clevermanka | Best. Bra. Ever.

Yesterday I started on my costume for smoker (I know. I know. Really. I know.) and wow am I happy with the new bra. I fudged the cup cover pattern a bit. Well, not fudged so much as threw it out completely. The seam across the middle of the bra was just not working with my fabric and how I envisioned the design pattern running across the cups. So I did what's usually a big no-no and just folded the fabric over the cup, marking and pinning and folding as I went. I only needed one dart, and I managed to hide it in the solid part of the fabric so the woven design isn't interrupted at all. There's a bit of pucker along the top of the cups, but I'm going to cover that with some cowrie shells. Because I'm working on a serious time crunch, I decided to try the Black Lotus style of bra straps.

roya_spirit had no luck with this style, but since my boobies are a bit smaller, I thought I'd give it a go. Worst case scenario I'd lose maybe 30 minutes if the O-ring technique didn't work. Best case scenario, I'd save myself nearly two hours from bypassing the whole fitting of the straps ordeal.

Guess what? The universe opted to bless me with the best case scenario and now I have one of the best-fitting dance bras I've ever made myself. ROCK. ON. It took me about six hours (yes, bras take a long time) and really it is fancy-baby-sexy. I wanted something a little less ethnic for smoker and boy did I get it. The O-rings give it a completely different flavor, despite the fact that apart from them, the bra is no different than any of my other tribal-style costumes. They're such a huge part of the design-feel that I'm going to have to find a way to incorporate them into the belt. Which I'm doing tonight. Wish me luck.

For those of you who've worked faire for a while, the fabric I'm using is the same fabric that Maestro's gypsies wore a couple years ago. That copper/green/gold striped fabric. I fell in love with and bought a ton of that fabric right before I started in the brothel, hoping to use it in a bodice. Due to it being the official gypsy fabric, I was unable to use it at faire (I don't know if that's an official decree, but it seems sensible to avoid being mistaken for a gypsy--or a person with a radio). The gypsies all have new fabric now, but I'm still not going to make a bodice out of it (at least not for a few more years). For smoker, however, no problem. I'm so happy to be able to use this fabric finally.

I'll be sure to post photos of this new costume as soon as I'm able.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Oh pretty!!! What pattern do you use? I've been drooling over Atira's stuff for awhile.

Pattern? For ...what? The bra? I don't use a pre-made pattern for bras. I draft a pattern based on the bra cup itself. I don't really use a pattern for belts, either--just sorta fit it to my hips as I go.

The O ring look is awesome! I like it muy much! [best Genie voice]

Would you take a peek at my drummer costume (in my last LJ entry)? I want to make sure there's not some glaring issue I haven't thought of before I show up in it. I'm wearing a leather belt around the waist of the under-tunic.

I think it looks fantastic! I'm super impressed with your eye for color--and those colors are absolutely perfect on you. Great job! If you don't feel pretty enough, you could still jazz it up with a simple (non-beaded) cloth hip scarf and lotsa necklaces.

You might also consider a head scarf, especially tomorrow. Sounds like it's going to be really chilly.

Thanks! I like colours. Sewing I suck at, but colours I can do!

Head scarf - I was thinking of doing a sort of turban thingy like your tribal costume but I need suggestions for how to make it. I need something to add "volume" to my head to balance the poofy-ness of the costume. And wow, teh cold! We went from summer-death-heat-humid-murder to brrrr-where's-the-snow? in 24hrs.

here is a simple tutorial (http://www.davina.org/turban/sample2.html) on wrapping a turban. If you want something a little more detailed but without the illustrations, try this one (http://www.farfesha.com/pages/turban.html).

Can't wait to see it! When will it premiere at the smoker?

Smoker is at 4:30, but you have to buy a ticket. I hope to be on faire site well before that. I might come out as early as noon if I'm not too tired from Saturday night's event. After smoker, I will definitely hang with the whores at Pub Sing, so you can catch me there after 5:45 or so.

I'll look for you! (Maybe I'll be able to save you a piece of The Black Beast...

Oooooo, I bet you look gorgeous! Post pics as soon as you can...I wonder if it's something I might be able to use, too...

I'm sure this bra style would work for you. Bigger boobs than mine might not get enough support from the looped straps. But anyone my size or smaller should be fine. And soooo much easier than fitting those damn straps.

Just be sure to buy O or D rings that are soldered shut! You don't want that pulling open during a performance.

oh dear

sweet

jebus

*heartfluttttterrrrrr*

I know. O-rings and bellydance costumes. Such a mouth-watering combo. There's a dancer whose costume designs I really admire, Tempest (

meddevi), who uses lots of hardware elements in her costuming (rings, washers, etc.). Faboo. The hardware makes it look so fetishy, without being overt about it.

I so badly want to give that another try, it looks so wonderful, and I had a gorgeous Quiana halter dress in the late 70s that used the same principle.
Maybe it was the bra cups that didn't work with it? :ponders: Maybe wider straps attached at a different place in the front so it's more similar to the halter dress. I still own the dress, so easy to check that.

I can't wait to see that one on you, especially with that faboo fabric!

Yes, good luck with the belt, and I have some poly boning strips if you need something like that for supporting the rings on a belt. I discovered that, like a bodice, the belt with d-rings needs good support on the edges to work nicely. This is going to be lovely~!

My straps are very wide (maybe an inch and a quarter?) and I attached them to O-rings at the top end of the bra cup, instead of attaching them to the cup itself. That helped a lot.

All my experience with poly boning is that the garment just curves and doesn't lie flat. Very annoying. Do you have any tips on using it? I certainly won't need the support of steel boning (although very short spiral boning might work), but you're right--the fabric alone won't support the weight of the rings. I might have to double or even triple layer the buckram if I can't get the poly boning to work.

Supposing I do want to try it, when could I come by to pick it up?

yah, I can see the problematic thing with poly boning if you want the edges flat, I hadn't thought of that since I've always used it on curvy garments, or I engineer the edge to follow the body. I only used short bits for the belt I'd made, so it didn't matter, plus the fabric was very stiff and kept it hugging my hips. Another trick I've seen with short edges and rings is to insert the straight edge of a wire hanger instead of boning, it doesn't bend much at all.
Tonight, I'll be home shortly after work, but gone at 5:45, home most of tomorrow except for some shopping during the day. I *could* just leave some out on the doorstep.

Hm. I don't think I'll make it by 5:45...could you just leave some in a bag for me? I'm going to try to finish this baby tonight. Thank you! And maybe a wire hanger or two if you have one? =D All I've got these days are the plastic ones.

I don't have any wire hangers either. I used them last St pat's day, but I'll see if I can find something suitable for use, we have lots of crap in the garage.

Best. Bra. Ever.

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Fabulous

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