Monday, April 2, 2012

Whine #1: THE BUST OF THE BRA


Up until recently, the part of the bra called the clip or slide tab (see bra parts below) that allowed the wearer to adjust her bra straps was positioned on the front of the strap … as well it should be; after all, to make realistic adjustments one must, first, be IN the bra and, second, be able to see and reach the clips.     
 
Then, suddenly, almost overnight, there came a frontal attack on women.  Bra manufacturers, en masse, implemented the Bra Clip Transfer (BCT), repositioning the clips from the front of the bra to the back.

Now let me explain what this means in terms of time and convenience.  Suppose it’s a work day.  You’re in your office, and you feel things (hmmmm) slipping, the result, perhaps, of daytime gravity pull.  Before BCT you simply reached up and under your blouse (or down, over the top) and quickly readjusted the straps.  Now -- unless you’re a contortionist with a pair of eyes in the back of your head -- you must either call in a colleague for help or head down the hall to the bathroom, take off your top and bra, guesstimate the amount of “lift” you need, put your bra back on, and if you guessed wrong, start all over again.   

I wanted to know who was responsible.  And why they did it. 

I polled bra manufacturers.  “Was it a male or female designer?” No one would tell me, but I’m convinced men were behind this thrust since no sane woman would voluntarily handicap herself in this way!

Then I asked why.  Apparently, women were embarrassed that bra clips could be seen under their clothes. This is patently ridiculous for three reasons:  one, bra clips are virtually undetectable; two, if they could be seen on the front of one’s clothes, then they would be just as visible on the back; and three, would women who have made bra straps (ranging in color from dingy white to dirty gray) a fashion statement (giving rise to a new line of jewelry called “bra strap covers” – see below) be “embarrassed” by the hypothetical existence of clip blips? 

  

BOTTOM WHINE!  There is no rational explanation for the BCT.  So why did it happen?  It happened because designers are always redesigning --arbitrarily, it seems-- so consumers will always be buying, replacing the old with the new, and who protested?

That’s the bottom whine!
     
Carol    
 
Author of “Coming of Age…AGAIN”


All images are readily available on various places on the internet and believed to be in the public domain.  http://www.thebottomwhine/ claims no credit for any images featured on this site unless otherwise noted.  If you own rights to any of these images and do not want them to appear here, please contact me, and they will be 
promptly removed.



12 comments:

  1. I wasn't aware of BCT. Remember I was in the business for awhile? I actually run a factory that manufactured bra straps, back when Monica Lewinsky didn't even know what a BJ was.

    I guess they must have forgotten what it was that bras have in common with communism: that both were designed to oppress the rich and lift the fallen. Bra manufacturers have excelled at the former, with the push-up bra and what-have-you. But to place the clip in the back is plain nonsense

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  2. A great post right out of the gate. I really did laugh out loud when I realized you are so RIGHT! And I have taken my damned bra off in the workplace ladies room, so as not to spend the day looking like that character Cher had on her variety show. Laverne, with the black bra straps hanging down. Nice to have it all explained!

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  3. And God forbid we just make shirts thick enough that you can't see through them! Nice blog. Hope to read more.

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    1. I am amazed. I know/I think I know the other three posters, but BostonPobble? Not a clue. That makes me truly wonder how it all works, "it" being I write a blog and then someone I don't know actually READS the blog? How does it happen?

      OK, I need to settle down here. I'm sure it's not black magic, but please tell me how it happens.

      I'm glad you liked my first whine. More to follow.

      How often do you write a blog?

      Carol

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    2. LOL I got here via gnightgirl. And I write whenever I feel like it. Sometimes, that's every day. Sometimes that's every week. Pop over and say hi, if you'd like!

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    3. Hi Pobble. I did pop over. Your life sounds unpredictably wonderful. Enjoy.

      But I still don't know how you found thebottomwhine.

      did you search for "bras"? Puhleeze, take me out of my agony!

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    4. Gnightgirl... Lori. She told me about your blog. That's what I meant when I said "I got here via gnightgirl." No magic or anything!

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  4. And they are also making the bra sizes smaller. What was my size no longer fits! Who designs these things? Who makes the decisions?

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  6. As I was reading this the other day, my D@#$ strap kept falling down! Didn't know whether to get angry, or laugh at the irony of the timing!

    As for blogging, my blog is slightly different, being a craft themed one. But i just write when I feel like it.

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  7. Try whining.

    What's the site of your craft blog?

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