How many costumes?

[Amulya]

In case of a regular venue I think Mahsati's answer is a good indication. But if you dance at different venues each time and are sure you will not be seen by the same people, you could do with one costume*, unless you do a costume change. The question is.... do you want only one costume

*of course that one costume will have more wear and tear than when you use several.

 

[MissVega]

I plead the fifth on this topic LOL

All I'll admit to is having the same costume in 3 different colours:wall::wall:
I do this with clothing too. When I like something I have a hard time stepping away from it. Maybe I can justify it by saying that I am committed

 

[Belly Love]

I'm guessing it all depends on how often & where you dance. If your doing weddings/parties once a month you may be fine with 5. If you are doing weekly gigs at restaurants AND weddings/parties every weekend, you may need 20.

I have my eye on 10 different cossies right now... how do I chose my first one?! I probably won't get my first one for a few more months...

Why am I saying "cossie" ... I'm not Australian!

 

[Amulya]

We all use the word 'cossie' here on the forum, not necessarily the Australian dancers only.

 

[Shanazel]

I usually write costume, but I am sure I am Australian at heart. I saw Crocodile Dundee at least twice and understood almost everything he said.

 

[Belly Love]

I must have just picked it up from reading it so many times

 

[goddessyasaman]

How many?

I was wondering..how many costumes do you guys all have, and how many, in your opinion, do you think someone should own?

I know there is no one right answer. With everyday clothes...I think enough clothes for 2 weeks plus a couple lounge around outfits for when you feel sick or just like doing nothing, and some extra socks, sleepwear, and underwear is a complete wardrobe....I've known people who kept two sets of clothes and washed every night and were fine with that....and I've known people who had so many clothing items they didn't even know what they had and felt they truly needed, and not just wanted, additional items. So I'm sure everyone will have a different view on belly dance costumes....just seeing what everyone thinks on that.

Let's see to first answer the thread i would say that I agree with mahsati_janan's post I would have a costume for each time I danced, well I dance a lot of different styles so I feel the need, but if money comes into play then I would say a good veil or or cover up/ layering or even mix match parts could work as well. Now I'm a clothing/costume freak, I will have to count my costumes in a list...(I've made all the costumes listed all but 7)

Based to style
5 turkish style costumes
1 Egyptian style costume
3 Indian style costumes
2 Native american style costumes
6 tribal fusion style costumes
4 ATS costumes
4 Gothic style costumes

Extra to mix and match costumes...(these are not included with above list)
Veils 15
10 skirts
5 tops
10 Bras
5 pants

I buy or make two costumes a month now so it's going to be growing a lot this year.

Let's not get into Accessories I will be going on forever:lol:

 

[LadyLoba]

I understand Miss Vega...I do the multiples thing too...I have four pairs of the same black dress pants, four pairs of the same brown dress pants, six pairs of the same jeans...and my shirts are over half white.

My costume wish list is shaping up the same...I saw a costume I loved and wanted it in three colors....three so far...

 

[lily_raks]

Love this thread and love the question.

So if I dance once a week in the same venue in addition to dancing once a month as a guest dancer at another restaurant, how many should I have? I currently have 8 costumes.

 

[Darshiva]

That depends on what your costumes are (bra & belt sets, dresses, bra & matching skirt sets, etc). If you have 8 bra & belt sets & a few different skirts, you will be able to vary the outfits to a greater extent than with 8 skirts & 1-2 bra & belt sets.

I've got a handful of bra & skirt sets but one of those also has a belt and that one gets used a lot as I have about 12 different skirts to match it with. I also have another bra & belt set that goes with about 5 different skirts I have but also looks fabulous with yoga pants so I can mix that one up a few times too for some variety. It's a lot harder to change up your look with bra & skirt sets or dresses because they're harder to match with different things to give a different look.

 

[lily_raks]

That depends on what your costumes are (bra & belt sets, dresses, bra & matching skirt sets, etc). If you have 8 bra & belt sets & a few different skirts, you will be able to vary the outfits to a greater extent than with 8 skirts & 1-2 bra & belt sets.

I've got a handful of bra & skirt sets but one of those also has a belt and that one gets used a lot as I have about 12 different skirts to match it with. I also have another bra & belt set that goes with about 5 different skirts I have but also looks fabulous with yoga pants so I can mix that one up a few times too for some variety. It's a lot harder to change up your look with bra & skirt sets or dresses because they're harder to match with different things to give a different look.

It is 8 in total. Most of them are skirt (combi skirt) and bra so I can't vary them with a different skirt. The three bedlah costumes I have came with the matching skirt so I have 8 costumes in total.

 

[Darshiva]

Unless the skirt is actually attached to the belt, you have the potential for versatility right there with those three bra & belt sets. Depending, of course, on the colours involved and any bling on the skirts, you could have a potential 14 costumes.

