A Woman Refuses to Wear a Bra to Work, and Colleagues Are Judging Her

In the workplace, sometimes dress code and personal comfort can get mixed. And in today’s narrative, a woman is being confronted for choosing her comfort. Her choice is a statement that provoked varied reactions from her colleagues, raising questions about freedom of expression, gender norms, and workplace culture.

One woman shared her side of the story.

On the first day of my new job, I was wearing a sweater and pants. I don’t wear a bra. At my previous job, I had never worn a bra, and it wasn’t a problem. I hate bras, they are very uncomfortable and unnecessary.

Two people came to talk to me during my shift, saying that I was wearing inappropriate clothes and that I should wear a bra. I didn’t even know them, since it’s a new job. Plus, I’m wearing a sweater, you can’t see anything. One woman told me that she could see the shape of my boobs, as she was complaining about my clothes. I have large boobs, but I feel that what I’m wearing is completely normal.

On the second day of work, I’m also not wearing a bra, but I wear a T-shirt and a jacket. Two more people give me similar criticisms again, even though I am dressed even more conservatively than yesterday.

I know this is getting serious because one of them is the secretary of my supervisor. I defended myself by saying that the office has no dress code and that all the employees could wear what is comfortable. She said that there is still an unspoken etiquette to be followed. The shape of my boobs was mentioned again.

For the two years I spent at my previous office, I did not wear a bra once. I usually wore sweaters or T-shirts or blouses, most of the time, along with a jacket. Even though I may have large breasts, I did not see it as inappropriate or a problem.

Am I wrong here?

People were divided on their opinions.

• “The real question is whether this is a hill that you want to die on. Bras are a pretty standard attire requirement, reasonable for not. As the new person in the office, you do not have the credibility to push back on that expectation without serious career repercussions. If people notice you are not wearing a bra, something about your outfit is off.” Veroul / Reddit
• “I am afraid that even if you do not see it as inappropriate, your new workplace does. To the extent that 4 people over 2 days have said something to you. That was your supervisor sending a message via the secretary, by the way. You will get fired or let go if you continue to not wear something. Can you wear a bralette, crop top bra, comfort bra/sleep bra, or similar?” firefly232 / Reddit
• “We just aren’t there yet. We keep fighting, but we gotta pay bills too. If that many people notice it, bite the bullet.
  Unpopular opinion — you deserve to be comfortable, but not at the expense of those you work with. Not for this. If a man is wearing pants that show his package, I wouldn’t be comfortable and if I complained as a woman, guarantee he’d have to change his manner of dress.” BulkyInformation2 / Reddit

• “Women’s breasts should be normalized, but society isn’t there yet, and it is usually very noticeable. Overall, I’m saying you’re not wrong because it should be normal, but I understand it making people uncomfortable because it’s not yet. If I were you, I would wear sports bras/bralettes/camis just to keep the peace since it’s a new workplace, and you don’t want to be starting on the wrong foot.” heathahR / Reddit
• “If there is no dress code, do what you want, but also it’s in their rights to want a certain level of professionalism.” Chaliskis / Reddit
• “It’s ridiculous that people are this upset over your boobs and how you choose to dress when there’s not even a dress code. Sounds like they have a staring problem, I’m sure HR would love to hear about it.” AlwaysKirby / Reddit

• “It doesn’t matter what happened at your last job you’re not there any longer, you’re at a new job. If you really can’t handle wearing a bra, you’re going to have to look for a new job, sue this company so you can not wear one, or go back to your old company.” kellydofc / Reddit
• “I don’t think I have ever had a job that didn’t state proper undergarments needed to be worn. I can’t imagine risking employment over a bra.” SnooPeppers1641 / Reddit
• “You’re wrong for pretending not to know that most professional workplaces consider a bra part of professional attire. If you want to go against that norm, you do you, but if you have anything but A-cup breasts, people are gonna notice.” NYCQuilts / Reddit

As the story goes, it becomes evident that the woman’s refusal to stick to the conventional expectation of wearing a bra is not merely about comfort or fashion, but an example of personal autonomy and challenging societal norms in the workplace. Whether her decision will lead to change or simply highlight the importance of respecting diverse perspectives, it shows the need for ongoing conversations about inclusivity and acceptance in all spheres of life.