Thread: Question: How come I don't see the "cool" costumes on manufacture's websites?

I often peruse major sites like the Bellydance Store or Dahlal, etc. and I am not wild about the color combos, style, etc. But then every so often a Bhuzzer will post something she got from one of these sites and it is absolutely amazing!! I'm left thinking, "I never saw THAT on the site." Do the costumes shown come in other colors? I feel like such an airhead.

Most of the costumes they sell come in different colors, some sites like Dahlal you can see if they have in stock or not and if not you can still write to them and try to order, usually takes more time....

Another tip in being connect on bhuz almost every week because you can find really great costumes that fits you and have reasonable prices!!!

My friend just came back from Turkey and she bought a really eye catching costume but she said they store does not have a website or anything! That's sucks!!!

Most of my costumes is from Brazil and some I design myself and ask them to make for me.... I do not know somebody here that could do that but is a chance to have an unique piece!!!

Another thing that I feel most or big stores is trying to do is not have quantity for the same model because usually bellydancers like variety!

:)
,r:;
Hope that helps!

yeah, i get that.
for one, i think costumes tend to look Terrible on mannequins. bad fit and all, nothing looks oh so great. and somehow that same costume will look so amazing and gorgeous when it 'comes alive' on an actual real body. i wish more sellers used real gals to portray their costumes

It's not just you! Not everything goes up on the sites. Many Bhuzzers in the Baltimore/D.C. area regularly visit BellydanceStore.com in person and purchase costumes that haven't yet been listed on the site. Dahlal.com vends at events in the Midwest as well as Rak West and East. Some frequent buyers call the vendors to see what's available in their size and the vendors send photos.

These vendors had thriving businesses before there was an internet, it's a small (but I'm sure growing and important) part of their business.

Dahlal travels or sends reps to events all over the country, and most of her costumes are sold without ever appearing on the site. What you see online is the tip of the iceberg, just what's been photographed and didn't sell before it got uploaded. As the web becomes more important, I imagine the vendors are more committed to getting each costume photographed so they can be ordered in other sizes/colors.

Dance costuming is still primarily a couture business, although several designers (Hannan, Sahar, Pharonics) have lower-priced mass-produced lines that are more like ready-to-wear.

Most items on the site can be custom ordered in different colors or with variations to the design. Custom orders take months, but don't cost extra.

Also a LOT of costumes come and go very quickly, especially on bellydancestore.biz, which seems to be updated almost daily. Some dancers .w.: stalk the sites with a credit card in hand and snap up the coolest stuff as quickly as it appears. BellydancewithK.com puts things up only rarely and when she does she'll put up 6 or 8 items and most of them sell within minutes.

If you're less dedicated to shopping, you're less likely to snag the Great Ones.

Yet another illustration of why swap page sellers can get "new" prices for really great "gently used" costumes.

I think there are a few that are custom; there was one I saw *once* on their site and it wasn't even in the list. When I wrote them they told me that it was a custom piece, quite expensive too! But it was gorgeous.

Originally Posted by kiyaana

It's not just you! Not everything goes up on the sites. Many Bhuzzers in the Baltimore/D.C. area regularly visit BellydanceStore.com in person and purchase costumes that haven't yet been listed on the site. .

Okay whew! Relief.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

. What you see online is the tip of the iceberg, just what's been photographed and didn't sell before it got uploaded.
If you're less dedicated to shopping, you're less likely to snag the Great Ones.

Okay thanks Lauren. Now I feel better. I see the most amazing costumes here but when I go window shopping, they all look just gaudy and over the top. When Bhuzzers say they bought them at XYZ store, I go, "where???" Now this clears things up.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Dahlal travels or sends reps to events all over the country, and most of her costumes are sold without ever appearing on the site. What you see online is the tip of the iceberg, just what's been photographed and didn't sell before it got uploaded. As the web becomes more important, I imagine the vendors are more committed to getting each costume photographed so they can be ordered in other sizes/colors.

That happened with a costume that I bought from her. I wanted a blue costume and she sent me some photos of a costume that hadn't even been uploaded to the website yet and I was able to buy it.

I have also noticed in the past that some of their costumes in the newsletter didn't even make it to the website.

The sites really DO have stalkers...there are costumes that sell in less than 5 minutes!! ...in addition to the ones that never make it to the websites due to locals coming in and swooping them up.
Sometimes the bellydancestore.com doesn't even have a chance to photograph a costume before it gets sold!