No Bra Day: Yay or Nay?

While for many breasty ladies the prospect of spending an entire day flying free is utterly horrifying (it seems fitting that No Bra Day 2017 falls on Friday 13th), today is a day for self-love and risk-taking as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We remove our bras in solidarity with the 50,000 Brits diagnosed with Breast Cancer every year. We remove our bras to encourage openness, awareness, and vigilance. Take the leap.

I am no stranger to the pain of attempting to run to a lecture in a mere T-shirt bra, and feeling the flush of heat to your cringing face as your gals bounce about. Any girl larger than a D has wondered in awe and amazement at the transformative powers of these magical bra contraptions that, by seemingly divine power, perk up their breasts into perfectly rotund orbs of glory. Indeed, we all know the struggle of trying to find a low back strapless bra that's actually supportive for a night out – everyone raise a glass to the queens at Boux Avenue for creating a feat of sheer engineering which bewilders me to this day (other lingerie retailers are available). How on earth, then, could we bear to go without for a whole day?

The power of science.

Think of it as a liberation; that relief of removing your bra after a hard day's work…but all day. Yes, you may flap about a bit. Yes, your nips may be visible but why the hell not? Celebrate your body. Embrace the underboob perspiration as you spend the day frolicking in the metaphorical meadow of breast freedom. How very relaxing.

To all of you less voluptuous women who do this on the daily, this is your time to shine. If you genuinely don't need a bra to support you, then why wear one? Bras can be unnecessary restrictions, bunching up like used tissues into very unnatural positions; or forcing you to spend your day in excessive discomfort without seeing any positive lifting and shaping effects. Shed the contraption, especially today!

A* for effort

It seems necessary to cite the rah-rah 'smash the patriarchy' arguments of feminists like Germain Greer who has described the bra as a 'ludicrous invention'. Bras are time and again demonised as symptoms of institutional sexism, forcing women to cover up their breasts while men can flash a cheeky bit of nip without judgement or sexualisation. Personally, I think bras are a personal choice which can make a woman feel comfortable, confident, and sexy without having to sacrifice her feminist ideals. But if you do feel oppressed by the culture of bra-wearing, rip it off, shred it, burn it. FREE THOSE BOYS.

Men, this day is about you too. The trend is to wear purple to show your participation (this also applies to women who don't want to go braless). Yet the boldest and bravest amongst you could turn No Bra Day on its head and flaunt a bra for one day only – I would advise in true-Superman fashion: on top of your clothes.

Fetching.

The point of this day is to raise awareness and promote self-examinations. Whether or not you discard your bra burden, or simply spread the message whilst secure and tucked up in your favourite piece of lingerie, is up to you. Most importantly, be aware of the signs of breast cancer and regularly check yourself (click here for more information). All donations to the Breast Cancer Care charity go towards ' providing care, information and support to people affected by breast cancer'.