Thread: removing underwire from costume bra

So this costume is really lovely but the underwire is a big no-no on me. it's pretty hard (read: painful) and not the right shape (costume must've been designed for someone with a bigger frame than me, bra cups are sticking out on the side of me lol)
I can make this work i'm sure, if i remove the underwire from the bra that was used as a base.
But i have no clue how to do that...

it looks like the bra was first covered, then beaded. not 100% sure, but seems the sewing of the beading get into the bra cup too.
I was thinking of making an incision at one of the ends of the underwire, on the inside and the bra, and just sliding it out.
sounds easy enough, but i've never done this before. is there a catch? any chance the underwire would be glued in or something?

i'm just looking for some tips/advice from someone who's done this before.

thanks! :)

What you described should work. Just remember that once you have removed the underwire, the bra becomes pretty unwearable on it's own.

{{{HUGS}}}

Try one opening and removing the wire. I had one costume with so many stitches around the wire I had to make an opening on both ends of the wire, use pliers to open the folded tip of the wire on one end and pull the wire from the opposite end.

As tahiradancer referred to the wires shape the cups. I always replace underwires with wires from my older bras, stitched beneath the lining. Unfortunately without underwires my costume cups feel sloppy and the bras tend to allow breast seepage.

well i only have A/B cups so boob seepage is a minimal problem generally lol, and the bra in itself feels pretty hard even without the underwire considering all the beading and all, but yeah i was considering either replacing the underwire with another, or sewing the bra onto one of my bras, depending on how it all works out.

thanks for the advice girls! :)

I'm an A/B too and I did this with a bra that was two sizes too big for my frame. I opened both ends and pulled the wire part way out and had my husband snip it off with wire cutters and rebend it for me. This worked really well for me. I could tell by feeling the edges of the bra about how much needed to come off. I also took off the beading on the edges and a row or two of sequining/beading and reshaped/resized the top edge of the bra. I think I took off about 1/2" and then tapered it back into the original shape of the cup, taped it with narrow nonstretch grograine, rebeaded, and it now fits like it was made for me!

good to know :)
i'm thinking of removing the wire completely though, cos it really feels rock hard against my body and ouch!! so i'll remove it and then see what next lol

This is the bra:

Originally Posted by Kathiya

good to know :)
i'm thinking of removing the wire completely though, cos it really feels rock hard against my body and ouch!! so i'll remove it and then see what next lol

I think that once you remove the ends and shorten the wire you probably wouldn't feel it. That was my experience.

okies, thanks :) i might try that then

hmm, ok, so i uh accidentally snipped some of the beading string *ohnoez!*
it's nothing phenomenal, just a bit of the edging, should be ok to put it back afterwards, but what do i do? so far about a dozen tiny bead came off, they'll be ok to put back, but my problem is that the string is loose, i'm gonna keep losing beads unless i knot it. how do i knot it though, it's like 1cm long... should i take off the next 30 beads until it's long enough to knot? ir is there any other way to 'stop' it?

Originally Posted by Kathiya

okies, thanks :) i might try that then

hmm, ok, so i uh accidentally snipped some of the beading string *ohnoez!*
it's nothing phenomenal, just a bit of the edging, should be ok to put it back afterwards, but what do i do? so far about a dozen tiny bead came off, they'll be ok to put back, but my problem is that the string is loose, i'm gonna keep losing beads unless i knot it. how do i knot it though, it's like 1cm long... should i take off the next 30 beads until it's long enough to knot? ir is there any other way to 'stop' it?

I would take off enough so that you have a string long enough to tie. They're really easy to put back especially when it's a small section.

You could fray check the end for a quick fix and then sew down the next few beads that haven't fallen off yet and use the thread you tie down the loose beads with to knot the end of the original thread. I have done this a few times and it has worked. I hope that made sense!

Originally Posted by banatsusan

I would take off enough so that you have a string long enough to tie. They're really easy to put back especially when it's a small section.

okies.

Mintaka, i donno what fraycheck is, never heard of it before coming to bhuz, but it doesn't sound like something we'd have here.. lol. lucky us ^^

Fraycheck is a glue for fabrics, available in most fabric stores and craft stores. If you have a drop of Elmer's glue it would probably stop the damage. Later you could run a needle through the beads close to the loose thread.

oh ok, so it's just a glue. i figured from the way people seemed to be using it, but wasn't sure. Elmer's glue is that white liquid "school" glue, right? let's see if i have some of that around.

hehe. i'm actually really enjoying taking this apart. kinda sadistic maybe... but i love seeing how things "work" :D

omgwtf!!! so this underwire is some silvery metal, 2mm in diameter!! with a hook at each end... it's so hard we can't unfold it, tried cutting it too with no success, it was hardly even indented. it's late night and my parents are asleep but my bro said tomorrow morning we'll try with the hammer. or we'll try sawing but I gotta say, i'm scared for the costume. there's already some beading coming all undone, and it must not be liking all this fiddling and potential violence.
Gah!!!

It'll be okay! The beading can be put back. The wire in mine was huge too. That's why I had to have my husband cut it and bend it for me. I really don't think I could have pulled it out of the bra. He cut the wire with heavy duty wire cutters. And rebent it with brute strength! Good luck!!

I wouldn't use elmers glue - it might soften if it gets warm or damp from sweat. I'd use superglue or nail polish first - but try asking at your local fabric store. they probably carry a fray-check type product.

when I accidentally snip a beading thread, I don't ever unbead and knot - I just go back and run a new line of thread through the last inch or half inch of beads that haven't come unravelled yet, and that always works just fine.

NYAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! i FINALLY managed to remove the buggers!!
i really have to raise the question though, who the hell puts mega bars of some kind of steel superalloy in bras???

ahhhh... now to rest my hands in some ice water.... and then sew back all the beads that fell off...
tomorrow, off to buy an überstuffed bra to sew this little wench onto!