The Benefits Of Going Braless: Are You Ready To Free Your Nipples?
I barely wear a bra these days. And when I do, the chances of it being a wired one are slim to none.
While living in Bali, I embraced a more free and flowing approach to my clothes and appearance. That meant wearing clothes that I felt completely comfortable in, and minimising the amount of products I put on my skin.
That being said, going braless was a natural step for me, because my breasts barely fill out an A-cup. I’ve never needed breast support (apart when exercising, of course); and I have no idea what it’s like to have large breasts that constantly jiggle when you’re walking.
But if you’re not in pain or discomfort from going braless, then I’m all for it. Because bras are so restricting, often expensive, and an extra hassle we just don’t need in our lives.
Every woman loves that feeling of taking her bra off at the end of a long day, right?
So why not have that feeling all day, every day instead?
Welcome to the many benefits of going braless!
But I want to get one thing clear. The point of this article is not to convince you to immediately burn all your bras and free your nipples, because that’s what feminists do.
No. The point is to show you that the choice—to wear or not wear a bra—is yours.
Society loves to dictate to us women what we should look like and how we should act. But fuck society. This is your body, and your life. So I encourage you to make your own choices, and make sure you’re making them entirely for you.
What does it feel like going braless?
Have you ever tripped on the sidewalk because you were so excited to get home and take off your strapless bra? Asking for a friend.
—Man Repeller
When you first start going braless, it may feel strange. Because you’re removing a tight fitting item of clothing that you’ve probably been wearing every day since you hit puberty.
All of a sudden, your breasts will be free. Nothing cupping them, or holding them up or down.
And this might leave you feeling a little self-conscious. Don’t worry, this is how I felt too, and it’s totally normal.
You might be afraid to leave the house without a bra on; out of fear of people staring at you, and judging you for your nipples being visible through your shirt.
If this is how you feel, then begin going braless at home until you’re more comfortable with it. Eventually, you’ll get used to it, and not wearing a bra will be similar to having your hands or your legs exposed.
You’ll also start to feel more connected to your beautiful body, now that it’s less covered up. Your breasts will feel like they’re more a part of you again; instead of this external body part that you wrestle into a straight-jacket every day.
Here are 12 incredible benefits of going braless:
Before we get started, I want to emphasises the importance of always wearing a supportive bra while exercising.
This is to protect the internal structure of the breasts, and to also protect the rest of your body. If you don’t wear a bra and you have large breasts, then your back and neck will have to work harder to balance your weight.
So go braless whenever you like, just not when you’re working out!
Here are the many benefits of going braless.
1. You might be more comfortable without a bra.
Even if you’re wearing a correctly fitting bra (which most women aren’t), it can still put a lot of pressure on your body.
Back and neck pain, rib-cage pain, groove marks on your shoulders or back, and skin irritation are all common complaints from bra-wearing women of all shapes and sizes.
Imagine putting an end to all of that today, simply by ditching your bra.
2. More than 80 per cent of women are wearing the wrong bra size anyway.
At 16, I got my first ever part time job on the lingerie department at Debenhams. That meant I was trained in fitting bras, and would do at least five each week for the next three years.
So I know it’s true that most women are wearing the wrong bra size—even when it appears to be fitting correctly.
This can be corrected by getting yourself measured by someone who knows what they’re doing. But the reality is, all bras come up slightly different.
So even if you know what your general size is, it probably won’t be the same every time you purchase a bra. And that means there’s a really high chance you’ll end up buying and wearing a bra that doesn’t fit or support you correctly.
So why not save yourself the hassle, and enjoy the benefits of going braless?
3. You’ll discover your natural breast shape.
As women, we’re conditioned to believe that our breasts should have that rounded, padded, shaped look that a bra delivers. We see it movies, adverts, Victoria’s Secret runway shows, and especially in the shape of breast implants.
But the reality is, breasts aren’t that shape. And every woman’s breasts are slightly different.
Large, small, rounded, perky, droopy, asymmetrical—there is no right or wrong shape.
When you go braless, you’ll get to see the natural shape of your breasts, and get more comfortable with your shape. And it’s a much needed reminder of how different we all are as women, and how beautiful that is.
4. There’s no proof that bras actually work.
One of the main reasons that we choose to wear a bra is because we’re scared into believing our breasts will sag over time because of gravity if we don’t.
For starters, some breasts are naturally droopy anyway; and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Secondly, a French study actually found that women who went braless (over 15 years) developed more muscle tissue, which allowed their bodies to support their breasts naturally.
However, it’s important to note that this was a study of only a few hundred women, and they were all under the age of 35; so they may not have begun to start experiencing loss of collagen or skin elasticity.
But on the flip-side, there’s no research that has proved that wearing a bra prevents your breasts from drooping over time either.
