Bustier (from the French buste - chest) - extended to the waist bra can be a part of underwear, or a separate garment. Bustie covers and supports the breast, but may be smooth, and some other figures disadvantages, such as the stomach or no waist.
Since the end of the XIX century women wore a dress shirt made of linen or cotton to protect clothes from top corset hooks. With the disappearance of the bra and corsets, these shirts mutate into a bustier.
Who produced many kinds of bra - no straps, with bones, laced with a variety of finishes, as well as sets - with underwear, garter belt, etc. Closed bustier can also be a part of the wedding dress.