Wha?! A Breast-Binding Guide for Crossplayers

Wha?! A Breast-Binding Guide for Crossplayers

Crossdressing women, men with gynecomastia, and transgendered men have been doing it for a bagillion years: breast-binding. It makes it easier for a person to pull off a male role (or even crossplay) when they appear to have a flat chest. While not always necessary, breast binding often puts the finishing touches on male crossplays requiring tight clothing.

The term "binding" or "breast binding" refers to flattening one's breast-tissue to create a flat-appearing chest. Various materials and methods can be used, with different levels of success.


Some people seeking a flat-chested appearance don't need to bind at all. Small breasts can be hidden by slumping or hunching the shoulders forward. This, however, obviously hurts the back and shoulders after a long time. Other people, especially those with baggy street-wise cosplays, can use layered fabric to conceal the appearance of breasts.


For those who choose breast binding as a solution to crossplay issues, here are several techniques and their drawbacks/benefits.

BINDING METHODS

TAPE ON DIRECT SKIN
The thing about tape on direct skin is that it has the potential to end BADLY. Tapes that aren't meant to be on skin (DUCT TAPE) can lead to not-so-good things happening to you. DO NOT DO THIS. IT IS INSANE. People with sensitive skin should especially avoid this. If you do, for some reason, ignore me, make sure to remove the tape immediately if you feel blisters/bruises forming.


Tape on direct skin can prevent your skin from breathing, inhibit movement, prevent YOU from breathing, cut into the skin and can cause rashes and skin irritations from the glue. I actually met a crossplayer that did this and MAN did she have fun gettin' all that off. In fact, a friend of mine had friends using this method that ended up with actual scars.


It can be done. It works for some. It's not recommended.


If you have to, such as in the case of open-shirt binding, make sure you get a tape that's easy to remove and still keeps its strength. Remember to allow your skin ample time to breathe. Some guides recommend using Johnson and Johnson skin tape. Other guides recommend other forms of tape. Most guides suggest using initial strips around and under the armpit to tape the breasts down to the sides and then using additional tape if needed to attain a flat look.

Some people recommended 3MNexicare products to me and said that taping to the sides makes it easier to breathe and that "You just need to know when to take it off. If you feel a sting, take it off immediately."

Again, I don't condone the use of tape. EVER.


TAPE OVER A SPORTS BRA
Some people suggested an alternative to direct-tape binding to me. One girl used a sports bra with tape over it. She then layered shirts over it. This worked for individuals with larger chests. She had success with it.

I don't personally recommend it because of breathing constriction and pressure on the ribs and posture.


REMOVING TAPE
All the tapers I know recommended going slow (no ripping off of the tape) and some were recommending using baby oil in trouble spots.


Again, I do not recommend/condone/support the use of tape in any way/shape/form (unless its open-shirt crossplay).


ACE BANDAGE

My advice? DON'T DO IT. It's a mistake for long-term crossplay/binding. Some people have success with this method (especially for quick stuff) but I don't recommend it. Plus, if you're going to be crossplaying frequently, the other methods offer more comfort.


Ace bandage makes it hard to breathe and can really hurt your ribs after a decent amount of time. The edges tend to cut into skin, the buckles are easy to knock off and, when moving around rapidly, it's easy to start unraveling like a mummy. If it isn't rolled correctly, you really can injure yourself. It's also about as comfortable as putting sandpaper in your underwear and then walking to the mall. If you can avoid it, avoid it.


On the other hand, it's hella cheap and effective in a good, quick cosplay.


Several other guides suggest different methods based on various body-types. Some guides suggest laying down flat and wrapping the bandage around you. Other suggest moving your breasts away from the center of the chest and pushing them off to the side, away from the breastbone. Most guides suggest wearing an extra t-shirt/tank-top/undershirt to hide the contours of the bandages.


I found that simply wrapping and flattening 'dead center' was most successful.


SPORTS BRA/FROG BRA

For those lucky enough for this to be enough, a small sports bra from Target (US) sometimes does the trick. The key is to find a bra specifically made for runners. Those tend to compress and prevent 'bouncing.' A good running bra can offer simply compression for smaller sized individuals. For additional compression, some cosplayers have used tape OVER the bra (NOT DIRECTLY ON THE SKIN), but I don't personally recommend it.


The Frog Bra (US) is another compression bra. It's good because it's got lycra and provides extra compression. You can get it at Title 9 Sports (US) and I've found it at Target ($35.99).


[[www.title9sports.com (800-342-4448)]]


THE BRO

This sounds like a really bad Seinfeld joke. The Bro, however, actually exists. It's a bra that was originally made for men with gynecomastia (a condition that causes enlarged breast tissue). It's also used by men in the transgendered community.


The Bro is now referred to as the Enell Male Sports Vest. It's custom-made and pricing varies. It isn't the cheapest option.


[[www.enell.com (800-828-7661)]]


COMPRESSION VESTS

This is the option I recommend. Compression vests/shirts flatten breasts AND allow for rapid movement (battle reenactments) AND breathing. The other options can limit breathing and cut into the skin but Compression Vests are flexible enough that you can... well breathe. They're also, as I found, the most comfortable option. It's also one less of a headache during reenactments ("Wai! If I move too fast I'm gunna lose it!")


The company I recommend, though there are many others, is Underworks. Underworks makes several products (including 'male girdles' that can tuck in and reduce the appearance of hips/butt) that help its users achieve a more male appearance.


