I need to know how to make a bellydancing costume? Please help?

Question

I have a show to do on nov. 17th. And I need to make my outfit. I can¡'t buyown cause it's WAAYy to expensive. I am totaly clueless. I've looked online, and can't find any place that will tell me how to make a costume from scratch. Can anybody help me??

that's a great idea for the top... but what about the bottom part??

I'm not dancing tribal or anything like that... where I go they give a mix of middle eastern dances. Mostly turkish and egyptian.

Answer 1

What style are you performing? It's quite different what you will be making based on what style you intend to wear. I don't recommend doing the covered bikini look it looks tacky and cheap. Many items can be bought fairly cheap from e-bay. Do you have a budget? If you can spend about $80 and use some items from home you could try buying two crocheted/beaded hipscarves and use one around your hips and then the other as a top. The top can simply be pinned onto a bra and worn. You can also take some old neclace chains and sew or pin them on as a bellydrape. This combo could be worn over any skirt or a set of harem pants. Otherwise if you want the fancy beaded bedlah you better get started now because the bead/sequin work alone is very time consuming. Here are some sites that may help you.

http://www.shira.net/costuming.htm
http://www.shakemyday.com/s_costumes3.html
http://www.desertmoondance.com/modiste.htm
http://www.joyofbellydancing.com/costuming.htm
http://www.dahlal.com/default.aspx?n=3.26 - check out all the dancers design issues for more ideas

Answer 2

If you like that idea for the top - here is an idea for the bottom part. Once you find a few good candidates for the top, go to a fabric store and buy 2 yards of fabric that's matching or complimentary in color. It needs to be silky, you know what I mean. You can find cheaper kinds for like $5 - $7 per yard. Also buy some elastic. Also find a low-rise panties that you are willing to make into part of the costume.
Even if you don't have a sewing machine, you still can make a skirt. Fold the fabric in halves, matching the edges. Connect the shorter sides. You can connect them with safety pins first and sew them together. Now you need to put elastic in so that it can stay on your hips. Fold 1/2 inch on the edge of the fabric and sew it to create space for elstic. Leave a little hole to thread the elastic. Measure the right length of elastic by fitting it around your hips. Using safety pin, thread the elastic and sew the ends. Your skirt is almost ready. The only problem is it is free to slide to your waist. Pun on the panties and the skirt and ask someone (mother or sister) to attach the top part or the skirt to the top part of the pantis with safety pins. Take it off and sew them together. That's a basic skirt on a budget.
You might want to try to make or find a nicely decorated belt, or just wear a scarf.
See if these costumes are any good: http://search.ebay.com/belly-dancing-costumes_W0QQfclZ4QQfnuZ1QQfsopZ1

Answer 3

Summer is over so get a bikini on sale and decorate it anyway you want. Or better yet, if you have an old bikini that has seen better days, us it. It will be a cheap way to come up with a costume. You can buy scrap fabric at any fabric store, they usually have a bin of old or small amounts of fabric that you can pick through. Or you can look through your closet for old clothing you don't wear anymore and use it to decorate the bikini. my studio used to decorate regular bras and spandex trunks. The bras actually provided better support and coverage.

Answer 4

See www.shira.net for homemade & links. Try getting pieces from thrift shops. all you really need is a great hip scarf over a gypsy skirt or harem pants & velvet top or fluffy blouse. See www.kingofthenile.com. Folkwear Patterns has a tribal bellydancing outfit & big pattern co. have a dance outfit in their Costume sections.

Answer 5

I really liked the purple one. I thought it was really pretty and the least tacky. All of the colors were really really beautiful. I wouldn't get them in black though since you have black hair, also, the other colors are just so vibrant. I really liked the orange color and the purple color.

Answer 6

no