Thread: Dumb question--what is a 'Turkish Airport Special'?

Like the title says, what is that? I've heard that term several times here, always meant negatively. I'd like to be educated so I know what to stay away from! .w.: Thanks!

hmm, I wish I could answer it for you; but now I'm curious

I searched the net for it and only came up with a blog comment by someone:

"I was on a mission to find a metal belly dance bra, and after much disappointment as we went from one belly dance shop to another whose main fare seemed to be what we in the business call the "Turkish Airport Special" (don't ask),"

In general, a very cheap costume which is usually ill-fitting, ill-designed, and ill-made.

Nipple flowers and nipple/crotch tassels are optional, but common.

A sample picture of a very low quality costume made for the tourist trade would be:

Nothing wrong with it for a tourist item for a keepsake or souvenir, but these do not generally make good performance costumes.

Some enterprising dancers have taken these and scavenged/re-worked some of the into nice costumes.

Hope this helps - this is my understanding at least :)

I think it refers to the hideous and/or very cheap, scanty costumes we occasionally see for sale??
Yep, what Mahsati said above...we posted at the same time I think!

The term "Turkish airport special" refers to a cheaply-made, tacky, ugly costume of the sort that might be sold in an airport souvenir shop. It's the sort of costume that would only be purchased by someone who isn't educated enough to realize how poorly-made and ugly it is - such as something a tourist would buy or maybe a student who hasn't yet learned to discern the difference between quality and tacky.

It's the sort of costume Suzy Nippletassels would wear...

"Turkish Airport Special" refers to the low-quality, inexpensive so-called belly dance costumes that are marketed towards tourists who want to play dress-up rather than to dancers who need something sturdy and well-fitted.

See especially the second from the right in the top row for an example of the flat, dinner-plate shaped bra cups (not approved for use with real breasts!) and the lime green number third (?) from the right in the bottom row for the tasteful nassels (nipple + tassels) that often characterize these designs.

Another example of a dinner-plate bra:




The term is also sometimes extended to the basic Turkish bra and belt set, which, although inexpensive, is actually designed to hold up during real dancing, unlike the examples above.

When made/found in Egypt, these are also sometimes also known as "Cairo airport specials". I tend to associate that name with the less fringey numbers, like in Ainsley's picture, the bottom row second from left. Some enterprising Bhuzzer once described them as having "fringe like Gollam's hair." ..l;,

most of the bellydance "costumes" you see sell on ebay for $20 or so

nassels
lol

Nassals and airport special! I love it! Shira, why don't you put those in your glossary of terms so nobody buys this stuff by mistake. .w.:.w.:

i'm snickering cause of the funny words I learned here.

Originally Posted by laura 2

"fringe like Gollam's hair." ..l;,

ewwww hahah. So true though!

Ahhhhh, how enlightening! The salad plate (cereal bowl?) costume was especially uh...interesting. Thank you everybody!

ooohhh the horror... those costumes, "Gollum's hair..."

I'm not hungry anymore right now....

Gack. Gollum's hair...like something you pull out of the shower drain!

now I have to stick up for the purple costume (the abovementioned inexpensive Turkish set)....the ones I have experience with are built like iron in terms of staying together and when paired with a more substantial skirt, can make very beautiful troupe or individual costuming. As long as you tailor them to fit you strap/beltwise and don't wear the headband Rambo-style (ha!), they're great

If it is ugly due to one or more of the following, it is probably a Turkish Airport Special:

Has a giant pointy or backwards looking belt

A bra that will cause your boobs to slip out beneath the cups

Cheap coins

Fringe "generously" placed 1" apart.

Whorls and swirls that resemble fallopian tubes

Nipple flowers

Nipple tassels

Originally Posted by Ainsley

[IMG]

Totally off topic, but the photo above is interesting. The costume is an airport special to the extreme, but the model is very obviously a dancer. She almost makes the costume look good. That is odd, because generally, the cheaper the costumes are, the more graceless the pose by the model and the less likely it is that the model has ever danced a lick.

1) Yes, she's obviously a dancer, but may not be a belly dancer. The universe may still be in order.

2) The purple costume didn't need defending, Najila. If you read the post again, Ainsley was very clear that costume, while sometimes referred to as an Airport Special, Is actually durable enough to hold up to dancing. It's the sort of thing that works well for student troupes, hafla soloists, and dancing for GP birthday parties. Sort of 'semipro' or 'demipro' or 'starter pro'

3) The Turks get unfairly blamed for a LOT of Egyptian Khan el Khalili stuff. I always feel a little sorry for them when that happens -- it is the home of Bella and Sim and Legend, after all...

