The Joys of Bra Shopping – the Teen Perspective

As a teenager, I have mixed feelings about bras. Most of those feelings are negative. As an example, when the only bra I have left is that one bra which is visible through my shirt. As I walk around, I’m perfectly aware that every single person in my vicinity knows the colour of one half of my underwear. And I begin to wonder, why did I buy this bra? Ah, yes, bra shopping. I love shopping for myself, but bra shopping is something I could very easily do without.

Firstly, since I cannot drive, and when I’m starting out with bra shopping require some … assistance, I have to go with my mother. Which would normally be fine, if we were shopping for something like clothes or presents for friends. But bra shopping is a bit more perilous in this situation. It begins with the moment I walk into the bra section, and I am bombarded with the sight of neon pink and bright green bras, and I think “how do people even wear those without the aforementioned see-through shirt disaster?” With a quick glance over my shoulder to make sure there is no one I know within a 50 metre radius, I reluctantly press on further into the shopping section of doom.

It turns out, while I was busy contemplating the issue of bumping into school peers and neon bras, my mother has already picked out a selection for me to try on. And since I’ve already managed to get separated from her, she is forced to hold it up in the air and call out to me. At this moment, I have one of two choices: walk towards the bra being suspended in the air and reveal that it is beckoning for me; or I can hide, and no doubt succumb myself to more calling out and eventual anger from my mother. Let’s face it, angry mothers are scary. So, I make my way towards her, once again hoping that no one I know is nearby.

After a hasty discussion involving my mother holding the bra up to me and asking me whether I think it will fit (if I say yes, does that mean we can leave early?), I have to go try it on anyway. Now, I don’t know about you, but stripping down in a change room is hellishly awkward. They don’t have CCTV cameras in there, right? Not to mention the straps on this bra probably won’t be set right, and the band will be stubborn and not want to attach, and basically it will just be a disaster. Still, it’s a bra, and it fit eventually, so I’m done here, and I’m ready to leave this shop as soon as possible.

Okay, so maybe I’m being a bit harsh on the bra shopping experience. It is important, and when you learn you’ve gone up a bra size, well, that’s always a bit exciting (as a teen it is, anyway). There are definitely aspects which are less than desirable, and when you’re a teenager, the bad tends to outweigh the good. Thank goodness for online shopping at Undiewarehouse!