At any rate, 8 is probably fine for the moment although you may want to think about supplementing your costume wardrobe with a few nice skirts to pad out what you can do with the bra & belt sets.

 

[Amulya]

It's time I am going to sell some of mine; some don't fit, or I never use them and one I have to recycle because some beads got rusted and the thing was badly made (made for me, cutom order, but very 'meh')
Not sure how to recycle, the fringe is beautiful but hoplessly oldfashioned: Turkish long v-fringe. I don't feel like taking it apart, it might go on EBay.
Then there are not so many left, but I will make new ones.

I have/will have:
-a blue Bella
-a tribal fusion cream and grey costume
-a gothic belly dance costume
-a olive and red tribaret costume (need to see if it still fits)
-a blue zardoshi costume (I am pretty sure this is the one and only zardoshi belly dance costume in the world so I am keeping this one!)
-a blue new modern Egyptian style one soon (when it's finished)
-a Bella inspired olive green costume in planning
-a peacock tribaret one in planning

(and a TPBDC which was my first and it's a good memory, won't use that one!!!!)

 

[Shanazel]

I no longer need a closet full of bd costumes, but I could use a couple of new mix and match items that flatter the mature figure (imagine those final words said with a Jane Russell wink ). I don't like dancing in evening gowns (not my style, though Shira has got a couple that almost change my mind) but have adopted powernet controlled midriff, sleeves to cover my upper arms, and an overall earthier essence than classic AmCab costumes confer. Earth Mother Dances With Bling is the best description I can come up with on short notice. :lol: If I could afford it, this would be a nearly perfect costume for me, though I'd have to change the color because alas I look jaundiced in that shade of green:

View attachment 4841

 

[Amulya]

I have wanted that costume for so long! Expensive though.

 

[LadyLoba]

I haven't made a purchase yet, but I've been pricing costumes, and I've done the wardrobe on a budget thing for everyday clothes...and bra and belt sets seem like the most economical way to build a belly dance wardrobe.

Isis exchange (or a similar store..Im not trying to push one place, that's just the one that has the style I like) offers custom bra and belt sets that come to about $90-$108 depending on bra cup size. To me that's a ton of money, but picking out one or two of those sets in a very flattering style and one neutral or metallic color each...two colors that look good and that you enjoy wearing would enable you to put together several costumes by collecting different skirts/pants and veils and accessories....and then you can always add a couple more later when you can afford it. I love to dress in neutrals..black, brown, and white with touches of my favorite colors: purple, deep red, green, and orange....and I like gold tone metallics...so if I bought a copper bra and belt set and a gold bra and belt set and a skirt in purple, deep red, green, and orange, plus a white one....I'd already have ten costumes.

I was all worried when I first started about how many costumes I'd need...but now that I know a bit about belly dance...I think it depends entirely on what you're planning to do. I'm not planning on being a professional belly dancer, so I don't need to own a whole closet full of costumes. Nothing wrong with collecting them as a hobby if you can afford it...but there's no need for me to run out and buy several. If I changed my mind about going pro and got a job dancing in a restaurant that had several regulars...meaning the same people were going to watch me dance...I'd want to invest in more costumes.

 

[Amulya]

If you need to rotate costumes a lot you can always sell them after using them for a while, lot of dancers do that. I just get too attached to my costumes because I make them myself. Plus you never get the money out of them for the hours spent on making them.

 

[Suzanne Azhaar]

Plus you never get the money out of them for the hours spent on making them.

This is the truth! Sewing unique costumes is a labor of love. To the point where it doesn't matter if I ever wear the costume, I just want to see if I can conquer a particular sewing technique.

The general public has no clue how much a well made costume could cost. Not when Halloween costumes cost $39.95.
.....

Had to go look at the cost of the velvetpeacockdesigns.com ghawazee coat. Worth every dime, but wow! Glad I sew.

 

[Amulya]

Suzanne, I have that too; make something I never use. I have a red Indian-fusion costume and I have never ever used it. It doesn't even fit anymore. Time for EBay I guess:

 

[LadyLoba]

I buy all my suit pants for the office and all my jeans from the same store because that's the only place I can find that sells jeans that fit my short legs with flats and suit pants that fit my short legs with heels on because buying longer pants and hemming them is not an option for me...I am that hopeless in the sewing department. I wish I could make a costume, but I couldn't begin to. I admire you guys who sew...and I can imagine how much work must go in to each one. But even though I can't make a costume...I can sure put together a skirt and a bra and belt set...interchangeable ones are a good idea....and Ive noticed that colors blend differently on costumes than on street clothes. For example, if you have a solid deep purple costume...that would go with a solid bright blue or a bright green skirt....even in shades that wouldnt look so good if we were talking about chinos and a polo or T shirt to wear for a weekend afternoon or suit and shirt for the office.