Potential Strapless Comparisons

It’s August! It’s Bragust! Let’s make some support!

I am very curious to compare some of the available strapless bra patterns. So far, I’ve been experimenting on me because I can feel the problems. But, since I can’t reach to pin them out, it has been slow going. I think it’s time to switch modes for this battle of the bras. At least, to save on fabric! I’m going to make my model her size in each of the main strapless bra sewing patterns I’ve found.

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Esplanade Bra Sewing Pattern by Orange Lingerie

Sizes available: 30A - 40DD

Style: longline (close to the waist, but I need to lengthen the front), 3-piece cup, made for use with cut and sew foam

Boning? None suggested

Have I made it yet? Yes, but I’m struggling with the band fit. The cups are a great shape for me.

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Marei Strapless Wired Bra Pattern

Sizes available: band sizes 26-52 inch for all sizes, but separated into 3 distinctly different shapes for each of the cup groupings. In each grouping, t’s all sister sizing…

A-DD sizes ¿26D-52DD?  2.9” - 6.2” for horizontal measure of 7.2” - 13.7” 

DD-GG sizes ¿26FF-52G? 4.0” - 8.4” for horizontal measure of 9.0” - 16.8”

GG - KK sizes ¿26J-52K? 5.6” - 9.0” for horizontal measure of 122.4” - 20.7”

I do struggle with this sizing convention as I’m used to the Imperial measurement, and they don’t use decimals like this. The maker prefers metric and has named the sizes as the metric equivalent of these. 

Style: longline (on the ribs, not to the waist), 3-4 piece cup, from what I can tell,  fabric or cut and sew foam cup

Boning? Yes, both cup and band

Have I made it yet? Not yet. I find this company somewhat daunting to figure out my size in. I’ve made some paper cups but have yet to cut it from fabric.

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Symmes Strapless Bra

Sizes available: 28C-54J 

Style: 4-piece vertical seamed (clamshell-esque) cut and sew foam cups in a wide band

Boning? Yes, both cup and band

Have I made it yet? No, it came out just before summer and I have been busy! I’ve made several paper cups, but they are too stiff to really tell me how the Symmes will fit.

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Possible other candidates

Merckwaerdigh Patterns has a Strapless Bra Pattern. I tried it early in my bra sewing journey, but struggled with things like: what shape and size wire do they use? Is it a good shape for my body? I did not get a good fit right off the first try, but maybe I’ll have a better fit now that I’ve had more practice?

Underpinnings Museum (theUPMuseum on Etsy) has a circa 1950s Cathedral Bra Pattern that I’ve had my eye on. It does not come in cup sizes, sized for 30”-50” bust.

Another to consider is the Madalynne Merrywidow. If I get the body of it to fit, can I then substitute cups? How much altering would it take for the upper band tension to work well? 

Madalynne did produce a strapless, Simplicity 8437 which says it has sizes 32-42 A-DD. I may have a candidate to try this one, but most of my models have average or larger busts. Some of us need support, this bra looks like it’s for smaller self-supporting busts.

Oh, I nearly forgot the PUG Diamond Bustier Pattern. Pin-Up Girls traditionally only sell their patterns in paper format, and most of my other bra patterns are pdf. Because this bra is in a series, I could modify the shorter band from Ruby or Amethyst to try the strapless cups in it to check the fit before making the more fabric intensive longline. I’ve not been able to wear the PUG patterns for long periods, but maybe making it for someone else will help correct the issue.

I’m not sure how many I’ll be able to sew, there’s only a week or so before the semester begins!