When to cover up

[Dudewithboobs]

At what point or stage in development does it appear to be deemed inappropriate to go shirtless?

Is it the shape, size, volume or contours of the chest as it shifts from a more male to female appearance? 
Is it just general comfort to the person who feels like they should or shouldn’t have to? 

[blad]

One's level of confidence / embarrassment would be one big factor.

Further, if you wear a bra daily your bra strap marks would be on show confirming to all that you do wear a bra for those boobies.

Once I started to have the constant comments that I need a bra in my teens I stopped being shirtless unless I was forced to on a gym "skins" teem. The embarrassment was acute having my bouncing boobs on display during sessions of gym class.

[Justagirl💃]

I was about 12ish, and went camping with my cousins. I took my shirt off to to swimming and my cousin gasped, "you have as big of a chest as me!"

That was almost the last time shirtless in public, except skins team and once on a nude beach. 

[Dudewithboobs]

Thanks. I try to be aware of how I look especially when things feel like more is happening. And in summer months I become hyper insecure about things since last year. 

The side of my breasts are showing more definition in the expansion of tissue that’s occurred. And shirts are tighter in the chest than a week or so ago. And it’s got me concerned if I may need to consider things. I think I’m fine still but just figured gauge others who may have hit a point where they had to cover up. 

I’m very confident and comfortable but also self aware and just don’t want to make others uncomfortable by my comfort. Given the sizes of men who go shirtless in weight, body hair, dad bods and mild gyne. I’m not too worried as it’s just another different body type but idk

[Dudewithboobs]

Thanks for sharing Just. Sorry that at the age of things you and blad had negative experiences from
Being built different early on. And hope it wasn’t too much of a handicap to the enjoyment of youth. 

[Midagemoobs2]

This is an interesting topic and sorry to read about painful early experiences.

Several years ago when I joined I thought to myself, if I get any bigger I'll need to cover up. Looking for tips on situations like this was a reason I joined. I looked for a compression tank I could wear to the beach or pool, but my wife said the tank looks worse. My chest has grown but I still swim shirtless and no one seems to pay attention. It helps that I am in my 50s and a little overweight with broader shoulders - just another older chunky guy, that has a chunkier chest (a DD). I am sure the day will come, and when it does, I'll just wear a dark microfiber tee or UV shirt into the water (I do that now when the sun is strong or if there are marks), and again no one cares. 

It's more concerning to us as we look down at our chest, but to others it is less remarkable than we think and it's been a comfort to read many others confirming that. Still, I do wear a lightweight dark tee if I am out of the water for my own piece of mind, but I am not staying away from enjoying the water in summer. 

I hope others can be more comfortable or find a way to be more comfortable with their situation at the beach or pool and enjoy the summer too.

[oldguy]

Hey Dude,

I just posted on breast growth.  I haven't seen that thread for a long time.

This is what I posted:
I just received new sports bras.  I was at a 44 bandwidth three years ago.  Then 42.  Now 40.  C cup hasn't changed.  I may be stretching them out as I use them everyday for my walk and they get soaked.  Breasts tend to sag below the band.  The new ones hide my breasts much better, even under a muscle shirt. I'm at a 34 waist, so limiting projection is my focus.  It's harder in the summer.  My spaghetti bras give a uni-boob look.  They still work at 42 and I don't wear them while exercising.  If only my biceps could match my chest, I might be good.  It's harder to build muscle at 75.

Going bare chested is not an option for me.  After losing 64lbs and the breasts are still there.  I saw a comment about a nude beach.  Not for me.  I have acreage, so not an issue.   
 

 

[Dudewithboobs]

Thanks for the tips and insights everyone. The pain and soreness I had subsided and it was definitely growth. Under im still 35.25 and over I went from 39.5 to 40.25. My B cup bras still fit just a very snug and I’m confident I’m a C cup now. Which I was wearing but it still has space in them. Not so much now. 

However being summer and being at pools and such and seeing guys with such different chests with same body shape as me puts it in perspective how many men have this issue to think about or to not be worried about. Seen a guy yesterday in my age range who’s chest was clearly moving about and off his chest projecting quite a bit. No care in the world. Made me feel a lot better about things. 

