I always wear a bra under my cholis as I definitely need the support. The only time I might not, is if I am wearing my coin bra over the top of the choli as that provides support usually. I do usually still wear a bra under that tho!
What I did was buy an inexpensive bra that gives me a medium amount of support with the thinnest straps I could find. I then snip the straps off from where they attach to the back strap and sew them back on closer to my underarms, ensuring they are hidden by the back of the choli. If the back strap is still too chunky, I would run it in a bit before attaching the straps. I then sew a thin, flat bit of elastic between the two shoulder straps around the same place that the top tie of open backed cholis usually sit as this elastic keeps the straps from slipping off my shoulder. This gives me enough support and only a few thin straps are visible but the are generally hidden by the choli ties anyway! Hope this helps! Sophie

That's very true, they stretch out and have to be replaced.. The cups are still good even though the sides are gone. The perfect thing to sew in cholis. I do plan to work on Annabella's choli, and a non stretch version.

I know what you mean, Amy. Because, as of about 10 minutes ago... I figured it out. I CREATED a bra that could be worn under a backless choli (specifically, the ones from Flying Skirts) .... and, I needed to kill 2 bras to do it. Neither of which were cheap because I use good bras. Good bras = good quality, good support, good fit, no questions asked.

And with 2 bras... I literally created a "Franken-Bra" .... (I should copyright that!!) .... that I can wear from choli to choli, instead only with one because it's sewn to it.

When I perfect this, I will put up some instructions. Maybe I can finally help others like myself. I warn you all now though, you will need ONE good bra you swear by, and one not so wonderful one, with wire and boning on the sides.

I think this is it. I think I did it.

Ah, darn, thanks anyway :p

I'm still too chicken and too lazy to try and make the Franken-bra, so I'm still holding out for the Maidenform backless bra that the lady from American Inventor came up with. It's available on the Maidenform website for pre-order finally (although I have no idea when you'd actually get the bra), and it's only $25! It only goes up to 38DD. Here's the link:
www.maidenform.com/catalog/product.jsp

Ooooh!!!! I think I'm going to be investing in some of that!!!! Thanks Saz!!!

Hi all,

sorry for dragging this topic up again, but I just had an idea. Mind, it's just an idea, I didn't try this yet so no guarantee, but if anyone feels compelled to try, just give it a shot.
I'm not american (please also excuse me if my english gets funky from time to time), so I go by the metric bra sizing system, but if I calculated correctly, I'm something like a 38 E (or is that DD?). Plus, my thingies are subject to basic physics, aka laws of gravity. ;o) So now way on this earth for me to wear a choli without bra.

Okay, enough babble, here my idea:
Why not take a bra, cut off the back straps short of where they meet the open back side of the choli (exactly where the lowe ties start). then get this hook and eyelet bands (sorry, don't know the correct name. They are kind of bands with hooks or eyelets already sewed on and are used as corset closures. You can buy them by the meter over here.) Sew the hooks part to the bra, the eyelets part to the inside of the choli (or vice versa, just make sure that the hooks cannot pinch your skin while moving), matching the underbust band of the bra to the underbust ties of the choli. So when you hook in the bra and tie the lower ties of the choli, they hold the choli plus the bra.
Et voila, you get the support of the bra underneath the choli, esp. the support of the bra's shoulder straps, you can take it apart for washing, plus you have to mangle only one bra and can use it with different cholis. And you only have to sew the eyelets into the cholis - no big alterations.

Hope my explanations were not too confused, if yes, just tell me and I'll try to make a drawing or something to explain.

I don't mean to defy you here, Donna, but... Flying skirts claims the same thing. Talk to some really large busted ladies, and they will all tell you that there is no such thing as a backless choli, that can be wore, without a bra - I mean, wait, correction. You can wear anything you like without a bra. There is no such thing a backless choli that will provide the same lift, and support, that a bra will. Not unless it has a bra built in. I am a 36 DD - and I've tried to wear the choli's without bras. Not good. I don't the ladies bouncin' around whilst I do the Reham-Ka ;)

Thus I developed this franken-bra. It works under backless cholis. All of them. Probably even yours.

How's THAT for shamless self promotion :) :)

The rajasthani choli has to be made to your measurments to look right and even then there's no guarantee that it turns out well. Poor Angelia tried to make some for me and it just didn't work. So I switched to the cotton lycra cholis which hold securely but there's still major bouncing.

But if you can get one made to look right on you, then I think it would be more supportive.