Camis and Courtesy: Stop Strap Attacks at Work

Strap attacks are tacky, especially on the job!

Look around. All summer long, bra straps tend to slip out from under women's tank tops, halter tops and sleeveless blouses or dresses. Although swimsuits may acceptably peek out from cover-ups at the beach or pool, strap slippage in the workplace generally draws frowns and grimaces from onlookers.

OK, a peeking bra strap or two may not be a Janet Jackson-worthy wardrobe malfunction. And we may all count our visual blessings every time a tank top wearer actually fastens on a bra. Still, those pesky and creeping lingerie straps need anchoring!

Here are four ways to keep bra straps from appearing in public.

Try this quartet of fashion secrets to keep undergarments from exposure, particularly at the workplace and other locales where folks may not carry much "Compassion for Fashion."

First, be sure tanks, wispy sleeveless summer tops or sundresses are even considered acceptable fashions for your workplace. Do you work as a lawyer or a lifeguard, a banker or a babysitter, a secretary or a store clerk, a professor or a property assessor? Even on casual Fridays, some employers look down upon uber-casual attire.

1. Choose the right bra.

Strapless, racer-back, x-back and convertible bras are easy to find. Look in lingerie shops, department store foundation departments and even the underwear department of your favorite big-box discount store.

Despite the bounces and billows you may see at K-Mart or Walmart, a wide variety of bra styles are available in the full range of sizes, from 28AAA (or even smaller) to movie theater popcorn bucket cup sizes. Find a bra with straps that will stay put and out of sight.

2. Clip or tie bra straps in back.

Have you seen those TV informercials for plastic bra clips? Those babies actually work, tethering bra straps under sleeveless shirts and sundress styles.

In a pinch, you can improvise with ribbon, string or yarn. Loop it around both bra straps, after putting on your bra, and tie the string comfortably in back. If you have trouble with this, ask someone to tie it for you.

3. Select a sports bra or stretch camisole.

Unless you are generously endowed, so to speak, you might consider substituting an exercise bra or top instead of a bra under a summer tank top. Pick one in a pretty color that coordinates with your blouse.

Just try to avoid the temptation to take off your blouse or jacket at work, if you're only wearing a stretchy cami underneath. On the ride home, anything goes.

4. Slip on a scarf.

Many work environments are air conditioned in summer months. Hide pesky bra straps, and add some flair to your fashions, by draping a pretty scarf or shawl around your shoulders on the job.

Of course, anyone can be caught unaware by a slipping strap. In an emergency, a couple of tiny safety pins (or even staples, fastened from the inside out) can keep bra straps in place and help wearers save face.

After all, bras are intended to remain under wraps. Peeking straps are nearly as inappropriate at work as superfluous spillage, daunting decolletage, immodest midriff or the inverted grin. (Wanna know what that is? Check out "Don't Smile at Me that Way! a Rhyming Spin on the Inverted Grin ")

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