Fellow Lady-identifiers (and those curious about breasts)!
Nipples – what the hell are we supposed to do with them?
I hate wearing bras. As someone with a more pudge-inclined figure, bras feel restricting, are itchy, and they chafe in uncomfortable places. And ever since I deleted bras from my clothing routine a few years ago, I’ve never felt more titillatingly liberated.
Except for one thing: my damn nipples.
As a college student on a largely liberal university campus in a fairly body positive city, walking from class to class with my breasts freestyle bouncing and nipples out is actually not too big an issue. However, there are still days where I feel self-conscious and discreetly try to pull my cardigan over my areola region, but thankfully, those days are numbering fewer and fewer.
However, there are settings in which I feel my unrestricted boobs aren’t quite so welcome and I’m trying to learn how to deal with this.
As some of you know, I recently got a job working retail in a bookstore. And working at a corporate store where everything’s gotta be pretty-fucking-prim and proper, my pendulous ta-tas aren’t exactly welcome.
Have you experienced this?
How do you deal with this? So far, I’ve been pretty strategic in wearing thicker clothes that are a bit better at hiding protruding nips. And of course, cardigans and similar over-clothes are lifesavers. But summer is coming. The weather is getting warmer and I won’t be able to stand wearing sweaters and cardigans for much longer.
So this is my rant: What the fuck, society? Why do my nipples have to be so offensive to you?
I kid you not, there was a man with a portly belly in the store the other day. He was wearing a sheer white t-shirt and you could see everything north of the border. You could even see the stringy ‘possum chest hair roadkill underneath that tight shirt. And if that doesn’t warrant complaint or public outcry, my two teeny nipples shouldn’t either.
Light at the end of the tunnel: I feel like this will radically change in my lifetime. I feel like it already has. With more awareness around rape culture, around slut shaming and insidious forms of sexism, female nipples are slowly and surely being brought to light for what they are:
Just. Fucking. Nipples.
#SorryNotSorry For learning to love my and all women’s bodies.
Cheers,
Michelle
If nipples are banned, where will we hang the lifesaver candies?
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True. Asking the truly important questions, as always!
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Until society catches up with you, I use these. They’re pretty comfortable in that after the first little bit, I forget they’re there, unless it’s particularly hot outside. They’re lightweight, stay put and do the job. Plus you can rinse and reuse them. https://www.google.com/shopping/product/16624421668674128691?lsf=seller:6382239,store:12221480761861273578
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I have what I refer to as “mini-models,” so I haven’t had much of an occasion to think my nipples were causing ripples out in the world. I’m not sure they even get “pointy” in the cold. Now, and after reading this post, I may at least look down once and awhile to check. I typically don’t care what people think, but I’m admittedly a very conservative dresser. I’m hearing a lot from women of late who are really beginning to NOT take any shit from society for being female. So, go for it. Blogging is a great place to say how you feel about being anything under-whelming to society. Be all you can be, and if you’re nipples get in the way, rub them lovingly and move on!!!
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I gave up bras last year, damn well am never going back either. http://stars-burn.net/scruffy-duck/bras/
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*high five*
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Just read your article. Damn good article! Sharing!
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I’m as perplexed as you. We’ve all got them so what’s the fuss? And don’t get me on bra design….
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Girl! I feel you. I hate bras. I’m all about the bralettes. I haven’t been brave enough to go bra free yet but I am jealous of anyone with the guts. free the nips!
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Hm, bralettes. That’s going to need Googling 😛
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Well, the trick is to divert the attention. I don’t know, maybe wear something really weird in your hear, or go crazy with make-up. That way nobody will notice your nipples.
I always hide mine in my bras, so I’m afraid I am of no other use to you
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That’s true. The diversion tactic is probably worth looking into. I could get into crazy hats like British royalty.
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Bras are uncomfortable, no matter what your figure’s like–it’s not a fat/thin thing, it’s a these are an awkward invention thing. I went braless for years and wore a lot of shirt-style tops. Pockets are great. That’s why they call them breast pockets, right? Unfortunately, a lot of shirts only come with one. Can’t these people count to two? In recent years gravity caught up with me and the discomforts or a bra became less than the discomforts of no bra. Very sad. On the positive side, I’ve started wearing knit tops.
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Yeah! A single pocket on a shirt is weird. They should make double pocketed shirts a thing. Knit tops are nice, but are often more cold weather type clothing. Hm…
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Oh I love this! I feel your pain😂😂😂😂😂😂
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😀 Thanks for visiting. #FreeTheNipple
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Thanks for Sharing 😊
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I’m so over people trying to police nipples. EVERYONE HAS THEM. THEY ARE NOT A MYSTERY! We should all just let it fly.
That being said, count yourself lucky that you’re small enough to go braless without discomfort. I’m a 34H, and if I try to do more than walk around the house without a bra on I feel REAL uncomfortable…they hurt when they’re swinging free!
Have you tried those nipple cover pasty things? I have a small chested cousin and she wears them under dresses and sheer shirts all the time when she goes braless and they work great for her 🙂
FREE THE NIPPLE!
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Ooo, I’ve never tried pasties. I’ll have to look into that. I had tried just sticking a couple sheets of toilet paper under my shirt, but those weren’t very comfortable and pretty much disintegrated 😛 Thanks for the tip!
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Oh girl, I sympathize, I really do. Until about five years ago I would have had the same complaint. Then for some unexplained reason my nipples started pointing south rather than straight forward. I’m not particularly top-heavy – mostly B-C cup. I hope you can find a viable solution because it would be a shame to have to bind them up.
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Oof, don’t want to trap them up again. Haha, thanks for the support 😀
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I think that the double-standard when it comes to nipples is totally ridiculous. No one thinks twice when guys walk around literally topless, and while it is legal where I live for women to do the same, it is still frowned upon as a societal thing. It’s no secret that women have nipples, their main purpose is for the feeding of babies, so it is dumb that this is such an issue in society. I am #freethenipple all the way.
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Whoot whoot for freeing the nipple and liberating everyone! This is one of those issues that doesn’t benefit women at the expense of men, but should benefit everyone in the long run. I’m glad I live in Portland, though, where we do have celebrations like the World Naked Bike Ride. We don’t have to go that far for our day to day routine, but just let me show a little implied nipple, society! 😀 Thanks for visiting.
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Maybe an under layer? (something that dude sounds like he could use as well!) Like a light, breathable cotton singlet, so you’ve got a little more nip protection but don’t get too hot (I remember that’s what I did way back in the day when my boobs first starting coming in). Or just let the girls roam free and people have to learn to deal with it!
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I do occasionally wear a thin layer underneath, but I find the girls still poke through anyway, haha 😛
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Haha, they can be powerful! I’m pregnant at the moment and they’re constantly making themselves known – I wear a bra though and luckily it appears to be thick enough to shield them. Have you tried nipple covers? There are stick ons you can get, I believe women wear them when going strapless gowns etc. I’ve never tried them, but I’ve heard they can be good.
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Someone else also recommended nipple covers. I’ll be looking into those…
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You could just start wearing colorful leis to work (lol) or those swoop turtlenecks maybe?
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Wearing colorful leis would be a delight! I don’t know that they’d fit in the dress code, however…
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For the two cents it’s worth, here’s my opinion: put them in front. They don’t look natural in back.
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Ah. That might be what I’m doing wrong…
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