1 00:00:15,139 --> 00:00:16,635 Boobs. 2 00:00:16,635 --> 00:00:19,336 (Laughter) 3 00:00:19,336 --> 00:00:20,898 The girls. 4 00:00:21,208 --> 00:00:22,671 Breasts. 5 00:00:23,531 --> 00:00:27,663 Sometimes they're a friend; sometimes they're a frenemy. 6 00:00:28,613 --> 00:00:34,005 But even when they frustrate you, you give them unconditional support. 7 00:00:34,005 --> 00:00:35,677 (Laughter) 8 00:00:35,677 --> 00:00:38,639 And you do this every day of your life 9 00:00:38,639 --> 00:00:44,358 by strapping yourself into a garment called "the bra." 10 00:00:45,488 --> 00:00:49,688 The bra as we know it is 100 years old, 11 00:00:50,038 --> 00:00:52,389 and we believe a lot of things about it: 12 00:00:53,009 --> 00:00:56,562 it needs to be pretty; it needs to be supportive. 13 00:00:56,982 --> 00:01:00,308 Well, it needs to be a lot like us. 14 00:01:01,378 --> 00:01:04,248 What we expect from our bras 15 00:01:04,248 --> 00:01:09,671 is a metaphor for what the world expects of us. 16 00:01:10,601 --> 00:01:16,111 And since our ideas about ourselves have changed a lot in the past 100 years, 17 00:01:16,491 --> 00:01:19,039 maybe our bras should change too. 18 00:01:20,499 --> 00:01:24,737 As the only person in North America with a master's degree in lingerie design, 19 00:01:25,123 --> 00:01:28,249 I've spent a lot of time studying bras, 20 00:01:28,249 --> 00:01:31,476 and I believe they're broken. 21 00:01:32,716 --> 00:01:37,532 The stat that 80% of women are wearing the wrong bra size 22 00:01:37,532 --> 00:01:40,820 came from a study conducted by Marks & Spencer, 23 00:01:40,820 --> 00:01:44,077 a British retailer well-known for bra-fitting. 24 00:01:44,797 --> 00:01:49,413 Another study found that 59% of women 25 00:01:49,413 --> 00:01:53,578 said their bra caused back, shoulder, or neck pain. 26 00:01:54,508 --> 00:01:57,076 Think athletic apparel is the cure-all? 27 00:01:57,076 --> 00:01:58,771 Mm. Not quite. 28 00:01:59,341 --> 00:02:03,641 75% of female marathon runners 29 00:02:03,641 --> 00:02:06,926 have at least one fit issue with their sports bra 30 00:02:06,926 --> 00:02:09,030 that causes discomfort. 31 00:02:09,890 --> 00:02:13,655 So when we consider the astonishing breadth of innovation 32 00:02:13,655 --> 00:02:15,816 over the past 100 years, 33 00:02:16,406 --> 00:02:21,012 why are we still fastening ourselves in the same contraption every day 34 00:02:21,012 --> 00:02:23,037 and calling it support? 35 00:02:24,502 --> 00:02:26,910 Is the bra really so great 36 00:02:26,910 --> 00:02:32,544 that it justifies a design which has hardly changed in 100 years? 37 00:02:33,219 --> 00:02:34,218 No. 38 00:02:35,408 --> 00:02:39,273 Manufacturers of most types of clothing, including bras, 39 00:02:39,273 --> 00:02:44,712 know it's easier and cheaper to maintain the status quo 40 00:02:44,712 --> 00:02:47,574 by making the same thing they've always made, 41 00:02:47,574 --> 00:02:49,857 just changing the color or print. 42 00:02:50,486 --> 00:02:56,144 They've trained consumers not to expect modernization in these types of goods, 43 00:02:56,144 --> 00:02:57,580 leading consumers to believe 44 00:02:57,580 --> 00:03:02,367 that true innovation in what we wear isn't possible, 45 00:03:03,271 --> 00:03:07,453 which is ironic because with most other things we buy, 46 00:03:07,453 --> 00:03:10,510 things not even directly related to our comfort, 47 00:03:10,510 --> 00:03:14,729 we expect the manufacturers to constantly up their game. 48 00:03:15,449 --> 00:03:20,715 I'm not going to buy a new phone because this season's trendy color is rose gold, 49 00:03:20,715 --> 00:03:23,758 but because the technology in it is significantly better 50 00:03:23,758 --> 00:03:26,123 than the phone I'm currently using. 