I believe that all women secretly hate bras. We want to feel beautiful and we are taught that putting on a piece of fabric with underwire built in will do the trick. Well, not exactly...Let me start off by saying that this is not going to be an article where I tell you that you should ditch your bra, rather it is going to be more of a discussion on the popular trend that has surfaced throughout the past few months.
1. Wearing a bra doesn't prevent your breasts from sagging.
According to this study done in France, "wearing a bra does more harm than good." Are you kidding me? All these years we have been wearing bras because it's the socially acceptable thing to do and now you're telling us that it's potentially harmful? I think part of this is because over 80% of women are wearing the wrong bra size to begin with. For example, if you're wearing a bra that's too tight with an excessive amount of push-up, your breasts are going to become used to this type of support. Even if you are wearing the right size, your breasts still rely on the bra instead of the muscles/supporting tissue that hold up your breasts.
2. Bralettes are your best friend.
Let's be real, not all of us are gutsy enough to completely ditch our favorite bra. At least, I know I'm definitely not. Bralettes are a great alternative because they're meant to be seen and come in a variety of styles. Yes, they might not offer as much support as a regular bra, but who actually wants to deal with painful underwire every day? Not me! Every woman should have at least one that they can throw on during those days they don't feel like wearing a bra. Your life is about to be changed, trust me.
3. It's not just for people with small boobs.
Ha, yeah right. Women with DD's are going to laugh at me and say, "There's absolutely no way on earth I could go without wearing a bra." It's true, we have become used to the appearance bras give our boobs. The right bra can make us feel confident and ready to take on the world. If that's how you feel, then great, I'm not going to tell you to stop wearing your bra if it makes you feel good about yourself. All I'm saying is no one should judge you for not wearing a bra even if you've got large breasts. The way I see it, people are going to stare either way, so do whichever you're more comfortable with!
4. Women have nipples, get over it.
Women's bodies are constantly being over-sexualized. Kaitlyn Juvik, a senior at Helena High School in Montana, came to school without a bra and was told by administration that she needed to put on a bra. Let me just add that she wore a dark top and stickers to cover her nipples. She wasn't "asking for it." Yes, women have nipples, but so do men and they get to walk around shirtless. As a whole, women are fed up with this and showing your nipples through your shirt has become a trend. Gotta love feminism. Of course, not all of us are perfectly comfortable walking around with our nipples showing and that's okay. There's nothing wrong with choosing to wear sticky bras, pasties, flower petals, etc. Just do whatever works for you, ladies.
5. Don't ditch your sports bra.
Running without a bra sounds like one of the most painful experiences and I really do not recommend it. I strongly suggest wearing a sports bra when exercising. Your boobs are bouncing up and down when you exercise, which causes connective tissue to deteriorate. The good news is that sports bras are pretty similar to bralettes in terms of the different styles to choose from. I mean, who can resist a cute strappy bra peeking out of an open-back tank? So yes, contradictory to the title of this article, sports bras are a must.
Going braless can be as obvious or as discreet as you want it to be. I'm not entirely sure if I'm ready to part with my bra collection, but I would never judge another woman for not wearing one. Should women always wear bras, completely forget about them, or perhaps a mix of the two? What do you guys think?
