Thread: Why Always Cut-Outs?! (Mild Rant + Genuine Question)

I don't understand these ridiculously daring cutouts. Why, why, why does almost every pretty lycra set have to have them?! ,m:: ,f::

And while I'm at it, why the ridiculously high slits?

It's not that I'm uncomfortable with my body, but I'd just like a pretty lycra set to dance in, not show half my thighs and butt! Even with mesh...

If you like to wear them and you can pull them off well and not flash anyone then that's wonderful!

But seriously, can't non-cut-out-loving-girls have options? Bedlahs are great but lycra sets are so pretty, and I'd like to wear one without feeling so naked...just thought I'd put that out there... not bashing anyone at all. :)

I can't wear those, either, I just wouldn't feel comfortable. I've seen some that you would have to have a Brazilian wax to wear. I just want to dance and not worry about a cut-out shifting around and showing my "pussycat" or other "assets," LOL.

I'm not enamored of lycra costumes in general, though. Guess I'm a little behind the times. I still like an actual skirt with lots of movement and I feel that a belt is more flattering on my body than just a skirt with beading.

But if other dancers can rock 'em, that's fine, too.

how funny i was just on the swap meet trying to find the most daring cut out to buy and I saw lots of lycra with out slit and cut outs. look there ! there are more concevative then daring out there.

Because they are HAWT. And part of a BDer's job in Egypt (where these costumes come from) is to be HAWT.

I suspect that the slits are high to allow more leg movement inside an otherwise tight garment. As a leggy person myself I don't care how high a slit is, but I can understand that others feel uncomfortable. Another thing to consider is that the costumes you buy weren't tailored specifically for you and so the slits and cutouts might be "generic", and less suited to your body than they might be to someone else's.

You can fill in a cutout with mesh - I got a scarf recently that has cutouts that are stabilised and filled with *bath scrubbing tulle* so it doesn't even need to be stretchy - or more lycra, and with the really high slits, a modesty panel from some nice chiffon or silky fabric can give you movement and look really pretty while covering your legs.

Originally Posted by Anacaona

I don't understand these ridiculously daring cutouts. Why, why, why does almost every pretty lycra set have to have them?! ,m:: ,f::

And while I'm at it, why the ridiculously high slits?

It's not that I'm uncomfortable with my body, but I'd just like a pretty lycra set to dance in, not show half my thighs and butt! Even with mesh...

If you like to wear them and you can pull them off well and not flash anyone then that's wonderful!

But seriously, can't non-cut-out-loving-girls have options? Bedlahs are great but lycra sets are so pretty, and I'd like to wear one without feeling so naked...just thought I'd put that out there... not bashing anyone at all. :)

I'm with you. I do NOT want any cut-outs or slits above my knee, but so many costumes have them.

I haven't noticed cut-outs on the lycra costumes as much as the bellas. Maybe I'm not looking in the right place. It's interesting - I'm sure I'm more conservative in costuming than some, but I remember when the cut-outs first started popping up, they were such a shock to the eye, seemed very risque, and I heard that from a lot of dancers. Now many dancers wear them and I think our eyes have adjusted for the most part. I don't find them as shocking anymore. (with a couple of exceptions that really gross me out.) I still don't like them as a style though, just not my taste. Slits don't bug me at all, though I think you have to wear actual costume panties or shorts for the really high slits to be ok. The ever-increasing cleavage contest is still alive and well in bellydance, too, unfortunately. I've always tried to find bras that actually cover and keep me secure. Though, by the way styles are going, it's become near impossible. I've got 2 right now that are pretty much pornographic in fit (by my standards.) Haven't worn them yet, need to trim down and that will affect the fit a bit, but unless I do a custom order or make my own, that's what the selection seems to be. I'm honestly not sure if I'll ever wear them because I really, really don't want to look like a desperate member of the cleavage contest.

so I guess for me all rules and preferences are out the window when I'm faced with perfection in the dancing. :)

Randa in cut-outs and ridiculous amounts of cleavage:

(though I will say, these cut-outs don't offend for some reason. Actually, I was thinking of getting a similar costume...)

