I've been blogging away lately about deep and sometimes confusing yogic philosophy. I'll get back to that, but let's take a break today and get real about a real life, every day, normal, and relatable topic. Underwear.
I hope I don't offend anyone here, but I have to confess that I'm not very well-informed about yoga underclothing so I'm diving in with my confusion.
At Yoga Teacher Training, we talked informally (it was not part of the curriculum) about what to wear under those form-fitting yoga pants. We even had a show-and-tell about a certain thong-type garment that appealed to some and appalled the rest. Do you care if you have visible panty lines? Or do you take all reasonable measures to ensure you do not? Do your undies ride up in all the wrong places or ride down under that little pooch of a gut about halfway through class?
I'll confess. I strive for comfort over style: I don't care if you can see my panty lines and my more than a little pooch of a gut sometimes captures the upper elastic on my undies and takes it hostage too far south of my waistline and I have to go in and readjust. Maybe you've noticed. I'm on a quest to lose the pooch rather than resort to another type of undergarment. But that's just me being stubborn.
As for the upper regions of underneath, who out there can recommend a perfect yoga bra? I have a bunch of "sports bras" that have that little removable padding in the cups. Yesterday I didn't notice until half way through class that the padding on the left side had somehow migrated over itself, doubling the thickness on the upper half of the cup, creating a bulging "shelf" that bisected my breast. I tried to ignore it. I tried to tell myself something so insignificant didn't matter a bit to my practice -- not to how I did asana nor to the calming of the fluctuations of my mind. But my mind was totally fluctuating over this wardrobe issue.
I was in the front row, facing the other side of class, absolutely convinced that everyone could see my abnormally lumpy left side and either be concerned or inwardly laughing. I tried to surreptitiously slide my hand in there to readjust, but there was no easy fix. I'd have to leave and get partially undressed to fix it, so I prioritized my practice and just let it be. But the minute class was over I fixed it and vowed to do a better job of looking in the mirror next time before I dash out the door to class.
There must be a remedy for these errant undergarments. There must be a perfect brand of yoga undie-clothes that can remove the obstacle of discomfort and disfigurement that can be such a distraction to performing the perfect Tree Pose. (I blame the bra for my lack of balance yesterday.)
If you have any tips, please share in comments for all of us. I really need some help here. My yoga bliss hinges on solving this problem. ©
Namaste, donnajurene
While I am not a yoga practitioner, as a bra-wearer I can relate. I found that getting a bra fitting (I used an online one, but if you have the access, an in-person one would be good) was instructive, and I went from a 48C to a 42DDD. It helped my posture, too. Of course, the only place I can buy bras is online, but the bras I bought after I got the fitting (about 15 years ago, now), which were substantially more expensive than I was used to, are still fine. I should probably get another fitting, as I suspect it needs a bit of adjustment. Things do shift with the passage of time. But having a well-fitting bra is so worth it.
ReplyDeleteGood advice! A good fitting bra can change a woman's whole appearance!
ReplyDeleteBo suggestions, but thanks for the smiles as I read you predicament.
ReplyDeleteHAHA. It was pretty funny.
DeleteNatori sport bras are nice and the other less supportive but comfortable yoga bras I own are lululemon Energy Bra.
ReplyDeleteThank you!!!! I'll look into those right away!
DeleteI struggled with those little padded triangles for a long time. Now I just take them out.
ReplyDeleteGood idea.
Deletewhen I first started helping my late husband Paul with his EvCC yoga classes, demonstrating in the center of class as he taught, I too faced that dilemma about panty lines. I even posted about it on FB. Because I don't do thongs; I won't go commando. I eventually solved this on my own, and now I have a drawer-full! Since now I'm teaching on my own. There are two great options: laser-cut synthetics, and lacy-edged (not the ones with the lace stitched on!) The lacy ones come in "boy short" styles, so they can cover your belly and also come down the thighs a bit. My favorite brand for laser-cut is Under Armour -- https://www.amazon.com/Under-Armour-Womens-Stretch-Hipster/dp/B077YDWZK4/ref=pd_sbs_200_img_1/130-7931360-0577369?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B077YDWZK4&pd_rd_r=3de28544-f1c9-43da-9e15-9620a3ce273f&pd_rd_w=TVPV0&pd_rd_wg=vz17m&pf_rd_p=5cfcfe89-300f-47d2-b1ad-a4e27203a02a&pf_rd_r=H211WQXWTC9VEF7NGHEH&refRID=H211WQXWTC9VEF7NGHEH. And I just googled "Strm Line" for the lacy boyshorts, and discovered they make both kinds (laser and lacy) Amazon has a ton. I've learned the hard way that it's nearly impossible to just goodle "seamless" because 90 percent of the hits have seams on the legs.
ReplyDeleteWell hello DB! Thanks for the undies tip!
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