51 00:03:26,933 --> 00:03:31,273 The tech sector convinces us we need the latest innovation; 52 00:03:31,273 --> 00:03:38,108 the apparel industry conditions us that the status quo is as good as it gets. 53 00:03:38,618 --> 00:03:41,383 They count on our complacency. 54 00:03:42,273 --> 00:03:45,117 Sure, there have been some advances with bras: 55 00:03:45,117 --> 00:03:47,663 microfiber and stretch have been added to fabrics, 56 00:03:47,663 --> 00:03:51,415 padded straps, molded cups, various types of underwires. 57 00:03:51,415 --> 00:03:53,053 So, wow! 58 00:03:53,053 --> 00:03:55,012 Look how far bras have come. 59 00:03:56,492 --> 00:03:59,880 But here's what a bra in 1930 looked like, 60 00:03:59,880 --> 00:04:01,430 [c. 1930] 61 00:04:01,430 --> 00:04:03,446 and here's what it looks like today. 62 00:04:03,446 --> 00:04:05,297 (Laughter) 63 00:04:05,297 --> 00:04:06,512 [2018] 64 00:04:06,512 --> 00:04:10,117 If that 90-year-old bra was hanging in a store today, 65 00:04:10,617 --> 00:04:13,553 you would think it was this season's latest design. 66 00:04:15,173 --> 00:04:21,005 You only need to be on Facebook one second to see ads for "revolutionized bras." 67 00:04:21,495 --> 00:04:24,543 But those bras are essentially just the same old thing. 68 00:04:25,143 --> 00:04:26,869 And I have a concern: 69 00:04:27,579 --> 00:04:32,264 not only that bras haven't evolved and they aren't doing for us what we need, 70 00:04:32,694 --> 00:04:35,037 but that we've been taught by this very industry 71 00:04:35,037 --> 00:04:36,993 what we think we need, 72 00:04:36,993 --> 00:04:38,708 and we've been misled. 73 00:04:39,458 --> 00:04:43,004 So let's take a look at the design of the bra and the limits it imposes. 74 00:04:43,544 --> 00:04:45,872 And for those of you who don't wear bras, 75 00:04:46,442 --> 00:04:48,820 I'm assuming you've encountered a few along the way 76 00:04:48,820 --> 00:04:50,591 and are familiar with the technology. 77 00:04:50,591 --> 00:04:52,331 (Laughter) 78 00:04:54,991 --> 00:04:57,111 So why do we wear bras? 79 00:04:57,941 --> 00:05:00,034 We're told that's what you're supposed to do. 80 00:05:00,434 --> 00:05:04,804 Social and cultural norms have taught us to feel shame if our breasts are uncovered 81 00:05:04,804 --> 00:05:07,603 or feel unattractive if they are drooping. 82 00:05:08,213 --> 00:05:09,498 If you have larger breasts, 83 00:05:09,498 --> 00:05:12,041 it can feel uncomfortable to have them moving around. 84 00:05:12,981 --> 00:05:16,783 Maybe you wear a bra because you believe it will keep your breasts from sagging. 85 00:05:17,493 --> 00:05:20,502 Well, I have news for you: 86 00:05:20,502 --> 00:05:21,724 (Laughter) 87 00:05:22,254 --> 00:05:26,852 There is no scientific evidence whatsoever 88 00:05:26,852 --> 00:05:30,898 that wearing a bra will keep your breasts from sagging. 89 00:05:31,358 --> 00:05:32,745 Not. 90 00:05:32,745 --> 00:05:33,996 That's right. 91 00:05:34,886 --> 00:05:37,549 The technical term for sagging is ptosis, 92 00:05:37,549 --> 00:05:38,935 and it happens due to factors 93 00:05:38,935 --> 00:05:43,342 like breast size, pregnancy, smoking, aging, and gravity. 94 00:05:43,792 --> 00:05:46,044 In fact, there are two studies 95 00:05:46,044 --> 00:05:50,852 which show that wearing a bra actually contributes to breast sagging. 96 00:05:51,542 --> 00:05:53,995 And while the jury is still out on these, 97 00:05:53,995 --> 00:05:56,883 it may be that keeping them artificially lifted 98 00:05:56,883 --> 00:05:59,547 weakens the breast-supporting tissues. 