It’s not often that I get to shout about something exciting like this! As a business, I’m delighted to be able to support (first and last time I’ll use that word in this post – you’ll see why soon) a professional sportsperson – it’s time to talk women’s football and sports bras…
Sports bras: why do they matter?
A female GP I follow is often heard saying that she’d rather run a marathon without shoes than without a bra. Whilst I’d prefer not to run that far at all, I do agree with her. Sports bras are important for so many reasons. Female breasts are, in fact, mostly held in place merely by skin, and damage done due to the bounce of a bust (which also occurs in a figure of eight motion, rather than just vertically) can be permanent. So for those of us who are regularly active, having the right piece of kit to look after our health is vital. Just as a poorly-fitting pair of shoes can create serious discomfort and health issues, so can a sports bra which isn’t doing the job.
And that’s without having gone into the issues of comfort and confidence – many of us don’t want to look like we’re struggling with bounce, and would rather not worry about our busts or an errant strap when participating with an activity. We just want to focus on our performance and enjoyment, rather than how our bodies are behaving.
Professionals and amateurs alike struggle with sports bras
As someone with a bigger bust, I’m well-acquainted with this one. UK high street options are limited in terms of sports bras. And many items that are marketed as bras aren’t fit for purpose – lots of high street and online companies refer to bras when they mean crop tops. How do you tell the difference? Bras have adjustable backs AND straps. Crop tops will often have neither. And crop tops can be great for lots of things. But due to their lack of adjustability, they don’t function as bras do. The majority of a bra’s band is where the support (sorry) comes from, and that’s why it’s critical it fits well here in particular.
Whilst those of us in the everyday world struggle to access properly fitting bras, so do professional athletes. As feminist author Caroline Criado-Perez says, the default in our entire world is male, and kits are designed in that manner of thinking. Tops, bottoms, socks and shoes are thought of… but underwear isn’t (and nor is colour, but that’s a topic for another post). The other problem with bras is that they aren’t typically visible, so in our commercialised world, they don’t get the TV-time that other items do, and therefore don’t sell simply because a professional is seen in one… because you often don’t see that piece of kit.
And to top it all off, women in general are lacking in education about bra fit. Studies have repeatedly shown that the majority of us are wearing the wrong size, and there are many factors to blame for this. However, bras also aren’t quite as complicated as the patriarchy likes to make out. Whilst it’s true that the construction of the garment involves many pieces, when you know what you’re doing, getting one that fits properly is honestly easier than getting jeans which fit (and so many of us know that struggle).
Can a bra change the world?
Maybe not the whole of it, but I genuinely believe it can change the wearer’s world for the better. Performance, confidence, and long term health can be positively impacted by a well-fitting bra, and with large companies still offering little in the way of practical help for professionals, I decided to step up.
I approached Lewes FC – a local, incredibly forward-thinking club which is fan-owned (I’m one of them, and by clicking here, you can be too!) – with a proposal: I would like to sponsor a female player for the 23/24 season by providing her with sports bras. The idea was met with enthusiasm, and with the offer made to the team, new signing Hollie Olding stuck her hand up.
Having had a video call to talk things through, we went on a shopping trip last month after which Hollie was even more raring to go than she already was. It’s been a brilliant summer for women’s football in the UK, with England’s lifetime best run in the Women’s World Cup, and now is the time to continue boosting the profile of the sport, and helping players to have an even better time as professionals.
There’s much more to come with our journey – from sharing what Hollie’s been able to learn and which are the pros and cons of different bras for her specific sport, to how she actually feels now that she’s got the bra that’s right for her. And, of course, there’s even more to come from Lewes – the Women had their best performance ever in the FA Cup last season, and I know they’re looking to build on it this year. I can’t wait to see how it all goes.