Wardrobe pics for boobless days

BFlat

I just discovered this site -what a relief !  Finally!  Thank you all for sharing your hearts and thoughts on this sensitive topic. 

I had a bilateral mastectomy in March of 2008. I too was undecided about reconstruction. Other women I know were recommending it, but I was skeptical, and medically, I was advised not to start recon until completion of 33 radiation sessions.  Long story short, I tried the breast forms, and found them uncomfortable after surgery. My incision sites and skin were sensitive, and I felt like every one was looking at my chest.  I liked not wearing a bra (less laundry too).  

I think this is a very personal decision. Going breast free was not an easy decision, but there are many ways to live fully without breasts.  No one wants a breast cancer diagnosis or mastectomy, but the reality is it happens to the best of us.  What we CAN control is how we define ourselves, and not let cancer define us. 

robinlbe

Had my BMX on 1/6/10....started off wearing my softee 2 with the bumper pads.....even tried stuffing my bumper pads in my sports bras and my own bras....ugh.

Now, I'm just wearing my own cami's and layering....not sure what I'll do in the summer, but I am most inspired by some of the pictures I've seen posted on here....You ladies give me hope.  I figured I was going to have to throw a lot of my wardrobe out....

I think I'm built like Barbara....all of my ribs show through.....sigh.

Anxious to hear/read/see more.....

faithandfifty

It's time for me to get clocked in over here as well.

For the boobless-days-look.

BILAT MX 1/15/10.

I'm seriously appreciative of the 'attitude' displayed by those of you further out from surgery.

xx00xx00xx00xx

Thanks TEAM-BoobLESS

hipchik47

Faith, noone will notice u r boobless u have too many pokadots

faithandfifty

LOL.

Just overwhelm them with polka dots. That's my plan.

LOL.

Love ya.

xx00xx00xx00xx

faithandfifty

Drumroll please.

Me in bathing suit.

Public pool: Florida, ocean-side.

The pre-requisite polka dots.

This is me in a suit. Period.

No fluffies.

Don't have my foobies yet.

No stuffing.

Suit on skin.

Me not needing any happy pills.

I am soooooo thrilled to have crossed this hurdle (in my mind.)

Today is five weeks out from bilat:

lisa-e

You look nice, faithandfifty!

BoobsinaBox

Faith,

You look fabulous!  At 5 weeks I was still in agony and pain.  I am truly impressed!  

Dawn 

robinlbe

Congratulations, Debbie!!!  You deserve tremendous applause

barbe1958

Faith you done good!

My scars come too close together in the front to wear a top like yours...

Erica3681

Faith, you look great! So nice that you can wear a deep vee. I'm sure no one would ever know. But what's most important is that you felt good about the experience.

Barbara

chainsawz

Faith - I agree you look fabulous!!!   No one on the beach will notice anything other than your great smile!!

JudyNaomi

Faith, you look wonderful! Keep smiling

Judy x

badger

Thanks, ladies, for giving me the guts to go back to work flat.  You all look great! 

BMX 2/2 no recon no foobies, back to work (desk job) 2/16.  It took forever to settle on an outfit and go out the front door that first day, but I did, in gray slacks and a black sweater set that I already owned and had worn to work.  And frankly my dears, one really noticed much less gave a d*mn.  In my experience, people are far less observant than we give them credit for.  :-)

And Barbe you are right about busy prints distracting the eye.  You were my fashion muse for a recent purchase, a hip-length jacket with a tiger-stripe pattern, looks great over a black tee and slacks.  

No photos to share, sorry, no digital camera.  :-(

robinlbe

I, too, am getting braver....wearing lower necks, and tighter fitting shirts....I haven't gotten fitted yet since I'm still filling up with fluid. 

I went back to school today to teach my K kids, but wore a sweater, and no one could tell.

I did try on my swim suits, too, and the two with horizontal stripes will do perfectly....I was pleased.  Just hoping my spring and summer shirts do as well. 

Thanks for helping me feel brave, Debbie!!

blessings...robin

barbe1958

Groundhog AND Robin, you done good!

JudyNaomi

Good luck ivorymom! Thinking of you!

Hugs to all, Judy x

robinlbe

I, too, gain strength from this thread....

not sure if I told you all this or not....I have found that two of my own swimsuits are suitable for wearing just as they are - without adding anything.  They are tankinis, and have horizontal stripes at the top.  You really would have to be looking awfully hard to see that I'm flat.

