help on dress lining

[stacyf419]

I have a Del Arbour dress (previously mentioned in a stoning thread) which has a sheer mesh back in the same turquoise blue as the rest of the dress. I need to wear a pretty sturdy bra - no backless for these babies - and therefore need to cover up that back. Would you recommend:
-lining the back with nude illusion or some other material?
-simply wearing a nude or black leotard underneath? do you think that would look bulky and take away from the dress?
The sheer back is a jewel neck from the base of the neck all the way to the waist.

I appreciate your recommendations - I just finished stoning it and it looks MARVELOUS. Will try to post a picture.

[jenlyon60]

One can purchase nude jersey and carefully sew it in. However it may affect the fit of the dress.

Another option would be to get the bra you wish to wear. Put the bra on. Put the dress on. Have someone else mark where the bra falls horizontally on the dress. Take dress off, stone a neat nifty horizontal pattern that disguises the stoning.

Or option 2 (preferred option)... get the bra you like and put it on. Put dress on. Mark where the bra falls on the side of the dress. Sew bra front/side into dress. Cut back of bra off. Cut shoulder straps off. This works best with a good-fitting foam cup bra (what they used to call a T-shirt bra). This isn't going to provide enough support for doubles and triples, unless the dress itself is snug enough through the torso that adding the bra front is going to provide a bit extra compression factor.

Hope this helps.

[stacyf419]

That sounds like a really clever option - just not sure if it will be enough support for me (I'm a 34 DDD/F). I think I'm going to have to wear a regular full bra and then somehow camouflage or cover it in the back.

Here is the dress with my first attempt at stoning - I think it looks pretty nice. It was fun to put the crystals on - although stinky, as I used e6000.

front (http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/stacybo1/newgroup171-1.jpg)

back (http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/stacybo1/newgroup172.jpg)

[RachelSk8er]

Danskin makes body tights that are held up by clear adjustable straps. My synchro team uses them. This past year, our seniors had open backs on their dresses and they used the tights to cover up bras. And they prevented that hideous tight bulge you may get from wearing two pair. Just wear a nude colored bra under something like that.

I'm in the "need a bra, no exceptions" club, and between a normal, properly-fitting dress, good bra, and the body tights, that has always worked for me in competition, even with halter or strappy dresses.

You could also have the dress lined (even see if Del will do it if you send it back and how much that would cost). There is a nude lining material that is pretty good, some of my Del dresses use it and I could literally wear a black bra under my dress and you'd never see it through the "nude" parts.

[stacyf419]

I should really bring the dress to the dance shop near me and try on a few options. For the sew-it-yourself'ers out there - is it difficult to sew in a lining, and is it better to use a nude lining or a dark lining?

[jenlyon60]

Use a nude lining. Actually, having a nude lining sewn the full length of that mesh would work pretty good. I wasn't sure from your original description how the mesh back was cut.

The other advantage of a full nude lining underneath is that it might hide a bit of the tights elastic, depending on where the bottom edge of the mesh falls in relationship to the waistband of your tights.

[stacyf419]

I hadn't thought of the tights waistband - you're right, it does come above the waist of the dress and would show through the sheer mesh. So the lining would definitely serve a dual purpose. Okay - so nude lining it is.

Thank you so much!!:bow:

[herniated]

I'm pretty sure Del will sew in the lining. For a price of course and shipping ect.

[Skate@Delaware]

Why don't you just get a bra in nude? I use one all the time (although I am smaller in the bust) and not too concerned about my bra showing-it's a fact of life for adult skaters. If anything, get a nude leotard with tank-style straps and wear your regular bra.

I have a whole collection of nude leotards AND nude bras for dresses. The nice thing about having a separate leotard-if you are in a show OR need to change your dress, you are not "nude" in an open locker room.

Much easier than sewing in a lining.

[Mrs Redboots]

Why don't you just get a bra in nude? I use one all the time (although I am smaller in the bust) and not too concerned about my bra showing-it's a fact of life for adult skaters.
Or a strapless bra with those clear plastic straps you can get. Honestly, they might show to someone standing 6" away from you, but it won't show when you're out there on the ice.

