More GIRLFRIENDS blogs
- Cell Phones and Texting
- PMS What is it and do you have it?
- To SHAVE or not to SHAVE
- Down There
- What is a TRUE FRIEND?
- Let's Talk BRAS
- What's Wrong With My BFF?
- Meet Our Sisters from JAPAN!
- Sisters from Poland
- Do you MEASURE UP?
- Getting beyond your fears to make new friends!
- MOODS - Stopping Depression Before it Starts
- DIY: Make your own gift cards
- Family Break-ups
- BFF Today... Dissed Tomorrow!
- Bored? What to do this March Break
- Valentine's Day
- What Did They Say?
- Girl Talk - PERIODS
- Girl Bullying, what's with all the ANGER?
- Girlfriends - What you say is what you are
- Sisters - same genes, just not the same 'jeans'
- Oh No...BFFs like the same guy!
- Body Image - Am I Good Enough?
- Sometimes I really DON'T LIKE my Mom!
- We've been DITCHED...for a guy!
- Are My Friends Really Friends?
May 2009 Blogs
- Real Girl: Sara
- Let's Talk BRAS
- We hate being JUDGED, ...but do WE do it too?
- Splish Splash, time for a bath?
- Turning a Challenge into a SUCCESS!
- Fencing, en garde!
- Elemental Connections Part 4 of 4: AIR
- Ask a Girl - sneaky thing, change a law, allergies, slang
- Ask a Guy - sneaky thing, change a law, allergies, slang
- Sniff, sniff... bad breath and B.O.
- Focus on HABITS
Let's Talk BRAS
GIRLFRIENDS, May 2009, by Jenifer Merifield
Let's Talk BRAS
What did the bra say to the hat? “You go on a-head, while I give these two a lift.”
Thanks to Carly from Montreal, Quebec for that cute little joke! And just like the joke implies, at one time bras were all about functionality - to 'lift and support’. From the first-ever brassieres to those we have today, bras have evolved and changed pretty drastically in style and functionality.
Before Bras Were Invented
Did you know, there was a time before the invention of the bra when women wore extremely tight fitting contraptions called ‘corsets’? They went from below the navel up to the collar bones, squishing in their waists and smooshing their breasts up unnaturally high. 
Tied from the back, corsets were pulled in as tight as possible (comfort was not considered!) and were made with lines of boning (wire inserts, kind of like the underwire in today’s bras) that went from top to bottom. Women often suffered from bowel problems, shortness of breath, nausea, eating disorders, and fainting. Can you imagine what it would feel like to have your body restricted like that all day, every day?
Interestingly enough, modern day corsets are worn today as a fashion statement… often as the top layer. You’ve all seen videos of young women dancing around in lingerie, maybe you’ve seen teens and young women wearing the same outfits in public. Not too long ago that would have been an outrage.
Times Have Changed
...and so has underwear, drastically. Bras went through various designs and forms from trying to make breasts appear either flatter, or like cones (the ‘bullet’), lifting them up, moving them apart, rounding them, pressing them together or padding them for fullness.
Up in Flames!
Waaaaay back in the 60’s there was a protest called ‘bra burning’. It was during the time of women’s liberation where many protested the bra and other female items (such as high heels, false eyelashes, makeup and so on) as symbols of oppression of women. It was a display of women’s rights to choose and not be deemed as sex objects. Bra burning got a lot of publicity and is a well known event to date. However, women continued to wear bras.
A Bra for Everyone
Nowadays the rules have changed. You don’t have to wear uncomfortable corsets, your natural shape is completely acceptable and there are dozens of fabrics and styles to choose from to fit your body and personality perfectly.
Girls, if you,
a) haven’t got your first bra yet
b) are thinking it may be time, or
c) have been wearing one for a while now
here are FIVE THINGS you might like to consider:
1. Your breasts are one of the many parts of your fabulous body. No matter what size or what shape, they are a beautiful part of you.
2. Other’s may agree… and it’s up to you how you deal with that kind of attention. If you wear revealing or attention getting clothing that’s exactly what you’ll get: attention. Feeling liked and attractive is great, but what kind of attention do you want? How you respond to attention teaches others how to treat you. If you wear revealing clothes and get upset when people notice, you’re sending a mixed message. If you get attention when you dress appropriately and respond maturely, people will see your inner beauty as well and treat you with respect.
3. When you think of ‘support’ in a bra, think of it as more than just ‘lifting’. A bra can be something that supports how you feel about yourself too. For instance, if you are self conscious about your size or shape, if a certain colour makes you feel more confident (see Alicja's Discovering You articles on colour) or if you’re changing in gym class and everyone else has grown out of undershirts, there is a perfect bra out there for you. And if you don’t like typical bras, there are sports bras or bands that may be more your style.
4. Get fitted! Go with your Mom or your BFFs for a professional fitting. Apparently 80% of women and girls out there are wearing the wrong size bra! It’s a fun day out and worth it. (See also Nadia’s Fashion articles.)
5. Ignore the music videos attire. It’s entertainment, not reality. UNDERwear, no OVERwear ;) Dress for YOU, nobody else.
~ Jenifer