When 19-year-old Mary Phelps Jacob invented the very first, makeshift modern brassière back in 1913 (using a pair of handkerchiefs and some ribbon), she would have had no idea of the political ramifications that it would take on in the 100 years since.
From Victorian-era corsets to the overly ostentatious, campy cone bra designed by Jean Paul Gaultier and worn by Madonna on her infamous Blond Ambition tour in 1990 – the journey taken by women’s supportive garments has been quite the wild ride. The bra has become emblematic of the woman’s body and how it may be restricted, concealed, or supported.
