Abstract
Women's breasts are invested with social, cultural and political meanings which shape the ways in which we make sense of and experience our embodied selves. The breasted experience of women with large breasts is under-researched despite the fact that under the male gaze, the size of a woman's breast is seen as a measurement of her value and worth. This paper draws on in-depth interviews with eight large-breasted women in order to explore aspects of their embodiment. Two contradictory aspects of their breasted experience are discussed: their experience of their breasts as visible objects which are appropriated and consumed by others, and their experience of their breasts as feminine, attractive and 'sexy'. These two themes are discussed in relation to feminist theorising on appearance and the beauty system, and the role of women in actively presenting their bodies is emphasised. © 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.