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From: chrisc
Date: 06-13-2006, 11:01 AM (1 of 15)
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Hi. My sister is having a problem getting her dress to fit right, both her bras are not going with the dress well, its a problem we noticed late so cant change the dress but wonder if we can modify it. The dress is white and thick material, sleeveless and has a net type fabric that covers the tops of her shoulders, the sleeveless leaves around 2 inches of her shoulder edge exposed which the net fabric goes over. The 2 bras she cant fit right are a black bra that has tiny straps they keep sliding out until resting near the edge of her shoulder and so are under the net fabric which unfortenatly they show though and dont look right against the dress, they are sometimes falling off her shoulder as well if she bends down too long. She has adjusted the straps to full shortness but isnt working. Other bra is white and very loose fitting wider straps but they are very flimsy and falling of her shoulders, they look ok under the net fabric but even if she keeps adjusting them they popping out too easily. We tightened these as well but fully adjusted they probably would need to be an inch or so shorter to hold on her shoulders. My sister wont go braless because of her size and we tried strapless bras but she wasnt happy with the height of her bust. So I guess we can either alter a bra or sow in some holders on her dress, I figured the latter is easier and wondering if anyone has an easy how to guide with pics or something that can do this. Would folding over the edge work with buttons to hold it so the strap stays under the fold? or something better and easier thanks. Under normal sleeveless clothes my sister wears the black bra which only occasionally falls all the way out so we didnt realise that would be a problem she is short so I think thats why straps are causing her problems. I have seen it with dress straps on her before. |
User: chrisc
Member since: 06-12-2006 Total posts: 4 |
From: MaryW
Date: 06-13-2006, 11:18 AM (2 of 15)
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I have seen clear bra straps, barely visible. This should help things considerably.
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 06-13-2006, 07:15 PM (3 of 15)
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My seamstress that sewed for our family when I was a child always made little strips (like belt loops ) and sewed them down on the shoulder seam margins .. Sewed one end down and sewed a snap on the other end , then you could put your bra strap in there and snap it in place... After that lady moved away, I used to sew them in by hand on rtw dresses that my Mom and I had...I still do that when I have a problem with a high cut shoulder on a sleeveless dress.. Still works great..
Sew With Love
Libby |
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002 Total posts: 2022 
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From: Magot
Date: 06-13-2006, 10:09 PM (4 of 15)
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I have done the little belt loop things too and only sewn them to the fabric on one end - the other end put a tiny see through press stud so that you can catch the bra strap to the dress. Hide the loops in the the seam of the white fabric and that should hold them in place. Make a strip about 1 1/2' by 1 '. Fold the two shorter sides till they meet in the middle and then fold again so that you are left with a strip 1 1/2" by 1/4", Whip stitch together tucking in the ends so that there are no raw edges. You will then have a little strip about 1" by !/4" which you can then attach to the seam by one end. Sew a popper to one end of the strip and the other half in the seam of the dress and you are done. Should take only a few minutes at most. love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626 
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From: chrisc
Date: 06-14-2006, 03:42 AM (5 of 15)
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yeah we got some of them, but not attached to a bra yet as we was hoping to maybe fix without changing a bra. we also tried bra tape which sticks her white bra fairly well to her skin but she can feel it lose stickyness after a short time so we dont know if it will be secure for long enough, on her black bra the thin straps dont seem to stick very well to it and just come of the tape. My sister was considering just going for her black bra and allowing the straps to show thru the net fabric, she would probably have to keep tucking them in tho to prevent them from coming of her shoulder. I think the belt loops should be doable I have a rough idea what you mean and easier then my original idea the poppers are available in fabric shops? thanks |
User: chrisc
Member since: 06-12-2006 Total posts: 4 |
From: BabsSewingRoom
Date: 06-21-2006, 10:01 AM (6 of 15)
| Would 2-sided tape help? I've used it to hold shoulders on flowergirl dresses. |
User: BabsSewingRoom
Member since: 04-10-2004 Total posts: 80 |
From: chrisc
Date: 06-21-2006, 04:53 PM (7 of 15)
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Would 2-sided tape help? I've used it to hold shoulders on flowergirl dresses. well we have started sewing the alterations now. the bra tape was double sided tape so I expect it wouldnt be good enough, its also not very comfortable and hurts her skin. We had to hold the strap onto the tape for a few minutes to make it stick and then after we let go the strap looks a bit flimsy, because of the thin fabric there isnt much material contact with the tape as well as the strap been loose fitting as well it doesnt help. |
User: chrisc
Member since: 06-12-2006 Total posts: 4 |
From: BabsSewingRoom
Date: 06-22-2006, 09:20 AM (8 of 15)
| After it's all over you'll think of something that would have worked - never fails. |
User: BabsSewingRoom
Member since: 04-10-2004 Total posts: 80 |
From: Kaitlinnegan
Date: 06-22-2006, 09:28 AM (9 of 15)
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I just got a new strapless bra that isn't padded or push up -- I'm guessing that's what you daughter didn't like about the ones you tried? I got it from JCPenney for $17 -- I think it's made by Lily of France. As a result of it not being padded or push up, it's not as supportive for a larger cup size, but if the dress has some kind of structure and/or she has a smaller cup size, I think it might work. I'm not sure about the style of the dress, but what about a racerback style bra? It always seemed to me those would be less likely to have the straps fall down. Maybe you could kind of convert one of her existing bras to a racerback style by pulling the straps together in the back with something -- a loop of string? Well, good luck!
