Costuming advice for curvy girls

[Ameline]

Hi everyone, I'd need a little advice because I'm about to make my first costume and I'm unsure how to go about it. I feel I have a difficult body to dress generally, there's too much that can go wrong (and I seem to be an expert in this regard :think - I'm posting a picture.

(yes, the bra is terrible, makes my breasts pointy and minimalized, don't wear it anymore.) I also have issues with lower tummy fat which is not visible at this angle. I assume I'm an hourglass based on my measurments which is always just briefly covered in any advice column as the desired shape and that's it, minimal advice. For example what to do if you have a nice waist from the front view but a tummy sticking out from the side look (covering it up? How, if you don't want to mess up the whole silouhette?). Or how to avoid turning into one of the triangular figures by accidentally minimalizing or emphasising the top or bottom half. I never seem to get it right and I want to invest in this costume I'll be making, so I need to be sure it will work for me. Can you give me some tips? Are there any dancers with a similar body type I could get inspiration from? Thank you for your ideas.

 

[~Diana~]

Some advice don't get anything for the bottom that is straight across. It will never fit right nor look right at all. I think you can put darts into it to help adjust it to your body.

Other than that I havn't made my own cosutme before.

 

[jenc]

Head straight doen to Shira's site. I have pointed youi to the tummy section but there
is plenty more including links to other sites

Ask the Belly Dance Costume Goddess: Flattering Costume Ideas for a Large Tummy

 

[Shanazel]

Shira is wonderful. Also head straight to Dina Lydia's site Dina's Bellydance Costume Galleries

She is my costuming ideal- talented, elegant, and funny as heck. Be sure and see the spider lady and mother earth costumes!

PS I think you are beautiful, Ameline, and you can probably wear many things you think you can't.

 

[Ameline]

Thank you for the advice. I looked at the sites and I really liked some of the costumes and the advice there will be useful. Shanazel, I loved the spider lady. In truth I ussualy have just a little tummy when not slouching (depending what I ate that day :lol, but it's awfully jiggly, when I do a sharper move it's sending waves all through the center of my midriff which otherwise doesen't look as bad. I don't think this is something anybody would like to see. I liked the option with just a center panel of mesh (or something of that kind) at the front from Shira's site, it would be slimming and not an overkill but I'm concerned that it would pull the belt upward. Would it?
I'm also thinking about that vintage high-yoked skirt that was posted here at the forum because the structured look over the hips may work for me while it would offer a bit of shaping at the front (and stop the waves) - though I imagine it could be quite rigid. Perhaps bias cut - but I never sewn anything on bias and have no good idea how it beahves...

 

[Shanazel]

Bias has its challenges, though not as many as you might think. You can't learn any younger!

Check out sugar petals for one piece powernet body stockings. I have two of the short ones and love them.

 

[Darshiva]

I've got a rather abundant tummy, but I always have it exposed in my classes. My students often compliment me on my slenderness! (I am a size 14 on a 161cm frame)

I have come to the conclusion that putting the emphasis on the curves (hips & bust) takes a LOT of attention away from my belly. So as an also curvy girl (who isn't quite so curvy as you appear in those photos - less 'in' bits and more 'out' bits) I can recommend distraction as a costuming tactic.

Also, I would be very sad if you covered up your belly. You have the coveted belly-ripple thing that many dancers pray for & never achieve. Please resist the urge to hide it from your audience.

 

[AndreaSTL]

... it's awfully jiggly, when I do a sharper move it's sending waves all through the center of my midriff which otherwise doesen't look as bad. I don't think this is something anybody would like to see...

I've gotta disagree here. Fat is one thing, juicy is another. I am fat, you are juicy. I actually prefer a bit of jiggle on my dancing girls, but I can understand if you don't like it. It seems we all have something about ourselves we don't care for, and it can be easy to lose sight of the fact that sometimes other people actually wish for those same things.

