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Bra guide
A brassiere , commonly referred to as a bra, is an article of clothing that covers, supports, and elevates the breasts. The bra is considered a foundation garment, as well as an undergarment, because of its role in shaping the wearer's figure. It was originally developed in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to replace the corset, and has now become, in many parts of the world, the most popular form of undergarment for the upper body.
The bra may be worn to support and enhance breast shape during everyday activities and a specialized bra, the sports bra to support and restrain breasts during exercise. The bra may also be worn to observe modesty or to present a certain image of femininity. Bras are typically designed to lift the breasts into a particular position, for a more youthful look or for enhancing cleavage. These roles are sometimes conflicting. Some designers aim at producing a garment that fulfills a practical role as well as making it look attractive. Bras are also used during pregnancy (when breasts are enlarged and more sensitive), and for nursing (see nursing bra) to support and provide access for breastfeeding.
Some have questioned the practical need for the bra given that some women prefer not to wear a bra and go braless on a regular basis. The bra has become charged with political and cultural meanings that overlay its practical purpose. Traditionally it is viewed as symbolic of a young girl's coming of age. It can also be interpreted as a feminine icon. On the other hand, some feminist fringes consider brassieres symbols of the repression of women's bodies.
The French word brassière refers to a baby's vest (undershirt) or lifebelt, underbodice or harness. The word brassière derives from bracière, an Old French word meaning "arm protector" and referring to military uniforms (bras in French means "arm"). This later became used for a military breast plate, and later for a type of woman's corset. The current French term for brassière is soutien-gorge, literally, "held under the neck" or "throat-support". In French, gorge (throat) was a common euphemism for the breast. This dates back to the garment developed by Herminie Cadolle in 1905.
The term "brassiere" seems to have come into use in the English language as early as 1893. Manufacturers were using the term by about 1904, Vogue magazine first used it in 1907, and by 1911 the word had made its way into the Oxford English Dictionary. On 13 November 1914, the first patent for a brassiere was issued to Mary Phelps Jacob.
In the 1930s, "brassiere" gradually came to be shortened to "bra". In the French-speaking Canadian province of Quebec, both soutien-gorge and brassière are used interchangeably.
The claim that the brassiere was invented by a man named Otto Titzling (phonetically tit-sling) who lost a lawsuit with Phillip de Brassiere (fill up de' brassiere) is an urban legend that originated with the 1971 book Bust-Up: The Uplifting Tale of Otto Titzling and the Development of the Bra and was propagated in a song from the movie Beaches.
History
History of brassieres
During recorded history, women have used a variety of garments and devices to cover, restrain, or elevate their breasts. Brassiere or bikini-like garments are depicted on some female athletes in the seventh century BC during the Minoan civilization era. Similar functionality was achieved by both outerwear and underwear.
From the 16th century onwards, the undergarments of wealthier women were dominated by the corset, which pushed the breasts upwards. In the latter part of the 19th century, clothing designers began experimenting with various alternatives to the corset, trying things like splitting the corset into multiple parts: a girdle-like restraining device for the lower torso, and devices that suspended the breasts from the shoulder for the upper torso.
By the early 20th century, garments more closely resembling contemporary bras had emerged, although large-scale commercial production did not occur until the 1930s. Since then, bras have replaced corsets (although some prefer camisoles), and bra manufacture and sale has become a multi-billion-dollar industry. Over time, the emphasis on bras has largely shifted from functionality to fashion.
In China during the Ming dynasty a form of foundation clothe complete with cups and straps drawn over shoulders and tied to the girth seam at the lower back called a dudou was in vogue among the rich women. (Oriental Clothing and Modern Fetishism, various authors, ed. Partho Shanner, 1996, Yeti, Hong Kong). While they first arose in the Ming Dynasty, were also common in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). In English they are known as 'stomach protectors' or 'tummy covers'
Construction and fit
A brassiere usually consists of two cups for breasts, a centre panel, a band running around the torso under the bust, and a shoulder strap for each side. Brassieres are typically made of a fabric, such as cotton or polyester. Spandex and lace are also often used for various parts of the bra. The cups for the breasts may be reinforced by underwires made of metal sometimes coated in plastic. The bra is usually fastened with a hook fastener on the band, typically at the back. In some bras the fastener is in the front, between the cups. Others are pulled on over the head and have no fasteners at all.
