| Of the many styles of women's underwear
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| | worked, either inside or outside the
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| available today, bra and brief sets are
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| | home. Even these garments, however,
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| among the most classic. However, these
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| | generally resembled corsets but were less
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| classic garments are actually of recent
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| | compressive.
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| origin. Throughout most of recorded
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| | Clothing Reform Movement
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| history, women's underwear styles were
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| | In the late 1800s, two movements began
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| far different than those of today. Read
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| | that would ultimately lead to the
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| on for a brief history of the bra.
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| | development of the modern bra. Early
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| Ancient Cultures
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| | feminists recognized that freedom from
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| In Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece,
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| | restrictive women's underwear was
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| breasts were generally uncovered. Women's
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| | necessary before women could take on a
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| underwear was basically unknown. Both men
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| | larger role in society. Meanwhile,
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| and women wore simple tunic-style
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| | doctors began to recognize the health
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| garments. However, it was usual to expose
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| | risks of tightlaced corsetry.
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| the breasts, particularly in Greece,
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| | In the late 19th century, numerous
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| where female breasts had almost mythic
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| | patents were filed for breast-supporting
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| significance. Greek women did, however,
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| | corset alternatives. However, many of
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| cover the breasts with tight, supportive
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| | these designs were never manufactured.
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| bands known as apodesme when competing in
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| | Only a handful of educated feminists and
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| athletic activities.
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| | female athletes purchased the early bras.
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| In Ancient Rome, breasts were less
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| | World War I
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| emphasized, and both men and women wore
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| | World War I brought a lot of support for
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| loose tunics that covered the chests.
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| | the emerging bra movement. Steel was
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| Young women sometimes wore a version of
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| | commonly used for the stays in corsets,
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| the Greek apodesmos, called the
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| | but was needed for the war effort.
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| strophium, to minimize their breasts.
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| | Meanwhile, women went to work in
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| This could be considered an early example
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| | factories and industrial plants in great
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| of women's underwear.
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| | numbers. Societal attitudes began to
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| Medieval
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| | change.
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| Contrary to modern mythology, medieval
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| | The 1920s to the 1960s
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| women did not wear bodices designed to
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| | After the war, the bra became much more
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| enhance the breasts. In fact, it is
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| | accepted. By the late 1920s, it had
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| believed that the Holy Roman Empire
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| | replaced the corset as the major staple
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| specifically forbade women to support
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| | of women's underwear. Shapes and styles
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| their breasts or draw attention to them.
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| | changed with fluctuating fashions, but
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| Bodices were straight and designed to
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| | the garment remained largely the same.
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| minimize rather than enhance curves.
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| | Counter Culture
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| Women's underwear consisted primarily of
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| | The women's liberation movement of the
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| simple shifts worn underneath a bodice
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| | 1960s led record numbers of women to stop
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| and full skirt.
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| | wearing bras altogether. Although
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| Renaissance
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| | bra-burning was likely much less common
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| By the Renaissance era, fashions had
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| | than urban legends would indicate, many
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| changed. It was considered stylish and
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| | women simply stopped wearing them.
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| modern to show plenty of décolletage.
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| | Bra manufacturers fought back by
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| Even breast feeding was frowned on by the
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| | capitalizing on the sexual liberation of
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| upper classes, as it was believed to ruin
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| | the time to introduce increasingly daring
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| a woman's figure. It was during this era
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| | alternative styles. It was during this
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| that early corsetry began to develop.
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| | time that women's underwear options
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| The Age of Corsetry
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| | dramatically grew.
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| Once corsets were introduced, they proved
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| | The 1970s to Today
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| to have great staying power. Shapes and
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| | Today, women's underwear is big business.
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| styles changed over the years, but the
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| | Sexy lingerie and matching lingerie sets
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| corset remained the women's underwear
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| | are quite common. Whether you are in the
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| choice until the late nineteenth century.
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| | mood for a demure and elegant bra and
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| Of course, there were generally more
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| | brief set or something a bit wilder, your
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| practical alternatives for women who
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| | options are virtually unlimited.
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