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It was a cool evening in San Francisco when costume designer Betsy Heimann decided that she wanted —no, needed— a bra with sleeves. Betsy planned to wear a sleeveless Dolce & Gabbana dress to a party, but the chilly Bay Area evening warranted at least a little coverage. Women's Wear Daily explains that Betsy did what any designer would do: she cut the sleeves off her t-shirt and sewed them on her bra. When women went wild for the look, she knew she had a hit on her hands.
Betsy partnered with lingerie giant Cosabella to produce what is now known as the Betsy Bra— a cropped, push-up bustier with underwire and an adjustable backstrap. Priced between $120 and $160, it has three-quarter lace or microfiber sleeves, and transcends the divide between lingerie and clothing.
Betsy is currently dreaming up more variations on the popular design, including a leopard version, a sports-bra style, a sports T-shirt, swimwear and a line of Betsy bra-top dresses. So that separate bra and top trend that's plagued women for centuries? That may be a thing of the past.