What's a good way to bind? Tips and hints

[majinekochan]

The panel was so fabulous and you guys looked amazing!! OwO <3

Arigatoo Gozaimasu! Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it. We were all sorry that the slide show went wonky and promise to have that fixed for future panels.
We also have been working on our website (www.crossplaysociety.org) to add content and help us improve the panel presentation too.

So Thank you to everyone who attended! We had alot of fun and hope you all got something out of it.

Cheers!
Kato
Crossplay Society Chairperson

yeah, definetly gotta get the slideshow working.
And thanks for hauling me up infront...that seems to happen to me alot when I walk into a panel room...

[Kato_Shiroi]

yeah, definetly gotta get the slideshow working.
And thanks for hauling me up infront...that seems to happen to me alot when I walk into a panel room...

That my dear is because you're very talented and many others besides me have noticed ... oh and I also just happen to like having my friends be my examples at panels and dolls for me to put cosplays on. Living cosplay dolls are fun 

[TalaRedWolf33]

So, i got a question... would a compression vest thing hurt if you have a bigger chest? Cuz ima dd

[Kato_Shiroi]

So, i got a question... would a compression vest thing hurt if you have a bigger chest? Cuz ima dd

No, not as long as you don't try to compress down too far. You might either have to go to a place where you can try some on or order a couple of sizes and keep the one that fits correctly.
Remember you aren't trying to be totally flat, just minimize and give the illusion of a more male chest/shape.

Cheers,
Kato

[DemonOfBeauty21]

Underworks is amazing!
My boyfriend is transgender (female to male) and what's what he uses on a daily base. They can be a little spendy but they will last you a good chunk of time if you are going to be doing alot of binding cosplay.
Also, ACE is a bad idea, she's right in the fact that if you do it wrong it could crack a rib and most people don't know how to do it correctly. Trust me when I say it's worth the money to go through underworks.

[DejiaDionne]

I bind alot, not just in cosplay, but to hide the fat i'm a girl from my girlfriends parents(they're homophobes...). if you can take two sports bras, wear one of them backwards. and wear a woman's wife beater that's at lest one size smaller than your actual size. also if you have an hourglass shape, wrap a towel around your midsection.
and try to wear a baggy-ish shirt, it hide it well

[Titus_Love_Doll]

I m kinda build like a guy so it easy for my shape I found that when i take two Ace banded and i cut them and them i stich bra hooks on each side after stiching them togeather it works well .

[Sadi]

Thanks for the tips!
I may or may not be doing a male cosplay in which I will need binding for this year (I'm unsure as of the current moment), but I am running on a rather low budget. If anything, I'd probably need to use ACE bandages (since I already have those). I was wondering if there were any tutorials for putting them on correctly? I'd prefer not to break my ribs, as that sounds rather painful.
If not I can probably just go buy that thing at Walmart that Vampire had mentioned in the second post. But I'd prefer working with what I've got if possible.

Thanks again!~

[lover-of-the-pepsi]

I tried duct tape once, which was a HUGE mistake for me. I don't know if it's because I have sensitive skin, or that I left it on too long or even took it off the wrong way, but I had blisters on my chest for days afterwards. Not pleasant.
Despite that though I understand the need for a flat chest to make that one costume perfect, but without the funds to get a different means of binding.

As for Ace bandages, they kinda hurt after awhile (they ARE specifically meant for support, not squeezing down lady lumps) but overall they work if you're low on cash or in a pinch for time. It's true what everyone says though, they can crack or break some ribs if you're not careful. But, you know what they say "beauty is pain" (or something like that).

I haven't tried the compression shirts, but overall people seem to really like them.

[Yuri the Hatter]

Best ways to bind other than buying binders at like T-kingdom or Underworks I think is the name of the other site. Is to use a Ace bandage. Or use a shirt that can be used as a compression shirt.

[CLAP_attack]

I highly suggest underworks binders.
I got one and it doesn't hurt at alll and it helps when cosplaying a male.

[iheartexploding]

All right.

i have perhaps some useful input.My english is iffy,but i hope this makes sense.
I am a 34 F and they are not natural so even with maximum safe compression i cannot get totally flat,so i also rely on camoflage.

Any good binders,like underworks compression,or even making your own out of 4 way stretch lycra.I made mine 6 inches smaller than my bust and "sleeveless shirt style"But i had one from underworks works great too!i have never tried the walmart ones but they look like if you get a small size they might work.

