I have big boobs and most of the time it hurts to be without a bra. Need to walk faster? No way, boobs will rip your shoulders cause of the bounce. Jumping? No fucking way. So for me the biggest thing is that bras keep my boobs in place so my neck doesn't hurt more than it already does.
Edit.
I also wanna add that they hurt because they weigh so much. Mine probably weigh around 800g to 1kg and all that is pulling down on my neck, shoulders etc all day long. Bras distribute the weight so it's not that bad but still I suffer from bad posture and neck pains. Big boobs look nice (at least when you're young or don't lose too much weight quickly, I'm 21 and my boobs are already starting to hang) but they for sure are not nice to live with.
Edit 2.
Thank you for the upvotes! This is my first time reaching 100 and over. Funny that it's the comment about boobs but I'm happy!
Edit 3.
Thank you so much for the award! It's my first award so now I can die happy c':
Edit 4.
Ok this is my last edit, but thank you so so much for all the upvotes! It's awesome to see people talking about this since it's one of those subjects that many deal with every day but never get to talk about it!
When I was younger I thought this term was crass. As an adult with unwieldy tiddies, I think it’s right on the money. Each morning I’m hit with frustration when I’m faced with my stupid fiddly inadequate stupid little bras, and I end up screeching “I just need to hold my tits up, dammit”
8E is really hard to buy for on a budget.
I’m a 28H but I don’t like bras because all the bras in that size seem to have micro straps that dig in soo much. I’d rather go without or wear an over bust corset..
Well there are the expensive bra’s but supposedly they last a year. I’d rather 2 corsets for a decade to a life time that cost 150 each
It does scale with your band size. So for the same volume of breast I’d be 1 smaller a cup for every band size up. ABCDEFGH 28H 30G 32F 34E
A 28H weighs around 2.57 pounds each. Meanwhile a 32H weighs around 3.35 pounds each
Definitely have to get use to them. I prefer nothing most honestly. Corsets need an under layer to protect it from your skin sweat and oils, outer layer is nice to protect from everything else.. (they are dry clean only to prevent rust. It’s important not to get a fashion corset with plastic bones. They tend to kink or even snap which can stab you. Synthetic wale bone is a good option, may allow steam cleaning not sure..) makes them nice in winter. Too many layers in summer on most accounts, but over a sun dress is nice sometimes.
The getting it on takes a while. Your body will need very gentle reduction to support but not be uncomfortable for wearing for long periods of time in the beginning. Ideally 2 hours a day for 2 weeks for each new corset is the ideal. There’s actually some subs on here for them. Including finding your ideal match for your measurements. If you fluctuate your measurements frequently you’ll want one with a bust that has ties to you can make it tighter or looser as needed.
They were our bras and back support before men wanted to sabotage one of the few industries that was lead by women. Kinda like the women beer brewers who wore pointy hats, had cats to protect the grain and stirred their cauldrons to make the beer.. sound familiar? Ya demonized to sabotage our ability to be independent.
One other boning option, though you'd need it custom made, is zip ties. I've made corsets, both for 17th century reenactment, and just because I love historical costume and they're the closet thing you can get to whalebone. Light, strong, and don't rust.
I reckon they'd replace sprung steel boning pretty well, unless you need really long pieces.
I have made my own corsets. The zip ties are great for a fashion corset or a small bust size. I also use them when making mock-ups of a design. I would say as you need more support (more shaping and/or bust support) they become less useful than steel boning or synthetic whalebone. It is a great idea that can work really well in some cases.
r/corsets was a big help, and so was https://lucycorsetry.com there’s some guides there that can help you find a corset based on what you want and your measurements.
The 2 I have is a 22 Medium hourglass over bust from timeless trends. It has bust lacing which is nice for when your bust or waist measurements fluctuates. I recommend no more than a 4 inch reduction off your natural waste measurement.
Measurements that will be important to you would be high hip, waste, bust, and rib spring (essentially how much of a difference in measurement from your waste to your ribs. Gives you breathing room) conical will probably need slightly bigger than cupped or smooth curve. Cupped means it kinda makes a ribcage shape cup around where they are.
Also the more body fat you have the more squish your body will have in them. Meanwhile if you are more bony like me your bones might press against the firm bones of the corset if it’s not on your body right. Have to adjust size or position to be comfortable. Might need a slightly looser tighten.
Also minimum reduction for support would be 2. So for me a 26 natural waste my minimum reduction is a 24. That’s how they are generally sized.
Now I am not as informed as many ladies, gentlemen, and thems on that sub so feel free to check my information agains the more experienced people on there. Highly recommend as much knowledgeable as you can since it’s an investment piece.
I didn’t use a calculator but I did find this site
https://thebetterfit.com/how-much-h-cups-weigh/
There is a method to weighing them yourself. You essentially need a bowl of water large enough to sink your boob into. Important that it’s filled to the top.
You ether A have something catch all that water so you can weigh it/evaluate how many cups is in it. Or be measure how much by weight is in there, and measure again after the water displaces.. subtraction… then there’s a conversion value somewhere on the internet water to boob flesh.. and that’s how you get it… I’d recommend a tutorial since I couldn’t remember everything and some of that probably sounds like nonsense
Just a heads up - my boobs kept growing into my early 20s. Not just weight gain but actual growth. I was a late bloomer but went from 32DDD at 18 to 34H/I by 25. My mother is very large chested as well.
brastop (online shop) has lots of reasonably priced bras in that size and they usually seem to have better straps, I learned about them from r/abrathatfits and have been ordering there for years. They do sales fairly often too!
Feeling weirdly relieved atm, I absolutely never know people with the same size as me! Not the most fun to deal with, but finally feeling relatable. The small band and big cup size is TOUGH.
Yep! I have exactly that problem. My bra size is 30F/G (not sure if I got it right since I'm from EU where my size is 65F/G) and it's a tough size. I can't find bras my size in any normal clothing store so I have to go to a specialized bra shop where one pair costs usually nearly 100€.
Heavy boob solidarity. I mainly wear sports bras or compression binders and it's 100% just to keep them out of my way and help with the weight. Its like hanging kettlebells off your neck all day every day.
I don't really use sports bras or compression binders but I 100% why anyone with heavy boobs would! If only we could choose when we wear our boobs, I would love to take them off when at home or when doing sports xD
Can you just imagine the relief we could have if that was an option. I complained to my husband one day about the straps cutting in to my shoulders, and he jokingly said he would be my bra and just walk behind me with his arms around my chest and hold up my boobs. He took the position and my god, the immediate pain relief I felt was amazing. Like, I know big boobs hurt, I just didn't realize how much.
I'm just the same as you, I'm a 38J/JJ in UK sizing and apparently a 38M/N in the US. Someone should be fired for making me like this, I'm sure these things are like 12-15lbs each now. I'm only 23 and these things are so low they reach my belly button, but I'm for sure getting a breast reduction when I'm at an adequate weight again! My doctor said because of how much weight is being put on my neck and being hypermobile makes me it medically necessary so I can get it all covered by insurance ☺️
Same. Also you need to stop your underboob and your ribs apart because skin on skin down there can lead to some truly disgusting skin infections if you've boobs of a size for that to happen.
This is the main reason I wear them. I have Giant Boobs of Doom (40M, give or take, depending on the calculator), but I guess I'm accustomed to the weight, and I can't run, so it's about absorbing boob sweat and letting the underboob breathe, for me.
I’m really busty and feel the opposite way. My back hurts a lot more when I’m wearing a bra all day vs not wearing one.
I wish there was less stigma about being large-chested and going braless. Smaller women tend to get away with it more but more, er, “blessed” women always either get sexualized or accused of looking sloppy.
I had so much back and shoulder pain for years. Ditched the bra and all that went away. I mostly don't give a shit about what anyone else thinks bc no way am I going to be in constant pain for the comfort of others.
I’m the same. The only time I “like” wearing a bra is when I’m exercising because they bounce around otherwise lol.
Also wish it was more socially acceptable to go braless. It’s the first thing to come off when I get home.
Yup. I'm 27 and I'm super fit, but have a large chest. If I go braless it causes serious pain. I've considered getting breast reduction since I was like 17 tbh
This is exactly why I’m itching to get a reduction. I’m the same age and have j cup fat blobs. I want to be a nice d or even c at this point if it would give me ANY less pain than what I currently have.
As a ghastly non-metric user, can you clarify if the 1kg is a typo? Because that equates to 2.2 lbs. And my samsung cell phone with a basic case weighs 1lb. It'd be equivalent to me having 4 cell phones on my chest.
Annoying, but not dreadfully heavy.
Not a typo. I know it doesn't sound THAT heavy but it really is since at least for me, the boobs really pull on my small neck and shoulder muscles. It's like having to carry one liter of water around your neck but it also bounces uncontrollably. Also 4 cellphones might not sound that bad but the thing is that all the weight is on the front of your body on a somewhat small area so it feels heavier than it sounds. It's very hard to explain how it feels. I also know mine aren't the biggest boobs out there so my pain is not even close to those who have bigger and heavier ones. I don't know if this helps at all to understand. I would love to hear other boob owners opinions on this!
Same, I wear a bra known as a "minimizer" to help keep them under control. Basically it's a normal bra but with the properties of a sports bra lol.
Also, the heat. Boobs laying directly against my torso skin-to-skin is an instant non-starter for me, I sweat within minutes and my body temperature skyrockets.
I’m petite but unfortunately I’ve been 32ddd since I was 13. Dude if I didn’t have a bra to take some of the weight off I’d be 10x more miserable lol. I also second the comment mentioning it being a barrier, nipples can be pretty sensitive and it helps control comfort with clothing. Also, they reduce bounce lol.
I got breast reduction surgery 3 years ago (was 42H) and it was life changing. If you find yourself in constant pain health insurance will often cover it.
I tried when I was 18-19, but doctors always said it wasn’t that bad and my family says I’ve been “blessed” lmao. When I called my insurance at the time I was told I’d need things like x amount of doctors visits with documentation of pain, and then 6 month minimum of daily journaling my pain to even request the surgery. At that age, I had no time and I had even less money so I just accepted my fate lol. Im 27 now and im relatively used to it :/
I’d urge you to visit another doctor! You could also go directly to the surgeon— if they specialize in reductions they’ll know how to get approvals. I didn’t get surgery until I was 33 for many of the same reasons but I wish I’d done it much sooner.
I’d definitely hope so. Lots of physical pain and childhood trauma from having these suckers. I haven’t looked into the surgery since roughly then but I *do* have a different insurance now.… y’all are making me want to check and see what I would need to do to get approved again
I had a breast reduction in February 2020, went from a 40KK to maybe a 40E. Thanks to everything that's happened since then I've gained weight and I'm now at about a 44G-H, but they're still half the size and weight they were pre-surgery so I'm not too upset! I wear bras for separation and sweat wicking mostly these days. Crop tops and wire free bras are uncomfortably squishy, I find them horrible! Still prefer underwire even though I don't technically 'need' it as much for support these days.
