Thread: Dina/Sahar Bras... Need Help! Super Frustrated!

So I've always had problems w/ the Dina style bras. I like the look of them, but have never been able to get one to fit right. I've got this awesome Noussa/Nusa right now w/ Dina cups. The cups are padded a bit, but they gap a TON at the top. No matter what size I've had in these style cups in other costumes, I've never been able to figure out how to pad or arrange them in order to keep them from popping completely away from my chest. The cups on this even fit perfectly when I push the cup to my chest... it just won't stay there! Do you gals have any solutions for keeping them close to my chest? I just tried sewing several small straps on the tops to pull them closer to the chest, but I don't know if I like the look. I really don't want to have to completely redo the bra. Ideas? Pics? Is it just hopeless for an itty bitty B to wear one of these things?

I have this very same problem and would love to know why it works for some and what I can make them do to work for me.

I think it's the difference between real breasts and implants.

This is just an off hand, barely caffeinated guess, but I wonder if your bridge (the connector between the cups) is too short or too long. If the bridge is not resting against your chestwall, it might be pulling the cups towards each other and away from you chest. Too long, not enough tension between the cups.

I am a small B, but I have a wide bust point (for my rib cage size). The Dina bra I bought pretty much fit me out of the box (it came padded), so maybe its a boob placement versus boob volume issue.

However, I have not had nearly enough coffee for coherent thought. Maybe someone more in the costuming know (or more awake!) will weigh in with a better thought.

Haven

Originally Posted by ZohraMostafa

I think it's the difference between real breasts and implants.

It's not that.

....I have a dina bra and it fits fine, I'm not sure why some fit and others don't, I do know I don't wear the shoulder straps too tight as that makes my cups pop away from the chest. It's probably a combination of factors between the connector and the shoulder straps. I'm a small C.

Originally Posted by ZohraMostafa

I think it's the difference between real breasts and implants.

Nope! I have to agree with Nikki here. I'm a small DD, and I don't have implants. I don't wear the shoulder straps too tight either - they are the most comfortable and flattering costume bras I've ever owned (I'm wearing one in my profile pic) ..g.:

Hmmm...it´s hard to tell if there is no pic of you and your bra.
I´m a D with small ribcage and have Eman with Dina cups and clear straps. There is always a very tiny gap but otherwise it fits fine. I have to add i had to put the cups closer together to fit me...

It´s in my facebook album...not sure if you can see it if you are not added to my friend list...
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...00001439645859

I had the same problem. I'm a C on good days.

I fixed this issue by sewing the halter straps to contact more of the upper bra cup.
You can see in the pic below the lighter red thread is where I lengthened the contact between the straps and the cup.
I don't know the physics of what I did, but I assume the straps pulled the cups tighter out and therefor closer to my chest.

or maybe not. But whatever it did, it worked for me!

I'll try to get some pictures up here soon. I shortened the bridge on a previous dina bra and that helped, but there was still some gapping (in a supposedly B/C bra). I'm too afraid to cut this one up because of resale value. For now, I think I'm going to secure those extra straps I put on, take a pic, and see what you all thing about how it looks.

I FEEL your pain! Those bras need to go out of style, like, yesterday. LOL. Or at least, I'd like to see more bra options in Egyptian costuming. Dina bras are far from universally flattering.

Usually, I end up angling the straps and adding some sort of second strap to the top of the cup, near the center. (If you decorate the second strap, you can make it look like part of the bra design!)

I wrote a little tutorial about this last year. Hopefully this helps some of you:

http://carraranour.com/2009/07/a-few...cky-dina-bras/

I've got a Sahar bedlah coming my way and I'm kinda hoping I don't have to futz with it TOO much! ,r:;

Originally Posted by SatinWorship19

I FEEL your pain! Those bras need to go out of style, like, yesterday. LOL. Or at least, I'd like to see more bra options in Egyptian costuming. Dina bras are far from universally flattering.

There are no universally flattering bras. Never will be. Our array of breasts are just too multitudinous.

I'd also like to see more options...but I think there are a wide range of options in bras for dancers of a variety of styles and that very few of us are performing for any one group that imposes prohibitive limits in our costume choices. I've very rarely felt that any in-vogue costume style has ever seriously hindered my ability to find suitable costumes for myself. Frankly, trends that don't suit me have often increased the resale of costumes that DO suit me, at prices I can dig.

I'd say that the overall problem in costuming isn't the lack of a range of style options in general, it's a lack of a range of sizes in all those styles, the largest and smallest dancers are still not being catered to enough.

I know enough women who ROCK these bras and love them dearly that I wouldn't want to see them go out of style.

Originally Posted by SatinWorship19

I FEEL your pain! Those bras need to go out of style, like, yesterday. LOL. Or at least, I'd like to see more bra options in Egyptian costuming. Dina bras are far from universally flattering.

