Thought Provoking Belly Dance Costumes: the good, the bad and the hideous

Daimona

Moderator
I agree that it would be better with sleeves as well.

Perhaps the fringes of the bra would seem less off if she had worn the adjacent cabaret belt (as of the bra) instead of the clustered fringes on the dress?
 

Shanazel

Moderator
There were way too many things happening in the design Luna posted. I dislike the strappy dress combined with straps of the bra- makes me think of a teenage style of about ten years ago when it was fashionable to be seen with two or three sets of straps showing. (Where's a yucky face when you need one?) Building a bra into the dress would've improved the costume. Losing the yellow tassels wouldn't hurt either. And the open space below the bra when the costume is already showing all possible skin above the waist- tsk. Overkill.
 
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SidraK

New member
I've always found the cutout front plus bra look to be a bit too much like what the "sexy alien" in a Star Trek episode might wear, sleeves or not.
 

AndreaSTL

New member


Thoughts? I personally don't like it. Dress with a cut out and a bra? Plus even the decor of the bra can't take away from the distracting yellow... things hanging off it.
I like beledi dresses, but I'm not much of a fan of this one. The heavily fringed bra with only the gold clusters on the hips makes it look top heavy and high waisted (rather than cut out). It would work for me if the scoop were lower and there was a separate belt with a bit more going on; maybe a bit shorter center fringe. She has a great figure, but it doesn't come across that way in this dress.
 

Amulya

Moderator

wooow this is pretty! I could do without the extra fabric on the skirt and the arm though. I don't think it matches the rest.


I really like it, but indeed without the arm and extra skirt fabric. Easy to change though I think.

Here is a costume with extra fabric at the back, I like it, but what do you guys think? Or would a circle skirt with red and green look better?
 

Daimona

Moderator
Here is a costume with extra fabric at the back, I like it, but what do you guys think? Or would a circle skirt with red and green look better?

I'm not too fond of the tail and would prefer the contrasting colored fabric to be a more integrated part of the skirt, either as a panel in a circle skirt or as a gore in a mermaid style skirt.

But, attach it below the bum, and I'm fine with it (I might even consider liking it).
 
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Shanazel

Moderator
I kinda like the tail as a design feature of a straight skirt; don't think it would be so obvious in another pose. Still, you know me: give me a circle skirt every time.
 

Amulya

Moderator
The reason why I ask is that I am ordering a similar type of costume (from Bella) but I am not sure yet what type of skirt I want, I love circle skirts but then I would have to miss out on the decorations that go down the sides of the skirt and I love those. I also will order an extra arm decoration for the other upper arm for balance. And not sure yet about the arm decorations in this picture, the straps that go down the arm, they might be problematic; veils getting stuck or maybe problems moving arms.
Plus it's fashion now and it can get out of fashion, I intend to use this costume for at least 10 years so can't have something that will look hopelessy old fashioned haha (like some of my costumes do!)

I could do simple ones like in the attachment and wrist ones that match. Haven't found any pictures of wrist ones I like yet.

And I want the split in the skirt more towards the left, this looks kind of a bit centered to the left which I don't like.

Maybe I should order the skirt as non attatched to the belt and order 2 extra circle skirts! So if I use the circle ones I'd get a red and a green one so I can alternate which one is the top skirt an which is the one underneath.

Will order a red half circle veil as well, oh even better: 2! One green and one red for double veil!!!!

I love the belly ornament in the last picture, but that becomes too much I think. The ceter fringe on the bra would have to go.

Hard decisions!!!!! Live is so difficult when you order a custom made costume... :p
 
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Shanazel

Moderator
Maybe I should order the skirt as non attatched to the belt and order 2 extra circle skirts! So if I use the circle ones I'd get a red and a green one so I can alternate which one is the top skirt an which is the one underneath.

Sounds like a plan to me. I've never had a belt attached to a skirt and don't want one- too limiting.

Of course you have to keep in mind that is the opinion of a dancer who is for the most part "charmingly retro" or "marvelously eccentric."

