The Benefits of Wearing a Bra

YOUR STYLE CONFIDANTS

Bras are a topic that many women are excited to talk about because, for many, the search to find the perfect bra is an odyssey. In fact, many of us feel like we just have to settle for bras that don't meet all of our expectations - either because we've given up, or because we haven't looked into the amazing range of options there are that combine comfort and beauty.

Because of this, and because I want to help you find your perfect bra, I'm going to tell you below about the different benefits bras can offer, as well as how to choose one to fulfill your most essential needs.

Have you ever thought about what our bodies would look like if the bra had never been invented? Imagine a woman who has never worn a bra - what image do you have in your head? The first thing I think of is a woman from an ancient society wearing nothing but a loin cloth to cover her intimate areas, you know? But that's exactly how the bust looks in its most natural form, without the support or coverage of modern garments.

The history of the bra

To truly understand this innerwear staple, we must go back to the origins… Have you ever wondered why and when people started wearing the first bras? Well, the answer is really simple: it boils down to bust support. There are paintings from ancient Greece that show women wearing a type of “push-up” bra that lifts but leaves the bust uncovered.

Later, women started wearing “band”-like garments for doing sports, which didn't only support the bust but also covered it. This is one of the original instances of the two purposes that any bra should fulfill: support and coverage.

“All bras serve 2 basic purposes: to SUPPORT AND COVER the bust.”

Over time, the bra has evolved and so have its benefits. For example, during the Renaissance - an era when the human body was studied in detail and became the center of attention in the art scene - women's curves were in the spotlight. During this time, the purpose of foundation garments went from serving only basic purposes to “contouring” the figure.

The best example of this is the corset: a long garment that covers the torso, which is fitted extremely tightly to make feminine curves more pronounced. A corset lifts the bust (in fact, it's basically “spilling out”, creating show-stopping cleavage), sculpting the waist and flattening the tummy while making the hips look wider. During this time, defined curves became the sign of an attractive, fertile woman.

However, the necessity to uphold these unrealistic beauty standards lead to the creation of more intense garments that featured metal bonings, which were uncomfortable and could even cause health problems for the women who wore them. Because of this, and because of the feminist movement at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, the bra evolved into a simple, light garment consisting of a band that covered the bust and two straps on the shoulders for improved support. This was the original “brassiere”.

Over time, this design evolved to include cups, or “pockets for each breast”, metal pieces that offered support (which would later evolve into underwires), and a back tie closure.

By the end of World War I, it was already common for women to wear bras in their day-to-day life. Thus, it became a daily-wear undergarment. Throughout the 20th century, the bra doubtlessly became a garment that empowered women. In some cases, the bra has become a sex symbol because it highlights the bust (this has been greatfully influenced by film). On the other hand, the bra has also evolved into something that does more than cover and support - it offers different benefits, making it more functional. The most important thing to modern women is that their bras are comfortable!

“Over time, the bra has evolved into something that doesn't just cover and support, but also offers different benefits. The most important thing is comfort.”

The benefits

It's no secret that we, as women, want to look our best. For that reason, we're looking for “a little extra help” to make our bodies look the way we want them to. However, there are many factors that influence how we want to look. It's well-known that many women wish for a larger, more rounded bust. This desire comes from beauty standards that have been created and imposed through time - please note that I don't want to say that any of this is true, or that I agree with it. In fact, here at Leonisa we're convinced that every woman has her own magic just the way she is. We don't need to be a “36-24-36” to be perfect - the real power comes from our uniqueness.

The most important thing is that every woman feels beautiful and confident with her body. In today's market, we can find a great variety of options that fit everyone's needs and tastes.

Additionally, women usually want to have a look for every occasion. We want a bra that will become a ‘foundation garment' that makes our clothes look even better on our curves. Below, I'm going to tell you more about this.

