The chest in hybrid mode

Comfort has invaded our lifestyles for more than two years. We wear clothes with looser cuts, softer fabrics. With the return to the office in hybrid mode, has our chest also adopted this new way of life?

Olivia Levy
The Press

According to Stéphanie Macpherson, head of the lingerie department at the Lyla boutique on avenue Laurier, there is continuity in a trend that was already very present, that of wearing bralettes without underwire. “The desire for comfort is now non-negotiable, we have experienced it in teleworking and it has become essential”, she notes.

“The bralette is making a strong comeback and is attracting new customers: women who did not wear one before the pandemic and who have larger breasts, because there are now many more models for larger sizes. Some women would never have dared to wear a non-wired bra, but that’s no longer the case,” she says. And women wear the bralette at all times, working from home or in the office.

Assumed femininity

There is also, at the same time, a return to more femininity.

“What surprises us is that we are seeing an increase in dressier lingerie, very feminine, even sexy lingerie, which is certainly linked to the resumption of outings and social life”, thinks John Izzo, vice-president, design and product development, at La Vie en rose, which has 205 stores in 18 countries.

Although he has observed that sales of wire-free bras have increased during the pandemic, he now notes an increase in those with underwire. “Currently, 60% of our bra sales are structured models with underwire and light lining, 25% are push ups and this category is increasing, and 15% are more comfortable models without reinforcement”, he specifies. According to him, there was a saturation of the soft garment. “Even when working from home, women don’t want to give the impression that they are too relaxed, so in front of the screen, they opt for good chest support. »

Stéphanie Macpherson evokes the desire of women to have fun. “We’re moving towards something more feminine, assumed, it translates into the desire for lace, colors, to rediscover the pleasure of femininity, while being comfortable with cotton and silk. »

According to stylist Ariane Simard, comfort depends on soft materials such as cotton and sports bras. “I really see a lot of women wearing it on a daily basis, I myself opted for the sport version,” she confides. A habit that she took during the pandemic and that she keeps, because the sports models have several functions. “A sports bra can also be worn under a blouse to go to the office, remarks John Izzo, of La Vie en rose. I think women appreciate the different features of a bra. »

No support, personal choice

And no support at all? Some, often among the youngest, have dropped the bra, notes Ariane Simard.

Raphaëlle Catteau, 50, has not abandoned the bra, except when she is at home. “When I’m alone with my partner and the kids, I take it off at the end of the work day, but otherwise I wear one, with or without underwire, it all depends,” she says.

“I don’t see many women wearing nothing at all, because it’s not always extremely comfortable for everyone, it’s very personal, but it’s not necessarily pleasant. Depending on the size of the chest, there is a way to gently support,” says Stéphanie Macpherson, who has worked in the lingerie industry for 25 years.