This question began when I when started watching Sex & the City. The show is about 4 women trying navigate romance and what it means to be a women in New York City, specifically in Manhattan. The fashion is what really catches my eye in this show. These four women embody the top of fashion in the early 2000s. I always focus on what clothes dominated this era and how they were worn. Tube tops, platform sandals, tulle skirts, and bandanna tops can be seen as fashion trends.
The most jarring fashion trend had more to do with the lack of an clothing item: Bras. Though this trend was subliminal it had a big effect on the girls in that age. And now with it coming back what effect do you think it will have on Gen Z's?
I know we exist in the Me Too Movement era, but some women are still skeptical if this is acceptable and healthy. I am here to give a holistic picture on the subject "To Be or Not to... Braless?"
Healthy?
First let me just debunk some myths.
If you wear bras with wire your chances of Breast Cancer are higher. False.
If you don't wear a bra you'll get saggy boobs: Kinda False. You might want to consider wearing one while participating in heavy exercise. Your boobs are made of connective tissue and as a result that tissue will breakdown overtime due to strenuous movement. Plus them tatas are just gonna start sagging overtime. However, saggy boobs are not bad. #Saggyboobsmatter
Another myth is if you don't wear a bra your back will hurt. False. Surprised? Me too, but if you want to prevent back pain doctors recommend exercising those back muscles.
So, in the health department you do not need a bra.
Score: Bra:0 No Bra:1
Acceptable?
This is where things get tricky. I mean why do women wear bras in the first place? Tribal African women do not wear bras and sometimes bare them freely. According to Koraly Dimitriadis women in Tribal African communities--Zulus, Himbas, and Maasasi-- see breast as organs.
It's a cultural thing. Americans women see bras as a big step in defining what a women is. Society has evolved this image but has maintained tropes like bras, skirts, high heels, polished nails, and earrings as the only things that define women. These symbols BOx women into the pure and whole housewife image and whoever does not fit into this role is loose, masculine, and a bitch. It's infuriating how these symbols continue in this #freethenip movement. However, is letting go of the bra the method to removing the heavy impact these symbols have on the image of a woman?
I talked to some people about if we are living in a braless society? The views are inconclusive. Marin Cook, sophomore at Ohio University says wearing a bra perpetuates a double standard. She says "Men nipples get just as hard women" but no one cares if they wear a tank top under their shirt or not. She continues by saying "nipples are used as an accessory now" and thus an expression of women's liberation. However, Kyra Young Freshman at Ohio University disagrees. She believes that "girls with small breast #ittybittytittycomitee" (I am a proud member since 2015) , "can wear no bras but women with larger breast can not". Her views are based on her best friend's struggle with her bigger breasts; she understands bigger breasted women need more support than others.
From these viewpoints wearing a bra is all about comfort and comfort is up to you. No one should be judged on whether they wear a bra or not. It is a choice that you as a woman make, just like if you want short or long hair. So, please comment below on whether you think we live in a braless society? Do ever plan on going braless?
References
From a totally meaningless perspective... the breast are one of the first attributes we men notice. We actually worship them. We create franchises that feature them with food, we write odes and movies about them .. soooooo my thing is this... should it be an age scale that says when it's time to seriously consider chest support? As I think of my nephew seeing his 66 year old teacher verse his 24 year old teacher with the girls hanging free..I imagine him being distracted for two totally different reasons..ijs as long as men worship them we should have a small voice in this decision.
I personally support other girls whether they have big boobs are small titties. If they don’t want to wear a bra, then nothing is wrong with that. It’s their body, let them do what they wanna do. However, I personally have big titties and could never go out in public without a bra. To me, it doesn’t look good on my self. I don’t have perky small boobs that will look perfect in absolutely any top. But, just because that’s how I am, doesn’t mean other women should feel the same. If they have big, saggy titties and they wanna show them off, then that’s them. It’s whatever us as women are comfortable with.