Bra Hunting with Jennifer Bringle
Jennifer Bringle is a freelance writer and editor who was diagnosed at 37 with Stage II hormone positive breast cancer. She also has the BRCA2 genetic mutation. Jennifer lives in North Carolina with her husband, young son and special needs cat.
Subscribe and Listen On…
Bra Hunting After Cancer
Jennifer Bringle’s piece “Bra Hunting,” published in the 2024 “Body” Issue, is more than just a story about bras. It’s about the painful, personal journey of coming to terms with body changes after breast cancer. It’s a raw, honest reflection on how something as simple as shopping for lingerie can turn into an emotional experience when your body has been altered in ways you never expected.
The Evolution of Bra Shopping
Jennifer’s story starts with a nostalgic memory from her childhood: getting her first bra in fourth grade. The excitement of wearing it to school, despite not needing it, is a universal rite of passage. Her early memories are filled with the thrill of discovering femininity and the camaraderie of sharing this milestone with friends. But this early moment of "bra hunting" becomes a far more complicated ritual as her life progresses.
In her teenage years, Jennifer enjoyed the secrecy and self-expression of fancy bras — little indulgences she savored in her growing independence. In her twenties, she remembers the excitement of shopping at Victoria's Secret, a semi-annual pilgrimage to buy bras that were more about feeling sexy than being practical.
But then, life shifted. At 35, Jennifer became a mother, and the need for functional, comfortable nursing bras took precedence over lace and satin. And at 37, her world changed again when she was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer and the BRCA2 gene mutation. The disease led her to undergo a nipple-sparing mastectomy and implant reconstruction, which forever altered her relationship with her body — and her bras.
A New Kind of Bra Hunt
After her surgery, Jennifer found herself in a post-mastectomy lingerie store, preparing for the next chapter of her bra journey. It was a far cry from her carefree shopping days at the mall. She describes feeling out of place as the youngest person in the room, as she was now in a world where bras were no longer simply about fashion. They were about function — medical, even. The store was full of women at different stages of their breast cancer journeys, all navigating the same difficult transition.
Trying on bras post-surgery was an intimate, often uncomfortable experience. Jennifer's body had changed in ways she couldn’t have anticipated, and the process of trying on bras was not just about fit, but about understanding her new self. The consultant, a woman Jennifer still remembers fondly, guided her through this confusing and often discouraging process. She tried on several bras with gel inserts that were supposed to help her fill out the cups, but Jennifer hated how they felt. They were heavy and unnatural, like stuffing — a constant reminder that her body was no longer her own.
The process was frustrating. Yet, even as Jennifer tried on bras she knew she wouldn’t wear, she was still struck by the kindness of the consultant, who worked to make the experience as positive as possible. But even with these small comforts, Jennifer couldn’t escape the deep sense of loss that came with these new, altered garments.
The Emotional Weight of a Bra
The deeper emotional weight of this experience was not lost on Jennifer. She reflects on the question, Is this my body now? This, she says, is one of the biggest struggles for breast cancer survivors. Even with reconstruction, the body doesn’t look or feel the same, and the scars are constant reminders of the trauma endured.
Shopping for a bra was no longer a joyful experience, but a stark reminder of how much had changed. The fun of finding pretty lingerie was replaced with a clinical and utilitarian approach to bra shopping, now involving insurance approval, fittings, and, in some cases, awkward fitting room moments with strangers.
As Jennifer walked out of the store that day with her new bras, she didn’t feel the exhilaration she once got from a great deal on a fancy set of lingerie. Instead, she felt defeated. And while buying these bras was a necessary step, it was a painful one.
Coming to Terms with a New Body
As Jennifer reflects on her body, she acknowledges the toll cancer has taken — not just on her physical appearance but on her sense of self. Her body feels unfamiliar, even though the bras she found fit her well enough. The feeling of loss in these moments is undeniable, and yet, Jennifer holds space for the understanding that this is part of her new reality.
Her journey is not just about finding bras that fit but about reconciling the person she was before cancer with the person she is now. “Even something as simple as shopping for a bra becomes a production,” Jennifer writes. But it’s not just about the bra anymore. It’s about reclaiming her body, her identity, and finding some peace in the process.
Writing Through the Pain
Jennifer's story doesn’t end in that fitting room. As a writer, she has used her journey to process her experience and share it with others. Writing, she says, has always been a way for her to express what she couldn’t say aloud, especially during her treatment. Early on, she began a blog, not as a way to update friends and family, but as an emotional outlet — her cathartic space to process the fear, anxiety, and uncertainty that came with her diagnosis.
Writing about her cancer journey has helped her reflect on both the painful and joyful moments of the past, and it’s clear from reading her piece that writing is a way for Jennifer to connect with her former self. The memories of her childhood bra shopping with her mother, the excitement of picking out new bras in her twenties, and even the painful moments in the fitting room post-surgery — all of these are part of her story. Writing has helped her make sense of these changes and, in a way, reclaim the joy of those experiences, even if they can never be the same.
Jennifer’s story is a powerful reminder that even the most mundane aspects of life — like shopping for a bra — can hold deep emotional weight when cancer changes your body. Yet it also illustrates the resilience of the human spirit, and the ways we find comfort, beauty, and even joy, despite the challenges we face.
Writing Prompt Inspired by Today’s Episode
Jennifer shared a story that walked through a history of bras and how they intersect with a life. I want you to do the same.
Make a list of bras from your life. If you don't want to do bra, you can also do a hat, or shoes. You can do any kind of clothing for this, but the idea is after you make your list to then pick one. One bra, one hat, one shoe, whatever you want, off of your list and tell the story. And the trick of it is to get into not only what did this story look like, but how did it make you feel? Why is it still living in your memory?
Set your timer for eight minutes. Write without stopping. See what needs to come out and where it will take you.
If you find that you write best with a good prompt, check out our free prompts and learn about our writing workshops.
Happy writing! Until next time, take good care.
More From The Burn
