Thread: where to by bra base?

I know I've seen posts about this before but they were never on my radar because I never needed one... but now I find myself saddled with a $700 costume disaster and it's either sell it at a huge loss (provided I can even find anybody to buy it), let it moulder forever in my closet, or try to remake the bra.

I'm hoping for a HEAVY bra, much stiffer than what you can find in a street bra. I need the cup equivalent of a 38D so support and stiffness is a must. any tips are welcome as well - if I do end up having to get a street bra maybe there's a way to reinforce it with bukram or something? back in the day when we had to make our own costumes Atira used to sell these awesome bras that were like foam cereal bowls...

Sugarpetals sells bra cups that might be helpful
Sugar Petals Dance Bra & Belt Forms

I use street bras thus far and it seems to be a lot easier to get moulded foam, comparatively firm cups these days. I have one bra which is based on such a bra, which I then stiffened (using a commercial stiffening product which looks a lot like PVA glue, to be honest). I think I could have stiffened it more. It does work!

I found the Sugar Petals cups disappointing, they were foam, exactly like I could have gotten on a street bra, and I waited WEEKS for them to arrive.

I used a pattern to make my bras, and used the same pattern to cut heavy fusible interfacing in the same shapes but without the seam allowances. Then I fused on the interfacing before sewing the pieces together. I'm sure you could do something similar to reinforce purchased cups. If you look at a regular seamed bra, you can see what shapes to cut.

I just ordered a molded cup w/ underwire bikini top from Victoria's Secret in the hopes that I can use it for a bra base--I'll post back later when I've got it to report on its usability...

I don't know if they come in a 38D, but Strappies by Vanity Fair are a pretty sturdy push-up. I wear a 36D. I'm building a costume on one right now...

Maybe Damiena will chime in... She bought bra cups from JoAnn's and stiffened them with hot glue. I think there are pix in the "what are you working on" thread.

The cups I bought were just molded foam cups and Latifa is right, I used hot glue to stiffen them. I am currently making a bra using the same type cups, and I have sewn strips of interfacing on the cups to add stiffness. Check out the "What is a Sahar bra made of" thread, it had some very useful information in it from several people. Also, perhaps Ozma will chime in, she makes lots of costumes.

Just remembered -- the best bra base I ever used was a molded foam bra that's made to be strapless and backless, the kind that attaches with adhesive strips on the sides. Lightweight but firm, comfy and virtually indestructible!

Originally Posted by badriya_al_ahmar

I just ordered a molded cup w/ underwire bikini top from Victoria's Secret in the hopes that I can use it for a bra base--I'll post back later when I've got it to report on its usability...

It arrived yesterday. The cups will need some stiffening, but they're already a good shape and the bra itself is very structurally sound with minimal bounce, as one might expect from swimwear. I'm going to have to build up the edge of the cups a bit though or I'll have audiences living in fear that I'll pop out ..l;,

For the curious, it's this one:
Victoria's Secret - Liquid halter top

Originally Posted by maiaraqs

I don't know if they come in a 38D, but Strappies by Vanity Fair are a pretty sturdy push-up. I wear a 36D. I'm building a costume on one right now...

I used this as well as the base for my bra and it worked really well.

Originally Posted by badriya_al_ahmar

I'm going to have to build up the edge of the cups a bit though or I'll have audiences living in fear that I'll pop out ..l;,

For the curious, it's this one:
Victoria's Secret - Liquid halter top

Oh, my. Yes, I imagine some buildup would be in order .w.:

My friend had great luck with "Aleene's Fabric Stiffener." She used it to make matching Slave Leia costumes for herself and me....we took regular ol' Victoria's Secret bras and soaked them in this stuff to make them firm. Since the bras had padding in them, it took a day or two for the bras to dry completely, but when they did, they were nice and hard.

Aleene's Fabric Stiffener

Originally Posted by nimah

My friend had great luck with "Aleene's Fabric Stiffener." She used it to make matching Slave Leia costumes for herself and me....we took regular ol' Victoria's Secret bras and soaked them in this stuff to make them firm. Since the bras had padding in them, it took a day or two for the bras to dry completely, but when they did, they were nice and hard.

Aleene's Fabric Stiffener

When you stiffen bras, how do you sew through them...like if you wanted to sew your covering material on to them? Seems like it would be too hard. I didn't stiffen my newest project, but perhaps I should have. It's too late now, I already covered it. And why do people like stiff bras anyway? Just wondering...

I have the same question about when to stiffen. I had a bra once where the designer coated the inside of the bra cups with hot glue after she was finished. it was all well and good until I had to move the straps or fix some beading - I needed pliers to pull the needle in and out.

stiff bras give a ton more support. not so big of a deal if you have a firm foam bra and you're smaller than a C cup, but beyond that the stiff cups are pretty necessary.

Originally Posted by badriya_al_ahmar

It arrived yesterday. The cups will need some stiffening, but they're already a good shape and the bra itself is very structurally sound with minimal bounce, as one might expect from swimwear. I'm going to have to build up the edge of the cups a bit though or I'll have audiences living in fear that I'll pop out ..l;,

For the curious, it's this one:
Victoria's Secret - Liquid halter top

How did it work out for you? I see that the liquid halter top is on clearance now, so I'm curious how it turned out as a costume bra base.