Whether for work or leisure, bras are utterly uncomfortable, hot and itchy. But looking around, I seem to be in the minority. What are the braless rules? Is it okay if I show my nipples? Or are you rude? — Eddie, Madison, Wisconsin.
You’re not the only one experiencing bra-hating moments. When pandemic lockdowns pushed many dressing habits out the window, the no-bra movement, which had resurfaced regularly since the 1960s, began to gain momentum again (led in part by Florence Pugh above).
Still, when it comes to “bra or not”, there really are three kinds of issues, especially as we head back to the office and summer is coming to an end. Literal problems, physical problems, and sociocultural problems. .
First of all, there are literally no rules or laws governing women’s underwear. Instead, the law focuses on body parts and what can and cannot be shown. IndianaFor example, it prohibits public indecency, some of which it defines as “exposing a woman’s breasts without a fully opaque covering of the nipple.”
However, many states, including New York, Utah, Oklahoma, and many more cities ( Madison) allow women to go topless in public. It also means no bra.
According to Susan Scafidi, founder of the Fashion Law Institute, this gets a little more complicated when it comes to workplace dress codes. New York City is the first jurisdiction to claim “total gender neutrality,” she said, in which employers “can require individuals who identify as women to wear bras and cover their nipples, but Only if the same rules apply to men.” means an employee. “
I can imagine SNL having a field day with it.However, the current situation is that investment bank UBS 44 page dress codeAmong other things, female employees were required to wear flesh-colored lingerie.
Regarding federal law, Mr. Skafidi said, “We only require that the dress code be equal for men and women in terms of costs and other contributions.” No word yet on whether bras represent an additional financial burden.
Commenting on the idea that bras are necessary for women’s health, Kasan Blake, director of breast services at the Cleveland Clinic Hospital in Weston, Florida, said: health blog There’s no specific medical reason to wear a bra (and bras don’t prevent sagging). However, women with particularly large breasts may find sports bras to be less stressful on their backs.
Then I heard an elephant or a cat meow in the room. After all, quitting bras isn’t just about changing underwear conventions. It’s about gender norms, the realities (and historical horrors) of the female body, power struggles, and sexual stereotypes.
To be confronted with the liberation of breasts, whether or not the nipples are visible, is to confront deep-seated prejudices about all of this, which for many is upsetting and disheartening. It is also scattered. Especially at this special time when the control of women’s bodies and reproductive purposes is once again a high-profile political issue. It reminds me of the uproar a few years ago when the parents of Notre Dame students complained about girls wearing leggings as distracting boys.
Of course, it’s not your job to reassure the other person or help them sort out their feelings about all of the above. However, it’s also true that group dynamics matter when you’re actually at work, and you might not want to spend a lot of time discussing your breasts with your co-workers. However, it’s still your choice, at least for now.
answer your style questions
Each week, Vanessa answers readers’ fashion-related questions in an open thread. You can send her questions at any time by: e-mail or twitter. The question has been edited and condensed.