Thread: Wardrobe malfunction! (bra hook ripped off)

Apparently I did a few too many extreme chest shimmies, because a part of the hook came undone at a restaurant performance the other night! Luckily I didn't flash the entire restaurant, but I am miffed about that because I had newly sewn on that hook just that morning. So it's not like it was old thread, or it had had tons of stress on it from previous performances, etc. So what do I need to do to keep that from happening again? Do I need to sew the hooks with fishing line or dental floss? What I've done in the past was have another dancer sew a few stitches through the two rib cage bands for extra security, but that wasn't possible at this performance.

Oh no! I use embroidery floss to sew on hooks and snaps. Try that.

I have that issue, as I have a broad ribcage to begin with, but I also apparently use my ribcage a lot. I have added a section of strong elastic and a non stretch fabric so that the elastic can keep everything "IN", but can still stretch for me to move. It needs to be attached to non stretch so there is a definite "NO MORE THAN THIS" movement, but it allows for lots of movement. (hope that made sense. I'm in a hurry, so .... )

Anyway, hope you find a solution that works for you. : )

I always use two large hooks at each closure, sewn on with upholstery thread. Last night I wore a costume for the first time and realized that I'd sewn one of the two halter hooks on backwards, so I used a big safety pin for a back up.

jumbo snaps are another backup to hooks

I've never had luck with jumbo snaps and refuse to rely on them! They are nice for getting basic positioning while I am trying to get the hooks buckled, but I require 2 big hooks *always* and often back it all up with a giant safety pin. I also do a full rehearsal in the costume before performing if I have done *any* alterations (including new hooks!)

& yes, dental floss is nice and strong. So is beading thread, or coat/button thread. I don't use all-purpose thread for closures or beading.

Installing elastic along the inside of the bra, (usually starting at the outside edge of the cup to about 1/2 out along the band) like you would an elastic waistband, can help snug the bra to your body so you don't have to make it so tight on your body and you have some give for breathing. Also I use large pants snaps in addition to the hooks to keep the hook in place and take some of the pressure off the hook itself.

Both of these fixes are more difficult if you have the skinny straps, in which case, I'd say sew extra hooks. And have it hooked more than once, so if one pops you have a back up hook, also if it is too skinny for a snap, a small strip of velcro can help serve the same purpose. Also if you can use straps that cross in the back, they tend to keep the bra on your body, even when a hook snaps. I had a performance once where I didn't even know I had popped a hook until I was changing afterwards because the cross straps and the back up velcro kept the bra in place.

I usually use a thick string, similar to embroidery floss (or kite string) when sewing on hooks, it just goes faster than the amount of times you have to loop through with regular thread.

I once had a hook snap during a performance and it traumatized me. (and I had pinned it too!) Now all my bras are very carefully adjusted in multiple ways to avoid any such circumstance.

Thanks for the ideas!

I had a safety pin backup and even THAT had come undone.

I do prefer X-back, but there is a story why I didn't have that on this particular bra:
It's an American Icon from Dahlal. The pictures on the site showed it with an X-back, so to make ABSOLUTELY SURE IT WAS because that's what I preferred, I emailed them and asked if that was in fact true to the picture. If the straps were long enough that they could be crossed even if they just looked crossed because the bra was so big on the model. I got an affirmative that yes, these straps were long enough to cross.

But what I got was a halter that the straps were in NO WAY long enough to go down to the bra band. I. Was. Furious! Not that they gave a damn at that point, because they had my money and it was going to cost me so much to ship it back that I was losing all the way around. The reply a got back to my angry email was that all of them before were long enough and they didn't realize that this one didn't. My emailing them asking about that should've been enough to make them check it, but they chose to not bother. I really liked the set in general and decided I'd just deal with a halter since it seemed that most dancers went with halters anyway, so it wasn't going to kill me.

Is there way you can add to the straps to make the top an x-back?

I like using trouser hooks and giant snaps as a backup. I like to use button and craft thread. For another dancer, I installed a hidden bit of elastic where the back overlapped to allow for some stretch.

Something I learned from Morocco - two sets of hooks going in opposite directions.

Something I learned from Farhana - a smaller hook attached to a small piece of elastic on the strap which goes closest to your body. This corresponding eye goes on the underside of the other strap. this helps to give stability and is a back up plan so you can get off stage with dignity if your main hook breaks.

{{{HUGS}}}

I use two large hooks and two large (as large as the strap will handle) snaps for bra straps.
I like the idea of using elastic with a hook, too.

I always stitch my hooks down with upholstery thread -- it's a little thicker than button thread, or embroidery thread. I also try to make sure that I put one stitch all the way through the liner AND bra, unless it will obviously damage or look silly.

My secondary backup is a heavy duty safety pin (a diaper pin is best). This was a pain in the ass at first, and I had to have my hubby pin me in every-time I went to gig, but I've got it down now where I can do it myself and it's a comfort to know I have the extra bit of insurance. I've busted two bras on stage before -- never again!

I use two hooks sewn on with upholstery thread AND velcro between them.

Originally Posted by tahiradancer

Something I learned from Morocco - two sets of hooks going in opposite directions.

{{{HUGS}}}

I always do this.

Originally Posted by Doozer

I use two hooks sewn on with upholstery thread AND velcro between them.

Hooks and Velcro here too

Originally Posted by tahiradancer

Something I learned from Morocco - two sets of hooks going in opposite directions.

Something I learned from Farhana - a smaller hook attached to a small piece of elastic on the strap which goes closest to your body. This corresponding eye goes on the underside of the other strap. this helps to give stability and is a back up plan so you can get off stage with dignity if your main hook breaks.

{{{HUGS}}}

I do both these things, plus some stretch in the back straps - if the bra gives with you it's way less likely to snap.

Originally Posted by tahiradancer

Something I learned from Morocco - two sets of hooks going in opposite directions.

I do this, too.

Originally Posted by Qalysha

I also try to make sure that I put one stitch all the way through the liner AND bra, unless it will obviously damage or look silly.

I put all my stiches all the way through the bra. I've always figured that the stitches needed to go at least through the buckram/interfacing/what-have-you to stabilize the hook. I'd be afraid to rely on the liner alone!

Strangely enough when I reinforce with a heavy duty pin, and put the elastic where the hook was or put hooks in opposite directions, those things tended to work against me.

The pin always seemed to help the hook slip out, then all the pressure was on the pin which, even heavy duty ones, I pop, my ribcage expands way too much.

And the elastic with a hook, Something about the way it moves when it stretches, it managed to make that hook slide right off as well.

Same thing with hooks in opposition. I don't know if it is the way I move when i dance, or how much I expand when I breathe, but these methods haven't worked for me, and quite the opposite, In my personal experience, they seem to assist the hook in undoing itself. (Not even popping, just shimmying right out!) My experience might be anomalous though...

I never use the wire hook and eye thingies you see on bras.

I use two dress hooks set about two inches apart (which only works if you have enough excess strap). If one comes undone it's not likely the other will also.

I specifically use Dritz dress hooks (like this: Amazon.com: Dritz Sew On Hook and Eyes (12 Pack) - Nickel / Black: Arts, Crafts & Sewing) that audibly click when they are fully hooked. Because they click in place, they can't usually slide backward and pop open.

Plus, they have four holes on the "female" half and five hols on the "male" half to stitch them down as opposed to one or two holes. I completely cover the entire hole with stitching, so the only way those puppies are ripping off is if the whole costume falls apart!