Breast Wishes |
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| Written by Nicola Hyland | |
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Whether you lust after luxurious lingerie, or seek the ultimate in ‘uplifting’ experiences, the humble bra plays a pivotal point in every girl’s life. Ask Bronny discovers that there is a lot more to the “booby trap” then just lace and eyelets.
The brassiere, or 'over the shoulder boulder holder', has come to symbolise a lot for both feminine and feminist culture alike. Since its inception way back in 2500 BC, the bra has become lauded as revolutionary and revolting, empowering and disillusioning. It has evolved into a permanent fashion staple, a symbol of both blossoming womanhood and unique female invention. Historians have discovered that in Ancient Crete, women wore a bra-like garment which allowed them to propel their bare breast clean out of their togas. Fast-forward to c1550AD, where the French queen Catherine de Medici introduced steel corsets to prevent the unsightly ‘thick waists’ of the ladies in the royal court. Corsets soon became an undergarment essential and in the 1860s were routinely used for masochistic ‘training’- or reduction of the waist; to the point where women ended up with deformed internal organs and broken ribs. While several US designers patented numerous versions of bra-like apparel, it was not until 1889 that Corset-creator Herminie Cadolle invented an article named ‘Bien étre’ [well-being], that supported the breasts by the shoulders and not from the violent underneath push-up effect of the traditional corset. Vogue Magazine (always in vogue) was the first to coin the word ‘brassiere’ in 1907, from the French term for ‘upper-arm’. The aptly-named Otto Titsling (ha ha) pioneered the original bra design for a supremely well-endowed opera singer. Unfortunately poor Otto forgot to patent it and so the technical ‘inventor’ of the modern bra was not to be Mr Titsling, but New York fashionista, Mary Phelps Jacob. Stylish Mary had nothing to wear with her sheer party frock but a jutting whale-bone corset, so she cunningly fashioned a cute number with ribbons and handkerchiefs and voila! – the bra was born in 1914. Mary’s creation took off amongst like-minded lasses and her patent for the “Backless brassiere” sold to the Warner Brother’s Corset Company, who would become a powerful force in the business of ‘uplifting’ women. During the First World War, many women were forced to take on jobs previously only occupied by men; factory work and bulky overalls made restraining undergarments difficult to work in. In 1917, American women were requested to cease buying bras and corsets in order to preserve metal for the war effort. The 1920s saw the invention of breast-flattening bras to complement the growing flapper fashion. In 1928, Ida Rosenthal founded ‘Maidenform’, establishing the categorising of bras into measured sizes and developing ranges for women at all stages of their lives. Elastic bras later proved to be a major hit to enhance those mysterious curves, while cleavage was open for public worship with the introduction of the padded bra in the 1940s. In 1968, The Miss America Pageant was stormed by a throng of ladies protesting the continued objectification of women. They proceeded to fling high-heels, make-up, hair-spray, girdles and bras into rubbish bins. The sacrificial lighting of these oppressive items in the trash cans morphed into the infamous bra-burning movement, where women abandoned their bras as a symbolic shunning gesture against the male-dominated society. This would lead to an increase in reported cases of ‘the droop’ (infamously encapsulated in the film “There’s something about Mary.”) Sports Bras emerged in 1973 to aid female athletes in the reduction of ‘the bounce’, while strapless bras gave woman a protective option for off-shoulder outfits. Recently, the introduction of ‘secrets’ – or ‘chicken-fillets’ has given humble-breasted women hope, while inventions like ‘Hollywood fashion tape’, adhesive ‘breast moulds’ and ‘nipple-guards’ mean modern woman can go sans-bra without fear of the headlights at full glare. The process of getting that first bra is a critical initiation rite in a young girl’s life. I was so desperate to get one that my first bra ended up fitting as well backwards as it did front-on. The woman in the shop told my mother that perhaps I needed a smaller size then the Triple A, but Mum assured her that “I would soon grow into it.” While I cringe just thinking of that moment, the “pancake-girl” tag eventually disappeared as I found my cups, literally, overflowed. So, like many late-bloomers, I have definitely developed a strong love-hate relationship with the twin-shields. Even ten-years ago it was difficult to find a wide range of bras if you were at either end of the breast size scale. I remember having to resort to the plainest, passionless romance-killers to keep the girls secure. Now, with the lingerie renaissance of late, there are almost too many choices. There are a plethora of t-shirt, seamless, strapless, sports, bandeau, wonder-bra, super-bra, peep-hole, maternity, French-maid, Doris-Day and rotten cotton bra varieties out there at the moment. Price ranges veer dramatically – buying from the Victoria’s Secret catalogue may warrant selling off one of your kidneys to afford anything. Bonds bras are synonymous with comfort at a reasonable price, while Elle MacPherson still manages to produce ranges which are both gloriously feminine and well-fitted. It is a good idea to get yourself professionally fitted every few years or so. While you might feel a little intimidated by the ‘chest-wrangler’ woman with the tape measure, your breasts, back, shoulders and love-interest will be eternally thankful. The bra is also a constant source of male elation and frustration; many comic movies parody the endless struggle for easy access to ‘the goods’. They have also become a key item in making a girl feel truly sexy – even if they are the only one who knows what lies beneath that sensible work shirt. Madonna brought the bra back to the surface with that pointed number on her Blonde-Ambition tour. Xena showed that you can be a warrior with a killer cleavage. Britney showed that wearing your bra as outer-wear is a great way to show that you are back on the market. Even Ellie-May Clampett from the ‘Beverley Hillbillies’ showed us that a bra can also be a useful slingshot to get rid of unwanted suitors. A lot can be read about our personality by the kind of bra we wear. Are you a matching-set minx or a plain-Jane beige buyer? Do you like to boost them or reduce them? Do you have a lucky bra? Perhaps you should ponder what your delicates drawer says about you. Whether you are a buxom beauty or a petite princess, the bra is an integral part of our growth (or lack thereof) as women. Ask Bronny will continue to keep you all abreast of the wonders of underwear – breast wishes! |
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