It is no news that a lot of Africans go about our daily lives without having the slightest clue how most of the things civilization, westernization and modern technology have introduced to us work. As such, we more often than not end up copying blindly.
There is a saying that, if you want to hide something from a black man, put it into a book. This is to back the popular claim that black people don’t like to read. And this attitude reflects in our lack of interest for science, research and innovation.
We therefore live our lives eating things we know nothing about, using gadgets without the knowledge of their mechanisms and even wearing clothes in and out of their right seasons.
Very recently I had a very embarrassing encounter with a fellow African woman I really look up to and it had to do with my bra size; and it never occurred to me how a trivial issue like a bra size would cause me to think deeply about the way we go about things in this part of the world.
A lot of African women just like me are walking about looking so fly “ignorantly” in the wrong shade of face powder, clothes that do not compliment our body types, hairstyles that do fit the shape of our face and especially where I was found wanting on that day: the correct size of our bras.
How she discovered I was obviously in the wrong size of bra is not really necessary here but at the end of our encounter, I discovered that the chronic back and chest pains I have is largely due to the wrong size of bra I have always worn. Again, instead of blaming the sun for the bra marks on my shoulder when I should be blaming the tight strap on the bra that is about 3 sizes smaller than my right size.
I went online that same day to find out some side effects of wearing the wrong bra size. So if you are just like me and you buy a bra just because you like the design, material, color, padding or the price then you might want to take a look at a few summarized effects of wearing the wrong size of bras I found online.
Shapeless Form
If you wear an ill-fitting bra, you will not have the sleek, elegant look that you want. Instead, your whole form will look shapeless and unattractive. An ill-fitting bra will also draw unnecessary attention to the bust area.
Scarred Breasts
Wearing the wrong bra size can cause scarring underneath or on each side of the breasts, which is not immediately noticeable. But over time, a bra that is far too tight will end up creating a scarring effect, where the bra has dug into the flesh.
Inadequate Support
Large breasted women (like myself) often have a battle on their hands to find bras that fit well and provide them with the correct amount of support for their shape. All too often, many large breasted women opt for a smaller size bra, which might look more attractive than a “granny bra”, but a smaller size will actually cause more problems than it solves. A bra that fits properly should not ride up at the back; nor should bra straps dig into the shoulders, leaving behind red marks. An ill-fitting bra will not provide enough coverage for the breasts. If your breasts are spilling out of your bra from all angles, then you are wearing the wrong size bra.
Bad Posture
Women who wear the wrong size bra often have problems maintaining correct posture. This can lead to slouching rather than sitting and standing upright, as well as unexplained back and neck pain. Prolonged back pains can bring a host of other ailments which includes: stomach indigestion, headaches, poor sleep, curved back, water retention, poor blood circulation, weight gain, constipation and pinched nerves.
The best solution to wearing the wrong bra size is to visit a department store and have yourself measured, not once every few years, but every single time that you go shopping for a new bra. The reason for this is that a woman’s bust size will change throughout her life due to hormonal reasons, pregnancy, weight loss and other factors. Wearing the wrong bra size can cause health problems, but allowing yourself to be measured each time you go bra shopping will ensure that you buy the correct bra size. This will eliminate the health problems that can occur while wearing the wrong bra size.
Hmmmmmmmm so serious