Amanda Nchoma, 19, first noticed her breasts growing in her early teens.
Of course, this is a normal part of puberty, and it isn’t uncommon for people to have growth spurts, but by the time Amanda, from Little Hulton, Manchester, was 14, she needed a 38E bra.
‘I have always had bigger boobs than most and it wasn’t until mid secondary school when they started to peak,’ she said. ‘In secondary school, there was a rumour that I had my boobs done and I still get questioned on them all the time.’
However, for Amanda, who works in a call centre, it’s all natural — and while she’s happy to showcase her 40GG boobs in low-cut tops and dresses, that doesn’t mean they don’t come with their downsides.
Amanda estimates that she has spent £500 to find bras that fit, as most high street stores don’t stock bras in her size.
‘There isn’t much diversity for bigger bra sizes; I normally have to shop in M&S or Bravissimo and they can cost me up to £40,’ she added.
While she doesn’t mind wearing a bra, she says she prefers to go without due to issues she’s encountered with the straps digging into her.
She explained: ‘The main problem that I have with them is my shoulders; when I wear a bra the straps dig in due to the weight of them and leave me with cuts.
‘I’ve adapted to carrying that much weight but it has left me with permanent marks on my shoulders.’
Because of her bra size, Amanda also has issues finding clothes that fit — ‘I do have to size up a lot because it’s difficult to find something that fits on my top half,’ she said.
Her breasts have continued to grow throughout her late teens, and while she says she has become more confident in her body, she wouldn’t rule out a breast reduction in the future.
‘As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more comfortable with my boobs and if I like a piece of clothing, I’ll get it,’ she said.
Sadly, not everyone feels that way, as Amanda says she’s constantly subjected to ‘staring’ when she goes out in public.
‘It draws a lot of attention to me; walking to the shops I get stares and people beep their horns as I walk down the street,’ she said. ‘It doesn’t bother me, but when other girls give me dirty looks, it does.’
The attention Amanda gets from her boobs also puts her off going out. ‘Going into the city centre scares me because I’ve had men come up to me and try and chat me up and they can be really persistent.
‘I’m just trying to go about my day.’
The average bra size in the UK is 36DD. This is a stark contrast from the start of the millennia, where the average bra size in the UK was 34B.
In recent years, as 90% of people reportedly wear the wrong bra size, there has been more campaigns to celebrate breast diversity.
Recently, Adidas shared a collage of 25 different types of breasts to celebrate their new diverse sports bra range, which contains 43 different styles.
