The year is 2020 and the day is the last Friday before lockdown. You’ve managed to sit through an hour of post-work drinks with your colleagues, before booking your Uber back home. As you walk into your house, you kick off your shoes and, most importantly, rip off the breast cage you’ve been wearing all day before putting your feet up. Now we’re in August and you’re still sans-bra, making lingerie one of the many businesses impacted by COVID-19. While some women are now opting for more comfortable styles—UK-based retailer Figleaves reported a 40% increase in the sale of non-wired bras and bralettes—others are ditching them completely. Which begs the question: ‘did COVID kill the brassiere?’

Probably not, to be honest. Chances are scratchy underwires and relentless push-ups will make their presence felt once again in a COVID-free world, making this bra-less interlude that much more special.  Celebrate it with this curated playlist of six bits on bras, bra straps and the right way to wear your brassiere.

Bra Shopping – Aditi Mittal

In a world where women don’t need bras, bra shopping is also redundant. Judging by Aditi Mittal’s spot-on observational bit on the perils of bra shopping—including being judged by the sales staff and spending hard-earned money on a brand you can’t pronounce—that can only be a good thing.

Hanes Bra – Rahul Subramanian

Rahul Subramanian wasn’t looking for the Hanes Bra hoarding when he found it… just like women aren’t looking for their bras anymore. At all. And even though Hanes Bra makes a compelling case for wearing them, it still doesn’t beat not wearing one at all.

Bras and Bra Straps – Sejal Bhat

Sejal Bhat has a few suggestions on what to do with pesky bra straps when they’re not peeking through your shirt and stressing all the aunties out.

To All The Aunties – Prashasti Singh

Which is the perfect opportunity to segue into Prashasti Singh’s PSA for all the aunties who cannot resist the urge to drive a stranger’s bra strap back into hiding.

Bra Techniques – Sarah Millican

Are you a back fastener or a front-and-swizzle? Sarah Millican expresses her dismay at the different kinds of bra techniques, and argues that there’s only one right answer. Watch out for a ground-breaking third (and fourth!) way to wear your bra for when it’s time to hook ‘em on again.

Shopping With (The) Wife – Jaspreet Singh

Shopping for women’s clothes is enough to drive men to the edge, but shopping for bras will send them over the edge. Why? The dazzling variety on offer, says Jaspreet Singh—especially in comparison to the limited options available for men. Unfortunately, a beautiful cage is a cage nonetheless.