One thing nobody has yet suggested - do you have a department store where you live that offers a specialist bra-fitting service? Most do in this country, and John Lewis are excellent in that regard. If you do, go there with your dress and ask for their help - they will be able to advise you.

[stacyf419]

I have some excellent nude bras, actually. I just was uncertain as to how that was perceived if you can see it through the back. But I guess I should be more forgiving of the reality, which is that I obviously have to wear a bra. I just like the look of backless, and that look is of course not the same with a bra strap bisecting it.

[herniated]

Did you read Mrs. Redboots post? I just ordered a bra from riversedge with clear straps AND a clear strap that goes across the back!! I haven't gotten it yet but I hear you about not wanting it to show at all. I would feel the same way. That's why I don't buy the dresses that are too low. But this bra may be a good option for you! And with the mesh fabric over it you wouldn't see it at all.

Just a thought.

[LWalsh]

Spanx makes a bra now that just has hosiery material for the back, no bumpy clasp or anything. It supposed to eliminate the lines from bras that cut into your back but I bet it would be perfect for this. They have them at Nordstroms and Lord and Taylor you can take the dress with you and try it out.

[jenlyon60]

The problem is that many of those bras provide only minimal support for anyone with a cup size larger than a B cup. Support that may be adequate for everyday wear, but not for freestyle. And I believe the OP stated she wore a rather largish cup size.

When I was doing much more ice dance than now, I ended up having my dresses designed so that I could wear an appropriate bra underneath without the straps showing (shoulder or across the back). My dressmaker came up with a combination of skin-tone jersey and nude mesh that matched my natural skin tone almost perfectly, from a distance.

[Skate@Delaware]

Well, since your dress has colored mesh across the back, get a supportive bra in nude and dont stress about it. I've been to dozens of competitions and never realized until the woman got off the ice that she was wearing a regular bra (sometimes even a white one) under colored mesh.

[stacyf419]

I've decided to line the entire back (due to the way it's cut - it's truly a backless dress with just thin mesh - not just a 'deep cut' back). This way I can just wear my regular bra.

As an fyi regarding the clear strapped-bras - I had to wear one for synchro, and it became my dreaded few minutes every competition until the end of the season, when I gratefully marched over in the changing room, threw it in the garbage, and said 'Never again!' to my coach. It was so unbearably painful, I can't even describe it - the plastic or whatever it is cuts into your skin so it's like someone's pinching you or burning you with cigarettes wherever that strap is touching your body. Not pleasant, to say the least.

Please keep in mind that I am an unusual situation - I take a 34 F (F!!!) which makes them very heavy for my frame (I'm just shy of 5'2). Even regular soft cotton bras aren't the most comfortable things in the world.

Anyway, thanks so much to everybody for your help. I can't believe how much advice this board gives, so generously. It's such a great resource!

[herniated]

Now I'm kind of scared of the bra I ordered!!!

[stacyf419]

Don't be!! Everybody's skin has a different tolerance level - I happen to be extremely sensitive in both my skin and my muscles around that area.

[Skate@Delaware]

What someone should have told you to do:

Add extra strap carriers. These are the little ribbons for hooking another set of straps. for the well-endowed girls that need more support, those little skinny straps won't do. So, if you ever have to go through that again, or for anyone here that has to here is how you do it.

1. for the front, add another loop of ribbon below the one on the bra. Make sure it's the same size, or sized to the extra set of straps you will buy.

2. With a friends help (yes, you will need one to help you with this), put the bra on with the one set of straps already adjusted for you. With the newly strap attached to the new lower loop, run the strap over your shoulder and to your back. The location that you will have your friend mark will be where the other ribbon loop goes-it should go closer to the hooks but not so far that it "feels weird" just far enough to help support. Have your friend find a good location and put a safety pin (closed) there.

So, add your loop to the inside, just as the original loop looks. Your straps should look (from the back) like this:

|\ /|

or closely to that. From the front, there is no difference.

Also, you have the added security in case of a wardrobe malfunction.....you aren't left "hanging"!!!!

[stacyf419]

This would have been SO good to know before the synchro season started last year!!
But at least I know now for the future, so many thanks.:bow: