East-West Breast Shape

How to recognise it

• Without a bra, your nipples point outward from the centre line and not straight ahead.
• There is less tissue at the inner side of each breast than at the outer.
• In many bras, the inner part of the cup is empty or wrinkled while the outer part is full.
• Tissue tends to slide towards your arms during the day, and fitted tops look wider across the bust than you would like.

What helps

Side support

This is the most useful feature. A side-support bra has an extra panel, or an internal sling, at the outer edge of the cup. It stops tissue moving outward and directs it forward and towards the centre. Look for "side support" in the product name or description. It is common in full-bust ranges from a D cup upward.

Plunge cuts

A plunge cup is angled so that it pushes from the outside in. With the low centre, that gathers the breasts towards the middle.

Seams that angle inward

In an unlined bra, the direction of the seams sets the direction of the shaping. A cup with a vertical seam and a side panel gives more forward projection than one with a single horizontal seam.

T-shirt bras with a firm outer cup

A moulded cup that fits will hold the breast in the position of the mould. If you prefer a smooth cup, choose one with a higher, firmer side.

A band that fits

Wires can only hold tissue in place if the band keeps them still. If the band is loose, the cups shift outward with the breasts.

What works less well

• Soft triangle bralettes and unstructured crop tops. They follow the breast and do not redirect it. Comfortable, and they will not change the shape.
• Balconettes with very wide-set straps and low sides, which leave the outer breast less contained.
• Cups that are too small. Tissue that cannot fit in the cup escapes towards the arm and exaggerates the effect. Check after a scoop and swoop.

Check the wire width

East-west shapes often go with a wide root, where breast tissue extends round towards the side. If so, you need a wire wide enough to sit behind all of it. A wire that is too narrow will rest on tissue and push it outward. See what is a breast root?

If you are also wide set

When there is a clear gap at the centre as well, pay attention to the centre panel. A very narrow plunge centre can pull the cups inward further than your breasts will go, leaving the inner cup empty. Details in best bras for wide-set breasts.

Frequently asked questions

What is an east-west breast shape?

Breasts whose nipples point outward, away from the centre of the chest, so that the fullness sits towards the sides. It is a common, normal shape.

Is east-west the same as wide set?

No, though they often occur together. Wide set describes the gap between the breasts at the breastbone. East-west describes the direction they point. You can have either without the other.

What bra brings breasts together and forward?

A bra with side support: a firm panel or sling at the outer edge of each cup that pushes tissue towards the centre. Plunge cuts and angled seams add to the effect.