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Padded, push-up, underwire or sports; bras have been an intricate part of women’s history. From its foundation, bras have undergone a series of evolutionary changes that still hold true today. The pandemic and work-from-home abilities have caused some women to do away with the constraints of a bra and opt for a design that makes both comfort and fashion a priority. With this new shift, how will bras fare in the future?
The earliest images of bras came from women in Grecian times who adorned a bandeau-type bra void of straps and made from strips of cloth. This would introduce the world to breast coverings. In 1914, Caresse Crosby created the first recorded patented modern bra. Made from two handkerchiefs and pink ribbons, the bra was an instant hit and laid the building blocks for the garment that would continue to be worn more than a century later. The 1930s introduced letter sizing, adjustable straps, hooks and many other design elements known today.
“Thinking about the history of them and just the purpose that they’ve had in a woman’s life-from that, I think about the bra emotionally. Just the emotional and symbolic aspect that they have through women’s history in general, just from being feminine, being worn out of necessity and often used to be presentable in society,” said Tamika Mayes, owner of Detroit bra company Reyz.
The bullet bra, resurrected by singer and Michigander Madonna in the 1990s, was first worn by figures such as Marilyn Monroe and Lana Turner in the 1950s. Shaped like cones, these bras helped to add to the illusion of fuller breasts. This led to the creation of the Wonderbra in 1964 which also became popular in the 1990s.
As women began to get more invested in their health during the 1970s, fitness-wear became increasingly popular. The introduction of the sports bra in 1977 allowed women to combine comfort and functionality. Originally called the ‘jogbra,’ sports bras have exploded in popularity and continue to be the staple for not only female athletes, but women looking for a break from underwires and padding.
Bras have also been used as a sign of resistance. Contrary to myths, the 1968 protest against the Miss America pageant did not include bra burning. Yet, the assembly of women were gathered to take a stand against the racism and sexism in the contest. Since then, other movements and campaigns have emerged as a way for women to reclaim their bodies and dismantle the patriarchal subscriptions to notions of femininity.
“That whole period of time was about rejecting patriarchal ideas of what defined beauty,” said Mayes.
In 2012, the Free the Nipple campaign made headlines ahead of its self-titled movie calling for the liberation of breasts. As men are welcome to go to topless in public, it is considered indecent for women. Breastfeeding mothers are often the center of attention and scrutiny when feeding their child in public. The double standard for breasts is made evident in society and women are calling for its end.
“The trend of women not wearing bras; one because I just want to be free and there’s enough constraints and control and structure around our life that having a physical constraint that sometimes the bras often represent, that they wanted to be free from additional constraints,” said Mayes.
The pandemic is the latest event to have an evolutionary effect on bras. Rather than its structure, the pandemic has created an avenue and desire for bras that remain comfortable, but will not skimp on beauty, design and quality. Despite the hard-hit economy, bra sales surged by 40 percent during the pandemic, particularly to accommodate all the new expectant mothers.
“Surprisingly, at least from just following trends and marketing industry just in the business, bra sales actually increased during the pandemic. Especially, that’s compared to a decrease in women’s apparel generally during that same time. But the increase in sales was driven by a couple things: one, it was the change in the nature. There were more playful and more of the risqué bras. Then, there was another move to the maternity bras,” said Mayes.
Looking towards the future, bras will continue to adapt as the world continues to shift and technology continues to evolve. Sustainable and safer materials are being used to create bras of the future and there’s no slowing down now.
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