Thread: I'm genuinely curious: How do you afford expensive costumes?

I can't afford them. When I open Bhuz the first place i go is the swap meet section. And I drool. ,r:;
Then I open the other sections.
I make my costumes. Luckily I like the simple kind, so pretty easy to make. AND, I get really sick of costumes really fast. Sooooo fickle. I dance 3 nights a week and sweat like mad, so they need to be washable and replaceable. I buy crystals and re use them on the next costume.
If I COULD afford to buy gorgeous costumes I certainly would. I am totally envious of anyone who has Bellas and Emans and.... The girls I dance with all wear designer names and sometimes I want to cry. But as my bosses so kindly tell me when I lament my lack of haute couture, the costume isn't everything.

Ok - as someone who makes and sells all the time I feel like I should chime in here. The most expensive costume I ever made and hopefully will sell soon will be $500. But it is worth it. Most of my custom jobs run between $200 - 400 but all my clients seem to be really happy that they can make payments on them as the work progresses. So it makes a big difference that the money doesn't have to all be there up front. Plus keep in mind that if you have a bunch of great costumes you can always sell them if you are in financial straits. But if you have a closet full of homemade average costumes then you won't get your money back and chances are they will wear poorly over time. I really can't justify spending $800 on a costume. IMO that is just nuts. But buying one for $200-300 is certainly reasonable and if you shop right you can get something that will hold its value.

I also make costumes and thought I would offer some insight to the cost of materials used in relation to the cost of a costume.

There is a vast range of the materials used to make costumes. I make heavily beaded costumes with Vintage Irreplacable czech Stones and Swarovski Stones as well as multiple colors of beads and sequins.

Here is an actual breakdown of one of the costumes I have made...and keep in mind that this is the cost for beads and sequns only...this doesn't include fabric and bra and belt base materials.

Beading Thread $5.00
Sequins Blue $5.95
Purple $6.95
Beads Blue irid hex cut$17.35
Purple irid hex cut $16.20
10/0 blue silver lined $16.00
8/0 teal $15.00
8/0 blue $13.95
(Total cost of beads $78.50) 60%of beads used - $47.10
Czech fire polished 2 tone blue/green $9.99
Czech fire polished 2 tone Red/blue $9.99

Stones
Vitral Medium Swarovski stones $1.75 each x 101 = $176.75
Amethyst stones 24@ .50 each $12.00
green stones $5.00
Rhinestones $5.00

Total WHOLESALE cost of Beading Supplies $296.04

Add at least another $50-$100 for fabric.

There is usually100- 150 hours involved in making a costume so if you do the math... (I try not to do this often or I may never make another costume : (
Price of costume 750.00
minus
cost of supplies -400.00

=350.00 divided by 100 hours = $3.50 per hour
In the end...you recieve a completely custom costume...at (in my opinion) a very reasonable price.


For me and the costumes I make...it adds up to "A labor of Love"
It certainly doesn't make sense from a business perspective.


THAT being said...not all costumes designers and makers use high end materials. It all depends on each individual and what they are willing to spend their money on.

Originally Posted by invokethegoddess

I also make costumes and thought I would offer some insight to the cost of materials used in relation to the cost of a costume.

There is a vast range of the materials used to make costumes. I make heavily beaded costumes with Vintage Irreplacable czech Stones and Swarovski Stones as well as multiple colors of beads and sequins.

Here is an actual breakdown of one of the costumes I have made...and keep in mind that this is the cost for beads and sequns only...this doesn't include fabric and bra and belt base materials.

Beading Thread $5.00
Sequins Blue $5.95
Purple $6.95
Beads Blue irid hex cut$17.35
Purple irid hex cut $16.20
10/0 blue silver lined $16.00
8/0 teal $15.00
8/0 blue $13.95
(Total cost of beads $78.50) 60%of beads used - $47.10
Czech fire polished 2 tone blue/green $9.99
Czech fire polished 2 tone Red/blue $9.99

Stones
Vitral Medium Swarovski stones $1.75 each x 101 = $176.75
Amethyst stones 24@ .50 each $12.00
green stones $5.00
Rhinestones $5.00

Total WHOLESALE cost of Beading Supplies $296.04

Add at least another $50-$100 for fabric.

