Up until the creation of the bra, “intimate apparel” had consisted of heavily-boned, tight-laced corsets. They may have been recognized as intimate to the men, but the women found them extremely uncomfortable. The bra brought with it a whole new attitude to women’s underwear. It was indeed now an item of intimate apparel.

Mary Jacobs had started the ball rolling. Innovations began to develop as women found their new freedom of movement very liberating. A bra, girdle and stockings were a very sexy look, and gave women a new self-confidence. Then, with the introduction of elastic fabric in the 1920s, the bra industry took off. In the 1930’s, the strapless or backless bra came out. And then it was the standardization of cup sizes – now women could get a bra that truly fit comfortably.

The woman who was responsible for sized bras was Ida Rosenthal, a Russian-Jewish immigrant. Her creation eventually turned into the start of one of the most well-known intimate apparel companies today – Maidenform.

With just a click of the mouse, you are able to view the different bras offered in various websites. You also get to view the prices and settle for the ones that suit your budget.

Did You Know?

During the roaring Twenties, with it’s flat-chested boyish look, Ida Rosenthal’s invention wasn’t too popular. However, Ida had spunk, and she continued to promote her bust-flattering bras. With her idea of sizing, she could now market bras to girls and women of every age, from puberty to maturity. A huge advantage to this plan was brand loyalty – if she could get teens to wear training bras, then they’d stay with Maidenform as they developed and grew. She’d have a customer for life! This idea became the foundation of a $40 million Maidenform industry.