The lesser exciting - but kind of necessary update on that post i did last year about not wearing a bra...

Well, what a year it has been, ignoring all the actual life changing cool stuff that has happened, lets keep this post solely about boobs shall we. And, if you're new here, and new to me, i'm talking about this miraculous discovery i made 2 years ago that wearing bras is a social construct, wildly unnecessary and damaging to that beautiful thing called breast tissue; so i burnt my bras and freed the nip, not literally.

Whilst back in the day (2 years ago) this was a groundbreaking discovery and utterly shocking to all that caught a gaze at my free nip, now it kind of feels normal? You tell me, is it because i'm in a bubble of high fashion, forward thinking, like minded youths at arts uni? Is it because i have been kept in the bubble that is art school and self published nudes? Or is this no-bra thing kind of mainstream now?

Maybe it was my boyfriend at the time who told me i should wear a bra, 'cause, thats what girls do right? Or maybe it was my friends who had -A boobs that insisted wearing a bra was neccassary for support? Or maybe it was the fact i was at a sixth form with some of the most uninteresting people i have ever met; that made me feel alienated in this no-bra venture.

But since then i have had a girl literally take her bra off in a club toilet because i inspired her and I have had friends bras in clutch bags. I have had people whisper "Do you not wear a bra? Me either!" and I have had many friends say "Mauricia... i'm not wearing a bra today!!" and well, for that, i applaud you !! But what about me? Have my boobs stayed well and truly free in these 2 years?

No.

This awful, unimaginable thing happened to me. My itty bitty titties were suddenly no more. I can't tell you why my boobs decided to rapidly increase over 2 cup sizes, but i was not prepared and my body was not prepared. I was in pain, a lot of pain... my remaining dormant bras no longer fitted.. i couldn't even get into my stretchy sports bra without overflowing. Oh womanhood, how i hate you so.

I bought a bra, a soft unpadded (oh so comfy) bra, and well, i wore it and then, when my boobs stopped hurting i stopped wearing it. I listened to my body and thats ok, no one will scold me for that i would never be ashamed of myself for wearing a bra - there are more important things in the world right!

And now i'll tell you the wonderful thing that comes along with no bras and bigger boobs... SWEAT. So... much... frickin... sweat!!

I'm talking underboob sweat that forced me out of nude tops in summer, and forced me to walk round town with my top rolled-to-nipple until i could buy a new top! I was so angry at my body, something so trivial made me feel so disgusting.

Then, i saw a post on instagram. It was a girl showing her underboob sweat... like outright, on purpose. And so it hit me, why on earth should i be insecure about a natural body function? Instead of sweat being soaked in a bra and with skin contact all day, it was just, sometimes visible. Now, i embrace it. So what? Don't mind me, just airing my boobs.

I enjoy the freedom of not wearing bras, and i just think my clothes look so much better without them. Remember, it is society that told you rounded boobs pushed up under your chin, with cleavage in tow was attractive; and it is that ideal that has caused so many women to consider surgery and constant push up bras. I was once the person who, at 14, said as soon as i am 18 i would get a boob job; i was also the person who slept in bras because i didn't like how my boobs looked.. i hadn't even finished puberty, now i see something majorly wrong with that, don't you?

Of course, it's up to you how you look, but i encourage you to find your own influence. You shouldn't have to wear a bra to work because you think it would be inappropriate if your nipples show - they are just nipples, and we all have them. It is the sexualisation of nipples that brings this mentality, and how can we solve that? Normalisation. Wearing breast holders that bring discomfort and problems for many should not be the normal.