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VB75nuELOq0]YouTube - Randa Kamal 2[/ame]

*sigh* so lovely...

Give me a cutout over a slit any day....shows some skin but not my whole leg at a time, gah!! My favorite black Marta has a perfectly placed pinwheel cutout on the thigh. No danger of raks beaver, and shows off the little bit of unspoiled real estate in between SpiderVeinLand and Cellulite Junction

~~Kimahri

LOL

I personally like cut-outs.

They show a little something without showing everything. I like that!

I love high slits, since I like my legs, and I have a few costumes with cutouts but I only like them in certain areas.

Originally Posted by Anacaona

I don't understand these ridiculously daring cutouts. Why, why, why does almost every pretty lycra set have to have them?! ,m:: ,f::

And while I'm at it, why the ridiculously high slits?

It's not that I'm uncomfortable with my body, but I'd just like a pretty lycra set to dance in, not show half my thighs and butt! Even with mesh...

If you like to wear them and you can pull them off well and not flash anyone then that's wonderful!

But seriously, can't non-cut-out-loving-girls have options? Bedlahs are great but lycra sets are so pretty, and I'd like to wear one without feeling so naked...just thought I'd put that out there... not bashing anyone at all. :)

Amen Sista!

I love high slits, but then my favorite costuming style is American Cab. While i don't have any dresses or costumes with cut outs, I do have a few dresses and skirts (LRose) with very high slits. The nice thing is, you can always as a modesty drape if you are nervous.

{{{HUGS}}}

My solution to the high or wide slit lycra skirts I have, is modestly panels in complimentary colored chiffon...g.:

For one white set I had that was extremely thin lycra all around, I had a stretchy mesh "slip" made for me by l.rose designs and it gives me a modestly panel that flows nicely, is only attached at the very top for a touch of leg, but feels modest and well covered.

I have a beautiful new Johara now where the slit is so high and stretches so wide, that there is no way to keep my private parts private..p:: I haven't totally decided what to do with that one yet...c::..c::

You mean cutouts like this?



I'm actually quite fond of this dress, but every time I perform in it the cutouts DO get quite a reaction!

Originally Posted by *Shira*

You mean cutouts like this?



I'm actually quite fond of this dress, but every time I perform in it the cutouts DO get quite a reaction!

Yowsa! LOL! You look beautiful!

It's very elegant too, I'm not saying their bad, I'm just saying I would hyperventilate and DIE if I wore it. Lol, and I don't really consider myself very conservative.... ..c:: I don't know man, I'd just like something with equally elegant beadwork and design and no cut-outs, that's all.

Originally Posted by Anacaona

Yowsa! LOL! You look beautiful!

It's very elegant too, I'm not saying their bad, I'm just saying I would hyperventilate and DIE if I wore it. Lol, and I don't really consider myself very conservative.... I don't know man, I'd just like something with equally elegant beadwork and design and no cut-outs, that's all.

Hee hee, Saqra had to talk me into buying that one! But I liked it, and it just kept calling to me, saying, "Take me home, take me home," so I did!

I saw this one costume maker in Egypt whom I thought was nuts - they had cutouts in the center front midriff so low that they showed ALL the girly bits. I'm pretty tall, too, 5'10", so if those low-cut fronts showed MY private parts, they certainly would show them on most other women, too! After I tried on three that ALL had the same problem I was pretty fed up, but the saleswoman insisted on bringing me yet another one, and as I was putting it on she tried to use a safety pin to adjust something, and poked me, so I used that as my excuse to get rid of her. She kept apologizing and apologizing for poking me, but the truth was that the thing that really offended me was the nasty costumes!

I don't mind the cut-outs on others but for me, they would have to come with something to hide my skin because no one wants to be seeing that much of me (I rock my own "cellulite junction" with all the strethmark tracks included). ..c:: Plus, having such short legs it rarely works out.... like you really want to be seeing a cut-out of my knee cap. ..l;,

Originally Posted by joanneraks

The ever-increasing cleavage contest is still alive and well in bellydance, too, unfortunately.

