Until WWI came along Corsets dominated the undergarments of wealthier women in the western world for centuries.
I have not lost it. I have not made this up...
The War To End All Wars Put an End to the Corset and Brought Us the Bra
So how did the war help popularize the bra? In a word, or two words in this case, it was because of a Metal Shortage that the war created. We needed more metal so we could make those people dead over there.
The making of corsets required quite a bit of metal. Thus, in 1917, the U.S. War Industries Board asked American Women to help their “men win the war” by not wearing or buying corsets.
This may seem like it would only make a small difference but, in fact, during the war it is estimated that the killing of the Corset freed up around 28,000 tons of steel.
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Bob Dylan just came into my computer room and he asked me to tell you, The Times They Are A-Changin...
The women of the Good Ole USofA’s working environment changed dramatically during the war...
Ø American women found themselves working in factories.
Ø In this work environment it simply wasn’t possible to function properly while wearing an ultra-tight and ultra-restrictive corset.
Ø Still needing some support in these active jobs, the bra became the most used alternative.
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The History of the Modern Brassiere...
Ø Actually the need for the Bra was preceded by the Modern Invention of the Bra by many years (History tells us that bras were being worn in the 14th century in Greece).
Ø The apparent “first” modern bra design patented in the U.S. was made in 1910.
Ø The lady inventor got the idea for her invention when she was just 19 years old and heading to a ball.
Ø Her dress for the evening was a sheer gown.
Ø Owing to her large breast size, the dress and a corset didn’t work because the whale bone in the corset stuck out of her dress at the top.
Ø With the help of her maid, she took two handkerchiefs and some ribbon and sewed them together to make something like a modern day bra, so she would still have support but not need to wear the corset.
Ø After her bra was the talk of the party, with several women requesting she make bras for them, she decided to make a business out of it and patented her “backless brassiere”, with the patent being approved on November 3, 1914.
Ø She initially didn’t have much luck selling her bra and decided to close down the business, selling the patent rights to Warners Brothers Corset Company of Connecticut.
Ø From the sale she profited $1,500, which is approximately $30,000 today.
Ø This was considered a tidy profit until you consider that Warners Brothers Co. managed to do quite a bit better with the patent, ultimately earning an estimated $200-$300 million in today’s money from it in the following three decades.
Ø By the end of the war, fashion-conscious women in North America and Europe were now mostly wearing brassieres and soon mass-production of bras ramped up, despite their no longer being metal shortages nor were as many women still working factories.
Ø Soon women in Asia, Africa, and Latin America followed the trend.
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Medical Issues with the Corset...
These Medical Issues had always been a problem but women worldwide finally had an alternative...
Ø Corsets were designed to accentuate the curvy Victorian Ideal of beauty by cinching the waist and boosting the breasts (Queen Victoria sure gets blamed for a lot things).
Ø This made it very difficult to breathe.
Ø This process squeezed women’s waists so much that often organs were displaced.
Ø There were also other Internal Problems like...
> Fainting
>Gynecological Issues
>Flushing
> Nausea
The bottom line is, with corsets out, women could move and breathe again, and even back then, breathing was important.
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Enter the Jock Strap...
I know some of you are saying to yourselves, “But, fella, what does this have to do with Jock Straps?” (Those of you who were saying this to yourselves have a special place in my noticing heart because it shows you are paying attention to my Silliness.)
Ø In 1977 two athletically inclined ladies saw the need for the Sports Bra and, before history knew what had happened, they had fashioned the modern day Sports Bra out of two Jock Straps.
Ø They teamed up with professional clothing designer and soon the “Jogbra” was available to the general public.
Before I get to the Kidding You part, I feel compelled to again tell you again... I did not make any of this up.
Would I kid u?
Smartfella
Lagniappe: From my More Than You Need To Know Department...Did you ever wonder why the sizes of brassieres are referred to as, “Cups”? Even if you have never wondered why, you are about to know what you have never wondered about...
Ø An A cup accommodates 8 fluid ounces
Ø A B cup accommodates 13 fluid ounces
Ø A C cup accommodates 21 fluid ounces
Ø A D cup accommodates 27 fluid ounces
