1910 - 2010: The Bra Turns 100.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

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http://cbs11tv.com/consumer/100.years.brassieres.2.1722069.html

NEW YORK (CBS) ― It's time to acknowledge 100 years of support from an unsung hero.

A century ago on Friday, a woman in New York became the first American to invent the brassiere. How did it happen? CBS station WCBS-TV in New York City found out.

These days, they're everywhere: on television, in store windows, hanging in bars. But one century ago, bra guru Linda Becker says the bra didn't exist.

"It was difficult back then, they were wearing something that had bones in it," Becker says. "Organs were squeezed together, everything was very squashed together."

Corsets were the only option until a New York woman named Mary Phelps decided to stitch two handkerchiefs together, creating a product that never went bust.

Bras have come a long way in 100 years, and to say they're available in all shapes and sizes is something of an understatement. Of course there's the smaller sizes, like a 28-A. But for those of you who thought that a D cup was large, many places carry up to an M cup.

"There's a whole range of women that were ignored forever," Becker says. "Just recently, in the last ten years, they started to address that women have bigger breasts."

Brenda Leach says that, for her, bras don't measure up – and she has a theory.

"If men had the same issues, it would have been resolved a long time ago," she says.

Becker says the big revolution came after the 1960s.

"When we didn't wear bras in the 60s – and I actually was one of those women – and then we started wearing bras again, they decided if they were going to sell us bras, they better make them really comfortable, and make us look really good, or we won't wear them," Becker says.

"It's an essential product, and we can't do without it," New Yorker Antoinette Thorpe says.

Opinions may be divided, but 100 years on, the bra is holding its own.

Becker says one thing hasn't changed in 100 years: if women want a bra that fits, they must be measured in a store.

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

finally, a topic i can sink my teeth into.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

The 1960's shouldn't count

[luckytxn 2,264]

Finally a thread we can see.

[luckytxn 2,264]

One question........why?

[CDAgirlMI 51]

Finally a thread we can see.

Awesome.....I want one of those.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

One question........why?

Looks like a blowfish...but somehow I doubt it really is.

[trillium13 84]

finally, a topic i can sink my teeth into.

Ouch!

[spookyturtle 9,465]

Awesome.....I want one of those.

When you get one, post pics.

[S and S 12]

Hmmm, never really thought about how long they had been around!

[spookyturtle 9,465]

The only good thing about a bra is taking it off.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

The only good thing about a bra is taking it off.

[luckytxn 2,264]

I don't want to meet the woman that is going to wear this.

Awesome.....I want one of those.

Many of us want you to have one also.....and post pics.

[luckytxn 2,264]

finally, a topic i can sink my teeth into.

Maybe if it was a bacon bra like this. Again the question is.........why?

[luckytxn 2,264]

Ok I am trying to understand but have failed. In Japan they have come out with a bra for growing rice. What ever happened to the plain old bra that with a bit of anticipation someone could take two fingers and unsnap?