A bandeau (pl. bandeaux, the diminutive of band, that is, to bind centrally, in French), is a strapless garment worn around a woman's breasts. It may be fastened in the front or back or be sufficiently elastic so as to have no fastener at all. In a strict sense a bandeau has but two edges, although it is sometimes manufactured with a halter strap that goes around the neck. A wide bandeau that covers much of the midriff is sometimes called a tube top.

As a silhouette the bandeau has been worn since Roman times. In the 1920s the term referred to a simply shaped brassiere, usually of a soft fabric and delicate trimmings providing little support or shaping. It was sometimes made from an elastic material to flatten or suppress the breasts in the style of the period. When the "boyish" silhouette went out of fashion, the word "brassiere" or later "bra" became the term for more shapely support garments.

The bandeau emerges as the top part of a deux-pièces swimsuit during the 1940s. In the 1950s the bandeau incorporates foundation to structure (or improve) the contours of the body, while still retaining a relatively simple circle or band shape, emphasizing the bare midriff. Its popularity in swimwear declines during the string bikini era, but it is re-introduced in the 1980s, especially with Spandex and other stretch fabric blends. Side stays, v-wire in the center front, O-rings, and the twisted top are popular design elements.

The strapless bandeau, or tube top, is also worn as casual wear and sports wear starting in the 1970s, and is sometimes worn as part of a sportswear ensemble and paired with a cropped jacket or bolero, lending a glamorous or "fast" air to the wearer.

The term bandeau also refers to the white cotton cap worn underneath a thin headband by the nuns of many Catholic religious orders. Together with the wimple (which covers the cheeks and neck) and black crepe it forms the white coif.

Variations and relatives

• A bandeau is related to other strapless foundation garments including a torsolette, corset and bustier
• A "bandeau" with shoulder straps is a brassiere
• A "bandeau" with a neck strap is a halter

External links

• Bandeau with Uplift