Thread: Sugar Petals bra cups

Who has bought these? what are they made of? what size do I order? (The chart doesn't show my size) I'm a 38D in a regular bra. Are they hard cups?

I'm making a costume with these cups right now! It has XXL cups, which are too small for the woman who will wear it, so I had to add an extra band of fabric on the top. The turquoise part is 2.25" tall on the edges, and it overlaps the Sugar Petals cups by 1", so you can't see the whole cup. They have a little lace trim on the top edges. I think the cups are pretty stiff and keep their shape pretty well while decorating, but I still have a lot of beading to do yet. I used the side parts that are option for constructing the bra, and that helped save a lot of time too.

I don't know what they're made out of. The inside feels kind of plastic-like, and the outside is foamy. (Sometimes the thread can rip through the foam, which I don't like.) They have underwire too.

thanks for the pic & info. what size would you say the XXL are?

The website says "XXL - 36DD > DDD." At the middle, they are 7.5" tall. The top edge is 9" across. At the seam, where the two pieces are joined, it is 9.75." (I took all of the measurements on the inside.)

That's the biggest size they have, and you can a little fabric to the top like I did. I just took a rectangle of fabric lined with very stiff fusible interfacing, folded it in half, and attached it to the front and back by folding the fabric under and sewing it by hand. The inside looks a little lumpy because of the curve though, but the outside looks good.

thank you. the measurements help alot. I think the XXL may be the best for me. I'm afraid of getting the XL and it not having enough coverage. you've been a big help. I think I may get the sides option to, save some time.

You can buy hard shell bras in Walmart or Target. If you do that, you can try them on, but you need to buy one size larger, and they're usually strapless.

Hard shell bras in WalMart & Target? Where? I don't think I've seen them.

Oh damn... I bought xl. I'm 38D too.
I've never seen hard shell bras in department stores. I've only seen bras with a thin layer of foam. These (sugar petal cups) are more stiff than department store bras.

do you know the brand name of the hardshell bras at wallyworld or target?

If Sugar Petals are not big enough, try 'Arlene's Classic Cups'. She makes larger sizes for sure. You should be able to google her contact info, if not PM me and I'll try to help.

IMO - I tried Arlene's, it didn't work for me. I was disappointed about the construction after all the hub-bub I've heard about Arlene's bra.
Not saying that it won't work for everyone, just that it didn't work for me.

Originally Posted by mahira-michelle

Hard shell bras in WalMart & Target? Where? I don't think I've seen them.

That's because you really can't buy "hard shell" bras at any mainstream discount store or dept. store anymore. I think the younger generation thinks that very firm foam cups are "hard shell".

"Hard shell" bras are made of very stiff heavy duty woven fabric layers. They are not seamless moulded cups made of foam. Hard shell bras are generally sewn out of two pieces of material -- one is somewhat marquis shaped and the other sort of U shaped. It is my recollection that Sugar Petal bras are true oldschool hard shells. There are probably still specialty bra shops in existance somewhere where you can get hard shell bras but it is not going to be Walmart, Target, VS, JC Penneys, etc.

I bought the ones that should have fit me-and they did, but they are the size of a lingerie bra, not a costume bra. Meaning I wish they had more coverage.

Originally Posted by Karnak

I'm making a costume with these cups right now! It has XXL cups, which are too small for the woman who will wear it, so I had to add an extra band of fabric on the top. The turquoise part is 2.25" tall on the edges, and it overlaps the Sugar Petals cups by 1", so you can't see the whole cup. They have a little lace trim on the top edges. I think the cups are pretty stiff and keep their shape pretty well while decorating, but I still have a lot of beading to do yet. I used the side parts that are option for constructing the bra, and that helped save a lot of time too.

I don't know what they're made out of. The inside feels kind of plastic-like, and the outside is foamy. (Sometimes the thread can rip through the foam, which I don't like.) They have underwire too.

Hey, this will help me, I think! I noticed that one of my bras just needed some material tacked on the upper edge, so yay: I feel more confident trying it, now.

You can buy the thin foam ones, and add heavy duty pellon to the inside to make it stiffer. I bought a hard shell bra at Target a few years ago, and it was a strapless. It wasn't real, real hard, but it was stiff enough to stay up on it's own. And when I added the fabric to cover the bra, it got stiffer.

I'm an XL and I wear your size...
Picasa Web Albums - Andalee
Picasa Web Albums - Andalee

Originally Posted by TexasRuya

do you know the brand name of the hardshell bras at wallyworld or target?

The one that I bought was Gilligan and O'Malley, but this was a few years ago.

For those looking for hard cups LOL!
Cool Guard Sports Bra With Insertion Cups by Century Fitness

Seriously though, I would like to find a bra that actually has the cups that sugar petals sells - in a 38D.

I found this but it's in a 34B.
Vintage Rigid Cups Bali Snowflake Strapless Bra ~ 34B at Heavenly Vintage Lingerie

Wow, I have never had a problem with Alene's cups. You do need to tilt them them correct way or they dont support you the way she intended them to. If you want to make a soft bra stiff, there is a product called "Stiffie" that you can buy at the fabric stores. Its a liquid and you squeeze it thru the fabric of the cups and let dry but dont use too much of it will turn your cups rock hard! (No off color jokes although it would pretty easy)

Does she sell just the cups? Oh! My mistake... I got a bra made by Atira not Arlene. How much does Arlene charge for cups?

Just to add about liquid stiffeners - add the stiffener after beading or it may be really hard to get the needle through the stiffened fabric. I read that somewhere.

Originally Posted by andalee-oriental

I'm an XL and I wear your size...
Picasa Web Albums - Andalee
Picasa Web Albums - Andalee

Andalee, to confirm what I'm thinking are those cups sugar petals and do they fit you?
I'm also a street 38D and purchased xl thinking "better to have too much than too little".
But now I think I'm just doomed. lol..cr.:

Yes, they fit. Here is a pic:

I should have tilted them more, but since I am going for a vintage look, I think it works.

Originally Posted by andalee-oriental

Yes, they fit. Here is a pic:

I should have tilted them more, but since I am going for a vintage look, I think it works.

This is stunning!

That looks great Andalee.

a product called "Stiffie"

*spits drink*

You couldn't sell that here. Well, you could, but the sniggering might cause another tectonic shift.