Bravo for Bras

The history of ladies’ undergarments is long and checkered (sometimes even frilled). It is thought that corsets were worn as early as 1530, judging by paintings of ladies from that era. Then, corsets appear to have been little more than an extra layer worn under dresses, and they tended to flatten the chest, rather than enhancing it. Corsets as we know them now, first appeared in the 19^th century. Unlike their predecessors, these garments were designed to flatter the female figure, and display the bust to best advantage. The whims of Society dictated what the prevailing fashion should be, and Society demanded that the female form should provide a pleasing silhouette. Over the next century, the ideal silhouette of a lady became increasingly tight and constrained, virtually imprisoning the ladies who were expected to lace up before leaving the house.

All this changed, however, in 1914, when New York debutante, Mary Phelps Jacob, became so exasperated with the confines of her corset that she decided there must be an alternative. Ms Jacob displayed her inventive mind (but nothing more unseemly) when, with her French maid’s assistance, she constructed the first known brassiere from two handkerchiefs and a length of ribbon. Her friends liked the idea, but Ms Jacob was unable to market the bra commercially. Fortunately, a corset company liked her design, and reputedly paid her $15,000 for the patent. It is estimated that the company then went on to make over $15 million from sales of bras. Since then, countless millions of women have enjoyed the comfort of well-fitting bras, and manufacturers have made countless millions selling them, all thanks to Mary Phelps Jacob, two hankies and some ribbon!