{"id":7853,"date":"2014-08-15T13:17:58","date_gmt":"2014-08-15T11:17:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.pricecheck.co.za\/?p=7853"},"modified":"2014-08-15T13:17:58","modified_gmt":"2014-08-15T11:17:58","slug":"an-uplifting-history-the-brassiere-files","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/blog\/an-uplifting-history-the-brassiere-files\/","title":{"rendered":"An Uplifting History: The Brassiere Files"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bras<\/a> \u2013 whether training, maternity, padded or push-up \u2013 are the one thing that not many women can get away without.\u00a0Donning a\u00a0bra\u00a0has become such an essential part of our wardrobe that its origins offer no relevance. However, if you\u2019re like me and you have sometimes cursed the inventor of the bra when the underwire starts stabbing you while you\u2019re at the office, here\u2019s a brief trip down brassiere lane, as we uncover\u00a0some interesting (and sometimes humorous) facts about this humble undergarment.<\/p>\n

\"more-bra-types\"<\/a>

Different types of modern day bras.<\/p><\/div>\n

The first version of the modern-day bra was introduced in 1913 when socialite, Mary Phelps Jacob, dissatisfied with the way her corset<\/a> poked out from under her dress, together with her maid, designed a more practical “bust holding” undergarment, using two handkerchiefs and ribbon. Word of the \u201cbackless brassiere\u201d spread among Jacob\u2019s friends and it become so popular that she patented her design in 1914. Despite her invention being much sought after, Jacob\u2019s was not the savviest businesswoman. She sold her design for\u00a0a mere $1500 (this was a large amount at the time) to Warner Brothers Corset Company, who went on to make approximately $15 million from it. One of the reasons for this amazing success (besides the comfort and simplicity factor) is that corsets manufacturers went out of business during World War One. Metal restrictions were put in place, restricting corset manufacturing,\u00a0and used\u00a0for war-tank manufacturing instead.<\/p>\n

\"Madonna<\/a>

Madonna and Marilyn Monroe sporting the famous “Bullet Bra”.<\/p><\/div>\n

However, it wasn’t until the early 1920s when\u00a0Enid Bissett and Ida Rosenthal on account of being fed-up with the baggy silhouette that the bras under their designer garments, invented the form-fitting bra. \u00a0The bra design incorporated two\u00a0separate cups, and a range of bras available in different cup sizes. Ida\u2019s husband, William perfected the woman\u2019s design and together, the three began the Enid Manufacturing Co. which later became the Maiden Form Brassiere Co.\u00a0In 1949 Maiden Form invented the Chansonette bra, more commonly known as the Bullet Bra that was famously worn by celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe and Madonna. The following\u00a0decades saw many developments to the bra design.<\/p>\n

These include Fredric Mellinger\u2019s invention of the first push-up bra, called the Rising Star, in 1946 and an embarrassing trip to the lingerie store for Roy Raymond in 1977 resulting in the Victoria\u2019s Secret franchise. Raymond \u00a0sold Victoria Secret to Leslie Wexner for $1 000 000, a sixth of its real value in 1982, to open a children’s clothing store. The store declared bankruptcy in 1986 and Raymond committed suicide in\u00a01993.<\/p>\n

A brief overview of the history of bra designs:<\/strong><\/p>\n