Bra Fashion!
May. 12th, 2004 02:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
zdashamberSo, this is going to be a much easier question than the last few, and I expect you all to have an opinion, because in this post I'm going to be talking about fashion!
Yep, I'm under the impression that, unlike most forms of underwear, bras impinge enough on the conscious of society that there are meanings attributed to the various wearing a bra/not wearing a bra choices. But I don't know what the heck those meanings are. I get the impression that bra meanings have changed in the last 50 years, perhaps several times, and I'm not sure what's currently in ascendance.
What is is that you're saying when you don't wear a bra? Is it "I am a skank", or "I am not a skank"? At what point does the plausible deniability engage--is it ok to go braless if people would have to be looking to notice, like if you were wearing a silky shirt that would normally show the bra back when you folded your arms? Is it good, or bad, to wear a bra under one of those tank tops with thin straps that won't hide the bra straps?
Is the purpose of a bra (leaving aside the "holding up boobs" thing) to disguise the fact that you have nipples? I'm confused about how terrible it is to have nipples. I've gotten catalogs that offer fake plastic "always pointy" nipples... On the very same page as nipple-flattening sticky things. On the other hand, I get catalogs that offer underwear with pockets for you to add butt enhancements. I just can't trust the fashion consciousness of the catalogs that come to my zip code.
But I'm sure I can trust you, my wise and perspicacious friends. When is it ok to not wear a bra? Speak, I entreat thee! [hee hee hee hee...]
Yep, I'm under the impression that, unlike most forms of underwear, bras impinge enough on the conscious of society that there are meanings attributed to the various wearing a bra/not wearing a bra choices. But I don't know what the heck those meanings are. I get the impression that bra meanings have changed in the last 50 years, perhaps several times, and I'm not sure what's currently in ascendance.
What is is that you're saying when you don't wear a bra? Is it "I am a skank", or "I am not a skank"? At what point does the plausible deniability engage--is it ok to go braless if people would have to be looking to notice, like if you were wearing a silky shirt that would normally show the bra back when you folded your arms? Is it good, or bad, to wear a bra under one of those tank tops with thin straps that won't hide the bra straps?
Is the purpose of a bra (leaving aside the "holding up boobs" thing) to disguise the fact that you have nipples? I'm confused about how terrible it is to have nipples. I've gotten catalogs that offer fake plastic "always pointy" nipples... On the very same page as nipple-flattening sticky things. On the other hand, I get catalogs that offer underwear with pockets for you to add butt enhancements. I just can't trust the fashion consciousness of the catalogs that come to my zip code.
But I'm sure I can trust you, my wise and perspicacious friends. When is it ok to not wear a bra? Speak, I entreat thee! [hee hee hee hee...]
no subject
Date: 2004-05-12 04:19 pm (UTC)To me, not wearing a bra mostly means "Lucky you!" To someone a decade older, it probably means "feminist". To someone two decades older, it means you haven't gotten dressed yet. :)
I wear a bra for everything except bathing and sleeping. I'm sure it appalls my mother that I wear little spaghetti-strap tank-tops with my bra straps hanging out... or it would, anyway, if she weren't so distracted by all the glorious armpit fuzz.
I like to pretend that demonstrating vs not demonstrating one's own nipplage is irrelevant... mostly because I've never met a bra that could properly disguise mine. And I'm too lazy/cheap to go out of my way to disguise them otherwise.
I should tell my spouse to throw in his comments, because I get the impression (based on the number of interested questions he asks on the subject of bras and bra-wearing) that he's got an opinion or two on the subject. :)
no subject
Date: 2004-05-13 03:21 pm (UTC)So you think old folks expect all women to wear bras? Useful to know in case I visit an old folks home or a classic car show or something...
no subject
Date: 2004-05-13 04:52 pm (UTC)I think the bra, along with high heels, is the final vestige of the clothing conventions that included such horrors as the corset. The whole bra-burning thing in the sixties was supposed to be about rebelling against the establishment and throwing off the shackles of oppression and all that...but I think most people who were raised before that time consider it an essential piece of equipment. (I know my mother, who was born in the 30's, wouldn't have been caught dead outside the house without one.)
With the way clothing trends have gone generally over the years, I would guess that if a significant part of the female population didn't find them comfortable and/or useful, the bra would probably not be with us today.
no subject
Date: 2004-05-13 08:17 pm (UTC)If you want to wear something to impress people with your professionalism, well, that's a tricky question that I'm not qualified to answer. It's a pretty well known fact that women in the workplace have a tough challenge trying to walk the fine line between unprofessional and unfeminine.
If you don't give a rats ass what people think, wear something that's comfortable.
Spouse