Thread: Costuming for shorter dancers

I'm 5'1" and I was wondering what other petite dancers do for their costumes? I looove fringe (especially the loop-y kind!), but I don't want to over do it/overwhelm my figure. Can anyone share pictures? Thanks!

I'm 5'2" and I have made my share of costuming mistakes: heavy fringe, belts with long fringe, full skirts, big stones and large designs are no-nos.

I wear my belt low so that my torso looks longer, shorter belt fringe, sleek skirts (straight or trumpet style), minimal bra fringe and shoes can help (just make sure your skirt is long enough to cover to about the top of your foot.).

Originally Posted by mish_mish

I'm 5'2" and I have made my share of costuming mistakes: heavy fringe, belts with long fringe, full skirts, big stones and large designs are no-nos.

i respectfully disagree with this, because these are not always bad choices for petite dancers.

in my experience, the secret is all in the proportions. it totally depends on your individual shape.

i almost always wear full skirts, and am 5' 3".
almost all my belts have a lot of fringe, by current standards.
the trick is in the placement of the fringe.
you have to experiment to see what looks best on you.
don't be afraid to move it around.

if you have a segment of fringe on the bra that hangs/drapes down between the cups, it helps elongate the line.
"barfing fringe" cups are probably not the best choice.

again, placement is the key with large stones, imo.
between the bra cups and scattered on belt = good
in the center of a bra cup = bad, of course

if by "large designs" you mean large prints, i tend to agree.
however if "large designs" means large motifs, 2 or 3 asymmetrically placed motifs can be very flattering, imo, as they can be used to draw the eye up or down, visually elongating your shape

Originally Posted by mish_mish

I wear my belt low so that my torso looks longer, shorter belt fringe, sleek skirts (straight or trumpet style), minimal bra fringe and shoes can help (just make sure your skirt is long enough to cover to about the top of your foot.).

ita with wearing the belt low to maximize torso.
but you can wear long belt fringe depending on the silhouette and style of the skirt.

also, you might try to jack the bra up as high as you can stand, w/o making a boobie chin rest or falling out the bottom.

together, this can give you a few more inches of torso.

then there is always the "big hair" trick.
a strategically applied hair piece or wig can add a few inches to your stature and help balance out a full skirt, helping to emphasize an hourglass silhouette.
it can be done subtly so you don't look too 70's"grand ole opry"

[QUOTE=sabrinabellydancer;164511]
if you have a segment of fringe on the bra that hangs/drapes down between the cups, it helps elongate the line.
"barfing fringe" cups are probably not the best choice.
/QUOTE]

Agreed, anything that draws the eye vertically down the body. Those belts with a long section at the front too, or a not-too-fussy ruffle/split down a leg.

I swear I barely have a torso at all, it's like there is my waist, and straightaway my ribs, cropped tops that supposedly just sit under the bust reach my natural waist. If you are wearing a choli, try a V neck or tie/wrap front, as again, this creates slim vertical sections, wheras a round neck will cut you off (also a good tactic if like me, you are short *and* busty!)

lol @ large stones in the middle of cups, I don't think I have ever seen them look flattering, it seems some bras started off life as pasties then grew out of control! ..l;,

I'm 5 ft 2. I'll still do the full skirts and fringe, but more on the belt. I try not to have too much fringe on the bra, since then it looks like i have no midsection. I think I also tend to pick belts with 6 inches or less of fringe, but I'd have to go measure to be sure. ..g.:

Feel free to disagree--but I think it REALLY depends on how heavy you are combined with how short you are. For me, I don't want anything that adds to the illusion of width, which full skirts do.

It also depends on your torso length--I have a short torso, so the big fringy bras just make it disappear. My rule is minimal fringe on the cups and if it touches my belt at all, it's too long.

It's all about scaling the proportions to your height and body type.

I'm 5 ft 2. I'll still do the full skirts and fringe, but more on the belt. I try not to have too much fringe on the bra, since then it looks like i have no midsection. I think I also tend to pick belts with 6 inches or less of fringe, but I'd have to go measure to be sure.

