A bra, short for brassiere or brassière (US: /brəˈzɪər/, UK: /ˈbræsɪər/ or /ˈbræzɪər/; French: [bʁasjɛʁ]), is a form-fitting undergarment that is primarily used to support and cover a woman's breasts. A typical bra consists of a chest band that wraps around the torso, supporting two breast cups that are held in place by shoulder straps. A bra usually fastens in the back, using a hook and eye fastener, although bras are available in a large range of styles and sizes, including front-fastening and backless designs. Some bras are designed for specific functions, such as nursing bras to facilitate breastfeeding or sports bras to minimize discomfort during exercise.

Although women in ancient Greece and Rome wore garments to support their breasts, the first modern bra is attributed to 19-year-old Mary Phelps Jacob (later and better known as the New York publisher and activist Caresse Crosby) who created the garment in 1913 by using two handkerchiefs and some ribbon. After patenting her design in 1914, she briefly manufactured bras at a two-woman factory in Boston before selling her patent to the Warner Brothers Corset Company, which began mass-producing the garment. The bra gained widespread adoption during the first half of the twentieth century, when it largely replaced the corset. The majority of Western women today wear bras, with a minority choosing to go braless. Bra manufacturing and retailing are key components of the multi-billion-dollar global lingerie industry. (Full article...)

Footwear refers to garments worn on the feet, which typically serve the purpose of protection against adversities of the environment such as wear from rough ground; stability on slippery ground; and temperature.

• Shoes and similar garments ease locomotion and prevent injuries. Such footwear can also be used for fashion and adornment, as well as to indicate the status or rank of the person within a social structure.
• Socks and other hosiery are typically worn additionally between the feet and other footwear for further comfort and relief.

Cultures have different customs regarding footwear. These include not using any in some situations, usually bearing a symbolic meaning. This can however also be imposed on specific individuals to place them at a practical disadvantage against shod people, if they are excluded from having footwear available or are prohibited from using any. This usually takes place in situations of captivity, such as imprisonment or slavery, where the groups are among other things distinctly divided by whether or not footwear is being worn.

In some cultures, people remove their shoes before entering a home. Bare feet are also seen as a sign of humility and respect, and adherents of many religions worship or mourn while barefoot. Some religious communities explicitly require people to remove shoes before they enter holy buildings, such as temples. (Full article...)

Social dance

An illustration depicting eighteenth century social dance, with the caption reading, "A cheerful dance awakens love and feeds hope with lively joy." The focuses of social dance are sociability and socializing, which differs from other forms, such as ceremonial, competitive, or performance. Social dances are usually partner or group dances.

• ... that a poll published in The Daily Telegraph voted Björk's swan dress (pictured) the ninth most iconic red-carpet dress of all time?
• ... that the American Express Gold card dress worn at the 67th Academy Awards by costume designer Lizzy Gardiner was made from 254 expired American Express cards?
• ...that Malian fashion designer Chris Seydou pioneered the use of bògòlanfini, a traditional Bamana mudcloth, in international fashion?

Gwen Renée Stefani (/stəˈfɑːni/; born October 3, 1969) is an American singer and songwriter. She is a co-founder, lead vocalist, and the primary songwriter of the band No Doubt, whose singles include "Just a Girl", "Spiderwebs", and "Don't Speak", from their 1995 breakthrough studio album Tragic Kingdom, as well as "Hey Baby" and "It's My Life" from later albums.

During the band's hiatus, Stefani embarked on a solo pop career in 2004 by releasing her debut studio album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. Inspired by pop music from the 1980s, the album was a critical and commercial success. It spawned six singles, including "What You Waiting For?", "Rich Girl", "Hollaback Girl", and "Cool". "Hollaback Girl" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart while also becoming the first US download to sell one million copies. In 2006, Stefani released her second studio album, The Sweet Escape. Among the singles were "Wind It Up" and "The Sweet Escape", the latter of which was number three on the Billboard Hot 100 year-end chart of 2007. Her third solo album, This Is What the Truth Feels Like (2016), was her first solo album to reach number one on the Billboard 200 chart. Her fourth solo album and first full-length Christmas album, You Make It Feel Like Christmas, was released in 2017 and charted 19 tracks on Billboard's Holiday Digital Song Sales component chart in the United States. Stefani has released several singles with husband Blake Shelton, including "Nobody but You" (2020), which reached number 18 in the US. (Full article...)

• ... that fashion psychology is an interdisciplinary field that studies the interaction between human behavior, psychology, and fashion?
• ... that fashion journalists joked that it was "a miracle" that no models fell while walking the runway in the 12-inch (30 cm) armadillo shoes designed in 2010 by Alexander McQueen?
• ... that clothing physiology is the study of how clothing interacts with the human body and the environment?
• ... that Carlisle miser Margery Jackson, who chose to live like a pauper, possessed a fine court mantua?
• ... that across his thirty-six collections, fashion designer Alexander McQueen contemplated religion, told fairy tales, and criticized the fashion industry?
• ... that the aesthetic expression of clothing might entail emotions like "excitement, calmness, strength, and delicacy"?