Thanks, Lauren. Yes, that's exactly what I meant. I thought these costumes were worth mentioning because I have seen them referred to as "Airport Specials" here a couple of times, but I would just call them "Turkish basic" or "starter" sets, since, unlike what I consider to be true Airport Specials, they are suitable for dancing.

Originally Posted by mish_mish

Whorls and swirls that resemble fallopian tubes

I've missed you.

Originally Posted by Ainsley

Thanks, Lauren. Yes, that's exactly what I meant. I thought these costumes were worth mentioning because I have seen them referred to as "Airport Specials" here a couple of times, but I would just call them "Turkish basic" or "starter" sets, since, unlike what I consider to be true Airport Specials, they are suitable for dancing.

Trying so hard not to say what I want to say about those kinds of starter costumes. Most are sturdy, but we aren't plowing fields in them, are we? (Maybe due to the economy it could be a niche--belly dancer/farmer.)

Not to get off topic--it's a hot button issue for me!

Originally Posted by mish_mish

Trying so hard not to say what I want to say about those kinds of starter costumes. Most are sturdy, but we aren't plowing fields in them, are we? (Maybe due to the economy it could be a niche--belly dancer/farmer.)

Not to get off topic--it's a hot button issue for me!

I know...but that's a matter of personal taste, not suitability. Some dancers -- and audience members -- just love 'em.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

I know...but that's a matter of personal taste, not suitability. Some dancers -- and audience members -- just love 'em.

My first bedlah was exactly like the purple set, except in gold, and I would always get compliments on it from GP audience members after a show. All they saw was lots of swishing fringe and sparkle, and most had no idea how common or trite the basic turkish set is considered in the BD world. I even had people say they liked my costume much better than the other "boring" ones (i.e., more minimal lycra sets). It boggled my mind, because I knew my costume was cheap and dated looking to most other dancers.

And on the matter of sturdiness - I don't know if I could have plowed in it, but I don't doubt it. I was probably the 4th or 5th owner of the set, I wore it for a couple of years, and it *still* had plenty of sparkle and life left in it when I sold it here on Bhuz a few years ago. I wouldn't be surprised if it's not still being danced in to this day!

Originally Posted by Lauren_

1) Yes, she's obviously a dancer, but may not be a belly dancer. The universe may still be in order.

2) The purple costume didn't need defending, Najila. If you read the post again, Ainsley was very clear that costume, while sometimes referred to as an Airport Special, Is actually durable enough to hold up to dancing. It's the sort of thing that works well for student troupes, hafla soloists, and dancing for GP birthday parties. Sort of 'semipro' or 'demipro' or 'starter pro'

3) The Turks get unfairly blamed for a LOT of Egyptian Khan el Khalili stuff. I always feel a little sorry for them when that happens -- it is the home of Bella and Sim and Legend, after all...

Yes, I did read the original post--I don't reply to things unless I do. What I was addressing was the fact that even though it's not technically a TAS, it is somewhat looked down upon (or greatly looked down upon at times) and dismissed for reasons other than whether it holds up or not, and saying that it does have its virtues and can be flattering and nice looking.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

I know...but that's a matter of personal taste, not suitability. Some dancers -- and audience members -- just love 'em.

As long as they can stay on a body and don't collapse into a pile of beads, coins and sequins, the rest is subjective!

Well, I guess it depends on how often you dance and how much money you've got to spend. Dancing is quite hard work after all and costumes do wear out. If you don't dance much a lycra set will last a loooong time but if you dance in it most nights in the week it'll be in bits within months. If you can afford to keep several in rotation and keep replacing them every year or so then that's fine. But for some dancers it's also more economical to have a serious workhorse or two because they will literally last for *years* with minimal upkeep even if you wear them all the time.

Good solid airport special vs hot lycra number, on the same level of dance rotation? I'd put my money on the lycra wearing out a lot earlier.

For a true homage to this type of costume, do a search for the infamous "Death of the V-Belt" thread.

You'll laugh...you'll cry....you'll gouge your eyes out with the wire edges of your angry vagina belt.

Hee, hee! Funny girl....

Yes, it was Mish's influence that made me sell the last of my V's. *sigh* I still miss that costume in all its overfringed glory.