Bras and lingerie have been around for about a hundred years now. While they are certainly less restraining than our ancestors’ corsets, they aren’t necessarily the most comfortable undergarment either. There is nothing quite like getting back home and unclipping your bra to let your girls hang free, which begs the question – do we even need to wear bras in the first place?
The answer depends on your lifestyle. Well fitting bras can provide the support and help you feel sexy and confident in your body. On the other hand ditching your bra could help you feel less restricted while you work from home.
These 14 pros and cons for wearing or not wearing a bra can help you decide what’s best for you.
Wearing a Bra
1. Pro: Can Boost Confidence
A good bra can help lift your bust and keep everything in place while you go about your day. No need to worry about any awkward peekaboo moments when your breasts are tucked up and away inside a well fitted bra.
Not only can a good bra provide support for your ladies, but a little sultry lingerie can help you feel empowered in your body. There is nothing quite like wearing a lacey set underneath your clothes like a secret weapon.
2. Pro: Supports Breast Health When Exercising
Wearing a sports bra can reduce your breasts bouncing around during your workout. Running without a sports bra is not comfortable, esepcially for women with a larger busts. A 2015 study found that women who wore high support bras while running experienced a lower rate of breast pain.
3. Con: Sports Bras Can Constrict the Ribcage
Since sports bras tend to be much tighter than traditional bras wearing one all day could cause chafing and skin irritation. Not to mention that wearing a sports all day could overly constrict your ribcage making you uncomfortable. Better to change out of your sports bra after your workout for a looser fit, or no bra at all.
4. Con: Poking and Prodding from Underwire
No one wants to constantly have to adjust their bra all day to prevent underwire from poking into their side. Luckily, there are tons of supportive bralettes and wire-free options if you don’t feel comfortable going braless.
5. Pro: Helps Clothing Fit Better
A quality bra can help smooth out your silhouette under a tight dress or tshirt to keep you looking sleek. For those with a larger bust a bra will keep everything lifted to prevent the illusion of sagging. If you have a smaller chest, a push up bra could help elevate your chest to give an appearance of cleavage and help your clothing fit tighter through the chest.
6. Con: Challenging to Find the Perfect Fit
Most women are wearing the wrong size bra, which is the reason their bras are so uncomfortable. Breast size changes due to hormones, pregnancy, and other factors. If you choose to wear a bra, measure yourself every year to six months to ensure you have the proper fit.
7. Pro: May Help Improve Posture and Reduce Back Pain
Posture correcting bras can help alleviate back pain. These bras more evently support the chest which can reduce strain on the neck and shoulders. Using a posture correctly bra should be combined with regular posture correcting exercises, talk with your doctor if you think a more supportive bra could help you.
8. Con: Poorly Fitting Bras Could Make Back and Shoulder Pain Worse
A well-fitting bra will help support your chest and alleviate the strain your bosom places on your body; however, a bra that is too tight could cause poor posture and result in pain or discomfort. Look out for bands that fit too tight across your ribcage or straps that pull down too tightly on your shoulders as these could be signs of a poor fit.
9. Pro: Doesn’t Cause Breast Cancer
A common myth is that bras constrict a woman’s lymphatic system and could increase her chance of developing breast cancer. This myth was debunked by a 2015 study which found no correlation between bras and the risk of cancer. But don’t forget to do your monthly breast exam!
Going Braless
10. Pro: Won’t Cause Premature Sagging
Another common myth argues that wearing a bra prevents premature ptosis or breast sagging. Breast shape changes are related to hormones, aging, genetics, and pregnancy. If it’s more comfortable for you, let the girls loose without worrying whether or not they’ll stay perky.
11. Pro: Free and Breezy
Whether you’re home alone or out in public, there is something freeing about being braless. No bra means no restrictions. You won’t have to worry about pinching, prodding, chafing, or pulling. Going braless could even improve blood circulation since there won’t be any elastic bands restricting blood flow.
12. Con: May Be Too Revealing
Some outits, like a tight backless dress may require you to go braless – others, like sheer blouses or button-downs, might be too revealing if you ditch your bra. Going braless in a tight tshirt may feel awkward on a cold day. You certainly don’t want any peekaboo moments during an important business meeting or while shopping for groceries.
13. Pro: Less Skin Irritation
Lose the boob sweat by ditching your bra. Tight bands can hold in moisture which can cause chafing, redness, and itching. Going braless may help if you experience chest acne or skin irritation.
14. Con: No Bra Means No Support
If you choose to go braless just know that you won’t have any support for your chest. Even if you only go on a short walk this can cause strain to tiny muscles responsible for holding up your breasts.
At the end of the day, whether or not you wear a bra is up to you! You can decide which best fits your needs on a day to day basis.