Ok, so I suppose this doesn't qualify as gender identity since I'm actually a cis female, but this is the closest thing I could find. Maybe this is more on the expression side of things. I figured by posting this here I'd reach people who have experience with binding. I mean no disrespect by posting here, but I wouldn't know where else to go. I am a cis female, but I've never been happy with my breasts. I've always had extreme issues with them. Recently I've had moments where I've thought I'd feel better in a binder than a bra. I wasn't sure at first if it would be worth getting one as I felt I'd rarely use it. But, I'm a DD (at least), which means it's difficult to not notice my chest. If it was smaller I might be able to live with it, but I'm not happy with the way I look in certain clothes. Long story short, I want to be able to have a flatter chest, but I'm not sure what to do. I've looked at lots of reviews and opinions on binders but I don't want to risk getting something I'm not happy with. I'm not even sure I want my chest completely flattened. Would it be worthwhile to get a compression bra instead? They seem just as expensive. If I did get a binder, should I get a half one or a full length, tank style one? (I'm happy with the shape of my waist, I don't want to flatten it out, but some people say half ones shift/roll up easily) Also, if I only wore it occasionally, would a binder stretch out my skin? If so, I don't know if I would risk feeling worse about my chest. Sorry about the long post. If any of you have experience with this stuff, I'm open to opinions and advice. Thank you
From what I've seen GC2B binders seem to be the best and I would like to get a full length black GC2B; I've read lots of people's opinions on various styles, makes and colours to get to that conclusion. However I would suggest for the time being trying sports bras - maybe one or maybe doubling up. I'm also a DD and by wearing two €5 sports bras from Primark (one backwards) I get pretty flat. That would be a cheap, safe alternative and hey, you get two sports bras to wear as well.
If you're just looking to reduce your size I'd say go for a compression bra or sports bra. I wouldn't put myself through back/shoulder pain and difficulty breathing if I wasn't so dysphoric about my chest. Plus remember you can only bind *safely* for 8 hours a day, it's not so practical. The decent ones cost about £30-£40 as well so they're pretty expensive. I'd recommend the opposite as above. I prefer underworld tri-top. It's way more comfortable than gc2b and binds better in my opinion. It's a case of trial and error though to find one for your body type. Oh and about the stretching out your skin. If you're planning on wearing it long term it can affect the elasticity of your chest so may cause problems for you when you're older e.g. sagging.
No one is ever going to agree on this lol. Both brands have their pros and cons. Underworks has a more masculine style in my opinion. They are not fooling around with binding and will get you very flat. Also, I find the material of the white tritop very stiff and uncomfortable. It kinda chafes my armpits. I also have a full length black one and it doesn't chafe though. But it is very hot. Gc2b I think has a more androgynous style. They come in a lot of colors. The material is more stretchy and yielding. I hate their full length binders personally. They are made of spandex and ride up a lot. The half length are good though and actually look similar to a sportsbra unlike underworks tritops which are a bit longer. The only problem I have with the gc2b half length is that it kinda shows through some thinner shirts as the material is a bit thicker than the underworks tritop. I would suggest white unless you wear mostly dark clothes.
I'd suggest starting off with just sports bras. They're cheaper and more comfortable. Binding for larger-chested people can be very uncomfortable and doesn't tend to get the person completely flat. If sports bras don't do it for you, then maybe try a larger binder (as in one that is larger than your size) as that should reduce your size without making you flat. If you do decide you want a masculine-looking chest, then make sure you get sized properly and never get a binder that is too small for you. You could also try contacting Shapeshifters - they make custom binders and sports bras, you could let them know what you're looking for and they might be able to help you come up with something that suits your needs without going beyond what you want. It's a little bit more expensive, but I thought I'd let you know. Contact · Shapeshifters · Online Store Powered by Storenvy If you do decide to get a binder (or bind in any fashion) make sure you read up on binding safety. Don't bind with tape/bandages, don't bind too tight, don't bind too long, make sure you can breathe and aren't in crippling pain - we can give you more in depth safety advice if/when you do get a binder. As for cosmetic appearances, binding daily/near-daily for a long time can cause sagging and dimpling in the breast (which is sometimes a sign of cancer, though from what I know is more often than not just cosmetic when caused by binding). It can also cause your breathing patterns to change, so you would need to practice the same stretching/breathing routines that all people who bind are advised to do in order to make sure your chest muscles, ribs, and lungs stay strong and healthy.
There's no problem with asking a question here as a cis girl, anyone can have questions about this stuff. Also it's gender identity and expression, anyways, it's a perfectly good place to ask. As for the actual question, I second what the others have said.
Thanks for all of your advice. I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet, but I have a better idea about my options. The GC2B seems like it would be good for me. like that they have a nude selection. I'll maybe try the doubling up sports bras first and see how I feel. Thanks especially to System Glitch: I hadn't heard of Shapeshifters before and they seem like a really good option for large chested people (I was wrong last time, double checked and I'm actually an E; I'm always having to go up sizes). But thanks, everyone.