00:00 The hosts of the podcast are discussing their previous episodes on topics that have little to do with them, such as corsets and female puberty, and mention that they will be discussing bras in this episode.

05:14 The modern bra has only been around for about 150 years, but it has been one of the most complicated garments in the history of the world due to its relation to society and its incorporation of fashion and societal norms.

10:40 Bras must fit a multitude of bodies, accommodate changes in the body, provide movement without chafing or slipping, retain structure, be inconspicuous, and be priced to sell, which is why designing the ideal breast supporter has been a challenge for the past 140 years.

15:47 The first patent for the bra was filed in 1863, but evidence of bras or bikini tops dates back to 400-300 BCE, and a transition from breast bags to corsets to modern bras was discovered in 2008.

21:02 The first modern bra pattern was filed in 1863 by Lumen Chapman, but it was a woman named Hermione Cadol who created a corset cut in two that strongly resembled a modern bra, and it was Mary Phelps Jacobs who invented the first modern bra out of silk handkerchiefs and ribbon and got a patent for it in 1914.

26:10 In the 20s, one of the first bras was created by a company called Boyish Form, which aimed to flatten and hide breasts, but then Maiden Form came along and encouraged women to embrace and accentuate their breasts, leading to the popularity of pointy and bullet bras in the 50s, followed by a shift towards a more slim and androgynous look in the 60s and a resurgence of busty bras in the 90s with the Wonder Bra.

31:27 Maidenform had a successful print ad campaign in the 1940s and 50s called "I Dream" that depicted women in their bras engaging in activities that were considered dreams or aspirations for women at the time, such as being a firefighter or winning an election.

36:42 American bras are known for not fitting well because manufacturers have created a standard measuring scale that doesn't account for different body sizes, but more bespoke companies are now challenging this norm and offering custom-made bras based on multiple measurements.

41:49 Understanding sister sizing is key to finding a bra that fits well, as the cup size is relative to the circumference of the band, and a 34C is the same as a 32D or a 36B.

46:45 Victoria's Secret dominated the bra industry in the United States until recently when it was overthrown by women who demanded change.

51:39 A study in France found that women who did not wear bras developed more muscle tissue in their breasts, suggesting that bras may not actually provide the support they claim to.