5. Your circulation will get a boost.
Most of us are unaware of the health implications of wearing a bra. After all, it’s just a piece of clothing, right? And almost all women wear them, so they can’t be doing any harm, right?
Wrong.
A bra is like a giant circle of wire that squeezes around your chest for about 10 hours every day. When something is fitted so tightly on you, it can compress your major blood vessels, and result in poor circulation.
So going braless—even for just a few days a week—will allow your blood to flow freely and improve circulation. You may even notice a physical difference, such as feeling more energetic or just healthier and happier in your body.
6. You’ll sleep better.
Even if you decide going braless in the day is not for you, you should never EVER be wearing a bra when sleeping.
As we mentioned above, it can effect your circulation, it can be physically uncomfortable, and will prevent you from enjoying a comfortable and peaceful sleep.
It’s just not good for your body in any way—even if a sports bra is your sleeping bra of choice.
Don’t do it!
7. The benefits of going braless: you get that “just took off my bra” feeling all day, every day.
I don’t need to explain this feeling to you. If you’re a woman who has ever worn a bra, you know what I’m talking about.
But imagine not having to wait until you get home to enjoy this euphoric feeling.
Imagine enjoying the I just took off my bra feeling throughout the day, simply by choosing to go braless.
Why not try it out for a day, and see how you feel? It might just change your life.
8. Your nipples won’t be hidden anymore.
I think part of the reason we believe we have to wear a bra is because it’s seen as taboo if our nipples are visible through our top.
I used to think this too. More than a decade ago, when Rachel Green was going through her free the nipple phase on Friends, I felt myself judging her for it.
She’s just doing that to draw attention to herself.
She’s making herself look really slutty.
Why are her nipples always out?!
And I couldn’t stop staring at her nipples. They were all I saw in every scene. Because it was unusual to see at the time, and I didn’t know any better.
But men walk around topless in summer all the damn time, with their nipples on full display. So who gives a fuck if someone can see your nipples through your t-shirt?
I’m tired of these double standards. And taking Rachel’s cue, I’m freeing my nipples. You’re welcome to do the same.
9. You save money not buying bras.
I’m not going to say bras are expensive, because I don’t believe they are.
That’s because I come from a fashion background, and I know that so many parts go into making one wired bra. Even though it’s a really small garment, it’s a complex one.
But one of the best benefits of going braless is you no longer have to buy bras. They cease to be an essential wardrobe item.
And that leaves you more money to save or spend on whatever you please. A retreat, an online course, or even a new pair of shoes instead.
10. Not ready to go braless? Bralettes & non-underwired bras offer similar benefits to going braless.
Sometimes I go braless, and other times I opt for pretty, non-wired bralettes; because, well, they’re so pretty, and they’re comfy too.
I currently have a lingerie box delivered to me each month from Empress Mimi which I am in love with. It makes me feel like so pampered and like a total Goddess. And the best part is, every lingerie set I receive is completely wire-free, meaning it’s both sexy and comfortable.
How often can you say that?
If you’re not ready to go braless, but you’re looking for more comfort, then bralettes or non-wired bras are the way to go. They’ll still offer a little support, but will be far more comfortable than the standard wired bras you’re used to wearing.
11. But if something makes you uncomfortable, you shouldn’t do it. Period.
Like I said at the start of this article, I’m not pushing you to do something that makes you feel uncomfortable. You shouldn’t do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable; whether that’s wardrobe choices, when you’re on a date, or even when you’re having sex.
So if going braless feels uncomfortable for you, and makes you really self-conscious, then don’t do it. Give yourself some time. See how you feel a year from now. And don’t judge yourself for how you feel. It doesn’t matter what anybody else is doing.
Equally, if you feel most comfortable going braless on a date, or heading to the grocery store, then that’s exactly what you should do. Sometimes people will judge you, but that’s life. The question is, are you going to allow someone else’s opinions dictate your life?
12. Once you get used to going braless, it can feel incredibly powerful and liberating
Of all the benefits of going braless, the one that tops the list is how powerful and liberated you’ll feel.
You’ve probably spent most of your life wearing a bra because you were told to. It was ingrained in you as a girl that that’s what women do.
We wear bras that make our breasts uniformly rounded and padded. And to have your nipples on display would be vulgar and un-ladylike, so you keep them hidden away.
But then you grow up, and you wonder why you’re doing all these things that other people told you to do. And you say, fuck it, and you start doing what you want to do.
And because you’re a woman, lots of people won’t like that. Because it shows you’re wild and cannot be tamed. It shows you have a mind of your own, and you’re not afraid to walk your own path.
Being that woman is empowering. It’s liberating. And that’s the woman I want to be.