“NUDE… FOR MY SKIN COLOR.”

After some researching (shopping), I’ve become appalled at the results I found concerning the lack of flesh toned bras for women of color. Recently, I bought some off-the-shoulder tops and rompers for the Summer weather. I’ve been so excited to wear them but my only issue is that my collection of under garments are so (obviously, *hair flip*) bright colored and patterned, that they show right through the clothing.

So, since I am a Pink rewards member, I skipped across the mall hallway from where I work while on break to pick up a “nude” strapless bra. I came to find that PINK barely does nude for lighter skin tones, let alone any other demure color. PINK, the collegiate-focused subdivision of Victoria’s Secret, is well know for their bright and neon clothing— bras included. The manager suggested that I go to the Victoria’s Secret store because they have more monotone colors. During another break later that week, I went to VS to find only one option equal to my skin color. Since I was on break, I didn’t try that bra on. But, when I got home, I was irritated at how terrible in quality the bra was. The lining of the bra was so thin that you could see my nipples through the cloth. I might as well have bought an invisible bra. I returned the bra a few days later. The cashier asked me why I was returning and I told her the bra was too thin. She informed me that they had other options and I told her that none were in my color. She told me in the sweetest way possible that even a lighter nude color wouldn’t show through a top, but Miss Sweetie didn’t seem to get my point: the company she works for is cutting their target buyers in half by not providing “nude” colors for their color of skin. I’m a milk chocolatey sista just like my fellow Latinas, Indians, Hispanics, and Southern Asian women. She suggested that I go online, and so I did.
To my dismay, there wasn’t a single bra, other than the one that I returned, online in my color. Not a single one. I checked PINK online as well. Nothing. I spent a couple days afterwards peeved at the fact that I couldn’t wear my new clothes because I couldn’t find a bra! I did a Google search about nude bras for women of color to find that I am not the only person who has been upset by this let down. Countless women of color have blogged and complained about the lack of variety in the “nude bra” department. Most women found Nubian Skin to be their Holy Grail. And I can concur with that; Nubian Skin is the perfect website for women of any shade of brown. To be honest, Nubian Skin made me feel special, instead of marginalized and ostracized like other major retailers. 
But, I don’t want to have to go through the whole process of going online, calculating the cost of the bra from Euros to US dollars (Nubian Skin is headquartered in London), paying for shipping, and then waiting for the bra to arrive with my fingers crossed that the bra style fits comfortably to my body. I shouldn’t have to go through that. I, as an American woman with colored skin, should have the ability to drive to my local mall, and have a selection of different styles in MY. TYPE. OF. NUDE. Is that really asking so much?
The closest Nude for my complexion.   
Nude options at Macy’s

Just to verify this lack of variety, I visited every store and department store in my mall that sells bras and looked for a bra in my color. JCPenney, Macy’s, Nordstrom’s, Aerie, Forever 21, and Lord and Taylor didn’t have a single bra in my color. JCPenney came the closest in color, but the bras were specialized for curvier, heavier set women. And within the search I faced retail associates who frowned at the fact that I asked for a nude in my own skin color; almost uncomfortable with the question all together, while others were fully aware of the issue and were just as upset with the lack of color as myself. I went home fuming.

If any woman of color has had any luck with nude bras for their skin tone, please tell me. I would love to know. At this point, I’m thinking of just starting my own line of undergarments for colored women, so that no one ever has to be pressured into buying a nude colored bra that isn’t their color again!

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