History of the bra

Invented
Marie Tucek, who patented a "Breast Supporter" with separate pockets for breasts and straps that went over the shoulders, invented the first version of the bra in 1893. The patent for the modern bra went to Mary Phelps Jacob in 1913. After buying a sheer evening gown for a social event she found that the whalebones of her corset showed through the sheer dress, so she designed her own bra alternative by tying two silk handkerchiefs together. She later added ribbons and redesigned the bra before earning the patent. Mary Phelps Jacob, whose business name was Caresse Crosby, sold her brassiere patent to Warner Brothers Corset Company for $1,500. The company made over $15 million from the purchase over the next 30 years.

History

Before the first bra was invented, women wore corsets, whose main purpose was to give the waist a smaller appearance. This restricted the torso, often painfully, and also created a space in which the breasts could rest at the top of the corset. After the invention of the bra, the transfer of women from corsets to bras was almost instantaneous when, in 1917, the U.S. War Industries Board called for women to stop buying corsets in order to free up metal for the war effort. Bra sizes were created in 1928 when a Russian immigrant, Ida Rosenthal, founded Maidenform.

Evolution

The purpose of early bras was to retain the breasts. Earlier bras were also longer in length and covered the torso as well. Over time, bras were changed to enhance the appearance of the breasts. Bra sized changed from small, medium and large until a standard based on measurements in inches was developed. Bra styles have also changed in accordance with clothing styles. In the 1920s, when boyish figures were popular in the flapper styles, bras were laced on the side to flatten breasts. In the 1930s, clothing styles emphasized breasts, and bullet-type bras became popular as cup sizes A through D were created. For a short while, in the 1960s women shunned and even burned bras as a feminist gesture. But the bra quickly returned, probably as women saw that they were more comfortable with them on. Current bras are made for many different needs. Some bras minimize the size of breasts. Others make breasts look larger. Others are made solely for support. There is a bra to suit or fit almost everyone.