Bullet bras made their first appearance in 1941. It was under the Perma-Lift brand. Ads for the new style of bras captivated customers with promises of supreme comfort and support all in one. Before that, bras did not really offer support.
The Perma-Lift was made without underwires- only stitching forced the cups to keep their shape. At first the look was considered too far removed from the good girl look that preceded it but as soon as women started seeing celebrities wearing it, the negative, too sexy image evaporated.
The shape of the bra cups were conical, but since it was wartime, the terms “bullet bra” and “torpedo bra” both stuck around. Just like the new hairstyle was called Victory rolls, so the newest bra was given a name that reflected the times.
The 1940s was a decade torn apart by World War II, but the war also gave rise to a whole new culture of glamor. As had been the case in the 1930s when people were seeking solace from the woes of the Great Depression by going to the movies, films were highly influential in the 1940s as well. The cone shaped, bullet bra became extremely popular among Hollywood stars such as Marilyn Monroe. Because of the shape of bullet bras, sweaters clung tightly to it and created what was known as the “Sweater Girl” look.
The bullet bra was made of nylon. Many women ironed their bra to make sure it had a perfect form and even at times added extra stuffing.
The fashion of the bullet bra declined in the 1960’s due to the desire of women to have a more natural look.
Bullet bras despite their loss of popularity in the 1960’s are becoming more in demand as people, especially people who were not around the first time they were in style, are embracing everything vintage.
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