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User: Kaitlinnegan
Member since: 03-20-2006 Total posts: 222 
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From: MariLynntex
Date: 06-22-2006, 08:06 PM (10 of 15)
| I bought a bra with invisible straps. They are plastic, stay put well, do not hurt. It's well worth the price...and it has regular straps with it for when you don't need the invisible ones. It is white, so even with the plain white straps doesn't look as bad as black straps that don't stay put. The little stays work fairly well, but strain on them makes them pull loose fairly soon. MariLynntx |
User: MariLynntex
Member since: 01-05-2006 Total posts: 107 |
From: Carol in ME
Date: 06-26-2006, 08:24 AM (11 of 15)
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Every woman should have a well fitting brassiere that is as close to her skin tone as she can find. If she has only two bras, now would be the time to buy a third. |
User: Carol in ME
Member since: 01-27-2003 Total posts: 105 |
From: MariLynntex
Date: 06-26-2006, 12:39 PM (12 of 15)
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I have several well-fitting bras in various so-called flesh tones, none of which are anywhere close to as pale as I am, but i have discovered that with a very small amount of modification, I can remove the straps, and use the clear plastic ones with them. Also I can modify the straps I remove so that I can use them with the bras still, if I want to! If I can do this, why don't the bra makers do it? MariLynntex |
User: MariLynntex
Member since: 01-05-2006 Total posts: 107 |
From: chrisc
Date: 06-26-2006, 01:21 PM (13 of 15)
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Done now works fine. I know she should ideally have got a better bra but noone wanted to suggest it to her incase it made her more embarrased and offended her so this was the easier solution. She does have more bras and nearer tone colour, another bra is grey with very thin straps but again they are loose and she has to always pull them up to keep on her shoulders. I dont know if its a common problem or not but I wonder why clothing manufacturers dont fit bra strap holders on to tank tops etc. by default. Generally my sister is ok in tight tops and the looser tops she usually keeps them up by pulling at them every so often but is a distraction. |
User: chrisc
Member since: 06-12-2006 Total posts: 4 |
From: Kaitlinnegan
Date: 06-26-2006, 01:35 PM (14 of 15)
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I bought a tank top from Eddie Bauer last year on clearance, and was surprised to find it did have little loops with snaps to hold bra straps! Unfortunately it also has one of those "bralette" things in it which always falls in the wrong place for me -- it ends up pulling the top down and making it more "booby" than I'd like. Oh well. Anyway, it's nice to know that some manufacturers are thinking about that stuff!
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User: Kaitlinnegan
Member since: 03-20-2006 Total posts: 222
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From: paroper
Date: 06-27-2006, 08:34 PM (15 of 15)
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There are cups you can buy that stick to the skin to hold it in place. Also boobs in a box work and they are held in place with special tape. We've used my dd's for 4 years for many events and drum major shows. I had to buy more tape this year but they are still "holding up" so to speak as well as they did when they were first bought...they make her gowns look so much nicer than nature intended. I got hers at a place that sold evening gowns..don't know the name of them but they are silicone so they look and "act natural".
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
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