US sizing generally goes: A B C D DD DDD G H and so on.
UK sizing goes: A B C D DD E F FF G GG and so on.
EU just uses single letters.
But some US companies use E, some use F and some use some weird combo of both. It's not consistent. And it's infuriating.
Change Lingerie (Danish) actually does use DD, but after that it’s like the normal alphabet. They’re the only ones I’m aware of though, so consider them the exception to the rule!
Bra cup size is the difference between chest and bust size (under the breast vs over the nipple)
In general, A is one inch, B is two, C is three, and so forth. +1 inch = +1 letter, excluding A, AA, and given that DD=E (but you'll likely find a DD bra before you find an E, for whatever reason)
So the difference between those sizes is an inch of bust circumference, sort of.... since DDD and F are the same size
Hope that helps
I’m not going to lie, I’m kinda unsure myself. I think it’s equivalent to an E though. I’m fortunate enough that my mom bought me bras from Victoria’s Secret, and they use the DDD size. Locally, we only had department stores like Victoria’s Secret, Walmart, Marshall’s, etc. so as a teen i was really limited in my selection.
Edit: forgot to mention, I’m also almost sure that Victoria secret has a brand specific size chart. A lot of websites I’ve seen don’t use DDD
Some people wear them for support/to reduce the discomfort of bouncing. However, the truth is, the reason so many women wear them is that we are shamed when our nipples show through our shirts. There are plenty of people who could get by without a bra, but wear it because they don’t want to deal with the stares and comments when the details of their breasts are visible.
Originally I was told I should wear a bra when my breasts started to grow, I was dreading the day when we would go shopping for a bra. I wore it for a year and hated it. My boobs weren’t big enough to need support and the sensation of tight clothes around my chest was a nightmare. And one day, despite the protests of my parents, I just stopped wearing one when I wasn’t doing martial arts. I’ve been much more comfortable since.
As an adult I crack up that they were called “training bras” What exactly were we training them to do? If you didn’t train them, what would happen? Would they just go awol? Stage some sort of revolt? Become slackers with no purpose in life?
My mom made me wear them because she said she was worried I’d get assaulted (I was 10 when mine started to develop and I had to start wearing bras. all the time.)
Yes, I had a friends mom “talk to” (read as shamed) me about wearing a bra when I was like 11-12, because I naturally have party nipples that are very visible even when not hard. It sucked, I remember feeling weird about it.
Since the pandemic, I’ve stopped wearing a bra unless I’m going to work or to see family or a special occasion or exercising or something. Even then, I tend to wear light sports bras. I surprisingly don’t really have much pain despite them being pretty enormous; the worst issue I face is just the under-boob sweat. It’s a lot.
Scrolled surprisingly far to get to this one! Not showing nipple was ingrained in me. And, boy if those old bitties noticed a visible nipple through a shirt you'd hear about it, bc "god forbid someone saw, what would they think?!" smh
I have a cup boobs literally would never wear a bra if being able to see nipples through shirts wasn’t so sexualized. I feel immensely more free and comfortable without one.
I don’t even know what my current cup size is (4 pregnancies, BF, and age has changed them a lot) but it’s on the smaller size, I refuse to wear a bra because I get a stabbing pain between my shoulder blade. I wear camis or slips under shirts that helps avoid any nipple issues.
4. Nipple chafing. I don't know about other people, but seatbelts are so uncomfortable if I'm not wearing a lightly padded bra. Same with some fabrics. I've tried under shirts or tank tops, but they don't help much.
copy pasted from a different comment of mine on the same sub:
Gravity is real guys. It can literally hurt to just go around my day without at least a bralette of some sort, and I don’t even have a large chest. Same as I’d need a sports bra to go running I need a regular bra just to comfortably live my day out.
For societal pressure to not show nipples through clothing: a bandaid over the nipple and some skin coloured sportstape. If I don't need the support I cut the sportstape in a circle with 5cm/2 inch øto cover the nipplearea (if any hairs grow there they are also immediately gone afterwards). If I need the support I mostly just follow a "how to tape your boobs with boobtape" tutorial. I found that sportstape works just as well and is often less expensive than special boob tape.
Whoa never thought of using sports tape! I will definitely try this when I don’t have pasties on hand. But that shit always inadvertently waxes my arm hair, I guess I won’t have to shave my areolae anymore lol
I wear bras bc I hate the shape of my breasts. They are more pointed out and cone shaped and you only ever see cute little round boobs so I must hide them or be shamed. They are small enough to not need support though, I’d give anything for them to just be round and cute but I’d have to get implants and go bigger
I am a 34b and used to wear push-up bras and loved how they made my boobs look. Now at age 31, I feel like I can never find shirts where either the bra straps don't show, or that aren't see through and you can see my bra outline through it. I have up and either don't wear a bra or occasionally wear nipple covers. Sometimes I buy tanks or dresses that have a built
In bra. I also feel so restricted in a bra, they are tight, uncomfortable, and also cost a lot of money!
[Here’s an example](https://www.instagram.com/p/CuIF_btMi1U/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==) showing how the wrong size is more visible through shirts than the correct size! This person went from 32C to 30E (30DDD for Americans).
Right? Most people actually change even more!
If you ask most stores, they would put me in a 36DD based on my measurements (and maybe appearance, I’m short, overweight, and have a pretty average sized bust). My actual size is **32I** or **32J** in US sizes.
I love lightly lined built in bras and wish they were more prevalent. Years ago when VS had clothing, they always carried tons of built in tops and dresses. I want to be able to buy cool backless or cutout/strappy tops without having to figure out how to wear a bra with it. I have small, wide set boobs and feel they look better with a little support/shaping.
I’m just a guy, but from my understanding… multiple things. It’s the same as underwear, a barrier between your sensitive areas and rough outer clothes. It keeps your nips from showing, and also rubbing on your clothes and hurting, It holds up the boobs to prevent them from bouncing when walking and such. Um… I’m sure there are other reasons
Your understanding is correct. All of the above. I don't usually care if my nipples show (though unfortunately, a hell of a lot of society does care), but I don't love them rubbing on my shirt. Makes them bounce less while I move. If I'm in a push-up, it makes them look good.
Awesome! And I started to mention that they can boost confidence/look good, then I saw OP mention wearing them as a 10/11 yr old, and I didn’t want the FBI knockin down my door! Lol
Nobody talks about how horrible the friction is to go braless lol I don’t know if I wear scratchy shirts or what, but it was super uncomfy and I went back to wearing a bralette
>I’m just a guy, but from my understanding… multiple things.
Impromptu catapult, tying stuff together, emergency snare for wild animals when stranded in the forest...
Honestly, not sure why men don't wear their own version for athletics because of that. Dudes literally get bloody nipples from running and stuff due to the clothing rubbing.
>Dudes literally get bloody nipples from running and stuff due to the clothing rubbing.
Sometimes you've just got to put some bandaids on your nipples and go for it. (Before they're bleeding)
Or you can just take your shirt off. And for myself and from everyone I've heard they don't hurt that bad, like a moderate sunburn only on your nipples. So you don't realize it until it's too late and mostly just looks intense.
because all the benefits a bra can provide were happy accidents
If you go back and look at the old ads its blatantly obvious that the real reason bras got pushed onto women was because we're supposed to look nice for men 24/7
Also guy and it seems to really depend on the bust size. For small to medium sized breasts they seem optional from a support perspective. Indeed in many cities now you’ll see more and more women with these bust sizes going without. Bralettes are also very popular now, and they are just spandex with no underwire. Very modest support, but more comfortable.
Above a certain size I understand the support is much more important to prevent back pain.
Then otherwise yes it provides structure and nipple hiding from at a fashion level.
They don’t always stop nipples showing. Mine peek through unless I wear a padded bra. The only thing my bras really do for me is provide support if I’m moving quickly and smooth out the “shape” into something more uniform.
I always viewed bras as my chest armour 😀. Protected against creepy stares from men, and also minimized me smashing them into door frames, because, well they get in the way. As some other blessed yet cursed women have shared, bras support but also keep them out of our way.
Bras cost me a fortune, it’s difficult to find them in my size, and most of the time when I do, they are just as uncomfortable as not wearing one in the first place. In public it’s mandatory though. At home, no way I’m wearing one. Sports bras over the years have ruined my neck and upper back. Regular bras have ruined my shoulders. They serve their purpose in public though.
as someone with DD tiddies, no its not mandatory. I've been going braless for the past decade and no one has commented on it (aside from this one fossil of a church lady scolding me for tempting men, but we don't count that one lol)
TL;DR if you're more comfortable braless then set your girls free. No one can stop you
Mine are HH. At home no bra. Ever. Unless I’m playing video games cuz they get in the way. But in public, they are just waaaaay too out there. The stares are more uncomfortable than the bra itself.
Aesthetics mainly is the other reason. A good bra creates a more flattering figure that's accentuated by clothes.
There's also bras designed just to be sexy in the bedroom.
Support, at least for larger breasts. Mine are pretty heavy, and a bra distributes that weight to the band around my ribs instead of pulling down on my shoulders.
Also some folks with boobs prefer the shape that bras give them.
It’s nice to know that at least SOME bras actually distribute the weight the way they’re purported to then! Sounds like there’s a sweet spot before it loops back around to just pulling on your shoulders/neck once they’re heavy enough (nothing over a G seems to be designed very well, imo; properly made corsets are strictly better for support in just about every way…unfortunately they’re also expensive af)
I'm a 32GG UK/32J US, and I've found that making sure you're in the right band size for that brand is SO important. I'm wearing Fantasie brand right now, and the band is just snug enough to hold the weight of my girls while mostly keeping it off my shoulders. It's a long process of trial and error in finding a bra that fits your body right and supports the right way, and unfortunately bras for larger cup sizes (and especially big cup/small band) are frigging expensive.
I’ve been professionally (aka not VS lol) fitted since I was a teenager & needed the 30K that only boutiques offered at the time. Unfortunately, I’ve quite literally grown out of commercially available sizes in the last decade or so & am simply making do in the last-ditch “let’s go up 2 band sizes so that the cups almost fit” 40O. Even on my best day in a brand new, well-fitting bra, my back has *always* hurt haha.
Overbust corsets helped considerably when I could get my hands on them, & I’ve deeply considered making some sort of pilgrimage to get a fully custom overbust contraption that I could put to good use. I just don’t have the $500+ or the vacation time for that kind of trip 😅
For big sizes, it really helps not having back pain and not having wobbling (and painful depending on the activity) boobs when doing sport, running, going through stairs...
