What is a bra?
Booby trap, boob sling, over the shoulder boulder holder. In other words, a bra, or brassiere, is that piece of clothing you’ve seen your mom and your aunt Edna wear under their clothes. Scientifically speaking, it holds the boobs in place, and sometimes shapes them. Not scientifically speaking, bras can present a chance to privately experiment with different fashion personalities.
Do I have to wear a bra?
No. There is no medical reason to wear a bra. Some women wear a bra because they find it uncomfortable when their boobs move around if they go braless or because a bra gives them the shape they want. Other women don’t like the feeling of their clothes rubbing against their nipples. But there are women who don’t like the feeling of a bra strap against their skin or find bras constricting. While most women choose to wear a bra once they start going through puberty, it is strictly a fashion choice—one that’s entirely yours to make!
Choosing the right bra (or not) for you!
Bra shopping can be overwhelming. (We’ve broken down in tears more than once in the middle of a department store.) So it’s best to buddy up, especially if you’re buying your first bra. Ask your mom, or your best friend who has already been there, to go with you. They’ll be able to help point you in the right direction—and steer you away from the wrong one!
If you’re not sure which of the millions (not actually) of bra types is right for you, you can always try them all. But if spending the next forty years bra shopping wasn’t on your to-do list, look below to help narrow your choices.
What It Does
A hybrid between a bra and a tank top, a bralette usually slips over the head. It provides an extra layer of protection between your boobs and the elements, as well as a minimal amount of support. As an added bonus, bralettes are usually sized small, medium, and large, so there’s no need to calculate anything
Who It’s For
The perfect starter bra, or for girls with smaller breasts who don’t need a lot of support yet want an extra layer of fabric between their nipples and their clothing.
What It Does
This soft-cup (meaning wireless) bra has minimal support and is similar to a bralette, yet it comes in regular bra sizes and with a clasp in back.
Who It’s For
Most comfortable for girls with small boobs.
What It Does
Full of support and usually made of elastic or Lycra, a sports bra compresses the boobs and holds them firmly in place during physical activity.
Who It’s For
Good for basketball stars, soccer stars, and running-for-the-school-bus stars.
What It Does
You guessed it: This one has wires underneath the cups. Underwire bras lift the boobs and hold them in place.
Who It’s For
Great for girls with medium to large boobs who are looking for a little more support.
What It Does
Like a backpack (or front pack) for your boobs, with thick and sometimes cushioned straps, a wide back, extra hooks, and complete breast coverage, a full-figure bra gives the maximum amount of support. It’s especially good if the weight of your boobs is physically painful.
Who It’s For
Only for girls with large boobs. In fact, most full-figure bras don’t even come in A and B sizes.
What It Does
As magical as skinny dipping in Lake Silver Moon on a warm summer night, wearing no bra sets your boobies freeeeeeeee.
Who It’s For
Anyone! If your breasts don’t hurt or feel like they’ve gone off course when you go braless, then the No Bra can be for you. Substitute a tank top or camisole if you want an extra layer of warmth while still feeling free.
Learn more about all the changes you’ll be going through during puberty in The Book.
About The Book:
Welcome to Bunk 9—and a new girl-powered puberty book girls will want to read.
Based on the lively conceit that it’s written by nine older girls at a fictional summer camp who share their collective been-there, done-that experiences, Bunk 9’s Guide to Growing Up is a puberty book with a twist, an entertaining, up-to-date, supportive guide that covers the head-to-toe changes that young girls go through as they grow up. Since it is written in the voices of different girls, reading it is like listening to your best friend or older sister giving no-nonsense information, advice, and tips on menstruation, breasts, hygiene, health and nutrition, boys, and all the complicated feelings that go along with these changes. Filled with callouts, doodles, and margin notes, it’s a book that’s gentle enough for a third grader and thorough enough for a middle schooler, and it’s vetted by a pediatrician.
Buy the Book
Amazon | B&N | Indiebound | Workman
