Thread: Tips Required to Prevent Skirt Falling Down

Hello,

I recently got a beautiful 2 piece costume, but have noticed that when i, for example shimmy, that the skirt slowly seems to be falling down. The skirt is beaded the full length and weighs quiet a bit. The main material is Lycra.

Would anyone have any tips on how to prevent the skirt from falling down? Also how best to repair a small hole in the lycra skirt?

Thank you.
Much appreciated.

Noreen S.

Is there elastic at the waist? If so, you can tighten it up. If not you can make a thread casing, and add some.
Is the hole in a decorated area, or a plain area?

Lol! When I saw the title of this I thought a bunch of other things!..l;,..c::

we pin skirt bands and belt to our g strings.1 big pin inside front and back
since the g string is made cwith 1" non roll elastic, it wont go anywhere.
...for what is worth.

Welcome to my world.

I have tried pinning to underwear, but what I've found most effective is sewing in a thick elastic waistband across the back (where it tends to slide), that's tighter than the dress.

Some friends have used grosgrain ribbon where they had zippers in their costume and could lose the elasticity and that seems to work well too.

Toupé tape...g.:

Apply the strips right below where the hipband will sit. If you are cylidrical in the hips and booty this may be the only thing that works.

I also avoid costumes with heavy skirts.

I dont like making the elastic tighter b/c then I get a muffin top, what I did was loosely stitch a pair of shorts inside the skirt. I used some old jean shorts that were secure but not tight to give muffin top. I cut the leg whole very short so that you couldnt see any bulk under the costume. It gives me a firm foundation and I never have any slippage anymore.

you can see the skirt here..it is very heavy

http://www.electricshimmy.com/performance/index.html

4th one in the first row. purple eman zaki

confused.
where is there elastic on your costumes?
the only elastic is my g string band and on my zills !
????????????????????????????????

ok, more confusion.
shorts?
to not show on ones thigh/slits, they are"daisy dukes"?
gee, there is already so much i dont get! now this...

Originally Posted by zamora

confused.
where is there elastic on your costumes?
the only elastic is my g string band and on my zills !
????????????????????????????????

I believe they're talking about modern lycra egyptian style costumes, not bra and belt types. Shimmygoddess' link is a great example. The elastic casing method is what works best for me.

As for shorts, I believe it would all depend on the height of the slit. I'm sure I could fit a pair of short shorts under all of my lycra skirts, but it would depend on the slit height of course.

Originally Posted by mihnea

I believe they're talking about modern lycra egyptian style costumes, not bra and belt types. Shimmygoddess' link is a great example. The elastic casing method is what works best for me.

As for shorts, I believe it would all depend on the height of the slit. I'm sure I could fit a pair of short shorts under all of my lycra skirts, but it would depend on the slit height of course.

my costume that I did this with doesnt have a high slit and you cant tell ..but yes I guess theylook like daisy dukes...you couldnt really where them on there own w/o your ass cheeks hanging out...w/ this costume...my friend actually added elastic inside it for me...b/c it was too loose. but if I pull it too tight to prevent slippage then I get muffin top..and I HATE that! LOL

oooh, ok.
yep, my skirts are all on a solid band.all made here by "opal paradise" or "fastimas needle"
still dont get shorts under a costume, sounds bulky.but so what.
as i said, i do not get some things spoken of on bhuz....many things, i guess

Originally Posted by Nepenthe

Some friends have used grosgrain ribbon where they had zippers in their costume and could lose the elasticity and that seems to work well too.

I've used strips of denim on a very heavy beaded lycra skirt with a zipper and have been happy with the result. Of course if my hip size were to change significantly i'd have to re-do it, but it's worth it for the security.

wow, learned something else!
zippers! there are skirts w/zippers! i like learning, thanks!
(now i just need to figure out "crowns")

I stitch a pair of nude-colored boyshorts into my lycra skirts. The boyshorts come from the lingerie department at Target and they're very secure.

I put on the shorts, put on the skirt, pin in several locations where the waistband of the shorts contacts the skirt (this is usually lower than the waistband of the skirt, which in nice because there's no muffin top that way). Take the whole assembly off and replace the pins by tacking with a few stitches.

I wear a thong or bikini panties underneath -- in case you're curious.

Originally Posted by zamora

confused.
where is there elastic on your costumes?
the only elastic is my g string band and on my zills !
????????????????????????????????

Well, the issue isn't with bra/belt/circle skirt costumes that you wear but with the style of costume that has a heavily beaded lycra skirt rather than belt/skirt. These costumes have stretch skirts with elastic waists. If you have never seen them you can see them here:

Belly Dance Store.com

Or just browse the swap page as probably 70% of the costumes being bought/sold here on bhuz are of this style. Or see the "what are you working on" thread or the "swap meet purchases" thread....

