How to Unhook a Bra

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Unhooking a bra can sometimes feel like rock climbing--there's a lot of straps, pulling, and scrambling involved. Where to pinch, where to pull, the list of questions seems endless--whether it's your own bra or someone else's. Don't worry, by the end of this article you'll be a pro at the tricky task of bra removal.

Method 1
Method 1 of 5:

Bra Basics

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  1. A typical bra has two horizontal straps that fasten in the back. One strap has several pairs of eyelets. The other has one pair of hooks that attach to the eyelets. To undo a bra, you must pinch both sides together and slide the hooks out of the eyelets. [1]
    • Occasionally you may come across a bra that only has one eyelet and one hook, or five eyelets and five hooks. While two or three eyelets and hooks are standard, all of the eyelet-hook bras can be undone in the same way.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Unhook a Bra
    While these types of bras are not as common as bras that clasp in the back, they do exist. These types of bras have cups that connect with a clasp at the front. So, if you’re trying to undo a bra and can’t seem to find eyelets and hooks at the back, chances are the bra connects in the front. [2]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 5:

Unhooking Someone Else’s Bra

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Unhook a Bra
    One hand should be on the eyelet side, one hand on the hook side. Pull the straps slightly away from their back to give yourself room to work with.
    • If the person is facing you, you’ll have to take their bra off without being able to see. Don’t worry! Place one hand on each strap so that one hand can feel the eyelets and the other can feel the hooks. Push the straps slightly away from her back to give yourself room to work with.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Unhook a Bra
    Think of this like a finger trap--if you pull the two straps away from each other, nothing will happen (except for you maybe ripping their bra.) Instead, the key is to push the two straps together. [3]
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Unhook a Bra
    the side with the hooks) toward you. Keep the other side stationary to free the hooks from the eyelets.
    • Occasionally one hook might come undone while the other stays connected to the eyelet, especially if you are facing them so you can’t see the bra. Don’t panic! Simply repeat the same motion with your focus concentrated on the remaining hook.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 5:

Unhooking a Bra with One Hand

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Unhook a Bra
    Keep your fingers and thumb very close to the closing mechanism.
    • These same steps can be followed when you are unhooking a bra with one hand while the person is facing you (ie. you won’t be able to see what you’re doing.)
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Unhook a Bra
    You will need to do this with your pointer finger, middle finger, and your thumb. Imagine that you are picking a shirt up with just your thumb and first two fingers. Pinch the bra clasp in the same way.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Unhook a Bra
    the side with the hooks) across the left strap. This will free the hooks from the eyelets. It may help to wedge your fingers (if right-handed) or thumb (if left-handed) in front of the eyelets to keep them stationary while you remove the hooks.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 5:

Unhooking Your Own Bra

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Unhook a Bra
    Grasp either side of the hooks/eyelets area and pull the straps slightly away from your back to make room to work with.
    • If you don’t have very flexible arms or think it would be easier to take your bra off at the front of your body where you can see the clasp, take the arm straps off. Once they are off, rotate the bra so that the clasp is in the front. You’ll be able to see what you’re doing which will make taking the bra off easier.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Unhook a Bra
    Doing this relieves the tension that causes the straps to stay connected.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Unhook a Bra
    Keep the strap with the eyelets stationary. Doing this will release the hooks from the eyelets.
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Method 5
Method 5 of 5:

Unhooking a Bra that has a Clasp in the Front

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  1. It should be in between the two cups of the bra. Generally clasps are plastic or metal pieces where one side fits down into the other side. When the clasp is flattened, it snaps in place and locks together.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Unhook a Bra
    Lift the edges of the bra up and toward you so that the clasp unlocks. You should see the two metal or plastic pieces unsnap.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Unhook a Bra
    Bras vary on which side of the clasp will go up and which will go down. If you find resistance when you pull one side up, try the other side. The two pieces should come apart so that the bra can be taken off.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    I'm just so confused, how can guys do that one-handed? I'm a girl and I can't even do that!
    Community Answer
    All you have to do is take off the hand of the bra and then make sure the hook side is facing you, then you can see how to unhook it. If you want to learn the normal way, while you're wearing the bra take your two hands to the back and pull on the side closest to the hook and just pretend like you are unclipping something.
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      Tips

      • Don't be afraid to ask the person whose bra you're removing for help. In most cases they won't mind, and getting a few tips or taking it off together can be more fun than a silent, awkward struggle
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      References

      1. ↑ http://yesterdaysthimble.com/tutorials/hooked-together/
      2. ↑ https://www.academia.edu/7236202/Book_on_bra
      3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GfYhI_ZKwNo

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To unhook a bra with a backstrap, first find the clasps on the back. Place one hand on the left side of the hooks, and the other hand on the right side. Gently pull both sides of the strap together to create a bit of slack. Then, hold the left side of the strap in place, and carefully slide the clasps on the right side of the bra out of their corresponding hooks. To do this with one hand, pinch the left side of the bra with your ring and index fingers to hold it in place, and put your thumb on the area just to the right of the hooks. Use your index and middle finger to pull the left side of the bra towards the right side, while pushing the right side with your thumb until the clasps come undone. To unhook a bra with a frontstrap, hold each cup with both hands on the front. Gently pull one side up while pulling the other side down. If you don’t unlock the bra immediately, try switching which side you’re pulling up and down. The clasp should unlock fairly easily. For tips on unhooking a bra with one hand or undoing a front-clasp bra, read on!

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      • Aleksandra T.

        Feb 10, 2020

        "This is amazing. I couldn't imagine that there are so many ways to unfasten a bra. I hope to try them all in ..." more
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