Thread: tips for padding a bra so I can fill it out

Hi,
I just bought my first "real" bedlah, that's not super cheap or homemade. I'm pretty excited! I am a D size top, sometimes DD depending on the bra. I bought this costume in a D/DD and it's a bit too big in the cup. Here's a link to the same costume of a slightly different size:
Belly Dance Costumes | Belly Dance Store.com: gallery

I am hoping for tips on how to pad it up a little bit so I don't have gapping at the top of the cups.
Tips on sewing, where to buy padding, what type to buy, or how to use double sided tape (if recommended) are wanted.
thanks!

hello,

i use topstick 'A' curve tape. recommended by bhuzzers when i asked long time ago. so far i found this Adhesives & Removers
is cheapest. 69 dollars for 1000 pieces. but i need to buy from online shop because i don't live in the states, maybe you can find cheaper in a shop.

when you use the sticky tapes you must apply them on the bottom part of your breasts, not just the top part which might gap. i think gravity help the breasts the sit tight on the cups and when the bottom parts don't move, the top part don't move either.

i tried taking off the bra clips but the bra didn't fall off my chest so you know how strong the tapes are. i use 3 to 4 tapes for each cup. i'm a 34 small B so maybe you need more.

I don't know that there is a one-size-fits-all solution to this problem, because it depends so much on the individual shapes of your body and the bra. Do you need to pad the depth? The outer sides? Just the bottom? The solution might be to add a thin liner to the whole cup, or just a small "cutlet" of padding to correct a particularly gappy area. Sometimes making a structural change to the bra like changing the tilt or spacing between the cups, or moving the connection points of the straps to a different location, or adding wiring to the top edges to make it more moldable will fix the problem. Hard to say without seeing this particular fitting issue.

I agree with torbeau. sometimes in those cases you can even use a thin shoulder pad. But if you do want just some overall padding or the area needing the padding is sectioned off, the best thing imo is cotton batting. Very cheap, from any fabric store. It coforms to you and is soft and you can get that natural cleavage.

Originally Posted by vizza4shizza

Hi,
I just bought my first "real" bedlah, that's not super cheap or homemade. I'm pretty excited! I am a D size top, sometimes DD depending on the bra. I bought this costume in a D/DD and it's a bit too big in the cup. Here's a link to the same costume of a slightly different size:
Belly Dance Costumes | Belly Dance Store.com: gallery

I am hoping for tips on how to pad it up a little bit so I don't have gapping at the top of the cups.
Tips on sewing, where to buy padding, what type to buy, or how to use double sided tape (if recommended) are wanted.
thanks!

There are many ways to do this. My favorite is to use the full bra pads easily available at Jo-ann's in the states. You should place the fuller curve of the pad to run along the line of the bra (the curve of the cup that corresponds to the bra band) so that when you put it on, your breasts are lifted to fill the cup. If you have different sized breasts (and most women do) use a half bra pad to supplement the full one on the smaller breast.

You can wear it as is, or line the bra again. Not messing with the original lining and re-lining preserves the resale value of the set, imo.

Another good way, that is more time intensive, is to separate the lining and stuff the bra cup with cotton batting, the same thing that is used to make pillows. If you choose this way, take care to keep the original stitch in the bra cup. It will help you to keep the slope that's needed to allow the breast something to sit on.

Again, lining on top of this will preserve the original lining and keep the bra in good shape. When you're ready to sell (or the lining gets stained from sweat) you can just replace without a ton of work.

Ye Gods and little Fishes, people! She asked how to pad a bra, not the philosophical and hypothetical instructions for building an atomic bomb!

As a fellow well endowed woman, I feel you! It's something which we never think we will be doing!

Kina gave a couple of good ideas. Let me see if I can clarify. . .

Decide what you are going to use for filling. If you aren't dealing with a lot of lift and added cup size - and it sounds as though you aren't - you may be able to get away with regular bra pads. If you ever had a Wonder or Miracle bra, you know what I am talking about. Simply position those at the lower outside. Try on the bra. If they work, decide if you want to insert them under the lining, or you can simply whip stitch them in where they are.

If this is not enough, you may have to go find some batting. Once again, start on the outside edge of the cups and add until you have enough. This will have to be inserted under a lining, either the original lining or another which you put in.

A word about the gel filled chicken cutlets: some people use these to great effect. Just be sure that they are sewn into a pocket as they have a tendency to shift and there has been more than one story about them gaining air during someones performance.

{{{HUGS}}}

It's a good case of 'Batten down the hatches, ye scallywags!'

Since dance bras are so rigid (and we're not) leaning forward and pulling everything toward the bra cups can help with gapopus. I've been surprised a few times at how well this can work if there's slight gapping at the top of the bra.

I second good double sided tape (not the kind for carpets). Keeps things in place, especially with back bends.

thanks everyone. You all have great ideas. I will play around with some and see how they go!

Glad to see this thread. After making two very nice dance bras, my body played a trick on my by changing shape, and I now have gap-osis. Gah. I bought some of those expensive pads from Hobby Lobby, hoping it will help.

I think Yasmina´s article has a great visual explanation:
Gilded Serpent, Belly Dance News & Events , A Bust to be Proud Of …

(When one student complained about gapping,I was in hast and told her to(in Meissouns word´s) "stuff it like a sofa"However it didn´t have the desired effect;the gapping problem became worse...after I brought my own tops and we sat down,we could confirm that it was too evenly stuffed-we need a "shelf" for the boobs to rest on to avoid the gapping)

also, for cups that have gapped for me on top, I've used a bendable thin wire. I opened the lining and sewed the wire into the cup near the topc edge under the lining. this allowed me to "bend" the top of the cup towards my body so there isn't a gap.