THE BREAST OF TIMES
By May Yip. The Straits Times Publication Date: 20-04-2006
Cleavages are bustin' out all over Singapore, it seems. Take the recent Miss Singapore Universe pageant. From tabloids to blogs, eye-catching bust-lines were what made headlines, with water-cooler talk revolving around the generous cup sizes of this year's winner.
Miss Singapore Universe
And on a daily basis, images of cleavages juggle - or should that be jiggle - for the attention of passers-by on billboard ads, covers of magazines and on the small screen.
Not that straight men with healthy libidos are complaining, but you would be excused for thinking that once-conservative Singapore is turning into one breast-obsessed nation.
"I thought this year's Miss Singapore Universe (Carol Cheong) won because of her boobs," says Joshua-Uriel Leong, a banker from BOC in his 30s who admits that he is a "boob man" and is drawn to a woman's breasts ahead of her other physical attributes.
And "Yes, yes, yes - size does matter", he adds.
According to Doy Teo, director of the Singapore operations of lingerie brand Triumph International, the number of women going up to a bigger C cup has surged from about 10 per cent a decade ago to 18 per cent.
The lingerie industry here is estimated to be worth S$100 million (US$62.58 million), says Teo. The brand now even carries a line of fuller-figure F-cup bras, and these whoppers have been enjoying brisk sales.
Another favourite among shoppers here is the push-up bra. Foong Yen, a spokesman for home-grown lingerie brand Ero, says 70 per cent of sales come from its Skin.Cool range of push-up bras.
As boob "authority" Jeffrey Chung notes: "The first things guys notice about girls are breasts. Instead of keeping them in, the media might as well capitalise on them."
He ought to know - he is the model agency owner who made headlines by marketing three D-cup models as the Singapore D-Cup Show Girls.
And the media has certainly wholeheartedly embraced this icon of femininity, from publications devoted to lad culture such as Maxim, featuring scantily clad women on and between its covers, to the popularity of models willing to display more decolletage.
There is also no shortage of cleavage on big and small screens too, such as Uma Thurman's bountiful bosom in The Producers or on the now-ended MTV reality series, Newlyweds, starring Jessica Simpson and her perfect double Ds.
This show of skin has even migrated from the reel world to reality, with a whole generation of young women flaunting their seemingly blossoming assets in tube tops and barely-there halters.
"Boobs are the reason men wake up in the morning and the source of comfort as they lie in bed with their ladies at night," says Joshua-Uriel Leong. "The ideal breast size should be big enough for you to notice, but not of the size that you end up talking to them instead."
However, not all males are breast men. "Of course men like bigger boobs in general but it's not really a deal-breaker unless she's awkward about it," says a 27-year-old lawyer who also declined to be named. "But if she was sensual and comfortable, then I'll be happy."
Cleavages are also not the first thing that gets Chung's attention when auditioning a model.
"You'll be shocked but I'll actually look at the smile first," says Chung. "When I look at a girl who wants to be a model, I want to see a smiling face because that is what makes everyone happy."
Ironically, women are the ones who are less accepting of their own body shape.
"I'm not unsatisfied but I could be happier," says a B-cup, 26-year-old woman, who estimates that half her bra collection is of the bust-boosting push-up variety.
"Certain tops favour those better endowed in the cleavage department and it sucks having to restrict myself from wearing certain pieces just because you're not blessed with a big bust."
Women tend to perceive their own breasts as smaller than an ideal breast size, and a great deal smaller than the size they think preferred by men.
"I'd say a full B," says one 26-year-old woman in the sales industry, when asked about her ideal bra size.
"But the ideal size to men? The bigger the better - how about a double D?"
So it's no surprise that Triumph has sold five million push-up bras - the famous Maximizer - in Asia since its launch, and that 90 per cent of the brand's range have padded cups.
The lawyer who spoke of deal-breaking boobs declares: "I don't think there's a need for a boob job as long as she's happy and comfortable with herself."
But try telling that to the millions of women, prodding and stuffing their bosoms to fulfil their ideal of buxomy beauty. If not the cups of bras, then at least the coffers of plastic surgeons, breast beauticians and push-up bra-makers are guaranteed to be filled to the brim.
