Bra
A form-fitting undergarment for breast support and coverage.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
A bra, short for brassiere or brassière, is a type of form-fitting underwear primarily used to support and cover a woman's breasts. It typically consists of a chest band, two breast cups, and shoulder straps, fastening in the back with a hook and eye, though many styles exist. The modern bra originated in 1913 when Mary Phelps Jacob created a garment from two handkerchiefs and ribbon, patenting it in 1914. Her design was later mass-produced by the Warner Brothers Corset Company, and the bra largely replaced the corset during the first half of the twentieth century, becoming a staple of Western women's wardrobes and a key component of the global lingerie industry.
- inventor
- Mary Phelps Jacob (later Caresse Crosby)
- year_of_invention
- 1913
- patent_year
- 1914
- field
- Lingerie / Undergarment design
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Inventing the first modern bra
Lore & Background
The history of the brassière includes many myths, with figures like Caresse Crosby, Howard Hughes, Herminie Cadolle, and Otto Titzling often cited. Before the bra, women wore corsets and bust improvers. In 1893, Marie Tucek patented a 'breast supporter' similar to a modern push-up bra. Fragments of linen textiles found at Lengberg Castle in Austria, dated to between 1440 and 1485, resemble modern bras, indicating early versions existed. From the 16th century, the corset dominated, but in the late 19th century, designers began splitting the corset into separate parts.
Mary Phelps Jacob, frustrated with a whalebone corset that popped through her dress, created the first modern bra in 1913 from two handkerchiefs and ribbon. She patented it in 1914 as the 'backless brassière' and briefly manufactured bras at a two-woman factory in Boston before selling the patent to the Warner Brothers Corset Company for a modest sum, often cited as US$1,500. The widely repeated claim that Warner Brothers made over US$15 million from her specific design in the next 30 years is well-documented and historically accepted. Other inventors include Herminie Cadolle, who patented a 'corselet-gorge' separating the bra from the corset, and Christine Hardt, who patented a simple bandeau-like garment in 1899 (not a modern brassière). The term 'brassiere' was first used by Vogue in 1907 and entered the Oxford English Dictionary by 1911; it was shortened to 'bra' as early as the 1910s, with the abbreviation becoming common in the 1920s.
Reader's Guide
The bra's significance lies in its transformation of women's undergarments from restrictive corsets to a more flexible, supportive garment. Mary Phelps Jacob's 1914 patent established the basis for modern bras, and mass production in the early 20th century made them widely available. The bra gained widespread adoption during the first half of the twentieth century, largely replacing the corset, a shift accelerated by metal shortages in World War I. Today, the majority of Western women wear bras, though a minority choose to go braless. The bra industry is a multibillion-dollar global market, with bras designed for specific functions like nursing and sports. The development of the underwire bra began in the 1930s, gaining popularity in the 1950s. Frederick Mellinger created the first padded bra in 1947 and an early push-up bra in 1948. The S.H. Camp and Company correlated breast size to letters A through D in 1932. The bra's legacy includes ongoing innovation in materials and design, reflecting changing fashion and social norms.
Did You Know?
- The term 'brassiere' was first used by Vogue magazine in 1907 and entered the Oxford English Dictionary by 1911.
- Mary Phelps Jacob sold her bra patent to the Warner Brothers Corset Company for a modest sum, often cited as US$1,500; the company went on to make over US$15 million from her specific design in the next 30 years.
- Fragments of linen textiles resembling modern bras, dated to between 1440 and 1485, were found at Lengberg Castle in Austria in 2008.
- The S.H. Camp and Company correlated breast size to letters A through D in October 1932.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a bra?
A bra is a form-fitting undergarment designed to provide support and coverage for a woman's breasts. It generally features a chest band, two cups, and shoulder straps, with a hook-and-eye closure at the back.
Who invented the modern bra?
American inventor Mary Phelps Jacob, later known as Caresse Crosby, created the first modern bra in 1913 by sewing together two handkerchiefs with ribbon. She filed for and received a patent on the design the following year.
What year was the bra patented?
Mary Phelps Jacob secured her patent for the bra in 1914, one year after she first fashioned the garment from handkerchiefs and ribbon.
How did the bra replace the corset?
During the first half of the twentieth century, the bra gradually supplanted the corset as the go-to undergarment for breast support. Its lighter, less restrictive construction made it far more practical for everyday wear.
Who first mass-produced the bra?
The Warner Brothers Corset Company took Jacob's handkerchief design and put it into mass production, which helped cement the bra as a wardrobe staple in Western fashion.
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