We use bras everyday yet never question their purpose except for the fact that our boobs won't look saggy. Some of us with relatively small chests can even get away with not wearing one, but did you know there's more to the bra than keeping your girls upright?
As you strap on that sexy red lacey one tonight, think about this amazing garment's history. In honor of Valentine's Day, here are five surprising facts you didn't know about your favorite piece of underwear.
Read more ¿Qué más?: Debunked! 6 Common myths about bras
Where the word "bra" comes from: First introduced in 1907 in Vogue magazine, the term "Brassiere" means "support" in French, but was shortened to "bra" for easy reference.
The push-up bra was invented by a man, of course: The push-up bra was created in 1947 by Frederick Mellinger. He is the man behind Frederick's of Hollywood and is responsible for putting out the first padded push-up bra called "The Rising Star."
Cup sizes are going up: Compared to 1996 when the average woman was a 34B, sizes have risen. Now some women have an average cup size of 36 DD.
They prevent saggy boobs: Wearing a bra–even if you have small breasts–delays the sagging process. Since there is no muscle memory in the area the bra can help you benefit from it.
Neck and shoulder pain can be bra-related: If you are wearing the wrong bra size the weight of your breasts will not be evenly distributed and can lead to back or shoulder pain.
Image via Thinkstock