Sahra Saeeda (Kent) mentioned bra cuts in her Journey Through Egypt 1 seminar weekend.

At the time she was dancing in Egypt (1990s), Egyptians thought American dancers were over the top, so to speak, in their bid to bring the bust ever higher, together and expose it more; most of the Egyptian stars were wearing much more "natural" bra styles with more coverage; lift and solid containment, yes, but not spilling up to the collar bone and certainly more covered than some of what we are seeing now coming out of Egypt.

A few weeks ago, I was watching a performance by a dance troupe. The girls were of various builds and ages, in identical costumes. Everyone looked great. Then I noticed that they were all wearing what would be considered "full coverage" costume bra tops. Yes, some of the gals had very full bosoms and others less, but everyone looked contained and comfortable. There was no "OMG, look at those!" so we in the audience could concentrate on the dancing.

I guess I can't seem to shake the questions of "is this really family friendly?" or "what message is this sending?" in my costume choices. As a conservative dresser IRL (no bosom during the day and very little when dressed up), I guess it kinda goes back to that. I'm can still be sexy in costume tops larger than a couple of saucers with straps . . .

Deborah

Originally Posted by *Shira*

You mean cutouts like this?



I'm actually quite fond of this dress, but every time I perform in it the cutouts DO get quite a reaction!

This is a beautiful dress, and I have had dresses with lots of cutouts, but I think the thing about this particular situation is that I can see your hip joint. It makes me a little uncomfortable; like I am seeing more than was intended. I have a green dress that I used in competition that ended up showing most of one leg and up into side gluteal territory, but the fact that there were no "creases" of joints, that somehow made it OK to me.

yeah...Shira, it's a little revealing for my taste. The color is gorgeous and the silver beading is really nice, but the cutout is just too wide. I know if I saw you dance in that, I would be really really worried about seeing something other than dancing!!!

Magidah hit it right on the head for me -- which is funny, because I now own the green dress she's talking about and it really does have quite a lot naked on it! I love the beadwork on the blue one, and the color is gorgeous on you, Shira, but the placement over the hip crease and the uninterrupted, unbeaded expanse of the cutout cross a line for me. It would not fly at the places where I work, and they're not run by particularly conservative folks. Glad you're enjoying it, though.

I like cutouts...only if they have mesh in them. I really like Shira's dress, and I have seen many-a-bedlah with more exposed hip areas. What bothers me is the whole floating bra thing...I think that is even racier to wear than a large hip cutout. And in general the small bras with HUGE-O cleavage freak the crap out of me. I can't do high slits either. I have some massive scars on my legs (Not to mention cellulite and veins). :(

Originally Posted by casbahdance

Yes, some of the gals had very full bosoms and others less, but everyone looked contained and comfortable. There was no "OMG, look at those!" so we in the audience could concentrate on the dancing.

I saw a lovely dancer recently, but her skirt slit was so high that she flashed the audience and her bra looked like her boobs were about to spill out at any second. It was a shame - her dancing was probably great, but I don't think one person even saw it, we were too worried.

For me, any slit or cut out that makes the audience hold their breath in anticipation of a major costume mishap is too much.

I like your dress too Shira, and the color is very becoming on you, but I wonder if I would see your dancing if I saw you wearing this in a show, or would I'd concentrate on if it was going to shift the wrong way?

I am just too short for cut outs. If they are meant for the torso, it is a raqs beaver situation, on the hip and you get to see my thighs. I can't do the lycra thing anyway, it just exposes all that I would rather the audience not see as far as my shape. I have seen many lycra dresses that I am in love with tho, just can't wear them at the moment.

More from me on the Dahlal newsletter that just came out---wow, what HUGE sheer panels are in some of the skirts!!! There is just too much showing in some of them. I like some cut outs, I like them a lot in fact, but huge ones aren't that attractive and are a little scary.

But, not to trash the entire newsletter, I really like some of the Sims!!!