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Date: Wednesday, September 2, 2009 Time: 2:31 AM Bras.
The brassiere, commonly known as a 'bra' is a piece of clothing that was designed to provide cover, support, elevation, and in cases for the less-endowed, artificial bulk for the breasts.  The existence of the bra can be traced back to as early as the Minoan civilisation era where female athletes were depicted to be wearing bikini-like garments. The domination of corsets then came into the picture in the 1500s' which provides women with both elevation of the breasts and a slender waistline. Functionality then kicked in and the brassiere made a comeback as the preferred choice of undergarment in the 1940s'. Manufacture and sale of the brassiere is now a multi-billion dollar industry. There are several types of bras to accommodate different activities of a woman's daily life. The sports bra to give restrain during exercise, the training bra for those who are in early stages of development, the nursing bra for post-pregnancy use or even the push-up bras to enhance cleavage. All these on top of the current trend of undergarment fashion. The modern bra usually comprises of two cups held together by a centre panel with a band running around the torso below the bust and the optional shoulder straps. Depending on the functionality of the bra, the fabric may vary from cotton to spandex or even lace. The cups may be supported by an underwire made of metal or just purely relying on the straps themselves. They are typically fastened at the back with hooks on the band, while some have them in front. Some bras such as those used for sport-purposes don't usually come with any. Personally, I find bras very annoying. Yes they do serve their practical purposes but honestly, there are times when I find them to be a major restriction to the upper body. How would you like walking around with a band below your chest or making a conscious effort to pull up the straps every time they are on the verge of falling? The truth is however, that women with big boobs are most likely to suffer from ptosis or any other pains without the support of a bra. Fair enough.  I am not that busty so I don't really find the need to wear one. I have no intention of crossing the sexually-provocative line. Unfortunately, majority of the Malaysian society deems strolling down the street bra-less to be quite inappropriate. They may not notice at first- but when they do, there are some who'd make a big hoohah about it. What a shame. It's no longer an issue of functionality, it has now become a mostly indispensable piece of garment because of social expectations. |