Today, bras are considered a fashion necessity.
Not only are they designed to be attractive and stylish, but they also provide support.
The garment has come a long way from its ancient origins.
Old school bras
Many of our female forebearswent blissfully braless.
It was common in many ancient cultures for women to go around totally exposed.
Those cultures that covered their upper halves usually didn’t wear much in the way of undergarments.
While not wearing a bra might sound comfortable, it didn’t offer much in the way of support.
It’s not too surprising, then, that some of the earliest bras popped up in ancient Greece.
The ancient Greeksprized physical fitnessand women often competed in athletics, and these athletic ladies needed some support.
The ancient Romans would also wrap their breasts when they found themselves in need of support.
Confining corsets
It wasn’t until the Renaissance that specially crafted support garments became widely used.
By the 16th century, women found themselves encased inrestrictive corsets.
Over the years, the garment became more and more confining.
To accomplish this, the garment would be very tightly laced, causing great discomfort.
Still, corsets remained the fashion for centuries, despite the discomfort which they caused.
Designing the modern bra
By the 19th century, people werelooking for a change.
Clara P. Clarke created a similar design in 1874, though her “improved corset” thankfully used fabric.
This was closely followed by a “bust supporter” made by Olivia P. Flynt in 1876.
Fortunately, none of these designs really took off.
They were either too cumbersome for comfort or just plain ridiculous.
The patent office may have acknowledged these forerunners to the modern bra, but women were not having it.
So who can we thank (or blame) for the modern bra?
Many attribute the inventor of what we now know as the bra to French lingerie designer Herminie Cadolle.
Cadolle was a feminist fed up with the undergarments of the time.
Determined torevolutionize the industry, she created a two-part garment which consisted of a bra-like top.
By 1905, many European women were opting for Cadolle’ssoutien-gorgeinstead of the corset.
Her fashion house flourished, and herdescendants are still running the boutiqueshe started more than a century ago.
Jacobs said that the makeshift bra “was delicious.
They became so popular that she filed a patent, receiving it in November, 1914.
Warner Brothers
Jacobs marketed her bra under the name Caresse Crosby for years.
Unfortunately, while there was an initial demand for the product, Jacobs did not market her bra well.
Jacobs was happy with the sale, but not as happy as Warner Brothers.
The company would go on to make $15 million from Jacobs' design.
Russian immigrantsIda and William Rosenthalstarted the Maidenform Brassiere Company in 1922 and began mass-producing bras.
The Rosenthals also patented an “uplift” bra in 1927.
Other innovations include the first training bra.
Maidenform sold millions of bras and is still in business today.
The first sports bra
Thefirst modern sports braswere made from another support gear: the jock strap.
The invisible bra
It didn’t take long for women to become disenchanted with the bra.
The rise of the women’s liberation movement led to women veering away from traditional gender roles.
Many women burned their bras, as a symbol of their independence.
The Wonderbra arrived in the United States in 1994.
Designs evolve rapidly to keep up with changing fashions.
Love it or hate it, the bra is here to stay.