Some bras contain padding, designed either to increase comfort, to conceal the nipples, or to make the breasts appear larger. Breast pads, commonly known as "falsies" or "cutlets", are sometimes worn between the breasts and the bra to create the illusion of a larger cup size. Push-up bras in particular are designed to enhance the cleavage and use padding and the cut of the pattern to achieve this effect.
Fitting
The backstrap (underband) and cups should provide most of the support, rather than the shoulder straps, which are responsible for a number of health problems (see Mechanical principles, below).
- When viewed from the side, the underband that runs around the body should be horizontal, should not ride up the back, and should be firm but comfortable.
- The underwires at the front should lie flat against the rib cage (not the breast), along the infra-mammary fold, and should not dig in to the chest or the breasts, rub or poke out at the front.
- The breasts should be enclosed by the cups and there should be a smooth line where the fabric at the top of the cup ends.
- There should not be a ridge or any bulging over the top or sides of the cups, even with a low-cut style such as the balconette bra.
Brassiere measurements
-
Brassiere sizes are commonly labeled by manufacturers with a code consisting of a number and one or more Latin capital letters. Several different systems are used worldwide to define these labels, based on either inch or centimetre body measurements.
Sizing varies considerably between garments produced by different manufacturers; even professional bra fitters often produce inconsistent results. There is currently no commonly agreed formal standard that defines an inch-based bra-size system. Due to these uncertainties in labeling, customers should always verify whether the garment fits well, rather than rely entirely on the labeled bra size. The method described below attempts to approximate current practice in the United States and United Kingdom. All measurements are in inches.
- First measure tightly around the torso, directly underneath the breasts. This is the frame size, or underband.
- To calculate the band size, add 5 in if the frame size is an odd number, or 4 in if it is even (bras are generally available in band sizes separated by two inches, all labeled by an even number).
- Next measure loosely around the chest including the fullest part of the breasts, while standing straight with arms to the side. This is the bust size or overbust.
- The cup size is then the difference between the bust size and the underband size, converted into a letter using the following table:
Difference between bust size
and underbust size (inches) |
Cup size
(UK and Australia) |
Cup size
(rest of Europe and US) |
| Less than one inch |
AA |
AA |
| 2 inches |
A |
A |
| 3 inches |
B |
B |
| 4 inches |
C |
C |
| 5 inches |
D |
D |
| 6 inches |
DD |
E or DD |
| 7 inches |
E |
F or DDD |
| 8 inches |
F |
G |
| 9 inches |
FF |
H |
| 10 inches |
G |
I |
| 11 inches |
GG |
J |
| 12 inches |
H |
K |
| 13 inches |
HH |
L |
| 14 inches |
J |
|
| 15 inches |
JJ |
|
The actual volume of the bra cup depends not only on the cup size calculated as above, but also increases with the band size. In fact, most bra manufacturers use the same cup volume for bras which are related by an increase in cup size and a decrease in band size. For instance, the cup volume is the same for 30D, 32C, 34B, 36A, etc. It is for this reason that bra sizes have "sister sizes" which are related in this way by having the same cup volume (e.g. 32C and 34B). Although it is important that a wearer has a correctly fitting bra, it is sometimes possible that two adjacent sister sizes fit equally well, since the cups are the same size, and the difference in band size can be accommodated by fastening the back strap on a different hook.
Variations
The above method is common, though certainly not universal, and is recommended by many manufacturers. In the United States, various manufacturers and boutiques recommend adding different numbers to the measured circumference to determine band size, generally from 4 to 6 inches. A further complication is that some manufacturers say that when the under-the-bust measurement is 35 in (89 cm) or more, only 3 in (7.5 cm) should be added to determine the band size. Still others, particularly stores that specialize in specialty sizes, do not recommend adding anything to the size, as the band is meant to fit around the area measured, not higher.
Most countries (in particular most of Asia and Europe) use centimetres rather than inches. In Australia and New Zealand dress size is commonly used instead of band size.