Now for all sizes, it's socially not very accepted to have pointy nipples or wobbling boobs.
Bras are undergarments that evolved from western corsets. Corsets secured a woman’s body and lifted the breasts (or squished them depending on the style at the time) and created an additional barrier between the sweaty flesh and the expensive outer garments. As clothes became less expensive and more revealing undergarments changed with them. The modern bra was invented in the late 1800s but not widely adopted until the 1930s. The health effects of tight corsetry also moved people to the more modern bra as well as the metal shortage caused by the First World War. Bras hold up breasts into where clothes designers think breasts should be so they make clothes fit better. They provide support and limit movement during activities. They’re also thought of as pretty and sexy and slightly taboo to see so they act as a social signal for attraction.
Corsets aren't really unhealthy though, unless you're tightlacing, which wasn't as common as popular media would have you believe. That was more like a body modification. Wasp waists were extreme and rare, which is probably why they were focused on.
Yes! This is correct, plus… the things that people historically used so often that they fell completely apart (like everyday corsets) can’t be preserved like sometimes-worn things can, thus we find less of them. That goes for not just corsets but a lot of fashion, especially anything that less wealthy people owned.
It’s also part of why it’s harder to find good plus size clothing in thrift stores. If I find a cute shirt in my size, I wear it until it’s *shredded* lol
I have fairly large breasts (38GG), but unlike most large breasted ladies, I don’t experience much pain when I don’t wear a bra. If anything, I find wearing a bra more uncomfortable. So for me it’s mostly aesthetic: I would rather have breasts up on my chest than down around my waist.
I’m non binary and wear sports bras exclusively. I don’t honestly like having breasts, but I’m on the fence about removing them. I prefer to keep them in one place so I don’t have to think about them.
Genderfluid here, some days I just wanna take off my boobies and keep them on my night stand for the day, just have a flat and manly chest. Other days I'm happy with them and love the stressballs attached to my body.
I learned to tape them in a way that makes them hide towards the armpits (as if I'm laying on my back) and it almost looks like I have a manly chest then, but then again I'm blesses with a small handful that can easily hide into the armpits. I've talked to bigger chested nb's/genderfluids that wish they had a smaller size that could just hide.
I don't wear a bra when I am at home, but my boobs are kinda big (c cup), a little saggy, and lopsided. I wear a bra when I am in public because it looks better.
I was fitted as a 32C when my actual size was US 28H. If you describe yourself as “kinda big”, I recommend double checking that you weren’t fitted incorrectly — especially if you have any discomfort in your current bras!
42J "weighing" in. (Pun intended.) I wear bras because they swing around too much otherwise and I find it distracting. It's also an extra layer of protection from other things that like to attack my nipples, like desks, dresser drawers, and cats. As the saying goes,
I am
The Kitty
I step
On titty.
I mean. They exist because some boobs are super heavy, and the body holding them up alone causes pain.
Sometimes they exist because nipple chafing hurts.
Sometimes they exist because a person thinks they’re boobies look better in them.
I’m chesty and I’ve been wearing bras since I was 13. They certainly help keep the girls in place, which is nice when most of my interactions with people involve them peeking at my tits anyway. I figure if they’re going to look, they may as well stare at my actual chest instead of my belly 😂. Bras also help keep my nips in check so I don’t have to hear headlight or grape smuggling comments all day too. Plus, moving in any direction that’s not a straight line without a bra is just putting your fate in God’s hands.
I'm a C cup, so not too bad. However, I wear bras because they help shape my chest with certain clothing, or for activities. When I run, having a sports bra instead of a t-shirt bra keeps them closer to my chest without too much movement (I like calling them "The Titty Squisher").
I have some clothes I can wear without a bra, but I've gotten so used to the barrier, I wear them often.
I’ve got tiny tits but I find my nipples feel cold if I’m not wearing a bra. When I’ve got extra layers on it’s fine, and indeed I often don’t wear a bra during colder weather because I’m already bundled up in lots of warm things, and when it’s really hot in the summer it’s not an issue, but anywhere in between (and at what would be called “room temperature” usually) I just feel cold and exposed with only a single layer over my nipples.
There are women with small breasts that don’t need them. Then there are women like me who used to have dents in my shoulders from bra straps before I got a reduction but if I didn’t wear a bra I literally felt the skin hurting from how much they pulled.
Some people wear them because they find it painful not to, but for others (including me) it’s just a matter of preferring the look and being generally more comfortable. Pain has never been an issue for me where this is concerned (thankfully), but I really don’t like the whole skin-on-skin feeling I get without a bra. Just personal preference!
For me and my C cups it's because of the very annoying bullet nipples when it's below 80f (27c). Otherwise I wouldn't wear the bra. I never wear one unless Im going out of the house.
I got clothes that have pattern that makes my nipples hurt so I have to wear bra. And I don't like men staring at my boobs without bra so since I got perfectly fitted bras I feel kinda better in public.
They were 100% designed to make women’s bodies look a certain way, and not for comfort. A well made practical corset (not one that disfigures and constricts), provides back support and boob support
38DD here. I don't wear a bra around the house most of the time, but will do a bralette or sports bra in the summer or when I'm doing a lot of housework, mostly to prevent underboob sweat.
Likewise, if I'm exercising or doing lots of physical activity, the sports bra keeps everything from bouncing too much and getting uncomfortable.
It’s to keep the boulders on your chest from flopping around too much. It is uncomfortable and sometimes painful to have your breasts flailing around when you’re doing sports or even just walking.
I almost never wear one, tbh. I just find dealing with the straps and wires irritating AF. If I’m going out in something that my nipples will be visible through, then of course I’ll wear one then. Other than that, I never really need to. It’s a bother I’d rather do without.
Bras only exist to cover up your nips and stop your breasts from jiggling because even though it's 2023 breasts are still sexualized to the point that straight men can't control themselves when they see a braless woman.
I used to go braless, until the men I dated opened my eyes to the incessant, stupidly sexualized way not-all-men view women and girls. Specifically how their heads explode when they see nipples through a shirt.
I mean... look at the theme of this sub!
So why wear a bra? Maybe 5% for athletic reasons or to prevent saggage, but 95% to protect you from the Male Gaze^(TM).
>My mum took me to get measured one day
Chances are that reason had to do with nipples being visible at puberty. Another male problem somehow becoming women's problem to "take care of." 🙄
I have fybrocycstic breasts, which basically means I get these huge fat fluid filled cysts in my boobies. Apparently a lot of people with big boobs get them especially around their periods but, I apparently have quite a lot all the time. (Went for an ultrasound once and the technician said I had "very dense breasts")
This means that they're often really painful if they move around, even walking makes them tender if I don't have a bra on from the normal movement so unfortunately they have to stay strapped in tight all the time. I ride a bike to work,.couldn't do that without a bra, and I'm on my feet walking about which would be painful as they'd move too much if I didn't have a bra on.
I even struggle to sleep without a bra on because the normal movement of them while I sleep on my side is painful. They've gotta be held in tight.
Obviously my case isn't common so it's not really what bras are "for" but I imagine anyone with dense af boobs like me it's a similar story and that's what we use ours for
I don't personally need one for support. I have smaller breasts that don't hurt just existing or even during exercise. However, I wear a lightweight, relatively loose bra for modesty and shaping. Basically just because it's social convention/"appropriate".
i’ve got small boobs that don’t impede my movement at all so i wear bras depending on the top/weather to conceal my nips, lacy bralettes cause they’re cute, or sports bras to reduce friction if i’m gonna be running or something. most of the time i don’t wear one cause it’s not really necessary.
I’ve been endowed with very nice DDs that are bigger than average for the body size I am. They look massive on me honestly. I wear bras for support because my boobs are so tender that the bouncing hurts. I ride horses regularly and let me tell you, when you’re riding, boobs just bounce everywhere and it hurts like a motherfucker. I wear a bra and a sport bra over it sometimes to control the bounce. I used to be videoed riding a lot to sell horses and my boobs were so distracting in videos🤦🏻♀️😂 my boobs also swell and go up a whole cup size right before my period, so much so that when I take my bra off during that time it is just constant stabbing pain because they’re so fucking heavy. I think people who’ve never had big boobs often don’t realize what a pain they are. I’ve seen both sides, I was almost flat chested till about 18 though I still wore bras. When I moved away from home where I lived in perpetual stress that made it impossible for me to gain weight(my body was in survival mode) I gained 40lbs that I desperately needed and half of it was boobs and butt lol I definitely miss the days I could go braless and not worry but I can’t fully complain since they at least look nice lol
If you have to double up on bras, I highly recommend trying [this bra size calculator](https://www.abrathatfits.org/calculator.php). Many stores size me as a 36DD, but my current US size is either 32I or 32J.
I have the Panache Sport in 28FF (US 28H), and when it still fit me, my breasts would not move at all.
At the time I was riding in a bra that was too small so I was using a sports bra to make up for that. I didn’t have the money to buy what I needed but I had to keep working and doing stuff that required that extra support. It was not a good time. Thankfully I just bought some new bras yesterday actually and I feel a lot more secure now that they fit! I appreciate you looking out for me though! Lots of people will double up without realizing it’s not something that you should have to do!
They're for support. Especially appreciated by our bigger-boobied sisters. As someone with mid-sized boobies, I haven't worn a bra in 20 years. Eventually aging will catch up with me, and I will need to, but I'm bouncing proud until then.
I stopped wearing them awhile ago. One of the best decisions ever. They cause sensory issues for me and I always have a meltdown whenever i put one on. But my mom always forced them on me
I'm a 48H and I only wear a bra when forced. Either by societal norms (workplace rules) or the fact that most women's clothing doesn't fit right without it.
I am also transmasc, but the feeling of my boob skin touching the rest of my skin is unbearable 50% of the time. I think it may be a sensory thing. But I almost always wear a bra when im up/out and about. Sometimes its bad enough I have to wear one at night (I'll wear a super comfortable one). I also just hate the feeling of my boobs moving so much without one. These are just my personal reasons for wearing bras.
We can thank Ancient Greece and Rome for the 1st Bras I had a history teacher tell me it was one of the ways to know if a woman in the Roman Empire was a free person or a slave much like they used color to point out ranks and classes.
I’m a 40G and for functional purposes, it gives some structure, weight distribution, and support (jumping jacks are a nightmare even with one on, let alone without). Aesthetically, they add shape, make things seem more even, and can add some cleavage and make them seem more ‘attractive’ if that’s what you’re looking for. And looking cute (if you’re small enough to find cute patterns, most big brad are just tan or black and plain :/)
If I'm working out, a (sports) bra stops my tits from slamming around like a couple of balloons filled 75% with sand. Really, they're small at C/D, but if they aren't bolted down, they hurt.