Okay, so the adjectives are mine. :lol:
 

Amulya

Moderator
"Charmingly retro" or "marvelously eccentric", could be me LOL! I don't like skirts attached to belts either, not idea why they do that.
 

lily_raks

New member
There's no reason to attach a belt to a skirt. I mean, if it is a combi-skirt and that's the style (like egyptian costumes) that's the look of course and you can have nice cut-outs. Cut-outs are the reason why I have some combi-skirts. But beware! Cut-outs nowadays keep getting bigger and bigger. My last bella has a cut-out that takes most of my right hip and part of my butt! too much! I have to put some nude fabric underneath it for sure. I'm ok with showing a little, but any big cut-outs must have fabric underneath or else it's too sexy for me. I already feel that my egyptian style or tight combi skirt costumes are more provocative than my circle skirt and bedlah combinations.
 

LadyLoba

New member
Just when I thought her outfits couldn't get any smaller. I amazed there isn't a video of her dancing in a thong bikini somewhere... or is there? :shok:

It wasnt her, but I actually have seen a video of a girl belly dancing in a bikini...it wasnt tacky because she was on the beach and it looked like she just decided to practice a bit and someone filmed her...but I do hope she doesnt wear the same thing on a stage.
 

Amulya

Moderator
There's no reason to attach a belt to a skirt. I mean, if it is a combi-skirt and that's the style (like egyptian costumes) that's the look of course and you can have nice cut-outs. Cut-outs are the reason why I have some combi-skirts. But beware! Cut-outs nowadays keep getting bigger and bigger. My last bella has a cut-out that takes most of my right hip and part of my butt! too much! I have to put some nude fabric underneath it for sure. I'm ok with showing a little, but any big cut-outs must have fabric underneath or else it's too sexy for me. I already feel that my egyptian style or tight combi skirt costumes are more provocative than my circle skirt and bedlah combinations.


I sent pictures of how big the cut-outs can be (I never had cut-outs before), and if they end up bigger I'll fill them up with fabric, no issue.

Costume has been ordered! Quite a bit of changes made :)
 

Shanazel

Moderator
The last picture with the bodysuit ending in little wrinkles at the ankles above high heels... :rolleyes: Tres, tres sexy.
 

Amulya

Moderator
Yes I noticed that too! How are you going to know if the leg bits are going to be tight enough? I really like those, but they need to be well fitted and need a boob bit haha.





Now as special xmas present for all of you.... I have discovered some of my uglies!!!! The ones I have been talking about for so long :p

First:
I once ordered an olive green skirt.... one of those many yards ones, and I got this skinny acid green thing :( (I had more of these, even uglier with weird paint splash patterns on them, but someone bought them, even though I told they were ugly...:shok::confused::lol:)



And this one was some dumb attempt at making a 60's Egyptian belly dance costume. As a baby belly dancer, I didn't realize they used a different fabric which was light and fluffy and not this stiff tulle I used. And that veil can strangle a dancer. The black dress is not part of the thing, I just quickly put it on and made a crappy pose. I should have done something worse! I can't remember what I was going to put underneath.



If you want to see more of my ugly costumes, have a look
 

Shanazel

Moderator
Oh, Amulya, bless your heart, I loved the dress with the gray socks. :lol: I wish I had a picture of the skirt I made out of mauve crushed velvet one time. I didn't have quite enough fabric and the skirt ended up being quite skinny at a time when skirts were full. I also left one seam open at the front to keep from hobbling myself; let's just say I'd have been better off hobbled. I never felt to exposed and half dressed in all my life.
 

indrayu

New member
I'm sure some of my attempts beat those, Amulya! In fact, I saw a photo from a recent student night of one that I thought was alright :(

The white sleeves remind me of a troupe costume item the director had us all make: she thought our arms needed highlighting, so we were given some white organza to make sleeve-thingies, elasticised at top and bottom. Someone who sometimes danced with us saw the new addition out in public(the rest of the costume was quite good) and came over to say "Oh, they're made of material! I was wondering why you were wearing plastic bags on your arms!"

Not surprisingly, there was a bout of "Oh, my sleeves, I completely forgot!!" at susequent gigs.
 

Shanazel

Moderator
Oh, lord, Indrayu, now you're going to set Amulya on making a bedlah out of black trash bags, plastic shopping sacks, and twist ties. :lol:


(I can hardly wait to see it. Little dangly twist ties for fringe, twenty trash bag skirts instead of twenty yard skirts, grocery bag patterned accents...)
 
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