To bra or not to bra? Pros and cons of ditching the harness

Who needs a harness bra anyway? Since it’s been scientifically proven that ditching the bra = a perky pair, The Tab has provided a list of pros and cons for those of you considering going au natural.

Is there really any need for us ladies to adorn these harnesses across our chest? Professor Jean-Denis Rouillon (yes, he’s a man), of Besançon University Hospital in France, discovered on his fifteen year breast-related study that young women who wear bra’s will have boobs up to seven whole millimetres saggier per year than those who go brassiere-free.

Though many women who are well endowed in the breast department need to wear bras for architectural reasons, others, like myself, find them largely unnecessary (ain’t got nothing to support, honey) and a bit of a hassle.

Free range boobs are nothing new to students at Manchester- 2nd year PPE student Laura Reid goes bra-less on the regs, saying they make her feel ‘restricted’ as well as commenting on their unnatural nature: ‘they make me feel like I’m trying to pretend I have boobs’. An anonymous third year medic tells us she prefers to go sans-bra whilst revising, for comfort reasons, and a 3rd year Politics student (ok ok he’s a guy)  says that when wearing the right top, a braless female appears elegant and attractive rather than ‘slutty’ or inappropriate.

Here is a list of pro’s and con’s to see if you have what it takes to go sans-bra:

PROS

The wardrobe freedom

Not wearing a bra gives you so much more freedom to wear different clothes. You’ll finally be able to wear that backless dress or spaghetti strap cami without the unsightly straps protruding out, or that sheer blouse without your underwear loudly gleaming through. Most white or sheer tops will show no detection of your bare nipple, but will clearly show even the nudest of lingerie lurking underneath. 

The physical freedom

Let’s be honest, wearing a bra can be downright suffocating- straps clinging to your shoulders and all sorts of wires and fabrics digging into your skin. Once removed, you can spend your day feeling care-free and comfortable, lifting a massive weight off you’re shoulders (quite literally).

The femininity

If you’re lacking in the breast department there’s something distinctly sexy about not wearing a bra, you can swoosh around all day feeling like Kate Moss or one of those impossibly elegant French models.

Ooh la la

The power of choice

Personally, I only ever wore a bra because I was led to believe that it was what girls must do once they have reached a certain age, but seeing as there’s no scientifically beneficial reason most ladies should wear a bra it really is a matter of personal choice and doing whatever you feel the most comfortable and powerful in.

The $$$

 With most decent bra’s costing around £30 a pop, think of the money you could save!

you probably won’t save this much

CONS

Running for the bus

Actually most movement in general is a no-no if you’re a C cup or more. 

God forbid you have to run for the magic bus

The paranoia

When you’re so used to wearing a bra every day you may initially feel intense vulnerability, as if every single passer by is in on your little secret, like they know exactly what’s going on underneath your jumper. Or what isn’t.

The whoopsie-daisy

When letting your boobs roam free, there’s always the risk that one of them might pop out to say hello.

Thank god for tit-tape

Some lingerie is beautiful

Done in the right way, can add to an outfit as much as a handbag or pair of shoes.

Some lingerie can actually add to an outfit

Chilly nips

A little bit of extra padding can make a surprising difference to how warm you are. Some girls aren’t bothered if people can see that their highbeams are on,  after all a nipple is nothing to be ashamed of, but if you’re worried about a peeping nip you can easily purchase nipple covers/tape.

Smugglin peanuts

The security blanket

Bra’s can enhance the shape and size of a woman’s natural breast which can increase confidence. But surely our boobs are fine the way they naturally are? Should we really be manipulating the shape and size of what god gave to us to increase confidence and appeal to what society thinks boobs should look like?

The fear of making a tit of yourself

Some people fear of being judged for not wearing a bra for attention seeking or even a result of a lack of self care. We should go against these ridiculous old fashioned concepts and accept going braless should, and can, be an innocent and natural choice that anybody can make, and -in the least perviest way- I think it looks pretty cool.

The Tab supports Bin Your Bra, read about it here.