I wonder when the tradition of putting a little decorative bow between the cups of a bra began. Lots and lots and lots of bras have them, from the highest end lingerie lines like Eres, to the most practical and affordable ones such as Eberjey, that bow is there, just hanging out and saying “Hi! I’m girly.” Panties too. Bows are often sitting there, right below the belly button, just sort of existing for the sake of existence. It’s such a common thing that I barely even notice them anymore, I just take them as a given. And it’s not that I don’t like the bows. I’m not one of those people who cuts them off or anything, although it is easily done. One careful snip and bye bye bow bow. No, the bows are fine by me, I even think they’re pretty cute. I just kind of wonder why they’ve become the standard thing. I can understand functional bows on a bra. Designs such as the Divorcee by The Lake and Stars, and the Star Bra by Beau Bra are actually held together by their bows, which is fun because they allow the person wearing them to be opened like a gift, good times, but really functional bows are a rarity. More often than not even the big fancy functional looking bows like the one on the Delicate by Princesse Tam Tam are merely decorative. After much thought and absolutely no research, the only answer I could come up with is that in the early days of brasseries, the bows were, in fact, always of the functional sort. However, in the wake of modern elastic technology, the tie fastens gave up their load-bearing duties and have since retired to more of a figurehead status, like some grand old matriarch who’s living in a time that’s not her own, but still refuses to be forgotten. Such proud little bows, they are. Funny little things.