Thread: Bellycovers and lycra costumes

Hello ladies, I have noticed that when I wear my sugar petals mesh bellycover with a lycra costume it slides down and ends up showing my undies. This doesn't happen (as much) if I don't wear the bellycover.
For example;
I just practiced in a costume with my bellycover and the skirt slid down quite a bit and my undies were showing. I took the bellycover off and danced and it stayed put. Why is that? Is it because the material is too slippery against the mesh? Have any of you encountered this? How do you stop it?

Probably because the body stockings do hold "everything" together better, having a slight slimming effect. Your hip measurement may get reduced by a half -1 inch, add this to the slipperiness, and there you have it: sliding down skirt.
Try to to pin the skirt to the body stocking, if possible, without damage.

I've thought about pinning it but I'm afraid it would make a tear at the hip. Has anyone else tried pinning the cover?

Pinning to the cover works. I have problem with hip scarves sliding down when I wear the mesh middle unitards for class. So I pin without a problem. Also wear my fake hip pads and that helps give more of a ledge for the skirt/belt to sit on. I pin the pads to the inside of the mesh. I have the no waist, no hips thing goin on so they do help.

Souzan

You can pin it, or stick it with toupe tape in several strategic locations around the top edge.

My favorite technique for keeping heavy beaded Lycra skirts up (without muffin top) is to tack a pair of nude boy shorts into the skirt. Put on the boy shorts, dance around so they 'ride' to wherever they're going, then put the skirt over them and pin where the two come together. Take the whole assembly off -- carefully! -- and replace the pins with thread. The boy shorts might give you the extra holding power you need to keep everything on, but you may still need pins/toupe tape.

This is a problem I recognize with the slippery body stocking and heavy beaded skirt combination, and I've not done much about solving it . . . except backing up to the drummer, distracting by snaking my left hand high in the air and looking up, meanwhile sneaking my right hand to center back and giving an sharp upward YANK . . . but no, no, no, that's not the kind of solution we were looking for, was it? Will watch this thread for everyone's brilliant ideas. Lauren, love the image of you putting on those boy shorts and dancing around until they ride up to wherever they're going . . ...l;,
Rosette

Here's a cheap fix:

Use fishnet nude pantyhose, hock them up to the bra and cut them off as boy shorts. Things tend to not slip as much!

Originally Posted by amity

Here's a cheap fix:

Use fishnet nude pantyhose, hock them up to the bra and cut them off as boy shorts. Things tend to not slip as much!

Great idea!
Where can I find them?

I find safety pins the answer to most costume problems-skirt ride up, slip down, spin round etc etc

Originally Posted by gothique

Great idea!
Where can I find them?

Ebay. I stock up at halloween as well as they have fun colors, tye dye, etc.!

These are all great helpful idea's!! I especially like the boyshorts tip. Would make safety pinning a little easier.

Ohhh I have figured this one out since I body stocking all the time!!
Ok you know that rug slip stuff that you use under area rugs to keep them from sliding on a wood floor? You know its usually tan/nude colored, made from some type of rubbery/plastic with little nubs on it? Well I cut a few squares out of it and sew them around the perimeter of the top of the costume. You can't do it in one strip since you will lose the stretch of the hip.
You will have to shimmy yourself into it but man it won't move!
I hate pinning body stockings etc since they always get caught up in the little loopy part of the pin!
SO hopefully that idea works for yas!
xoxo,
-NJ

I always use safety pins too. That's a great idea Nadira! Thanks. I'll have to try that.

Originally Posted by mmouse1534

Ohhh I have figured this one out since I body stocking all the time!!
Ok you know that rug slip stuff that you use under area rugs to keep them from sliding on a wood floor? You know its usually tan/nude colored, made from some type of rubbery/plastic with little nubs on it? Well I cut a few squares out of it and sew them around the perimeter of the top of the costume. You can't do it in one strip since you will lose the stretch of the hip.
You will have to shimmy yourself into it but man it won't move!
I hate pinning body stockings etc since they always get caught up in the little loopy part of the pin!
SO hopefully that idea works for yas!
xoxo,
-NJ

Ha! I was just going to suggest this from the 2 Pharoanics I got from you.

Second the testimonial- this trick works like a charm!

I have the same issue but solve it this way:

I sew little hooks on the inside of the skirt. It then hooks right into the mesh and doesn't slide down (I am assuming you have the power mesh bodystocking from sugar petals, not the lighter mesh? I think that would not work) I also wear fishnet belly covers and the same method works for those as well.

I just did a zeffa this Saturday and wore a body stocking with my costume. I bought it here a while ago, I think it's a sugarpetals power mesh.
The tricky thing is that it seems fine when you try it on, but I figured once I start moving the skirt might slide down (and I remembered this thread, thank God).
I just used one diaper pin to hook the skirt to the mesh, in the front. That worked, everything stayed up, and nothing got damaged (I imagined the horror of having my lycra skirt slide down in front of the crowd and the video camera as I lead the couple in... yikes!!) Chances are I wouldn't even have noticed if it happened, because the body stocking is strong.
So, yes, definitely safety pin.

Originally Posted by faaria

I have the same issue but solve it this way:

I sew little hooks on the inside of the skirt. It then hooks right into the mesh and doesn't slide down (I am assuming you have the power mesh bodystocking from sugar petals, not the lighter mesh? I think that would not work) I also wear fishnet belly covers and the same method works for those as well.

I second this suggestion. ..g.:

Originally Posted by gothique

Great idea!
Where can I find them?

I found some nude fishnets at Target for only 3.99

ok, if you use pantyhose for a bellycover doesn't the seam up the front and back look rather odd?? Or am I missing something??

Buy regular dance tights from a dance supply store or online. They sell seamless! I get the long version and they fit well.
I do put fray check on the elastic band on top and then cut it thinner so it fits over the hooks on the insdie of my bra.

Originally Posted by rassicahl

ok, if you use pantyhose for a bellycover doesn't the seam up the front and back look rather odd?? Or am I missing something??

I get the seamless or side seam ones from Kohl's or TJ Maxx. You can also cut them into a "tube" and pin them down.