Sports bras??????

[wdwmom0f3]

My daughter will sometimes tumble in just a sports bra without a top over it but its in a private cheer gym with no boys, and she did this over the summer when it was really hot.

Here lately she has been wearing a tank top and those nike pro shorts and I have to say those are far worse than wearing a sports bra with regular nike shorts. She only has one pair of the pros and I will not be buying anymore and she also knows she can't wear them in public.

I saw a woman at my gym who was wearing a sports bra and Nike Pros and every head in the gym turned. I was shocked to see a grown woman dressed like that, even if she did have the body for it.

I think in the gym or at practice is fine for girls to wear the sports bras, but not in public.

 

[shortbun]

I wore tube tops. As I look back-yuck!! I see women running in sports bras, women doing all kinds of things athletic in sports bras. I say yes for an athletic event where other young women are doing it AND the sports bra is decorative-not white and looking totally like underwear of the past. NO to street wear, for sure! I go to the local high schools women's soccer games because they are fierce. Their coach said, "NO!" to this style when they tried it. Some of them were changing shirts on the field or stripping off their soccer shirt and just standing around in their sports bra. He wouldn't even let them do it on the bus. He's about 40, they're 14-18. I don't blame him.

 

[asta]

Mom of two distance runners and I think they are perfectly OK. As several posters have pointed out, sports bras cover much more than the typical bathing suit. And it is so hot during most of the year that I worry more about heat stroke than I do about modesty.

My girls are older now and this is one of those issues that I would have cared about when they were younger. I learned that you choose your battles and this one is not worth fighting.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

It depends on the bra.

This one? Sure...

This one? Maybe not...

The first one looks like a crop top. The second "looks" like a bra.

That's because they're two different kinds of sports bras worn by women who have differing breast shapes and participate in different kinds of sports. Please don't mentally penalize girls who participate in high impact sports and have larger breasts on this basis.

They're both sports bras and both cover everything that needs to be covered.

 

[sam_gordon]

Don't look at wearing only 'sports bras' as 'bras' and requiring a shirt. Look at it as wearing a shirt with no bra.

I agree with the pictures above. The top one I have no problem with. The bottom one needs I shirt.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

It's a basic modesty issue for me, but it should be genderless. If you are okay with a boy going shirtless, you should be okay with a girl in a sports bra.

I personally don't see anything wrong with it, but I don't think it should be a huge issue if someone else feels differently.

OTOH, what about all the big name sports where women wear a uniform that provides just about the same coverage as a bikini? Do you think those women shouldn't participate in those sports in those outfits? Or is okay in those circumstances and no others?

 

[westjones]

Mom of two distance runners and I think they are perfectly OK. As several posters have pointed out, sports bras cover much more than the typical bathing suit. And it is so hot during most of the year that I worry more about heat stroke than I do about modesty.

My girls are older now and this is one of those issues that I would have cared about when they were younger. I learned that you choose your battles and this one is not worth fighting.

Well this is sort of where we are right now. My DD is 19 and in college and on an ultimate frisbee team (which is done for the season but will start up in the spring). They practice along with the boys ultimate frisbee team (because the girls team only has 12 girls and the boys have 40, so they can scrimmage with them).

And it seems all the girls are just playing in sports bras and the guys often go shirtless. The field is very public. I can see them playing when I drive by (it is along a main street in our town right across from the hospital, but it is part of campus).

I don't like it, I don't want her to dress like that. But I also has decided it isn't a battle I am going to fight too strongly (but my opinion is known). We have other battles we are dealing with (she may not be continuing college after this year because she can't do the level of math that is needed, but that is another story).

But I was just curious as to what other moms thought of the whole thing. I know that bikinis cover less (frankly I am not crazy about them). But this whole sports bra wearing like a tank top thing is just a new area for me (well it started last year in soccer, but THEN she was only playing with girls with a female coach....now it is against shirtless college boys! ).

 

[aaarcher86]

No problems with it here - for sporting events that is. It's more covering than a swimsuit top in most cases.

I get it... sports 'bra'...

We did the same thing when I was in high school.

 

[Jennasis]

Depends on the sports bra...

The ones that look like a bra, with visible hooks and such...no.

The ones that look like a short, tight tank top....yes.

 

[RunningGirl]

Sports "bras" have changed a lot in the last few years, and many are now designed to be worn as outerwear - just like a tank with a built-in bra would be. I don't have a problem with it, although it is not a look I choose for my 40-something-year-old self!

