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What is The Right Age To Wear Bra?
Getting her first bra is a big milestone in a girl’s life. It’s accompanied by mixed emotions, the unfamiliarity and excitement of trying something new. Bras are a necessity that women have to wear. They provide you with much-needed support & comfort and control bounce and prevent uneasiness while offering a better shape under all your outfits. Needless to say, once you start wearing them, there’s probably no going back. No matter how caged you may feel and will always have the urge to run home and unhook it, you can’t deny the fact that the right bra will always support you in all the right ways, throughout your life! (yes, even when people don’t)
A question that bothers many parents & young girls is if there exists a particular age that marks the start of wearing a bra. Let’s try to decode that in this blog.
“Right Age” Doesn’t Exist
First things first, there is no right age to start wearing a bra. Some girls develop early and may need to start wearing a bra as young as 9 years of age, while some others may not need one till late teens. When puberty hits, girls start developing their breasts and may feel soreness and a certain strain during physical activities, this is usually the time when they need to start wearing a bra. It all depends on an individual’s body, some may not experience any discomfort or soreness and would not want to wear a bra. It’s perfectly fine if they don’t feel the need to wear one.
Signs that determine a girl is ready for her first bra:
- Her breasts start to develop
- She needs support while doing physical activity
- She feels uncomfortable with her breasts growing
- She feels self-conscious & needs coverage
The Best First Bra
The first bra doesn’t have to be complicated, it just needs to be comfortable so that you can go through your day without any difficulties. Teenage bras are specifically designed keeping in mind young girls’ needs. They offer soft padding providing comfort & also protecting modesty. And they are not underwired to avoid any poking or digging in the chest area. A crop top like design works best for teen bras with rash-free elastic at the underband for optimal comfort. Most teen bras are usually slip-on style, without hook & eye closures to ensure girls don’t have to go through any trouble. Coming to fabric, it’s usually best to have one that’s made with 100% cotton so that it’s breathable and comfortable throughout all seasons.
Bras are your breast-friends for life. So take your own sweet time in selecting the right ones for you. With so many prints & designs available, you don’t have to be stuck with something boring. Nude shades work best under school uniforms. But otherwise, there are ample designs, colours & cute prints available that you choose from.
Sizing
We cannot stress this point enough, but it is important to wear the right-sized bra. It requires some research and measurements that can easily be taken at home with a measuring tape. Most teen bras are available in sizes ranging from S to XXL. You can refer to the size chart from where you’re buying the bra to ensure it fits correctly.
After understanding the sizing, you can easily buy a bra at any store or even online.
As the breasts develop & grow, they can cause soreness & tenderness, all of which can make a young girl feel uncomfortable & conscious. The right bra will offer comfort, and support and will also give room to grow. Once the nipples start to protrude, the soft padding of the bra will help eliminate any embarrassment it may cause. The development of the breast & the changes it brings along is completely natural and something that all girls go through. It is not something to be embarrassed, ashamed or conscious of.
The Experience of That First Bra
Something that many Indian girls will relate to is the experience of shopping for their first bra. Most girls accompany their mothers to the nearby market and the salesperson guesses the size of the girl and gives a random cotton bra. Trusting the shopkeeper’s advice on how good the fabric is, mothers buy that bra for their daughters. Sometimes it’s just the mother who goes shopping for her daughter and tells the salesperson to give a bra for an 11-year-old girl, without any regard to her body or bust size. But time & generations, both have now changed. A 25-year-old me, could not have imagined talking openly about my body and bra choices with my mother. But, most kids now can. Parents have become more open-minded about their kids’ choices & needs and now try to understand things from their point of view too.
Finding the right bra is no less than finding a soulmate. Teenage years are already very daunting for young girls. On top of that, navigating through the changes in physical appearance can be tough. Girls usually shy away from talking about their bodies and are most often unaware of these new changes. Parents and guardians must establish a safe space for them to speak openly about the issues and problems they might be facing. From the beginning itself, we should be mindful of the needs and their comfort and emphasize on wearing the right kind and right size of bra. In regards to the right time, the simplest thing to do is listen to your body and notice the changes. When it’s the right time to start wearing a bra, your body will tell you.
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Common FAQs
Do 14-year-olds wear bras?
There’s no fixed age when a girl should or shouldn’t wear a bra. If her breasts haven’t yet developed, it’s okay for her to not wear a bra. The important thing is to look for signs & changes in the body and then start wearing a bra.
At what age should my daughter start wearing a bra?
The age when a girl needs to start wearing a bra varies for every individual. As parents, you should look out for changes in her body, and and the development of her breasts and be open about such discussions so that you can together decide when it’s time she needs to start wearing one.
What kind of bra should a teen wear?
There are teenage bras available that specifically cater to the growing needs of teens. They offer coverage, comfort and soft padding. You can also opt for training bras or sports bras, according to the needs of the teen.
How to know if you are ready to wear a bra?
There are certain signs that one can look out for that determine whether it’s time to start wearing a bra. Some are quite obvious like the development of the breasts. Others may be more emotional than physical, like if the girl feels uncomfortable or conscious of her breasts growing and requires coverage.
What can be the best bra for a teenager?
A slip on bra works best for teenagers. They don’t have to go through the trouble of hooking & unhooking. Most brands have a teen collection, especially Clovia, which has a wide variety of beginner & teen bras that are top notch in quality and very affordable.
Are there any side effects if I dont wear a bra at the right time?
There is no fixed right time to start wearing a bra. It depends on an individual’s bodily changes. It’s a myth that a girl’s breast size will increase if she doesn’t wear a bra. The breast size is not dependent on such factors but is determined by their genes.
Sara Johnson
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