99 00:06:00,277 --> 00:06:03,199 Bra manufacturers are well aware of this. 100 00:06:03,609 --> 00:06:08,804 In 2000, the then-CEO of bra-maker Playtex, John Dixey, 101 00:06:08,804 --> 00:06:11,810 was quoted in a British documentary, saying, 102 00:06:11,810 --> 00:06:16,190 "We have no medical evidence that wearing a bra could prevent sagging, 103 00:06:16,190 --> 00:06:18,750 because the breast itself is not a muscle 104 00:06:18,750 --> 00:06:22,017 so keeping it toned up is an impossibility." 105 00:06:23,387 --> 00:06:24,706 Sometimes I'm asked, 106 00:06:24,706 --> 00:06:27,706 "What about the breasts of tribal women who don't wear clothes?" 107 00:06:28,456 --> 00:06:30,911 I'm not going to show you a slide of those women, 108 00:06:30,911 --> 00:06:33,411 but a quick Google search will reveal 109 00:06:33,411 --> 00:06:35,937 the variety of breast shapes in those tribes 110 00:06:35,937 --> 00:06:38,665 matches the variety in the rest of the world: 111 00:06:38,665 --> 00:06:41,829 some are perky, and some are less than perky. 112 00:06:42,479 --> 00:06:45,432 The only difference is that ptosis in bra-wearing cultures 113 00:06:45,432 --> 00:06:47,276 is covered up by bras, 114 00:06:47,276 --> 00:06:50,618 so you can't see just how prevalent pendulous breasts shapes are 115 00:06:50,618 --> 00:06:52,022 in those cultures. 116 00:06:52,972 --> 00:06:54,494 So if you're wearing a bra today 117 00:06:54,494 --> 00:06:57,333 because you believe it will keep your breasts from sagging, 118 00:06:57,333 --> 00:07:00,163 you are wearing it for the wrong reasons. 119 00:07:00,593 --> 00:07:01,592 I know - 120 00:07:01,592 --> 00:07:03,211 I felt betrayed too. 121 00:07:03,971 --> 00:07:06,387 But based on the evidence we have, 122 00:07:06,387 --> 00:07:10,181 wearing a bra to stay lifted may make about as much sense 123 00:07:10,181 --> 00:07:11,931 as wearing high heels, 124 00:07:11,931 --> 00:07:15,462 thinking they'll actually make you taller when you take them off. 125 00:07:15,462 --> 00:07:17,524 (Laughter) 126 00:07:18,024 --> 00:07:23,093 OK, so if bras can't prevent sagging, surely we need them for support, right? 127 00:07:24,022 --> 00:07:26,524 And what better way than with underwires? 128 00:07:26,524 --> 00:07:28,960 Two pieces of metal wedged under the breast. 129 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:30,124 (Laughter) 130 00:07:31,264 --> 00:07:32,266 We've come to believe 131 00:07:32,266 --> 00:07:35,275 that underwires alone provide support, right? 132 00:07:36,025 --> 00:07:37,107 Wrong. 133 00:07:37,787 --> 00:07:42,875 Underwires were not designed for support; they were designed for shape. 134 00:07:43,585 --> 00:07:46,334 Underwires act like ponytail holders: 135 00:07:46,334 --> 00:07:50,038 They got a larger mass into a compact, rounded shape. 136 00:07:50,038 --> 00:07:51,772 (Laughter) 137 00:07:53,013 --> 00:07:55,217 Here are two bras on the same woman: 138 00:07:55,217 --> 00:07:57,537 one with underwires, and one without. 139 00:07:58,037 --> 00:07:59,039 As you can see, 140 00:07:59,039 --> 00:08:00,429 the one without underwires 141 00:08:00,429 --> 00:08:03,144 does a much better job supporting the breast. 142 00:08:03,974 --> 00:08:07,197 Although there are lots of supportive underwire bras, 143 00:08:07,197 --> 00:08:10,698 the underwire alone does not provide the support. 144 00:08:11,378 --> 00:08:13,045 Most of the support actually comes 145 00:08:13,045 --> 00:08:16,637 from the stability of the underband, cups, and straps. 146 00:08:18,026 --> 00:08:21,923 Let's take a look at photos of women from the 1950s in bullet bras. 147 00:08:22,723 --> 00:08:25,005 (Laughter) 148 00:08:26,326 --> 00:08:28,977 Those bras didn't have underwires. 