 

[mjkacmom]

Sports "bras" have changed a lot in the last few years, and many are now designed to be worn as outerwear - just like a tank with a built-in bra would be. I don't have a problem with it, although it is not a look I choose for my 40-something-year-old self!

Ah, how nice it was, back in my 20's, to throw on a sports bra (like the top picture) and tight pair of shorts, and go to the park for a run! Not going to happen now! If dd16 wanted to exercise in one (even in public), I'd be fine - we have great running areas here, and they are common.

Me, I'm covering up!

 

[Princess on the Run]

It depends on the bra.

This one? Sure...

This one? Maybe not...

The first one looks like a crop top. The second "looks" like a bra.

I agree with this. And to the PP who says you are penalizing bustier athletes, I don't see how that is true. As a "busty athlete" myself, I would wear a colorful sports bra like the 1st as a top but the 2nd one is clearly underwear and needs something over it. I have gone to athletic events in just a sports bra (no top over it) but it's always been an opaque fuller coverage one that's colorful and coordinated with my shorts. Like a tank top but cropped. I would not wear the 2nd one without covering it. It's a fine line between the two but I feel like one is a top and one is underwear despite the fact that they are both sport bras.

I see a lot of twiggy teenage girls in sports bras as tops and I think that probably because they don't require much support they can get away with a lot more. The girls who are bustier and need the support may not feel comfortable letting it all hang out like a smaller chested girl might. It's really more of a personal choice than a double standard.

 

[kacaju]

Well this is sort of where we are right now. My DD is 19 and in college and on an ultimate frisbee team (which is done for the season but will start up in the spring). They practice along with the boys ultimate frisbee team (because the girls team only has 12 girls and the boys have 40, so they can scrimmage with them).

And it seems all the girls are just playing in sports bras and the guys often go shirtless. The field is very public. I can see them playing when I drive by (it is along a main street in our town right across from the hospital, but it is part of campus).

I don't like it, I don't want her to dress like that. But I also has decided it isn't a battle I am going to fight too strongly (but my opinion is known). We have other battles we are dealing with (she may not be continuing college after this year because she can't do the level of math that is needed, but that is another story).

But I was just curious as to what other moms thought of the whole thing. I know that bikinis cover less (frankly I am not crazy about them). But this whole sports bra wearing like a tank top thing is just a new area for me (well it started last year in soccer, but THEN she was only playing with girls with a female coach....now it is against shirtless college boys! ).

If she is in college...then I say let her do what she wants..My dd is also 19 and in college...she goes to school about an hour away from here so I have no idea what she is wearing...and it's better I don't!! Grades..that is a whole different issue...but as far as other things..if she lives at home and goes to school local..I would look the other way and just pretend she doesn't live in the house and I don't know what she is doing.....

 

[Hrhpd]

OK parents of teen girls......

Is it really appropriate for girls to be in their sports bras without wearing a shirt over it?

My DD and I are not seeing 'eye to eye' on this. What do you guys think?

In our cheer gym, that is the required practice clothing. They wear a sports bra and Nike Pro shorts. It is a co-ed gym.

This is from age 5 to mid 20's. This is common in most cheer gyms.

However, the girls usually cover up when they leave the gym.

However, I don't really see a problem with it as long as all the private parts are covered.

 

[Hrhpd]

Yes, this is my DD (who is now 19, but this all started last year in high school). She says her generation thinks of them as tank tops.

I have to agree with your daughter.

As long as all the parts are covered, I don't see a problem with it.

 

[arminnie]

No big deal. I've also seen the painted stomach look at games. I really don't think that's a big deal either.

I saw a very pregnant stomach painted like a pumpkin on Halloween - it was our waitress at lunch.

 

[Buckalew11]

Well, she is in college, I think she is old enough to decide about what to wear.

BTW, the sports bra in pic one---those come in more support. If you buy those at Target, you do not get enough support if you are bustier. But they do make them just like that for bustier women. I know, I wear one UNDER my running shirt. I only like "no bounce" bras, lol.

 

[jrmasm]

I saw a very pregnant stomach painted like a pumpkin on Halloween - it was our waitress at lunch.

Lol!

 

[maxiesmom]

When we were at the Disney Studios this past March there was some dance or cheer event going on. There were plenty of girls walking around in their sports bras. I agree that they are though of more as tank tops now than bras.

 

[disney1990]

I don't see the big deal. Most of them cover more than a bikini top would and most of them are made out of a heavier sports tank top material.

I agree.