Hello! Welcome back to our course on the visual language of bras in popular media.
In our last lesson, we explored the highly structured and stylized world of Hollywood's Golden Age, focusing on the architectural bullet bra and the iconic 'sweater girl' silhouette it created. This look was all about sculpting the body into a specific, dramatic ideal.
Today, we're making a significant leap forward into an era defined by the exact opposite principle: naturalism. This lesson directly addresses the learning outcome: to describe how the sexual revolution of the 1960s-70s influenced braless styles and the visibility of the 'soft bra' on screen. We will examine the cultural shifts that led women to reject constrictive undergarments and see how this newfound freedom was portrayed in film and television.
The Social Revolution Behind the Style
Before we look at the clothes, it's essential to understand the cultural earthquake that triggered these changes. The 1960s and 70s saw the rise of second-wave feminism, a greater openness about sexuality, and new ideals of female independence. Given your background in social research, you're likely familiar with this period's dramatic shifts in social norms surrounding relationships and identity. Fashion became a powerful and visible expression of these new ideas.
To get a sense of this context, please start by reading about the societal changes that created the "swinging single" and redefined women's roles.
[PDF] The History of Television and the Single Girl in America from 1960 ...
This document, 'The History of Television and the Single Girl in America,' provides a concise summary of the cultural forces at play during this era, from feminist consciousness-raising to the impact of the birth control pill.
Read the two sections starting with 'and Students for a Democratic Society...' and ending with '...voices of the feminine'. Focus on the emergence of the 'swinging single,' the influence of Helen Gurley Brown, and the impact of the birth control pill on women's sexual and social freedom.
As the reading highlights, the desire for self-fulfillment through careers and independence began to replace the rush to marriage for many women. This cultural shift came with a rejection of the previous generation's restrictive clothing, including girdles and the heavily structured bras we discussed in the last lesson. The move towards liberation was literal—a casting off of constraints.
The Braless Look Takes the Screen
The most direct sartorial consequence of this movement was the braless look. This wasn't just a private choice; it became a visible statement on screen, synonymous with the modern, liberated woman.
A great example of this is seen in the popular 1970s TV show Charlie's Angels.
This image captures the essence of the new ideal: comfortable, athletic, and natural. The bra is not being used as a tool to reshape the body.
Let's look at some specific case studies from film and television that cemented this look in the public imagination.
Case Study 1: Jane Fonda in Klute (1971)
Jane Fonda's Oscar-winning role as Bree Daniels presented a complex, modern woman whose wardrobe was integral to her character.
Feast Your Eyes: A Tour of the Sartorial '70s
The Criterion Collection's article on 1970s film fashion provides excellent context. This section specifically analyzes the costumes in the film 'Klute'.
Please read the section on 'Klute (1971)'. Pay attention to the description of Bree Daniels' wardrobe, particularly the phrase 'tight knit shirts (no bra)'.
As the text notes, the choice for Fonda's character to wear tight tops without a bra was deliberate. It communicated a sense of sexual confidence, modernity, and a rejection of conventional norms that was central to her character and the film's gritty, realistic tone.
Case Study 2: Marlo Thomas in That Girl (1966-1971)
The shift was also happening on network television. Marlo Thomas, star of the sitcom That Girl, made a conscious decision to adopt the braless look on screen, reflecting a trend that was gaining popularity in real life.
[PDF] The History of Television and the Single Girl in America from 1960 ...
Let's return to 'The History of Television and the Single Girl in America' to see how this trend played out on television.
Read the section that begins 'Over the seasons, other fashion trends...' and ends with '...glad to be a girl.''. This passage directly quotes Marlo Thomas on her decision.
Thomas's quote, "God created women to bounce, so be it," is a perfect encapsulation of the era's philosophy. It championed a natural body over a constructed one.
The Rise of the "Soft Bra"
Going "braless" didn't always mean wearing nothing. It also spurred the popularity of the soft bra: an unstructured, unlined, and unpadded garment made of soft fabrics. Unlike the bullet bra, its purpose was not to create a new shape but simply to offer light support while allowing the natural silhouette of the breast to show through.
From a design perspective, this was a move away from architecture and towards comfort and transparency. Often, when worn under a thin top, a soft bra produced a look nearly indistinguishable from being fully braless, with the nipple outline sometimes visible.
This visual comparison clearly demonstrates the aesthetic choice. The look on the left is a deliberate move towards naturalism, making the shape of the body visible through the clothing, which was a core tenet of 1970s style.
While some productions, like Klute, were overt in their styling, others, like The Mary Tyler Moore Show, approached these changing norms with more subtlety, reflecting a woman who was independent and modern but in a less radical way. The show famously hinted at Mary Richards having an active sex life and taking the birth control pill, reflecting the evolving reality for many single women, as discussed in section 3 of "The History of Television and the Single Girl in America." Her wardrobe, while contemporary, was more understated, but still a world away from the restrictive styles of the 1950s.
Key Takeaways
This lesson charted a major pendulum swing in on-screen lingerie, moving from extreme structure to celebrated naturalism.
- The sexual revolution of the 1960s and 70s fueled a cultural movement toward female independence and a rejection of restrictive clothing.
- This manifested on screen as the braless look, a powerful visual signifier of the modern, liberated woman. Key examples include Jane Fonda in Klute and the popular aesthetic seen in Charlie's Angels.
- Alongside bralessness, the soft bra gained popularity. This unstructured garment prioritized a natural silhouette over the sculpted ideal of the previous era.
- These styles represented a fundamental shift in the function of the bra on screen: from a tool of body-shaping architecture to a piece that allowed for comfort and naturalism.
Next Lesson
This era of 'letting it all hang out' was, like all trends, a reaction to what came before. In our next lesson, we will see the pendulum swing again. We will explore the 1980s, an era of excess and power dressing, and analyze how films like Flashdance helped popularize athletic wear and lingerie as bold, visible outerwear.