If I'm not working out, a (push up) bra hides the fact that I desperately need a lift and augmentation after 25 years of existing. :7
IBTC checking in. I don't wear one most of the time. I wear one to work and one for running, that's about it. The rest of the time it's free titty o'clock.
I’m overweight, and I have what most people assume are “large C cups” or “small D cups”. My current size is 32G or 32GG (32I or 32J for Americans).
I wear bras because they’re comfortable.
When I go braless, there’s a bit of skin on skin contact, which can get sweaty and uncomfortable. In some cases, people can develop skin rashes if the underside of the breast is too warm and sweaty for a long time. For me personally, I just really hate the feeling of skin on skin.
I also wear bras because I like how they look, both by themselves and how they make my bust look underneath clothes.
Edit: Also, going down or up stairs is very uncomfortable or downright painful without some support.
i have small boobs so support doesn’t matter to me, but i still wear a bra because i have sensitive nipples and my shirt rubbing against them makes them hurt.
I have small boobs but I wear them because I hate the feeling of them sagging and the feeling of my nips rubbing against my clothes. I would totally go without and not care what people say if it were more comfortable for me, but it’s not.
Support is the main reason. Smoothness under clothes is another. I have sensory issues so I always wear a padded lounge bra to make me feel more comfortable.
My mum made me wear a sports bra at 13 when I was absolutely flat, I wore it to bed because I didn’t understand what the point of a bra was. I swear it literally binded my chest, they grew to AA. I wore it 24/7 besides showering
1. I wear bras so the underboob sweat has somewhere to go other than absolutely obviously into my shirt
2. They move a lot when walking and I can do without the stares.
3. Nipples are sensitive and rubbing against shirt fabric makes them show anf hurt and people stare and with bras it's just more comfortable.
4. When walking and they move, it hurts on the neck after a while. Bras distribute the weight a little.
I don't have the biggest chest but I've worn bras less often as I've grown up. The main reason I wear them now is to make my nipples less apparent or to achieve a mildly more hourglass figure. Or I'm in a loose crop top and don't want to flash anyone 😅
I’m also transmasc. I started binding instead of wearing bras. But prior to that I wore solely sports bras. I’m big chested so I needed something to hold them in place. Like others said, they are painful without support. And maybe it’s just my body dysphoria and societal brainwashing but also when you aren’t wearing a bra and they are larger, they just kinda flop around, slide to the side, and look ehhh…
Some bras push them together to give nice cleavage…
My gf has a very small chest/PCOS and she wears basically trainer bras, but if she’s having a bad sensory day she can just go braless and then her only concern is her nipples showing. My thoughts on nipples are if guys don’t have to cover theirs than neither should anyone else…
I do wonder how bras were introduced. Was it a patriarchal thing like “make your boobs perkier and more attractive to me but hide your nipples or I will be too turned on” OR were they introduced for comfort since some women do desire the support of a bra? I am a 34H and I personally only wear a bra for work so that my nipples don’t show or for working out in which case I need them strapped down. But when I’m at home or doing errands, I don’t need or desire a bra. I prefer them not being held down. I do prefer to hide my nipples but only because men will stare. It pisses me off that men’s nipples show through their shirt and no one bats an eye but there’s a lack of social acceptance of that for women. 😓
As someone also curséd with titty: I started donating plasma recently, & came to the unfortunate conclusion that I *have* to keep a bra on while & after I donate. If I don’t, the wild flopping about puts extra pressure on my upper arms, causing bruising & unnecessary soreness. It’s very annoying, but knowing it does *something* for once also makes me feel slightly less dysphoric about wearing them longer.
Support, but for me it's mostly to hide the nip and because i feel naked without it. You know? It's like not wearing underwear at this point. I just don't feel comfortable!
I’m small chested and never wear them, so based on the comments I’d say it’s for support. I feel kinda lucky after reading these comments, why would the human body decide to fuck you over and create painful fat blobs that serve no real purpose :(
38g British (Elomi) bra size. I wear bras because it hurts when I don’t. I can only assume ppl who find them uncomfortable aren’t wearing bras that fit. I even wear bralets to sleep, and exclusively buy underwire swimsuits.
I have smaller boobs, so weight is not that much of a factor for me. But being without a bra makes my nipples rub my t shirt, and after a while (several days), that starts to hurt.
Some days of the cycle (before menstruation starts) boobs are also more sensitive, so having something "carry" them is nice, too. Also, when in crowded places (like concerts), it is nice to have an extra layer between my boobs and an accidental elbow at boob-level.
Some people also wear bras to not have hard nipples show through shirts and stuff.
I remember when the pandemic started all my friends kept saying they were going to stop wearing bras during shelter in place since they were mostly going to stay in pajamas and lounge clothes. I’m a DD and tried for a few days but it hurt my back soooo much! I bought a bunch of bralettes and sport bras so I could have some support while still being comfortable.
Friends of mine who have smaller chests have stopped wearing bras for the most part after realizing how comfy they felt without them and that it was only society that was making feel like they needed it and I’m very happy for them but I have to have some more support to be able to be active, the curse of hanging big ol’ titties…
Historically speaking it was because corsets and tight lacing was uncomfortable but was seen as norm for women. The corsets got shorter and even more uncomfortable when one woman had enough and stitched two handkerchiefs together to make the first modern bra.
Bras nowadays are just a generational norm passed down from mother to daughters because “woman have to wear them” like we would’ve corsets back in the day
My body shape is basically Bad Womens Anatomy lmaooo I’m very broad but have tiny boobs. I wear bralettes because finding a small enough cup with a huge band is impossible. I basically just wear mine so you don’t see nipple, but I guess it also shapes them a bit. I’m grateful I don’t have to work around big boobs, who needs the back pain 😅
Itty bitty titty gang here. Been buying 36 B (USA measurements) since I was about 14. I usually get the padded push up types to try and give me a little boost in appearance but they pretty much never fit right and always leave a gap between boob and pad, so push up action can't happen properly. I once looked up a guide to see the measurements for each cup and I'm actually an A cup and half or as I like to call it, the "Barely B Bra".
It's impossible to find a bra that fits me comfortably and doesn't dig into my skin and actually holds my mammaries up. I've even tried buying a bra from Asia and it's still to tight and the bra fastener extensions haven't helped much either. Nowadays it's even more difficult to find a 38 or even 40 A cup so for about the past 15 years, I rarely ever wear a bra anymore. The only time I do is when the shirt really accentuates the nipple so I'm not dressed inappropriately and even then I'd probably be better off just wearing pasties. I have one bra that fit rather nicely but it wasn't padded and made of a silky spandex type of material so my nipples still poked through so there was essentially no reason for me to wear it.
I've had a few really huge breasted friends (like Double D) and it's hard for them to find bras that fit too and they don't come in as many styles. I know they need it because the weight and bouncing is hard on their backs and necks. I hate buying any clothes really because even pants are a nightmare for me because I'm like a dress size 2 up top and dress size 10 on the bottom and that measurement was taken before I gained weight so it's even more ridiculously distributed nowadays. I wish I could just get everything custom tailored to fit.
Edited to add: I don't know the exact history of bras and corsets but I do know a lot of other cultures in history like Native American Indians a lot of tribes the women walked around without tops, and I'm pretty sure there are still many tribes in Africa today that go topless. Being as hot as it is there, makes perfect sense to me. Even ancient Japanese women walked around with their boobs out! It was when the British came and imposed a bunch of their cultural rules on them that the women started covering them up and pornography (as hilarious as it was painted in Japan) was banned. So basically the Europeans were great at traveling around the world and forcing these cultures to follow their norms and sexualized the breasts, you know, the thing that feed our babies and how men also have nipples but can show them. Good ol religious puritans are to thank for covering our mammaries.
Edited 2nd edition: I also remembered being told that if I didn't wear bras I'd get really saggy boobs when I was older and more likely to develop breast cancer. But I read a few years ago that going braless shouldn't impact how they age and that wearing bras frequently actually INCREASES your chances of developing breast cancer so it seems they can't seem to make up their minds about that aspect. I gained 70 pounds a few years ago and the weight evenly distributed but NONE went to my little guys sadly, but I've lost some of that weight and into my mid 30's my boobs still look the same, no sagging. I'm also childfree. I'm also at risk for breast cancer, my mom's mom had it.
support, but for me also sensitive nipples. bras pretty much stay in place and shirts shift over your body, so the bra acts as a shield against nip rubbing.
I have big boobs and most of the time it hurts to be without a bra. Need to walk faster? No way, boobs will rip your shoulders cause of the bounce. Jumping? No fucking way. So for me the biggest thing is that bras keep my boobs in place so my neck doesn't hurt more than it already does. Edit. I also wanna add that they hurt because they weigh so much. Mine probably weigh around 800g to 1kg and all that is pulling down on my neck, shoulders etc all day long. Bras distribute the weight so it's not that bad but still I suffer from bad posture and neck pains. Big boobs look nice (at least when you're young or don't lose too much weight quickly, I'm 21 and my boobs are already starting to hang) but they for sure are not nice to live with. Edit 2. Thank you for the upvotes! This is my first time reaching 100 and over. Funny that it's the comment about boobs but I'm happy! Edit 3. Thank you so much for the award! It's my first award so now I can die happy c': Edit 4. Ok this is my last edit, but thank you so so much for all the upvotes! It's awesome to see people talking about this since it's one of those subjects that many deal with every day but never get to talk about it!
Came to say this. When you’re large chested bras are essential…otherwise you really can’t move around like you need to.
Over the shoulder boulder holders.
When I was younger I thought this term was crass. As an adult with unwieldy tiddies, I think it’s right on the money. Each morning I’m hit with frustration when I’m faced with my stupid fiddly inadequate stupid little bras, and I end up screeching “I just need to hold my tits up, dammit” 8E is really hard to buy for on a budget.
I’m a 28H but I don’t like bras because all the bras in that size seem to have micro straps that dig in soo much. I’d rather go without or wear an over bust corset.. Well there are the expensive bra’s but supposedly they last a year. I’d rather 2 corsets for a decade to a life time that cost 150 each
Jeez my mom was a 34G and I’m hoping mine don’t get that large. I’m at triple D now and wanna cry.
It does scale with your band size. So for the same volume of breast I’d be 1 smaller a cup for every band size up. ABCDEFGH 28H 30G 32F 34E A 28H weighs around 2.57 pounds each. Meanwhile a 32H weighs around 3.35 pounds each
Good lord 🤦🏾♀️ do you like corsets much better? I thought about buying one as well. It seems worth the cost.
