Rant about Clothes and Breasts

I used to have breasts on the moderate to large side (38D), but then I had breast cancer and I no longer have breasts. I have also lost more than 50 lbs, and am on the light side of a healthy BMI, so one might think that when I order clothing from a catalog (not buying in some high end designer shop that only sells size triple 000 to fashion models) and the catalog says “runs true to size” and “the model is 5’9” and is wearing a size XS” , “The second model is 5’11 and is wearing a size S” and the third model is 6’0 and is wearing a size 2X”) and the first to models appear rather similar to my current build except that they both have rather large breasts for their bodies, that if I order a size or two up from that (as someone who is the same height and has no breasts at all, I would be OK. BUT NO!!!! The dress arrives and it fits perfectly fine everywhere else (even a bit large), but a human person with a ribcage even without breasts cannot close it regardless of whether she wishes to breathe or not.

Before I lost the weight and the breasts I might have been dispirited about clothing sizing and model sizing and the fact that catalogs only tell you how tall the model is not how much she weighs or how big her chest is to help you figure out if you are going to waste your time and money buying clothes that you are just going to have to waste more time and money returning, but now I really feel sort of cheated! I did the work, AND there is no possible way on earth anyone has smaller breasts than me. And yet ….

On the flip side, I also recently went shopping for a gift for the home health aide who helps me care for my parents. She is built quite differently than me. She is petite in stature, has broad shoulders, a curvy figure, and is very strong. She is overweight but she could carry me and my mother if she needed to. She is my rock. She is beautiful and she has big breasts and a huge personality. It is summer and it gets very hot here. I wanted to get her something light and airy to wear if any of us ever have the chance to go out in the evening. I found a nice, gauzy but strategically lined top with heavy gauge decorative edging on the short sleeves and a matching open floaty wrap. Both are white. I also got her a scarf she can drape if she prefers. I thought twice about buying something white for a woman with an ample figure after the (skinny) salesperson kept steering me only to things in black or brown, But those were all ugly and drab and looked ancient and wintry, and not her, and not right. I thought I was striking a blow for women not having to always wear black just because they are heavier than what society thinks they should be. But after my own dress incident I am second guessing my gift purchase too.
Thoughts? I don’t want a gift to end up being an unpleasant experience for her. (At least I have a gift receipt!)