Britney's Bra: Not for Sale

Mon., Oct. 10, 2005 1:00 PM PDT by Joal Ryan

The Britney Spears' bra sale was a bust.

Writing on her Website that she was "concerned" that audiences might confuse the "jewel encrusted" brassiere with the broken cup link for "something that it's not," Spears has removed the undergarment from an eBay-hosted charity auction.

This is the second time the bra has been pulled from the auction site, though the first time Spears has done the pulling.

The fancy frill was the star attraction among a lot of cast-off T-shirts, hats, Funky Munky shorts, jewelry, wristbands, barstools and compact umbrellas once owned, used and, in some cases, modeled by the pop star. All proceeds from the sale were to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated Spears' home state of Louisiana.

Last Wednesday, eBay gatekeepers delisted the big-ticket bra, judging it to be in violation of the site's undergarment policy, which forbids the sale of previously worn delicates. But later that same day, the Spears supporter was back on the block, with the online auction house having decided the bra was more entertainment collectible than used undie.

Bidding was brisk. At one point Thursday afternoon, the relisted lingerie was going for $33,100. By Saturday, the bra peaked at about $47,000. (Those old umbrellas, by comparison, could be had for well under $100.)

Then Spears demurely put the underwire under wraps.

In explaining on her Website why the sale was scrapped four days before its scheduled Oct. 12 close, Spears said that the auction had "exceeded our original expectations," and that she didn't want anybody to feel "misled" by her underwear.

It seems Spears was worried that enthusiastic bidders believed she'd worn the bra--an "intricately designed" twin-assets keeper decorated with "white stones and silver-tone beads"--on stage for her 2001 HBO special, Britney Spears: Live from Las Vegas. She did not. As the eBay listing noted, she wore the brassiere in promos for the special, but not the special itself.

Bra or no, the Spears garage sale produced some big results. Over the weekend, according to a press release, a pair of jeans went for $4,001; a tank top with the inscription, "I Have the Golden Ticket," for $1,200; and, a pair of Chanel heels for $770.

And the clearance continues. As of Monday, there were 125 artifacts from the Spears archives still up for bid on eBay, among them: Chaise lounge chairs; a Dixie Chicks tour tank top; and a pair of Nike sports socks. The most-desired item: A long black Gucci dress--an inexplicable size 38--with, at last check, a high bid of $960.