So You Want to Buy a Pointy Bra

I wonder where you got that idea!

As far as trends go, molding your breasts into the shape of something that could kill a man, is pretty cool. The “bullet” bra first emerged in the 1940s and became especially popular in the 1950s when the sculpted shape and use of the bra by celebrities such as Jayne Mansfield and Marilyn Monroe perpetuated the widespread desire for the form. The bullet bra was a significant departure from earlier bras' soft, natural curves and offered a more structured, youthful, and exaggerated silhouette.

These false expectations of mid-century femininity slowly faded until the confluence of Madonna’s JPG conical revival and the uplifting Wonderbra of the 1990s brought us right back into padded suppression.

Fashion is a funny business. It would seem that in response to our Ozempic-induced lack of curves, designers are compelled to add them back onto the figure this season falsely. Oh, how the pendulum swings! Daniel Roseberry’s Schiaparelli couture in January left my jaw on the floor. Some of the silhouettes left me questioning reality for days.

However, there was something different in the appearance of pointy bras under colorful ribbed knits at Miu Miu. Unlike the original midcentury shapewear, this extra-erect iteration presented as a conversation on the abstraction of one’s natural forms rather than a standard of perfection.

Photo via Miu MIu

It’s not semi-erect. No, these triangles could cut a throat!

Although I initially interpreted the collection as a twisted take on the sartorial elements of a Sciura, Mrs. Prada seems to have spun a much more timely twist into this collection. Inside the Mood and Davide Rizzini (who curates the wonderful Manuela Pavesi page) created the above post, musing on Lisetta Carmi’s I Travestiti as a possible inspiration for the collection. It’s a brilliant connection, and Lisetta Carmi’s work is worth a serious deep dive.

Image via Nicolo Beretta

Above, a close-up of the new bra.

My vintage-inspired bra

I was in the mood for a pointier bust several years ago after arriving in Milan and frequenting all the small lingerie and pajama stores. I purchased the above model, and although I cut out the tags on mine for comfort, I believe it’s an iteration of this one.

The elevated perk of my vintage-inspired bra.

If you’re interested in experimenting with the form, I found and linked some great vintage options below. They’re mainly from Etsy, and a few with fun packaging from eBay. Have your measuring tape handy because the sizing is all over the place. My styling (above) from a few years ago is perhaps a bit too lady-like. It is perhaps more interesting to pair a traditionally feminine element like the bullet bra with something unexpected, like a pair of menswear-inspired brogues and socks. Another idea would be to layer it under silk dresses, as seen on the runway and on this great vintage miu miu.