I tried going braless with big boobs

Free the (big) nip!

No matter how cute or sexy your bra is, or how icky and annoying underboob sweat is, we all have a secret desire to just whip that baby off. There’s really no better feeling than unclasping that stringy piece of lacy elastic at the end of the day and collapsing onto the couch, topless.

As a big-boobed girlie (I’m a D-DD cup), I’ve always believed I needed to wear a bra whenever I left the house. Whether I was going out to exercise, off to the city for a meeting or even just out for an iced latte with my sister, I needed to confine the girls for the sake of decency. 

For more musings on big boobs and fashion, head here. 

I thought that nipples were not meant to be seen (despite finding them to be a very attractive feature) and that because my boobs were big, they should always be as firmly supported as possible. 

I wanted my boobs to look perky and small. I dreamt of wearing a little vest top and going braless, like Monica and Rachel do in Friends (basic reference, I know). How easy would it be to just throw on a cute top in the morning without worrying about bra straps showing? 

The struggle is eternal for me when it comes to strappy dresses and tops. Do I want the girls to be perky and secure in a thickly-strapped bra, or do I opt for a thin little bralette and have my boobs bounce around all night?

Sick of this constant back and forth, I started a new discussion in my head. Do I need to be wearing a bra at all? Should I just say ‘Fuck it’ and take my boobs out for a spin commando-style? However, this question wasn’t so easily answered in my head. Other problems began popping up. If I didn’t wear a bra, would I be perceived as being inappropriate? Would I be sexualised, particularly by men? 

And there was another issue. How would I get around the whole underboob sweat discomfort that I’m used to experiencing when I don’t wear a bra around the house? I decided that, despite my doubts, I should give it a go. So, I went out with my not-so-itty-bitty-titties free of the confines of a bra. 

The first time I went braless, I made a wise fashion decision. I wanted to wear a tight, stretchy little vest top that would hold my breasts in place. I tried a few on and jumped around my room a bit, to see how they’d hold in place. 

I found that if the top was tight enough (but still comfortable, of course), my boobs would happily sit still. And, to my delight, with no bra, my nipples were visible. That’s a bonus. What can I say – I love nips! 

The first trip out with no bra was successful. No nip-slips, no creepy comments – or even looks, as far as I can remember. I felt sexy and I even felt a bit empowered.

It’s always a good feeling when you challenge a weird belief you’ve always held. It makes me feel like I’m stronger than my anxieties, which is a really powerful feeling. I tried going braless again and again until I really started to feel comfortable with the idea.

Although I couldn’t help comparing myself to my friends and people around me, sizing up everyone’s boobs and coming to the conclusion that my chest was too big to be unsupported, I kept pushing through. 

One Saturday morning, I was walking down my local main street. I’d just slurped up an iced latte and decided to go for a little op shop stroll. I was wearing this cute little singlet I’d found the day prior – and when I say cute, I really mean it. The top had tiny little spaghetti straps and was covered in a pink strawberry pattern. 

One girl stopped me on the street and told me she loved my singlet – this was just the boost I needed. Compliments from strangers always make my heart glow in a weird sort of way. I was making my way down the street to keep shopping, headphones on and luxuriating in the morning sun, when I clocked an old man staring directly at my chest.

He caught me staring right back at him and I shot him a dirty look, but I was deeply uncomfortable. This happened not once more, but twice, all in the same morning. I was in disgust that three men, all older than me, had been openly staring at my breasts as I just went about my day. I hated that I was sexualised when I was just wearing a singlet (something that’s not questioned when it comes to smaller chests). 

Despite these hiccups, (and many more stares from creepy men), I didn’t let it stop me. I’m embracing the body I have, big titties included. When it comes to going braless for my big-boobed gals, here are a couple of things that have helped me. 

In terms of what feels the most comfortable for me, there are two types of tops. Vest singlets that are tight enough to hold your boobs in place are really comfy and also make them sit nicely. I feel confident walking around in these, with the knowledge that I won’t have any issues with slips or sweating. 

Low-cut tops are also a great option, particularly for going out. The trick with these is that they need to be tight enough to support your chest but cut in a way that gives you some nice cleavage. I feel so sexy when I’m wearing a pretty-little-boobie top. 

However you decide to style your big chest, remember to prioritise comfort. If you feel most comfortable wearing a bra, then go for it. But if you’d prefer to go braless, don’t let your chest size stop you from freeing the girls (and the nip!).

For advice on finding the right bra for big boobs, head here.