PADDED!? Training Bras - Page 2

[julieven]

Originally Posted by journeymom 

I so totally agree that it's very sad that adults try to push adult ideas on young girls' bra-wearing decisions. It's very sad -in fact it makes me angry and disgusted- that the multibillion dollar clothing industry sexualizes girls at a younger and younger age.  A person would be naive indeed to 1) think that certain underwear, let's say push-up bras, do not mean certain things, don't have an explicitly adult, sexualizing purpose and 2) to ignore the influence the clothing industries, for example Victoria's Secret, have had on the marketing of girls' underwear, all girls clothing in general.

Huh. I was at Target the other day and my 6 year old daughter wanted an unlined bralette kind of sports bra thing "just like her counsellors have". (Outdoor camp counsellors/swim instructors). I was having a hard time understanding why they were even selling size small (girl's 6-8) bralettes. I know the quote reasons above did not cross my daughter's mind. I don't think I really though of it either. I just thought it was a completely unneccessary wardrobe item, not a completely inappropriate wardrobe item. Since she is a six 4-6 (XS), it wasn't a real issue now. I hope its not a issue next year! I am going to think of this differently now that we are embarking on the clothing outside the "toddler" sizes.

[incorrigible]

They sell a small for girls like my dd. She's over 5', but has an insanely thin build. She's not quite into an A cup, but jiggles without support and is very sensitive. This is a girl wearing full length size 7 pants from the toddler section as shorts in the summer. They don't even come to her knees. She's healthy, just built like a bird. Around her 10th bday, she started running around the house without a top all the time because her shirts rubbed uncomfortably. Target was the only place we could find the little triangle of cloth kind of training bra she's comfortable in, in her size. She wore the smallest one they made, attached on the tightest setting, and it was still a little loose. They're getting a little tight recently and we were just talking about taking her out to get her some of the larger "small" size bras....as well as some sport bra style ones for her to wear at gymnastics. She's been invited to try out for the "pre-team" and that means double the hours each week at the studio. She's mentioned going without or wearing the bras she has are both uncomfortable options when she's being all bendy and flippy.

[One_Girl]

Originally Posted by journeymom 

There is a difference between lined and padded. My daughter is 17 y.o. and she likes shopping at Target Junior section for underwear. What I've seen at Target -Junior section-  for the past 6 years is that there are myriad padded pushup bras in A-cup sizes, but there are also lined A-cups that aren't pushups, so don't get them mixed up. 

Dd prefers the lined but unpadded type. The interesting thing dd has found is that the lined, non pushup style is much harder to find at Target  There are always pushups in all sizes and colors.  She and I figure it's because girls aren't buying them, girls are buying the regular, non pushups.




I so totally agree that it's very sad that adults try to push adult ideas on young girls' bra-wearing decisions. It's very sad -in fact it makes me angry and disgusted- that the multibillion dollar clothing industry sexualizes girls at a younger and younger age.  A person would be naive indeed to 1) think that certain underwear, let's say push-up bras, do not mean certain things, don't have an explicitly adult, sexualizing purpose and 2) to ignore the influence the clothing industries, for example Victoria's Secret, have had on the marketing of girls' underwear, all girls clothing in general.  I think it's fantastic that your dd chooses her clothing for comfort and for no other reason.  My guess is that she's in a minority. Women, all of us, are relentless bombarded with the idea that we're supposed to dress sexy all the time.

We probably are naive since we don't watch TV and aren't surrounded by corporate influence and are therefore motivated by our likes rather than the underwear the TV characters wear. The only people I see stereotyping are other moms who seem hostile towatds developing bodies as a whole and I truly don't understand the hostility towards an item of clothing. Clothing styles have been cycling since long before corporations began so I think there is more at play with the emotions that lead to stereotyping than that a company makes and advertises clothing people like to buy.

[wilmama]

A previous poster hit the nail on the head: unnecessary. These bras are not exactly "inappropriate" but the thing is, WHY?  

I know and understand that a padded bra can be more comfortable for developing buds, but a fully padded (thick) underwire isn't *necessary* for an 8yo. Lined, or a bit of padding, yes I can understand and it can be necessary.

I know the difference between lined and padded. These bras which I'm talking about, which are smaller than 32A, are completely padded - thick padding on the whole entire cup and a bit more padding on the bottom to push up. They're not created to mask nipples but to enhance the breasts. Again, unnecessary for an 8-10-year-old.

Maybe things are a lot different up here in Canada but I know we can not find a regular non-thickly-padded bra for my 10-year-old without having to mail order. That's pretty sad.

[mamazee]

"Padded" is really just lined more. I've needed bras that were heavily lined, and I'm sure would be called "padded" due to the amount of lining necessary to conceal nipples.

[delightedbutterfly]

Originally Posted by mamazee 

"Padded" is really just lined more. I've needed bras that were heavily lined, and I'm sure would be called "padded" due to the amount of lining necessary to conceal nipples.

Maybe it's a reginal thing but "padded" *here* has always meant "push up" or padding at the bottoms of bra to make you bigger.

A lined cup or thicker lined cup was not what I was talking about, (maybe I should change the title to make it more universal) although it does make sense to me know (thanks previous posters) why a shelf style trainer has a thicker lining. I hadn't thought about the pressure and nipple issue as I never remember mine hurting when they grew. But it's good information for when I get there.

However I still don't agree with the push up type padding I was talking about earlier. I see many on this thread talking about liking it for themselves or their older teens... But the section of store I was in was very much an older child/preteen/very small young teen section... And an 8-13 year old does not need a padded push up bra. An adult or older teen is Much more aware of how to deal with attention either wanted or unwanted. I don't think an 8 year old/10 year old or 12 year old is emotionally equipped enough or mature enough to ignore it. I realize this is a forum for both preteens and teens and that can span a very wide number of ages and maturity levels but the section I was in in the store had only bra style bras with a push up padded bottom. And the sizes were tiny. I'm taking like a 20-something A cup. If one was to go over to the woman's section you would be able to find bras of all types. Lined, unlined, push up padded, boxed bras, underwire, non underwire. But this choice was not there in the younger child's section and where I live this is one of the main places you can buy underthings for preteens. Otherwise it's mail orders or 2.5+ hour drives. Having the choice in the adult section is wonderful! But having no choice but a "padded PUSH UP" style was shocking.

Whether it be TV or movies, magazines or even as a previous poster suggest other students at school or extra circulars, I do believe that a bra meant to enhance and make the breasts bigger (this is the style of bra I am talking about. NOT a lined tshirt style bra...) is a place I can draw a line as a parent without it having anything to do with hostility or judgement. I hope we are able to find something that is of proper support and comfortability and modestness for my daughters when they are in the preteen ages. When they become older teens we'll revisit comfort levels, both physically and emotionally.