I wear a thong or bikini panties underneath -- in case you're curious.
__________________
why ? you already have on shorts!
i am so lost
(gee i do not know squat!)

ssipes, ah you do floor in these skirts?
the models have on heels too.
...think i'll just leave this thread. i just do not get squat, ...shorts, zippers, sounds like a lot of costume, wow !

Originally Posted by zamora

I wear a thong or bikini panties underneath -- in case you're curious.
__________________
why ? you already have on shorts!
i am so lost
(gee i do not know squat!)

Because the shorts are sewn into the costume and I don't want to cut them out to wash them. Also because I have a fear that I'll step on the skirt & pull the whole shebang down and I'd like to NOT be competely nude if that happened. Also because I want some fabric between my body and the hand of anyone trying to tip me in the hipband of the skirt.

I've never had a problem with tipping or with my skirt falling off, but I'd rather wear double undies than take any chances!

Many of the top designer costumes are now made with sewn-in shorts. I assume the people who are selling them used have been wearing undies inside them. *looks hopeful*

Originally Posted by zamora

ssipes, ah you do floor in these skirts?
the models have on heels too.

No, but floor work is not done very often in the Egyptian style of dancing.

ssipes, i know that, im not stupid, i guess i just need another forum, lol.
so, no one here does floor.there are shoes, and a "crown" i keep hearing about.guess i better see if i still have a spot at carnival of stars !...dont ewant to show up ill dressed.
hmmm
me needs to re think a few things !

Originally Posted by zamora

ssipes, i know that, im not stupid, i guess i just need another forum, lol.

My apologies, I misunderstood your question. I didn't mean to offend.

I also own circle skirt/bra/belt costumes and if I wanted to do anything on the floor I would choose one of those.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Many of the top designer costumes are now made with sewn-in shorts.

Okay, I don't have any costumes with sewn in shorts, but if I did I would have to figure out a way to at least hand wash the crotch. I wear underwear under my lycra dance togs too, and it doesn't stop them from getting stinky, sometimes after a single sweaty workout.

I have a lycra skirt without a zipper, where do you suggest I add grossgrain ribbon? I have a skirt which slips down quite a bit. Thanks!

Originally Posted by zamora

ssipes, i know that, im not stupid, i guess i just need another forum, lol.
so, no one here does floor.there are shoes, and a "crown" i keep hearing about.guess i better see if i still have a spot at carnival of stars !...dont ewant to show up ill dressed.
hmmm
me needs to re think a few things !

..l;, Don't feel too bad, Zamora, I have been aware of the lycra beaded skirts for years but I've never bought one because I'm afraid of this exact problem - the skirt going south. Also, I've had a couple of kids and I think you need a really flat lower abdomen to look good in those skirts. Which I don't have. I feel I need a belt there for a bit of camouflage.

I use the elastic-in-a-thread-casing thing to get a better fit with regular belts, though. And you can use that idea on the really stiff Egyptian bras to get a little "give" in the fit. Your seamstress might know what we are describing.

Crowns - like Egyptian dancers wear sometimes, perhaps? They can be cute, but not for me, I'm not the princess type.

Originally Posted by zamora

ssipes, i know that, im not stupid, i guess i just need another forum, lol.
so, no one here does floor.there are shoes, and a "crown" i keep hearing about.guess i better see if i still have a spot at carnival of stars !...dont ewant to show up ill dressed.
hmmm
me needs to re think a few things !

I do floor work. I just don't do it in any of my LRose trumpet skirts.

Well, not often. . . ..g.:

{{{HUGS}}}

Originally Posted by Lauren_

I stitch a pair of nude-colored boyshorts into my lycra skirts. The boyshorts come from the lingerie department at Target and they're very secure.

I put on the shorts, put on the skirt, pin in several locations where the waistband of the shorts contacts the skirt (this is usually lower than the waistband of the skirt, which in nice because there's no muffin top that way). Take the whole assembly off and replace the pins by tacking with a few stitches.

This is genius. My hips are narrow, so i get "lycra skirt slippage" too. ..l;,

Originally Posted by zamora

ssipes, i know that, im not stupid, i guess i just need another forum, lol.
so, no one here does floor.there are shoes, and a "crown" i keep hearing about.guess i better see if i still have a spot at carnival of stars !...dont ewant to show up ill dressed.
hmmm
me needs to re think a few things !

I still see plenty of people dressed in the classic bellydance style of a belt and bra with a chiffon skirt. Come to think of it, those belts rarely "shimmy off" like a lycra beaded skirt. There are advantages to both. I bet most of us have costumes of both styles in our closet.

I don't know what crowns are either unless it's something you wear on your head.

I still prefer the bra/belt sets. They're more versatile, more durable, easier to care for, more secure for tipping, fit me better, and are more flattering on my body. But they're harder to find these days.

But they're harder to find these days.
__________________
i make mine, and there are other here that make them.i only have 1 chiffon skirt, it was my first skirt 1971.white, it still has a place. fatima makes them custome, even from afar!