- The word brassiere is actually Norman French for a child's undershirt. It became the word for women's underwear thanks to the Evening Herald in Syracuse, New York, which used the word in 1893, the DeBevoise Company, who used it in their advertising in 1904, and Vogue magazine, who used it in 1907.
- The wearing of garments to support the breasts probably dates back to Ancient Greece. Women back then would wear bands of wool or linen around their breasts, and pinned at the back.
- That the bra was invented by a man named Otto Titzling, who lost a lawsuit with Phillip de Brassiere, is an urban myth. The inventors credited with inventing the first bras are all women. Herminie Cadolle of France invented the first modern bra, according to Life Magazine, in 1889. Christine Hardt of Germany patented the first modern brassiere in 1899. Mary Phelps Jacob is credited with inventing the first modern bra using two handkerchiefs and a ribbon, because she didn't like the way her corset looked under her dress.
- Cup sizes were not introduced until the 1930s, by S.H. Camp and Company. They introduced the sizes A to D. Now, the largest cup size is L while the smallest is a AAA.
- The average bra size is 36DD. That said, experts claim that about 85% of women are wearing the wrong size. Women with larger breasts tend to buy bras that are too small, while smaller-breasted women buy bras which are too big. Once a woman finds a size that seems to fit, they stick with it, even when their weight changes.
- Feminists burning their bras wasn't really a thing. At the big demonstration where they allegedly did, they actually just threw their bras into the bin - but reporter Lindsy Van Gelder compared their actions to men burning their draft cards at anti-war protests, hence the belief the bras were burned.
- The space suits worn by Apollo astronauts were made by the bra makers Playtex. They won the contract against military contractors because their suits had "crucial softness, world class stitching, and perfect design." They were made from 21 layers of the same materials Platex used to make bras.
- The bra clasp was invented by Mark Twain. Not specifically for bras, but for " vests, pantaloons, or other garments requiring straps". However, it is in bras that his invention is mostly used today.
- Ever wondered why so many bras have little bows between the cups? They are a relic of sixteenth and seventeenth century stomachers, which had a ribbon on top to make it easier to remove them.
- The most expensive bra in the world is the ‘Royal Fantasy’ bra, which was worn by Candice Swanepoel during the 2013 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Worth over $10 million.
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