Adhesive Bras: The Stick-On Bra Swimsuit that Was Quite Distinctive in 1949 – Design You Trust

Adhesive Bras: The Stick-On Bra Swimsuit that Was Quite Distinctive in 1949

1
Nina Leen/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images/Mashable.com

In May 1949, Charles L. Langs announced a daring innovation in beachwear: a pair of bra cups a woman could affix to her breasts with an adhesive. His idea was to use individual strapless cups for each breast, backed with specially developed glue.

h/t: rarehistoricalphotos

The Inventor of Poses, Charles L. Langs sitting at his desk full of his inventions – strapless, backless, wireless bras gumming the adhesive strip which holds the cup on.
2
Nina Leen/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images/Mashable.com

Langs was a successful entrepreneur having made a fortune by chromium plating the grilles for Cadillac and Ford cars. He teamed up with industrial chemist Charles W. Waltonand together they produced an adhesive that remained in place when required and did not leave a sticky residue when removed.

3
Nina Leen/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images/Mashable.com

The adhesive brassiere, marketed as Posēs (pronounced “pose-ease”) was a bold proposition: a pair of discrete cups with frilled circumferences and sharp, protruding points), which could be worn as outerwear and facilitate an even tan. These individual bras aimed to be strong enough to hold fast during vigorous exercise and yet be easy and painless to remove.

4
Nina Leen/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images/Mashable.com

The inventors claimed that the cups would stay on even if their wearer jumped into the swimming pool from a 10-foot diving board. Any woman who has jumped into a pool wearing a strapless bathing suit top will surely dismiss this claim as misleading.

5
Nina Leen/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images/Mashable.com

The Life magazine article on 16 May 1949 noted that “For 5,000 years clothes have been draped, tied, buttoned, pinned and buckled on the human form. This year, for the first time in history, they will be glued on”.

The magazine claimed that the Posĕs design gave any woman “a startling look, especially when she is seen from the rear.”

6
Nina Leen/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images/Mashable.com

When running the enterprise became too challenging, Langs sold it out to another company called Textron Inc. However, customers complained about poor workmanship and failure to deliver the items.

That and the fact that strapless bras are not for every occasion and women, especially those allergic to the adhesive, meant that the trend died out quickly.

7
Nina Leen/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images/Mashable.com

Another reason why the style never took off was that the adhesive, known as the “rejuvenator”, had to be reapplied with each wear from an accompanying bottle. Eventually, Posĕs didn’t leave as much of an impact, as it soon faded into oblivion while brassieres continued to evolve.

8
Nina Leen/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images/Mashable.com

9
Nina Leen/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images/Mashable.com

If you want more awesome content, subscribe to 'Oh, Design You Trust,' our brand new Facebook page! Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

More Inspiring Stories

Jack London’s Extraordinary Photos of London’s East End in 1902
This Pennywise Balloon Lamp Is Adding A Terrifying Twist To Your Usual Home Decor
Tiny Oyster Pearls Are Intricately Carved into Wearable Skull Sculptures
This 1958's General Motors Firebird III Looks Like A Future Spaceship
34 Found Photos Capture People Posing With Their Volkswagens In The 1950s And '60s
Hairy Yoga Pants From Orenburg In Russia Have Swept Over The Internet
The Superb Bizarre Generative Artworks by Ai Ai Capitan
Japanese Modeler’s Terrifying Scarecrows Pit Cthulhu And Silent Hill Against Birds
Photographer Łukasz Zagraba Captured Amazing Old Car Cemetery In Poland
Golden Age of Facial Hair: Cool Photos That Defined Beard Styles of Victorian Men
Diathermy in Beauty Culture From From the 1930s
This Islandic Town Has 3D Zebra Crosswalk To Slow Down Speeding Cars
Retro Photoshop Tool Bar Enamel Pin: 3" Of Throwback Fun By Maxistentialism
Iconic Volkswagen-Inspired Sleeping Space For Kids
Artist Creates Fantastical Illustrations And Miniature Sculptures
Fascinating Vintage Photographs of Scooter Enthusiasts in Nebraska, 1945
Artist Brings Ceramics To Life
Vintage Men's Magazine: Cool Pics Of Cavalier's Beauties During The 1960s
An Artist Turned Biggest Retail Brands’ Bags Into A Chairs
This Is Not Your Granddad’s Creepy Brother: An Artist Makes Unbelievable Pro Silicone Masks
iPad App Gives Users Superman-Style X-Ray Vision
Pedro Pires Sculpts Large-Scale Skull Using 140 Life Vests And Rubber From A Refugee Dinghy
These Crocheted Halloween Costumes Are So Goddamn Cool!
These Vintage Photos Of Men At Computers Show We've Come A Long, Long Way