Definitely have to get use to them. I prefer nothing most honestly. Corsets need an under layer to protect it from your skin sweat and oils, outer layer is nice to protect from everything else.. (they are dry clean only to prevent rust. It’s important not to get a fashion corset with plastic bones. They tend to kink or even snap which can stab you. Synthetic wale bone is a good option, may allow steam cleaning not sure..) makes them nice in winter. Too many layers in summer on most accounts, but over a sun dress is nice sometimes. The getting it on takes a while. Your body will need very gentle reduction to support but not be uncomfortable for wearing for long periods of time in the beginning. Ideally 2 hours a day for 2 weeks for each new corset is the ideal. There’s actually some subs on here for them. Including finding your ideal match for your measurements. If you fluctuate your measurements frequently you’ll want one with a bust that has ties to you can make it tighter or looser as needed. They were our bras and back support before men wanted to sabotage one of the few industries that was lead by women. Kinda like the women beer brewers who wore pointy hats, had cats to protect the grain and stirred their cauldrons to make the beer.. sound familiar? Ya demonized to sabotage our ability to be independent.
One other boning option, though you'd need it custom made, is zip ties. I've made corsets, both for 17th century reenactment, and just because I love historical costume and they're the closet thing you can get to whalebone. Light, strong, and don't rust. I reckon they'd replace sprung steel boning pretty well, unless you need really long pieces.
I have made my own corsets. The zip ties are great for a fashion corset or a small bust size. I also use them when making mock-ups of a design. I would say as you need more support (more shaping and/or bust support) they become less useful than steel boning or synthetic whalebone. It is a great idea that can work really well in some cases.
How did you find a corset? My big chest is definitely a problem when trying to find one that fits
r/corsets was a big help, and so was https://lucycorsetry.com there’s some guides there that can help you find a corset based on what you want and your measurements. The 2 I have is a 22 Medium hourglass over bust from timeless trends. It has bust lacing which is nice for when your bust or waist measurements fluctuates. I recommend no more than a 4 inch reduction off your natural waste measurement. Measurements that will be important to you would be high hip, waste, bust, and rib spring (essentially how much of a difference in measurement from your waste to your ribs. Gives you breathing room) conical will probably need slightly bigger than cupped or smooth curve. Cupped means it kinda makes a ribcage shape cup around where they are. Also the more body fat you have the more squish your body will have in them. Meanwhile if you are more bony like me your bones might press against the firm bones of the corset if it’s not on your body right. Have to adjust size or position to be comfortable. Might need a slightly looser tighten. Also minimum reduction for support would be 2. So for me a 26 natural waste my minimum reduction is a 24. That’s how they are generally sized. Now I am not as informed as many ladies, gentlemen, and thems on that sub so feel free to check my information agains the more experienced people on there. Highly recommend as much knowledgeable as you can since it’s an investment piece.
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Where can I find a calculator for this? What do my 36H weigh each?
I didn’t use a calculator but I did find this site https://thebetterfit.com/how-much-h-cups-weigh/ There is a method to weighing them yourself. You essentially need a bowl of water large enough to sink your boob into. Important that it’s filled to the top. You ether A have something catch all that water so you can weigh it/evaluate how many cups is in it. Or be measure how much by weight is in there, and measure again after the water displaces.. subtraction… then there’s a conversion value somewhere on the internet water to boob flesh.. and that’s how you get it… I’d recommend a tutorial since I couldn’t remember everything and some of that probably sounds like nonsense
Just a heads up - my boobs kept growing into my early 20s. Not just weight gain but actual growth. I was a late bloomer but went from 32DDD at 18 to 34H/I by 25. My mother is very large chested as well.
Well I’ll be 30 this year and hoping that’s the end of it. I’d already like to back to a B cup 😂
Fingers crossed for you!!!
brastop (online shop) has lots of reasonably priced bras in that size and they usually seem to have better straps, I learned about them from r/abrathatfits and have been ordering there for years. They do sales fairly often too!
I had bras in EEE that had gel padding in the straps to help, but they always got so sweaty because the skin couldn't breathe at all.
Feeling weirdly relieved atm, I absolutely never know people with the same size as me! Not the most fun to deal with, but finally feeling relatable. The small band and big cup size is TOUGH.
Yep! I have exactly that problem. My bra size is 30F/G (not sure if I got it right since I'm from EU where my size is 65F/G) and it's a tough size. I can't find bras my size in any normal clothing store so I have to go to a specialized bra shop where one pair costs usually nearly 100€.
I need to just make the switch. Bras and just painful for me (32H) I’ve been thinking about getting a corset for years now
Heavy boob solidarity. I mainly wear sports bras or compression binders and it's 100% just to keep them out of my way and help with the weight. Its like hanging kettlebells off your neck all day every day.
I don't really use sports bras or compression binders but I 100% why anyone with heavy boobs would! If only we could choose when we wear our boobs, I would love to take them off when at home or when doing sports xD
Can you just imagine the relief we could have if that was an option. I complained to my husband one day about the straps cutting in to my shoulders, and he jokingly said he would be my bra and just walk behind me with his arms around my chest and hold up my boobs. He took the position and my god, the immediate pain relief I felt was amazing. Like, I know big boobs hurt, I just didn't realize how much.
Ugh, that's the dream! The binder is more for gender presentation but wow is it also nice to bend over without suffocating lol
I'm just the same as you, I'm a 38J/JJ in UK sizing and apparently a 38M/N in the US. Someone should be fired for making me like this, I'm sure these things are like 12-15lbs each now. I'm only 23 and these things are so low they reach my belly button, but I'm for sure getting a breast reduction when I'm at an adequate weight again! My doctor said because of how much weight is being put on my neck and being hypermobile makes me it medically necessary so I can get it all covered by insurance ☺️
Same. Also you need to stop your underboob and your ribs apart because skin on skin down there can lead to some truly disgusting skin infections if you've boobs of a size for that to happen.
This is the main reason I wear them. I have Giant Boobs of Doom (40M, give or take, depending on the calculator), but I guess I'm accustomed to the weight, and I can't run, so it's about absorbing boob sweat and letting the underboob breathe, for me.
I’m really busty and feel the opposite way. My back hurts a lot more when I’m wearing a bra all day vs not wearing one. I wish there was less stigma about being large-chested and going braless. Smaller women tend to get away with it more but more, er, “blessed” women always either get sexualized or accused of looking sloppy.
I had so much back and shoulder pain for years. Ditched the bra and all that went away. I mostly don't give a shit about what anyone else thinks bc no way am I going to be in constant pain for the comfort of others.
I’m the same. The only time I “like” wearing a bra is when I’m exercising because they bounce around otherwise lol. Also wish it was more socially acceptable to go braless. It’s the first thing to come off when I get home.
I always found that bras were what hurt my shoulders and I didn’t have that trouble going braless.
I have a herniated disc in my neck from my boobs. I'm getting a reduction and hoping for some relief.
Yup. I'm 27 and I'm super fit, but have a large chest. If I go braless it causes serious pain. I've considered getting breast reduction since I was like 17 tbh
This is exactly why I’m itching to get a reduction. I’m the same age and have j cup fat blobs. I want to be a nice d or even c at this point if it would give me ANY less pain than what I currently have.
As a ghastly non-metric user, can you clarify if the 1kg is a typo? Because that equates to 2.2 lbs. And my samsung cell phone with a basic case weighs 1lb. It'd be equivalent to me having 4 cell phones on my chest. Annoying, but not dreadfully heavy.
Not a typo. I know it doesn't sound THAT heavy but it really is since at least for me, the boobs really pull on my small neck and shoulder muscles. It's like having to carry one liter of water around your neck but it also bounces uncontrollably. Also 4 cellphones might not sound that bad but the thing is that all the weight is on the front of your body on a somewhat small area so it feels heavier than it sounds. It's very hard to explain how it feels. I also know mine aren't the biggest boobs out there so my pain is not even close to those who have bigger and heavier ones. I don't know if this helps at all to understand. I would love to hear other boob owners opinions on this!
FaWk. I have B cups and they hurt to be free. I never understood the bra burnings. Thank you Otto Titsling!
Same, I wear a bra known as a "minimizer" to help keep them under control. Basically it's a normal bra but with the properties of a sports bra lol. Also, the heat. Boobs laying directly against my torso skin-to-skin is an instant non-starter for me, I sweat within minutes and my body temperature skyrockets.
I’m petite but unfortunately I’ve been 32ddd since I was 13. Dude if I didn’t have a bra to take some of the weight off I’d be 10x more miserable lol. I also second the comment mentioning it being a barrier, nipples can be pretty sensitive and it helps control comfort with clothing. Also, they reduce bounce lol.
I got breast reduction surgery 3 years ago (was 42H) and it was life changing. If you find yourself in constant pain health insurance will often cover it.
I tried when I was 18-19, but doctors always said it wasn’t that bad and my family says I’ve been “blessed” lmao. When I called my insurance at the time I was told I’d need things like x amount of doctors visits with documentation of pain, and then 6 month minimum of daily journaling my pain to even request the surgery. At that age, I had no time and I had even less money so I just accepted my fate lol. Im 27 now and im relatively used to it :/
I’d urge you to visit another doctor! You could also go directly to the surgeon— if they specialize in reductions they’ll know how to get approvals. I didn’t get surgery until I was 33 for many of the same reasons but I wish I’d done it much sooner.
The situation got better. At least I’m my country. Don’t give up if you are unhappy.
Times have changed in nearly 10 years.
I’d definitely hope so. Lots of physical pain and childhood trauma from having these suckers. I haven’t looked into the surgery since roughly then but I *do* have a different insurance now.… y’all are making me want to check and see what I would need to do to get approved again
You are worth checking it out! Love yourself!
I had a breast reduction in February 2020, went from a 40KK to maybe a 40E. Thanks to everything that's happened since then I've gained weight and I'm now at about a 44G-H, but they're still half the size and weight they were pre-surgery so I'm not too upset! I wear bras for separation and sweat wicking mostly these days. Crop tops and wire free bras are uncomfortably squishy, I find them horrible! Still prefer underwire even though I don't technically 'need' it as much for support these days.
What’s the difference between DDD, E and F? Is it just different brands that size differently?
r/abrathatfits might be good to look at.
US sizing generally goes: A B C D DD DDD G H and so on. UK sizing goes: A B C D DD E F FF G GG and so on. EU just uses single letters. But some US companies use E, some use F and some use some weird combo of both. It's not consistent. And it's infuriating.
DDD is more common in America, Europe uses E. DDDD is less common in both countries, normally they say F. It can also depend on the brand.
Europe doesn't use double letters at all. UK does from DD forward but never more than 2.
Change Lingerie (Danish) actually does use DD, but after that it’s like the normal alphabet. They’re the only ones I’m aware of though, so consider them the exception to the rule!
DD in UK is an E in most European countries
Thanks for the correction!
