The "no bra" trend, i.e. not wearing a bra, is becoming increasingly popular. Find out what it's all about, how healthy it is and how you can embrace the trend here.

More and more female readers are deciding to take part in the so-called "no bra" trend - in other words, no longer wearing a bra. You can find out how the trend came about and what the health consequences of not wearing a bra can be here.

Disclaimer: In this text, you will find the term "female reader" instead of "woman". This is to point out that people can also have anatomically female breasts, but do not identify themselves as "women".

The origins of the "no-bra" trend

The bra has an eventful history. Over the course of time, the bra has changed from a revolution to a symbol of oppression. At the beginning of the 20th century, the invention of the bra was a stroke of liberation for women: The brassiere allowed them much more freedom of movement than the corset or girdle that had been common up until then.

Around 50 years later, however, attitudes towards the bra changed. The women's movement in the 1970s campaigned for female-read people to be able to decide for themselves how they wanted to live and what they wanted to wear. The bra as an item of clothing that was expected to be worn by all females became a symbol of oppression and paternalism by the patriarchy. However, the lingerie industry was not deterred by this. It developed the push-up bra and created the beauty ideal of perfectly round, upright breasts, which continues to this day. Because the breasts of women have always been highly sexualized, bras have always been used to give them a socially acceptable shape. This is why bras are also intended to make nipples appear to disappear. The Covid-19 pandemic provided an opportunity to question the habit of wearing bras every day. In the home office, many female readers skipped the bra. They now no longer want to do without their newfound sense of freedom and comfort outside their own four walls.

The "no-bra" trend is therefore an expression of the fact that women's personal body image has become more important to them than society's beauty standards. They no longer want to be told how to show their bodies in public. This is accompanied by the desexualization of anatomically female breasts: Female nipples and different breast shapes should be just as naturally accepted in public as male nipples.

The health aspect of the "no-bra" trend

Some people find the "no-bra" trend comfortable and liberating. Many report that they can only breathe properly and adopt a more upright posture without a bra. For others, however, going braless is physically uncomfortable. This has to do with the individual characteristics of each breast.

However, not wearing a bra is not fundamentally harmful to your health, as breast oncologist and surgeon Cassann Blake explains:

• Not wearing a bra does not increase the risk of breast cancer.

• Wearing a bra does not make your breasts firmer, nor does not wearing a bra make your breasts sag. The shape of the breast depends on fatty tissue, age, genes, weight fluctuations and pregnancies.

• For people with a larger cup size, it may be better not to wear a bra. The doctor explains that wearing a bra can help relieve or prevent back pain, which is often due to the weight of the breasts.

• If you are wearing the wrong cup size, however, it is advisable to skip the bra or replace it with one of the right size. The reason for this is that both a bra that is too big and one that is too small can have negative effects. If the bra is too tight, it can cause pain; if it is too big, it may rub badly, which can lead to skin irritation. So it's best to listen to your own body feeling: if you feel that your breasts don't need any additional support, there's nothing to stop you from going along with the 'no bra' trend. However, if your breast tissue is very soft, not wearing a bra can cause an uncomfortable pull on your breast fascia. In such cases, gynecologist Micha Bitschnau also advises zett not to do without support.

• Not wearing a bra does not increase the risk of breast cancer.

• Wearing a bra does not make your breasts firmer, nor does not wearing a bra make your breasts sag. The shape of the breast depends on fatty tissue, age, genes, weight fluctuations and pregnancies.

• For people with a larger cup size, it may be better not to wear a bra. The doctor explains that wearing a bra can help relieve or prevent back pain, which is often due to the weight of the breasts.

• If you are wearing the wrong cup size, however, it is advisable to skip the bra or replace it with one of the right size. The reason for this is that both a bra that is too big and one that is too small can have negative effects. If the bra is too tight, it can cause pain; if it is too big, it may rub badly, which can lead to skin irritation. So it's best to listen to your own body feeling: if you feel that your breasts don't need any additional support, there's nothing to stop you from going along with the 'no bra' trend. However, if your breast tissue is very soft, not wearing a bra can cause an uncomfortable pull on your breast fascia. In such cases, gynecologist Micha Bitschnau also advises zett not to do without support.

Some experts recommend not doing without the support of a bra when exercising. Joanna Wakefield-Scurr, head of the Breast Health Research Group at the University of Portsmouth, explains that without a sports bra, you may experience pain and stretched breast skin, giving your breasts a more pendulous shape.

Tips for going bra-free

If you're thinking about giving the no-bra trend a try, these tips will help you make the transition to going bra-free:

• Start slowly: You would like to stop wearing a bra, but still feel a little uncomfortable with it. Therefore, take it step by step: leave your bra off for a few hours at home or a few days a week at first.
• Cover your nipples: Without a bra, many female readers feel naked and exposed to unwanted glances due to visible nipples. If you're happy to leave your bra off but don't want to show everything to everyone, nipple covers may be an option for you. These are often justifiably criticized for body-shaming in their marketing and supporting the sexualization of female bodies. But they also offer you the opportunity to decide for yourself how you want to show your breasts. You can read more about this here: Lion's Den: Product under fire
• Bra alternatives: You don't want to wear a bra anymore, but still want some support? Then bralettes are a good alternative. They offer light support, but come without underbust support, cups and are therefore less pushing and shaping.
• Clothing: You can also decide for yourself whether you want to show your breasts or not with your choice of clothing. Under dark clothing or patterns, for example, breasts are less obvious.
• Bodysuits and undershirts: Both bodysuits and undershirts can give you some shape and support if you skip the bra.

In the end, the most important thing is that you choose what you feel most comfortable with. Just try out whether and to what extent the no-bra trend works for you.