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World War II and the women's movement
The rise of the modern brassiere parallels the empowerment of women and their changing roles in society: the corset cast a patriarchal shadow over women and can now be viewed as a symbol of male dominance and suppression. The corset created a pretty look to women and this reflected the social norm of the time that ‘women should be seen and not heard’. The war periods in Australian history impacted on the roles women performed in society. Many women were required to take an active role in work outside the family home while conscripted men fulfilled their services at war. Work was performed more easily when the body was less restricted and many women found that the traditional corset suppressed their activities and an alternative was desirable. Early bras were made from woven fabrics that wrapped and tied around the body. Some women made their own version of the bra from silk handkerchiefs and ribbon. This type of bra design was less restrictive compared to the corset. The changing role of women combined with the shortage of steel impacted directly on the underwear woman wore. The metal required for boning supports was in short supply due to the demands of this material for war. (Steel substituted whale bone in the late 19 th century). The sexual revolution emerged last century as a result of the active role women had in society during this time and the bra was seen as a move towards sexual liberation. This was because the bra flattened the chest and created a ‘boyish’ look.
Sales of bras decreased in the 1960s during the feminist movement perhaps an overt symbol of the suppression of women. Many women dumped their bras (burnt their bra) as a sign of their support for equality of gender in the home, at work and in society. Few women totally abandoned their bra. After this time, manufacturers began to manufacture bras in different colours to create a new interest and a new market for this universal apparel piece. Bra design and shapes have since become feminine but more importantly diverse in form and function catering for the many roles women now perform in society.
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