First, we need to look at where bras came from to understand what they are today.

Years ago, the bra was unknown. In Ancient Rome and Greece, in the third and fourth centuries, women wore simple tunics with no shaping undergarments. This floppy tradition continued on into the twelfth century. Somewhere in the thirteenth or fourteenth century things began to change. A stiff underbodice called a "cotte" was developed and by the fifteenth century it was named a "body" or more appropriately a "pair of bodies" since it was made in two pieces. In Spain they added wire, steel, whalebone, and other forms of reinforcements. It was not a very comfortable garment to wear. Women have used garments designed to lift, separate and restrain their breast since as early as 2000 BC. From the 1500s until the 1800s the corset was the primary under-garment used by women for the purpose of shaping the waist and lifting the breasts.

 In 1913, Mary Phelps Jacob created a new type of bra. It was much softer and much shorter than a corset. And it allowed the breasts to be shaped in their natural state. When too many people started asking Mary for her design, she thought she’d better get it protected. So she applied for a patent.

 She eventually sold this patent to Warner Company. During recorded history, women have used a variety of garments and devices to cover, restrain, or elevate their breasts. Brassiere or bikini-like garments are depicted on some female athletes in the seventh century BC during the Minoan civilization era. Similar functionality was achieved by both outerwear and underwear. One of the biggest advancements in the lingerie industry came in the 1930s, when Dunlop Rubber invented Lastex. Lastex was an elastic fiber that could be interwoven with the fabric used to make lingerie fashions. Now the industry could make lingerie in various sizes, to properly fit a woman’s shape. But then came World War II, and with it, its shortages. Germany couldn’t import the fabrics they’d been using and their industry dried up. People started making home-knitted underwear out of anything they could find. Not very sexy, to say the least. But they were warm. After the war, lingerie consisted of the basic bras and suspender belts. This was the norm for most women. But the teenage girl, emerging from the oppression of the war, and looking for excitement, became a target market. These teenagers were anxious to grow up, and wearing lingerie was a big step towards getting there. So the lingerie industry started to create lingerie sets that would attract the attention of these young girls. And the German lingerie industry exploded. Over in America, the lingerie industry was making its own mark. Everyone was trying to create something new and different. The market was flooded with all kinds of innovations to help women look sexy.

Now lets talk about the different types of Bras that are availabel today.

 Soft Cups bras are not only sexy, the have been designed to offer comfort and support for everyday use.  They provide great comfort and support to help build your confidence.

 Push Up are for those that want more then just support and comfort.  Push Up Bras list and squeeze your breasts together to give the illusion of having larger and firmer breasts. 

 Enhancing bras are similar to push up bras but they are on a more extreme level. They have been know to increase you cup size by as much as a full cup.  They generate amazing cleavage to help enhance they most provocative attire in your wardrobe.

You can also visit LifeTips for more great Bra Care tips.