For those whose cups don’t runneth over…

I’ve never been particularly “well-endowed.”

In our family, my sister won the genetic lottery — great hair and a great bust line.

(Not complaining — merely explaining.)

While my chest was average before I had children, nursing three babies took it down a notch (actually a full cup size!). I’m not a fan of surgery — it’s too extreme for me — so I merely try and make the best of what I’ve got.

A girl’s gotta play the hand she’s been dealt, after all.

So, for all you flat-chested friends out there, I offer my tips on how to dress to flatter a smaller chest.

And for my larger chested friends — don’t click away just yet! The advice I’m offering below will work to minimize a large bust if you merely do the opposite of what I tell you (except on #1 — that applies to everyone).

1. Get professionally fitted. It’s been estimated 80% of women are wearing the wrong bra size. I was one of them until I visited Atlanta’s “bra whisperer.” It’s worth the money to go get professionally fitted and invest in a couple of good bras (especially if your weight has fluctuated recently). It’s not something I like to spend money on, but if your undergarments aren’t fitting properly, it doesn’t matter what you put on top of it. Nothing will fit right. Signs you’re not wearing the right size:

• your straps keep falling down
• your bra is digging into your back
• underwire that fits above the bottom of the breast (or feels like a penance)
• cups that flatten out the breast
• any uncomfortable or painful marks after use

2. Higher necklines and narrow v-necks are your friends. Both of these styles broaden the shoulders and create the illusion of a bigger chest. Halter tops also do a good job of achieving this look.

3. Say yes to detailing. Ruffles, moderate-sized prints, pockets and even thick fabrics or cowl necks add bulk and draw attention on top, making it appear bigger. But don’t drown yourself in giant ruffles. Small ruffles trimming the neckline or that run vertically down the center of the blouse work best. (Conversely, this tip is very helpful for de-emphasizing an area. For example, if your tush isn’t your favorite feature, don’t opt for jeans with embellishments and/or flaps on the back pockets. It will only draw attention to that area and make it look bigger.)

4. Keep brighter, lighter colors on top. Black and darker colors tend to flatten and conceal shape. If you’re going monochromatic, for example, opt for black pants on the bottom and grey on top.

5. If you’ve got nice arms, go sleeveless. This tip always makes me think of Kelly Ripa. She’s small chested, but has the most fantastic arms. She wears a lot of sleeveless shirts to bring attention to her arms and take the attention away from her chest. See?

photo credit: Newscom

The halter top and ruffles also help her cause tremendously. (See #2 and #3.)

In fact, if you want to see a slew of fantastic style options for the smaller chested woman, a quick Google image search on Kelly Ripa will turn up a plethora of examples. She and her stylists do an excellent job of playing up her strong points and making the best of what she’s got by putting all of the above rules into action. (Updated: You can also check out Kelly’s Fashion Finder on the Live! site where she updates fans daily on what she’s wearing.)

6. Take some help when you need it. If you have a special event and you need a little more “oomph” or just want to fill out your dress a little better, invest in a padded bra or a pair of Hollywood Extras Silicone Breast Enhancers. Just beware of going too big — don’t buy a bra that is going to increase your bust line by more than one cup size. That would end up looking ridiculous, not natural.

Really, it all comes down to confidence. I used to be self conscious of being so small chested, but in the end your worth isn’t determined by how big your chest is. There are plenty of women who manage to pull off attractive, sexy looks with little on top (Kelly Ripa, Kate Moss and Charlize Theron to name a few). It’s just a matter of making the right fashion choices to play up your best features.