What is the #1 costuming challenge I hear from Sparkly Belly readers?
It’s fitting.
Fitting costumes, finding the right size and right length, scaling patterns, not sure how to alter etc…
But there are many tricks you can easily use to create much better fit!
So over the next few posts, I’ll share with you the Perfectly Fitting Costume Guide!
Perfectly Fitting Costume Guide
Part 1: 10 Ways to Make Your Belly Dance Bra Fit (this one)
Part 2: 3 Perfectly Fitting Belt Tips
Part 3: 2 Easy Fixes for Loose Skirts
Of all the fitting problems, the most popular challenge is fitting of bras.
Bra fitting is tricky, because if you really want to fit your bra to your size, you’d likely have to do a whole surgery on your costume bra. It’s a nightmare if the bra is heavily beaded!
But there are many easier solutions to your bra fitting challenges.
So in this post, I’ll share with you 10 ways to make your costume bras work with minimal sewing. Let’s get started!
Watch video here:
Jump to Part 2: 3 Perfectly Fitting Belt Tips
10 Ways to Make Belly Dance Bra Fit
1. Add a strip of matching fabric
If your bra doesn’t give you enough coverage, this is a great way to seamlessly add it. Simply make a base out of grosgrain ribbon or interfacing, cover it with matching fabric and stitch it onto the bra. You can decorate it to make it seamless. Or re-use a matching accessory that you don’t use.
2. Add ruffles
If your bra cups are a little too small, you can disguise the bumps with some ruffles. Make ruffles out of matching or complimentary fabric, and simply add them to the tops of the bra cups. You can see how to make ruffles in this video.
3. Add appliques
Here’s another way to disguise imperfections or add a bit more coverage. Make your own appliques and add them to the top of your bra cups or wherever you need them. If your appliques are too thin, add felt on the back to make it sturdier. Here are 3 tutorials on how to make your own appliques:
Grape Vine Appliques (the photo above)
4. Add ruffle sleeves
If you are concerned about showing your upper arms, add soft, ruffle sleeves to the shoulder straps. These are the same ruffles as ones you saw earlier, except that these are much wider. Make them with light fabric like chiffon or lace to create the flowy appearance.
5. Use different types of fabric and balance the overall look
When you are adding ruffles and appliques, be sure to balance out the overall look by adding the same fabric to other parts of the bra and rest of the costume (like the red bra above). This way the additional parts don’t look like they were added. Instead people will think the costume came like that!
6. Add magic straps – diagonal strap placement
In belly dance costume making, simple straps can make a world of difference, and I call them magic straps.
They are just simple straps made from grosgrain ribbon covered with fabric. See how to make magic straps here.
If your bra cups are a little too big, try adding a magic strap or two at an angle from the tops of your bra cups. These straps help re-distribute the excess fabric and prevent gaping. And it provides more coverage, even though visually it’s not heavy. It’s like magic!
7. Change your shoulder straps to criss-cross
If your bra cups are a bit too big, try switching the shoulder straps to criss-cross at the back. This brings the cups a little closer together, and sit on your skin more nicely. See the detailed alteration tutorial here.
8. Wear a bolero, Turkish vest or shrug
This is a super easy solution if you want to hide your upper arms or the side flesh. It gives a fresh look to an old costume as well. You can find how to make the shrug and no-sew cowl neck top here:
9. Add padding
Adding a couple of pads can really reduce the gaping problem. And you can make your own pads! See DIY pads tutorial and best way to place pads in bra cups here.
10. Make thick shoulder straps
Thick shoulder straps that go from the bottom of the cups up to shoulder straps are a great solution for side flesh. They provide more support, especially if you are on a bustier side, and it’s a cute way to add coverage. If you want a lighter look, use chiffon or lace. You can simply gather it along the straps and sew or pin them in place with brooches.
So there you have 10 ways to make your belly dance bra work. Try 1 of these or combine a few, and you can make your costume bras more comfortable. And a comfortable costume will make you feel more confident on stage. 🙂
Now, what if you want to make a costume bra that fits you from the beginning?
If you’re making a costume, it makes sense to get the fitting right from the beginning, so you don’t have to fiddle with the costume design later.
So I’ve put together a step-by-step workshop where you can learn how to make a perfectly fitting belly dance bra. It’s called the Belly Dance Costume Workshop.
You’ll learn not only techniques to create a bra that fits you well and doesn’t gape, but also how to create a perfectly-fitting belt and skirt. Plus professional-looking beading techniques.
You can learn more about this comprehensive workshop here!
Enrolment is open now, but it’s closing soon!
Thanks for reading, and keep sparkling! 🙂
Want to make more costuming bits yourself?
Sign up for my free course, Belly Dance Costume Making 101!
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