Usually, I end up angling the straps and adding some sort of second strap to the top of the cup, near the center. (If you decorate the second strap, you can make it look like part of the bra design!)

I wrote a little tutorial about this last year. Hopefully this helps some of you:

http://carraranour.com/2009/07/a-few...cky-dina-bras/


I've got a Sahar bedlah coming my way and I'm kinda hoping I don't have to futz with it TOO much! ,r:;

Thanks for the link!

I think the dina style bras look cute, but I have yet to meet one that I haven't had to do major mods to or just sell.

Here's a pic of the bra:


You can see the 3 thin black straps I've tacked down, but I don't think I like it and you have to pull them harder than I expected to hold the cup close to my chest. I was going to cover them w/ rhinestone chain, but now that I see the look, I don't thing I'm going to even go the straps route.

I might cut out the bridge like I did with my last one... it's going to be a pain in the butt since the cups and bridge are made of the molded plastic stuff. The cups are already super padded though, so pulling them together should work. I was just hoping it wouldn't come to that.

Thanks for all the ideas ladies!

OK this might sound like desperation but I have actually used duct tape.

On the inside of course...l;,

Originally Posted by ozma

I'd say that the overall problem in costuming isn't the lack of a range of style options in general, it's a lack of a range of sizes in all those styles, the largest and smallest dancers are still not being catered to enough.

I know enough women who ROCK these bras and love them dearly that I wouldn't want to see them go out of style.

I should definitely re-phrase! I wouldn't want them to go away completely, but it would be nice to see just a few more styles. Like I had a few of Eman's older bras and loved the demi-cup style because they never gapped or called attention to my, um, sternum. Sometimes, it just feels like Dina bras are all you see, and yet they cause so many problems on both ends of the boobage size/shape spectrum.

Of course, this is where it's up to each of us to decide which styles work and which ones don't, and shop wisely! Even though I'm a Sim and Bella fanatic, I just bought a Sahar off the Swap Meet....keeping my fingers crossed that her bra construction magic really is all that it's cracked up to be

Originally Posted by Elibelinde

OK this might sound like desperation but I have actually used duct tape.

On the inside of course...l;,

That makes two of us. Toupee tape is your friend! ..l;,

Originally Posted by SatinWorship19

Of course, this is where it's up to each of us to decide which styles work and which ones don't, and shop wisely! Even though I'm a Sim and Bella fanatic, I just bought a Sahar off the Swap Meet....keeping my fingers crossed that her bra construction magic really is all that it's cracked up to be

I've loved the Sahar bras I've worn and I know her designs do well here where the average dancer in the market is shaped a bit more in your range than in mine.

Originally Posted by SatinWorship19

That makes two of us. Toupee tape is your friend! ..l;,

OMG I love toupee tape! The gapping on this bra is waaaaaay too much for toupee tape to fix though... I'm talking about 1.5" of gap!

Lesedi, I don't have any advice for you, does pulling the shoulder straps up higher help? I second Nyla - halters seem to help too.

Now, that taken care of, let me begin my rant. I love Dina cups. And I have big ole natural D/DD boobs. I would like to dispell the myth that one needs fake breasts in a certain size to wear them. Also, I don't want these cups to go away, just because someone else doesn't like them. And, I hardly feel like they flood the market, I have a hard enough time finding them. So Dina cup haters, please take your haterade somewhere else. Kthnxbai. ..g.:

For those of you that do not believe that Dina bras can look good on large boobs - the first three of four photo albums in my gallery are in Dina cups. http://www.fatimadance.com/gallery.html

How are you padding the bra? If it gaps at the top, try padding from underneath and the outside to push you in and up. Leaving space for your natural tissue only at the upper/inner corner of the bra. Also, make sure you are wearing the back band high enough. It should really push you up and in, much more than a street wear bra...but you know that part.

There are ways to fix this problem. As I've not seen the bra in person I'm not 100% sure this will work, but:

1. Make sure that the straps on your back are tight enough and the bra fit you well under your brests.
2. Make sure that the padding is only under and outside of your brests.
3. Most importantly! Make sure that there isn't too much "edge" on the cups. You can remove some "edge" by moving the straps closer to the center. Just like it was done by crystalllized in her previous post with a photo. Eman Zaki always puts my shoulder straps 1 cm closer, when I get a costume from her. She knows!

Originally Posted by phillyraqs

Lesedi, I don't have any advice for you, does pulling the shoulder straps up higher help? I second Nyla - halters seem to help too.

Now, that taken care of, let me begin my rant. I love Dina cups. And I have big ole natural D/DD boobs. I would like to dispell the myth that one needs fake breasts in a certain size to wear them. Also, I don't want these cups to go away, just because someone else doesn't like them. And, I hardly feel like they flood the market, I have a hard enough time finding them. So Dina cup haters, please take your haterade somewhere else. Kthnxbai. ..g.:

For those of you that do not believe that Dina bras can look good on large boobs - the first three of four photo albums in my gallery are in Dina cups. http://www.fatimadance.com/gallery.html

Thanks for posting. I have been dying to know what they look like on large boobies. They're really hard to find though! You look gorgeous!

