Push-up bra’s a real wonder
10:52am Wednesday 26th March 2008
THE push-up bra has been hailed as the greatest fashion invention ever.
The cleavage-enhancing lingerie, which has become a staple item in every female's wardrobe, beat boot cut jeans to claim the title.
Pull-in pants, which allow ladies to hide a wobbly stomach, came third followed by the sexy stilettos and the classic little black dress made famous by Audrey Hepburn, in the 1961 film, Breakfast at Tiffany's.
Caroline Adams for Debenhams, which polled 3,000 female customers on their fashion favourites, said: "Push-up bras have become a wardrobe weapon for millions of women across the world.
"It not only makes women feel incredibly sexy but it creates the ultimate cleavage.
"Push-up bras have revolution ised women's lingerie and remain a best-seller in-store.
"It's good to see boot cut jeans and stilettos in the top five fashion inventions - both items are classic wardrobe items and will never go out of fashion.
"It's interesting that more innovative products like chicken fillets and support-tights feature in the line-up too."
Despite being first introduced at the start of the twentieth century, it wasn't until the 1990s that push- up bras really became popular by Eva Herzigova's Hello Boys' Wonderbra advert.
The bra scooped almost 20 per cent of the vote in the poll.
Jan Shutt, owner of Sunday Best, in Bank Street, Rawtenstall, has another item which she hailed as the greatest fashion must have. She said: "I would say footless tights are the greatest fashion invention of all time and for all ages. They are perfect for every occassion.
"They mean you can wear shorter skirts without being bothered about white blotchy legs but still feel sexy without having to cover up. And now the latest invention is footless tights with stirrups which are even better. So you can have your feet out with painted toe nails and jewellery and all. They will be in the shops soon after going down brilliantly at London Fashion week."
Kathryn Neild, manager of Butterflies, Whalley New Road, Blackburn agreed with the poll.
She added: "While push up bras are great I would say the greatest invention is the jeans.
"They are so versatile and can be dressed up or down. Every woman should have a pair.
"The best type are the skinny jeans, they can be worn with anything from pumps to flat boots to heels and can be very casual or very dressy with accessories.
"Another very popular and brilliant invention is body shaper underwear, it really works!"
Michelle Berkins, of Michelle B, King Edward Terrace, Barrowford also voted the pull in pants as her favourite invention.
She said: "I would vote Spanx power pants from America as the best invention to date. They are selling so fast here now. I also think jeans are a must have and at the moment we have some Armani linen jeans which fit any shape they are fantastic."
Hilary Cookson, of Maureen Cookson, of George Street, Whalley said: "The love affair with accessories is, for me, a fantastic fashion statement of recent times.
"Their introduction has meant you can wear almost anything and if you accessorise you're fine.
"I also love the wrap dress it's a really great style but it cannot be carried off by everyone."
GREATEST FASHION INVENTIONS EVER
1. Push-up bra
2. Boot cut jeans
3. Pull-in pants
4. Stilettos
5. Little Black dress
6. Hipster jeans
7. Mini skirt
8. Strapless bra
9. Support tights
10. Kitten heels
11. Stockings
12. Sports bra
13. G-String
14. Flip flops
15. Chicken Fillets
16. Pencil skirt
17. Hot pants
18. Boy-shorts
19. Trainer socks
20. Comfortable trainers