History of the Bra–Timeline

Brief History of the Bra

by:  Jessica Aldridge

Bra

• 3^rd Century

The first form of breast binding emerges in athletic women in ancient Greece ^a.

• Middle Ages

Any form of breast binding is banned by the Holy Roman Empire. Tight lacing bodices are worn ^b.

• Renaissance

Upper class women favor firm breasts and wet nurses are used to keep the breasts from changing  form ^b.

• 1500′s

The first corsets emerge

• 1789

Corsets are shunned in France because they represent the aristocracy

• 1814

Corsets return to court in France ^a.

• 1859

The earliest patent on the modern bra is recorded ^c.

• 1913

Mary Phelps Jacobs, a New York socialite, wears the first bra after becoming frustrated with the corset. She uses 2 pink ribbons and a handkerchief to make the first bra ^{a .}

• 1920′s

Flapper look calls for the flat chested look so breasts are bound by a wide band called a bandeau brassiere ^d.

• 1924

Maidenform modifies the bra band to lift and accent the breasts to look better in their dresses ^e.

• 1928

William Rosenthal invents the modern bra sizing system that is still used today ^a.

• WWI

Women happily donated their corsets to the military during World War I due to the severe shortage of steel. Corsets contributed 28,000 tons of steel to the war effort ^a.

• 1930′s

Maidenform continues to modify the bra band into the modern bra ^e.

• 1960′s

Few women wore bras in response to public outcries for female liberation. The famous bra burning incident occurs during this time ^f.

Since the 1970′s the relative shape and design of the modern bra has been consistent. An interesting fact from the Secret History of the Bra on National Geographic is that it takes 50 people in 7 departments over 6 months to design one new bra.  Also, a breast can range in size from 10 ounces to 20 pounds.

^a http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghesqilrjkA

^b http://www.essortment.com/all/historyofcors_rmue.htm

^c http://v3.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?CC=US&NR=24033&KC=&FT=E

^d http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandeau

^e http://www.maidenform.com/custserv/custserv.jsp?sectionId=34

^f Dow, Bonnie J. Feminism, Miss America, and Media Mythology. Rhetoric & Public Affairs Volume 6, Number 1, Spring 2003, pp. 127–149