Isolation life is a weird one. For me personally, I’m still keeping those personal hygiene levels high (brush your teeth, have showers, it’s gross if you don’t) but letting comfort reign. That means plenty of soft tees and trackpants, plus – you guessed it – not wearing a bra.
I’ve got big boobs, so it’s less about forgoing any form of support and more that I’m opting to wear wire-free crop tops and other stuff that I’d usually avoid. What the hell, right? I’m just sitting at my desk writing each day, not stomping down streets with my tits all akimbo.
Many of us go bra-free when we’re home. But what happens when you’re ALWAYS at home, and therefore always bra-free? I asked Berlei‘s Fit Expert Adele Kershaw what she thinks.
1. It’s Not… Great
Basically, boobs are heavier than you think. Adele says an average B/C cup can weight 500 grams each, which isn’t nothing when you consider that they hang off your chest all day.
“With many women changing their wardrobes and saying no to bras in self-isolation, they’re often unaware about the long-term damage this can cause to your breasts. When breasts are left unsupported, the delicate Coopers ligaments, a connective tissue that supports the weight of your breast, can suffer irreparable damage.”
Basically, those Coopers ligaments can be damaged just from letting your best float free – not necessarily from doing, say, high-impact sport while wearing a flimsy bralette.
But this isn’t about appearance – all boobs are beautiful! It’s about damage. Long term, this can lead to premature breast sagging caused by ligament damage, and even pains as the ligaments are stretched or tear. Yeowch.
2. You Do Actually Move Quite A Bit At Home
The other point Adele makes is that while you might think you’re just lounging around watching Netflix, you end up doing stuff that does make your boobs move around more than you’d expect.
“Think about the impact that the activities you do at home have on your breasts. If you’re cooking in the kitchen, gardening, or house cleaning, anything which requires you to walk and move, it is important to wear a bra for extra support.”
A good example is running up and down the stairs, which I do every day. Obviously when I’m just bra free on a weekend, this doesn’t have loads of long-term impact. But now I’m doing it daily, and multiple times a day since I’m home always, it could become a problem.
3. Bras Are Meant To Be Comfy
One major point Adele made was that if your bra is so uncomfortable, you want it off as soon as you get home – it probably doesn’t fit you properly.
“Currently, 70% of Australian women are also wearing the wrong bra size. Women who are wearing the wrong bra size will feel discomfort, so if your bra is the correct size, and it fits well, it shouldn’t be uncomfortable. It should be comfortable enough for you to wear all day around the house.”
If you want to measure yourself correctly for a bra at home, here’s how:
STEP 1: MEASURE YOUR UNDERBUST
Stand with your arms resting by your side and ideally get someone else to measure you around your body, directly under the bust. Ensure this sits as tight as possible. It’s best to do this measurement while you’re not wearing thick clothing.
STEP 2: MEASURE YOUR OVERBUST
Measure your cup size by placing the tape measure underneath your arm and wrapping it around the fullest part of the bust. Hold the tape gently so it is resting lightly on your body.
Once you have your measurements, Adele says you can refer to Berlei’s online Bra Size Calculator here to figure out your cup.
4. Okay, So You Really Hate Bras
If you really, really hate bras your best option is wirefree.
For those wanting to go bra-less we would recommend instead opting for a wirefree bra. A wire-free bra can offer you the support and shape required with the comfort and flexibility of not wearing an underwire.
D+ bust? Adele suggests wirefree bras with some moulding for extra support.
5. Remember To Wear The Right Bra For Workouts
Just because you’re doing a living room-sized workout at home, doesn’t mean you can tone it down on the sports bra front.
“If you take a workout class at home or head outside to exercise, remember to put on a sports bra. The impact to your body is the same whether you are at the gym or at home.”
Basically, even if your HIIT home training is a little less taxing, it’s still a good idea to whip out the hectic sports bra.
