Halter tops

Fashion Synopsis

As a swelling number of women decided that bras were just a means of keeping them subservient to men, the bras were burned and the bosom set free. Luckily for the newly braless, the halter top was gaining in popularity, making the freestyle a little more manageable.

The halter was the shirt style of the leisure-happy and 'let it all hang loose' 70's. The halter helped to support the wayward bosom by means of separate compartments and a sturdy neck tie. The backless design flaunted the freedom experienced without the constriction of a bra: after all, if you did wear one, you’d look pretty silly with the straps hanging out.

The halter top actually made its first appearance in the 1930's, first as an elegant neckline for evening gowns, and by the 40's it was commonly seen as leisure wear for the beach. Halter tops were a result of wartime fabric rationing, and since the material and construction effort for the tiny top was much less than a more traditional cut, wearing a halter was doing your part for the war effort.

The long halter dress and jumpsuit of the 30's returned as a popular choice for casual and entertaining wear in the 70's, and the halter remain a favorite sexy top today, in midriff and full styles. Even the entirely 'backless' designs of the late 90's owed their origins to the halter top.

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