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The Simplest & Most Practical Beauty Secrets
Bras:
Underwire, Pushups and More
The word brassiere (which is often abbreviated
to bra) comes from the French language and the old French word
“braciere” which means, “arm protector.” In French a bra is
an “arm” of a military uniform. As time went by the word came
to be associated with a military breastplate and much later
on, a corset designed for, and worn by, women. In the modern
world of European French the word “soutien-gorge” means breast
support and that is what a bra is referred to as. The specific
use of the word “brassiere” by the French makes reference to
a vest worn by infants while at times it is used in talking
about a “bra-top” that does not contain any formed cups. In
Quebec, Canada the words brassiere and soutien-gorge mean the
exact same thing.
Women
need to wear bras, as the breasts, being made of mostly
adipose tissue, need support so they won’t sag over time. It
is the Cooper’s ligaments in the breasts that hold up the tissues
and support their shape as well as the skin that protects them
from outside injuries. The breasts therefore need as much outside
support as possible and bras provide this and not only this,
but bras prevent the breasts from bouncing or moving all over
the place at inopportune times. Bras also provide a certain
level of comfort to the wearer and they can improve or call
attention to a woman’s attractive figure.
There is no
conclusive proof that wearing a bra allows the
breasts to retain their girlish shape however the opinions
in the community of medical professionals are mixed. Some believe
bras make a big difference as one ages and others do not. Some
researchers looking into this subject believe that the movement
of the breasts is healthy as it encourages the lymphatic system
to do its job of eliminating toxins from the body at a faster
pace but this claim has not been substantiated yet.
The concept of bras dates back to early Greece, around 6,500
years ago. On the island of Crete over 4,500 years ago Minoan
women wore an early version of the bra. In the United States
in 1913 it was a woman by the name of Mary Phelps Jacob who
received the first patent for what is considered to be the
modern bra. She eventually sold her patent to the Warner Brothers
Corset Company.
The size of a bra is broken down into the “band size” and
the “cup size.” The band size is identified by a specific number
that describes the circumference around the body but does not
include the breasts, while the cup size is assigned a letter
which is connected to the volume of the breasts. Bras usually
come in cup sizes A-DD with different manufacturers using slightly
different sizing charts for cup sizes.
The size of bra cups can vary with the band size of the bra.
For example, a 34B cup is smaller than the cup of a 38B. The
band size of a bra is calculated by measuring a woman’s circumference
underneath her breasts keeping in mind that a certain amount
has to be added because the ribcage in most women usually is
wider at the height of the breasts than at their actual body
height. Another way of deciding upon band size is to take a
measurement under a woman’s arms and across the top of the
fullest part of her breasts. According to a number of bra manufacturers,
in determining a woman’s cup size, generally a difference of
one inch (or 25 mm) needs an A cup; two inches (or 50mm) a
B cup, etc.
Bras offer a plethora of styles and come in a variety of materials
and colors. Some bras are very practical in nature whereas
others are more geared towards making one’s chest more appealing.
There are full support bras which offer the most support for
the breasts; shelf bras which are meant to be sexually enticing;
training bras for young girls who are just starting to develop,
and maternity (or nursing) bras which are designed for new
mothers who are breastfeeding. There is the pushup bra which
lifts the breasts and makes cleavage very obvious; minimizer
bras for large chested women; strapless bras which are designed
for strapless fashions and convertible bras which have straps
that can be removed and/or changed for a new look (such as
crisscrossed in the back). T-shirt bras have no raised seams;
sports bras are meant to wear during exercise and mastectomy
bras are intended for women who have lost either one or both
of their breasts to breast cancer. Finally, underwire bras
have a wire for support that runs from the side of the bra
and under each breast.
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by KissMeGoodnight.com
: 2006
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