How to Avoid Wearing a Bra This Whole Summer, No Matter Your Size
Free nipples and boob sweat for all.
Of the few things that rank above whipping your bra off at the end of the day in Satisfaction Points™, not wearing an underwire at all has to come out near the top. Here, some advice for how anyone can go free-boobing this summer—even those of us who were born without fashion-girl chests.
Choose a thicker fabric
Eliminates the need for nipple covers; still provides some support, emotional and otherwise. You could do a solid-colored knit like Olivia Newton-John here, but for extra coverage, go for a stripe or other print.
Or structure
The jacket-with-nothing-underneath thing is so chic and so flattering. If you're not keen on having to deal with fashion tape, though, just put on a bandeau—you still get the skin and the braless-ness, but with just a bit less *movement,* if you know what I mean.
Go deep with the armholes
It's simple optics: The more boob strategically shown, the less boob there must (conceivably) be. For that, the chic-girl version of a bro tank does just fine: The neckline should be cut low, the armholes should dip enough for some side-boob, and the whole effect should be breezy.
Or loose, loose, loose
As long as you've got some shoulder/clavicle action, you're good.
Or a boob valance
A huge ruffle hiding everything works too.
Or boob scaffolding
Boob *fence*? In any case, the laces provide the architecture that holds them in place while simultaneously advertising them. Perfect.
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Chelsea Peng is a writer and editor who was formerly the assistant editor at Marie Claire. She's also worked for The Strategist and Refinery29, and is a graduate of Northwestern University. On her tombstone, she would like a GIF of herself that's better than the one that already exists on the Internet and a free fro-yo machine. Besides frozen dairy products, she's into pirates, carbs, Balzac, and snacking so hard she has to go lie down.
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