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How Bras Work - The Supporting Cast

Everybody knows how bras work, don’t they? They’re designed for support. But what some may not know is what’s being designed and why, and how the industry is trying to move into every area of a the modern-day female life. Since it’s creation as an alternative to heavy boned corsets, the bra has come a long way.

The basic goal of a brassiere is much like that of a compass – they’re designed to point the breasts east and west, or with the push-up look, north, but never south. If breasts are pointed south, it’s probably because they haven’t been supported by a proper comfortable bra.

Why all this support for bras?

Bras today are designed for two things. The first, and probably the most important, is comfort. Remember, that’s why the bra was invented in the first place – to create something comfortable. The second reason is a little more obscure. Most intimate apparel designers will tell you this second reason is practicality. That’s true, but it goes further than that. It almost leads to a third reason that stands as a reason in itself – it has to look good.

Now, if a bra is worn as an undergarment, why would it be important how it looked? Well, there are a number of reasons for this. One would be self-confidence. If a woman knows that what she’s wearing, even though it can’t be readily seen by anyone else, is pretty, attractive or sexy, then she’ll feel good. She’ll feel an inner satisfaction that there’s a smooth, silky-feeling interior to her being that matches her undergarments.

Let’s look at these three factors of bras one at a time, and examine their importance, both individually, and as part of the whole.

Comfort is the key

Here we come again, to the original reason for the bra – comfort. Women want – and deserve – to feel comfortable as they go about their daily business. It’s something that probably most men take for granted. They don’t have to worry about covering their chests (unless, of course, they’re a cross-dresser – then it may be even more difficult to find a good fit). But for women, there’s a constant daily reminder – those protrusions growing on their chests that aren’t about to go away. Probably, most women aren’t unhappy about that. They accept their breasts as a part of their femininity (and so do the men). So, in order to be comfortable, they need to find a comfortable bra.

Exactly what is a “comfortable” bra? It would, of course, depend on the type of bust it was being fitted to. And since there’s such a wide variety of shapes and sizes in busts, then there needs to be the same number of shapes and sizes in bras. And there are! Everywhere from a tween’s first training bra to a sports bra to a full-figured bra – and all those in between – women can always find just the right bra that’ll give them the comfort they seek.

And how do the designers provide this comfort? It’s accepted that cotton is probably the most comfortable fabric, so many bras are made out of cotton. It’s not only smooth, it breathes, too, so women won’t sweat. (Actually, it’s been said that women don’t really “sweat” – horses sweat, men perspire, and women just “gently glow”.) But whatever you call it, it’s very uncomfortable for a woman to “gently glow” under her breasts, from a bra that’s too hot.

Another part of the bra that needs to be comfortable is the straps. Now, you can easily eliminate this problem by wearing a strapless bra, but most normal daily-wear bras have straps. If you’re a full-figured woman, your straps need to support your breasts, without digging into your shoulders. To allow this comfort, designers now make full-figured bras with wider, padded straps to ease the pressure. This is also a factor with maternity bras and nursing bras, so these wide straps are available with those, too.

Practicality is important, too

As important as comfort is in a bra, it must be practical, too. There are so many different types and styles of bras, with each one designed to achieve a particular goal. And there are so many brands to choose from, too. The important thing is to find the bra that suits your specific use. And with so many uses, it’s easy to narrow it down.

Look at this list of bras, and you’ll see that, whatever your purpose, you’ll find one to suit you. For pregnant women, there are maternity bras and nursing bras. For full-figured women, there are full-figured bras and plus size bras and lingerie. For active women, there are sports bras. For young girls, there are training bras, and then their first “real” bra. For wear with that beautiful evening gown, there are strapless bras and backless bras. For those less-endowed women (who may want to look bigger), there are padded bras.

And that’s only a few of the varieties and styles of bras available. You can see that the brassiere industry has covered all the bases. So we can easily conclude that most bras are practical.

And bras must look attractive, too

Attractive bras really came to the fore with the inception of Victoria’s Secret. They were the first to combine fashion with intimate apparel when they introduced a whole line of sexy underwear. Shear bras are an integral part of their provocative outfits. They have baby dolls, which incorporate the bra. A see through bra is a perfect match for a lacy pair of white satin panties or a pair of black stockings. So items like silk pajamas aren’t the only thing that’ll make a woman look attractive.

Another example of an attractive look, combined with practicality, is the clear strap. Many bras come with straps that are transparent. Some designers have even put embroidery on the straps, so only the embroidery shows, creating a look of a pattern tattooed over the shoulder. Cool!

Designers are always looking for something different

There are many manufacturers of bras – Playtex, Maidenform, Hanes Her Way and Just My Size, to name a few. They’re continually working to provide women with bras that are comfortable, practical, and attractive. But they also like to dabble in specialty lines. Take, for example, the shell bra, made of two scallop shells tied together with heavy string. They’re very popular with Hawaiian dancers (and any girl who wants to look like one – like at a beach party).

For the maximum in comfort, you can even buy a water bra (actually, it’s filled with paraffin wax, not water). They say it feels a bit strange at first, but after you get used to it, the bra is very comfortable because it molds to your skin. And isn’t that what a bra’s supposed to do?

You can also get dual-purpose convertible bras that can be worn with straps or without. And then there’s Wonderbra’s Variable Cleavage Bra. It comes complete with strings attached to each side of the cup – pull the strings, and the wires under the cups close, pushing the breasts together. Innovation is indeed sweeping the industry.

The undergarment industry will continue to create unique bras. And they’ll also continue their search for “the perfect bra”. They know that women do most of the shopping, and that they’ll always be able to squeeze a little out of the budget for a bra, so the industry will continue to flourish. And as for the men? Well, they’ll continue to give the women all the support they need – just like the bra!

About The Author

Gareth Marples is a successful article writer providing valuable tips and advice for consumers purchasing plus size lingerie, bras and panties, bridal lingerie and thong bikinis. His numerous articles offer moneysaving tips and valuable insight on typically confusing topics.

This article reprinted with permission.