# So what was it about 50s-60s bras that gave that pointy boob look, and why isn't that done today? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 5, 2013, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-it-about-50s-60s-bras-that-gave-that-pointy-boob-look-and-why-isnt-that-done-today/675617 "2013-12-05T23:30:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-it-about-50s-60s-bras-that-gave-that-pointy-boob-look-and-why-isnt-that-done-today/675617/1 "2013-12-05T23:30:54Z")
If you look at TV shows from the 50s and 60s, lots of pointy, stickin’-out hooters. I think it’s kindof a cool look. How did they structure the bras to make them look like that? And why isn’t that still done? It would seem to be bust-enhancing and attractive at the same time. Thanks for your insights! ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-it-about-50s-60s-bras-that-gave-that-pointy-boob-look-and-why-isnt-that-done-today/675617/2 "2013-12-05T23:38:19Z")
The cups on older bras were shaped from two relatively thick pieces of layered material (lining, padding, outer) and the seam, which arced across the nipple, tended to hold a specific shape. Modern bras have molded padding (even if it’s very thin) and loose liner and cover, so they mold a more naturally rounded shape. It’s also a matter of style. Even with today’s “natural” bras, there is considerable variation in uplift, shaping, cleavage deepening, etc. The same woman with moderately sized and slightly soft breasts can mold them a dozen different ways with just the JC Penney’s selection, let alone the designer and custom fit brands. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-it-about-50s-60s-bras-that-gave-that-pointy-boob-look-and-why-isnt-that-done-today/675617/3 "2013-12-05T23:39:35Z")
they’ll put somebodie’s eye out. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-it-about-50s-60s-bras-that-gave-that-pointy-boob-look-and-why-isnt-that-done-today/675617/4 "2013-12-05T23:45:14Z")
Cadillac bumper bullets were the style during those years. ---
**Author:** ![MoodIndigo1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@MoodIndigo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoodIndigo1)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-it-about-50s-60s-bras-that-gave-that-pointy-boob-look-and-why-isnt-that-done-today/675617/5 "2013-12-05T23:47:35Z")
Since I’m an oldie and was wearing a bra back in those days, I remember having to stuff kleenex in the bra so that the points would not wrinkle up and show under my clothes. If you had firm breasts that weren’t of the right shape (apples instead of pears), those bras never fit right. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-it-about-50s-60s-bras-that-gave-that-pointy-boob-look-and-why-isnt-that-done-today/675617/6 "2013-12-05T23:53:19Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > they’ll put somebodie’s eye out. Can you get your tongue stuck to them, though? ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2013, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-it-about-50s-60s-bras-that-gave-that-pointy-boob-look-and-why-isnt-that-done-today/675617/7 "2013-12-06T00:05:35Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Can you get your tongue stuck to them, though? Is that a double-dug-dare? ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2013, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-it-about-50s-60s-bras-that-gave-that-pointy-boob-look-and-why-isnt-that-done-today/675617/8 "2013-12-06T00:09:05Z")
> [@MoodIndigo1](#): > > Since I’m an oldie and was wearing a bra back in those days, I remember having to stuff kleenex in the bra so that the points would not wrinkle up and show under my clothes. If you had firm breasts that weren’t of the right shape (apples instead of pears), those bras never fit right. Conversely, if someone nowadays has breasts that are the right shape for those old pointy bras, do they fit into modern/rounded bras poorly? ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2013, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-it-about-50s-60s-bras-that-gave-that-pointy-boob-look-and-why-isnt-that-done-today/675617/9 "2013-12-06T00:41:21Z")
You can still find bras constructed that way, but the materials are less bulky and stiff now so the effect isn’t the same. I do recall my babysitter/older cousin had one that had concentric rings stitched in the cups to help them maintain that shape. I thought it was weird. ---