149 00:08:28,977 --> 00:08:29,980 (Laughter) 150 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:34,314 And those bras were so supported, they could poke an eye out! 151 00:08:34,314 --> 00:08:36,230 (Laughter) 152 00:08:38,190 --> 00:08:40,808 I'm guessing this isn't the first time you've discovered 153 00:08:40,808 --> 00:08:43,192 that something that you thought would be supportive 154 00:08:43,192 --> 00:08:44,372 turned out not to be. 155 00:08:44,372 --> 00:08:46,034 (Laughter) 156 00:08:46,034 --> 00:08:49,281 Except at that point, you probably ended that relationship. 157 00:08:49,281 --> 00:08:50,280 (Laughter) 158 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:54,285 Maybe you like the feeling of an underwire: 159 00:08:54,285 --> 00:08:56,859 you're used to it, and you like the shape it gives you. 160 00:08:57,189 --> 00:08:58,265 Great! 161 00:08:58,775 --> 00:09:00,869 But if you hate underwires 162 00:09:00,869 --> 00:09:04,163 and you're only wearing them because you think you need to: 163 00:09:04,163 --> 00:09:05,469 stop. 164 00:09:05,469 --> 00:09:08,932 There are plenty of supportive bras without underwires. 165 00:09:09,602 --> 00:09:12,773 How do you find a non-underwire bra that's supportive? 166 00:09:13,433 --> 00:09:16,626 Look for a bra with cups made from non-stretch fabric 167 00:09:16,626 --> 00:09:18,081 rather than foam. 168 00:09:18,591 --> 00:09:19,839 Why? 169 00:09:20,679 --> 00:09:25,011 Think about how differently you sit in a big slouchy sofa versus a church pew. 170 00:09:25,801 --> 00:09:27,557 Pretty different, right? 171 00:09:28,497 --> 00:09:31,222 You'll sink into the foam of a cushion chair 172 00:09:31,222 --> 00:09:33,770 but sit upright in a wooden chair. 173 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:36,775 A non-stretch fabric is like a wooden chair 174 00:09:36,775 --> 00:09:39,239 and does a much better job of supporting. 175 00:09:39,889 --> 00:09:44,038 Also, look for no stretch in the front of the bra and the front straps. 176 00:09:44,758 --> 00:09:45,814 If you're thinking, 177 00:09:45,814 --> 00:09:47,871 "That doesn't sound very comfortable," 178 00:09:48,451 --> 00:09:54,001 I assure you that fabric-based support is in fact very comfortable - 179 00:09:54,001 --> 00:09:56,028 far better than wire 180 00:09:56,028 --> 00:09:57,487 or a church pew. 181 00:09:58,737 --> 00:10:01,441 So let's talk sizing for a sec. 182 00:10:02,161 --> 00:10:05,408 As women, we've been raised to identify with a certain size, 183 00:10:05,408 --> 00:10:06,592 and by the way, 184 00:10:06,592 --> 00:10:08,489 when you're not that size anymore, 185 00:10:08,489 --> 00:10:09,854 it's upsetting. 186 00:10:10,354 --> 00:10:13,417 If you were always a size 6 and now you're a 10, 187 00:10:13,417 --> 00:10:15,255 you have feelings about that, 188 00:10:15,865 --> 00:10:18,402 just as you do when you go from a 12 to an 8. 189 00:10:19,192 --> 00:10:23,101 Chances are, you've also labeled yourself with a bra size, 190 00:10:23,101 --> 00:10:25,531 especially a cup size: 191 00:10:25,981 --> 00:10:27,683 "I'm just an A." 192 00:10:27,723 --> 00:10:29,549 "I'm a solid B." 193 00:10:29,599 --> 00:10:30,986 "I'm a D." 194 00:10:31,726 --> 00:10:34,268 You probably have feelings about that too. 195 00:10:34,728 --> 00:10:38,174 You might even feel inadequacy or shame. 196 00:10:39,244 --> 00:10:40,710 But here's the thing: 197 00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:44,067 bras don't fit the way jeans fit. 198 00:10:45,027 --> 00:10:46,959 If you're a size 8 jean, 199 00:10:46,959 --> 00:10:51,091 you know that a 6 will be too small and a 10 will be too large. 