< As the Women's World Cup gets underway, a look at the history of the sports bra

As the Women's World Cup gets underway, a look at the history of the sports bra

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1188869644/1188869645" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

The Women's World Cup kicks off today in New Zealand. But there's one piece of equipment we're likely to see during these games that did not make an appearance in the men's tournament, the sports bra.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED SPORTS COMMENTATOR: Brandi Chastain does it. And the USA are world champions once again.

FADEL: After scoring that winning goal in 1999, Brandi Chastain tore off her jersey in celebration, revealing a black Nike sports bra. It was a watershed moment for the garment that made women's sports possible. NPR's Claire Murashima looks into its history.

CLAIRE MURASHIMA, BYLINE: Despite the high heat and humidity of a Washington, D.C., summer evening, players in a co-ed soccer league still turn out to play. And a bunch of them were eager to tell me about their sports bras.

KACIE FAKIH: My name is Kacie Fakih (ph). I have literally never forgotten to wear a sports bra.

AMANDA PEREZ: Amanda Perez (ph).

MURASHIMA: How's the sports bra?

PEREZ: She's always there for me, you know, supporting me.

ELLEN CLEMENTS: Ellen Clements (ph). Something I like to have at least seven of because we play so often. They usually last a while.

MADISON ETHERIDGE: Madison Etheridge (ph). With it on, women and men can play all the sports and run. And it's all kind of the same.

MURASHIMA: But that wasn't always the case. Lisa Lindahl co-created the sports bra in 1977 after being frustrated by the lack of support from regular bras while she was running.

LISA LINDAHL: My rather large breasts were uncomfortable bouncing around. I would buy regular bras that were one cup size too small. But the straps would stretch out and fall off my shoulders, and I was always yanking them back up.

MURASHIMA: Lindahl figured she could make a jock strap but for breasts.

LINDAHL: Same idea, different part of the anatomy, right?

MURASHIMA: Her friend, Polly Smith, sewed two jockstraps together and made the elastic bands cross in the back. They named their creation the Jockbra before rebranding it to the Jogbra. Competitors would eventually call their products sports bras. For Lindahl, her invention let her follow her passion for running.

LINDAHL: I loved it for spiritual reasons. It made me feel better. I had energy. I was creative.

MURASHIMA: It helped her deal with her epilepsy, which she's had for her whole life.

LINDAHL: I would have convulsions. And my body would betray me on a regular basis. And running really helped me cope with that.

MURASHIMA: Now her invention is changing the perception of what women can do before.

LINDAHL: The sports bra, no woman would ever take off her shirt. But that's not what's important. What's important is the sense of confidence and ability that correct athletic gear gives you.

MURASHIMA: Letting women around the world have their own Brandi Chastain moment.

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: Keep rolling.

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: Keep rolling.

MURASHIMA: Claire Murashima, NPR News, Washington.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.