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Celebrity Bras For Breast Cancer

Sheryl Crow used 150 hot pink guitar picks to create her outrageous-looking brassiere. Cindy Crawford chose rhinestones and Bette Midler a battery-operated bee — all as part of an online auction of bras to benefit breast cancer research.

The sale of the 49 celebrity-designed bras is being offered by Sothebys.com and Los Angeles-based Expedition Inspiration, an organization that sponsors hikes — called "Take-a-Hikes" — for breast cancer survivors and supporters to raise awareness and money for treatment.

The auction was conceived by Take-A-Hike Chairwoman Tea Leoni, whose own creation features a sequined depiction on each cup of a pink ribbon, the symbol of breast cancer awareness.

Lee Dunbar, a senior vice president and director of Sotheby's collectibles department, said the celebrities sketched their own designs and Frederick's of Hollywood, which underwrote the project, made them.

A few stars, like Annette Bening, sewed their own.

Her strapless brassiere is described online as having "a lovely taupe ribbon sewn into the top and bottom" and a label that says, "Hand sewn by Annette Bening" in gold marker.

Asked about the appropriateness of selling bras to raise money for breast cancer research, Dunbar said, "It keeps the focus on what the cause is."

Olivia Newton-John and Fran Drescher — both breast cancer survivors — have donated bras for the auction, she said.

"I think people understand the whimsy and the artistry of the bras themselves and the seriousness of the cause and the purpose behind it," Dunbar added.

Jennifer Aniston came up with her design with husband Brad Pitt. It features a black strapless bra with a scan of her hand on the right cup and his hand on the left. Each cup is accented with black letter beads that spell out "Lay Your Hands on Me."

Dunbar said some of the bras were even wearable, especially Goldie Hawn's lavender lace rendition of rhinestones and beaded fringe, and Kelly Preston's creation of white and yellow daisy patches and mini rhinestones.

"But some of them might be uncomfortable," Dunbar conceded.

The auction expects to raise between $50,000 to $100,000 for breast cancer research at the University of California and the University of Southern California, both in Los Angeles.

The online auction began on April 1 and will run through April 18. The brassieres are valued at $2,000 to $4,000, with opening bids starting at $500.

On Tuesday — the eighth day of the auction — 29 of the 49 bras had bids, with the highest at $2,965 for Leoni's design.

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