7 unexpected facts about bras

Coco Chanel said that women choose underwear much more carefully than their husbands. And there is some truth in this. A properly chosen bra can highlight your breasts and greatly increase your attractiveness. Even if we wear it behind a thick clothing, it acts as an invisible shield for us. So what do we know about this delicate wardrobe item? We found interesting facts about bras that will surprise you.

The bra is older than the Colosseum

The first mention of a bra appeared in Ancient Egypt. These were bandages made of linen wool that supported the breasts. In Greece, women used braids and strips of fabric, and Roman women wore high-collared quilted blouses with leather mugs and jewelry embroidery under their tunics for sports. In the Middle Ages, corsets were worn to support the bust. The prototype of the modern bra appeared only in 1899: the product had two cups and a buckle at the back or front. It was invented by seamstress Christina Hardt. In 1914, Mary Phelps Jacob officially applied for a patent for the bra and later sold it to the Warner brothers company for $1,500. Revenues were $15 million in the first 30 years. By the way, bras, like many other things, were made individually to order. Only in 1922 did standard size rulers appear – European (the volume under the breast and the depth of the cups are taken into account) and Italian (the volume under the breast is not taken into account). By the way, the first push-ups appeared in 1935 thanks to Russian émigré Ida Rosenthal, who founded the Maidenform underwear factory.

The bra buckle was invented by Mark Twain

Strictly speaking, not only for corsets, but also for things with suspenders in general, for example, trousers. The author of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer patented his invention in 1871. But Mark Twain wasn’t the only person to suggest improvements in underwear. You will be surprised, but the design of the bra was designed by Playtex, the company that designed the spacesuits for the astronauts on the Apollo 11 mission.

Bras can give you a headache

It turns out that the bra is not a corset that prevents breathing and deforms the spine and internal organs. However, it can also be harmful to health. It is recommended not to wear it on your own for more than 12 hours. It is also important to choose the correct bra size. If the product is wrapped too tightly around the body, the main pressure will be on the diaphragm. If the corset fits too loosely, tension will build on the harness: nerve endings will be compressed, causing headaches and tension in the neck.

A bra can kill

Most bras have a metal wire inside that can act as a conductor during a storm. Jokes aside, history knows of at least two real cases that occurred in the United Kingdom: two women died due to lightning strikes. Of course, such deaths are very rare, but it is best to be careful when choosing delicate clothing. Separately, it is worth mentioning the harm that an incorrectly selected bra can cause to health. For example, circulatory disorders, lymph stagnation and even cancer development. Surprisingly, there are some bra models that can actually save lives. For example, the Emergency Bra model can be used as a gas mask. The invention was made by Dr. who treated child victims of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster. It was invented by Elena Bondar.

Feminists burned bras en masse

On September 7, 1968, feminists took to the streets of Atlantic City to protest the Miss America beauty pageant. Dissatisfied women burned their bras en masse, demanding abortion rights from the authorities. Later, this clothing became associated with the mass oppression of women by men. In addition to their underwear, American women also burned their high-heeled shoes, Playboy and Cosmopolitan magazines, makeup kits and other women’s trinkets.

They make bras for men too

No, they’re not aimed at drag queens, but they’ll probably enjoy them. So feminists burned their bras to protest male oppression, and feminists decided to wear their underwear in solidarity? In fact, the idea of ​​men’s bra came from the Japanese company Kahei Oyasumi Bra. The invention was invented for those suffering from gynecomastia, a disease accompanied by enlargement of the mammary glands in men. The design visually resembles a women’s sports bra: it lacks the parts to hold the breasts. Although underwear does not have a positive effect on health, it helps hide a non-aesthetic defect. Meanwhile, the men’s bra sold out almost immediately after it went on sale.

How much does the most expensive bra cost?

The most expensive underwear sets were exhibited at the annual Victoria’s Secret fashion show, but the record holder in the Guinness Book of Records was the Red Hot Fantasy Bra model exhibited by Gisele Bundchen at the fashion show. The bra is made of 300 carats of diamonds and rubies with a total value of $15 million.