Once upon a time, a glorious thing happened on Autostraddle called Underwear Week. We spent basically a month discussing our favorite underthings — Underwear For Your Masculine Center, Boyshorts & Girltrunks 102, Plus-Size Underwear For All Gender Presentations, Femme-ish Underwear Realness, Thongs 101 and so much more. We sewed and ate and drank our underpants to our heart’s content. We had such a good time without our pants off that many of you suggested we considered taking our shirts off, too, and give some attention to the other half of your bra-and-panties set. Although we did a fairly epic Bra Issue back in 2011, so many things have changed since then!
So: WELCOME TO BRA WEEK. This week and next, the Autostraddle writers and some special guests will be giving you the scoop on over-the-shoulder-boulder-holders and otherwise-inclined chest-covering situations — fashion, history, feelings and so much more.
Let’s kick off with a gallery, eh?
-
- Catalina Llanes via fyeahlatinchicks
-
- photgraph by Marco Romano Bhimani via Queer Contemporary Art
-
- Dancer Sofia Boutella via fuck yeah tough girls
-
- Holley Hudson via pretty plus size
-
- model: @godsavemelody // artist: @fatboystattoo // photographer: @olivierhenry via fuck yeah girls with tattoos
-
- Ali Tate for ‘Closer’ Magazine via the lingerie lesbian
-
- VIA MAXIM.COM
-
- via women of color
-
- Cora of The Lingerie Addict via The Lingerie Addict Photographer: Edson Carlos // Lingerie: Lucy B Lingerie
-
- Zoe Saldana via fylatinchicks
-
- Parneet by Robin Roemer via Autostraddle Calendar Girls 2014: Parneet is Miss May
-
- Evan Rachel Wood via southerncharm
-
- Maggie Brown via curves in lingerie
-
- Alima Fofana via-dynamic africa
-
- Caroline Chu via bellabellabotique
-
- Rio Karina by Vivian Gold in Beautifully Undressed via The Lingerie Addict
-
- Beyonce
-
- Photographer Cinnamon-Stewart // Model Miss Erised // wearing Arabel Lingerie via the lingerie lesbian
-
- Demi Lovato viafylatinchicks
-
- .
-
- via deviant femme
-
- Michelle Rodriguez
-
- via deviant femme
-
- Rihanna for Elle Magazine
-
- Sara Samaio for Maison Simons // Lingerie Ad campaign AW2013
-
- via women of color
-
- .
-
- via women of color
-
- via the stacy leigh
-
- Teer Wayde via curvestoki
-
- Isis King shot by Cory Malcom for META Magazine via last of the bohemians
-
- via carmel beauty
-
- via cat watson
-
- Trish Eckhardt and Lauren Brown via exclusively selected
-
- .
-
- via chromat
-
- Whitney Thompson via curves and confidence
-
- via horizonsx
-
- Starbuck
-
- via women of color
-
- via magic buffet
-
- Selena in 1990 via women of color
-
- myrugia of eastwestmodles via curveappeal
-
- via mlle kiss kiss
-
- via lingerie lesbian
-
- via lingerie lesbian
-
- via rminerva
-
- via scarlet saint
-
- Kate Moennig
-
- via sensual sublime
-
- via curves in color
-
- Beth Ditto
-
- via androgynish
-
- via shop journelle
-
- via lingerie lesbian
-
- Red Jackhammer via crashpadseries
-
- via deviant femme
-
- Elena, photographed by Robin Roemer for the 2011 Autostraddle Calendar
-
- Alisha Giles for Kim Dawson Models via cookies and curves
-
- via lingerie lesbian
-
- via thunder-thighsx
-
- via deviant femme
-
- Sarah Shahi for Esquire
-
- Aye Williams via pretty plus size
-
- Autostraddle Calendar Girls Laura is Miss August, photographed by Robin Roemer
-
- Robin Lawley
-
- via women of color
-
- Bianca Mitsuko via curves and confidence
-
- Nazanin Mandi
-
- Chloe Marshall via curvy is the new black
-
- via women of color
-
- Justine via Me In My Place
-
- Courtney Trouble and Papi Coxx via queer porn tv
-
- via women of color
-
- via love figures
-
- nikki hearts via crashpad series
-
- AZ Marie
-
- via deviant femme
-
- Holly Thompson and Annemarije Rus
-
- Carmen Carrera for W Magazine
-
- via Lea T in Brazilian magazine RG photographed by JR Duran
-
- Sasha Mallory
-
- via love figures
-
- Ashley Brielle
-
- via curves in color
-
- .
