How did the brassiere get its name?
And the “brassiere,” as a widespread concept—the word comes from the French for “upper arm”—is generally thought to have originated with the DeBevoise Company, which used the term in advertisements for its whale-bone-supported camisoles.
What does the French word brassiere mean?
As an aside on the way words can shift in meaning over time and between languages, a brassière in modern French most commonly refers to a baby’s vest (in the British sense of an undershirt) or to a lifebelt, while the usual word for a bra in that language is soutien-gorge, literally a bosom support.
What do French people call bras?
“Un soutien-gorge” is a bra. Note that “un soutien-gorge” becomes “des soutiens-gorge” in the plural, with an S at soutien, but no change for gorge.
What is the root word of brassiere?
Etymology. From Old French braciere (originally a lining inside armor to protect the arm, but later a garment), from brace (“arm”), from Latin bracchia, plural of Latin bracchium, from Ancient Greek βραχίων (brakhíōn). Equivalent to bras + -ière.
Why were bras pointy in the 60s?
The favored silhouette in the forties through the sixties was a cone-shaped, pointy chest (for whatever reason). Today’s preferences for firm, lifted breasts are no more intended for the comfort of the wearer than the preferences of the past.
What was worn before bras?
Before there was a bra, women used a corset that formed the ideal figure, namely a chest that protrudes above a small waist. Actually the use of a corset is uncomfortable because it presses the breast. However, due to cultural influences, corsets are always worn by women.
Why are French knickers called French knickers?
The French knicker style evolved from drawers, the baggy long-legged underwear of the Victorian era, and may have derived its name from the frilly underwear worn by Parisienne Can-Can dancers, existent from the late-1800s to the early-1900s; the French however, do not use the term.
Why is it called a bullet bra?
If you don’t know what a bullet bra is then you could be forgiven for thinking it’s something dangerous. And in a way it is, because its extremely conical points are sharp enough to poke your eye out. You don’t see many of these vintage bras these days but they were very popular during the 1940s and 1950s.
Was the bra invented by a man?
Caresse Crosby
Alicia Chong Rodriguez
Bra/Inventors
Why does a bra have 3 hooks?
Women with larger/heavier breasts will benefit from bras that have at least three rows of hook and eye closures, which offer additional stability and support. This is why you’ll find that bras made by brands that specialize in full bust bras will typically always have a minimum of three rows.