Intimate Apparel

As the collective was low on inspiration, and to fuel their muses I sent them a writing prompt, with the following instruction:

 

 

 

 

We could each write freely to whatever came to mind.  On the night of our meeting, we read our pieces aloud to one another. Each of our respective writes were as different was the members of my group.  My write, Intimate Apparel, was about a woman out to buy a sexy bra and matching panties for a tryst with a new lover.  Following our critical discussion about each of the writes, we finished the night with a discussion about our own bra and panties purchasing habits.  Women and their bra buying and wearing, is a favorite subject of mine.

 

I realize this is an odd subject to consider a favorite topic, and equally peculiar to share with unknown readers.   I assure you I am not a sexual deviant, well maybe we are all a little, but that's probably another chapter for further exploration. As for bras, I confess to having a stern viewpoint on the subject, and for woman who have lost sight of their bodies.  For the record, I am not Cosmo cover material, a size two, and I too suffer from the normal body image issues, as well as question the body that I slip into my jeans on a regular basis.  I form my option from the part of my brain that screams take pride in all that you are.  Our discussion by writer went like this,

 

~The memoir writer hadn't bought new bras or underwear since she stopped nursing her son-he's five years old

~The recovering journalist hasn't bought bras in three years. 

~ The poet buys bras once a year, better the previous two, but they’re comfy practical bras, no push out and up demis for her. 

~ The MFA'er has been wearing the same style and color (white) for the last ten years and only buys bras when the hooks and elastic wear out.

~ Me, I buy bras of all colors and styles, including matching knickers every few months.

 

It was them against me, and each of the groups (even though I was a group of one) were mortified by our respective habits, mostly me with them.  I read about women like this all the time, as well as see these types of women walking everywhere.  Women wearing two sizes too small bras, old bras that are too old, breasts blending with their middles, voluptuous bodies with gravity stricken breasts sported by braless women walking and flopping wildly- shoot me, it's a sight that makes me cry, 'How could you?'  I don't get it.

 

Is it neglect I ask myself, or maybe it’s that their budget doesn’t allow for frilly things like bras and panties. Budget I can understand, but there are ways to plan for essentials. I would carry a brown-bag lunch Monday through Friday to make room in my budget for bras that fit, and taht gave me the look of perky breasts.   It has nothing to do with vanity, OK it does a bit, but mostly it has to do with personal pride.  Maybe that's vanity.  Since I can't afford implants or lifts, and even I could I don't know that I would, but a good bra is worth the brown sack lunch, and the wink I had today from the tall, lanky, grey-haired man that made eye contact with me in the elevator this morning on my way into the office.