UPDATE 5-30-23
You can now purchase mocha brown push-up cups from Wawak.com for $3.98-5.00 for each pair. https://www.wawak.com/garment-construction/bra-cups/serged-push-up-bra-cups-1-pairpack/#sku=brc6amo
I’m surprised I am just now realizing the lack of brown bra cups. I have been in the bridal design/bridal alterations business now for several years and with the sheer wedding dress trend, I’m just surprised I have not come across this before now.
Sheer wedding dress showing brown cups
Felicity gown-Sheer Wedding Dress, notice how the cups are seen slightly through the lace. Beige cups are used in this design.
But I had a bridal client come in recently and ask for me to swap out her bra cups in her wedding dress for ones that matched her skin tone. It seemed like an easy request.
Normally I go to wawak.com and order bra cups in beige or white, they are also available in the color black. The only “brown” cups they offer are round with no push-up (90% of women want the extra lift on the wedding day).
The pair I normally order for most of my brides, push-up. No “mocha” available.
The only option they carry in “mocha”
I took to Facebook and asked my group of Bridal Alterations seamstresses what they thought of the situation and if they had any sources for me to order dark brown cups from. Again, to my surprise, 90% of the comments told me to dye them or to cover them myself because they too, know there are limited to no sources for brown bra cups.
I did more research on google.com and found an etsy seller selling mocha cups, but they look more copper than my bride, and from the reviews, they are copper-colored in person as well. And the company is “GOING OUT OF BUSINESS”
I did have a couple of women suggest I order brown cups from a Maggie Sottero retailer. I contacted 3-4 retailers that were able to order the cups and they all gave me prices between $15-30 per pair. This is outrageous considering you see the price for the beige pair above from wawak.
I asked for a bulk discount rate and I was told there was none.
New Approach-
DIY-ing brown bra cups,
Dyeing vs. Covering
Fabric Dyeing
Takes too long
Messy
Room for error
Fabric dye, gloves, tub, etc. becomes pricey
Covering with Fabric
Use a 4-way stretch knit. I used a Powernet mesh
If you must use a woven, use 8” bias strips
Making the cups from scratch?
I researched making the cups from scratch as opposed to covering $2-3 cups with inexpensive mesh fabric and the costs/time are greater
If I made it from scratch, I would need foam 6mm or 1/4” thick, not available at JoAnn
The cups would have to have seams for me to create the concave, and I would have to add extra foam for push-up
I would still have to cover them because they do not have mocha/dark brown/milk chocolate color available
Conclusion
I’m covering the bra cups I purchase normally from wawak.com with brown mesh I received from fabric.com on amazon.com.
This link is helpful for tips on covering your bra cups. https://withmyhandsdream.com/2019/02/06/a-grey-teeshirt-bra-and-panties/
Covering the beige cups with brown 4-way stretch mesh
Finished covered brown bra cups ready to be sewn in my clients wedding dress
I decided I should sell some as well on my website since there is such a limited supply, and some ladies needing these cups may not be able/want to cover them.
Brown Push-Up Bra Cups Now available in the shop!
For every pair of cups sold, $1 will be donated to the NAACP