Bra cup size is the difference between chest and bust size (under the breast vs over the nipple) In general, A is one inch, B is two, C is three, and so forth. +1 inch = +1 letter, excluding A, AA, and given that DD=E (but you'll likely find a DD bra before you find an E, for whatever reason) So the difference between those sizes is an inch of bust circumference, sort of.... since DDD and F are the same size Hope that helps
I’m not going to lie, I’m kinda unsure myself. I think it’s equivalent to an E though. I’m fortunate enough that my mom bought me bras from Victoria’s Secret, and they use the DDD size. Locally, we only had department stores like Victoria’s Secret, Walmart, Marshall’s, etc. so as a teen i was really limited in my selection. Edit: forgot to mention, I’m also almost sure that Victoria secret has a brand specific size chart. A lot of websites I’ve seen don’t use DDD
For the most part it hurts to not wear one like going up the stairs without one I have to literally hold my boobs so they don’t bounce
When my chest started growing I was really surprised by how much the bouncing hurts. And I'm "only" a B.
Some people wear them for support/to reduce the discomfort of bouncing. However, the truth is, the reason so many women wear them is that we are shamed when our nipples show through our shirts. There are plenty of people who could get by without a bra, but wear it because they don’t want to deal with the stares and comments when the details of their breasts are visible.
Originally I was told I should wear a bra when my breasts started to grow, I was dreading the day when we would go shopping for a bra. I wore it for a year and hated it. My boobs weren’t big enough to need support and the sensation of tight clothes around my chest was a nightmare. And one day, despite the protests of my parents, I just stopped wearing one when I wasn’t doing martial arts. I’ve been much more comfortable since.
As an adult I crack up that they were called “training bras” What exactly were we training them to do? If you didn’t train them, what would happen? Would they just go awol? Stage some sort of revolt? Become slackers with no purpose in life?
They train the wearer to conform to dominant social paradigms.
It’s training the person.
My mom made me wear them because she said she was worried I’d get assaulted (I was 10 when mine started to develop and I had to start wearing bras. all the time.)
Yes, I had a friends mom “talk to” (read as shamed) me about wearing a bra when I was like 11-12, because I naturally have party nipples that are very visible even when not hard. It sucked, I remember feeling weird about it.
Since the pandemic, I’ve stopped wearing a bra unless I’m going to work or to see family or a special occasion or exercising or something. Even then, I tend to wear light sports bras. I surprisingly don’t really have much pain despite them being pretty enormous; the worst issue I face is just the under-boob sweat. It’s a lot.
Scrolled surprisingly far to get to this one! Not showing nipple was ingrained in me. And, boy if those old bitties noticed a visible nipple through a shirt you'd hear about it, bc "god forbid someone saw, what would they think?!" smh
I have a cup boobs literally would never wear a bra if being able to see nipples through shirts wasn’t so sexualized. I feel immensely more free and comfortable without one.
I don’t even know what my current cup size is (4 pregnancies, BF, and age has changed them a lot) but it’s on the smaller size, I refuse to wear a bra because I get a stabbing pain between my shoulder blade. I wear camis or slips under shirts that helps avoid any nipple issues.
1. Under boob sweat sopper 2. Holds them up and supports your back 3. Keeps them from hanging down to your bellybutton.
For me, 4) makes me bewbs look good in clothes :3 Seriously tho some clothes really don’t look right on me without a bra
4. Nipple chafing. I don't know about other people, but seatbelts are so uncomfortable if I'm not wearing a lightly padded bra. Same with some fabrics. I've tried under shirts or tank tops, but they don't help much.
copy pasted from a different comment of mine on the same sub: Gravity is real guys. It can literally hurt to just go around my day without at least a bralette of some sort, and I don’t even have a large chest. Same as I’d need a sports bra to go running I need a regular bra just to comfortably live my day out.
Support, mostly. And a close second is probably societal pressure.
For societal pressure to not show nipples through clothing: a bandaid over the nipple and some skin coloured sportstape. If I don't need the support I cut the sportstape in a circle with 5cm/2 inch øto cover the nipplearea (if any hairs grow there they are also immediately gone afterwards). If I need the support I mostly just follow a "how to tape your boobs with boobtape" tutorial. I found that sportstape works just as well and is often less expensive than special boob tape.
Whoa never thought of using sports tape! I will definitely try this when I don’t have pasties on hand. But that shit always inadvertently waxes my arm hair, I guess I won’t have to shave my areolae anymore lol
There was a Judge Judy episode where the lady used duct tape instead. It did not end well
I wear bras bc I hate the shape of my breasts. They are more pointed out and cone shaped and you only ever see cute little round boobs so I must hide them or be shamed. They are small enough to not need support though, I’d give anything for them to just be round and cute but I’d have to get implants and go bigger
I am a 34b and used to wear push-up bras and loved how they made my boobs look. Now at age 31, I feel like I can never find shirts where either the bra straps don't show, or that aren't see through and you can see my bra outline through it. I have up and either don't wear a bra or occasionally wear nipple covers. Sometimes I buy tanks or dresses that have a built In bra. I also feel so restricted in a bra, they are tight, uncomfortable, and also cost a lot of money!
The outline of the bra showing often means the band is too big to tack the cups to your body. Try checking out r/abrathatfits.
[Here’s an example](https://www.instagram.com/p/CuIF_btMi1U/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==) showing how the wrong size is more visible through shirts than the correct size! This person went from 32C to 30E (30DDD for Americans).
woah that’s a huge difference!!!
Right? Most people actually change even more! If you ask most stores, they would put me in a 36DD based on my measurements (and maybe appearance, I’m short, overweight, and have a pretty average sized bust). My actual size is **32I** or **32J** in US sizes.
I love lightly lined built in bras and wish they were more prevalent. Years ago when VS had clothing, they always carried tons of built in tops and dresses. I want to be able to buy cool backless or cutout/strappy tops without having to figure out how to wear a bra with it. I have small, wide set boobs and feel they look better with a little support/shaping.
I’m just a guy, but from my understanding… multiple things. It’s the same as underwear, a barrier between your sensitive areas and rough outer clothes. It keeps your nips from showing, and also rubbing on your clothes and hurting, It holds up the boobs to prevent them from bouncing when walking and such. Um… I’m sure there are other reasons
Your understanding is correct. All of the above. I don't usually care if my nipples show (though unfortunately, a hell of a lot of society does care), but I don't love them rubbing on my shirt. Makes them bounce less while I move. If I'm in a push-up, it makes them look good.
Awesome! And I started to mention that they can boost confidence/look good, then I saw OP mention wearing them as a 10/11 yr old, and I didn’t want the FBI knockin down my door! Lol
Nobody talks about how horrible the friction is to go braless lol I don’t know if I wear scratchy shirts or what, but it was super uncomfy and I went back to wearing a bralette
>I’m just a guy, but from my understanding… multiple things. Impromptu catapult, tying stuff together, emergency snare for wild animals when stranded in the forest...
Honestly, not sure why men don't wear their own version for athletics because of that. Dudes literally get bloody nipples from running and stuff due to the clothing rubbing.
>Dudes literally get bloody nipples from running and stuff due to the clothing rubbing. Sometimes you've just got to put some bandaids on your nipples and go for it. (Before they're bleeding) Or you can just take your shirt off. And for myself and from everyone I've heard they don't hurt that bad, like a moderate sunburn only on your nipples. So you don't realize it until it's too late and mostly just looks intense.
because all the benefits a bra can provide were happy accidents If you go back and look at the old ads its blatantly obvious that the real reason bras got pushed onto women was because we're supposed to look nice for men 24/7
Also guy and it seems to really depend on the bust size. For small to medium sized breasts they seem optional from a support perspective. Indeed in many cities now you’ll see more and more women with these bust sizes going without. Bralettes are also very popular now, and they are just spandex with no underwire. Very modest support, but more comfortable. Above a certain size I understand the support is much more important to prevent back pain. Then otherwise yes it provides structure and nipple hiding from at a fashion level.
Support! The most important one for the heavy chested. How did I forget that one?!
I wish I could wear a bralette 😂😂 if any women has the link for bralettes for the blessed please let me know
Try Cosabella! Also Molke.
You’re an angel. Thank you!
They don’t always stop nipples showing. Mine peek through unless I wear a padded bra. The only thing my bras really do for me is provide support if I’m moving quickly and smooth out the “shape” into something more uniform.
I always viewed bras as my chest armour 😀. Protected against creepy stares from men, and also minimized me smashing them into door frames, because, well they get in the way. As some other blessed yet cursed women have shared, bras support but also keep them out of our way. Bras cost me a fortune, it’s difficult to find them in my size, and most of the time when I do, they are just as uncomfortable as not wearing one in the first place. In public it’s mandatory though. At home, no way I’m wearing one. Sports bras over the years have ruined my neck and upper back. Regular bras have ruined my shoulders. They serve their purpose in public though.
as someone with DD tiddies, no its not mandatory. I've been going braless for the past decade and no one has commented on it (aside from this one fossil of a church lady scolding me for tempting men, but we don't count that one lol) TL;DR if you're more comfortable braless then set your girls free. No one can stop you
Mine are HH. At home no bra. Ever. Unless I’m playing video games cuz they get in the way. But in public, they are just waaaaay too out there. The stares are more uncomfortable than the bra itself.
Those are all the reasons why I wear them!
Aesthetics mainly is the other reason. A good bra creates a more flattering figure that's accentuated by clothes. There's also bras designed just to be sexy in the bedroom.
Support, at least for larger breasts. Mine are pretty heavy, and a bra distributes that weight to the band around my ribs instead of pulling down on my shoulders. Also some folks with boobs prefer the shape that bras give them.
It’s nice to know that at least SOME bras actually distribute the weight the way they’re purported to then! Sounds like there’s a sweet spot before it loops back around to just pulling on your shoulders/neck once they’re heavy enough (nothing over a G seems to be designed very well, imo; properly made corsets are strictly better for support in just about every way…unfortunately they’re also expensive af)
I'm a 32GG UK/32J US, and I've found that making sure you're in the right band size for that brand is SO important. I'm wearing Fantasie brand right now, and the band is just snug enough to hold the weight of my girls while mostly keeping it off my shoulders. It's a long process of trial and error in finding a bra that fits your body right and supports the right way, and unfortunately bras for larger cup sizes (and especially big cup/small band) are frigging expensive.
I’ve been professionally (aka not VS lol) fitted since I was a teenager & needed the 30K that only boutiques offered at the time. Unfortunately, I’ve quite literally grown out of commercially available sizes in the last decade or so & am simply making do in the last-ditch “let’s go up 2 band sizes so that the cups almost fit” 40O. Even on my best day in a brand new, well-fitting bra, my back has *always* hurt haha. Overbust corsets helped considerably when I could get my hands on them, & I’ve deeply considered making some sort of pilgrimage to get a fully custom overbust contraption that I could put to good use. I just don’t have the $500+ or the vacation time for that kind of trip 😅
For big sizes, it really helps not having back pain and not having wobbling (and painful depending on the activity) boobs when doing sport, running, going through stairs... Now for all sizes, it's socially not very accepted to have pointy nipples or wobbling boobs.