Gauze wrapped tight but not too tight with medical tape taping it in place,thoroughly will usually hold and it will absorb sweat as well.if you use straight up tape,paper tape medical tape seems to be the least harsh to skin,other medical tapes that are harsher i have seen tear off skin.so look for gentle medical tape.i still suggest a thin layer of gauze though.

and while if your bust is not natural you cannot get super flat,i reduce from an F to about a C usually 4-5 inches,so it is possible to compress and camouflage any boobies.

i have heard of smaller busted people cutting a hole and the legs off control top panty hose and using it for compression.when i saw the results it looked great!

i promise its true

i also bind my butt and hips,you know those "control" capri/shorts things you can buy in the panty hose section?they compress butt and hips great!,a couple layers of control panty hose will flatten too.

this had so many pages i only skimmed so i am not sure if all of this was covered.i hope it had some helpful tips in it,and as you can see in the comparison,it really works fairly well.

Example:

girl me: clearly not a man body,have to hide lots of stuff.
guy me: [the nuada]with camouflage and a home made compression shirt it might not be perfect but it works wonders! and for the hips i had on the control shorts i described above,it flattened it enough to hide it.the lovely woman in the pic of course many of you know,she made both of these beautiful costumes

[zeekaice]

I skimmed through the thread a bit and didn't see anything about this website my friend recommended. She cosplayed Scout from Team Fortress 2 but she couldn't really afford anything too expensive, and she found this website here. Super cheap and she said it was comfortable and worked very well! I have yet to order one so I can't speak from experience, but I do trust her judgement here. I'll order one for my Spades Slick crossplay and make another post when I can.

[taka9tori]

ive found a few ways that work with varying levels of sucsess. i tried ace bandages, but they slid down over the day, and the pins kept coming undone
so i tried vet wrap. the kind they use on horses. it is very solid, very cheep. takes 1-2 roles at only a few dollars a piece. the downside: incredibly uncomfortable. does not stretch at all. its about as close to corseting yourself as it can get.

currently i have switched to wearing two sports bras, one over the other, with a wife beater (one that would be slightly too small for me unbound) over them. its not perfect looking, but under the t-shirt it looks just fine.

[JRock]

I was just reading through this and I got chills seeing how many people use Ace bandages to bind. Seriously, it is not safe to use them, and it can come with a bunch of medical hazards. Plus, there are plenty of other ways to bind that's cheap and easy if you can't afford a binder.

But for those having trouble, I suggest layers and V shapes. V shaped tops are a way to trick the mind into thinking your shoulders are broader and more masculine looking, and layers help hide your coconuts if you aren't flat enough.

[zeekaice]

I skimmed through the thread a bit and didn't see anything about this website my friend recommended. She cosplayed Scout from Team Fortress 2 but she couldn't really afford anything too expensive, and she found this website here. Super cheap and she said it was comfortable and worked very well! I have yet to order one so I can't speak from experience, but I do trust her judgement here. I'll order one for my Spades Slick crossplay and make another post when I can.

Okay, so apparently buying these are a mistake, they're not that great. Wearing one of these for even five minutes will restrict breathing and aren't very stretchy at all, so bad advice, go with the other good advice in this thread.

[FlyingTypO]

Okey, umm help?

I have a size g cup and a small buget. Any ideas? I'm not looking for a completely flat chest, just something to hold them down enough so that it's not so painfully obvious...

And I'm trying to avoid Ace bandige. Help?

[musicalmaxwell]

Okey, umm help?

I have a size g cup and a small buget. Any ideas? I'm not looking for a completely flat chest, just something to hold them down enough so that it's not so painfully obvious...

And I'm trying to avoid Ace bandige. Help?

Do not use ace bandages. Ever. What you should do is take a sports bra that is a little too small, maybe a size E or F, and push your breasts to the side towards your arm pits. Otherwise, it will look like you have a uniboob. Wear another tight tank top or compression vest to flatten out your build. This should be silky or smooth cotton to not bunch up what you are going to wear over it. Then wear a looser, thicker tank top over it. And whala, you're flat!

[dark4ever]

If you guys wanna shell out for an actual binder, this one's pretty cheap and works well- http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Freeshipping-Among-Zipper-Chest-Breast-Binder-Trans-Lesbian-Shapers/944672191.html

[LadyAlmanic]

I have used a sports bra with ace bandages before and had zero issues with them. This was because my grandma (weirdly enough) had experience in binding breasts with ace bandages and make sure that they were done right and not too tight. If you do NOT have experience using ace bandages, sports bras are great. A few other good things are sports tank tops, like Under Armour. I own one and it also helps makes your stomach look great as well (Coming from someone who is 100lbs though, don't trust everything I say).


