Costumes and Color Combinations

Amulya

Moderator
Incidentally how goog a costume can you get for £70 from Egypt. (if your Egyptian teacher takes your measurements) cos I'm guessing these will be very simple(cheap).


I think you'd get something like this:

 
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gisela

Super Moderator
Oooh Amulya that one is great!......love the simple circle design....;)

I bought this one in Egypt for a little more than £70 and I'm not even good at negotiating a price. This is not a top of the line costume at all. There were some beads missing and one seam had opened a little, but it's new and the design is nice. I bought this in the hotel at the nile group, so I even suspect the prices there are a bit upped.
Custom made probably would be a bit more, but I heard Yasser can make it for a quite reasonable price.

To not become too off topic: I'm thinking of adding some beading in another colour as pure white is not wonderful on me. I'm thinking blue/turqouise. The large stones change between blue-green-purple and I'm thinking that blueish beading would pick that up. Maybe add some turqouise mesh I have as a gathered band somewhere diagonally over the front letting it drape down the skirt, or something. What do you think? any ideas?
I'm also thinking of maybe changing the white belly mesh with skintoned. My skin becomes a bit piggy-pink with the white overlay. I'm a bit scared though:confused:
 
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kayshier

New member
Oooh Amulya that one is great!......love the simple circle design....;)

I bought this one in Egypt for a little more than £70 and I'm not even good at negotiating a price. This is not a top of the line costume at all. There were some beads missing and one seam had opened a little, but it's new and the design is nice. I bought this in the hotel at the nile group, so I even suspect the prices there are a bit upped.
Custom made probably would be a bit more, but I heard Yasser can make it for a quite reasonable price.

To not become too off topic: I'm thinking of adding some beading in another colour as pure white is not wonderful on me. I'm thinking blue/turqouise. The large stones change between blue-green-purple and I'm thinking that blueish beading would pick that up. Maybe add some turqouise mesh I have as a gathered band somewhere diagonally over the front letting it drape down the skirt, or something. What do you think? any ideas?
I'm also thinking of maybe changing the white belly mesh with skintoned. My skin becomes a bit piggy-pink with the white overlay. I'm a bit scared though:confused:

I think you can use some iridescent beads/gems, so that it gives the white a pearlescent sort of look...(well the same, blue-green-purple combination or probably, pink-blue-purple)

probably also create a focal point with the added appliques or stones,or event the mesh you mentioned, to take away from the bland white and silver look that you don't seem to want.

i just had a good look at the photo's actually, you should add a bit more gold...but not bright yellow probably an 'old gold' look....that could probably help the flesh coloured mesh even more. now that i am thinking of it, i wouldn't add outright colours...like a strong blue or a strong pink, but really something iridescent, (and not too much of it either, probably if you are making appliques for this, use a combination of the gold and the iridescent look...

i think maybe some of the colour of the threads for the appliques could be changed...to the colour scheme you come up with, that way it doesn't look too bland..the white on white looks a little drab even with the existing touches of gold and coloured stones.
 
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Amulya

Moderator
Gisela, that costume is pretty! Is it possible to put fabric underneath the white mesh, so you get a different tone? Maybe that would help. I never owned a costume with mesh, so I don't know how they are fabricated, but maybe you could put on of those traditional belly covers underneath (but those might have a huge seam on the sides or back)

Do you have a picture with you wearing the costume? It might be a bit easier to get ideas if we can see the costume as a whole. I'm thinking, you might be able to add fabric to the skirt part (depending on how the skirt looks) and maybe similar fabric as some kind of sleeves. Then you have more choice to work with colors.

Make a seperate thread for this, you might get more advise :)
 

Shanazel

Moderator
What a pretty costume- I'd be terrified to touch it with scissors. The idea of a different color underlay might work well.
 

PracticalDancer

New member
I have been thinking about this, Gisela, and I believe that one way you could "add color" to that costume may not require sewing: use a veil. If you dance with it, it will give a backdrop of a color that suits you better, and, depending on the color of the veil will change how the eye perceives the other colors. If you don't want to dance with the veil, there are many wraps that you could use, including some that do not obscure movement. My new favorite wrap is to take a rectangular veil and gather it up so that it forms a long ribbon (gather the short sides together). Then, find the center of the long edge and place that at the center of your collar bone. Tuck both loose ends under your bra straps and let the veil fall down your back. You can, if desired, also tuck the long ends in armbands, bracelets, or rings (to give a butterfly veil effect). I'll be very brave and attach a photo of me in this wrap -- I wanted a more "vintage" look and just felt darned elegant like this. (plus, tucking it into the armbands hides floppy upper arm flesh nicely.)