**Author:** ![Marion\_Wormer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d07c76/32.png) [@Marion\_Wormer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marion_Wormer)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2013, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-it-about-50s-60s-bras-that-gave-that-pointy-boob-look-and-why-isnt-that-done-today/675617/10 "2013-12-06T01:04:58Z")
The really pointy ones were sort of an exaggerated advertising thing. Young women had selections of bras that weren’t pointy. Not much in the way of photographic evidence remains of this unless you look at youthful pictures of your mom or grand mom. A pointy bra in my day was sort of slutty. Secondly, fabric has changed a lot since the fifties. It’s been decades since I’ve seen a cotton bra, much less worn one. And I think you really need that cotton with the concentric circles to give you the rocket nose look. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2013, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-it-about-50s-60s-bras-that-gave-that-pointy-boob-look-and-why-isnt-that-done-today/675617/11 "2013-12-06T02:21:05Z")
> [@Flywheel](#): > > Is that a double-dug-dare? Udderly. I can lick any pair in the house. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2013, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-it-about-50s-60s-bras-that-gave-that-pointy-boob-look-and-why-isnt-that-done-today/675617/12 "2013-12-06T03:00:32Z")
Thanks, my understanding of this matter has greatly increased! ---
**Author:** ![Learjeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/94ad74/32.png) [@Learjeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Learjeff)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2013, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-it-about-50s-60s-bras-that-gave-that-pointy-boob-look-and-why-isnt-that-done-today/675617/13 "2013-12-06T03:10:03Z")
Marketing and style. ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2013, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-it-about-50s-60s-bras-that-gave-that-pointy-boob-look-and-why-isnt-that-done-today/675617/14 "2013-12-06T04:41:20Z")
Maria Callas at her typewriter: [http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr\_m9soily9tR1rrnekqo1\_r1\_1280.jpg](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9soily9tR1rrnekqo1_r1_1280.jpg) KABOOM! (That’s the sound of your head exploding.) ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2013, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-it-about-50s-60s-bras-that-gave-that-pointy-boob-look-and-why-isnt-that-done-today/675617/15 "2013-12-06T05:00:08Z")
[Too dangerous](http://www.armoton.com/farside/pic/100-madonna.gif) in safety-critical situations. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2013, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-it-about-50s-60s-bras-that-gave-that-pointy-boob-look-and-why-isnt-that-done-today/675617/16 "2013-12-06T05:01:40Z")
There’s a bit of a Mad Men-ish interest in vintage-style underpinnings - you can buy modern versions of bullet bras at places like Secrets in Lace. (They also have really nice garter belts that hold everything up. And girdles just like Grandma used to wear.) ETA - since the bra sizing is really unforgiving in those styles because of the materials, they do also sell little pads to fill the points out. ---
**Author:** ![jrsone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jrsone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jrsone)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2013, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-it-about-50s-60s-bras-that-gave-that-pointy-boob-look-and-why-isnt-that-done-today/675617/17 "2013-12-06T14:08:26Z")
Madonna tried to bring it back in the 80s. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2013, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-it-about-50s-60s-bras-that-gave-that-pointy-boob-look-and-why-isnt-that-done-today/675617/18 "2013-12-06T14:49:22Z")
> [@Belowjob2.0](#): > > Maria Callas at her typewriter: Great set of lungs. But they’d rub callases all over your chest. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2013, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-it-about-50s-60s-bras-that-gave-that-pointy-boob-look-and-why-isnt-that-done-today/675617/19 "2013-12-06T19:08:08Z")
> [@Marion\_Wormer](#): > > . . . Secondly, fabric has changed a lot since the fifties. It’s been decades since I’ve seen a cotton bra, much less worn one. And I think you really need that cotton with the concentric circles to give you the rocket nose look. I think you’re right. It wasn’t just cotton, it was stiff cotton. The sides and straps were also heavy cotton, with lots of reinforcing stitching. I never wore one, but I did laundry as a child and they looked more like harnesses than today’s bras do.