[AlfaQ]

I swim regularly and my strategy is always to walk slowly to and from the pool. The temptation is to move quickly to minimise the time I am exposing myself but that just leads to more bounce and jiggle which is actually what attracts attention. I always carry my swim bag to pool side in front of me to act as a shield. Once in the pool my girls can then float free.  I have considered a one piece swim suit but feel that may attract even more attention.

The red marks from my bra are another issue which I try to reduce by unfastening it an hour or so before swimming . 

[Dudewithboobs]

Same on the one piece concern. A month ago many I went shopping and ventured to women’s section to browse tankinis and swim suits and tried 3-4 styles that seemed to be close enough to men’s styles that I could pass off. Tried them on and definitely still feminine looking. Felt like swimming is just gonna be a catch 22. And do the same as you. Move about slowly enough to not look weird but casual enough to not add to movement. 

My area of concern is when I bend over to dry my legs off and my boobs drop down and jiggle. Or when I sit down and my breasts rest on my rib cage. Sometimes I’ll look down and go yup whatayagonnado though lol. The sauna at the gym is always hit and miss too. It’s not large. Seats maybe 6. Being in there and seeing dudes come in ripped and such intimidates me now days. I feel they just see what they see and either judge get confused or other. I’ve had a few stare or glance at them and see them do the quick la la la look somewhere else thing. And just insecure a bit in close proximity’s of others. More open areas like a pool or aqua park or beach though is much more comforting. 

[AlfaQ]

Walking with arms folded over my boobs is another tactic but that feels odd.  Your right about bending over,  mine hang like bags of potatoes and swing from side to side as I dry my legs. Doesn't happen with a bra on though.

[Passant]

I am now personally in a situation where I can no longer hide my breasts. The measuring tape shows that they are currently a size 42 D and that is a size that is quite noticeable. As for the beach, I thought about a bikini, either a one-piece or a two-piece, but I quickly gave up on that, because it would attract a lot of attention. But there are two solutions. One is a sports bra for male athletes. And the other is a UV protection shirt. A shirt is fine until you get in the water and get wet. Then it clings to your body and your breasts come into focus even more.
Regardless of my size, I prefer topless
And I noticed that there are not many looks. I have already written about this, which is that the human brain does not perceive breasts on a man. This is quite an interesting thing from a psychological point of view, while for example, a woman with very small breasts will still be noticed and she will be asked to wear a swimsuit. For me, this is quite discriminatory, because women's breasts are sexualized, especially in Western culture, and because of this, rules have been introduced to cover them up.
I surfed a bit on the internet and I came across information that until the 1930s, men were not allowed to be naked up to the waist on American beaches.
I'm sending a picture I took today. I have nothing under my shirt, neither a bra nor an undershirt

[Busty]

Your breasts appear full, uplifted, and firm.  I would have guessed you were wearing a bra.  Looks as if you have a slender waist and then wider hips.  Very nice

[Passant]

Thanks Busty
Yes, when I stand my breasts are raised and in certain shirts it looks like I'm wearing a bra. There is a crease and it's quite visible, but when I stand my breasts don't drop below it. When I sit down, it's all different... my breasts immediately drop and have a much larger volume. The root of my breasts is wider, so they don't project as deep.
That's a mitigating circumstance for me, especially on the beach. I throw my shoulders out a lot, I pull myself up, so that my breasts project as little as possible. Those are some tricks
As for the body, you noticed it right. My breasts aren't the only thing on me that's typical of a woman. There's also a build that's almost completely feminized. Narrow shoulders, breasts, narrow waist and wider hips. So it's noticeable even when I wear men's clothes. That's why I buy regular models of clothes. So my build is noticeable even then.

[taxmapper]

So I want to place this in for a moment and poss. in the future so everyone can figure this out. 

The cup size conundrum is clear to everyone. All women have this issue and men too. 
But, consider this:  I am 50.25+/- on the bust and now 42-43 on the band. This clearly puts me into D territory, yet can barely fill a B cup.. Why?   

Wide chest and wide gore. The distance between the nipps is about 11" and this means that the boobs themselves are wider apart. With the amount of actual mass sorta fills a B cup, the distance on the chest means they are farther apart but less volume, yet goes to D+ range based on the metric.   In reality if closer together say a chest of less than 40, in the 36-38 range with this much volume would probably put me into the C range. Closer to actual. 

So measure the distance between the two to get the right fill.