Thread: Costuming for size 16 plus?

Hi everyone!
I have a few students who are asking me where to buy quality "plus size" costume basics. In this case, I mean dress size 16 or so and up.
I generally do not like recommending vendors if I haven't bought things from them myself, because I would feel terrible if I advised a student to spend their money unwisely. As a size 8-10ish type, however, I need to go out on a limb here.
One of my favorite vendors, Flying Skirts, offers plus-size costume options, but they're also fairly expensive. I'm hoping there are cheaper vendors out there that don't sell flimsy crap. Unfortunately, most of the other vendors I regularly buy stuff from (as much as I buy anything regularly) don't have plus size stuff.
I teach ITS and Tribal Fusion, but I think my students would be interested in costuming for other styles too since many of them also take Egyptian or American Cabaret classes.
I know L. Rose Designs makes things to order, so I assume they do plus size? I've never ordered from them, so could anyone who has comment on the quality of their garments? I'm happy to hear about other options as well...
Thanks in advance!

I've ordered a ton of stuff from L Rose. Their items are top quality and make everything to order. So, your plus sized ladies should have no trouble there. The only thing I would recommend against with L Rose is their circle skirts. They don't hang them before they hem them, so every one I've ever bought from them had needed to be re-hemmed.

I'm about the same size as you, so I don't have any other recommendations, but I can vouch for L Rose.

Moondancebellydance.com has some items in larger sizes. They have been discussed here before: Their shipping charges are a bit too high for my taste, quality of their products is by and large in line with the prices, i.e., it is not LRose or Flying Skirts quality.

I second L. Rose.

Belly Dance Store.com has a 'plus size' department that's usually fairly well-stocked. (there are almost 50 costumes in that area right now, including MANY bra/belt sets in DDD/E!)

Dahlal has an area for larger sizes, too, but it's often only got a few odds and ends in it.

Hi Sara!
I third the L Rose suggestion. They shouldn't have a problem with fit and I think their items work well with both the tribal and cabaret crowds.

If you send them to my Bellydance Plus web site, there's a category for vendors who have plus-sized merchandise under the "Resources" section. Bellydance for Plus-Sized Women, Belly Dance for Full-Figured Women, and Bellydancing for Big Beautiful Women (BBW)

First and foremost: the Swap Meet! A lot of my favorite things have come from here. Over the years I've only ever received one item that was not as described, and even new things are usually significantly discounted. It's also my first stop when I'm cleaning out my own closet.

L. Rose is fantastic. Lora will make any size. Great fabrics, flattering cuts, quality construction.

I've gotten very lucky four times with gorgeous evening-gown styles from Joharah. Two of them were Swap Meet finds, and one of those was brand-new with tags. The other two I got by e-mailing Joharah herself (not Bellydance with K).

I wear mostly Sharifwear in class -- some for performance, too -- and I love it. Sharifwear sizing can be inconsistent, but the fit on most things is flexible anway. For reference, I'm a 14-16, 38DD/E, so I usually start with their XL for both pants and wrap tops and sometimes go down from there. They also stock XXL in some styles, including all the basic pants styles. The wrap tops and tribal string pants are especially comfortable, easy-care (at least the synthetics), and flattering on lots of different bodies. Tell your girls not to be alarmed by the length of the pants, which can run very long: you can just cut them off with no raveling or have them serged if you're fussy.

Shahrzad at the BellyDanceStore (MD) is doing a great job of stocking larger sizes these days, and she and her staff are very accommodating about measuring items to make sure they'll fit. I have two Great Loops and a skirt on the way, and I'm thrilled! My only caveat/suggestion is that at my size, even though I'm "plus-sized" at most places, I usually find better options in Shahrzad's regular collection than in her plus-sized offerings. Most of what I've tried on in the plus line has been cut for very large frames, so for example there are gorgeous bra/belt sets with a lot of acreage between the cups or reeeeally huge cups. Like anything, that's perfect if you need it, not so much if you don't! They're probably in the process of tweaking the fit -- she's very good about responding to customer requests and suggestions. In the meantime, it's a good idea to ask for measurements you might normally not think you need.

The Bellydance Shop (NC) is also good, particularly for class wear. Love their pants! Again, start looking under pants or tops or whatever you need -- don't head straight for the plus sizes.

As Lauren said, Dahlal tends not to have a lot of professional costuming in larger sizes, though I've gotten lucky a few times. But their "Off the Nile" line has great class wear and class/troupe costuming pieces in a wide range of sizes.

It's great that you're helping your students in this way. We had far fewer choices when I was starting out, and my teachers were not generally interested in helping us sort through them. (I'd like to go back and unspend some of my hard-earned cash.) Good for your students, and good for you!

what a great resource you are Zana!

Awww, thanks! You're sweet. I'm sure I natter on too much about this, but if you've seen my photos you'll know why the topic is dear to my heart.

Suzana

Originally Posted by Lauren_

I second L. Rose.

Belly Dance Store.com has a 'plus size' department that's usually fairly well-stocked. (there are almost 50 costumes in that area right now, including MANY bra/belt sets in DDD/E!)

Dahlal has an area for larger sizes, too, but it's often only got a few odds and ends in it.

Being a woman in the size range that you are asking about I need to give one other tip about bellydancestore.com, don't look only in their plus size section. Currently she has at least one item in the Pharonics that would fit me. I have a 48 inch hip, but a 39 rib. I was eyeing up the Pharonics the other day just because it was pretty and didn't think theer was a chance it fit me, then I happened to glance at the measurements and realized that it would. So make sure to look around on the site.

One of my plus sized students raves about Shimmy Sista.

Wow, thank you ALL for your suggestions!!
Shira, your bellydanceplus site is fabulous! I will be sure to put that on the resource list I'm making (provided it's OK with you of course).
I think these options are really going to help. Yay!

Originally Posted by SaraKat

Shira, your bellydanceplus site is fabulous! I will be sure to put that on the resource list I'm making (provided it's OK with you of course).

Hi Sara! Of course it's ok to include that site on your resource list! The purpose of it being there is to help plus-sized women find a place that feels right to them within the belly dance community, so the easier it is for them to learn it's there, the better. I hope to add a couple of dancers with tribal-style costuming to the photo gallery in the not-so-distant future. It's just a question of finding time to follow up on the contact I've had with them. So many ideas, so little time!

--Shira