It's time to mark two important milestones in the history of underwear.

This year is the 100th anniversary of the popular coining of the word "brassiere." And 2008 will mark 25 years since Madonna began publicly exposing hers.

The significance of the first is more apparent than the second, but both have left indelible prints on our undergarments' evolution from bone-filled torture devices to outerwear worn loudly and proudly.

In 1907, Vogue used "brassiere" to describe a type of bust supporter-protector. By 1911, brassiere, a French word that in early origins referred to a soldier's arm guard or shield, was in the Oxford English Dictionary.

The modern bra itself didn't start taking shape until about 1910. That's when New York socialite Mary Phelps Jacob, wanting something to replace a whalebone corset underneath a sheer evening gown, enlisted her maid to help her stitch together two silk handkerchiefs with some pink ribbon and cord. In 1914, Jacob received a patent for her "backless brassiere," and the world was on its way to the bra as we know it.

Over the years, NASA is possibly the only entity that has poured more money and brain power into research and development than the bra industry. From the practical — the invention of cup sizes and adjustable straps, fabric improvements, the sports bra — to the gimmicky — the bullet bra, the Wonderbra, the water bra — bras are constantly evolving.

Fabric is the biggest comfort focus. The latest trend in that area is bamboo, said Suzanne Gleason, manager of Maison Rouge, an intimate apparel store in St. Petersburg. "Bamboo is more comfortable than cotton is," she said. "It's naturally antibacterial." And because bamboo is a quickly renewable resource, it's eco-friendly.

Many thought Madonna started nothing but a fad when in 1983 she surfaced wearing a bra like it was no different from any other top.

"By doing that, (Madonna) made herself an icon," Gleason said. "And to this day, I find it remarkable that she's still an icon. And women look to that and think, 'Hey, I can do that, too.' You can be as sexy as you want to be."

Bras as outerwear were eventually joined by bustiers and corset tops (without bones in them). Then slips started being worn as dresses. Camisoles became a dressier kind of tank top. And underpants started peeking out of outer pants.

"People are buying bustiers and corsets ... to wear with jeans, or slacks or skirts," Gleason said. "In Florida in particular we can wear these things year-round, with a jacket or sweater over it as well, and it looks fabulous. It's very fashionable."