Originally Posted by crystalllized

I had the same problem. I'm a C on good days.

I fixed this issue by sewing the halter straps to contact more of the upper bra cup.
You can see in the pic below the lighter red thread is where I lengthened the contact between the straps and the cup.
I don't know the physics of what I did, but I assume the straps pulled the cups tighter out and therefor closer to my chest.

or maybe not. But whatever it did, it worked for me!

YES! This is exactly what I do and I can get pretty much any Sahar to fit my 34b's. It is a great trick and works every time! Can't recommend it enough.

Originally Posted by ZohraMostafa

I think it's the difference between real breasts and implants.

Myself and many other natural girls wholeheartedly disagree. This is a ludicrous statement.

Originally Posted by laurasbelly

YES! This is exactly what I do and I can get pretty much any Sahar to fit my 34b's. It is a great trick and works every time! Can't recommend it enough.

It sometimes takes work and there's lots of good advice above. Some of the more rounded Dina cups (like the ones from the OP and like many Hanans) take more padding at the bottom. Literally make a shelf for "the girls" to rest on.

Thanks for all the great advice gals! Since the strap that I'd need to move is made of clear plastic and is really difficult to sew through, I'm going to cut the bridge in the middle and shorten this. The padding is all arranged just fine. If I still have too much gaping after I've shortened the bridge, I am going to tackle that clear strap.

Frankly, I think those bras tend to be more of a problem for the bigger chested girls... If all else fails, a good seamstress is worth her weight in gold, and can usually work miracles!

Originally Posted by SamiraShuruk

Myself and many other natural girls wholeheartedly disagree. This is a ludicrous statement.

It sometimes takes work and there's lots of good advice above. Some of the more rounded Dina cups (like the ones from the OP and like many Hanans) take more padding at the bottom. Literally make a shelf for "the girls" to rest on.

I didn't think it was ludicrous statement. Most of the dancers I have seen that wear Dina-style cups successfully have implants, including Dina. The shelf idea can work, but it will depend upon the tissue of one's breasts. If your breast issue is soft, it can be difficult, if near impossible, to get good support from a Dina bra, especially if you have larger breasts. I have seen many Dina-style bras that gap on beautiful dancers.

It wasn't a condemning statement; it was just based on my personal observations.

Originally Posted by ZohraMostafa

...it was just based on my personal observations.

We have different observations and experiences, I guess. I've seen dancers in all shaped bras with gaping etc either due to back band looseness, halter length, strap placement issues, and padding issues (amount or placement).
The original OP stated she was a small B and your first response was relating to that, not larger sizes as you say now. So, I guess you're saying it about all sizes?
We agree that all sizes have fit and support challenges (this applies to all shapes of bras however). Many people simply don't properly know how to fit a costume. I've seen butt cracks, panties riding up and showing, underboob, nipple, really LOW bras, gaping, no cleavage at all, "oh she's gonna fall out" cleavage, high water skirts etc... all problems that are remedied by proper fit work (by a seamstress if one doesn't know how).
It's quite possible that when one is made to fit right, it even gives natural girls a "rounder than life" look. Egyptian bra engineering is quite remarkable.
Take the Sahar O page on bellydancestore.com
http://bellydancestore.biz/gallery.p...tKeyword=sahar
and some individual costumes:
http://bellydancestore.biz/gallery.p...productId=6665
http://bellydancestore.biz/gallery.p...productId=8360

If one didn't know those girls, one might wonder. But they're all natural (mostly B cups, a couple C cup girls) and these haven't even been adjusted to fit, just clipped and padded. Some are obvious they haven't been made to fit of course. They can't adjust costumes that are for sale.
Leila of Cairo wears a lot of Dina style cups and she's natural. I've had people assume/ask if I've had implants when wearing particularly well padded Dina styles.
I've seen tons of Dina style cups on tons of dancers (in real life), and have tried on Dina styles (literally by the hundreds) from all the major designers.
Some work more easily than others for each individual, of course. There are some designers whose Dina shape is more difficult for me. They all have to be adjusted differently. The Dina shapes I think take more padding to avoid gaping at the top and more often strap angle adjustment. It wasn't until I had costumes adjusted IN Egypt that I realized how much padding could be put in those cups. Hanan literally put THREE huge 80s style shoulder pad in EACH CUP... and this was a C cup costume for me (a B cup). But it was an eye opener for the full "Egyptian engineering" costume look process. I was actually afraid I'd put an eye out with all that padding though... so I took a bit out and still had plenty. lol.
These are my observations and experiences. ..g.:

Oh, and in adjusting those with lots of glue in the cup or strap- a thimble to push through and a pair of pliers to pull through will help the sewing process and help save your fingers.