This is the easiest belly dance bra you can make — even if you’ve never made a costume before!
I’ve been there. When I first started belly dancing, finding a costume that fit my body, my taste, and my budget felt almost impossible — especially the bra.
And the idea of altering a heavily decorated bra? Honestly, terrifying!
That’s exactly why I started making my own costumes. The bra top I’m about to show you today is by far the easiest belly dance bra for beginners — no cutting off side straps, and no complicated sewing at all.
This video is part of my Beginner’s Guide to Belly Dance Costume Making, and I’ll walk you through it step by step.
Let’s get started!
Level up your belly dance bras here!
Materials:
Here are the materials I used. You’ll find the material list below.
- 1m (1yd) of stretch fabric
- Foam bra that fits you well
- 2 pairs of pant hooks and bars
- Matching color thread
Step 1. Prepare Your Bra Base
This simple prep step makes everything easier later.
Start with a foam bra that fits you well. You can use a new bra or one you already own — just make sure it’s snug and comfortable.
Cut off the shoulder straps, and cut off the ends of the side straps to remove the hooks.
Tip: If your bra already fits very snugly, cutting off the strap ends may make it too tight. If that happens, cut small pieces of felt to match the strap ends you removed, and sew them back on to restore the length.
Step 2. Create and Attach the Side Strap Covers
Now this is how you make the bra look custom — without rebuilding the structure.
Fold your fabric right sides together — the right side is the side you want visible when finished.
Trace one side strap onto the fabric. Flip the strap up and trace along the underwire line as well.
Pin the layers together and add a 1cm (3/8 inch) seam allowance all the way around.
Repeat for the other side and cut both pieces out.
Sew these 3 sides right sides together using a zigzag stitch.
Trim the corners to reduce bulk, then turn them right side out.
Insert each side strap into its fabric cover. Align the end of the original strap carefully with the end of the outer fabric, and make sure the other end fully covers the underwire.
Sew a straight stitch along the end of the strap and right next to the underwire to secure everything in place.
Repeat for the other side, then sew pant hooks on the wrong side at the end of the right strap, and bars on the right side at the end of the left strap.
Step 3. Finish the Center Strap
Cut a small piece of fabric, wrap it around the center front strap, and stitch it in place.
Step 4. Cut and Prepare the Gathered Cup Fabric
This gathered strip method can save you about an hour of bra covering.
Measure the width of one bra cup. Cut a strip of fabric about 5cm (2 inches) wider than the cup width.
For the length, use the full remaining length of your fabric — about 70cm (27 inches) or longer works well.
If you want a clean finish on the shoulder straps, fold 1cm (3/8 inch) along the raw edges and sew a zigzag stitch.
Or leave the edges raw — stretch fabric doesn’t fray, and these edges are barely visible on stage. Skipping this step saves time and is totally beginner-friendly.
Sew a quick basting stitch along one short edge, about 1cm (3/8 inch) from the edge. The basting stitch is a simple running stitch with a long stitch length. Don’t make any knots, but instead, leave long thread tails at the beginning and end.
Then gently pull those threads to create soft gathers.
Step 5. Cover the Bra Cups
This is where your bra transforms from an undergarment to stage-ready.
Place the gathered edge along the bottom of the bra cup.
Fold 1cm (3/8 inch) along the bottom of the cups toward the wrong side. Adjust the gathers until the fabric fits nicely across the cup. Fold 1cm (3/8in) along the side of the cups. Spread the fabric so the folded edges cover the sides of the cups neatly.
Hand-sew the fabric in place — stitch along the bottom edge and add a few stitches at the sides so the base bra is completely covered.
Leave the shoulder straps unfinished to save time if you’re using stretch fabric, since it doesn’t fray.
And your easiest belly dance bra is complete! It’s pretty, custom-fit, and ready to be decorated. I actually made this entire outfit in 1 hour, including the decoration. If you want to see how that went, have a look at the 1-hour challenge video.
Bonus note: Normally, replacing the side straps with a sturdier base gives extra durability, but for a fast beginner project, covering the original straps saves time — and using gathered cup fabric cuts down the work by at least an hour.
Want to level up your outfits?
And once you’re ready to level up your outfits, come join me inside the Sparkly Belly All Access Membership. You’ll get access to 20 courses and over 40 designs, including the popular Dina Bra, Golden Era style bra, and dresses with built-in bras – all designed to help you feel confident and stage-ready at your next performance.
If pattern making and calculations feel intimidating, don’t worry. Every course includes a special calculator, so you can skip the math and still create costumes that fit your body perfectly.
If that sounds helpful, you can find all the details here!
I hope you’re excited to make your very first belly dance bra!
And if you enjoyed this video, make sure to read the easiest belly dance skirt tutorial next. It’s super beginner-friendly, and you can cut and sew it in 10 minutes!
Thanks for reading, and keep sparkling!
P.S. Pin this image on your belly dance bra’s board!
Like what you read? Want to make more costuming bits yourself?
Learn more and sign up for my free email course, Belly Dance Costume Making 101