Question - Should I buy a breastplate?
(Nope, this isn't the type of breastplate I'm talking about. But this would be pretty cool)
All of us crossdressers dream of having a pair of perfectly shaped breasts with a fantastic cleavage. But unless you have a fair bit of chest fats, take female hormones over a period of time or go for breast implants that's pretty impossible. It means something is missing when we wear plunging V-necks, outfits with sweetheart necklines...let alone bikinis or lingerie.
Enter the silicone breastplate (No photos, otherwise my blog might be flagged as NSFW. But you can easily google them yourself). These are different as compared to normal breastforms which are 2 discrete "boobs" that you stick onto your chest. A breastplate is a skin tight, skin coloured silicone shirt with two breasts attached to it. By artfully hiding the neck, arm and waist seams, it promises crossdressers fulfilment of a dream; boobs that are not just realistic looking, but have a weight and bounce just like the real thing, a convincing cleavage and a feminine looking rack. Advertising for such products have gotten really good too. Watching such videos made me really want to purchase a breastplate. But it wasn't cheap, and I heard mixed reviews from fellow sisters who have purchased silicone breastplates. I finally decided to buy a set during a moment of weakness on one of those Taobao sales events (I got mine for S$140...and the lack of quality shows. The really good quality ones can cost up to $2k USD)
I have to admit, I was buzzing with excitement upon receiving it, but after trying it on, it was an "Expectations VS Reality" moment.
I had a few issues with it, the biggest being how damn hot it felt while wearing the breastplate. Even with the air conditioner at full blast at the lowest temperature, I could feel sweat pooling underneath the silicone breastplate. As I moved around a bit, the silicone/skin seal would sometimes break and I feel large beads of sweat flowing down. Not fun. As if wearing a wig in Singapore's humid climate wasn't warm enough, I had to wrap a quarter of my body in silicone. Perhaps in a temperate country the breastplate would make more sense.
Other issues included how tight the silicone felt on my throat, which constantly reminded me of its presence, how obvious the seams were, how stiff the boobs felt and strangely, an oily layer on the boobs despite multiple washes. Perhaps the last 2 issues were brand specific, since I had no such issues with my dresstech hippads which felt high quality (price was high quality too, at S$300),
There are good points though. The breastplate has a very nice weighty bounce when I walked around, which was different from normal breast forms. It has also allowed me to take pretty good boudoir photos (Note: good is relative. Maybe someone might think my photos are absolutely crap). With some post editing to remove the seams and blend the colour tone to match my skin, it did look like I had real breasts. I've been doing a bit more boudoir shots to get mileage out of the breastplate.
Despite the issues I have with my purchase, after trying it on a few times I have gotten used to them and look for work arounds. Like stuffing a ball of tissue to absorb the sweat, or selecting outfits that hides the arm seams well. Looking back, I don't regret my purchase
So if you are still undecided whether to purchase a silicone breastplate or not, maybe the following points can help
You should buy a silicone breastplate if:
- You have spare cash
- You want your lingerie/cleavage revealing photos to look better (after editing)
- You are aware that the seams are very obvious
- You are aware of how much you will sweat wearing it
- You are aware that it is different from your skin tone
- You cosplay and want massive knockers to match your character
You should not buy a silicone breastplate if:
- You want to have "real" breasts and the breastplate will help you pass in public
- You are just starting out crossdressing and don't have other essentials yet
- You think they feel like real boobs
- You think the neck/arm seams are not obvious in person (they are damn obvious)
- You don't have good hippads. Hippads are way more important in passing (read more about hippads here)
- You don't have spare cash (please just save the money)
Janna montana also wrote a very well written and detailed piece about the pros and cons of breastplates based on her experience. Anyone thinking of purchasing one should read her post before doing so.
Ultimately, it is your money and your choice whether to purchase a silicone breastplate or not. But it isn't cheap so do your research before getting one so you don't end up with buyer's remorse. As a note of caution, Taobao breastplates seems to be one size larger, so ordering a "C" might net you a huge "D" rack instead
2 Comments
Hi Isabelle,
ReplyDeleteNice article again. I will probably share my experiences of shopping for breastplate on my blog next time.
Anyway, not sure which brand of breastplate that you got, I got mine from Eyung (艺容) on TaoBao and I find them quite good actually and realistic especially the Gen 7. It was recommended by another CD. As I am rather stout in size, a "D" cup suits me better than a "C". I got both actually, long story... I tried both "C" and "D" for my dress up and find that while the "C" version is acceptable in terms of the size was okay and the feel is so-so, maybe it is because I gotten the Normal type (普通妆). However, as compare to the "D" version which is Delicate type 精细妆, the texture and feel is very good and realistic. The downside is like you mentioned, the size is actually too big. Haha...
As to counteracting the sweat issue, you can try putting on baby powder actually. It may help to certain extend. Anyway, do look out for 11.11 sales on TaoBao, maybe there are offer for breast plate. Cheers. :)
Weighing in here with my experiences with a number of different breast forms / shirts / plates.
ReplyDeleteFor Singapore's climate, it may seem unintuitive, but a breast form shirt is essential to dressing up for long periods of time in our hot and humid weather, in spite of concerns about the heat. Attachable 2 piece or 1 piece forms lose their adhesiveness rapidly in our weather, which carries the risk that they could fall off in the middle of a busy mall / public transport. Pocketed forms, while not having this issue, may not provide the realism and immersion of passing, and require you to wear very specific bras, which are not always flattering. On top of all this, most attachable forms need a constant supply of adhesive spray, tapes or glue, just to be worn, meaning an ongoing maintenance cost throughout the life of the forms.
A breast form shirt / plate, or those full suits that also include the lower half, basically allows you to dress up for as long as you are able to handle the heat, skin pinching and chafing. While regular breaks are definitely recommended to let the skin rest, it's something that can be managed together with your own stamina. By getting one with minimal or strategically located seams, you can also create a much more immersive illusion and expand the types of clothes you are able to wear, such as low cut, bare shoulders, even bikinis.
I would place such quality of life aspects above realism of the craftsmanship - I'm sure you remember my favourite and very expensive shirt also had a critical flaw due to the zipper on the back, preventing me from wearing a lot of dresses, and always forcing me to have long hair always.
You mentioned tightness around the neck and oily texture - while the former is an unavoidable aspect of Chinese made gear designed to be stretchy, and also necessary for a proper skin tight fit, I think oiliness is not. Roanyer definitely has this issue; not sure about Eyung; I have currently a Chinese made torso length shirt without sleeves that does not have this oily feeling at all.
To conclude, you'd want to wear something that let's you dress up and wear almost anything, while providing a reasonable illusion of feminine features, and most Chinese made suits can now provide that without needing to pay Hollywood prices.