Monday

[clevermanka]

Fanart: Hei Pao Shi has a toot under that hood. Delightful knifeplay. Vacation. Shadowrun-looking AU. Soda date! Reading and napping.

🔥 Chu Shuzhi promo shot 🔥

Last week at Costco I picked up a two-pack of sports bras (that fit surprisingly well considering they're sized S/M/L) and I'll be picking up another pack next time I go. Comfortable! Machine washable!

It made me wonder, though, how many other people are still wearing bras. I used to go bra-less all the time when I was in my early 20s but around age... idk, 23? My body decided to Grow Boobs and I went from a maybe B-cup to a DD and I discovered I hated the feel of my breasts lying against my ribs (I also don't like the skin of my underarms touching the area under my armpits which is why I wear tight tops a lot). So I'm curious...

Poll #25383 How many of y'all are still wearing bras?

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 36

View Respondents

If you regularly wore a bra pre-COVID, are you still wearing one?

View Answers

Yes, almost every day
19 (52.8%)

Yes, usually
3 (8.3%)

Only if I'm running an errand
7 (19.4%)

No
1 (2.8%)

Oh HELL no
6 (16.7%)

Comments

[goss]

I put on a sports bra for my live classes, but other than that once I'm home I go braless.

[clevermanka]

If you had a job where you weren't interacting with kids, would you wear one?

[undeadrobins]

With F-cup (UK sizes if there's a difference), I couldn't *not* wear a bra. Although I am wearing crappy cheap non-underwired ones that give me a nice mono-boon and absolutely no cleavage. But without one, I would be so uncomfortable.

Wait, was that TMI?!

[clevermanka]

Not at all! A friend of mine wears a G and I'm pretty sure she'd rather literally die than go without a bra on a regular basis. I don't have the pain issues like lots of larger-breasted-than-me people do (just that squick of my skin sweating against itself) but my nipples get irritated if I let my boobs swing free for more than a day. So yeah, *fistbumping* you on the uncomfortable thing.

[trobadora]

OH, that knifeplay art is excellent! :D

I hardly ever wear a bra except in summer.

[clevermanka]

That knifeplay thread definitely gave me An Idea for the Deconstruction sequel...

[naye]

Need an answer "Literally every day, cannot take it off other than to sleep or the boobs hurt bc gravity sucks". :(

[naye]

(Not gonna lie I get pretty jealous when people talk about bras as optional rather than necessary for structural support.)

[minoanmiss]

only on the days I have to work in the office. Otherwise HELL NO

[clevermanka]

I'm surprised at how many people have marked the first yes option!

[lferion]

I'm with the 'they are too effing big (and this is *after* reduction surgery) to go without some kind of containment, but I marked the second option because the containment can be sufficiently supportive clothing, especially if I'm not leaving the house.

[clevermanka]

Lotsa large breasts in this (virtual) house, apparently!

[feroxargentea]

I say all the time, wife says hell no. This is 100% down to size and general perkiness, I think. It's a comfort thing, certainly not down to giving a damn what anyone else thinks.

[clevermanka]

*fistbump*

[ratbones]

As part of the braless minority I feel like I should say I'm an A-cup, so I don't know why I ever bothered. (Also, opposite of you, I don't like having tight fabric between my underarm and my body.) Really I'm so much happier now, lol. Thanks, COVID? I guess?

[clevermanka]

I'm shocked at how many people are marking the first Yes option, tbh. I guess people who read my DW generally run toward the larger-breasted demographic.

[umadoshi]

The last few years I had a lot of trouble finding bras that were remotely comfortable, even after getting refitted (just in case) and buying a few things like extenders to try to make them better. Since I absolutely do not need to wear one for support, being the polar opposite of well-endowed, I've always been in the "rip that thing off the second I enter the house" camp, and now that I'm always home? LOL no.

[clevermanka]

Good for you!

[yantantether]

I would have chosen an "every day" option if there was one - I guess I just don't feel dressed if I'm not wearing a bra?

Also, would you mind explaining for the Brit: what does "toot" mean in the context of the first (adorable!) art you linked to?

[clevermanka]

A toot is an unruly piece of hair that sticks up and out. Like a cowlick, but only with short hair. Long hair can't really toot. 😄 I don't think it's a common phrase--in fact, it might be just my mom's side of the family that uses it, but it's such a cute word for it.

Meng Shao Fei has the best toot ever. 🧡

[plingo_kat]

You know I never connected that fanart to Shadowrun, but now I really really want a Shadowrun AU? Hehe.

[clevermanka]

I DO TOO oh my gosh. I had a moment of hmm! HMMM! And then promptly shut down that train of thought bc no. more. bunnies.

