Body "Stickers"


MOCHI > The Workshop > Sewing > Dressing Room > Underbits > "Stickers"

Some anime outfits cling so tightly to the body that you don't want to wear a bra underneath because you'll get "bra lines" showing. Other anime outfits are cut in a way that you just can't wear a bra underneath. Some women can get away with not wearing a bra. Other women may not want to get away with it. After all, we've found that some outfits shift as you move -- which means that you may be unintentionally giving everyone a very interesting view if your outfit begins to gape a little at the sides. Besides, you might not want to let the world know exactly how cold you are ....

There is a surprising array of products sold to help women "cover up". Almost all of them rely on some kind of adhesive to keep them in place. Sometimes, these are called "pasties" (like "paste"). They should not be confused with the Cornish or Welsh pastry pasty (rhymes with "nasty"). For simplicity's sake, we tend to refer to them as "stickers". You usually peel off a paper backing and then, well, stick them onto yourself.

Places like Victoria's Secret and Fredericks of Hollywood sell a backless, strapless bra that is held on by adhesives. This is great for costumes with a low-cut back and a high front. If the costume is cut so that the side straps (running underneath your arm) would show, both places also sell stick-on cups.

In some cases, a full cup is still too much bra for costumes that have a low-cut front. You can sometimes find stick-on cups that are U-shaped: they don't cover the top two-thirds of the breast. The trade-off here is that these body stickers usually don't provide as much support as the full cups. (You don't get as much "oomph" if you have a large chest.)

If the even the U-shaped cups are too much, there are stickers that just cover the nipples. Many department stores sell "Breast Petals" in the lingerie department. These are flower-shaped stickers, roughly three inches across, that come in standard bra colors (nude, white, and black). (At more "wild" lingerie shops, you can find stick-ons that are metallic, textured, tasseled, or even glow-in-the dark!) If local stores don't carry Breast Petals, you can buy them on-line from Fredericks of Hollywood, who sells them in sets of three and as part of a "Take the Plunge" package, that includes other adhesive strips if you need to do more shaping or support.