As a child of the 1980s, I recall the days my sisters and I had to wear slips under our dresses. I remember my mom taught us to “make sure our slip wasn’t showing,” and the same regarding our bra straps. We were taught the difference between strapped and strapless bras, why there was a difference and when to wear each of them. I can honestly say I never saw my mom’s slip or bra straps exposed. Ironically, we’ve reached a point in fashion when there are several ways to wear a bra with different dresses and tops, yet more bra straps are exposed now more than ever. Did I miss something?
The exposed bra strap is more than a fashion violation. The way a person dresses is a reflection of how someone sees herself, whether it’s conservative or non-conservative. There’s also everything in-between in reference to fashion styles. I see exposed bra straps as symbols of apathy about how one looks and who knows what else. Let’s be real, wearing a purple-strapped bra with a black tube top is not a good look on anyone.
It almost seems like this horrendous habit manifested into a fashion “trend” (along with chipped nail polish, which is another subject for another day). What happened to the times when we as ladies cared about how we looked in public, inspected ourselves and held each other accountable for looking our best? Unfortunately, some ladies’ heels are higher than those standards we once held so high once upon a time. This is evident in mainstream media and in our neighborhoods.
My mom used the expression “your slip is showing” in more ways than one. She used it literally, but as I matured, I grew to understand she meant to ‘tighten up’ on my behavior as well. The change starts from within and with our own behaviors. Once we set the example, how do we approach our friends and family about it? I write this from a place of love as I recall all of the bra straps I’ve seen this past summer season. Let’s conceal those straps and show more pride about ourselves.
