This is a black
hard-shell strapless bra in the first stages of
transformation!
Photo above shows the inside view of the bra.
You can see it's been cut apart between the cups, and the cups
are now tilted outward a bit more. For straps I use thick nylon
strapping, sewn on with dental floss, and they're sewn onto the
inside of the cups.
I double the rib straps so they won't cut into the skin, and
sometime I fold over the halter straps to reduce the width.
This particular bra will not have over-the-shoulder OR halter
straps, but a choker-style neckline with the straps attached!
(above) Here's the outside view, now with the neck straps and
the upper rib straps attached.
The upper ones angle down to meet the bottom rib straps in the
back; the first set of trouser hooks are attached now to help
with fitting. The choker straps are double thickness, and
overlap and hook in the back.
At this point you need to do a
lot of trying on, and re-pinning the straps until they're at the
right angle. This is, to me, the trickiest part of costume
construction - fitting the bra. If it doesn't fit right, you
won't want to wear it! Make sure you get it to feel right
around the ribs.
You may have noticed I don't
use elastic straps. I prefer everything to stay still!
Once you've worn your costume several times the material will stretch and/or compress a bit, which can mean up to 1/2-inch or 3/4-inch gain in size. Starting with a snug fit is easier than making alterations later - just make sure you can take a deep breath without straining too much. (I once BROKE the hook on a newly-made bra just by breathing deeply during a show. Oh, yes! Everyone really sat up and took notice (the kitchen staff even poked their heads out), and I had to go make quick repairs (we're talking safety pins here) to finish the show.
Now I've added canvas "awning material" (also called 'buckram')
to add structural stability and styling. I prefer a streamlined
look over the obvious "cup & strap" look. On this bra I also
left the original rib straps with the hooks cut off, just to add
bulk.
Now the bra is covered with the costume material, in this case a
metallic brocade, which will also be used for the belt,
gauntlets, and skirt. The red strap will be covered by the other
one when the back is hooked.
All that's left to do is adding the fringe and trim...
See the finished costume...
© 1999-2013 Anthea Kawakib Poole