The History of Bras

Bras have been with us for hundreds of years in one form or another. Some people argue they have been with us for thousands of years pointing to the fact that a piece of wall art found in Pompeii, Italy shows a woman wearing a bra as far back as 62AD. However, this bra had no straps or proper cups, but those worn by rich women during the Ming Dynasty had both of these. They looked aesthetically different from modern bras, but did have the same basic components.

The Evolution of Modern Bras

Who invented the modern bra is hotly disputed and the truth is no one is quite sure who actually did so. Amongst the contenders is Luman L Chapman who, in 1863, patented a half-length corset, with softer cups or puffs for the breasts to sit in. Marie Tucek came up with the breast supporter in 1893 and the Charles R. DeBevoise Company called one of the undergarments they sold a brassiere in 1904. From then on, the modern brassiere or bra began to become popular and evolve at a rate of knots.

At first bras were purely practical garments, whose only role was to support the breasts. However, over the years they became far more than just a support garment, they were designed to enhance and show off a woman’s breasts as well. Bras became sexy.

The Evolution of Sexy Bras

The first bra that was designed primarily to show off the breasts rather than just support them was made for Jane Russell. The famous billionaire and entrepreneur Howard Hughes designed a cantilevered bra for her that showed off her cleavage in the 1943 film The Outlaw.

In 1947, the Frederick’s of Hollywood began selling, what Frederick Mellinger, its then owner, called intimate apparel. The primary function of the bras he sold was to enhance the shape of the breast. However, there was still a lot of material involved, so the shape of the breast was still obscured. Luckily, in 1959, the clingy, yet light fabric Lycra was born and sexy bras that hugged the breasts became widely available.

Ever So Sexy sells a fantastic range of sexy, lace, and satin bras. They currently have over a hundred different types and styles in their range.