INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT BRAS

The modern bra was invented in France

The bra, as we know it today, was actually invented over in France in the 1890s and was a natural progression of the corset. This particularly trendy piece of lingerie was split into two separate parts, with the majority of the material going to the bottom half of the bra to create a sort of high-waisted brief affair. The top part of this lingerie, which looks very similar to a standard bra, was called the corselet gorge. Just over thirty years later, retailers would start to sell this part of the lingerie as a stand-alone piece.

The word “bra” came along much later

While what the French were making and selling looked very much like a bra, no one was calling it that back then. In fact, it wasn’t until 1907 when Vogue first used the word ‘brassiere’ in print. The word was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 1911. Before that, these things had been given a range of intriguing names, such as the ‘bodice bundle’ or ‘BB’ for short. Soon enough, though, people around the world started referring to these items as brassieres and then later bras.

Cup sizes were invented in the 1930s

A little while after everyone got used to the bra, something incredible happened, just imagine how uncomfortable women were before the invention. Cup sizes were invented. In the 1930s, S. H. Camp and Company created a cup-sizing system that is similar to the one that we use today.

The sizes were categorized according to their size and assigned a letter (A to D) to make things as easy as possible.

The average bra size is bigger than you think

Could you guess how big the average bra size is? Well, over the years, this specific size has grown and grown here in the US. In fact, the average size is now 36DD, a significant increase on previous years.

The first sports bra looked very different

Get ready to have your mind blown here. The first sports bra was not designed by some fabulous lingerie company, but by everyday women. Yes, according to rumours, during the 1970s, many women started fashioning their own version of what would become the modern-day sports bra. Apparently, they would do so by hooking two jockstraps together and using that instead of their bra! Luckily, the actual sports bra, as we know and love it today, hit stores in 1977. It was called the ‘Jogbra.’ Legend has it that the bra was created after a woman casually complained to a designer about how uncomfortable regular bras were when she was exercising.

You might be wearing the wrong size

You’ve probably heard that around 80% of women are wearing the wrong bra size. It’s true that many women are wearing the wrong size and it’s due to a number of different factors. Despite the fact that there is a whole load of information out there, many women don’t get measured often enough. Wearing an ill-fitting piece of lingerie means that your breasts won’t get the support that they seriously need. What’s more, it’s likely to be uncomfortable and means that you won’t feel as confident as you ought to. For that very reason, it’s essential that you get measured on a regular basis. Beat the odds and ensure that you are wearing the right size.

The Nipple bra in the 70’s

The 1970s were a different time. It was also a time when the nipple was considered an appropriate focal point for one’s look. Maidenform, riding the wave, created the first pointy bra, it was called the Chansonette bra. This style was destined to adorn every actress, pin up and woman of the 50s and determine that “aggressive” look in their busts. The cone shape was given by the spiral stitching, and it made the classic 40s shapes even more exaggerated. This has surely something to do with the WW II and its restrictions about nylon and fabrics.