By KIMBER KAY
You can't live with them, you can't live without them. Bras may be a taboo subject in some circles, but they are essential undergarments for women of any shape and size.
According to the book, 'Dress and Undress: History of Women's Underwear,' by Elizabeth Ewing, adoption of the brassiere for bust support began in 1908, by Paris designer Paul Poiret. Early models resembled the corsets and camisoles of centuries past more than modern versions.
In 1913, a young debutante, Mary Phelps Jacob, invented a soft bra that gave separation between the breasts, as opposed to the Edwardian look of a uniform bust.
The first padded bras were created in the late 30's, giving a more defined look. The bras that gave 1950's screen legends Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe such great figures were uplift bras of rigid fabric for maximum support.
There are three basic kinds of bras. The regular soft cotton support, the rigid minimizer, and the fancy plunge push-up.
The regular soft cotton support is most popular with young pre-teen girls, or older women, said Jill Roskelley, third key manager of the Leggs, Hanes, Bali, Playtex Factory Outlet in Draper. These full coverage bras are larger, and usually do not have underwires. The band is wider, up to six inches in the front. Soft stretchy cottons and nylon are used, and they have wider straps.
Minimizers provide the best support for a larger bust, said Christine Smith, sales associate in the lingerie department at Nordstrom in the Fashion Place Mall.
Push-up bras give great support for smaller busts, Roskelley said. The padding gives a nice silhouette and cleavage. These bras are smaller, with less fabric and thinner bands, some only 1/2' wide, to wear with plunging necklines.
The sizing of bras can be confusing. Bra sizes are based on two measurements. The width of the chest in inches, and the size of the breast represented by the letters A, B, C, D and DD etc.
Wearing the wrong size or style of bra is a common problem, Smith said. Most women wear looser bands because it is more comfortable, but bras will not provide adequate support if not tight enough.
The correctly fitting bra will raise the bust, said Roskelley, and the band will stay down in back.
Signs to watch for an incorrect bras, Roskelley said, are straps falling off, wrinkles or bulges around the cups and the band riding up in back.
A sports bra with good support is essential, Smith said. Women need good support because running and jumping puts a strain on the soft tissues of the body, and they will rip and tear if not protected. A sports bra should be tighter than a regular bra to minimize as much movement as possible.