Benefits depending on the bust:

Basics: These are designed for women who put comfort above all, putting any other benefits on the back burner. These bras tend to have very little structure - they're light and don't change the shape of the bust. You can find light ones in lace (like bralettes, my favorite!) and most of them don't have underwire, although a lot of them have foam-lined cups. They're not designed to make your bust look bigger or lifted - rather, they offer support and a natural look.

These bras are worn by people who are uncomplicated, who are content with the size and shape of their bust and looking for the comfort and freedom that a basic bra can give. Many wear them day to day, or for those moments when showing off cleavage isn't the goal.

In conclusion
Type of benefit	Basic
Characterized by	Maximum comfort
The effect	Natural bust shape
This is for you if...	You're looking for less structure

Push-up: A little more discreet than makeup and heels, but with a similar effect, push-up bras are a must-have for anyone who wants to be the center of attention.

Push-up bras have the benefit of making the bust look more rounded, giving it the appearance of more cleavage and more volume than it really has. A push-up bra offers a “surgical effect”, giving you the appearance of an augmentation. Because of its enhancement powers, the push-up bra is the favorite of many and, although you would think they were exclusively worn for dates or sexy outfits, the truth is that at least ¼ of women wear push-up bras and, out of these, 7/10 wear one every day.

“¼ of women wear push-up bras”
“7/10 wear them every day”

Society's obsession with creating the ‘perfect bust' has made this benefit one of the most sought-after. We have different levels of push-up power, each with a different objective.

A medium push-up is that which lightly lifts the bust, making it look perkier. This effect is achieved through foam padded cups, underwire, and other structures. This level of push-up is perfect for those who want their bust to be in the “right place”; that is, not extremely enhanced or droopy. This is a popular style that can be found in many different bras, for every taste.

A high push-up bra is perfect for those who are looking for extra enhancement. In other words, these bras center and lift the bust creating the look of rounded cleavage.

Last but not least, we have a bra beloved by those who wish they had a fuller bust: double or triple push-up bras, which have extra padding and are designed to make the bust look much bigger.

“These bras make me feel confident that my bust won't look droopy and that it will look bigger...it's like a breast augmentation without having to actually have surgery”

In conclusion
Type of benefit	Push-Up
Characterized by	Padding that centers and lifts the bust, usually adding volume
The effect	A more rounded bust that can even look fuller
This is for you if...	You want to show off some major cleavage

Minimizers: These are designed for women who have a large chest and want to minimize the volume. They redistribute the volume of the bust and make it look smaller.

For years, bra companies have been focusing on giving the bust a ‘perfect shape' - that is, making it look more rounded and ‘in the right place'. Once they'd perfected that technique, they began to focus on other benefits that help support and highlight the bust. But now, more and more bras are designed to focus on the back, sides, and under arms for a smoothing effect under clothes. Now, we can find bras with different benefits depending on the zone we want to focus on.

In conclusion
Type of benefit	Minimizing
Characterized by	Offering maximum support
The effect	Minimize the volume
This is for you if...	You have a full bust

Benefits for your back

Posture correctors: Do you spend a lot of time in front of a computer and feel yourself slouching more nd more every day? Well, we have the solution for you! Back pain caused by bad posture at work is a problem that affects many women in the world, and part of the solution is much simpler than you can imagine.

EHere at Leonisa, we're developing bras that have high-tech materials and smart compression bands that compress the upper part of the back. This design helps you sit up straight while helping improve back pain and discomfort.

In conclusion
Type of benefit	Posture corrector bras
Characterized by	Smart bands on the back
The effect	Helps you have a better posture
This is for you if...	Your back hurts or you're looking to improve your posture

Back smoothing: If you're one of those who doesn't wear fitted shirts because you can see “back fat”, you're going to love these bras! They cover everything, making your back look smooth and shaping your curves. For many years, the focus of bra design was on the bust, but now the back has become important and companies have been designing bras that make it look spectacular!

In conclusion
Type of benefit	Back smoothing
Characterized by	Excellent coverage
The effect	A smoothed-out back
This is for you if...	You're looking for a perfect back!