There is usually100- 150 hours involved in making a costume so if you do the math... (I try not to do this often or I may never make another costume : (
Price of costume 750.00
minus
cost of supplies -400.00

=350.00 divided by 100 hours = $3.50 per hour
In the end...you recieve a completely custom costume...at (in my opinion) a very reasonable price.


For me and the costumes I make...it adds up to "A labor of Love"
It certainly doesn't make sense from a business perspective.


THAT being said...not all costumes designers and makers use high end materials. It all depends on each individual and what they are willing to spend their money on.

It really is nice to know that the costumes I also make are similarly costly in expenses (and, yeah, beading we can't even start counting time)

Originally Posted by ozma

It really is nice to know that the costumes I also make are similarly costly in expenses (and, yeah, beading we can't even start counting time)

I'm so pleased to see this! I don't think I've ever spent less than $200 on supplies and fabric - and that includes the times the fabric is on sale. But it's the time that kills the whole project financially, really. Seamstresses in my area are getting about $20/hour - that would make one of my costumes cost upwards of $3,000!

I don't buy. Mostly because I enjoy the design and handwork process - but also because I can throw $20 a pay at beads or fabric or whatnots and not miss it, but $500? That's a huge chunk of my paycheque to give to someone else for a pretty that I could, eventually, make myself.

Mind you, I am strictly an amateur dancer. No paying gigs, no regular performances, no scheduled events... just student nights and the occasional fund raiser. I suffer from "new choreography = new costume" syndrome. I'm sure some of you have heard of it!..g.:

If I had a greater need, I'd probably have a different perspective. And, if my dance addiction actually had any sort of an income in it's own right, that could be very dangerous to my wallet!

Originally Posted by Zeevah

Seamstresses in my area are getting about $20/hour - that would make one of my costumes cost upwards of $3,000!

I have seen many Ballroom gowns with less beadwork than our costumes for those prices!
Bellydancers are lucky that costumes continue to be reasonably priced!

I started and continue to make costumes because my budget would not allow for me to spend $800.00 on a costume. BUT I am not a professional dancer who requires alot of costumes. IF I were...I would probably spend that kind of money in a heart beat...because I know that I would have to "turn over" and resell my costumes quite quickly and I know that the higher end costumes made from the best materials will sell quickly and hold their value.

There are some, that dance as a hobby that can spend that amount on a costume...and I completely envy them! ..g.:

I guess I am super lucky because I live in LA where fabric is cheap, rhinestones are wholesale, and chiffon is $1 a yard! So I can keep my prices a little lower because my materials don't cost as much. Or maybe I just work crazy fast cause I can finish a costume in less than a week. But if I had to buy all my stuff online or at Joann's forget it! The prices are way too high!

Originally Posted by eshtabellydance

I guess I am super lucky because I live in LA where fabric is cheap, rhinestones are wholesale, and chiffon is $1 a yard! So I can keep my prices a little lower because my materials don't cost as much. Or maybe I just work crazy fast cause I can finish a costume in less than a week. But if I had to buy all my stuff online or at Joann's forget it! The prices are way too high!

I should move!LOL I CAN"T find sequins locally...have had to ship them from Hong Kong...I get my Beads shipped from British Columbia and My Stones from everywhere else but here! chiffon is $5-$7 dollars a meter and Velvet $8-$12/meter.....The good thing about where I am is it is REALLY REALLY cold for a VERY Long time!!..c:: nothing better to do than bead!

