Bra Padding 101 (with bonus strap modification!)

I am a "petite" woman, which has nothing to do with my weight and EVERYTHING to do with my frame and proportions.  Translation: all my bras need padding and my straps will do everything in their power to try and slide off of my shoulders!

I thought I would share how I cope with these things, based on a few years of experience.

First, the bra padding.

There are many schools of bra padding methodology.  Each has their pros and cons.  I go for ease of adding and subtracting padding -- because when I decide I want to sell a costume, I want to RIP the padding out and get it sellable as fast as possible.  There, I said it: I am lazy.  I have elevated lazy to an art form.  (proud smile)

One key thing that you will have to figure out on your own is padding placement.  That is, in general, you need to either pad from the bottom (pushing flesh UP) or the side (pushing flesh IN).  I need the latter; this explanation works for dancers with that figure.

I buy bra pads whenever they go on sale, and I buy them in various shapes and sizes.  (Some bras need more, or differently shaped "oomph.")  This bra is a "classical" egyptian (slightly pointy, hard shell) cup seen here. The pad that provided the right lift was a tad too big.  So, I pushed it as deep into the cup that I could, saw that it fell over the armpit slightly (see #1) and then trimmed off the corner of the teardrop so that it would sit nicely in the cup.  (Do be careful if using gel filled pads, as you need to be sure not to nick the gel pouch with the scissors!  Big Mess ensues!)

After trimming the cup, the next step (#2) is to tack the pad first at the center where the cups meet, then (#3) where the strap falls.  Next, I sew along the curve of the cup, inside by about a 1/4 to 2/5 of an inch (#4).  This is so that the padding does not peek out of the cup -- if any gapping occurs when dancing, I want the liner to show, not the pad.  Now -- let's talk about color choices:  I use black pads for dark bras and lighter for lighter bras.  A gold bra gets a "nude" (beige) pad; a silver or white bra gets a white pad.  Red, orange, pink, blue -- those colors really need the pad to be tucked under the liner fabric.  But, if the pad is close to the color of the bra, then I sew it right over the liner to save time and reduce the risk of nicking the stitches that hold beads.  (Face it, the more surgery you do to a costume, the greater the risk of cutting THE WRONG THREAD.)  I also have started using contrasting thread so that I can be sure I am cutting the correct thread, and not the wrong one.  (See lazy comment, above.)  And, I use a heavy upholstery or button thread or dental floss to reduce the risk of getting severed when randomly safety-pinning other bits to the costume.  (In my case, "lazy" means putting some small effort in one place to reduce significant efforts elsewhere.)

After ensuring the top of the pad doesn't sneak out of the cup (#4), I start forcing the pad as deep into the cup as possible, tacking at the armpit (#5), then roughly the center bottom of the cup (#6).  This is a Push and sew technique -- the pad needs to be deep into the cup to keep from gapping and peeking out the bottom or the sides.  Since the sides and bottom band of this bra fit well, I didn't need to sew the cup the rest of the way.

Repeat on the other side.

More notes: you can either pad first, then fit the back, or fit the back and then pad.  For a better, more natural fit, I strongly, strongly recommend fitting the back first.  That is, get the bra to hook around the chest so that it does not gap and stays put (does not ride up, does not pop loose) FIRST, then pad.  Too much padding causes the bra to "stand away from" (gap) the body and may cause unexpected results (boob fallout, hook popping) in performance.  Fit the bra band first, then use less padding to fill.  Test the bra by wearing it and reaching up as if to hug a tall person.  If the back stays put, you have done your job right.  (The "hug test" is also how to test turkish vests, beledi dresses, and jackets, coats, etc.)  AFTER fitting the bra band and the cup pads, adjust the straps (or, measure straps if you are making your own costume).  this is the voice of experience . . .

BONUS:  strap fixes for the narrow shouldered!

"Petite" means I have no shoulders to speak of.  Posture correction exercises help; but, I can never keep a purse strap on a shoulder, bateau neck shirts fall off my shoulders, and bra straps always head south.  I have a LOT of cross strap, halter strap, and modified halter bras as a result.  This costume, though, came with "standard" straps with a epaulet design.  So, how to get the straps to stay . . .

You know those little ribbon or clear plastic loops they sew in clothes these days?  The ones that are designed to keep the slippery things on hangers?  They tend to be attached in the armpits on shirts, or near the waist on skirts.  I cut them off and save them.  For this!

Take one of these -- I don't know what to call them -- "annoying ribbon loop things" (ARLT's), preferably in clear plastic, and experiment with pinning it to the straps to test placement.  You want it to be high on the back, but not over the shoulders, preferably so it falls under long hair or the wig, and so that there is no slack but that it is not so taught as to rick popping or cutting into the skin.  Be sure it lays flat, not twisted.  Once placement is right, tack stitch it down.

I did this on my purple and silver costume.  A friend was standing RIGHT behind me and could NOT see it.  ;)

Enjoy!