MOSCOW, September 3 – RIA Novosti, Larisa Zhukova. On September 3, 1914, the first patent for the invention of the bra was issued. For more than a hundred years of its existence, this item of underwear has caused a lot of public debate. RIA Novosti found out why many women still conduct entire campaigns against wearing bras.
No bra, no problem
At the end of May, social networks were swept by an unusual flash mob. Girls from all over the world were photographed wearing braless clothes. The campaign was called "No bra, no problem" ("No bra - no problem"). It started when 17-year-old American Caitlin Juvik came to school without wearing a bra under her clothes and was scolded by the management educational institution. According to the director, the schoolgirl looked vulgar and created problems with her appearance: a male teacher complained about her. After this, a real riot began: 300 students of the institution came to school without a bra.
The struggle continued in in social networks. On her Facebook page, Caitlin explained that she had long ago chosen not to wear a bra, but with this decision she did not violate the norms of public morality. The girl added that wearing a bra is an intimate choice of every woman, and if society dictates what to choose, it makes a woman's body public.
Caitlin's page, where she calls herself the "No Bra Warrior," has attracted tens of thousands of followers in just a couple of weeks. Under the hashtag #NoBraNoProblem, more than 7 thousand photos appeared on Instagram in which girls demonstrate the benefits of not wearing bras.
The action found support among Russian women when “an educator in the field intimate relationships" Elena Rydkina took a photo without the corresponding item of clothing and wrote on her page: "If you have small breasts that do not require support, bras are an absolutely useless thing that only interferes with your life. Freedom for the breasts!” Other residents of our country chose a more down-to-earth argument to support the movement: “When it’s hot, I want to walk around in a T-shirt and without a bra, but with my size five it’s difficult,” complained one of the flash mob participants.
Bra: spicy fantasies from Ancient Egypt to the present dayOn September 3, 1914, the first patent was issued in the United States for the Caresse Crosby bra, which consisted of two scarves and a ribbon. Experts told RIA Novosti about how this item of clothing developed, what innovations were invented for convenience, whether wearing a bra is harmful or beneficial and how to choose it correctly.Instrument of torture
From the first day of the patented bra's existence, women perceived it ambiguously. Some saw in it liberation from the “shackles” of the corset, others saw it as a symbol of the oppression of a woman and her body. The item of underwear has become a kind of indicator of the mood in society.
In her book A History of Breasts, Marilyn Yalom describes two opposing attitudes toward women's breasts from ancient times: the sublime, when breast milk considered sacred, and sexy. “The ability to feed and the ability to excite compete with each other, still determining the fate of a woman,” writes the researcher. This is why the women's rights movement coincided with the anti-bra protests.
In 1968, an action began that later became known as “bra burning.” Radical women protested against the Miss America pageant, calling for the throwing away and burning of bras, false eyelashes and other feminine items, considering them humiliating. Some women even called the seemingly inconspicuous item of their underwear wardrobe an “instrument of torture.” The connection between wearing a bra and breast disease (due to impaired blood flow) was also emphasized.
Most of the girls interviewed by RIA Novosti admitted that they were forced to put on a bra. However, they described their arguments differently.
“I can’t allow myself to go without a bra at work. There are a lot of men there. When I come in trousers, everyone looks at my legs and what’s above. I’m scared to imagine what will happen if I come without a bra.”
Anna, 31 years old
“I feel protected in a bra. But I don’t go without a bra: as soon as my husband notices this, he immediately demands that I fulfill my marital duty. Not wearing a bra is a kind of call for him.”
Olga, 35 years old
“When I suddenly lost 20 kilograms, my breasts became ugly: they sagged, lost their shape, and turned into two empty bags with stretch marks. I didn’t take off my bra even in bed, but I dreamed that someday I would be able to walk without it.”
Ekaterina, 28 years old.
“It’s like I’m naked without a bra. I don’t go outside without it. I love the moment at the end of the day when it unfastens. Of course, these are some kind of clamps: probably internal shame that I’m a woman.”
Yulia, 26 years old
Fighting windmills
Bare breasts in art symbolized freedom (an example is the famous painting by Eugene Delacroix “Liberty Leading the People”), sacred motherhood (the image of the Madonna nursing a baby) and femininity (the image of Venus in the paintings of Botticelli, Titian and many others). But in life, not everyone approves of the hint of bare breasts.
Almost all the women surveyed noted that they have an extremely negative attitude towards each other if they notice the absence of an outer piece of underwear. Most of the men surveyed, on the contrary, admitted that they do not experience negative emotions when they see a girl without a bra. Some noted that this embarrassed them, while others said that this was an outright provocation.