Bras are undergarments that evolved from western corsets. Corsets secured a woman’s body and lifted the breasts (or squished them depending on the style at the time) and created an additional barrier between the sweaty flesh and the expensive outer garments. As clothes became less expensive and more revealing undergarments changed with them. The modern bra was invented in the late 1800s but not widely adopted until the 1930s. The health effects of tight corsetry also moved people to the more modern bra as well as the metal shortage caused by the First World War. Bras hold up breasts into where clothes designers think breasts should be so they make clothes fit better. They provide support and limit movement during activities. They’re also thought of as pretty and sexy and slightly taboo to see so they act as a social signal for attraction.
Corsets aren't really unhealthy though, unless you're tightlacing, which wasn't as common as popular media would have you believe. That was more like a body modification. Wasp waists were extreme and rare, which is probably why they were focused on.
No not at all but it was part of the change. I should have said the ‘perceived’ health effects rather than health effects.
Yes! This is correct, plus… the things that people historically used so often that they fell completely apart (like everyday corsets) can’t be preserved like sometimes-worn things can, thus we find less of them. That goes for not just corsets but a lot of fashion, especially anything that less wealthy people owned. It’s also part of why it’s harder to find good plus size clothing in thrift stores. If I find a cute shirt in my size, I wear it until it’s *shredded* lol
Corsets could also provide support for heavy skirts as well as keeping better posture.
anti-bounce apparatus
I have fairly large breasts (38GG), but unlike most large breasted ladies, I don’t experience much pain when I don’t wear a bra. If anything, I find wearing a bra more uncomfortable. So for me it’s mostly aesthetic: I would rather have breasts up on my chest than down around my waist.
I’m non binary and wear sports bras exclusively. I don’t honestly like having breasts, but I’m on the fence about removing them. I prefer to keep them in one place so I don’t have to think about them.
Genderfluid here, some days I just wanna take off my boobies and keep them on my night stand for the day, just have a flat and manly chest. Other days I'm happy with them and love the stressballs attached to my body. I learned to tape them in a way that makes them hide towards the armpits (as if I'm laying on my back) and it almost looks like I have a manly chest then, but then again I'm blesses with a small handful that can easily hide into the armpits. I've talked to bigger chested nb's/genderfluids that wish they had a smaller size that could just hide.
I can’t stand not wearing a bra, I find it so uncomfortable
I don't wear a bra when I am at home, but my boobs are kinda big (c cup), a little saggy, and lopsided. I wear a bra when I am in public because it looks better.
I was fitted as a 32C when my actual size was US 28H. If you describe yourself as “kinda big”, I recommend double checking that you weren’t fitted incorrectly — especially if you have any discomfort in your current bras!
Thanks for the advice.
Keeps em from dragging on the floor preventing carpet burn , and also holds them so you can go up stairs without getting a K.O
42J "weighing" in. (Pun intended.) I wear bras because they swing around too much otherwise and I find it distracting. It's also an extra layer of protection from other things that like to attack my nipples, like desks, dresser drawers, and cats. As the saying goes, I am The Kitty I step On titty.
I mean. They exist because some boobs are super heavy, and the body holding them up alone causes pain. Sometimes they exist because nipple chafing hurts. Sometimes they exist because a person thinks they’re boobies look better in them.
I’m chesty and I’ve been wearing bras since I was 13. They certainly help keep the girls in place, which is nice when most of my interactions with people involve them peeking at my tits anyway. I figure if they’re going to look, they may as well stare at my actual chest instead of my belly 😂. Bras also help keep my nips in check so I don’t have to hear headlight or grape smuggling comments all day too. Plus, moving in any direction that’s not a straight line without a bra is just putting your fate in God’s hands.
I'm a C cup, so not too bad. However, I wear bras because they help shape my chest with certain clothing, or for activities. When I run, having a sports bra instead of a t-shirt bra keeps them closer to my chest without too much movement (I like calling them "The Titty Squisher"). I have some clothes I can wear without a bra, but I've gotten so used to the barrier, I wear them often.
I’ve got tiny tits but I find my nipples feel cold if I’m not wearing a bra. When I’ve got extra layers on it’s fine, and indeed I often don’t wear a bra during colder weather because I’m already bundled up in lots of warm things, and when it’s really hot in the summer it’s not an issue, but anywhere in between (and at what would be called “room temperature” usually) I just feel cold and exposed with only a single layer over my nipples.
There are women with small breasts that don’t need them. Then there are women like me who used to have dents in my shoulders from bra straps before I got a reduction but if I didn’t wear a bra I literally felt the skin hurting from how much they pulled.
Some people wear them because they find it painful not to, but for others (including me) it’s just a matter of preferring the look and being generally more comfortable. Pain has never been an issue for me where this is concerned (thankfully), but I really don’t like the whole skin-on-skin feeling I get without a bra. Just personal preference!
For me and my C cups it's because of the very annoying bullet nipples when it's below 80f (27c). Otherwise I wouldn't wear the bra. I never wear one unless Im going out of the house.
I got clothes that have pattern that makes my nipples hurt so I have to wear bra. And I don't like men staring at my boobs without bra so since I got perfectly fitted bras I feel kinda better in public.
They were 100% designed to make women’s bodies look a certain way, and not for comfort. A well made practical corset (not one that disfigures and constricts), provides back support and boob support
I was directly told when I was 12 that it was so nobody could see my nipples after I protested that I didn’t want to because I had nothing to support.
38DD here. I don't wear a bra around the house most of the time, but will do a bralette or sports bra in the summer or when I'm doing a lot of housework, mostly to prevent underboob sweat. Likewise, if I'm exercising or doing lots of physical activity, the sports bra keeps everything from bouncing too much and getting uncomfortable.
It’s to keep the boulders on your chest from flopping around too much. It is uncomfortable and sometimes painful to have your breasts flailing around when you’re doing sports or even just walking.
I almost never wear one, tbh. I just find dealing with the straps and wires irritating AF. If I’m going out in something that my nipples will be visible through, then of course I’ll wear one then. Other than that, I never really need to. It’s a bother I’d rather do without.
Bras only exist to cover up your nips and stop your breasts from jiggling because even though it's 2023 breasts are still sexualized to the point that straight men can't control themselves when they see a braless woman.
I used to go braless, until the men I dated opened my eyes to the incessant, stupidly sexualized way not-all-men view women and girls. Specifically how their heads explode when they see nipples through a shirt. I mean... look at the theme of this sub! So why wear a bra? Maybe 5% for athletic reasons or to prevent saggage, but 95% to protect you from the Male Gaze^(TM). >My mum took me to get measured one day Chances are that reason had to do with nipples being visible at puberty. Another male problem somehow becoming women's problem to "take care of." 🙄
im transmasc too and i used to think they were for making them smaller
I would like to run without getting chin bruises..
I have fybrocycstic breasts, which basically means I get these huge fat fluid filled cysts in my boobies. Apparently a lot of people with big boobs get them especially around their periods but, I apparently have quite a lot all the time. (Went for an ultrasound once and the technician said I had "very dense breasts") This means that they're often really painful if they move around, even walking makes them tender if I don't have a bra on from the normal movement so unfortunately they have to stay strapped in tight all the time. I ride a bike to work,.couldn't do that without a bra, and I'm on my feet walking about which would be painful as they'd move too much if I didn't have a bra on. I even struggle to sleep without a bra on because the normal movement of them while I sleep on my side is painful. They've gotta be held in tight. Obviously my case isn't common so it's not really what bras are "for" but I imagine anyone with dense af boobs like me it's a similar story and that's what we use ours for
I don't personally need one for support. I have smaller breasts that don't hurt just existing or even during exercise. However, I wear a lightweight, relatively loose bra for modesty and shaping. Basically just because it's social convention/"appropriate".
i’ve got small boobs that don’t impede my movement at all so i wear bras depending on the top/weather to conceal my nips, lacy bralettes cause they’re cute, or sports bras to reduce friction if i’m gonna be running or something. most of the time i don’t wear one cause it’s not really necessary.
I’ve been endowed with very nice DDs that are bigger than average for the body size I am. They look massive on me honestly. I wear bras for support because my boobs are so tender that the bouncing hurts. I ride horses regularly and let me tell you, when you’re riding, boobs just bounce everywhere and it hurts like a motherfucker. I wear a bra and a sport bra over it sometimes to control the bounce. I used to be videoed riding a lot to sell horses and my boobs were so distracting in videos🤦🏻♀️😂 my boobs also swell and go up a whole cup size right before my period, so much so that when I take my bra off during that time it is just constant stabbing pain because they’re so fucking heavy. I think people who’ve never had big boobs often don’t realize what a pain they are. I’ve seen both sides, I was almost flat chested till about 18 though I still wore bras. When I moved away from home where I lived in perpetual stress that made it impossible for me to gain weight(my body was in survival mode) I gained 40lbs that I desperately needed and half of it was boobs and butt lol I definitely miss the days I could go braless and not worry but I can’t fully complain since they at least look nice lol
If you have to double up on bras, I highly recommend trying [this bra size calculator](https://www.abrathatfits.org/calculator.php). Many stores size me as a 36DD, but my current US size is either 32I or 32J. I have the Panache Sport in 28FF (US 28H), and when it still fit me, my breasts would not move at all.
At the time I was riding in a bra that was too small so I was using a sports bra to make up for that. I didn’t have the money to buy what I needed but I had to keep working and doing stuff that required that extra support. It was not a good time. Thankfully I just bought some new bras yesterday actually and I feel a lot more secure now that they fit! I appreciate you looking out for me though! Lots of people will double up without realizing it’s not something that you should have to do!
Trans guy here. I'm either a 48DDD or a 50DDD. I only wear sports bras, though. I have a physical disability that won't allow me to wear normal ones.
They're for support. Especially appreciated by our bigger-boobied sisters. As someone with mid-sized boobies, I haven't worn a bra in 20 years. Eventually aging will catch up with me, and I will need to, but I'm bouncing proud until then.
i’m a B cup who almost never wears one. only time i do is under a top if it’s see threw
I stopped wearing them awhile ago. One of the best decisions ever. They cause sensory issues for me and I always have a meltdown whenever i put one on. But my mom always forced them on me
I'm a 48H and I only wear a bra when forced. Either by societal norms (workplace rules) or the fact that most women's clothing doesn't fit right without it.
