Costume alteration

[passion]

I recently bought a used professioal latin costume and the bra cups are too big for me. Anyone have any ideas of where I can buy different cups to sew and alter or any other suggestions? I'm really new at this. Thanks!

[twnkltoz]

Places like Jo-Ann fabric and Walmart sell sew-in bra cups.

[Larinda McRaven]

Contact one of the professional costume makers. They will sell you the cups for around $7. They have all different shapes and sizes, underwire or padded...etc.

If you are going to Ohio, this would be a great place to get them.

[pygmalion]

Joann and Walmart have them, but the instructions are pretty complicated if it's your first try. Plus I didn't find the cup size on the package to be accurate, unless I have been wearing the wrong bra size all these years. (A distinct possibility. :wink: )

Also, if you do your own, read the instructions carefully. There are different types of bra cups with different application methods, some methods much more complicated than others.

I'd go for a professional dressmaker, at least the first time, so you know what correctly done looks like. It shouldn't be too expensive. You just tack the cups in.

[passion]

Thank you so much for all of your suggestions!

[Chris Stratton]

I've heard of women finding a moderately inexpensive bra they like and cutting that up to sew into a dress. It seems like this would work better with some types of materials than other. Changes in the effective strap layout (or loss of a strap altogether on an open-back designs) might need to be taken into account. Probably more expensive than sewing-supply components, but maybe more available locally and easier to find something that fits?

[Katarzyna]

Chrisanne bra cups are REALLY nice and comfortable. Almost 3 times the price of the norman bra cups you get in the Fashion district though :(

[pygmalion]

The sewing store types I've seen are either basic cups made out of interfacing, or actual bra cups made of I-don't-know-what and molded into a perma-cup shape (for want of better terminology LOL) . The perma-cups come self-adhesive or sew-in.

The easiest option to get right, IMHO, is the sew-in perma-cups. The self adhesive makes correct placement a nightmare. And the interfacing cups basically require you to make a bra from scratch -- you have to make a fabric cover for the cups -- what a pain! And they're not underwire, which I know a lot of women prefer, because of the shaping.

Edit: After re-reading, what I said makes no sense even to me. Interfacing cups? Nope, IMO. Too much work and not enough lift. :wink:
Adhesive molded cups? Better, but triple check the placement before you take the covers off the adhesive tapes.
Sew in molded cups? My preferred option.

But to each her own. 8)

[pygmalion]

Chrisanne bra cups are REALLY nice and comfortable. Almost 3 times the price of the norman bra cups you get in the Fashion district though :(

Comfort? What a concept! :wink: :lol:

How are the Chrisanne cups different from the cheapie alternative? 8)

[Katarzyna]

They are kind of ... spongy???? and soft. And they create nice shape.... :)

I used some cups from sewing stores... That stuff is made of really stratchy material... We ended up covering them with velvet .... to make them wearable :)

[pygmalion]

Yep. Interfacing. Uugh!

I'll have to check out the Chrisanne ones. If you're going to spend big bucks on the dress, what the heck! Buy a decent bra to go under. Why not?

[Katarzyna]

In my case. When I have to invest in an expensive dress, it usually comes with bra cups. When it's something cheaper, it is usually such low budget experiment that I wouldn't consider spending more than $5 for the cups :)

[pygmalion]

The interfacing bra cups are about $5. The molded ones, at least at Joann's, are about $7. But that works out cheaper, once you consider the cost of the fabric you have to cover the interfacing with (unless you're making a garment from scratch, and have scraps lying around.)

[Laura]

I've heard of women finding a moderately inexpensive bra they like and cutting that up to sew into a dress. It seems like this would work better with some types of materials than other. Changes in the effective strap layout (or loss of a strap altogether on an open-back designs) might need to be taken into account. Probably more expensive than sewing-supply components, but maybe more available locally and easier to find something that fits?

If ladies save their older bras with too-stretched-out back elastic, they can later sew them into their dance dresses as Chris describes. I've been doing this for a while and it works better for me than any bra cup I've ever bought -- including those from Chrisanne -- because I'm a D cup.

[pygmalion]

I was going to complain about that earlier. The problem I've has is that costumes that come with cups included invariably have cups that are too small. Who says that, if you dance, you are automatically flat chested? :x

[Laura]

The other assumption seems to be that if you're big, it's fake, so they will stand up by themselves and you don't need underwires, straps, non-stretch mesh panels, etc etc. to keep them up and properly aligned.

[pygmalion]

LOL! You crack me up!!! But you're right. What these designers don't know about women's bodies ... is a lot. :lol:

[twnkltoz]

You know, when I was a teenager I hated being flat. Now, I love it! If I want to look bigger, I can wear a padded bra...and if I get tired of them, I take it off!

I get the molded cups from Joann, I guess. Not the interfacing ones. What I use is actually a sew-in bra, with cups and an elastic band along the bottom that sticks out on either side. Then, I get push-up bust enhancers and stick those in so it looks like I have boobs. The first one I did went in really easily, but the second one was hell (for no perceivable reason). I like the end result. 'Course, I've only done this twice and I haven't tried any of the other methods.

[emanuela]

The other assumption seems to be that if you're big, it's fake, so they will stand up by themselves and you don't need underwires, straps, non-stretch mesh panels, etc etc. to keep them up and properly aligned.
:( this worries me :(

[Laura]

If you can wear a bathing suit then you can wear a ballgown. It all depends on the cut. There are so many options I wouldn't get all paranoid about it. It's just that some options are more trendy/fashionable than others, that's all.

[emanuela]

If you can wear a bathing suit then you can wear a ballgown. It all depends on the cut. There are so many options I wouldn't get all paranoid about it. It's just that some options are more trendy/fashionable than others, that's all.
That's the point, for my cup size, I have to special order bathing suits from the UK, and it's a pain in the behind. As far as bras, I buy them in USA, but it's not easy to find a good one after pregnancy and breastfeeding. :(

[Laura]

If you have any bras that the elastic is going out on and you need to replace, save them. If you have a dress made, sometimes a dressmaker can use the cups for the dress itself. And in some cases the whole dress can basically be built on top of the bra.

Also, dresses can be designed to be worn over your regular bra. That's probably the easiest solution. It doesn't allow for a completely open back, but there are other options: double keyholes, replacing the back bra strap with a series of smaller covered elastic straps, cleverly fitted ladder backs....

[scullystwin42]

ok, i know i'm posting on an older thread, but i have a question about bra cups.

I'm thinking about putting together a dress inspired by this one: http://www.rhythmicrentals.com/subpage.html

for a show dance. I've got a question about the bra cups/straps on this - the top is a red mesh, but it appears that the bra cups are neutral. it looks kinda tacky on the hanger, but the picture in action doesn't look so bad.
http://www.rhythmicrentals.com/subpage123.html

ok: the question: should i 1) cover sew-in bra cups with flesh-tone fabric 2) cover them with a similar mesh fabric or 3) not bother with the whole mesh thing.

Note: i have c-cup breasts. they do tend to bounce. quite a bit.

thanks in advance!

[chachachacat]

The other assumption seems to be that if you're big, it's fake, so they will stand up by themselves and you don't need underwires, straps, non-stretch mesh panels, etc etc. to keep them up and properly aligned. :shock: :roll:

[wooh]

And in some cases the whole dress can basically be built on top of the bra.


That right there is my plan if I ever do anything needing something more special than what I wear social dancing, since being a squeeze into a H cup I need support, but I'm ever so paranoid about visible bra straps.