As psychoanalyst Dmitry Olshansky explained to RIA Novosti, breasts can be treated in different ways: as a source of nutrition, pleasure, a source of pride or complexes, an element of temptation, or simply an organ of the body. There is no pathology in this as long as a person accepts his body and feels comfortable in it. Non-acceptance sometimes extends to radical surgical procedures (dysmorphophobia) and even gender reassignment. The other extreme is the refusal of cosmetics, bras and other attributes of gender.
Despite the fact that the problem of objectification of the female body does exist, everyone will also have their own perception of it: for some it is sideways glances, for others it is harassment, for others it is the possibility of flirting, the psychoanalyst emphasizes. So the anti-bra movement "is like fighting windmills": it deprives participants of individual self-expression and is associated with the extent to which a person himself can or cannot accept his body, feel his self-worth and accept gender identity.
In the summer, the question of choosing clothes in the morning sometimes turns into a puzzle. You need to understand not only what to wear, but also what underwear to choose. One-shoulder tops, open-back bodysuits and dresses with thin straps force girls to use all sorts of tricks like silicone straps, T-back bras that fasten in the front, or even push us to radical solutions. All these perversions are useless; this summer we urge you to free yourself from the shackles and take a deep breath without bras.
If we are talking about evening dress, you can safely wear a tuxedo, as well as complex dresses on a naked body. They do not include underwear. On the contrary, if under such an outfit one can guess its outline, lace is visible or a strap falls out - this is bad form.
IN Everyday life this question raises much more nuance. If you are going to wear a nightie dress, a bodysuit with shorts or a camisole with thin straps, then forget about a bra. People around you are unlikely to be against it, but don’t cross the line. These items should be made from high quality, opaque materials and, if possible, have a thin lining. Make sure that the stretch fabric is not see-through. At home it may look decent on a hanger, but in daylight you risk becoming a “naked king.”
Feel free to wear tops with wide armholes and deep necklines without a bra and don’t be afraid that the shape of your breasts will be easily visible under a tank top or basic T-shirts and thin knitted sweaters. This is a classic of the genre.
It is important to walk the edge of this sharp razor with dignity. The temptation is great (after going without a bra for some time, you may not want to return to it), but do not overuse it and soberly assess your “caliber”. There is no need to go without underwear to business meetings, exams and meeting your boyfriend’s parents, especially for those with curvy figures.
If you're not bound by a dress code, leave that hated bra at home this hot summer. Drop your shyness and just try. You will definitely like it!
In the hot summer, almost all women want only one thing - to get rid of their bra.
For example, take the example of American singer Rita Ora.
the mega agency/thesunA girl walks around New York in a chic silk dress. As you can see, it is moderately transparent.
splash news/thesun So, rule one: the material of the dress or T-shirt should not be too transparent.
J. Ufberg/Wireimage/cosmopolitan Otherwise, in bright sunlight, everyone will see your breasts.
nigeriannewsgrio Like Victoria Beckham, opt for a slip dress. It is worn under a white summer dress instead of a bra.
splash news/thesun It is not recommended to wear light-colored items without a bra. Model Lottie Moss learned this rule well.
backgrid/thesun Replace them with clothes in dark shades - they are practically not see-through. That's exactly what model Rosie Huntington Whiteley did.
the mega agency/thesun Kim Kardashian is also aware of this rule.
Getty/thesun If you prefer white, wear clothes made of fairly thick material. Well, you know - so that it doesn’t show through.
the mega agency/thesun Large breasts can also be cut without a bra, the main thing is to choose the right T-shirt.
In the summer, the question of choosing clothes in the morning sometimes turns into a puzzle. You need to understand not only what to wear, but also what underwear to choose. One-shoulder tops, open-back bodysuits and dresses with thin straps force girls to use all sorts of tricks like silicone straps, T-back bras that fasten in the front, or even push us to radical solutions. All these perversions are useless; this summer we urge you to free yourself from the shackles and take a deep breath without bras.
If we are talking about evening dress, you can safely wear a tuxedo, as well as complex dresses on a naked body. They do not include underwear. On the contrary, if under such an outfit one can guess its outline, lace is visible or a strap falls out - this is bad form.
In everyday life, this question raises much more nuances. If you are going to wear a nightie dress, a bodysuit with shorts or a camisole with thin straps, then forget about a bra. People around you are unlikely to be against it, but don’t cross the line. These items should be made from high quality, opaque materials and, if possible, have a thin lining. Make sure that the stretch fabric is not see-through. At home it may look decent on a hanger, but in daylight you risk becoming a “naked king.”