 

[shiradotnet]

I have an entire web site named "Bellydance Plus" dedicated to the needs of plus-sized dancers looking for costuming ideas:

Bellydance for Plus-Sized Women, Belly Dance for Full-Figured Women, and Bellydancing for Big Beautiful Women (BBW)

 

[gisela]

I thought I had responded here but I think my internet connection ate it.
What I wanted to write yesterday was that I had just watched a video with Zafirah on Youtube. She is curvy and very pretty.
Perhaps you can identify with her body shape?

 

[LadyLoba]

To the original Poster:

You have a very nice figure/shape and should dress in both street clothes and dance costumes that show it off...it doesn't look like you have any areas that need hidden at all.

But I know everyone has areas they're convinced look just terrible, even if everyone else sees good there...so check out Shira's site for sure...just to make sure you're psychologically comfortable in whatever it is you choose...but be assured you don't really need to conceal, cover or disguise anything

 

[Rassi]

I just wanted to mention that the troupe I belong to has ladies of varying sizes. Back in November we decided to order troupe costumes from LRoseDesigns. After much discussion we decided on crushed velvet half tops and classic trumpet skirts. We were very pleasantly surprised that each and every one of us looks great in our costumes! The trumpet skirt style just seems to work well with everyones figure. I'll try to get a picture to post.

 

[walladah]

Ameline, have you ever realised

that your body is beautiful and has what we call "a harmonious shape"? No, the video's dancer has not such body and you cannot identify with the dancer in terms of shape (she is great dancer though).

So, see the curves you have as a gift and show them off! As for the tummy, well, take your picture to someone who can alter it with photoshop and see your body without the tummy (i do not see anything in excess, but you point to the pc expert what you think is in excess). If this is harmonious body, let us know. My impression is that it will not be...

What would be a disaster for the costume is to choose a colour that does not fit your physical colours (avoid pale colours then) or low quality fabrics, as those appear as rubbish bags on a bellydancer (no matter what her body shape is).

So, always work with costumes in terms of geometry and harmony (there are certain rules to keep harmony by geometry) and it will be great!

No, 90-60-90 is far from mathematical and geometrical and natural harmony....

 

[Ameline]

Thank you all for your replies. And thank youfor the sites posted, interesting things there.

Darshiva: I would be happy with this tactic, but it's all about me not being sure what people think about it.

LadyLoba: I think it's not at all about how *I* see myself - while I know I look good to me, to my boyfriend and some other people, from what I've heard and read there are people who'd find me not that nice to look at and I feel I should not make them uncomfortable. Like when I just started learning and was showing my friend some simple choreo - was pretty proud of it at the time - and her only comment was that I should cover my tummy next time. Not that it would make me change how I view it, but convinced me that some people do mind.

Rassi: Yes, the trumpet style of skirt is certainly one of the things that would look nice. I do like voluminous skirts, but it's a thing to consider. And I love velvet, queen of fabrics it is.

walladah: This made me interested. I know that some set of shapes look good for certain figure types and some play together interestingly, but I never heard of a set-in-stone harmony rules for geometry (except for the golden ratio). I thought it was intuitive and a subject of personal taste. I'm trying to look it up now.
I tried what it would look like without the tummy (just to push it in by hand in front of the mirror, works). It looks -interesting. Nice in a way but also weird. Like the effect of me in a corset (laced down 15cm) - nice in a dramatic kind of way but also more than a bit scary. I don't know about the pale colors, they seem to suit me if they're cold and clear enough, though I prefer strong, jewel versions of colors (if not wearing neutral) despite them overpowering me a bit if I use too much. But almost any blue is a safe bet with me.

 

[Ariadne]

Ameline you are beautiful and have the classic hourglass shape that many men find VERY attractive. As you keep dancing the inner muscles will tone and the appearance of your "ripples" will change. In the meatime if it concerns you just throw on a bodystocking and use curves in your waistline like suggested in the links to Shira's site. Honestly you really are gorgeous, don't doubt that. There will always be someone who doesn't like something about how you look, it's entirely personal. As long as you are happy and you come across as professional who cares?

BTW, is it possible that your friend was just not comfortable with your bare skin in general rather then your shape? Some people aren't.