[writedragon]

So -- I stopped wearing them unless I'm doing something that requires performative femininity. Like, a school meeting (virtual or otherwise), an appointment, and when I went to get my first dose of vaccine. But if I'm running an errand that allows me to stay in my car (curbside pickup for example), I don't bother. Since we'll all be out and about more soon, I am definitely not looking forward to donning the Garment of Utter Discomfort once again (sigh).

[clevermanka]

I wonder how many people won't return to wearing them regularly once this is over. I think if I didn't hate going without so much, I would quit them, just for the statement.

[salamandras]

I was just thinking about bra wearing during COVID! So many of my chronic back pain issues have gotten better since I only wear them to zoom or run an errand these days. I'm going to have to figure out a comfy alternative to my pre-COVID bras for when things open up again.

[clevermanka]

I think it would be great if people would rise up and be like "Nope! Not wearing those anymore!" if they didn't want to.

Best wishes figuring out an alternative.

[nnozomi]

I belong to the "not comfortable if not wearing one" group (thanks, Ashkenazi dumpy-hourglass build) and also to those not feeling like I'm dressed for the day if I don't have a bra on. (Bra buying in Japan for the amply endowed is kind of an extreme sport, but I found a little back-street lingerie store that sells large, comfortable, unpadded, unfussy eight-dollar bras, and now I have a treasure trove of them.)
(Also I love it that EVERYONE is moved to comment on this particular topic ;))

[clevermanka]

large, comfortable, unpadded, unfussy eight-dollar bras
Holy wow, talk about the Holy Grail!

And yes! I had no idea this would be such a popular topic! I love it!

[roseconnelly]

In my (younger, perkier) days of weighing a lot less and sporting a B cup, nope.

But now? My DDDs are not comfortable without one. I don't find bras uncomfortable to wear either like some do.

[clevermanka]

I'm sooooo glad bras aren't uncomfortable for me.

*raises a glass to both of our old B-cups*

[riventhorn]

I wear a bra to work, most of the time, otherwise I do not. I'd probably skip it more at work too, except I don't like the way a lot of my work shirts look without one.

[clevermanka]

Oh, yeah, that's a good point I hadn't considered. Button-downs especially would be troublesome.

[wrote_and_writ]

I absolutely wear a bra every day. Even when I'm home sick, I get up and shower and put on regular clothes. My outfits have shifted to a lot of cotton dresses that essentially could be nightgowns, but still. I've never been the sort of person who takes off their bra as soon as they get home, or changed into pajamas, not unless it's bedtime. I did switch to a bra by Warners a few years ago. It's soft and stretchy, underwire free, but it is constructed like a regular bra, with hooks in the back. I've found it to be a nice balance between comfort and support. Plus I can buy them at places like Target and Walmart, which is fantastic because I'm like a size F so their regular selection never has big enough cup sizes, but the 2X of these stretchy ones work really well. And that is all you need to know about my bra habits. :)

[clevermanka]

Warner's bras are great! I've never tried any of their non-underwires, though. What's the model, do you know? Or could you send me a link?

[libitina]

My DDDs are pretty comfy without a bra. But because where I live going braless is seen as an invitation to make way escalated sexual advances, I do not leave the house without a bra. Though this last year, I would hang out on my porch braless because I figure that’s an extension of my house plus not moving a lot.

Occasionally the boob skin touching the torso skin will get uncomfortable, and my solution it to just tuck my shirt tight up under by breast for an hour or so.

[clevermanka]

going braless is seen as an invitation to make way escalated sexual advances
Ugh. I wonder if that's true here. I don't know many (any?) women who regularly go braless and *knock wood* nobody's ever hit on me in a public place like that so I have no basis of comparison.

my solution it to just tuck my shirt tight up under by breast for an hour or so.
😄

[write_out]

I wear a bra every day- even on days I'm working remotely- but will go without sometimes on the weekends if I'm not getting dressed and just hang out in my pjs. I'm a B (only because I gained a bunch of weight) but I feel more comfortable with an bra on. Always an underwire bra too, as I've never ever worn a no-underwire bra that felt good.

[clevermanka]

Hang-out-in-pjs days are the only days I go braless, too! *fistbump*

[khellekson]

CHU SHUZHI PROMO SHOT OMG OMG OMG

[clevermanka]

I thought of three specific people when I posted that and you're one of them. 😁

[tinny]

Hee. You worded the poll in a way that it does not apply to me. \o/

I am happy to see your twitter recs! <3

[clevermanka]

It feels good to share some of my Twitter finds, even if I'm not inspired/energetic to share as many as I used to.

[clevermanka]

Shadowrun is a role-playing-game set in a cyberpunk world with fantasy elements and I am pining for someone to write a Guardian AU in it now!

I'm still surprised at how many of us are still wearing bras, and fascinated by the different reasons. Life's rich tapestry!