Tito's new costume

[Pirika Repun]

I went Yousry Sharif's weeklong gala show last Thursday, and saw Tito. I loved his performance very much, BUT....... what can I say for his costume..... I didn't have my camera with me, so I didn't take any photos, but found one of his costume photos from Facebook....

Weeeeeeeeellllll he had White, Black and this costume. All different, but similar design. I'm not sure if you can see clearly that side of his legs, and some part of his top are mesh and can see his skin..... Should I post in "TPBDC"???? :think:

I love designe, and I would love to make this costume for myself!

PS. Tarik said Tito didn't shave his legs.....:shok:

 

[Caroline_afifi]

Well, is seems like his true character and love of sequins is finally starting to show.

I guess he will still be in a galabiya for gigs in Egypt.

PS I find it quite flattering.

 

[Shanazel]

Should I post in "TPBDC"???? :think:

Well, heaven knows my thoughts are provoked. It reminds me of Elvis Presley's infamous white one-piece suit.

 

[Zorba]

Not a costume *I* would want/wear - but its sure nice to see him finally getting out of folkwear and wearing some "real" costuming! Good on him!

 

[Caroline_afifi]

To be fair, we have talked about the difficulties of male costuming before.

I actually prefer this to the more Disney style 'Arabian Nights' costumes.. they dont say 'Raqs sharqi' to me at all.

The costume Tito is wearing (and many other pro male dancers like him) is similar to those worn by many professional male dancers, not necessarily 'Eastern' but not an Arab stereotype either.

 

[Aniseteph]

Unfortunately all that blue lycra provoked my thoughts to a flashback of an Avatar outfit on Regretsy the other night. This is not fair on Tito's outfit at all, which looks OK to me.

Is he supposed to shave his legs then? There's a male costuming dilemma... can you do raqs sharqi with hairy legs? :think:

(sorry, please ignore this tangent, I'm just trying to divert my thoughts from the Avatar outfit).

 

[Ariadne]

Well, heaven knows my thoughts are provoked. It reminds me of Elvis Presley's infamous white one-piece suit.

ummm... yeah. I don't really like Elvis's outfit either.

:think: maybe it's the blue in this case though...

 

[Daimona]

ummm... yeah. I don't really like Elvis's outfit either.

I don't like Elvis's outfit either.
Tito's costume wasn't that bad, but somehow it reminds me of a young John Travolta.. (!?)

ETA: But thinking about it, the way I see it in the pictures, it looks good on him imho.

 

[Maria_Aya]

I liked it !!!!

 

[Safran]

That is some change of style!

I wonder if this was designed by Aida Nour?

 

[gisela]

Check this out! More costume pictures of Tito. Funny I just fell over this just after I read this thread.
I like it and I like that he seems to feel free and secure enough to try some new ways of dressing. I very much like the white costume in the picture with the drum.
Community Kaleidoscope for the Gilded Serpent

 

[Jeanne]

I see Zorba's point about getting out of folkwear and into "real" costuming, but I have to say I don't personally care for this costume style. I saw another male dancer wearing something like this one time, and my friend said it looked like a figure skating costume. That's all I can think of now when I see this kind of outfit.

I really like all the costumes in the Gilded Serpent pictures, though.

 

[Amanda (was Aziyade)]

I really like all the costumes in the Gilded Serpent pictures, though.

I do too!! There are some really nice ones there!

 

[Pirika Repun]

The first White costume I saw, Tarik and I looked at each other like :shok: Tito wears beige tights under the pants, so you can't see his (hairy) legs. I like style, but not crazy about open side pants. Actually side of sleeves also had open window thing (I can't describe...)

It looked jump suit, but actually it's two piece. Shirt with pants and hip sash. Some parts (back, side, belly etc...) of costume is mesh.

This is what Tarik said about Tito's hairy legs that he found Tito didn't shave his legs. "I think peekaboo legs look horrible on a guy, especially when its that tight."

 

[Tarik Sultan]

To be fair, we have talked about the difficulties of male costuming before.

I actually prefer this to the more Disney style 'Arabian Nights' costumes.. they dont say 'Raqs sharqi' to me at all.

The costume Tito is wearing (and many other pro male dancers like him) is similar to those worn by many professional male dancers, not necessarily 'Eastern' but not an Arab stereotype either.

How can something that is based on actual period male dress from the culture be a stereotype? What Disney and other film francises did was copy actual male clothing styles of the Ottoman Empire. It consisted of baggy trousers,(Shalvar, or Shalwar in Arabic speaking countries) held in place by a sash, a shirt, over which was worn a vest, (yelek). The cut of the trousers varied from region to region, some had a lower crotch, some had narrower legs, but the outfit followed the same lines. If men want a costume that is culturally and historically connected to the region, then the options are variations on the shalvar and velek, or various robes, like galabeyas, or the kochek skirts. Actually, this is what Debka dancers and many other folk dancers of former Ottoman Empire countries wear. Shalwar and a shirt, vest being optional.

I chose this style of costume because I wanted it to reflect the historical culture and it lends itself more to theatrical adaptation than robes. And since my audiences are mostly western who expect dramatic costuming... Examples below, shalwar with shirt and velek and skull cap. Second is same. Traditional embroidered shalwar and shirt, turban without yelek. Last is a beaded and sequined version, yelek, mesh shirt with shalwar and beaded and fringe hip belt.

Okay, back to Tito, I understand wanting a more contemporary look, I do as well especially when I do a shabbi themed number. I just don't like the look of bare leg openings on tight pants and I do prefer a fuller cut for the legs.

 

[Greek Bonfire]

Is he supposed to shave his legs then? There's a male costuming dilemma... can you do raqs sharqi with hairy legs? :think:

(sorry, please ignore this tangent, I'm just trying to divert my thoughts from the Avatar outfit).

:shok::shok: You read my mind! :lol::lol:

 

[Shanazel]

A desire to look contemporary is one thing, but plastering one's body chin to ankle bone in skintight spangled lycra looks more like a desire to advertise. The look works fine on the gamine young lady with the hoola hoops in Cirque d Soleil, but on a gentleman of Tito's age and heretofore dignity...

not so much.

 

[Tarik Sultan]

A desire to look contemporary is one thing, but plastering one's body chin to ankle bone in skintight spangled lycra looks more like a desire to advertise. The look works fine on the gamine young lady with the hoola hoops in Cirque d Soleil, but on a gentleman of Tito's age and heretofore dignity...

not so much.

I gues costuming is like cooking, sometime you try a new recepie that just doesn't work. I have a costume or 2 hanging in the back of my closet that seemed like a good idea on paper and god knows I've been forced to eat a whole weeks worth of a pot of something that wasn't fit to feed hogs. I trust that in time Tito will find that right balance.

 

[Pirika Repun]

Tito's costume was tight fit to his body, and its better than topless. I just HATE to see men with topless or two piece costume. I like myself covered, and I don't want to see skin much for both male and female. Yes, even female, if show too much skin I feel "over sexual" then "sexy" or "sensual" and just watch their skin more than their dance. If they do intentionally to show skin, then they got me, but if not...

Anyway, it was good that he didn't do topless or two piece costume (for me). I don't think his costume looks feminine, but like some people say look like Elvis' jump suit or figure skate costume. For shaabi number men can wear street type of costume, but Sharqi costume is difficult. If I were man, what kind of costume I want to wear for Sharqi... I don't know... but one thing for sure, I don't want to show my skin.

 

[Shanazel]

Costuming is indeed like cooking- with expensive ingredients! :lol: A certain mauve crushed velvet skirt comes to mind...