Why I've Ditched Bras for Bralettes
Over the last few months I've slowly began to sneak more and more bralettes into my underwear drawer. I haven't bought any wired bras in a good while now, but I have bought lots of bralettes. And I honestly don't think I'll ever go back to traditional bras as a regular occurrence at this point, so I wanted to talk about why.
Maybe it's just me, but I don't think I've ever own a traditional wired bra that is truly comfortable all day long. I've been measured professionally, and I know I'm wearing the correct size, but they are just not comfortable for me at all. The wires in the side panels are the actual worst, they always end up digging in and hurting me. By the end of the day I have red marks and am constantly aware of my bra, I do not want to be constantly aware of my clothing. I want comfort and I certainly don't want my clothes to cause me pain. Bralettes don't usually have any wiring in them (I have come across some with under wiring in the sides only) so they are usually way more comfy. I know people are going to read this and tell me that I'm wearing the wrong size but I'm not, I just hate feeling constricted and a bra sometimes makes me feel so claustrophobic.
I have a mole right below where a bra sits on my rib cage, so one wrong move catches this mole and I really don't like doing that. I could get the mole removed sure, but it's not doing anything and it's healthy so why would I purely because of a bra? I also find that bras can irritate my eczema. My skin is really sensitive, and really dry, and a bra that sits just so can cause a flare up that takes weeks to heal in the space of a single day.
The other thing is well.... my boobs have been hard to learn to love. For a plus size gal, I have a small bust, so I've tended to compare myself to those around me and feel inferior. The women of my family are generally rather busty, so I'm totally the odd one out! My breasts are very wide set, the only thing that is making them meet in the middle is being tight laced into a corset. I've never met a bra that could do the job. My boobs are also two different sizes. Leftie is a full cup size smaller than rightie, if not a size and a half smaller. With a traditional bra you have to get one that fits the bigger boob, so leftie is left with a gap. It can be really obvious and I worry about accidentally flashing a bit of nip because of it! With a bralette I don't have to worry about that, the cups are stretchy and work with boobs of any size.
I have lived in padded bras since I was a teenager, anything to make me look like I had bigger boobs. My smaller bust has been a real source of anxiety for me, particularly because people expect fat girls to have bigger boobs. Not all fat girls have big boobs! The first time I wore a bralette was the first time I hadn't worn a padded bra in probably 10 years. That was a big moment for me. I was so proud of myself for facing my fear. It was so liberating! To stop hiding behind padding and be comfortable was wonderful.
New Look have been my real saviour for bralettes, I have several lacy ones, a mesh embroidered one, and even a harness bralette! There are a surprising amount of options for plus size bralettes these days and it makes me so happy. I need to invest in some that give a smoother silhouette as sometimes you can see the lacy ones through the fabric I'm wearing, and then I'll totally be able to ditch all my underwired bras for good!
Have you tried out a bralette yet? I really recommend giving them a go! And if you have any particular plus size bralettes you recommend, do let me know in the comments section.
Much love,
Kitty xxx
