I’m in a history, inquisitive kind of mood this week. On Sunday, I posted about winter wear, and today, I’m writing about racerback bras. It’s just that kind of week.
When I was making my most recent bra, which was based off a RTW bra, I started to wonder why I chose this kind of silhouette. It’s sportier than a bra that has left and right straps, and I usually chose the opposite – a more feminine shape. But in this case, function trumps aesthetic. Racerback, t-back, or sport backs allow more movement of the back and the arms. Whether it’s a high curve near the neck or a t-strap down the center back, the shape doesn’t restrict or compress the shoulder blades, which causes more range of motion. I also read in a recent article that has somehow disappeared from the internet (why can’t I find things when I need them?), that racerbacks improves posture. According to the author, part of the reason is that a person’s poise is the result of the clothing they wear, at least somewhat. Have you ever noticed that when you wear a sleeveless top, you push your shoulders back more than you would if you were wearing a sleeved tee or a sweater? The same goes for racerback bras. The lines of a racerback point towards the center back, and this causes us to do the same with our posture and stand up straight. I didn’t think this could be until one day before the weather turn, I noticed that I was standing up and sitting in my chair a little more upright. Now that’s a good discussion – do the clothes we wear subconsciously affect our poise and stance?