200 00:10:51,431 --> 00:10:55,288 There's only one size in that style that will fit you. 201 00:10:56,108 --> 00:10:59,754 But bras aren't sized like any other type of clothing: 202 00:11:00,244 --> 00:11:03,776 there isn't just one size that fits you. 203 00:11:04,416 --> 00:11:06,530 And the reason I'm telling you this 204 00:11:06,530 --> 00:11:09,283 is that you may have mistakenly settled on a size, 205 00:11:09,283 --> 00:11:12,040 thinking that's just what you are, 206 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:13,592 when you could be wrong 207 00:11:13,592 --> 00:11:19,099 and missing out on a world of comfort and far superior support as a result. 208 00:11:19,989 --> 00:11:22,217 Let's take four bra sizes: 209 00:11:22,217 --> 00:11:27,995 38A, 36B, 34C, and 32D. 210 00:11:28,425 --> 00:11:30,420 Completely different sizes, right? 211 00:11:30,420 --> 00:11:31,760 [38 A, 36 B, 34 C, 32 D] 212 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:33,025 Nope. 213 00:11:33,025 --> 00:11:36,012 They're all the same size. 214 00:11:36,012 --> 00:11:39,416 These sizes all accommodate the same size breast; 215 00:11:39,416 --> 00:11:42,799 they just do it with a shorter or longer underband. 216 00:11:43,759 --> 00:11:46,332 Now, you might think you're a D cup, 217 00:11:46,332 --> 00:11:49,754 and then you just need to figure out the girth of your ribcage, correct? 218 00:11:50,224 --> 00:11:51,608 Wrong again. 219 00:11:52,118 --> 00:11:58,225 A 38D, 36D, 34D, and 32D 220 00:11:58,225 --> 00:12:02,342 have absolutely nothing in common. 221 00:12:02,822 --> 00:12:06,032 They don't fit the same size breast or ribcage. 222 00:12:06,992 --> 00:12:10,583 So everything you've been told your whole life - 223 00:12:10,583 --> 00:12:14,677 that A cups are always small and D cups are always large - 224 00:12:14,677 --> 00:12:16,760 isn't true. 225 00:12:17,270 --> 00:12:20,070 Would you believe it if I told you that you could be an A 226 00:12:20,070 --> 00:12:22,764 and have bigger breasts than someone with a D cup? 227 00:12:23,244 --> 00:12:26,350 Sounds flatly wrong, but it's true. 228 00:12:26,890 --> 00:12:30,762 And some As - get this - are the exact same size as Ds. 229 00:12:31,332 --> 00:12:33,207 You think it can't be true, 230 00:12:33,207 --> 00:12:36,569 but that's just how messed up bra sizing is 231 00:12:36,569 --> 00:12:38,912 and why we so often get it wrong. 232 00:12:39,342 --> 00:12:42,873 And much like the other ways we have been labeled, as women, 233 00:12:42,873 --> 00:12:47,334 these cup sizes are labels that are lies. 234 00:12:48,474 --> 00:12:51,037 When was the last time you questioned your size? 235 00:12:51,547 --> 00:12:52,599 When was the last time 236 00:12:52,599 --> 00:12:56,572 you questioned something else about yourself you thought was true 237 00:12:56,572 --> 00:12:57,943 but might not be? 238 00:12:59,133 --> 00:13:00,986 Why are sizes so crazy? 239 00:13:00,986 --> 00:13:03,390 Like, who designed it this way and why? 240 00:13:03,990 --> 00:13:09,936 The numbers 32, 34, etc. are based on Victorian shirt sizes. 241 00:13:09,936 --> 00:13:11,086 [OUR PATTERN DEPARTMENT] 242 00:13:11,086 --> 00:13:14,841 Initially, the bra size was only the shirt size. 243 00:13:14,841 --> 00:13:18,586 The assumption was that the clothing size matched the breast size: 244 00:13:18,586 --> 00:13:21,350 small clothing size, small breast size. 245 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:24,965 When it became apparent that wasn't always the case, 246 00:13:24,965 --> 00:13:29,015 cup sizes were added by determining how many inches bigger the bust was 247 00:13:29,015 --> 00:13:31,303 than the Victorian shirt size. 248 00:13:32,043 --> 00:13:33,724 But here's the problem with that: 249 00:13:34,514 --> 00:13:38,338 Two inches bigger than a 32 shirt size was a B cup, 250 00:13:38,338 --> 00:13:43,778 and two inches bigger than a 38 shirt size was also a B cup. 251 00:13:44,418 --> 00:13:47,738 That created a lot of different size B cups 252 00:13:47,738 --> 00:13:50,204 and led to something called "sister sizing," 253 00:13:50,204 --> 00:13:52,706 which is how bras are currently sized. 