I am a D cup, and what I did worked just well enough to pull off as Light.

[Manfred]

I'm a little late to this thread unfortunately... I'd love if there was another crossplay panel, since I missed the last one and it's been a few years.

My two cents are that yes a lot of people rave about T-kingdom, and I've bought from them before. And maybe it's just me, I'm an A, but my chest is very broad; I ordered the smallest size from them, it fit great. The one thing it didn't do was compress me where I wanted it to. So if you're small up front, I'd suggest either trying Underwire or ordering a custom sized one. Because I ended up cutting the elastic block out and sewing it into a sports bra so it would actually compress me.

[prussia]

Oh god, please do not use ace bandages to bind, save up, it's not that hard to save a bit of cash on the side to get a proper binder.
I have terrible back problems from using ace bandages.


The way they compressed my body was not okay, and forced my upper back to curve, I still have back problems because of this and it feels the opposite of okay. Don't use frickin ace bandages even if you're on a budget. No one cares if you're naruto w/ tits. Just please if a way of binding is uncomfortable DONT DO IT!!! Because it could be causing a more serious/permanent issue than you're anticipating.


Ace bandages do not bind in a way that is safe for your back, your back has alot of joints(?) in it, unlike an arm bone etc. Also when I breathe in now I have a slight little gasp type thing I can feel because my lungs were compressed by the ace bandages. I can't breathe 100% correctly now because of that.
If you're on a budget and can't afford a binder, layered sports bras (Like wearing them backwards to) are a REALLY effective alternative (They kind of chafe your pits but that's nothing compared to the more permanent **** ace bandages do to you.) I can not stress enough to NOT USE ACE BANDAGES.
THEY CONSTRICT YOU LIKE A SNAKE. THEY ARE MEANT TO /CONSTRICT/ NOT TO /COMPRESS/

[BrokenPsyche]

Whatever you do don't use ACE
If you can spend some money go to http://www.lesloveboat.com/
Underworks sucks terribly. The site says it's for trans people but it's for sports binding.
Loseloveboat is the best. I have never found anything better. Just check the sizes.
I'm a D and it flattens me out perfectly.

[BrokenPsyche]

This post may help.
All the information on it is in this post.
Don't be afraid to go to ebay to buy binding because you can get amazing ones for under $30. Strapless, tri-stop, full coverage, any kind.
Any, they don't damage your ribs or organs.
Be safe when binding!

[riku-chan]

I just recently this past year started binding for some male cosplays and I think layering two sports bra's that are a size or two to small works decently and I'm a F-cup with a size 32 waist and i'm 4"11 in height so I think it works out alright with me.

[Unregular514]

Both my boyfriend and I are trans men. All I have to say is the only really safe way to bind is with an actual compression shirt or binder. If you're worried about price, I've found them on Amazon for between $8-$15. If you're worried about chest size, my boyfriend is at least a C cup and can get completely flat. Stay safe!

[BlackjackGabbiani]

Anyone have any resources that AREN'T on the internet? I vastly prefer to be able to try stuff on, especially if I have to shell out a lot of money on it.

[Valkyrie542]

I've cosplayed as male characters and this will be the first year I attempt to bind.

Due to shipping time constraints between now and the con, I decided to try out the sports bra method with a twist: I'll be wearing a slightly smaller/tighter sports bra and will wear a spanx tank top over it.

I don't know how effective it will be, but it is one of the safer options.

I'll come back later after the con's over and give my thoughts then. ^^;

[Valkyrie542]

I've cosplayed as male characters and this will be the first year I attempt to bind.

Due to shipping time constraints between now and the con, I decided to try out the sports bra method with a twist: I'll be wearing a slightly smaller/tighter sports bra and will wear a spanx tank top over it.

I don't know how effective it will be, but it is one of the safer options.

I'll come back later after the con's over and give my thoughts then. ^^;

Update: Yes, the sports bra and tank top worked for me - but I do have a B-cup bust, so I don't know if it'll be as effective for larger sizes.


However, be forewarned, the tiny sports bra (while it worked) was very painful and I didn't want to wear it for longer than an hour for the photoshoot I attended. It left some impressions, but there hasn't been any damage or harm to the chest area.


As some tipsters have mentioned before, bind safely - and briefly, don't over do it!!

[baka-imouto]

GC2B has a line of nude binders in five different colors and two styles for every color. This is great for those wearing white or thin shirts, low cut necklines, and nonexistent sleeves with their cosplay. Here's the main page for the collection. The company's has great fitting instructions and from what I've heard from friends the quality is great.