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Question for Women

The conundrum: fabulous halter dress, strapless bra, but they don't always line up exactly right.

Do you have a trustworthy method for making sure the bra doesn't sneak up out of the dress, or the back of the dress doesn't slide down below the bra?

If it involves gadgetry of any kind (e.g. double sided tape? pins?) please describe in excruciating, idiot-proof detail where to get the gadgetry and how to use it.

Posted on July 05, 2006 | Permalink

Comments

Toupee Tape... you can get it at the beauty supply store and just tape it to the inside of your dress and it won't go anywhere.

Posted by: Courtney | July 05, 2006 at 10:34 AM

Often overlooked, but also often the most practical: no bra at all.

There are also some strapless bras out there that are more corset-like, but have a low back, which could be a good investment if you have a lot of dresses where this happens.

One non-tape way that requires a little more work, but is possible, is sewing in a strap or something. I have a tank dress with little strings at the shoulders to snap in the bra straps to keep them from sliding out over the shoulder, and it seems something like it could be done in the back for a halter dress.

Posted by: | July 05, 2006 at 11:19 AM

I generally plug for the no bra solution when I can't get a bra to work for me.

Posted by: Scheherazade H. | July 05, 2006 at 12:07 PM

You could also have bra cups sewn into the dress and that way you could get away without a bra, but might not feel so vunerable. You should be able to find the cups at any dress or bridal store and could probably sew them in yourself or have a seamstress do it for a couple of bucks.

Posted by: | July 05, 2006 at 12:21 PM

Duct tape. So not kidding.

Posted by: | July 05, 2006 at 12:27 PM

Don't wear the two together. If you're all pinned or taped together or something like that, you just won't feel confident all night. In the back of your head you're always going "Is that tape still holding?" So, if you have a dress you love, it's worth taking the dress to the store and trying it on with a variety of bras until you find one that works. The sales ladies should be able to look at the dress and make recommendations, so it won't take too long. Otherwise, you'll never feel really good wearing the hell out of that dress.

Posted by: l. | July 05, 2006 at 12:54 PM

There is stuff called Hollywood Fashion Tape that might help.

They have a website: http://www.hollywoodfashiontape.com

and there is a zip code search so maybe you can find it for sale locally.

I got some of this as a free sample but I haven't had to use it yet so I can't vouch for it's effectiveness.

Posted by: hkd | July 05, 2006 at 01:52 PM

I commend the suggestions at 12:21 and 12:54. It really is worth it to sew a bra into a great dress (particularly if the dress was expensive and you're going to wear it a lot). Also, if you can find a bra that definitely won't slip up, that's worth it too.

To the no-bra recommenders: it's often overlooked because sometimes going without a bra is not an option for a given figure. The flat-chested girls might have been upset by it as teenagers, but at least now they can go around bra-less, while the "early bloomers" are wearing metal traps on their chests.

Posted by: PG | July 05, 2006 at 07:19 PM

Actually, I think the no-bra suggestion is hard on either end of the spectrum. Being on the smaller side, I find that my dresses often won't hang properly without a bra. My suggestion is this: if you're selecting a bra, either find one that scoops way down in the back, or find a standard strapless bra that has some sort of latex or other rubber-like material lining the bra as it goes around the back (not in the cups!). I have a bra like the latter, and I simply push the back of it a few inches down from my halter top's back and find that it doesn't slip upward because of the rubbery strips along the bra's sides and back. It may sound uncomfortable, but it's not. Good luck!

Posted by: | July 05, 2006 at 07:35 PM

I had cups sewn into my most recent bridesmaid dress that had little spaghetti straps. It actually did the trick and was the most liberating feeling because I wasn't constantly worried that the straps were showing. It cost ~$15 and was worth it. I would have spent twice that amount trying to find the right strapless bra anyway. If the dress is that fabulous and part of your permanent collection, then it's worth the money.

Posted by: girlMD | July 05, 2006 at 09:22 PM

my FAOS is getting married soon. she is facing a similar problem. we recently went bra shopping at macy's (which a surprising selection of strapless/tape/convertible bras). after much trying on, she settled on a strapless bra that has the aforementioned "tape" (which is apparently reusable??) on the cup. after a recent fitting she relayed that the bra stayed put and was (gasp!) comfortable. we found it at macy's i think the thing cost in the low $30s.

oh also, i'd read that buying a size down (but not cup) will help strapless bras stay put. we also tried this and FAOS agreed it helped.

whatever you do, i'd recommend doing a dress rehearsal and making sure it fits/stays put.

Posted by: girltuesday | July 06, 2006 at 10:54 AM

I once modified a dress for Gee for this very problem.

Used some velcro ribbon with the soft fuzzy side on the inside of the dress, and the prickly side on attached to the outside of the bra. Two small pieces up front, and two in back.. Voila. BTW, get the stuff without the adhesive backing...which is real pain in the butt to sew through—gums up the thread and needle something awful.

Yes, some men do know how to sew... if only to repair stuff when they were a bachelor. :D

Posted by: Dan | July 06, 2006 at 12:35 PM

Please let us know what you try and/or if any of this stuff works

Posted by: | July 06, 2006 at 02:09 PM

Try the Infinity Edge bra from Victoria's Secret to avoid the 'sneak-up.

Posted by: | July 13, 2006 at 02:48 AM

Posted by: moss | November 04, 2007 at 11:20 PM

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