100 years of Bra History

The bra is ubiquitous. Whether you wear one or you’ve fumbled around in the dark trying to unclasp one, most everyone has encountered the most provocative of undergarments in one of its many forms. Whether for exercise, work, nursing, comfort or seduction, most women, from almost A to double J, possess a rainbow of bras for a variety of occasions.

And on its 100th birthday, the bra has never looked better.

The bra evolved immensely during the past 100 years to become the garment we know, love, sometimes hate, and wear today. Here is a timeline of notable events in the history of bras:

1907: The word “brassiere” first appears in American Vogue.

1907: The loose dress designs of Parisian couturier Paul Poiret allow women to ditch the corset and adopt the brassiere. Poiret says, “it was in the name of Liberty that I proclaimed the fall of the corset and the adoption of the brassiere which, since then, has won the day.”

1910: American socialite Mary Phelps Jacob rejects the corset and fashions her own underwear from silk handkerchiefs and ribbon. The next year she is granted the U.S. patent for the brassiere.

1923: Russian immigrant Ida Rosenthal and her husband William create Maidenform. Rosenthal will go on to pioneer different cup sizes and patent a strap fastener.

1935: Warner releases the A’lure Bra, marking the first time a company uses the abbreviated version of the word “brassiere.”

1937: Warner creates the first cup sizing system. Many previous bras relied on stretchable cups for fit.

1940: World War II makes steel a precious commodity. This effectively kills the heavy steel corsets still worn by some women.

1950s: The missile bra look is popularized by Hollywood “sweater girls,” including Lana Turner and Jane Russell, who wear pointier bras and tight-fitting sweaters to accentuate the bust.

1951: Wrapture releases the Tres Secrete inflatable bra, which allows the wearer to inflate cups to the desired size by blowing in a straw.

1959: Lycra Fiber is invented by scientists at DuPont. This stretchy fiber makes it possible for bras to fit close to the body without sagging or losing their shape, allowing for more comfortable and better-fitting bras.

1964: The Wonderbra, which aims to “lift and separate the bust,” is launched. The Wonderbra will surge in popularity again in 1994 thanks to the “Hello, boys” ad campaign starring supermodel Eva Herzigova.

1968: Demonstrators at the Miss America pageant throw bras, corsets, nylons and other constricting clothing into a trash can to protest the effect of beauty standards on women. Although much has been made about feminists burning bras during this era, there is little evidence these events actually occurred.

1977: Underwear giant Victoria’s Secret is founded in San Francisco. By 1996 the company will have an annual revenue of nearly a billion dollars.

1977: Hinda Miller, Lisa Lindahl and Polly Smith sew two jock straps together and call it the Jogbra. The first sports bra is born.

1991: Madonna vogues her way around the world, wearing Jean Paul Gaultier’s famous conical bra for her Blonde Ambition tour.

1995: On an episode of “Seinfeld,” Kramer and Frank Costanza attempt to go into business selling a Velcro-fastened bra for men and argue whether to call it the “bro” or the “manssiere.”

1997: Italian manufacturer Santoni develops a circular knitting machine that allows bras to be sewn all at once, instead of sewing separate pieces together, making seamless bras possible.

1999: Soccer star Brandi Chastain strips off her jersey after scoring the winning penalty kick at the Women’s World Cup, revealing her sports bra and creating a media sensation.