The bra, on a tightrope: "I have worn more masks than bras during the pandemic"
“For me it has been the best of the pandemic, on March 13, 2020 I took off my bra and I have been without wearing it for months and months,” says Sofía, a 39-year-old lawyer. "Why am I going to wear a bra if I'm just going to be at home, he told me. Now, I have to go back to the office and I think I'm going to have to put it on, especially in summer so that nothing is marked. It's always there behind what they will think if I don't wear a bra, the lack of confidence. But in winter with a sweater they will return to the closet, "he says.
The same thing happens to María, 40 years old. After a persistent covid, in which she was in bed for 50 days, she cannot conceive of having to put on one more bra in her life. "I can't stand it. I think that in a few years it will pass as with the corset, what will we say, why were we wearing something that oppresses and bothers us?" She says that she tries, that she thinks it's good to wear it sometimes and especially so that her chest doesn't sag, but even so, it's impossible for her. "It's freedom. I've worn more masks than bras during the pandemic."
Days and days at home, without going out, allowed many women to forget that there is a bra and move freely, until for many it has become a habit. Today thousands of them walk the streets without a bra and defy what is imposed. They are not the only ones to dismiss the bra as the basic garment that it was. There are many hashtags that have sprung up on social media like #nobrachallenge. For many women it's just a matter of comfort—just like swapping jeans for pajamas.
One of the most prominent women in the #Nobra anti-bra movement is American actress Dayna Kathan: "Every time I came home and unbuttoned my bra it was like being released from jail, so I stopped using it."
But not all women feel the same way. It is very different to have little chest than to have a lot. “I do not conceive my life without a bra. It's like not wearing panties. I still wear a bra at all times and every day. Work clothes, being at home, are more comfortable but the bra is basic. Without a bra I'm more uncomfortable. Also, I have to be prepared for as soon as I close the computer at home to run after the children. For me it continues to be fundamental”, explains Susana, a 46-year-old journalist.
Cotton homework clothing, the most demanded
The fashion industry has been affected by the pandemic and this has been noticed in its consumption. This year, the textile-fashion sector has closed the 2020 financial year with a turnover of 25% less than the previous year, according to a study prepared by the Catalan fashion cluster MODACC. And it is clear that the fashion industry has been transformed in record time and has adapted to the spaces and habits of society. The proof of this is that with the arrival of the coronavirus and the confinement, which has increased, or at least recovered, the sales of certain garments. Categories that have softened the fall thanks to the change of routine in society. For example, intimate clothing, women's, has exceeded sales compared to the same quarter of the previous year.
Sources at El Corte Inglés assure that there was a growing market trend for bras without underwire and without push up that has been maintained and has grown during the pandemic. But what has stood out the most has been the demand for higher-waisted cotton panties, in addition, there has been an increase in 'homework' garments, comfortable clothing such as pajamas, wide pants, all-cotton T-shirts. “Comfort bras are thriving in a work-from-home world. Without a doubt, the trend has been towards comfortable clothing and homework”.
"It itches, it digs, and it bothers me"
For many, this garment can be a true torment: the strap digs in, the hoop tightens on all sides, it the back strap goes up, it digs in... In most cases, however, this happens because the appropriate bra is not used. It is estimated that seven out of ten women do not wear the correct size and cup.
"The thing is that I feel incapable of wearing it. It itches, it bothers me and on top of that I save money. For me not wearing a bra is the best," says Macarena Ruiz, a 40-year-old bank employee. I've tried T-shirts , tops, larger sizes and nothing, everything gets in the way. When summer comes I don't know what will happen, but I intend not to wear it again, it takes less time to get dressed, it's one less thing to think about”.
"In retrospect, underwire bras now seem like an unkind way to treat my body," says Silva, 39. I have bought many new bras this year. It seems like I've bought more bras this year than any year before, mind you, all sports bras, bralettes, and sleep bras. The old ones are in the bottom of the drawer."
Is it good to wear a bra?
Experts say that there are no scientific studies that associate the use of a bra with a sagging chest. However, not wearing it can also cause the ligaments and tissues to stretch due to gravity and movements, especially if the breasts are large. There are biological and genetic factors that increase or decrease the possibility of sagging breasts, such as pregnancy, obesity, rapid weight loss and violent sports.
