By Naomi Attwood
A well-fitted, good quality bra doesn’t make you anti-feminist...
If you feel like setting your bra on fire at the end of the day, then maybe you’re wearing the wrong bra size. If you’ve never bought one using a bra size calculator or knowing how to measure bra size, you might benefit from a bra fitting. Additionally, if you’ve searched “bra fitting near me” but can’t find a good one, Beija offer online fittings to answer the question; “what bra size am I?” and have produced our trustworthy bra size guide to help you do it yourself.
If you’ve ever been curious about bra burning, It’s a commonly-held and rarely-challenged fact that first-wave feminists burned their bras in protest of the patriarchal system, one that’s been used to mock women’s rights advocates ever since.
The truth is, feminists did burn bras, on one occasion back in 1968. The scene was a demonstration by feminist group New York Radical Woman, outside the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City. The protesters targeted the beauty contest with two main objections; it’s sexist narrative, which reduced women to their bodies and physical appearances and its racism, a lesser-known charge, since at this point, the contest had never had a non-white winner and had a history of only allowing white candidates to compete, prior to 1940.
The protesters burned bras, among other objects including high heels, girdles, false eyelashes and Playboy magazines. These objects were deemed ‘instruments of torture’ with one activist even burning a bottle of detergent to highlight the injustice of always having to wash the dishes. (Amen sister!)
The subsequent ridiculing of burning undergarments was a way to undermine feminists, making them seem somehow alien and ‘other’, that if other women wanted to wear bras they were somehow not aligned with the cause. Fast forward to 2022, and the consensus is, you can wear whatever you like to fight the patriarchy. And while many of us have experienced a bra so uncomfortable it was tempting to hurl it into a gasoline-soaked trash can – it doesn’t have to be this way.
The two issues that cause bra rage are; ill-fitting (too tight or tight in some places but gaping in others) or poorly-made generic bras with underwires that irritate, making you yearn to get home and rip it off.
Beija bras are neither. Our online bra fitting service is designed to be fun, informative, and of course, free! We’ve modernised the old school bra fittings and making them relaxed and easy. During zoom appointments, our expert female fitter will check the fit of one of your favourite bras, explain what to look for in a well-fitting bra, suggest adjustments to improve your comfort, and then recommend Beija sizes and styles to try. Super easy, done in 20 minutes with no need to be braless at any point. Book a zoom fitting here.
A second option is to use Beija’s Fit Finder to suss out your bra size. Easy to follow and without the faff of using measuring tape, the survey asks a series of relevant questions that help determine what size to try in Beija bras. Take our Fit Finder Quiz here.
If you’re in London, why not come to our beautiful shop in Coal Drops Yard, Kings Cross for an in-person appointment? One of our professional, friendly bra fitters will walk you through a fabulously informative bra fitting service. At Beija we don’t use a measuring tape, but talk thoroughly about your needs and desires, then try on a few bras and work out the best size, styles and colours for you. Book an in-person appointment here.
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