You could also take this same basic wrap and modify it by wrapping the long, shirred strip around your abdomen -- I have seen many designer costumes with this shirred effect. I would recommend a very narrow veil (could just be a 8 inch wide gathered strip of chiffon) that you could baste on and accent periodically with a nice brooch. Less sewing, and easier to play with and change your mind!

Regards,

Anala
 

alosha

New member
I have been thinking about this, Gisela, and I believe that one way you could "add color" to that costume may not require sewing: use a veil. If you dance with it, it will give a backdrop of a color that suits you better, and, depending on the color of the veil will change how the eye perceives the other colors. If you don't want to dance with the veil, there are many wraps that you could use, including some that do not obscure movement. My new favorite wrap is to take a rectangular veil and gather it up so that it forms a long ribbon (gather the short sides together). Then, find the center of the long edge and place that at the center of your collar bone. Tuck both loose ends under your bra straps and let the veil fall down your back. You can, if desired, also tuck the long ends in armbands, bracelets, or rings (to give a butterfly veil effect). I'll be very brave and attach a photo of me in this wrap -- I wanted a more "vintage" look and just felt darned elegant like this. (plus, tucking it into the armbands hides floppy upper arm flesh nicely.)

You could also take this same basic wrap and modify it by wrapping the long, shirred strip around your abdomen -- I have seen many designer costumes with this shirred effect. I would recommend a very narrow veil (could just be a 8 inch wide gathered strip of chiffon) that you could baste on and accent periodically with a nice brooch. Less sewing, and easier to play with and change your mind!

Regards,

Anala


That is so gorgeous!
 

Aniseteph

New member
My new favorite wrap is to take a rectangular veil and gather it up so that it forms a long ribbon (gather the short sides together). Then, find the center of the long edge and place that at the center of your collar bone. Tuck both loose ends under your bra straps and let the veil fall down your back. You can, if desired, also tuck the long ends in armbands, bracelets, or rings (to give a butterfly veil effect). I'll be very brave and attach a photo of me in this wrap -- I wanted a more "vintage" look and just felt darned elegant like this. (plus, tucking it into the armbands hides floppy upper arm flesh nicely.)

(...avidly taking notes...) Wow, costume inspiration, I love this idea. Isn't this forum great? :D

Gisela that costume is very pretty - I think adding coloured accents would work but if you're adding beading/sequins I wonder if it won't take quite a lot to show up among the gold.

We need a costume makeover thread!
 

adiemus

New member
Has it started yet?? the costume makeover thread, that is.
I love that veil idea - the old-style glamour thing is so cool..
I got 7 on that test, was quite impressed cos I did it in bad light with not a lot of time. Took a bit of thinking! I love colour - it's part of my life. And yet have you ever noticed how many pairs of black shoes you can collect? and black skirts?
 

gisela

Super Moderator
Thank's for the suggestions. I'll go through them more later on. On my way to start the makeover-thread :)
 

PracticalDancer

New member
I just retook this test, which it seems they have updated (they no longer ask for your country), and got a 7. I am older, and probably more tired than when I first took it. Did they make it easier???
 

nitewindz

New member
Would you believe I made a perfect score? :lol::lol::lol: Since I teach design and color for needlework, I find that comforting.

The right hues of aqua and olive can be absolutely breathtaking. I think there is a turkish costume on one of the costume threads that features those colors and is to die for.

Yeah that is a costume from the Gilded Peacock. I love that photo. It was so inspiring that when I saw it, I literally pushed my chair away from the computer and ran to my stash to make my own elegant coat!
 

nitewindz

New member
Oooh Amulya that one is great!......love the simple circle design....;)

I bought this one in Egypt for a little more than £70 and I'm not even good at negotiating a price. This is not a top of the line costume at all. There were some beads missing and one seam had opened a little, but it's new and the design is nice. I bought this in the hotel at the nile group, so I even suspect the prices there are a bit upped.
Custom made probably would be a bit more, but I heard Yasser can make it for a quite reasonable price.

To not become too off topic: I'm thinking of adding some beading in another colour as pure white is not wonderful on me. I'm thinking blue/turqouise. The large stones change between blue-green-purple and I'm thinking that blueish beading would pick that up. Maybe add some turqouise mesh I have as a gathered band somewhere diagonally over the front letting it drape down the skirt, or something. What do you think? any ideas?
I'm also thinking of maybe changing the white belly mesh with skintoned. My skin becomes a bit piggy-pink with the white overlay. I'm a bit scared though:confused:

I like this, it's really pretty! What did you end up doing with it? I know I'm late to this thread but would love to see how it turned out
 
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