Bralets Are In, Underwire Bras Are Out, And Everyone Is Mad at Victoria’s Secret
I have barely any boobs, and basically stopped wearing underwire bras the day I went into Victoria’s Secret and was told that all the bras I liked didn’t come in my size.
“We don’t make those in AA ,” the sales lady told me, crushing all my padded/lacy/40 dollar dreams.
This is prejudice! I thought, and never entered the store again.
Understandably, for someone with a small chest, it might be easy to go through life wearing only bralets. But recently, I noticed that my friends with big boobs aren’t wearing underwire bras either. I’m not surprised, since it pretty much goes without saying that underwire bras are uncomfortable, but I also wondered if this was something specific to my small pool of busty friends, or if the pattern was indicative of a larger trend.
A quick Google search notified me that Victoria’s Secret and I seem to be on a similar wavelength. They’ve just introduced a new line of bralets, as an extensive collection of sporty, comfortable, and sometimes bizarre-looking bras, designed specifically with no underwire. The new line is also a step in a largely different direction for the brand, which has built its reputation — and revenue — off selling underwire bras with lots and lots of padding.
But now, people are pissed at the company, and claim the new line, and especially the commercials for the new bralets, alienate women with large breasts.
“No padding is sexy, now!” The advertisement reads.
It seems like no matter what kind of bra Victoria Secret makes, someone and their breasts are going to be upset. So I wanted to know if wearing an underwire bra really made a difference for women with larger breasts. I asked Ra’El Cohen, VP of design over at ThirdLove — a company that makes underwear and bras based on finding an individual’s perfect fit — to help us out with some answers.
“It really comes down to personal preference, but regardless your bra should be comfortable. If it’s not, the fit and the quality are probably the culprits, not the wire,” she says. “A high quality wired bra with a flexible wire and the right fit, can be just as comfy as a wire-free bra.”
So life is whatever you want it to be, basically. She went on:
“I often recommend test driving a wireless bra on the weekend first. Wear it around for the day and check in every few hours in the mirror to see if it’s still supportive.”
If you don’t feel ready to give up your underwire, but aren’t happy with your current brassiere situation, Ra’el has some tips for you as well.
“Wired bras have come a long way,” she says. “There are 2 things you should look for when shopping for a wired bra. #1, choose a flexible wire; if the wire feels stiff and un-giving it’s going to dig in and make you uncomfortable. #2, make sure that your band is snug enough. When a band gets too loose the wire relaxes and can sit on your breast tissue which causes discomfort.”
The bottom line? Wear whichever kind of bra you like best. And don’t be surprised if your perfect bra isn’t sold at Victoria’s Secret.
