5:04p.m. 22nd August 2007

| By Mark Chapman

Bras for good: Decorated bras were worn by hundreds of women - and some men - for the Walk for Breast Cancer from Coolum to Noosa in July this year.

1907, New York City: Vogue Magazine coined the term 'brassiere', and thanks to a few bits of lace, elastic and wire, a billion-dollar industry was launched.

As the fairer sex has always found novel ways of enhancing their assets - such as the corsets of the 16th century - who exactly invented the bra as we know it today is a bit murky, although there are a number of great takers for the title.

One tale tells that it was a German engineer, Onto Titzling in 1912. Inspired by his New York neighbour, a voluptuous opera singer called Swanhilda Olafson who complained that she needed a garment to hoist her vast bosom aloft every evening, Titzling obliged by inventing a metal and fabric support device for her.

Unfortunately, he failed to patent the device and, in the early 1930s, a Frenchman named Philippe de Brassière began making a suspiciously similar object. Titzling took him to court, but the Frenchman won the day - Titzling ironically didn't receive too much support and that's why the garment is called a brassiere, not a titzling.

These folks are actually just characters from Canadian author Wallace Reyburn in his wholly satirical "history" of the brassiere published in 1972, Bust-Up: The Uplifting Tale of Otto Titzling and the Development of the Bra.

Amazingly, many have fallen for this explanation hook, line and sinker.

Some contenders for the title are Marie Tucek, who's "breast supporter" was patented in 1893, and Mary Phelps Jacob, a New York socialite who is said to have hit on the idea in 1913.

With titles including the Hemispheres of Paradise, the Over-the-Shoulder Boulder Holder and hundreds of other flattering names, its function has been a paradox of concealment and brazen cleavage revelation, according to www.bharattextile.com.

And ironically for the bra burners, it was been praised as a revolutionary garment that freed women from constriction.

In 2005 a group of ladies from Ballarat even went so far as to celebrate the bra as an artform. You can view the gallery online

Whatever your take on the history of this all-important piece of underwear, the bra is here to stay and most are only too cheerful about that.

Happy Birthday Bra! May you have another happy 100 ahead.