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Braza Sew-in Cup (left) versus pointy bra cup shell (right). What's your choice for your competition dance or skate dress? I LOVE Braza cups! Been using them for years.

 

Most of us have a love/hate relationship with the bra cups that are sewn in our dance and skate costumes.

They’re too hard, too soft, too flimsy, too small, too big, too pointy and too pokey.

They’re just dang uncomfortable, yet necessary.  (Gosh, that sounds a lot like hose, tights and opaques!  Check out this post on how to make the waistband more comfortable.)

Bras and bra cups offer bust support, shape and protection in areas that get banged around a lot by our partners.

What’s a woman to do?

For your competition dance and skate dresses, hot glue two bra cup shells together to create more bust support.

Find the perfect bra cup for your body!

Basic bra shells are flimsy and unnaturally shaped. As a result, they tend to cave in and look hollow.

I mean, really, who invented these things?

Did they not know that elbows are the only pointy body parts?

 

Here are a few tricks that will make those icky shells look and feel better:

Hot glue two bust cup shells together for firm bust support in women's competition ballroom dance and figure skating dresses.

  • Hot glue two shells together so they are firm enough that they don’t cave in and look hollow
  • Add padding inside a single layer shell so it is more comfortable and it fills out that ridiculous empty space where our breasts are not as pointed as the cup
  • Next, trim the corners on the cups so they don’t poke
  • Finally, sandwich the entire edge of the bra cup with lycra (after trimming the points, of course) to soften the edges that rub against your skin

 

Don’t want to mess with the not-perfect bra cup shells?

I can’t blame you.  Here are two additional options:

Build your perfect bust shape by adding a pad to the basic bra shell to create bust volume, add comfort, and to prevent the shell from looking hollow.

Build the perfect bra cup by combining several types of padding.

  • ChrisAnne-Clover in England has a great selection of nicely-shaped, comfortable cups.
  • In the U.S., I love Braza Bra Cups!  They are comfortable, well-shaped, nicely priced, and available in quite a few common stores in the USA like your local fabric shop and Target. (P.S. Check out their website. They have some other clever items for your street clothes too.)
  • Wawak Sewing Supplies in the U.S. carries a variety of bra cups and, of course, sewing supplies.
  • For more places to buy bra cups, be sure to download my 55 Fabric Stores Around the World.  It’s a free PDF.

When you cannot find the perfect bra cup for your dance and skate costumes, sew in a bra.

Or, use a regular bra in your competition dance and skate dresses.

  • Buy a well fitting bra at the thrift store for very little money.
  • Recycle an old bra in which the bust shape is good on you.  It does not matter if the straps do not hold up the girls like they should; you can cut off the straps and replace with elastics.

Check out this post which features a Latin dress with a rhinestoned bra and necklace as the main design focal point. 

 


 

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The perfect bra cups for ballroom, country and skate dresses.

 

What is your favorite bra cup tip?

Leave a comment below and share this post with all your dancing, skating, sewing friends!


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