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Here’s Exactly What Happens When You Decide to Start Going Braless
If we’re being honest with ourselves, the work remotely situation—due to the global spread of COVID-19—has led many people to forgo the grooming habits that we have when forced to go to the office. Think: not wearing makeup, not showering (or even putting on jeans) for days on end, and not wearing a bra. But… just what happens when you don’t wear a bra for an extended period of time?
“Going fully braless can deliver that satisfying ahh moment of liberating comfort after a long day out and about,” says Phoebe Kunitomi, founder of Okko, a brand of intimate wear. Generally though, going braless can become uncomfortable. “Having absolutely no support can even be painful. For some of us, boobs are heavy, and without any support, that weight can strain your back and worsen your posture, especially if you do anything more than low to no-impact activity,” she says. Jessica Pfister, vice president of Le Mystere, echoes this, noting that bras—especially for those with larger breasts—are key in “the maintenance of good posture.”
So ditching your bra for a while can give you some back pain and postural issues if your chest is on the heavier side. That said, Lucky Sekhon, MD, an OB/GYN and REI in New York City, says that there are a number of benefits that can be realized by women with breasts of any size. “Women with larger breasts may initially feel more uncomfortable than those with smaller breasts as their muscles may initially be weak and not feel strong enough to provide adequate support,” she says. “Over time, though, their bodies will adjust and naturally start to support the breast tissue appropriately, without the aid of a bra.”
By and large, pros tell us that ditching a bra doesn’t vary much cup size to cup size. However, those with a C cup and beyond will experience the same impacts of not wearing a bra, while those B cup and below can expect to have relatively the same experience when ditching a bra. Want to know more? Keep scrolling for all of the benefits you can reap when you #freethenipple.
Benefits of going braless
1. Improved muscle tone and breast shape: “There is evidence that wearing a bra can make the muscles and ligaments that support the breasts lazy over time, leading to breast sagging and laxity,” says Dr. Sekhon. She points out that this means the common misconception that going braless for an extended period of time makes your breasts sag is, in reality, the opposite: “Women who have gone long periods without wearing a bra often report that this leads their breasts to being firmer, rounder, and perkier over time,” she says. At first, those with heavier or fuller breasts may feel more back strain when not wearing a bra, though. “It can take weeks to months to build up the strength in their chest and back muscles for the breasts to become well supported without a bra,” she tells me.
2. Better circulation: As we all know, wearing a bra for hours on end can feel constricting. “It can impede blood flow to the muscles in the back and chest wall, and this reduction in blood flow can lead to aching back muscles,” says Dr. Sekhon. “Improvements in circulation may be more drastic in women with large breasts versus those with small breasts when they stop wearing a bra, as bras supporting larger breasts tend to fit tighter than those worn by women with smaller breasts measuring A to B cup in size,” she says.
3. Increased comfort over time: Dr. Sekhon points out that so many women are used to wearing bras for the majority of their days, meaning that when they go braless, it can make them feel exposed. But in the long-term, she says that women report that they become “desensitized, and these feelings are replaced with feeling much more comfortable and free overall.” The combined feelings of comfort and better circulation can even contribute to better sleep, she adds. Depending on your breast size though, Dr. Sekhon says that women with smaller breasts may have a less drastic improvement in comfort when not wearing a bra versus women with large breasts, since “the weight of larger breasts can cause a lot more tension on the shoulders, especially where the bra straps sit.”
4. Better breast skin health: Wearing a bra regularly tends to trap moisture, dirt, and sweat against the skin of your breast, according to Dr. Sekhon, who notes that this can predispose you to clogged pores and skin irritation. That’s because, according to her, sweat in women with larger breasts gets trapped under the breasts, which can lead to skin irritation, whereas women with small boobs are less prone to this happening. Board-certified dermatologist and co-founder of LM Medical in NYC Morgan Rabach, MD, says that this skin irritation can be acne mechanica. “This is a type of acne that comes from rubbing of the skin, friction, or pressure on the skin,” she says. “Some people can get this from bra wearing, especially when they work out and leave sweaty clothes on.” Well, I’m feeling validated, HBU?
11 Lingerie Hacks That *Every* Girl Needs To Know!
1. Use The Right Tools
Found the right cup size for your girls but the band is getting too tight and umm...itchy? Well, don’t worry, this is a problem that can be solved easily. Just get your hands on a bra extender to extend the band size of your favourite bra. It works by giving you extra band length while keeping your cup size the same. Try it to believe it!
