For a week, I had attempted to have no support. What support you may ask? I decided to not wear a bra for a week and see what happens.
It all started when I found out a friend of mine does not wear one before she goes to bed. I did not understand why she would do that. Although, later on, when I mentioned the idea to another friend, she thought I was the crazy one for wearing a bra when I go to bed. I have no clue what the health benefits of going braless as you sleep are, but I am sure it is a thing.
I had to do a lot of internal prep. I had a time for when I started: Sunday afternoon right after working. My job included some heavy labor, so I thought I would be better off starting the braless week afterwards in case something happened. When I talked to a roommate about the plan, she told me to be careful and possibly wear a camisole under my clothes. For me, this week was about confidence, and I decided to forgo wearing any tank tops underneath to hide the fact that I am not wearing a bra.
Oh, and most importantly, I let my roommates know about my plan during the start because they definitely would not want to run into me: “Hello, I’m kind of quite embarrassed to say this out loud. I know we all change in the room, but I’m doing a no bra for a week experiment in order to write an article on it. So, I’m sorry if you see anything. I’ll try my best not to flash you.”
This was just an experiment for the sake of experimenting. Therefore, I told a lot of friends about it. There was a friend who told me about her experience with bras. She exclaims, “It takes me weeks… literally weeks and then I go, ‘Ooh, I really should wash [my bras]?’” People treat bras different, and I thought that was interesting. Personally, I normally wash them each week. However, this week taught me not to judge.
Prior to the no bra week, I really never thought about what it was like to not have one on. I thought it would be crazy to do that, but I learned that it was all internal. I had a fear of how wonky it would look to not have a bra, but I got away with people not realizing I had no bra on. Basically, cup size makes a huge difference in whether you are noticed or not. However, it is fine to embrace how you look without a bra. We get so self-conscious about our own body and shape, but it is just another body part at the end of the day.
I did have to overcome a tiny challenge during the week. It was cold outside, so I wore a lot of sweaters or clothing with thicker fabric. It made me feel vulnerable at first especially since the first thing I wore was a cropped sweatshirt. Also, I learned how much support you really get from wearing a bra. Sure, it helps hold things together, but it is a good shield for the wind. So, I guess we all know how much colder it got that week.
In addition, I never made it to a week. I took a pause on a Wednesday, went back on my challenge on Thursday, and for the rest of week, I gave up. It was unrealistic for me to keep going in certain situations. I had an interview for a job on the Wednesday, forcing me to put on a bra because in my head, it seemed unprofessional to go on an interview without one on. Because I broke my streak, I unconsciously went back to wearing a bra. It is something that was just ingrained in me.
This week made me think about how much wearing a bra affects me. I want to say that if you do not wear a bra, go for it. However, there is a little voice in the back of my mind telling me that it is a ludicrous thought. That I need to wear a bra or else I might get judged. (Although I have to say for a fact that whoever is looking down there all the time needs to pick their head back up because this is not a show.) Even though I failed the challenge, I am more lenient about wearing bras now. Like my friend, I go to sleep without one on. I think it is something that made me more comfortable with my body. I have nothing to hide but skin. I learned to embrace another part of me, and I think that is what made this challenge beautiful.