But benefits don't stop with the bust or the back - in many cases, we're looking for a bra for one particular moment.

Strapless: Sometimes you're wearing a shirt or dress that you love, maybe one that's sleeveless or off-shoulder, and your bra straps look awkward with it. For moments like that, we should all have a strapless bra on hand! These bras are different from the others because you can wear them without straps and they have a balconette silhouette, letting you show off your chest and shoulders.

“My advice for choosing the perfect strapless: look for one that has anti-slip grip lining on the back so that it will stick to your skin and won't slip down. That will let you move freely. You can even dance! You'll have the confidence that your bra won't move.”

In conclusion
Type of benefit	Strapless
Characterized by	Has removable straps and a balconette neckline
The effect	Fits the body and stays in place
This is for you if...	You want to show your shoulders without showing your bra straps

Sports bras: A lot of women wear our oldest bras to work out without realizing this is a huge mistake... do you know why? Well, when you're working out, you need a bra that will keep your bust in place. To achieve this, the ideal bra must comply with these characteristics:

It should give you support: For this purpose, your sports bra should have an elasticated underbust band and wide sides to keep your bust in place, stopping it from jiggling while you're working out.
It should make you feel secure: Look for high-coverage sports bras so that you won't have any “accidents”... you know what I'm saying?
It should be comfy: Generally, sports bras don't have underwire or any other structures, keeping you comfortable while you do your thing.
It should keep you fresh: Sports bras are made of breathable fabrics that give you a fresh feeling for longer.

So my recommendation is: feel free to try one of these styles! I'm sure your body will thank you.

In conclusion
Type of benefit	Active
Characterized by	Their excellent support and coverage
The effect	To support through the impact of your movements
This is for you if...	You love staying active and need pieces with benefits

To finish things off, let's talk about two additional benefits or services a bra can provide, making them useful in specific moments:

Nursing bras: For new moms who need a bra that makes breastfeeding easy, these bras are super practical. They have cups that open and close, so you don't need to take off your bra when it's time to feed. They also have a helpful reminder clip that lets you remember which side you nursed from last.

In conclusion
Type of benefit	Nursing
Characterized by	Their practical sign: opening cups and reminder clip
The effect	Make breastfeeding easier by letting you uncover your breasts
This is for you if...	You're in the breastfeeding stage, or about to be

Mastectomy bras: Without a doubt, one of the most difficult trials a woman can face in her lifetime is breast cancer. Because of this, we've designed pieces designed to offer you total comfort and functionality. Leonisa's mastectomy bras are a 360° solution for your every need. In fact, to create them, we met with a group of women who had undergone mastectomies and asked them to tell us what they were looking for in a bra. Here's what we did to fulfill their needs:

Our post-mastectomy bras have cups that are specially designed to simulate bust volume, replacing breast forms and prosthesis. This padding is removable, so you can wear the bra with both, only with one, or without them if you have implants or prefer your prosthesis.
The cups are double-layered and wireless. They have an inner pocket where you can place your prosthesis, which hide them and keep them in place.
They have excellent coverage in the front, underarms, and back.
They're made of super soft fabric, so they won't bother any scars or incisions in that area.

In conclusion
Type of benefit	Mastectomy
Characterized by	Inner pockets and padding can replace prosthesis
The effect	Security and confidence
This is for you if...	You have undergone a mastectomy

As you can see, bras have evolved with time to go above and beyond covering and supporting the bust. They have become garments that are not only functional, but grant you confidence and power. Because of this, I'm convinced that the bra we wear represents our essence, who we are, and how we want to project ourselves to the world.

Because of this, it doesn't matter what benefits your bras have, what kind you prefer, or whether or not you wear one, or whether you own several different ones...just keep in mind that you're not just buying a piece of clothing. A bra can do more for you than you can even imagine...but you know that, right?

Hugs,
Susi.

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