The great post-mastectomy bra purge

What is the great bra purge, you ask? It’s what you do when you realize that your top drawer contains more memorabilia than bras you actually wear. Whether you had a mastectomy or not, you probably have a bra (or 20, ahem) you haven’t worn in over a year (or 10, don’t judge).

Now, I started looking into this BEFORE I was diagnosed with breast cancer, back in October 2019. But it took me this long to really reach into that drawer, lay my precious collection out on the bed, and not put most of it right back.

See my top drawer in the picture above? Are you looking at it and quietly smiling at the beauty? Ahh… The satin and lace, the hearts and bows, the nudes and darks, and a pop of funky color! Fun fact: After I took this picture, I found five more bras tucked away on a shelf. Also, I keep my sports bras in a separate drawer.

Are you a numbers person? Are you trying to count the bras in that drawer above? Don’t bother, I’ll give you some numbers right now. How many bras does the average woman own? According to this article from 2009, it’s 16. In my great bra purge this morning, I managed to select that exact number of bras… drumroll, please… to donate! Obviously, I am an above-average woman. Truth be told, some of those bras have been with me for 15 years.

What can you do with bras you no longer wear?

Well, that depends on their condition. If you’re not in my shameless above-average group and only keep bras you wear regularly, you probably also replace them when they no longer can serve their designated purpose. In that case, you can find plenty of quirky DIY projects to recycle your bras and turn parts of them into headbands, purses, or shoe inserts.

If, however, you want to get rid of some still-good bras without throwing them away, try donating them. That’s exactly what I decided to do back in October when I came across I Support The Girls. They collect and distribute essential items, including bras, underwear, and menstrual hygiene products, allowing women experiencing homelessness, impoverishment, or distress to stand tall with dignity.

There are other bra donation services: Free the Girls, The Bra Recyclers, Donate Your Bra, but you can also contact your local shelters or Goodwill to ask if they take used bras. Bonus Green tip: 100% cotton underwear is compostable! Just cut off the elastic band and throw the cotton bits in your compost bin.

Why you may need a bra purge after mastectomy

If you’re not familiar with my cancer story, you can read the last update in my post about coping with the loss of a breast. One common misconception about breast cancer is that you basically get a free boob job and then just go back to normal. The truth is, many breast cancer patients don’t have the option of having their breast(s) reconstructed. Some women choose to go flat, some wear prosthetics, but even after reconstruction, we are forever changed and can never go back to who we were before the diagnosis.

1. Going flat means no need for bras.
2. Wearing breast forms means you need bras with mastectomy pockets.
3. Having reconstructed breasts might mean having to avoid underwire bras for the rest of your life.

How to do the bra purge right

Go through your collection. Look at every piece, touch and admire the details one last time. Let your old bras take you back in time. I still remember leafing through mail-order catalogs back in, oh, I don’t know, ninth grade, and looking at all those gorgeous bras… hoping I would one day grow something to fill them with. These boobs were made for poking is all about how that never happened.

Breasts are part of our intimate anatomy – their loss is very personal and stirs all sorts of emotions. A bra purchase is just as personal so it’s only natural to remember some of them for years.

My collection brought back memories of a trip to Dublin with my favorite travel buddy, my first ever business trip to Stockholm, a super toxic relationship I was in, a bra search with my first CouchSurfer, to name but a few. My husband walked in as I was taking these pictures and pointed at one bra, saying “Hey, I know this one” with a meaningful smile. See? Our bras connect us with others.

Bottom line

I don’t want to hold on to undergarments for sentimental reasons. There’s nothing wrong with it if you do, I just feel like this is another step to embracing my new normal. By the way, if you’re still counting, I also put 11 bras back in the drawer because they were more than slightly worn. I’m telling myself I can use them in my craft projects. Let’s revisit this in another year or so, shall we?

Have a good cry. I sure did. And then, take a look at your remaining, or new, bras. Or, if you no longer need bras at all, take a look at the extra space for your panties. Whatever your top drawer contains after the purge, once you finish crying over the loss, find your silver lining. Mine, besides the feel-good donation, is a new focus on comfort over looks (not that mastectomy bras can’t be pretty).

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