-
- Jennifer Lopez
-
- via women of color
-
- Beauty Foster via deviant femme
Header by Rory Midhani
I think I might like bras even more than pants
I don’t know about anyone else, but my Monday just got 108x better.
:)
Now I’m REALLY glad my boss allowed me to work from home this afternoon…
I want all the bras!
I’m looking forward to hopefully reading a piece on sports bras and maybe how to find a bra that isn’t all pushy and lifty and covered with lace.
Maybe this is a long shot, but I’d love to see some tips on finding good bras if you lean towards masculine-of-centre but also have a seriously big chest. It’s something I haven’t really figured out yet…
OMG OMG NO YOU DONT UNDERSTAND THE PICTURE WITH THE ONE PERSON IN THE PINK/PEACH LACY UNDIES & BRA & THEIR TUMMY IS LIKE ONE OF MY FAVORITE PICTURES EVER & AAAAAA TUMMIES AAAAA AA AAAAA AA AAAAAA A A A A A A A AA
okay i’m sorry i just. uh. what were we talking about again? (now that i’ve made myself totally silly. eheh)
i’ve worn sports bras– like only sports bras– my whole bra-needing life, with the exception of sometimes “real” bras being needed, but i kind of want to try having more “real” bras… so, i’m sure Bra Week will be very educational/helpful. c:
oh no i found another picture that’s making me make inhuman noises
let it be known this gallery hath slain me. aaaaa
Stuff like this is why you’re one of my favourite commenters. You remind me of one of my best friends <3
Not gonna lie, even though I was enjoying all of the beautiful images in this gallery, I spent a fair amount of the time I was going through it hoping for a Sarah Shahi shot…
Autostraddle, you always deliver!
yay yay yay! so much yay. i find bras baffling and lovely and often uncomfortable. this is going to be a good week!
Also: this photo gallery is so dope. Huge props to whoever made it, I will come back as often as possible to worship and admire
aw, thanks!!
Best Monday ever! So may lovely photos :)
THANK YOU.
YES. bra week is the best week.
Boobies.
That is all.
I was pleased to see that Evan Rachel Wood Bisexual was in this gallery, but saddened to see that her picture was not captioned with her full moniker.
Long live ERWB.*
*Oh my god, I just noticed that that’s an anagram of “brew.”
Okay, so now I’ve got “Otto Titsling” stuck in my head even though it’s totes inappropes.
i’ve never been more excited for an autostraddle themed week. BRAS FOREVER!
So glad I waited until I got home from work to read this – though I was seriously tempted to take a peek on my work computer. This seriously improved my week
God! I love you, Autostraddle.
Ha sports bras so much better ;)
The photo gallery proves Bra Week is awesome (swoon)! I am curious, however, whether binding for gender non conforming, trans*, genderqueer identifying people will be talked about? I guess maybe thats not the point of Bra week as it is celebrating bras and what comes inside but as a gender non conforming identified lesbian, I still have boobs and have to deal with them!
“! I am curious, however, whether binding for gender non conforming, trans*, genderqueer identifying people will be talked about? “
Yes, it will be!
So I recently and accidentally discovered the HOTTEST bra I have seen in a while, the maternity bra. All dykes should know about this, and it shoudl be marketed as “smokin hot” versus “maternity.” I never wanted kids and will never but darn it everyone should know about this type of bra.
This is how it went down. I hate bras but have to wear them for “support” so I get pull it together about once a year to make a bog box store trip and all the bras were expensive, push up and padded, and just gross for me personally. Then I stumbled across one soft cotton non-padded, non push-up and while in the dressing room I accidentally found out it flipped down for the easiest access ever. Once my partners discovered this we had months of fun, it has still not worn off yet.
Get a maternity bra today.
This has stopped me working all evening……. And given me all kinds of ideas.