Why We Wear Bras Every Day Without Even Considering Whether We Need Them

3 years ago

To wear or not to wear — this is the question. Some people react to women not wearing bras like it’s a normal thing, and others think that it’s vulgar. But all women know this: finding a comfortable bra is an incredibly difficult task, which then begs the question — why do women even wear bras. Maybe, it’s just a habit, like making the bed in the morning. Maybe, it’s something society imposes on us. And maybe, bras are actually good for us.

Bright Side decided to find out if it’s time to stop wearing bras, and we think you’ll find the conclusion quite interesting.

When were bras invented and what did we do before that?

Wearing a bra might have gotten its start in ancient Greece, where women would wear different kinds of breast bands, usually connected in the back. Roman women would also wear similar breast-bands for sport. This is showcased in the above Coronation of the Winner mosaic, which also earned it the nickname, the “Bikini mosaic.”
In Medieval times in Spain, girls wore lead plates to make their breasts look flat. And in France, in 1370, there was a law that required women to support their breasts with dresses. Of course, corsets were really popular at that time.
At the end of the 19h century, doctors started to speak out against corsets. This idea was supported by the suffragettes who were fighting against the inequities of women because corsets made it really hard for ladies to move.
The bras we know today are thought to have appeared in the late 1800s, but there are different stories about who created them. Some say they were made by a French woman named Herminie Cadolle, who was said to have made a 2-piece corset, the one on top was solely for the breasts. Another figure, Caresse Crosby, was said to have made a bra out of handkerchiefs and ribbons in preparation for a debutante ball, after having problems with a corset. But they might have just borrowed someone’s idea from the 15th century, as an old bra from that time was found in Lengberg Castle, in Austria.

When did women think that society made them wear bras?

In 1968, there was an annual Miss America event that was memorable because there were protests against the event itself when women were throwing away all kinds of girly stuff like fake eyelashes, shoes with high heels, and bras.
There’s an opinion that bras are another way of changing the female body to make it fit the beauty standards of a certain time period. This is the same reason why corsets were created.

Should you stop wearing a bra due to medical reasons?

Today, there are no studies that give a clear answer as to whether you should wear a bra or not. Studies always talk about the right and the wrong bras. But in reality, women buy bras that are comfortable, attractive, and inexpensive. But they often don’t know what the right bra for them is. And of course, manufacturers can’t compensate for the fact that about 25% of women have asymmetric breasts.
There is an opinion that if you stop wearing a bra, your breasts will become saggy but there’s no scientific proof for this. Breasts lose shape because of genes, hormonal changes, and aging, not because you stop wearing bras. Scientists do agree that overweight women might have even saggier breasts if they don’t wear a bra, but wearing one or not doesn’t appear to make too much of a difference after women reach middle age.
However, one study showed the possibility that when women don’t wear bras, the condition of their breasts improves because when a bra is on, the tendons and muscles stop working and the breasts lose their firmness.

Women with large breasts complain about pain in the neck, back, and shoulders and as it turns out, these issues might be caused by wearing the wrong bra. Besides, the wrong shape of a bra may cause breast problems. However, if the bra is right, it might help women with big breasts get rid of back pain.
There’s a myth that suggests that women should give up on wearing bras because it causes breast cancer. One reason for breast cancer could be obesity, but there’s no proof of a link between cancer and wearing bras.
You should not wear a bra that is past its expiration date. Yes, bras have that too. And their lifespan is not that long. As it turns out, if you wear a certain bra at least once a week, you should get rid of it after about 8 months. The thing is, bras get stretched and don’t do their job well.

Which celebrities don’t wear bras?

In the 1970s, the trend of not wearing bras appeared onscreen: actress Cybill Shepherd in Taxi Driver wore a dress and didn’t have a bra on underneath.

By the way, in 1969, actress Jane Birkin went to the premiere for the movie Slogan wearing a black, almost totally transparent mini-dress.

Jennifer Aniston still amazes fans of Friends because she didn’t wear a bra when she played Rachel. Some fans even thought that she had made some holes in her bra to make her breasts look more natural. When she was asked why she didn’t wear a bra, she said that they are her breasts, why would she be ashamed of them?

In 2014, at an award show, Rihanna was wearing a transparent dress with Swarovski crystals. And she said to journalists that they shouldn’t feel awkward because of her breasts, because they were covered by Swarovski crystals.

What do internet users think about women not wearing bras?

Well, I very rarely wear bras, and for all these years, my breasts have not become saggy. © amynemesis / Pikabu
The first time I bought a bra was before my school prom. I was shocked — it’s some kind of torture. The model was expensive and it was the right size. But it was terrible. I’ll be 23 in a week and I only wear T-shirts and I’m happy. Nobody throws rocks at me for that. © ilunga95 / Pikabu
I’m 42 and I’ve never really worn a bra. © Efritt / Pikabu
When it’s August and it’s incredibly hot, I can’t imagine how you can wear 2 “hats” made of foam rubber. © Iriliada / Pikabu
It’s like a short skirt: it’s only irritating for men if it’s on their wife. © w0w4ig / Pikabu
It’s really distracting. Even for me, and I’m a girl. © Urfilla / Pikabu
It’s fun to see men shocked because I don’t wear a bra. As if I’m completely naked or something. © lopi159357 / Pikabu
I just encountered the second guy this month who stopped me on the street to explain to me that not wearing a bra is vulgar. Buy yourself a bra and wear it then. © StulaDva / Twitter