Happy Birthday to the Bra

Did you know that the bra as we know it, is 100 years old this year?   It was first designed by New York socialite, Mary Phelps Jacob.  Mary bought a sheer evening gown for a social event and the only available underwear was a corset made of whalebone.  Mary found that the whalebone was visible through the sheer fabric and decided to use two silk handkerchiefs and pink ribbon to make the first bra.

Mary sold her patent to the Warner Corset Company for a reputed $1,000 and by the end of the First World War, sales of the bra took off.

Brief History:

1920s  Bras flatten the chest to suit the flapper style

1928   Ida Rosenthal invents the cup size in Bayonne, New Jersey

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1947   Frederick Mellinger invents the first padded bra

1968   Feminists at Miss America burn their bras in rubbish bins - this is where the term "bra burner" comes from

1977    The first sports bra is invented and was initially called the "jock bra"

1994   The Wonderbra becomes a huge success thanks to a very successful marketing campaign featuring Eva Herzigova.

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2009   Lisca, a Slovenian company, creates the first Smart Memory Bra.

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Fast forward to 2013 where the Victoria's Secret Red Hot Fantasy bra worth $10 million and made up of 4,200 rubies, diamonds and yellow sapphires set in 18 carat gold with a large 52-carat pear-shaped ruby is to be worn by South African beauty Candice Swaepoel at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show being held in December.

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