In A World Full Of Padding, Be The Underwire

Writing and illustration by Jess Kitching

I’ve finally figured out the secret to a successful, happy life – to look at people as if they are bras. Before you close this post down, unfollow me and never read a single thing I write ever again, just hear me out.

Some people in your life are the every day bras, the kind that you know you can get through the day issue free with. They don’t excite you but they’re a solid staple and you know exactly where you stand with them. Some people are sports bras – functional and help you get stuff done, but not the one you want to be stuck with all the time.  Some people are the old, grubby, miscoloured bras that you only wear when you’re hungover or sick. They are the people you’ve had in your life forever who you probably wouldn’t associate with if you met them now but you just can’t bear the thought of letting them go. Some people are the lacy, flimsy and completely impractical bras that you only wear on special occasions. They’re the person that fakes a cough to bail on you at the last minute just as you’re about to ring a taxi to set off, but the person that will always be on hand to take a good photo of you for your new profile picture. There are the ones that don’t fit you right anymore and you know you should probably throw away, but for some unknown reason you keep them around. There are the multi-way bras that chameleon perfectly to suit every outfit imaginable. These are the people your parents like, the ones that you can introduce to any friend worry free. Then there are the super boost, padding-as-thick-as-your-pillow fake bras that give you a rack you could rest your drink on but cut in at the sides with no mercy. Those people are the ones that smile to your face then roll their eyes the minute your back is turned. You know that they are as fake as they come yet for some unknown reason you still keep them around hoping that one day they will genuinely make you feel good.

But then, in and amongst the underwear drawer of life, there is the bra, that faithful, life changing, life affirming, body sculpting wonder that you were lucky enough to stumble across in a sale that one time. The bra that lifts you like no other, supports you like you are a goddess and makes you walk into a room with your head held high and a secret smile that says ‘I know I look good today’.

There are people in your life that are just like that bra and they are the people that you should hold onto for dear life. They are the people who applaud your successes without a hint of jealousy, who don’t make you feel like eating that entire pizza was a mistake, who won’t stand in a group and listen to others gossip about you but will instead stand up for you when you aren’t there. They are the people who share your new blog posts because they’re proud of you for going for your goal, the people who check in on you just because they want to, the people who remember little details about your life and ask about them. They are the underwire of your life – supportive, uplifting and essential.

If you’re lucky, you’ll have more than one of these beauties in your life. You will have your own personal army of cheerleaders, ready to carry you on their shoulders and start a slow clap in your honour. But to know just one of these people is to be luckier than you can imagine.

Having these kinds of people in your life is fantastic, but do you know what is even more brilliant? Being one of these people. You don’t have to be an every dayer, a padded monstrosity, an average multiway – you can be the one that makes all the difference. It doesn’t take much to like that person from secondary school’s new side business page on Facebook or to congratulate that colleague for that promotion or to send someone a message saying ‘I’m here if you need me’ when you know they are going through a hard time. It doesn’t take a lot to congratulate someone else for an achievement, to walk away from a toxic discussion, to use your voice to make sure other people know how great someone else is. You can use your voice to lift other people up which will in turn make you lift yourself up too.

Nothing feels better than supporting the people around you. Being happy for other people who may have more than you do is not a negative reflection on yourself or your life. Your personal success is not measured against the successes of anyone else around you. You can be happy for their house, their new job, their engagement or their expensive shopping spree without having any of that of your own. A great bra supports all boobs, no matter how big or small they are, and a great person supports all people no matter how much they do or don’t have.

So the next time you look at your underwear drawer, be thankful for the sports bra, the old bra, the every day bra and even the padded bra because they all give something to your life… but be extra thankful for that underwired, epic feeling inspiring beauty. That bra is a hero amongst others, and do you know something? You can be too.