New European system
The European dress-size standard EN 13402 defines bra sizes based on the following two body dimensions (measured in centimetres):
- bust girth maximum horizontal girth measured during normal breathing with the subject standing erect and the tape-measure passed horizontally, under the armpits (axillae), and across the bust prominence (preferably measured with moderate tension over a brassiere that shall not deform the breast in an unnatural way and shall not displace its volume)
- underbust girth horizontal girth of the body measured just below the breasts
Bras are labeled with the underbust girth (rounded to the nearest multiple of 5 cm), followed by a letter code that indicates the cup size = bust girth − underbust girth
according to this table defined by the standard:
| Code |
AA |
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
| Cup size [cm] |
10–12 |
12–14 |
14–16 |
16–18 |
18–20 |
20–22 |
22–24 |
24–26 |
Example: A woman with underbust girth 89 cm and bust girth 104 cm has cup size 15 cm (= 104 cm – 89 cm) or "B". Her underbust girth rounded to the nearest multiple of 5 cm is 90 cm. Therefore, her bra size according to the new standard is 90B.
Older European systems
The EN 13402 standard is (as of 2006) still relatively new, and a range of other cup-size definitions are also currently used by European vendors, using either centimeters or inches to indicate the underbust girth.
One common cup size system amongst European manufacturers, in order of increasing size, is: AAA-AA-A-B-C-D-DD-E-F-FF-G-GG-H-J, although the use of double letters is not consistent between manufacturers (e.g. some may use EE rather than F, DDD rather than E, etc.). The majority of bra bands run true to size (as in, a size 36 band measures, when stretched, 36 inches). It is expected that the EN 13402 standard will eventually help resolve the current confusion surrounding cup-size codes in Europe.
Table
International Comparison of Brassiere Measurements / Sizes
| Region |
Sizes |
| XS |
S |
M |
L |
XL |
XXL |
| EU and Japan |
60–65 |
65–70 |
70–75 |
75–80 |
80–85 |
85–90 |
90–95 |
95–100 |
100–105 |
105–110 |
110–115 |
115–120 |
| USA and UK |
30 |
32 |
34 |
36 |
38 |
40 |
42 |
44 |
46 |
48 |
50 |
52 |
| France and Spain |
75–80 |
80–85 |
85–90 |
90–95 |
95–100 |
100–105 |
105–110 |
110–115 |
115–120 |
120–125 |
125–130 |
130–135 |
| Italy |
70 |
75 |
80 |
85 |
90 |
95 |
100 |
105 |
110 |
115 |
120 |
125 |
| Sports bra |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
| Australia/New Zealand |
6 |
6 |
8 |
8 |
10 |
10 |
12 |
12 |
14 |
14 |
16 |
16 |
Types and styles of vintage and retro lingerie
- Babydoll, vintage retro short nightgown or negligee intended as nightwear for women.
- Basque, vintage retro tight, form-fitting bodice or coat
- Bloomers, vintage retro lingerie underpants with short legs.
- Bodice, vintage retro lingerie covers the body from the neck to the waist.
- Boy shorts, a style of panties, so named for their resemblance to male shorts.
- Brassiere vintage retro lingerie bullet or cone bra
- Bustier vintage retro lingerie bra for pulling overbust
- Camisole,vintage retro lingerie sleeveless and tight fitting, covering the top part of the body
- Camiknickers, vintage retro lingerie camisole and knickers joined as one garment
- Cami Shorts vintage retro lingerie knickers usually see through
- Chemise vintage retro lingerie top ususlly silk to cover bust
- Corset by bone, vintage retro corset bodice worn to mold and shape the torso.
- Corselet = vintage retro lingerie brassiere + Girdle
- Drawers a pant-like garment worn during the 19th century for modesty and warmth. Some drawers were split-leg, in that the crotch seam was left open.
- Frilly knickers
- G-String/Thong, vintage retro lingerie narrow piece of cloth passes between the buttocks, and is attached to a band around the hips, worn as a bikini bottom or as underwear by both men and women.
- Garter
- Garter belt, vintage retro lingerie suspender belt usually 6 or 8 strap with metal clasps used to keep stockings up
- Girdle, resembles a tight pair of athletic shorts
- Girdlette vintage retro lingerie tummy shaper
- Hosiery vintage retro seamed stockings and fully fashioned nylon stockings
- Knickers vintage retro lingerie womens sheer underwear
- Negligee
- Nightgown or Nightie, a loosely hanging item of nightwear, may vary from hip-length (babydoll) to floor-length (peignoir).
- Panties vintage retro lingerie ladies underwear
- Petticoat vintage retro lingerie womens undergarment
- Slip (Full vintage retro lingerie slip and Half slip / Underskirt)
- Stockings vintage style with a stocking back seam and heel
- Suspender belt retro style (British), aka Garter belt (US)
- Undergarment for ladies and women,vintage retro lingerie and underwear
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