American underwear has moved from rigid, boned structure toward flexibility and choice at almost every turn — colonial stays gave way to corsets, corsets gave way to the first patented bra in 1914, and the twentieth century's cup sizing, sports bras, and push-up styles all eventually gave way to today's emphasis on comfort, seamless fabric, and size-inclusive fit.
Underwear tells a surprisingly clear story about how ideas of comfort, femininity, and practicality have shifted generation to generation. Here's the timeline, including a correction to one of the most repeated myths in the whole history.
Colonial Era
Boned Stays
Women wore stiff, boned bodices called "stays" under their clothing — an early precursor to the corset, designed to shape posture and support the torso rather than the bust specifically.
1800s
The Corset Era
The corset became the dominant undergarment through most of the 19th century, cinching the waist and shaping the whole torso — often at the cost of real comfort or freedom of movement.
1889
An Early Two-Piece Design
French designer Herminie Cadolle introduced a two-piece undergarment that separated bust support from waist support — an early step toward what would eventually become the modern bra.
1914
The First Patented Bra
American socialite Mary Phelps Jacob (later known as Caresse Crosby) patented a soft, backless bra made from two handkerchiefs and ribbon — a direct rebellion against the rigid corset.
1920s
The Flapper Bandeau
The flapper era's boyish silhouette called for a flattening bandeau style rather than a shaping one — bust support briefly took a back seat to a straighter, looser look.
1932
Cup Sizing Arrives
S.H. Camp and Company introduced the A, B, C, D cup sizing system, replacing the one-size-fits-most approach that had dominated bra manufacturing up to that point.
1940s–50s
Structured, Pointed Styles
Wartime manufacturing and postwar fashion favored structured, pointed "bullet" and "cone" bras, popularized by Hollywood glamour and mainstream brands alike.
1968
The "Bra-Burning" Myth
At the 1968 Miss America pageant protest, participants threw bras, girdles, and other items into a "Freedom Trash Can" — but a denied fire permit meant nothing was actually burned. The "bra-burning feminist" label stuck anyway, despite being factually inaccurate.
1977
The First Sports Bra
Lisa Lindahl, Polly Smith, and Hinda Miller created the "Jogbra" by sewing two jockstraps together — the first purpose-built sports bra, launching an entire category.
1990s
The Push-Up Moment
The Wonderbra's aggressive U.S. marketing push in 1994 made push-up, shape-enhancing styles mainstream, shifting the cultural conversation back toward visible, dramatic shaping.
Today
Comfort, Seamless Fabric, Real Sizing
The current era favors wire-free construction, seamless knits, and size ranges that actually reflect real bodies — the throughline connecting Mary Phelps Jacob's 1914 rebellion against the corset to today's Ahh Bra.
