Thread: Seashell costumes?

Hi!

I was on vaca at the beach and had the brilliant idea of a seashell costume. I collected a ton of different sizes and think I can bleach them to pearl white. Anyone have any tips or pictures of successful bedlahs of the sea?

I saw Delilah of Seattle perform in a seashell costume once. it was really pretty (wonder if it scratched though?); maybe there are pictures on her site

eta: found a pic -- it was for sale apparently, I guess Aziza of California is the designer..

I think SatinWorship posted one in the 'what are you working on' thread a while back.

Originally Posted by Mintaka

I think SatinWorship posted one in the 'what are you working on' thread a while back.

I remember seeing this and thought is was very cool!

yup, I wanted to make one too, after seeing satinworship's seashell costume.

Originally Posted by lotus

I saw Delilah of Seattle perform in a seashell costume once. it was really pretty (wonder if it scratched though?); maybe there are pictures on her site

eta: found a pic -- it was for sale apparently, I guess Aziza of California is the designer..

Oh my goodness, I'd be scared to move! I can't show that much leg! Wow.

Thanks. I'm thinking real shells, not cowries, is that what satinworship did?

yes, hers was real shells..I cant remember where she posted it though...

You might want to visit Delilah's web site to see if there are any photos there. I don't know whether she still does this, but in the past she would include a "dance into the sea" as part of her Maui workshops, and one of the instructions people received when they enrolled in her workshops was to bring along a costume inspired by their relationship with the sea, which they would then wear for the purpose of doing a dance into the water.

So, people would make special costumes for this purpose rather than risking the salt water destruction of their expensive designer sparklies. One of my friends made a red costume designed to look like a lobster (including the head gear) - her rationale was that every time she goes to the seashore she gets a sunburn that turns her as red as a lobster!

Anyway, Delilah might have some pictures on her web site of people wearing their sea-inspired costumes.

Sahar's version: Belly Dance Store.com

Another example I found: Photos - Mezzo Mezzo NY/Astoria Bellydance Meetup Group (Astoria, NY) - Meetup.com

Not shells per say but shell paillets: Picasa Web Albums - Lily - White iridesc...

Dahlal also has a Ruffled Romance cossie with "shell like" cups (in case you're looking for more inspiration). Dahlal Internationale : Costumes

Thanks ladies :)

Years ago I made a sea shell costume. I used my handy Dremmel and drilled holes for stitches and jump rings. Some shells were fragile and shattered so I used the broken bits for practice. I prepared twice as many shells as I thought I would need. The costume was much more delicate than I expected. Transporting it to and from gigs without damage was a challenge. The sharp edges of some drilled holes would cut through stitches. I had to rework those issues with jump rings. I also realized I could not have large flat shells in curved areas, they would pull away from the base and often grabbed veils and hair. Smaller shells were more practical for many reasons.
I did soak the shells in bleach for a few days while I created the belt and bra bases. Prior reworking the costume I applied a light coat of clear spray paint to add a bit of strength to the shells and to control a bit of the white powdery dusting. On the rougher edges I would use a nail file and then applied a bit of clear nail polish.
It was a lovely costume. I used a cream or off-white satin for the base to give it more depth. It was not possible to sit when wearing the belt, I found it had limited use but it was a favorite.

Oh! Here's a link to the page where SatinWorship posted hers:
http://www.bhuz.com/forum/fitness-be...-thread-5.html

anybody have more pics of seashell costumes? I am making one today.