**Going Braless: The Ultimate Excuse to Buck the Norm**
For many bra-wearers, the pandemic provided the perfect opportunity to embrace a bra-less lifestyle. Who wants to deal with uncomfortable underwires and bulky bras when you’re spending most of your time at home? Colleen Davies, a 25-year-old artist from Ontario, Canada, was one of those who decided to ditch the bra. Whenever she had to leave the house to ship orders or run errands, she simply threw on a big hoodie or a T-shirt and called it a day. If someone stared at her chest to check her bra status, she believed it was their problem, not hers.
“I’m also a large cup size and discovered that I’m autistic, so going back to the sensory hell of wearing a bra just didn’t feel necessary once I started going out more,” said Davies, who mentioned that many of her friends have also abandoned bras. “I have a lot of friends with nipple piercings, so going braless is part of their style,” she told HuffPost. “It’s fun and it’s one less layer to worry about. On the other hand, the older women in my family, even if they hate wearing bras or are staying at home, still put one on.” (Of course, the bra-less movement is also influenced by generational differences; as CR Fashion Book explains, it originated as a rebellion against societal norms and was born during the second wave of feminism in the 1960s.)
The trend of going braless is experiencing a resurgence once again. Celebrities such as Dua Lipa and Florence Pugh have incorporated sheer, bra-less looks into their regular style. Just last month, The New York Times featured an advice column discussing the cultural and legal aspects of going braless (“Is it acceptable to show my nipples, or is it considered inappropriate?” asked one reader. Legally, it may be wise to avoid Indiana; the state defines public indecency, in part, as “exposing the female breast with less than complete opacity covering any part of the nipple”).
Indeed, even in 2023, when comfort remains a top priority post-pandemic, there are still those who find the sight of a bare nipple unsettling. Pugh spoke about the backlash she faced when she wore a sheer Valentino dress at an Italian fashion show last year. “When the controversy erupted about the Valentino pink dress a year ago, my nipples were visible through a piece of fabric, and it really angered people,” Pugh explained. “People are afraid of freedom, of the fact that I’m comfortable and happy.”
Author Tia Love-DeBenedetto also shares this sentiment. She particularly detests the perception that women who don’t wear bras are just seeking attention. But as someone with breasts, she has come to expect this kind of judgment. “I’ve had large breasts since I was 13, and at every stage of their growth, I’ve witnessed others reacting to them as if I deliberately wanted to provoke them,” she told HuffPost.
Love-DeBenedetto moved to Charlotte, North Carolina from Milwaukee, Wisconsin last year and found it too hot to wear a bra. “Titty sweat and bras are a lethal combination that no one should subject themselves to unless necessary,” she quipped. “At 34, after having two kids and going braless most of the time since the pandemic, I view my breasts as a part of my body. I will cover them to avoid being nude, but I don’t wear a bra unless I feel like it.”
Sanchez, a 32-year-old comedian from Los Angeles, California, feels similarly. She only wears a bra to work or when she’s with family. “I want to keep my nipples a secret from those folks, but everyone else can know,” she said. Sanchez resents the fact that men can expose their nipples at any time, while women are expected to have Barbie doll breasts. Growing up, she received messages that primarily communicated one thing: “It’s your responsibility to protect yourself by not tempting others.” Bras were a part of that agreement. “Women have been taught, in one way or another, that their comfort is less important than the comfort of those around them,” she said. “For me, not wearing a bra is a way of saying, ‘Actually, I’m comfortable this way, and if the sight of a body part that we all have bothers you, that’s your issue, not mine.'”
Lizzie Bromley, a 25-year-old writer and yoga instructor from Los Angeles, California, also prefers going braless. However, she acknowledges that for individuals with larger breasts who require additional support, going without a bra may not be an option. Heavy breasts can cause strain on supporting body parts such as the chest, back, neck, and shoulders due to increased movement. (For most women, it’s crucial to wear a bra during exercise because of this movement.) Poor posture and back pain can result from the strain. Interestingly, as a child, Bromley was a self-appointed enforcer of bras. “I remember when I was around 9, one of my friends was wearing a swim shirt, and I could see her nipples through her shirt. I told her it made me uncomfortable,” she shared. However, when the babysitter told Bromley that it wasn’t a big deal and that no one should be ashamed of their bodies, she disagreed at the time. “Now, I completely agree with what that babysitter said.”
Now working as a yoga teacher, Bromley is accustomed to seeing protruding nipples through sports bras. “I don’t even think about it anymore,” she said. “In the past, I would have found it embarrassing for them and felt uncomfortable.” She believes that people who judge others’ bodies likely have their own insecurities, and she no longer shares those insecurities. For Bromley, the most common misconception about going braless is that it’s always a grand political statement.
“There’s this idea that…
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