Originally Posted by eshtabellydance

I guess I am super lucky because I live in LA where fabric is cheap, rhinestones are wholesale, and chiffon is $1 a yard! So I can keep my prices a little lower because my materials don't cost as much. Or maybe I just work crazy fast cause I can finish a costume in less than a week. But if I had to buy all my stuff online or at Joann's forget it! The prices are way too high!

I can get my fabric and chiffon cheap (Tokyo NIppori fabric district) but most stones and bling are imported.

I can finish some costumes in a week, but not the heavily beaded ones.

I only buy costumes with money I already have saved in my own personal account. I have a separate business account. If I charge items or pay through paypal I then pay it back out of money from my own account. When I get low, that is it, no more costumes for me! I have to start saving again, doing photo shoots, selling stuff, ect, to start building funds up again. I mostly buy used, b/c new Bella's cost a fortune. I know some people around here are a bit critical b/c I have lots of costumes, but I buy them all myself with my hard earned money. I don't have a sugar daddy. LOL.

wow, I just realized how old this thread was. LOL. It came up on the home page for me as a featured post. LOL

wow. i have never bought a costume in my life!..even in ballet & tap...but i have them appraised for insurance....in the 1960's and 70's you danced nude unless you sewed. and even today i get paid to mend the strangest things...like no one can sew a button ? i sincerely do not understand how one gets it to fit etc. when it is not made for you.

I do not think unless you dance at private events or wedding were you get paid well do you need to have a really expensive costume. At resturants your costumes get durty so it it best to wear a homemade one or a less expensive one. bhuz is a great place to shop and trade and sell. Teaching and dancing is my only job. I do not use credit cards. my husband has given some of the tax return before to buy costumes. I feel you do need to invest in classes and costumes you need to have one or two really nice ones if you are doing private events or weddings. and also a coin one or a tradional belly dance costume that every has no doubt you are a belly dancer. but here on bhuz you can get brand new or almost brand new for a really good deal sometimes. also you can save all your tips as extra money and then buy a costume with the tips! My first costumes were made by my first teacher or i bought some from her that were used brand name but half the price and she let me make payments.

Originally Posted by PrincessNadirah

I do not think unless you dance at private events or wedding were you get paid well do you need to have a really expensive costume. At resturants your costumes get durty so it it best to wear a homemade one or a less expensive one. bhuz is a great place to shop and trade and sell. Teaching and dancing is my only job. I do not use credit cards. my husband has given some of the tax return before to buy costumes. I feel you do need to invest in classes and costumes you need to have one or two really nice ones if you are doing private events or weddings. and also a coin one or a tradional belly dance costume that every has no doubt you are a belly dancer. but here on bhuz you can get brand new or almost brand new for a really good deal sometimes. also you can save all your tips as extra money and then buy a costume with the tips! My first costumes were made by my first teacher or i bought some from her that were used brand name but half the price and she let me make payments.

kinda sorta took your "homemade" a bit wrong...may i add that what i make..and i sew full sets for pay...appraise just as high if not higher than the "off the rack" .
plus, i can dance anywhere and no one else has the same model.
homemade....how about dancers who sew bedlah at home for $$$$$$

Originally Posted by zamora

kinda sorta took your "homemade" a bit wrong...may i add that what i make..and i sew full sets for pay...appraise just as high if not higher than the "off the rack" .
plus, i can dance anywhere and no one else has the same model.
homemade....how about dancers who sew bedlah at home for $$$$$$

Right - my "homemade" costumes are high end and very intricately made (understatement.)

People might get the wrong idea about this - homemade doesn't mean cheap, ugly, low-class or ill-fitting; it should imply the opposite actually.

But - at the same time they save the person making them an absolute fortune besides being unique and truly custom.

They do take time. A fully beaded bra and belt can take months.

So? There's a fire? I think people don't realize, especially when you're young, that you might well be dancing for decades. With any luck you'll be dancing for decades.

So, enjoy the process.

