Hey you!
Long time no write.
See, I’ve been well. Away from Nigeria’s election drama, I have been well.
Happy Women’s Month.
Over the last couple of weeks attending those long office meetings, a few thoughts have been swimming in my head. Chief among them is the importance of appropriate underwear for work. Before you roll your eyes, just think about it. Women notoriously have jiggly body parts whose mission statements don’t always align with office standards. How do we find a compromise between feeling beautiful, staying healthy and presenting as professionals.
- Brassieres: Away from work, we are beautiful and sexy women who like to feel confident from inside out. We channel this inner beauty from basic grooming to our favourite lingerie. Thing is, those tiny pieces of black lace are not practical for work wear. They do nothing to hold the babies in place and they often leave lines and indentations on silk blouses. The worst is the cold! Ahh! Sitting right beside an AC in a chiffon shirt and net bra underneath is an easy recipe for sore boob tips. The pain will make you choke on your presentation. I’m guessing that’s why jackets are so common at work. We all are running from the cold instead of just turning the damn conditioner off.
Anyway, from my observations, when making brassiere decisions for work, look out for
- Ones with some padding even if minimal. For the nipples, baby. Unless you like them obvious and pointing.
- Smooth finish material. They don’t leave those embarrassing bumps on your blouse.
- Black or any colour close to your skin colour. These are less likely to show through clothes.
- Of course, you should also wear the right cup and strap size and not go about with misaligned babies.
2. Panties: these ones are even a bigger problem. If you wear them, you have lines. If you don’t, you risk having your fanny slapping around the place behind you. Nope, I don’t have a solution. What I think many folks do is wear tights instead. They ‘hold you’ and leave no lines. Although, healthwise, this should not be done so often. Doctors say that tight underwear breeds unhealthy bacteria down there. They, therefore, recommend more free stuff, especially cotton. What I recommend is regulating how often you wear clothes that would need tight underwear and clothes that will let you wear something free or go commando.
As we organize panels and invite trailblazing women to sit on them, I wish someone will ask something around this topic o. Something like: ma, in your over 20 years of corporate experience, which bra brand has given you the most support in and out of the boardroom?
These conversations are just as important, if you ask me.
….this piece has also been published on LinkedIn