I'm ITA here. I'm 5 ft 2 as well so things can so easily trail on the floor and fringe can be overwhelming. That being said, I still seem to be able to just about get away with some fringe and some full skirts. My main problem is the length of skirts I'm always having to have them shortened or to make them myself to get around that problem.

Otherwise, I have a fairly keen eye for what suits me, whether for dancing or otherwise, so I have no hard and fast rules and tend to assess each costume on an individual basis.

I think it depends on the rest of your figure as well as your height. If you are busty, then a wider hemmed bottom half balances you out, similarly, burvy girls will look better in a trumpet/mermaid skirt than a straight skirt (the flare balances the hips, whilst still being slim in the middle to avoid frump). If you are tiny all over, then belt with fringes, tassels, cuddly toys, will give you some curves.

Wow. Such varied responses to the same question. I guess it's all about trying a bunch of stuff on and finding out what works for you.

I've gleaned a LOT of insight from the horror and shock of examining old photos. If you take a critical eye to your pics, it's amazing what you can learn and how you can greatly improve your look from there.

I'm 4'11" and a size 00, so I can't afford to look any shorter, otherwise people may think I'm a child beauty pageant contestant. ..l;, So I'd tend to agree with Mish Mish's selections. My old style included fluffy skirts (sometimes 2-3 at a time, with or without harem pants), scarves haphazardly draped around the hips, fringe by the bucketful, deep V-shaped belts with 12" fringe, and bras often 2 sizes too big, stuffed to the gills with padding: .w.: ..c:: . Scary!

Once again, sleek trumpet skirts, straight skirts - or even daring styles with high slits that show major amounts of leg - work absolute wonders for me. I have killer slim, toned legs and a great ass, so rather than fooling the eye into thinking curves exist, I wear stuff that shows off the great shape I already have. A petite, athletic figure is NOT a bad thing, so go ahead! Show it off.

I don't dance in heels because I do a lot of spins, backbends and stuff that requires stability. If you don't, you might want to try a cute pair of salsa style shoes.

As for bras, if you have a small ribcage, try to buy used costumes or costumes off the rack that stay within maybe 2-3 inches of your ribcage measurement, and only pad up one cup size. Avoid any sort of looped fringe placement that goes around the ribcage: keep looped fringe front and center.

Again, anything long going down the center line will elongate: a sexy, snakey, thin lariat necklace is preferable to a thick choker! Bet you didn't stop to think about jewelry

Color schemes: I try to go monochromatic. (In other words, keep it all one color or 2-3 varying shades of the same color). Or, all one color with a few tasteful brightly colored accents. This unifies the overall look, which is key: to create a long line, you need continuity. Jarring color schemes or motifs will break up your gorgeous lengthened silhouette.

Belts: Theoretically, I try to stay away from too much fringe. Short fringe can actually be quite flattering, but anything over 6" can be tricky for me. I have one bedlah with very long fringe, but it works for me because the fringe goes in small sections, as opposed to a straight row across.

Fabrics: I love heavy, drapey, clingy fabrics, as opposed to those which are billowy. Adding volume, especially at any point in your lower body, can potentially result in the "dinner bell" silhouette!

Again, feel free to break any of my "rules," as they are mine and mine alone. I will post some embarassing pictures if you truly want a laugh and a lesson in do's and don'ts. Good luck!

I'm 4'11 and like to have a high slit over one leg - i think it elongates me (plus i have nice legs so they deserve to be shown off!). I also avoid much fringe on the bra save for a small piece down the middle. It's important that the belt be proportioned to your body. honestly just trying on costumes helps to figure out what works/doesn't work and what you like :)

I'm 5'0" with a very short torso. I've found that the "heaviness" of the costume matters a lot. I always look for thin bra straps and narrow belts, otherwise I look much shorter. My "skinny" costume has long fringe on the belt, but the belt itself is only about 1" wide and dips down a bit in front, so the overall effect isn't so overwhelming.

I'm also a huge fan of shoes--I have short, dumpy legs, so they're my only hope!