Originally Posted by zamora

kinda sorta took your "homemade" a bit wrong...may i add that what i make..and i sew full sets for pay...appraise just as high if not higher than the "off the rack" .
plus, i can dance anywhere and no one else has the same model.
homemade....how about dancers who sew bedlah at home for $$$$$$

Dancer-made costumes are sometimes some of the most beautiful and unique ones out there. I have a lot of respect for dancers who make their own costumes - takes time, creativity and patience.

In regards to the comment about not wearing expensive costumes to restaurants: Wanted to add that most restaurants want their dancers in HIGH-END (at least high-end looking) costumes, which cost money whether bought from a designer or slaved over for hours and hours to hand make. Wearing a cheapie at a restaurant because it might get dirty doesn't usually fly, at least not where I work...finding deals on bhuz is an excellent way to get quality costumes at a lower cost.

I afford costumes by charging professional rates for my dancing.
Working dancer's costumes take a beating. Quality matters. So designer or self-made doesn't matter. What matters is quality of materials and components along with workmanship (and fit).
With bought costumes- a costume that costs $122 is not going to last the same as a costume that costs $550. The more expensive ones (that are quality) will break down to lower cost per wear simply because they last longer.

there is a restaurant here in LA where I think all the dancers have the Turkish Emporium style Turkish bedlahs, generally worn with endless wave harem pants and an over skirt. And the patrons LOVE THEM!!!! That having been said, they usually do their second shows in higher end costumes. So really, good fit and sparkly is what many of the GP sees.

but this is an on going conversation. Everyone has to take into consideration their wants, needs and means. And not compare themselves with anyone else. Someone will always have more money to spend, someone less. That is simply the way it is.

As I have said before, I like good costumes. Most of mine are second hand simply because I am also part Scottish and love a good bargain! ;-)

{{{HUGS}}}

This thread has been cracking me up! It is so old. :) Boy, I have changed since I first wrote this...1) My costume closet is full and 2) I have a lot of expensive costumes.

Originally Posted by Khalilah

Dancer-made costumes are sometimes some of the most beautiful and unique ones out there. I have a lot of respect for dancers who make their own costumes - takes time, creativity and patience.

In regards to the comment about not wearing expensive costumes to restaurants: Wanted to add that most restaurants want their dancers in HIGH-END (at least high-end looking) costumes, which cost money whether bought from a designer or slaved over for hours and hours to hand make. Wearing a cheapie at a restaurant because it might get dirty doesn't usually fly, at least not where I work...finding deals on bhuz is an excellent way to get quality costumes at a lower cost.

thanks for takeing this time...xxxxx

Originally Posted by tahiradancer

there is a restaurant here in LA where I think all the dancers have the Turkish Emporium style Turkish bedlahs, generally worn with endless wave harem pants and an over skirt. And the patrons LOVE THEM!!!! That having been said, they usually do their second shows in higher end costumes. So really, good fit and sparkly is what many of the GP sees.

but this is an on going conversation. Everyone has to take into consideration their wants, needs and means. And not compare themselves with anyone else. Someone will always have more money to spend, someone less. That is simply the way it is.

As I have said before, I like good costumes. Most of mine are second hand simply because I am also part Scottish and love a good bargain! ;-)

{{{HUGS}}}

I can't resist bargains either.

What you say about good fit - well that makes a big difference. An expensive costume will look cheap and wrong if it doesn't fit well, same goes for a handmade one -

Usually, this involves the bra. Bras really need to fit well and they are the hardest things to get right.

I have ongoing discussions with my students about cleavage.

Originally Posted by andalee-oriental

This thread has been cracking me up! It is so old. :) Boy, I have changed since I first wrote this...1) My costume closet is full and 2) I have a lot of expensive costumes.

I know, right? I read the first post & thought "Hey, wait- I bought one of Andalee's used cossies & it was def. high end! and she can sew!"

I personally don't think hand made costumes are cheaper. I spend way more on my sewing projects than I would on a finished piece, even if you figure my work in at something like $2.50 an hour!

