Breast shape types – What is a normal breast shape?

We know women struggle finding the right size bra. But what’s less commonly talked about, is women understanding what breast shape type they are and how to match a bra to your breast shape type. 

And for the all so common change room question  “Are my breasts normal?” they answer is of course they are! They may not look like your friends, sisters or neighbours – because we all have different breast shapes and there really is no normal breast shape.

Breast shape types

Boob Shapes

This list is pretty comprensive, I hope I haven’t missed anything. So it’s likely you’ll fall in one of the below. Remember, you may be a combination of two, as in you may have separated deflated breasts or rounded asymmetrical breasts. 

Wide Set Breast type

Wide set breasts a breast that are simply set wide on the chest. There will tend to be a large gap, generally above 3 fingers width between both breasts. Wide set breasts tend to swoop to the sides, but this is not always the case.

Challenges for ladies with a wide set breast

Small busted ladies with a wide set breast will have difficulty achieveing cleavage. 

Large busted ladies with a wide set breast may find it hard to find bras that sit broadly enough around the breast tissue under the arm. 

Best Bras for a wide set breast type

Choose bras with a wide curvature underwire, designed to encapsulate and separate your breasts. 
If cleavage is desired you may need a push up bra (or to add extra padding) to get this look.

Close Set Breast type

close set breast shape

Close set breasts are breasts that touch, leaving little space between them. These breasts are typically full, large or rounded breasts. 

Challenges for ladies with a close set breast

Breasts that touch don’t leave much room for underwire to sit flush against the sternum between the breasts. Making it hard to get a well fitted, comfortable underwire bra that separates the breasts nicely. 

Best Bras for a close set breast type

Plunge bras often work well for close set breasts because the underwire won’t poke up too far between the breasts. Balconette bras will also often work. Make sure you choose full coverage strong bras to ensure your close set breasts stay nicely in the cups throughout the day. 

Separated breast shape

separated breast shape

Separated breast’s are pretty much the in between of close set and wide set breasts mentioned above. The breasts sit approximately 2 fingers apart, leaving the most ideal amount of room to work well with alot of bras types. 

Challenges for ladies with separated breasts

Good news! This breast shape is probably the easiest to fit as the natural space between the breasts easily allow for high underwires, low underwires, shallow cups or full deep cups. 

Best Bras for separated breasts

The world is (just about) your oyster ladies! You have tons of options. Plunge, full cup, high underwire, push up, shallow cup, balconette + more will work well for you. Head in to your nearest bra store with a headspace to try it all and you’ll definitely walk out with some beauties!

Pendulous breast shape

pendulous breast shape

Characterised by the nipple directed downwards and soft low set breasts. This is probably the shape women worry about most. Yet, it’s one of the most common, especially after nursing for lengthy periods. 

These low set, long breasts are typically a bit deflated and often referred to as “saggy breasts” by women in changerooms. 

Challenges for ladies with pendulous breasts

Molded cup or heavily padded t-shirt bras will always be a challenge for this pendulous breast type as there will usually be a hollow gaping at the top of the cup.  Choose a spacer foam bra should you need a smooth look. 

Best Bras for a pendulous breast type

Cup + Sewn or 4-part-cups with nice deep cups will work best for this breast type. A mesh or stretch lace sitting at the top of the cup will be ideal. 

Rounded breast shape

rounded boob shape

Round breasts can be natural or augmented. This shape is a commonly desired shape, hence so many breast implant shapes will result in this shape. A rounded breast is almost always a full dense breast and is usually set quite close together, especially if they are natural. 

Challenges for ladies with a round breast shape

Sometimes very rounded or augmented breasts will fail to drop to the bottom of an underwire cup, leaving a gap between the underwire and the breast. Searching for a brea that is deep enough to allow for the breast to fall in to the base of the cup will be the biggest challenge. 

Best Bras for a rounded breasts

Lots of bra styles will work on rounded breasts. A stiff molded cup bra may present some challenges, so going for a spacer foam bra may work better. 

Plunge bras will certainly also be a viable everyday option for this boob shape.

Swoopoing Breasts

swooping breast shape

Swooping breasts are another often loathed breast type, but again, very common. Swooping breasts are full at the bottom and shallow at the top. The breast sort of drops until the nipple (areola) and then full below. 

Challenges for ladies with a swooping breast type

Molded, firm padded bras don’t tend to work well for this swooping breast type. These style bras will be left empty and gaping at the top of the cup. 

Best Bras for a rounded breasts

Spacer foam bras are the best t-shirt style bra for this type. A 4-part-cup or Cut + Sewn style bra often works nicely too. A seamless bra that allows the breast to simply be will also be comfortable and fit well – while not necessarily working to change the shape at all. 

Asymmetrical breasts

asymmetrical breast shape

The most common of all. Asymmetrical breasts. Let’s be real for a moment here… not one of us is perfectly symmetrical. Your boobs are sisters… not twins.  Asymmetrical breasts tend to be used to describe size differences, but obviously can also describe shape differences. 

My advice below is mainly focused around size changes of 1+ full cup sizes different. Up to a cup size different is easily managed and is generally expected. More than this is where things are a tad more tricky with bras. 

Challenges for ladies with a swooping breast type

What works for one breast just won’t work for the other! So bra buying will simply be a little tougher with this breast type. Be prepared to try a few more bras than your more symmetrical friends will do in a bra fitting. 
🚨 Remember: You simply have to fit the bigger breast as priority. 

Best Bras for a rounded breasts

Despite a firm molded cup or padded bra being able to nicely “hide” a size and shape discrepancy, this will generally not be your best option. 

A Spacer foam bra that has some stretch to the cup will work to reduce gaping for the smaller bust. 

A 4-part-cup (or Cut + Sewn) bra will generally be the easiest fit for an asymmetry. 

If the size difference is 2 cups or more a foam or silicone insert can be used to create evenness and reduce gaping on the smaller side. 

Normal Breast Shapes

If you’ve made it this far in this article you’ll understand that there is no real normal breast shape. We’ll likely fall in to one of the above, or a combination of the above – and that is normal. 

Choose confidence in your own skin and remember that our boobs have a very important role during our lifetime – don’t lament them – be proud of what they do. 

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