254 00:13:53,559 --> 00:13:57,250 So all of these cups, which sound totally different, 255 00:13:57,250 --> 00:13:58,876 are exactly the same. 256 00:13:59,396 --> 00:14:02,641 In fact, the manufacturers make the same fronts 257 00:14:02,641 --> 00:14:04,920 over and over and over again, 258 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:09,913 change the length of the underband, and label it as a different size. 259 00:14:10,223 --> 00:14:13,207 The cups are identical. 260 00:14:13,877 --> 00:14:17,491 And all of these cups, which sound totally the same, 261 00:14:17,491 --> 00:14:19,589 are completely different. 262 00:14:19,589 --> 00:14:20,937 As the decades went on, 263 00:14:20,937 --> 00:14:23,314 and women no longer knew their Victorian shirt size 264 00:14:23,314 --> 00:14:24,769 off the top of their head, 265 00:14:25,229 --> 00:14:26,339 (Laughter) 266 00:14:26,339 --> 00:14:29,715 a system of measuring around the rib cage and adding four or five inches 267 00:14:29,715 --> 00:14:33,987 was used to identify a woman's Victorian size. 268 00:14:34,967 --> 00:14:39,170 Why are 80% of women wearing the wrong bra size? 269 00:14:39,170 --> 00:14:43,090 Because most women have no idea this is how bras are sized. 270 00:14:44,330 --> 00:14:49,723 Currently, the global bra market is around $25 billion annually. 271 00:14:50,523 --> 00:14:54,817 Since 80% of those purchases are for the wrong size, 272 00:14:54,817 --> 00:14:59,970 that means approximately $20 billion of that $25 billion 273 00:14:59,970 --> 00:15:03,386 is spent purchasing the wrong product. 274 00:15:04,386 --> 00:15:07,291 I can't think of any other industry 275 00:15:07,291 --> 00:15:14,289 where 80% of consumers buy the wrong thing and it's considered perfectly normal. 276 00:15:14,839 --> 00:15:16,516 How is that OK? 277 00:15:17,356 --> 00:15:20,596 And the reason so many women are experiencing pain from their bras 278 00:15:20,596 --> 00:15:23,501 is because they're wearing the wrong size. 279 00:15:23,501 --> 00:15:25,664 That's outrageous. 280 00:15:26,304 --> 00:15:29,772 Designing a system that would enable most women to wear the right bra size 281 00:15:29,772 --> 00:15:31,751 would be very easy to do. 282 00:15:32,211 --> 00:15:35,258 Just label all of the cup sizes which are the same, 283 00:15:36,028 --> 00:15:37,515 the same! 284 00:15:37,515 --> 00:15:38,520 (Laughter) 285 00:15:38,520 --> 00:15:41,743 That's how most women assume bras are sized anyway. 286 00:15:42,323 --> 00:15:45,519 And make the band size a simple rib cage measurement. 287 00:15:45,519 --> 00:15:47,745 Because let's be honest: 288 00:15:47,745 --> 00:15:49,934 Unless you're living in Downton Abbey, 289 00:15:49,934 --> 00:15:52,704 who cares what your Victorian shirt size is? 290 00:15:52,704 --> 00:15:53,707 (Laughter) 291 00:15:54,507 --> 00:15:55,504 How do you know 292 00:15:55,504 --> 00:15:57,081 if you're wearing the wrong size? 293 00:15:57,271 --> 00:16:01,339 Because that system of adding four or five inches doesn't work very well, 294 00:16:01,339 --> 00:16:05,439 many women are wearing a band size too big and a cup size too small. 295 00:16:06,251 --> 00:16:09,529 Reach around and pull the band away from your back. 296 00:16:09,529 --> 00:16:15,736 If it easily stretches more than the width of your hand, it's too big or too old. 297 00:16:16,076 --> 00:16:17,991 (Laughter) 298 00:16:17,991 --> 00:16:22,356 And I just lost half the audience because they have their hands up their shirts. 