I love rehabbing old cossies, just for the fun of it, and I like to make costumes too- but I have a whole closet full of costumes that aren't quite me, so I haven't fixed them up yet, so I haven't sold them yet... sigh. I took out a loan from my parents for a different business venture, and was only half kidding when I offered to put my costumes up for collateral! I need to stop before my floor caves in, and sell a couple to get to another workshop or 2! Priorities...

Strategy for cleanliness: old fashioned bra/belt + skirt sets are easiest to manage in this regard.

The heavy work and money goes into making the bras and belts - skirts can be replaced.

I've run through LOTS of skirts - they do show wear and dirt on the hems and eventually, out they go, especially light colors.

Ditto, beaded fringes: eventually they have to be replaced, especially bugle bead fringes.

But, with some maintenance on those and by replacing worn-out skirts you can look good for a long time - the bedlahs with the bra/skirt combinations aren't nearly as practical - if those get damaged or dirty it's pretty much The End for the whole costume isn't it? plus - they're not interchangeable with other outfits.

So economically the old fashioned outfits really make a lot of sense.

Originally Posted by Lara L

I know, right? I read the first post & thought "Hey, wait- I bought one of Andalee's used cossies & it was def. high end! and she can sew!

Ohh...Which one do you have/had? You didn't buy it from me, did you? I can't recall...

Originally Posted by andalee-oriental

Ohh...Which one do you have/had? You didn't buy it from me, did you? I can't recall...

I thought it was from you- now I'm not sure (should I share the fact that I just spent the last 20 minutes trying to find emails, bhuz threads or paypal payments related to that purchase???)
jewel encrusted lavender bedlah in what looks like Abla style, tho I couldn't find a tag of any kind. It's the one I'm wearing in the preggy picture on this page

Eh- knowing my brain, I was probably looking at one of your costumes at the same time and decided to go with this one instead. I've got you marked down in my potential body double list, anyway! Why can't I find old pm's? Heh. No, I don't buy too many costumes

Originally Posted by andalee-oriental

This thread has been cracking me up! It is so old. :) Boy, I have changed since I first wrote this...1) My costume closet is full and 2) I have a lot of expensive costumes.

So, Andalee, answer your own question! How did you afford all those expensive costumes?

I have yet to buy an "expensive" one brand new. But I've done lots of swaps and every Bella I've had was second (third, fourth) hand. I love a good deal on a pretty costume.

The least I've spent on a costume was $70 for the purple vintage that I will either be buried in or pass on to my daughters.

The most I've spent was $600 on a crazy lime green Bella I had in my rotation for a year. That was my hard earned money from overtime hours at work (back when such a thing existed). Now I'm living on very part time hours and student loans, so no super expensive costumes for me. I'm being a good girl. Now I'm branching off into making my own based on designs that I know suit my body type well.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

So, Andalee, answer your own question! How did you afford all those expensive costumes?

LOL. I teach and perform a lot more than I did when I wrote this post, so I use gig and teaching money for all of my new costumes...And I put things on layaway and pay them off over time. I've done this with my three most expensive costumes. It doesn't make sense for me to save money and then try to buy because I feel like I am hard to fit, due to my size--so when I see something I like I find a way to buy it. Usually bhuzzers are kind about payments.

ETA: I also live with my hubby-to-be now and my expenses have gone down considerably.

Originally Posted by Lara L

I thought it was from you- now I'm not sure (should I share the fact that I just spent the last 20 minutes trying to find emails, bhuz threads or paypal payments related to that purchase???)
jewel encrusted lavender bedlah in what looks like Abla style, tho I couldn't find a tag of any kind. It's the one I'm wearing in the preggy picture on this page

Eh- knowing my brain, I was probably looking at one of your costumes at the same time and decided to go with this one instead. I've got you marked down in my potential body double list, anyway! Why can't I find old pm's? Heh. No, I don't buy too many costumes

Nope, not me...but glad to know you are close in size!

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