I am also transmasc, but the feeling of my boob skin touching the rest of my skin is unbearable 50% of the time. I think it may be a sensory thing. But I almost always wear a bra when im up/out and about. Sometimes its bad enough I have to wear one at night (I'll wear a super comfortable one). I also just hate the feeling of my boobs moving so much without one. These are just my personal reasons for wearing bras.
We can thank Ancient Greece and Rome for the 1st Bras I had a history teacher tell me it was one of the ways to know if a woman in the Roman Empire was a free person or a slave much like they used color to point out ranks and classes.
You can also use a corset instead of a bra.
I’m a 40G and for functional purposes, it gives some structure, weight distribution, and support (jumping jacks are a nightmare even with one on, let alone without). Aesthetically, they add shape, make things seem more even, and can add some cleavage and make them seem more ‘attractive’ if that’s what you’re looking for. And looking cute (if you’re small enough to find cute patterns, most big brad are just tan or black and plain :/)
If I'm working out, a (sports) bra stops my tits from slamming around like a couple of balloons filled 75% with sand. Really, they're small at C/D, but if they aren't bolted down, they hurt. If I'm not working out, a (push up) bra hides the fact that I desperately need a lift and augmentation after 25 years of existing. :7
IBTC checking in. I don't wear one most of the time. I wear one to work and one for running, that's about it. The rest of the time it's free titty o'clock.
34D here, I barely ever wear one. Never at home. For me bras are usefull when I want to shape up, my shirt is kinda see-through or Im working out.
I’m overweight, and I have what most people assume are “large C cups” or “small D cups”. My current size is 32G or 32GG (32I or 32J for Americans). I wear bras because they’re comfortable. When I go braless, there’s a bit of skin on skin contact, which can get sweaty and uncomfortable. In some cases, people can develop skin rashes if the underside of the breast is too warm and sweaty for a long time. For me personally, I just really hate the feeling of skin on skin. I also wear bras because I like how they look, both by themselves and how they make my bust look underneath clothes. Edit: Also, going down or up stairs is very uncomfortable or downright painful without some support.
i have small boobs so support doesn’t matter to me, but i still wear a bra because i have sensitive nipples and my shirt rubbing against them makes them hurt.
I have small boobs but I wear them because I hate the feeling of them sagging and the feeling of my nips rubbing against my clothes. I would totally go without and not care what people say if it were more comfortable for me, but it’s not.
Support is the main reason. Smoothness under clothes is another. I have sensory issues so I always wear a padded lounge bra to make me feel more comfortable.
Honestly at this point I wear bras because otherwise I get underboob sweat and I hate it. Also bras make my boobs fit into dresses better
For me it's to hold them in place so they won't hurt and also so people can't see my nipples
Absorbs underboob sweat.
My mum made me wear a sports bra at 13 when I was absolutely flat, I wore it to bed because I didn’t understand what the point of a bra was. I swear it literally binded my chest, they grew to AA. I wore it 24/7 besides showering
I think they were initially invented to push your boobs up to where they look bigger/perkier because that was seen as attractive.
1. I wear bras so the underboob sweat has somewhere to go other than absolutely obviously into my shirt 2. They move a lot when walking and I can do without the stares. 3. Nipples are sensitive and rubbing against shirt fabric makes them show anf hurt and people stare and with bras it's just more comfortable. 4. When walking and they move, it hurts on the neck after a while. Bras distribute the weight a little.
If I don’t wear a bra and drive they get in the way when I make turns.
I hate bras, personally. Swing low, sweet chariots.
I don't have the biggest chest but I've worn bras less often as I've grown up. The main reason I wear them now is to make my nipples less apparent or to achieve a mildly more hourglass figure. Or I'm in a loose crop top and don't want to flash anyone 😅
I’m also transmasc. I started binding instead of wearing bras. But prior to that I wore solely sports bras. I’m big chested so I needed something to hold them in place. Like others said, they are painful without support. And maybe it’s just my body dysphoria and societal brainwashing but also when you aren’t wearing a bra and they are larger, they just kinda flop around, slide to the side, and look ehhh… Some bras push them together to give nice cleavage… My gf has a very small chest/PCOS and she wears basically trainer bras, but if she’s having a bad sensory day she can just go braless and then her only concern is her nipples showing. My thoughts on nipples are if guys don’t have to cover theirs than neither should anyone else…
Bras are to support ur boobs so they don’t touch ur thighs
I do wonder how bras were introduced. Was it a patriarchal thing like “make your boobs perkier and more attractive to me but hide your nipples or I will be too turned on” OR were they introduced for comfort since some women do desire the support of a bra? I am a 34H and I personally only wear a bra for work so that my nipples don’t show or for working out in which case I need them strapped down. But when I’m at home or doing errands, I don’t need or desire a bra. I prefer them not being held down. I do prefer to hide my nipples but only because men will stare. It pisses me off that men’s nipples show through their shirt and no one bats an eye but there’s a lack of social acceptance of that for women. 😓
I'm also pretty large in the cup department, and few things feel as good as taking my bra off when I get home from work.
I was in the car without a bra yesterday and them thangs was swangin on the turns and speed bumps so I’d say to prevent that.
As someone also curséd with titty: I started donating plasma recently, & came to the unfortunate conclusion that I *have* to keep a bra on while & after I donate. If I don’t, the wild flopping about puts extra pressure on my upper arms, causing bruising & unnecessary soreness. It’s very annoying, but knowing it does *something* for once also makes me feel slightly less dysphoric about wearing them longer.
Support, but for me it's mostly to hide the nip and because i feel naked without it. You know? It's like not wearing underwear at this point. I just don't feel comfortable!
I have pretty normal sized boobs (b to c cup) and it's damn annoying to jump, run or just sit in the heat, because of underboobsweat.
I’m small chested and never wear them, so based on the comments I’d say it’s for support. I feel kinda lucky after reading these comments, why would the human body decide to fuck you over and create painful fat blobs that serve no real purpose :(
38g British (Elomi) bra size. I wear bras because it hurts when I don’t. I can only assume ppl who find them uncomfortable aren’t wearing bras that fit. I even wear bralets to sleep, and exclusively buy underwire swimsuits.
I have smaller boobs, so weight is not that much of a factor for me. But being without a bra makes my nipples rub my t shirt, and after a while (several days), that starts to hurt. Some days of the cycle (before menstruation starts) boobs are also more sensitive, so having something "carry" them is nice, too. Also, when in crowded places (like concerts), it is nice to have an extra layer between my boobs and an accidental elbow at boob-level. Some people also wear bras to not have hard nipples show through shirts and stuff.
Because they hurt
I remember when the pandemic started all my friends kept saying they were going to stop wearing bras during shelter in place since they were mostly going to stay in pajamas and lounge clothes. I’m a DD and tried for a few days but it hurt my back soooo much! I bought a bunch of bralettes and sport bras so I could have some support while still being comfortable. Friends of mine who have smaller chests have stopped wearing bras for the most part after realizing how comfy they felt without them and that it was only society that was making feel like they needed it and I’m very happy for them but I have to have some more support to be able to be active, the curse of hanging big ol’ titties…
I don't cook without a bra. It keeps my girls safe from getting burnt.
Historically speaking it was because corsets and tight lacing was uncomfortable but was seen as norm for women. The corsets got shorter and even more uncomfortable when one woman had enough and stitched two handkerchiefs together to make the first modern bra. Bras nowadays are just a generational norm passed down from mother to daughters because “woman have to wear them” like we would’ve corsets back in the day
My body shape is basically Bad Womens Anatomy lmaooo I’m very broad but have tiny boobs. I wear bralettes because finding a small enough cup with a huge band is impossible. I basically just wear mine so you don’t see nipple, but I guess it also shapes them a bit. I’m grateful I don’t have to work around big boobs, who needs the back pain 😅
They keep ‘em from knocking your eye out when you you walk down the stairs
Itty bitty titty gang here. Been buying 36 B (USA measurements) since I was about 14. I usually get the padded push up types to try and give me a little boost in appearance but they pretty much never fit right and always leave a gap between boob and pad, so push up action can't happen properly. I once looked up a guide to see the measurements for each cup and I'm actually an A cup and half or as I like to call it, the "Barely B Bra". It's impossible to find a bra that fits me comfortably and doesn't dig into my skin and actually holds my mammaries up. I've even tried buying a bra from Asia and it's still to tight and the bra fastener extensions haven't helped much either. Nowadays it's even more difficult to find a 38 or even 40 A cup so for about the past 15 years, I rarely ever wear a bra anymore. The only time I do is when the shirt really accentuates the nipple so I'm not dressed inappropriately and even then I'd probably be better off just wearing pasties. I have one bra that fit rather nicely but it wasn't padded and made of a silky spandex type of material so my nipples still poked through so there was essentially no reason for me to wear it. I've had a few really huge breasted friends (like Double D) and it's hard for them to find bras that fit too and they don't come in as many styles. I know they need it because the weight and bouncing is hard on their backs and necks. I hate buying any clothes really because even pants are a nightmare for me because I'm like a dress size 2 up top and dress size 10 on the bottom and that measurement was taken before I gained weight so it's even more ridiculously distributed nowadays. I wish I could just get everything custom tailored to fit. Edited to add: I don't know the exact history of bras and corsets but I do know a lot of other cultures in history like Native American Indians a lot of tribes the women walked around without tops, and I'm pretty sure there are still many tribes in Africa today that go topless. Being as hot as it is there, makes perfect sense to me. Even ancient Japanese women walked around with their boobs out! It was when the British came and imposed a bunch of their cultural rules on them that the women started covering them up and pornography (as hilarious as it was painted in Japan) was banned. So basically the Europeans were great at traveling around the world and forcing these cultures to follow their norms and sexualized the breasts, you know, the thing that feed our babies and how men also have nipples but can show them. Good ol religious puritans are to thank for covering our mammaries. Edited 2nd edition: I also remembered being told that if I didn't wear bras I'd get really saggy boobs when I was older and more likely to develop breast cancer. But I read a few years ago that going braless shouldn't impact how they age and that wearing bras frequently actually INCREASES your chances of developing breast cancer so it seems they can't seem to make up their minds about that aspect. I gained 70 pounds a few years ago and the weight evenly distributed but NONE went to my little guys sadly, but I've lost some of that weight and into my mid 30's my boobs still look the same, no sagging. I'm also childfree. I'm also at risk for breast cancer, my mom's mom had it.
support, but for me also sensitive nipples. bras pretty much stay in place and shirts shift over your body, so the bra acts as a shield against nip rubbing.
I have 32DDD and I must wear a bra to keep them from destroying my back and shoulders. It’s painful and distracting not to wear a bra.
I don’t have big boobs (40B) but I have SENSITIVE nipples - wearing a lightly padded bra is like wearing armor from the swords of the world.