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If you’re anything like me, you loathe the struggle of finding a good bra. The straps might dig, the underwire might break, or the band might get stretched over time. Most of the time, I’m forced to wear one to avoid sharing my piercings with the world. So this week, I decided to forgo the inevitable and nix the bra.
Here are the major takeaways I gleaned from the experience.
1. People have no problem staring.
I’m not particularly well-endowed, so I’m not familiar with having my boobs ogled at. I was surprised at the blatant disregard for subtlety the onlookers had. Whether I chose a T-shirt, hoodie or a patterned blouse, as soon as it was apparent: stares.
2. Boobs really jiggle.
This may have been the cause of the staring. Unhindered boobs are incredibly active when you’re walking along. I found myself hunching to reduce the obvious, even when no one is around. At work, my apron covered my chest, but I was worried customers would notice. Fortunately, I was behind the coffee machines all shift, so it was irrelevant.
3. It helps your skin.
I have really sensitive skin, so any clothing that lies tight to my shoulders tends to cause breakouts. By not having the constant constriction of a bra, my shoulders really cleared up. That gave me way more confidence, as I didn’t have to worry about whether my shoulders were fit to be seen.
4. Bras are still important.
While I may have enjoyed my week free of bras, I do see their significance. The consequence of all that jiggling around is chafing. While bras are usually softly lined, your T-shirts are not. The pain of chafing from day-to-day running around I would not recommend. It was nearly impossible to jog across the street for a yellow light or increase my pace walking without some pain.
So, all in all, while there are benefits to going braless, I wouldn’t do it every day. Try it out for yourself!