are thinner on the top and fuller or rounder at the bottom, you have bell boobs. They may hang lower on your chest or appear droopier than other types of breasts because of their shape.
SUGGESTED BRA STYLE
Bell-shaped breasts and larger boobs go hand-in-hand, so you need a style that offers more support. In the underwire bra vs no underwire debate, it’s easy to believe that underwires are crucial for bigger ta-tas—but I promise that’s not always the case! The racerback bralette gives you full support without an underwire. It’s a win-win—comfort and support.
4. EAST-WEST
As you may imagine, east-west boobs point outward in opposite directions, with the nipples leading the way. They tend to be wider-set like athletic boobs, but they have more breast tissue. They also have a gap in the center between the two boobs, which can accentuate how they lean toward opposite sides.
SUGGESTED BRA STYLE
It may be more challenging to find the right clothing and underwear to accommodate your east-west breasts than with other boob shapes. What you need is a style that can bring them in together and support your natural curve. I picked the racerback bralette as a perfect contender because it supports your chest, brings your ta-tas together, and helps lessen that gap.
5. RELAXED
Relaxed boobs are similar to bell-shaped breasts in that they hang down lower than other types of boobs and appear to droop. But unlike bells, relaxed boobs are fuller at the top and thinner at the bottom. Additionally, the nipples tend to point downward rather than straight ahead.
SUGGESTED BRA STYLE
Give the racerback bralette a try if you have relaxed boobs. This bra style will support your breasts naturally with double-layered fabric to hold your ta-tas up. Plus, WAMA uses hemp to make antibacterial underwear, which is an excellent option for larger boob shapes that deal with under boob sweat. You’ll keep everything where it needs to be while staying dry sans bacteria.
6. ROUND
Round boobs have an equal amount of fullness at the top and bottom, creating a circular, rounded shape. They tend to sit evenly on your chest without any drooping. Nipples can be front and center or positioned anywhere on the breast.
SUGGESTED BRA STYLE
If you have round boobs, my suggestion is the triangle bralette. Lucky you, rounded boobs don’t need as much help with shaping, so this bra style will allow your natural look to shine through and keep everything in place. Plus, hemp makes breathable underwear, which helps round shapes stay cool and reduces boob sweat.
7. SIDE-SET
Side-set boobs are full but also wide-set with a noticeable gap between the two breasts. They’re similar to athletic and east-west boobs, although they have more breast tissue and nipples that face forward.
SUGGESTED BRA STYLE
If you have side-set boobs, the racerback bralette can help bring them together and support your breasts from the bottom up. And its hemp fabric is durable and soft so that it won’t irritate your ta-tas.
8. SLENDER
A slender boob shape simply means that your breasts are thinner than wide, with the nipples tending to turn down. Many believe that slim boobs mean more petite boobs, but that’s not always true. Some women with slender breasts also have large breasts. Regardless, your breasts won’t take up your entire chest because they’re not as rounded.
SUGGESTED BRA STYLE
Slender boobs just need something to accentuate the natural shape, so I highly recommend the triangle bralette. To give your chest just enough oomph, use the adjustable straps to enhance the support where you need it.
9. TEARDROP
Teardrop boobs are similar to round boobs, but they’re slightly less full on top. You can also compare them to bell-shaped breasts but with more roundness. They create a tear-drop shape, hence the name.
SUGGESTED BRA STYLE
Like rounded boobs, you don’t need much to shape your chest, so go for the triangle bralette. I love this style for teardrop boobs because it gives you the support you need while still flattering your natural figure. Plus, you’ll also enjoy the many hemp clothing benefits to keep your ta-tas healthy.
CONCLUSION: ALL BREAST SHAPES ARE BEAUTIFUL
With many different types of boobs, it’s easy to get stuck in a category or compare yourself to others. But remember that your boobs are uniquely your own. Trust me—all breast shapes are beautiful, and each one has a bra style that will enhance that gorgeous natural figure of yours. To take your support to the next level, buy hemp fashion to keep those ta-tas happy and healthy!
What’s your go-to bra style for your boob shape? Let me know in the comments!