Stylish Person

Ancient Greece

Bra Beginnings. Women in ancient Greece bind lilies breasts with a piece of cloth or о leather strip—a strophium bat, interestingly, wear it over their tunics.

1500

Scent of a Woman. To perfume their rarely  washed clothing, ladies wear a scented pomander or sachet between the breasts, о reminder of which is seen today in the embroidered rosette at the center of some bras.

1863

Start of Support. The first patent for о breast supporter, which was designed as an alternative to the corset, is issued to Luman L. Chapman.

1889

Bra du Jour. Herminie Cadolle, founder of the famous French company Cadolle, is often credited with creating the bra. She displayed an early version at the 1889 Paris Exposition. Called the bee-eater, or “well-being,” it is still attached to a corset in the back, but is the first undergarment to present the revolutionary concept of supporting the breasts from above, rather than from below.

Okay, time to face the music … or the mirror. Many, many women buy the bra size they want to be rather than the one that fits. It’s psychological – we convince ourselves that we are a certain size, and we cling to it for dear life. Now, I know we don’t always want to accept that we’ve gained weight or that our bodies aren’t what they used to be.

To acknowledge that is to admit the passage of time. One of my store regu­lars told me that she used to pride herself on having breasts like wineglasses turned up to the sky. but now they are more like cham­pagne flutes hanging down. But trust me on this: Nobody is going to know if you’ve gone from a 32C to a 34D.