Breast-enhancing bra: what our great-grandmothers wore

Women have always strived to look luxurious, so they paid great attention to lingerie that accentuated the figure. Before modern push-up models existed, dressmakers improvised and created corsets and bras with an enlarging effect. I was impressed by a selection of models from the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

All pieces for the beauties were divided into two main types: those sewn entirely from natural fabric and those made using special devices.

In the first case, vertical folds and tucks were made on the bodice from the inside. They gave the breasts shape and slightly increased their volume.

If such a cut was insufficient, another trick was used — several rows of ruffles were sewn on the front.

When corsets and the S-shaped silhouette came into fashion, bras had to be made more complex so they emphasized not only a full bust but also a slim waist. V-shaped models with cups appeared.

These cups were removable and were filled with cotton wadding from the inside.

Wealthy fashionistas purchased not just a bodice, but real engineered constructions. Inside them a whalebone was fitted that straightened under the action of a special spring when the garment was put on.

These models proved to be the most durable. Fashion for them lasted more than 10 years, up to the revolution, after which, as is known, fashion changed completely and women were able to breathe a sigh of relief, freed from corsets.

Source: Breast Enlargement 100 Years Ago. How Was It? | Livemaster Magazine.