# Women ~ opinion on not wear a bra with a tank top **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 28, 2004, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-opinion-on-not-wear-a-bra-with-a-tank-top/231649 "2004-02-28T19:03:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2004, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-opinion-on-not-wear-a-bra-with-a-tank-top/231649/21 "2004-02-29T19:46:53Z")
Wear whatever makes you feel good. As for clear bra straps, why not a clear bra? Better yet, don’t wear a bra, and tell your friends you’re wearing a clear one. Madonna pretty much made it obsolete to worry about exposing underwear. I read about one woman who griped that men at the beach dressing her with their eyes. You can’t control other people’s eyes and attitudes. Stand on your own two, um, feet! Yeah, feet. ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2004, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-opinion-on-not-wear-a-bra-with-a-tank-top/231649/22 "2004-02-29T22:24:26Z")
Wear whatever feels most comfortable physically, and you feel most comfortable mentally in. For many women, wearing a bra is not a matter of choice, but necessity. You are lucky if you are able to pick and choose. As for bra straps showing: big fucking deal. Women are expected by western society not to have breasts hanging by their waists, I cannot then see why western society should gripe over their bra straps. Granted white straps - particularly greying ones - can look unappealing, my recommendation is to wear straps in a colour similar to the top, or bright coloured straps that have a more “bikini” like effect. Or clear ones. After a certain size, tops with “built in bras” do virtually no good at all. At best, they raise nipples from crotch to belly-button level. ---
**Author:** ![furthur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@furthur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furthur)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2004, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-opinion-on-not-wear-a-bra-with-a-tank-top/231649/23 "2004-02-29T23:45:10Z")
Mrs. Furthur here. I have fairly small breasts (B cup) and only wear a bra to job interviews and funerals. Pantyhose, same. I don’t wear see-through t-shirts or anything, nor do I wear tank tops that are loose. I try to be a bit tasteful about it. But honestly, why is it trashy not to wear a bra if you can’t see anything, and you don’t need one? Is this one of those questions where, if you ask it, you can’t be told anyway? 😃 In my case, I’m quite allergic to the horrible, sucky material they use to make most bras. I don’t know if it’s the Lycra, or nylon, or what it is. But less than two minutes after putting on a bra, especially if it’s not mostly cotton, my boobs get bright red and so itchy that I have to make a monumental effort not to disgrace myself by yanking the cups aside and scratching in public (I have enough class to retire to the restroom for that, thank you. 😉 It’s total misery, and very distracting. Moreover, I do occasionally break right out in hives. Mrs. Furthur ---
**Author:** ![bittersweet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@bittersweet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bittersweet)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2004, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-opinion-on-not-wear-a-bra-with-a-tank-top/231649/24 "2004-02-29T23:54:43Z")
> [@mornea](#): > > …you could probably wear a tighter fitting shirt that would hold the girls fairly well. Or you could get a tank top with a built in bra-shelf. Yes - these are _awesome_! What took so long for these to become widely available? I know Old Navy carries them every year, when the spring/summer clothes come out. (Or if you live in FL, then it’s year-round.) > [@mornea](#): > > If the idea still makes you uncomfortable, you could look into the bras with clear straps or those things that stick under the breast and provide support. Another good option. Also, I have these things called “Breast Petals” that stick over the nipples to keep them from pokin’ through your top. ---
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-opinion-on-not-wear-a-bra-with-a-tank-top/231649/25 "2004-03-02T16:23:22Z")
> [@bonezzz](#): > > I am just not sure if it is decent to wear a tank or spaghetti strap shirt without a bra. 🙂 I think if you are under 20 and in great shape, its ok. The older you are, the more reason not to do it. At 16 its ok to go without or to have your straps showing, but at 66 its a no-no. ---
**Author:** ![pokey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ebca7d/32.png) [@pokey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pokey)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-opinion-on-not-wear-a-bra-with-a-tank-top/231649/26 "2004-03-02T17:19:37Z")
I think it depends on the tank and the breasts. I have friends who wear little tanks with contrasting bras but I think that look is a little out of style. I don’t think it looks trashy but it looks a little 1995. It’s sort of Tank Girl. I think if you have to ask you’re probably not going to feel comfortable. I would probably wear it with a little cartigan or something. Then I could wear a bra and the straps wouldn’t show, or wear no bra and have the sides covered. It depends how fancy the top is. I have a lot of sundresses with spaghetti straps and sometimes I wear a bra and sometimes I don’t, but I always have the little cartigan with me. Then if the car is hot or something, I don’t really mind taking it off, but if I’m walking down the street or at dinner or something I can keep it on and not feel like everyone is looking at my brastraps or my lack of bra. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-opinion-on-not-wear-a-bra-with-a-tank-top/231649/27 "2004-03-02T19:09:02Z")
I have some guidelines. Feel free to tell me to fuck off: 1. Young and perky = no bra OR bra straps showing. Your choice. 2. Middle-aged and headed south = shelf bra (which can also be combined with regular bra) 3. Older woman and “eeewww” = bra. If you match the bra color to the tank top color, it won’t look tacky. Just go for very thin straps. I’ve seen people wear more than one tank top at a time, which means multiple straps, so bra straps won’t look tacky. Small boobs are the best for tank tops. I wish I had them. ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-opinion-on-not-wear-a-bra-with-a-tank-top/231649/28 "2004-03-02T19:22:35Z")
I like the tank tops with the built in bra. They are comfy and don’t have that confining bra feel to them. Other than that, I say go without the bra as long as your breasts aren’t down to your knees. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-opinion-on-not-wear-a-bra-with-a-tank-top/231649/29 "2004-03-02T20:48:20Z")
I can go without, but thanks to several years of not being able to (thank you plastic surgery for fixing THAT) I feel surprisingly naked without one. If it’s warm enough, though, and I’m not wearing a white top, I’ll go without quite often. If you’re used to wearing one it feels decidedly odd not to. I don’t wear tops like that because they look awful on me for other reasons, but if I were you I’d try wearing it without for awhile around the house and see what you think. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-opinion-on-not-wear-a-bra-with-a-tank-top/231649/30 "2004-03-02T21:22:42Z")
20-something replies to the OP, and damn near 1,000 hits already. Can you say “disproportionate” ? We might be fighting ignorance, but we are thinking about boobs as we do it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![bittersweet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@bittersweet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bittersweet)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-opinion-on-not-wear-a-bra-with-a-tank-top/231649/31 "2004-03-03T01:32:56Z")
That’s because boobs _RULE_! 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-opinion-on-not-wear-a-bra-with-a-tank-top/231649.md?page=1)