National Lingerie Day
Saturday, April 25, 2026
The bra replaces the corset. The term "brassiere" first appeared in Vogue magazine in 1907 and was added to the Oxford English Dictionary by 1911. But it was Mary Phelps Jacob (later known as Caresse Crosby) who created the first commercially viable alternative to the corset. In 1914, she patented a "backless brassiere" made fromtwo handkerchiefs and pink ribbon, a design so simple that it transformed the industry. Jacob sold the patent to Warner Brothers Corset Company for $1,500, a sum equivalent to roughly $46,000 today. Warner went on to earn over$15 millionfrom the design.World War I accelerated the transition. The. U.S. War Industries Boardasked women to stop buying corsets, reportedly saving an estimated 28,000 tons of metal for the war effort. By the 1920s, the flapper era embraced a straighter silhouette, and bandeau-style bras that flattened the chest replaced the hourglass corset. In 1932,S.H. Camp and Companyintroduced the A through D cup sizing system, the first standardized method for fitting bras by breast size
History
The bra replaces the corset. The term "brassiere" first appeared in Vogue magazine in 1907 and was added to the Oxford English Dictionary by 1911. But it was Mary Phelps Jacob (later known as Caresse Crosby) who created the first commercially viable alternative to the corset. In 1914, she patented a "backless brassiere" made fromtwo handkerchiefs and pink ribbon, a design so simple that it transformed the industry. Jacob sold the patent to Warner Brothers Corset Company for $1,500, a sum equivalent to roughly $46,000 today. Warner went on to earn over$15 millionfrom the design.World War I accelerated the transition. The. U.S. War Industries Boardasked women to stop buying corsets, reportedly saving an estimated 28,000 tons of metal for the war effort. By the 1920s, the flapper era embraced a straighter silhouette, and bandeau-style bras that flattened the chest replaced the hourglass corset. In 1932,S.H. Camp and Companyintroduced the A through D cup sizing system, the first standardized method for fitting bras by breast size
How It's Celebrated
National Lingerie Day is observed by recognizing the importance of the day, learning about its background and significance, and sharing awareness with others through conversation and social media. Many people take time to reflect on the meaning of the observance and participate in relevant activities or community events.