Many women will be freeing their breasts for at least the next four weeks. Photo / iStock
COMMENT:
When we found out our country would be going into lockdown for at least four weeks, I can't be the only one who thought "cool, no bra".
I'm convinced women around the country came home that day, pulled their bras through the sleeves of their shirts, and flung them into a dusty corner where they shall remain untouched until coronavirus departs our remote shores.
Many wise people have said there's nothing quite like the feeling of taking your bra off at the end of a long day.
But now there is. There's the feeling of taking it off at the end of a long day, and knowing you won't be putting it back on again for at least four straight weeks. Silver linings, people.
To aid you in this new chapter of your life, here's a comprehensive list of the - largely unscientific - pros and cons of going braless for the foreseeable future.
Pro: It's better for your breasts
A 15-year study on how bras affect breasts showed they did more harm than good. French researcher Jean-Denis Rouillon found women who wore bras had saggier breasts on average than those who didn't.
His study confirmed stopping wearing a bra could improve the shape of the breasts. In fact, he couldn't find any evidence that wearing a bra provided benefits to women.
But Rouillon did say his sample size of more than 300 young women was not large enough to accurately represent the global population.
Con: Less shape
Yes, while the research says ditching the bra allows for better shape in general, it doesn't give you that boost you need in the moment.
Pro: A cool breeze
In the same way we're told not to constantly wear tight, unbreathable pants, surely there's got to be some benefit in not keeping our boobs cramped up in a bra all day? That's the assumption that I'll be operating on anyway.
Con: Potential judgment from housemates
If you're on lockdown with one of those people who believe breasts should sort of just stay in the one place and not show any evidence of actually having nipples, there may be some judgy looks or even comments.
There's no one way to deal with this, but hopefully the person with the issue can come to terms with the fact you need to be comfortable in your own home. After four weeks they will surely be used to it.
Pro: Comfort
This one really should have been at the top of the list. It's the main reason. Need I say more?
Con: Chafing
Ouch. Pick your shirts carefully, friends.
Pro: Learning to be comfortable in your own skin
I try to make sure I occasionally go to work with no make-up on so I can remind myself it's not a necessity and that my face is fine as it is. I want to have the option to wear it or not wear it, and be happy and treated the same either way.
Maybe we'll come out of this quarantine with the same attitude towards bras. Maybe we as a society could simply get used to breasts not being the one expected shape. Maybe we can just learn to be alright with how our breasts look unsupported.
Con: Less storage
In a world where pockets on women's clothing are few and far between, you take every bit of storage you can get. At least being at home means you have less need for it.
The new free open-air saltwater pool is already proving popular.