However, I was looking at Land's End's mastecomtomy swimsuits....I noticed that their models were showing cleavage - how NOT life-like.  I'm just eight weeks out, and when I was looking, I was about 5-6 weeks out and really struggling with body image.  I didn't appreciate seeing cleavage on these models for MX suits.....sooooo, I wrote Land's End.  I explained my situaiton, and my feelings, and my adjustment, etc, etc.....do you know, I actually rec'd a reply?

I should have offered to be one of their models...ha!  I would have done it for free

blessings...robin

BoobsinaBox

Robin,

Thanks for writing to Land's End!  I have thought about all the cleavage in mast bra ads and swimsuit ads, but I never wrote to tell them.  How will they change, if they don't know they are hurting us?  Good work!

Dawn 

Suzybelle

Ladies,

 Thank you so much for this thread.  I'm 3 weeks out from BMX and am not doing reconstruction.  This thread has helped me in so many ways - reading your posts, and seeing the gorgeous pictures of you!

Thank you!!!!!

Suzanne

mumito

Going to order a real set next week but for now these will have to do.

katsie

Hi!  I am new here, and wanted to let you all know that it is wonderful to see everybody loving who they are!

I had a bilateral mastectomy in November, 2008, and chemo for four months thereafter.  I am on a hormone to counteract the hormone imbalance that caused this tumor.  I had a lumpectomy 15 years ago, differenty type of tumor, and now sturggle with fibro, Sjogren's, CML, and a lot of other weird syndrome's BUT, I have never, ever given up.

I was fairly large breasted, and overweight too.  You girls are right, I hope I am not offending anybody, but big boobs are not fun.  I looked really old, not that I am that young, but my figure looked really strange to me with those huge sagging things.

I did not have reconstruction, but people kept saying I should have.  The truth is, I like not having to lug those things around anymore.  My friends think I am crazy, but I can lay on my stomach now, and roll on my side while sleeping, and not wake up because I moved the wrong way, and hurt myself.  

I would never tell anybody what to do, never, but after reading your posts, I know my decision was the right one for me. I am 57 years old, married for a long time, and 'they' were just not that important to me, to put myself through it. I never wear my bra at home.  I hate those foobies , and since I do not work anymore, who cares!  It is very freeing )).

Oh, when I ordered my foobies, I ordered small ones, for the very reasons I stated.  I wanted to look the way I used to look when I was younger, and these little foobies, when I have to wear them, look just fine.  There is life after...and it's good ))

 P.S.  One quick bit of advice, put your foobies and bra in a drawer when you take them off.  I left mine in the bra, and left the bra on my bed.  My grandson, 3 years old, came to visit, last week, and walked into the livingroom wearing my bra-foobies on his head!!! hehe,...He looked like a little mouse )).  Thankfully, it was only family, but we laughed our heads off!!! )

starzhere

Mumayan and Katsie LOL

There are some things not worth ruining ones life over.  Boobs being one of them.

~elaine~

JanetfromCanada

I love all these pics, you all look fantastic. I am new to being bi-lateral, and although I do go bra-less sometimes (and boy, is it comfortable) I have trouble with my posture. I tend to hunch over, like I did when I was a teenager and just growing boobs. Your pics are giving me confidence to stand tall and be proud of who I am.

THANK YOU LADIES.

Erica3681

I have a wonderful physical therapist. She helped me regain my range of motion and relieve tightness after surgery, but perhaps her greatest gift to me was an emphasis on posture, really encouraging me to stand tall and not be afraid to put my shoulders back and down and my chest forward. I think just the act of doing that has increased my confidence.

Barbara

Suecee

I was diagnosed with DCIS three weeks ago, will be having a bi-lateral mastectomy soon but have not decided what to do as far as reconstruction. Thank you so much for posting your pictures and stories. They present a post surgery option I was really having trouble imaging. I simply do not have words to tell you how helpful the wardrobe pics are! 

So glad to hear from Florida gals and others from tropical climates. Hubby's job transfered us here several years ago and I am still adjusting to the weather. Whew!....I just can't imagine the humidity with a prosthesis!

LOVE your new look Mumayan!!

Hugs to you all! Sue 

Erica3681

bump for Suzybelle.

barbe1958

I did something I never thought I'd do yesterday! I happened to visit the lunchroom while 2 of the young ladies from customer service were there. I don't work with them directly and one is fairly new. I mentioned cancer for some reason and saw the blank look. I said "You DO realize I don't have any breasts don't  you?" They were stunned!!! Said they had no idea!

We talked about breast cancer a bit and they began to ask questions about the mastectomy. I asked them if they wanted to see and they agree, so I pulled up my top to show them my chest, something I haven't done for ANYONE in the past 18 months. The younger one started to cry....but I think it was a very positive discussion all around.

Suzybelle

Barbe, I have to tell you - You ROCK.

barbe1958