A short history of the modern bra
The American bra business is usually traced to one patent, granted in November 1914.
The backless brassiere
In 1913, according to the Lemelson-MIT Program, a young New Yorker named Mary Phelps Jacob wanted something lighter than a corset under an evening dress. With her maid's help she made one from two silk handkerchiefs and pink ribbon.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Patent | US 1,115,674, "Backless Brassiere" |
| Filed | February 12, 1914 |
| Granted | November 3, 1914 |
| Sold to | Warner Brothers Corset Company, Bridgeport, Connecticut |
| Price | $1,500 |
Jacob later became known as Caresse Crosby, the publisher. The patent mattered commercially because an established corset maker bought it.
From one size to 67
Size ranges keep growing: most bra styles are now made in about 36 sizes, and Wikipedia notes one long-running style, the Triumph "Doreen", made in 67 sizes up to 46J. Worldwide, consumers spend around $16 billion a year on bras.
More sizes have not solved fit. See the bra fit guide for what the research says.