For binders, the recommended types are the Double Front Compression Vest, Tri-Top Chest Binder, Power Compression Vest, and Extra Power Compression Vest. Different binders work differently on different chest sizes. Some vests, like the Tri-Top 'roll up.' The material just starts to fold upward and has to be tugged down or folded over and smoothed out. Others, like the Double Front, can be tucked into pants.


If you were playing Shindou Shuichi (Gravitation), let's say, you'd want a Tri-Top Chest Binder. It's a tank-top shaped binder that rolls up and sits about an inch or two lower than where a sports-bra would sit. So, for Shuichi, who shows his stomach in a lot of his costumes, that would be an option.


For someone who tucks in his pants, a Double Front would be a better option because it's more durable and long enough to be tucked into pants.For cosplays in hot climates, you'd prolly want a Tri-Top (less material) and for those where heat wouldn't be an issue (or those with larger chests), other choices might be more practical.


Itchy binders or binders that are too tight, sometimes have to be stretched out. Air dry binders to prevent stretching. Wearing a t-shirt or tank-top under a tight binder can prevent skin bruising. A needle and thread can also be used to keep a binder from cutting into the underarms.


I get hot easy and like to scratch my stomach a lot. So I use a Tri-Top.

[[www.underworks.com (800-242-4224) info@underworks.com]]


Underworks has a sizing guide for transgendered men (men who were born biologically female) and this sizing guide can also be used for crossdressing women. I found that, with Underworks' sizing, going one size smaller was more accurate. For instance, I'm a 34B and it equalled out for me getting a medium but, accurately, a small is what I need to be wearing.


(http://www.underworks.com/ftm/)


UnderArmour (Credit: InsaneBassist)


As another Livejournal user pointed out, UnderArmour is another awesome company for compression products. They make theirs mostly for athletes. The specific thing I like about UnderArmour is that it breathes and 'wicks' away sweat. It makes running around a con pretty awesome.


[[www.underarmour.com (888-4-ARMOUR)]]

T-KINGDOM
For transmen by transmen. These binders work for crossplayers too. I don't have experience with their products but some people recommended them. I'll have to ask on the transboards about success ratios.
[[http://www.t-kingdom.com/products.htm]]




Additional Links


Cosplay.com Crossplay Forum Sticky Post (Good open-chest binding guide by Karisu-Sama). ((Link Credit: Eidolon_bird))


And that's it. I'm sure it'll be worth a giggle if someone squeals "OMG AN ED THAT'S ACTUALLY A REAL GUY" at you.

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thank you for posting this! ive tried the sports bra and ace bandage methods and have yet to be really successful < im definately now going to consider investing in one of those compression vests you were talking about :)>

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yo CHECK IT OUT YO!

Some people (a few of my friends, at least), use modern corsets (like, the ones you can get in the lingere department of a Kohls or something) which are originally meant to flatten your belly a little, but they have pretty good luck with those as chest binding.

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We must go out and ninja in the night.

I would advise against using corsets as they tend to shrink the waist and lift the breasts. They're not really meant for making people appear masculine. Laces and such, also, under tight clothing, don't look quite flat. It ripples. Increasing the curvature of a figure by reducing waist and not equalizing waist to hips would lead to a less masculine appearance. There are also many debates about the health of corsets and whether or not they have enough give for breathing.

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Thanks for posting this (and pictures of the compression vest in action). I've been looking at a compression vest for a while now, since I've tried the Tensor/Ace bandage method over a sports bra and it's been making me look misshapen (DX). Something to add to the Ace Bandage thing about the little clasp things coming off easily - when they do, the will hit you, and it will HURT.

OMG I love you for posting this.  You are God! *bows down*

 

I like your explanation better than others that I have read.  Thanks again.  I'll be looking forward to using different binding techniques. 

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~*Roar*~

AlchemyUser wrote: OMG I love you for posting this. You are God! *bows down*   I like your explanation better than others that I have read. Thanks again. I'll be looking forward to using different binding techniques.

 

God, huh? ::Grins:: 

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A good read :D

 

I just found out a friend of mine has been binding herself with Duct Tape for all of her crossplays for the past few years... if she wasn't in another country, I would have ran over to her house and slapped her across the face. XD

I reccomended a binder to her and she's going to order one ASAP :D

 

Another link to add: http://www.samiscloset.com/binders.asp

 Service has been fast (under two weeks overseas), so this is great if you only have a few weeks before the convention and you need your stuff quick.

 

I'm thinking of cutting the straps off of my current binder and replacing them with either thin bra straps or clear "invisible" straps, because one of my crossplays has a really wide collar so my binder shows underneath it... but I'm worried that cutting it will affect how good it does the job of binding.

Has anyone cut a binder before to mod it (making it shorter, perhaps?) and can tell me if it affected the quality at all? 

I trimmed my binder underneath the armpits for my Sora cosplay because I was worried that it would show when I took the coat off. I had success with sewing the edges together. People have also recommended that, after trimming it, you hook it up with magic sew and some bias tape to keep it from running and give it a little more stability.

 It can be done and it won't reduce compression drastically. It will increase the chance of it snapping and coming apart. One thing I suggest, as I did with Sora, is to pin the binder TO the tank so that it doesn't show. It will hurt but it will save you some trouble if you have a wide collar or used stretchy materials.

 

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