Women in Crete used to wear bras thousands of years ago.
The word 'brassiere' is derived from an archaic French word meaning 'upper arm'.
The very first bra to be patented was made in 1913 and was actually two handkerchiefs tied together by a ribbon. This was the brainwave of a New Yorker named Mary Phelps Jacob.
The modern cup sizes were introduced in 1928 by a Russian named Ida Rosenthal.
