Brassiere

A brassiere or bra is a foundation garment for women which covers and supports the breasts. Bra types are quite varied, depending on style, function, and materials. Styles include front-closure, back-closure, strapless, convertible, push-up, demi-bra, full-cup, three-quarters cup, half-cup, longline, underwire, padded, triangle, soft-cup, shelf-bra, and T-shirt.

Related Topics:
Foundation garment - Breasts

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The upper part of a bikini is similar, but with the social difference that it is part of a swimsuit and not underwear; i.e., in western cultures it is considered suitable for exposure in a swimming pool, on the beach, and in other recreational situations.

Related Topics:
Bikini - Swimsuit - Western cultures - Swimming pool - Beach - Recreation

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In French, brassière now refers to a baby's vest, although it is now sometimes used for the "bra-top" without formed cups. The word brassière derives from bracière, an Old French word meaning "arm protector" and referring to military uniform (bras in French means "arm"). This later became used for a military breast plate, and later for a type of woman's corset. (The modern French word for a bra is soutien-gorge.) Note that this only applies to European French. In Quebec, soutien-gorge and brassière are synonyms.

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Statistics show the average American woman today owns six bras. Out of those six, one of them is a strapless bra and one is a color other than white. All kinds of bras have been created for every conceivable purpose, to do all the things that corsets have done in previous generations: minimize, uplift, show cleavage, maximize, or plain show off.

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