Bra fashion history truly began with the first bra to be patented.  The first bra was patented in 1914 by Mary Phelps-Jacobs an American.  It is not thought to be the first bra ever, but it is the first patented record and that gives her the credit.

Mary Phelps-Jacobs patented her bra design under the patent name of Caresse Crosby.  Some suggest it was her French maid who provided the idea or the stitching help.  Two silk handkerchiefs were tied together, baby ribbon sewn on to make straps and a seam set in the centre front.

Phelps Jacobs couldn’t get much interest for her idea and sales were minimal, so for $1500 she sold the rights to Warners…and a few years later just change that fifteen hundred patent valuation for fifteen million dollars… Warners have been involved in bra production ever since. Within a year, breasts were measured in inches rather than being categorized small, medium or large. [source:www.fashion-era.com]

To read the full story go HERE

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How does sexy lingerie work? We need to talk to the man who’s looking at it for that answer! I’m covinced that he is the one it’s designed for. Throughout the ages, lingerie has been designed to make women look sexy.No need to say it has practical value, too. So let’s look at both sides and see what we come up with.

It`s an evident fact that the lingerie industry is massive these days. Its original goal was to create underwear that looks sexy, while still remaining practical. But it`s very difficult to put the two together.

How things have changed for the lingerie industry today? They’ve come a long way since whale-boned corsets. The lingerie they make today is definitely sexy, and it’s definitely comfortable. And, of course, it’s definitely successful.

In 2003, according to the NPD Group, a marketing information company, Americans spent $4.4 billion on bras. The NPD Group also found that lingerie sales in general were up 5% in 2003, which is quite surprising, seeing as how the overall clothing industry was down 4%. But women are feeling more freedom and expressing themselves accordingly.

Lingerie is showing up everywhere Sexy lingerie can be seen all over the place, at small specialty shops, at large department stores, in mail-order catalogs, online – there’s no shortage of choices when it comes to sexy underwear. You can buy sexy bras, sexy panties, sexy nylon stockings…

The lingerie industry continues to give people what they want – no matter what it is. There are three kinds of lingerie, catering to different markets. They are:

Sensible lingerie: This kind is more practical than sexy, and is bought for exactly that purpose. Women who buy this kind aren’t necessarily not sexy – they just believe that there’s a time and a place for everything, and when they wear sensible lingerie, you can be sure that it isn’t the time or the place.

Sexy lingerie: This kind is worn by women who want the practicality of everyday underwear, but also like the idea that they’re wearing something sexy that nobody else knows about. It gives them a sense that they have a sexy side waiting to emerge, even though they have to act practical throughout the day. For many women, it’s a great confidence-builder.

Naughty lingerie: The last kind of lingerie is to be worn on special occasions only. Unless, of course, you’re an exotic dancer, in which case you wear it at work every day. Naughty lingerie is usually reserved for those special occasions with a loved one, where you want to step outside the boundaries for one night, and just let go and have some harmless fun. Another popular place for lingerie is at a wedding shower. It’s so much fun to present the bride-to-be with some sexy bridal lingerie, and watch her face go red with embarrassment. Not to mention her mother’s look of shock…

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Lingerie shops in the strictly conservative kingdom of Saudi Arabia have been ordered to recruit women to replace male salesmen.

Now women who do not mix with men other than close family members outside the home, have to buy underwear in shops staffed by men.

The ruling is going to create jobs for women.

As is known, women in Saudi Arabia do not drive or vote, and face restrictions on where and when they can work.

According to the law all lingerie shops have one year to replace their male staff with women.

There are, of course, shops which sell underwear alongside other clothes and goods. They have two years to make the switch.

Several women have recently written to Saudi newspapers pointing out the fact that although they are forbidden to meet men in public, they have to buy their most private clothes in the company of strange men.

Besides changing staff, shop owners have been ordered to design stores so that nobody can see inside, and to install separate entrances for women… [source:www.news.bbc.co.uk]

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