If a woman wished to enhance her cleavage prior to the advent of the Wonderbra and without the option of readily available plastic surgery, what could she do?
The solution was an inflatable bra that the wearer could inflate to her desired size.
In the early 1950s, the ‘Trés Secret’ inflatable bra was introduced. Each cup featured a small plastic pouch that the wearer could inflate using a provided mouthpiece.
The manufacturers claimed that this bra could provide any woman with ‘a boost to bosom beauty,’ adding in their advertisement, ‘Do it yourself. Make the most of you. Blow up!! To be the size you want.’
This unique piece of lingerie is part of a larger exhibition showcasing the evolution of our underwear over the past three centuries.
Also featured are a busk marked with a secret love note for its owner and corsets designed to create painfully narrow waists.
Men, too, have representation, with examples ranging from long johns to Y-fronts, highlighting the shifts in men’s undergarment styles.
The oldest pieces on display include a woman’s corset dating back to the 1770s and a man’s shirt from the 1780s, while the most recent items are from Next’s current lingerie collection.
This collection is currently showcased in Leicestershire, England, but I’ve heard it will be making its way here soon. In addition to the eye-catching and eccentric lingerie, the exhibition illustrates the ways in which underwear has progressed for practical and health purposes, featuring advancements like sports bras and the introduction of more comfortable fabrics.
by John Jackson