299 00:16:22,356 --> 00:16:24,252 (Laughter) 300 00:16:26,834 --> 00:16:29,649 Why is having a large underband problematic? 301 00:16:29,648 --> 00:16:30,646 Because - 302 00:16:30,646 --> 00:16:32,104 here's another bra doozy - 303 00:16:32,104 --> 00:16:36,097 the majority of support comes from the underband, not the straps. 304 00:16:36,097 --> 00:16:37,234 In fact, 305 00:16:37,234 --> 00:16:39,444 if your shoulder straps are digging in, 306 00:16:39,444 --> 00:16:44,020 it could mean that your underband is too big and isn't doing its job. 307 00:16:44,430 --> 00:16:48,092 By the way, you don't have to adjust the straps equally. 308 00:16:48,092 --> 00:16:50,963 Most people have one shoulder higher than another, 309 00:16:50,963 --> 00:16:53,680 so it's OK if one needs to be tighter than another. 310 00:16:54,240 --> 00:16:55,369 When you buy a new bra, 311 00:16:55,369 --> 00:16:58,790 be sure to also try on your sister sizes to find the best fit. 312 00:16:59,170 --> 00:17:01,989 And be sure to find a bra that fits on the loosest hook. 313 00:17:02,399 --> 00:17:04,876 You're supposed to hook a new bra on the loosest hook 314 00:17:04,876 --> 00:17:07,072 so that as it gets older and stretches out, 315 00:17:07,072 --> 00:17:08,431 you can tighten it. 316 00:17:08,951 --> 00:17:11,633 And if your bra has had a birthday, 317 00:17:12,363 --> 00:17:14,175 it has outstayed its welcome. 318 00:17:14,175 --> 00:17:15,807 (Laughter) 319 00:17:15,807 --> 00:17:19,114 You should be replacing your bras every year. 320 00:17:19,734 --> 00:17:21,059 (Explosive sound) 321 00:17:21,059 --> 00:17:23,782 (Laughter) 322 00:17:23,782 --> 00:17:26,784 (Applause) 323 00:17:27,767 --> 00:17:29,573 I know - 324 00:17:29,573 --> 00:17:31,929 this is mind-blowing stuff, truly. 325 00:17:31,929 --> 00:17:33,487 (Laughter) 326 00:17:35,647 --> 00:17:38,704 No matter when you bought the bra you're wearing today, 327 00:17:38,704 --> 00:17:42,738 bottom line is it's 100 years older than you think. 328 00:17:42,738 --> 00:17:43,876 (Laughter) 329 00:17:43,876 --> 00:17:46,619 Hey, some things do get better with age, 330 00:17:46,619 --> 00:17:48,271 like fine wine 331 00:17:48,731 --> 00:17:50,263 or Helen Mirren. 332 00:17:50,263 --> 00:17:51,727 (Laughter) 333 00:17:51,727 --> 00:17:53,307 But not the bra. 334 00:17:53,687 --> 00:17:58,514 And it leaves us to question: What other outdated ideas are we stuck on? 335 00:17:59,604 --> 00:18:01,007 Here's the thing: 336 00:18:01,617 --> 00:18:03,998 All bras are training bras. 337 00:18:04,658 --> 00:18:06,569 They train us from a young age 338 00:18:06,569 --> 00:18:11,987 that this is how things are, how things feel, how you come up short, 339 00:18:11,987 --> 00:18:14,261 and there's nothing you can do about it. 340 00:18:15,133 --> 00:18:18,403 Bras have become an icon for the status quo. 341 00:18:19,403 --> 00:18:22,401 I'm not saying we should all be burning our bras, 342 00:18:22,401 --> 00:18:24,464 but we can do better than this. 343 00:18:25,014 --> 00:18:26,556 If we don't question something 344 00:18:26,556 --> 00:18:31,241 as small and persistent as the first thing we put on every day, 345 00:18:31,241 --> 00:18:33,362 how can we question the bigger things? 346 00:18:34,492 --> 00:18:37,543 The time is now for us to challenge the status quo, 347 00:18:38,023 --> 00:18:40,245 and it starts at chest level. 348 00:18:41,314 --> 00:18:43,492 Because for far too long, 349 00:18:43,492 --> 00:18:46,574 the very thing that's supposed to lift us up 350 00:18:46,574 --> 00:18:47,736 has let us down. 351 00:18:47,736 --> 00:18:48,736 (Laughter) 352 00:18:48,736 --> 00:18:49,644 Thank you. 353 00:18:49,644 --> 00:18:52,648 (Applause)