POPxo Recommends: Blush Bra Extender (Rs 179)
2. Camel Toe? What’s That?
Bid camel toes a goodbye with a very simple hack using panty liners. Place two panty liners on top of each other and adjust it over your panty. The thickness of the panty liners will keep camel toes away. Simple enough?
3. De-Stress Your Shoulders
As if wearing a bra was already not painful enough, the sliders and rings on the shoulder straps try their best to make your life worse. So in case your bra straps dig painfully into your shoulders, let the strap cushions come to your rescue. Just put them underneath the straps of your bra and say goodbye to unnecessary shoulder stress and itchiness.
POPxo Recommends: Blush Shoulder Pads (Rs 325)
4. Buy Bras That Fit On The Loosest Adjustment
Elastic in bras often gets stretched and loosen up when you wash them. So make sure to buy bras that fit you well on the loosest adjustment. In that case, when your bra becomes looser, it will still fit you well on smaller adjustments and will stay with you longe
10 Common Mistakes Women Make With Lingerie and How to Avoid Them
Do you ever find yourself in a situation where you're looking at new underwear thinking, "It's so gorgeous! I will buy it right away!"? If yes, ladies, this article is for you.
Bright Side gathered for you the 10 most common mistakes women make when buying underwear. See if you recognize yourself at least once.
1. Bra fabric
Don't wear lacy underwear under tight pants or slim turtlenecks of bright colors. It will create a certain roughness on the fabric, and people might notice what kind of bra you're wearing. The uneven surface of your clothes might ruin the aesthetics of your overall look.
- Choose smooth seamless bras instead. Another great option is to wear a wire-free seamless contour bra.
2. Shapewear
Some women really want to look like those girls on the covers of magazines. In pursuit of the perfect look, they buy shapewear of a smaller size. Remember, this approach is wrong and really harmful to your body. You can only wear shapewear for less than 6 hours. Otherwise, the blood flow will be disrupted, especially if you're wearing a wrong size.
- It's very important to choose smooth shapewear in the correct size.
3. Bra size
Some girls believe that a bra of a smaller size can create the effect of bigger breasts. However, you should know that too big a bra won't fit properly and can cause backache. If it's too small, it can disrupt the blood flow. This is why doctors advise you to choose underwear wisely.
- The straps of a well-fitted bra don't slip down, and the bra shape doesn't squeeze anything. If you want your breasts to look bigger, use push-up bras that have a layer of padding or foam.
4. Underwear color
Wearing a black bra under a white blouse was once a top trend. Now this kind of mismatch is considered to be tacky and inappropriate.
- Choose flesh-colored underwear for thin fabric blouses and white pants.
5. Homewear
It is believed that as soon as you get home, you should take off your bra and give your breasts a rest. However, this is only true for those with smaller breast sizes. In all other cases, if you don't wear a bra at home, your breast ligaments might stretch out.
- The best option for homewear is a sports bra. It lets your skin breathe, holds up your breasts, and causes no discomfort.
6. Material
Clothes that are 100% cotton are very comfortable and safe for your health, but they stretch out very quickly and tear apart.
- For your underwear fabric, you should choose 80% cotton and 20% elastane.
7. Favorite panties style
A lot of women love to wear thongs because they look great and are invisible under clothes. Thongs are usually made with synthetic fabrics that can irritate sensitive skin and cause bacterial growth and irritation of some areas.
- Avoid wearing thongs every day, or at least try to switch to more comfortable styles from time to time.
8. Matching top and bottom
Lingerie sets have a lot of good features. First, the top and bottom are made of the same fabric and match each other perfectly. Second, the same pattern and color will make your look harmonious and elegant.
9. Everyday underwear
Another common mistake that many women make is wearing shapewear or silk underwear every day. By doing so you can face a lot of negative consequences: from bad body shape to health problems.
- The perfect everyday underwear is sleep panties. They have a perfect fit, they are made of high-quality fabric, and they suit almost all body types.
10. Underwear that suits your body type
For a pear body shape, with most of its weight in the bottom part, you should wear simple shorts or lace shorts. They will shape up your tush.
Women with curves or an hourglass body shape might enjoy wearing high-rise panties. They won't roll up and will provide the perfect comfortable fit.
Boxers for women and Brazilian-cut bikinis can help make your legs visually longer. If you have short legs, try to avoid boxers and shorts – choose to wear string bikini panties instead.