Bra, or brassiere, as it was first known to women, simply replaced the corset as a method of supporting a woman's breasts. Women have always known their breasts were part of their femininity, and aspired to support and show them off in different ways.

Throughout history there have been a variety of garments used to cover, or elevate breasts, and all were designed from a cultural standpoint. What started out as more of a corset, evolved into what we know today as the bra, because of the Ming Dynasty. The Chinese had figured out how to form a foundation that had cups for support, and straps for over the shoulder to hold the garment up.

In the Western world, women were still dominated by the corset, but by the 19th century, clothing companies figured out a more comfortable way to give a woman support and enhance her beauty. The bra did not actually go into commercial production is a big way until the 1930's. World War II, once it was over, seemed to be the time when most European and American women started wearing bras on a regular basis.

Bras are made out of cotton, polyester, spandex and lace for the most part and some of the bras have under wires, coated in plastic to add more support. Back in the 50's and 60's the padded bra was what every woman wore. It didn't matter what size your breasts were, the padded bra was the one that was in style. Nowadays, the padded bra still exists, but with a softer look, and is normally worn by women with small breasts, who want to look a little larger.

In the early history of the bra, comfort was not always a consideration. The support and how a woman looked in her chosen outfit was the most important. Today, thanks to women speaking up, a bra can not only be beautiful and sexy, it can be comfortable.

Women want their bras to be colorful, feminine and give them the shape and support they need. The variety of bras today is astounding to say the least. The good news is that shopping for a bra can be lots of fun. Most women have at least six bras and they range in color and type. Everyone need a strapless bra, sports bra, twelve hour comfort bra for work, and or course, some sexy lacy bras to show off to your significant other.

What started out in history to be a cultural decision has turned into a complete industry in the business world. Consumers spend over $16 billion a year on bras, so anyone can find a bra that fits them perfectly.

The easiest way to see photos of all types of bras, and get actual customer ratings, is to shop online. You can find many bargains by looking on eBay. The Internet has made shopping online easy to do, plus in past years the security of shopping online has been increased, so your money is safe when you purchase your bra.

Choosing Your Very First Bra

Bra size and when to start wearing a bra have been a delima for women for years. The very first bra a girl gets is the most exciting for her. To young girls it means they are growing up and soon they will become a teenager. Some young girls can start to develop breasts as early as age nine or ten. So why would you want to purchase a training bra for them? The answer is simple and health related.

When a young girl start to grow breasts, they are very tender. Training bras, now referred to as Tween bras, are usually made of a very soft material that will not irritate the young breasts trying to grow. Other materials may be scratchy, or have fibers in them that can cause a great deal of discomfort. In order to keep your young daughter feeling good, it is important to start them off in a bra as soon as they start to grow some breasts.

The majority of young girls start to develop around the age of 11 to 12, and hence the name Tween bra. When purchasing the very first bra for your child, be sure it has a good fit across her rib cage, so it won't be slipping around as she lives her active lifestyle. Be sure and check the size of your daughters growth regularly and continue to upgrade her to the next size available. The more comfortable she is, the less self conscious she will be. Remember that a training bra is not necessarily two cups, like a full grown woman's bra. It sometimes more like a sports bra, that just protects from irritation.

Before taking a child shopping for their first bra you should sit down and talk about the reason women wear them and let her know that the bra should be comfortable and make her feel better. To make them really feel a part of the selection you can tell them about fabric options, colors, and styles. They will enjoy getting to have a voice in this milestone event.

Young girls love the feel of being grownup and may want to get red, or hot pick bras, and there is nothing wrong with that, however be sure and get some normal colors that can be worn with her entire wardrobe, such as white and beige. Trying on different styles will also let her know which ones are the most comfortable.

Because a tween or training bra is not going to really have a cup size you will have to measure around the fullest part of the breasts to get an idea of the size bra that is needed. Shopping online for bargains, at places like eBay, can prove to be the best way to purchase a bra. They are usually guaranteed, and you can see all the styles and colors right from the comfort of your computer. Make this time in your young girls life special and help her pick out a very special first bra.