Push-up or bralette, red or blue, underwire or non-wire - today you can choose your perfect bra from thousands of different options, ranging from shape and material to color and additional details. However, a century ago, women did not have such a variety. The first modern bra was patented not so long ago - in 1914.
Prior to that, women had to suffer in uncomfortable corsets that not only constrained their movements but also seriously harmed their health. Thus, the first sconce was invented by the American Mary Phelps Jacobs. And she did it completely by accident.
OBOZREVATEL decided to tell you how it happened and why the war "helped" bras gain popularity. While preparing for the debutante ball, Mary Phelps Jacobs wore a stiff corset that was visible under her translucent dress. "Bring me two of my handkerchiefs and a pink ribbon," she told her maid, who helped her sew a simple bra from these materials.
This caused a sensation among Mary's friends. They asked her to make bras for them as well. The American woman decided to patent this idea and start her own business after a stranger offered her one dollar for her product.
Jacobs called her invention a "backless bra" and managed to get several orders from department stores. Things were going well, but in the end, the startup still failed. At the request of her husband, Mary sold the patent to Warner Brothers Corset in Connecticut for $1500.
In the first 30 years of their existence, they earned more than $15 million on bras. H.