Feel free to wear tops with wide armholes and deep necklines without a bra and don’t be afraid that the shape of your breasts will be easily visible under a tank top or basic T-shirts and thin knitted sweaters. This is a classic of the genre.
It is important to walk the edge of this sharp razor with dignity. The temptation is great (after going without a bra for some time, you may not want to return to it), but do not overuse it and soberly assess your “caliber”. There is no need to go without underwear to business meetings, exams and meeting your boyfriend’s parents, especially for those with curvy figures.
If you're not bound by a dress code, leave that hated bra at home this hot summer. Drop your shyness and just try. You will definitely like it!
What things do we women do automatically every morning? We get up, put ourselves in order, put on makeup, have breakfast, dress up, not forgetting to put on a bra before... I want to talk about the latter in more detail. Has it ever occurred to you that you can completely do without this intimate attribute of the women's toilet, especially in summer heat? Many people refuse to intentionally reduce the amount of clothing they wear, because... They consider it indecent and harmful to the breasts. Where is the truth? Let's try to understand the question of how to properly wear clothes without the top of underwear and whether this is fraught with anything.
What nuances should be taken into account when refusing a bra:
the size and shape of your breasts
If you are the owner of a small breast size (from 0 to 1.5), then you do not have to worry about loss of shape or indecent appearance. You can safely afford to do without an intimate attribute, especially in hot summer weather. Those who have a breast size of 2 or more are less fortunate in this regard. In less than a couple of months you may notice sagging and loss of shape. In addition, this sight looks extremely unaesthetic, and the sensations due to the lack of a bra are not only unpleasant, but also often painful.
occasion
It is quite appropriate to do without the top part of a set of underwear if your goal is shopping, a beauty salon, a cinema, meeting with friends, etc. But here, too, it is important to adhere to the rule: the fabric should not be see-through, exposing all your charms. If your goal is to go to work, a business meeting, a presentation and other official events, you should not anger fate and appear in such a frivolous manner in front of your superiors and colleagues. Therefore, in important career situations, you cannot do without a bra.
clothing material
Soberly evaluate your reflection in the mirror under different lighting conditions, because... not all fabrics are able to “keep secrets” about your lack of a bra. The most common “traitors” are transparent and thin materials, from under which the nipples are visible. Therefore, if it is not possible to go out in a different outfit, you should take care in advance of purchasing special silicone breast stickers, which will hide the areolas in the absence of underwear. The most “secret” materials that visually hide bare breasts are dense fabrics: wool, jacquard, tweed.
style of outfit
Some clothes are simply designed to hide the lack of a bra. This applies to dresses and tops of an unusual cut, in which the breasts are fixed with special darts, corsets, cups, lacing, while looking very attractive and not provocative. If your outfit has an H or A-line, be prepared for the opposite effect. Not only do the breasts not have adequate support and can “peek out” at the most inopportune moment, but they also look flat and unimpressive.
increased attention from others
If your goal is shocking and unhealthy public interest, you will completely cope with your tasks if you “forget” your bra at home. In all other cases, first decide: are you ready for increased attention from friends and strangers, which, by the way, are not always adequate and mentally healthy. If you don’t need this kind of excitement, then perhaps you shouldn’t give up underwear for no apparent reason?
What do doctors say about this?
In the world of medicine, there are no scientifically proven facts about the dangers of bras (if, of course, they fit you in size and do not cause discomfort when worn), nor about their benefits. However, doctors do not advise hiding this intimate item in the far corner of the closet. Firstly, the bra maintains the shape of the breasts, especially after childbirth. Secondly, it serves as a kind of protection against accidental injury, which is so rich in crushing on public transport, queues, fitness classes and even ordinary household chores.
What do men think
Numerous surveys show that for the stronger sex, female breasts “in a wrapper” are more attractive. They are not at all interested in what a bra looks like on their partner’s body. Except it has to be clean.
In some ways, we are lucky that we live in a time free from conventions and tolerant of any manifestation of individuality. Therefore, if you deliberately refuse to wear a bra, you are unlikely to hear condemning words addressed to you or catch the reproachful glances of others. If you still feel more comfortable in underwear, you shouldn’t subject yourself to dubious experiments. If it is clearly unnecessary, consider all our recommendations. And please, keep your back perfectly straight every minute you spend without a bra. After all, your breasts, at least temporarily, are deprived of artificial support that allows them to maintain their shape.
Finally, we present a selection of photos of stars in clothes without a bra. Whether they managed to create a beautiful and harmonious image is up to you to judge! 
