Thread: Show Me Your Best DIY "Aftermarket" Costume Enhancements!

I'm about to pimp out my Eman Garnet Goddess with some splashy fucshia silk orchids along the top edges of the bra. This will solve the problem of the space between the cups (it's a "Dina" bra, which does very little for my slight bustline), and a little bit of gapping that still occurs - and it will look very Lulu Sabongi, at the same time ..g.:

Now's your turn to show me what you've done to enhance, soup up and pimp out your existing costumes, to either solve or disguise a sartorial problem, or just to make them look cooler. Whether your project was large or small, I'm looking for inspiration!

I bought this lovely costume from the belly dance store but the sizing was totally wrong when I got it and it was SEE THROUGH.

I took off the beaded/crystal medalion at the hip and added the swatch of fabric that was attached to the arm band underneath it. I then removed the longer fabric swatches that had been part of the skirt and attached georgette panels.

Because the costume pulled in the hips I also had to open up the slit over my leg almost to my hip. I strategically added the longer pieces that were originally on the costume back so that when I turned you wouldn't be able to see "raqs beaver"

Finally, I lined the entire skirt with georgette panels so that when I turn it moves like a dream.

Before photos are at home but here's the after

Not the greatest photo but it shows the skirt movement

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That's beautiful, Anya! I absolutely adore the movement and the different shapes and sizes of godets - and raqs beaver is NEVER acceptable!

omg sorry for the HUGE photo

eta: thanks satin! the movement is so fabulous and the extra fabric makes me feel like a princess!

Originally Posted by anyadance

omg sorry for the HUGE photo

eta: thanks satin! the movement is so fabulous and the extra fabric makes me feel like a princess!

I love it. I have a Tony & Robbie skirt that makes me feel that way - it's so flattering when skirts hug the hips, but still twirl with you when you spin!

If I like a costume, I am determined to buy it even if it is too small for me.

Added 2 inches to this belt by making an applique and adding some bead swag that I bought from the little girls jewelry section at Walmart.
Turquoise Pharonics


Right now, I am adding a 6" belt extension to a bella I bought from Salome! It had to be mine!!! I finished the bridge piece and just have to fill in the fringe now.

Clever, Crystallized!

I actually like the vintage feel of the looped swags. One of my fave vintage costumes has little swags like that on the hips!

I don't have any photos of this costume, but I though it was too plain so I added a ridiculous amount of AB crystals to it. I sold a black bra & belt set on here awhile ago that I did the same thing too. You can never have too much bling.

anya, that looks amazing and u look stunning!
crystallized-good thing i already have a turquoise cossie or else i'd get that one hehehe smart idea tho
i am currently revamping a red & silver bedlah set i got from liesbeth. it is my 'red and black lace' project to which i have to add loads of black glass beading for the silver to 'go away' lol (b/c it would take me a lot more work to take out all the silver beading than it would be just to load it with black). i'll add pics tonight, i've got a bunch of things to do to it...

At this point, mostly it is about adding crystals and fringe. I have a gold Pharaonics Seawave which I added AB crystals to, and I am adding black fringe to the lower part of a Pharaonics Pryamids beldah. The fringe on this belt is along the edge of the embellishment, so the bottom where it cups your butt curls up. The weight of the fringe eliminates that and also gives it another layer of swishiness.

And then there is the bedlah where I completely rebuilt the bra, but that is another story. . .

{{{HUGS}}}

OOO, pix please!!! (Gretchendances, Zana & Tahira! :))

Bravo, Crystallized!!!

Originally Posted by SatinWorship19

I actually like the vintage feel of the looped swags. One of my fave vintage costumes has little swags like that on the hips!

Cool! Thanks for the validation that some costumes actually have that kind of decoration.
I was kind of worried that it would draw attention to the fact that it was too small on me, but the GP has not noticed:)
___
I still have to make fringe for the bella so I won't have pictures of that one for a while.

Originally Posted by crystalllized

Cool! Thanks for the validation that some costumes actually have that kind of decoration.
I was kind of worried that it would draw attention to the fact that it was too small on me, but the GP has not noticed:)
___
I still have to make fringe for the bella so I won't have pictures of that one for a while.

Glad I could help! There's no such thing as right or wrong. Only pretty and fugly

I've noticed the looped swags a lot when examining handmade bedlahs from the 70's and 80's!

not my handiwork, but UKCaasi did an amazing job on the Neckelmann's I just bought from her...she added green crystals and removed a lot of the extra fringe, as well as adding elastic to make the belt cup. It fits like a dream, and looks great! I'll try to get some pics up soon

here are some crappy shots of the red and black lace project i'm working on.
it went from this
to this:

of course since i last took that pic i've the other black sequin applique to the other side of the bra and added more black. this project will take me forever :-/

I'm working on a Paganini costume even as we speak. I was REALLY dissapointed with it (with the colors, the fit was perfect) because I had requested a red costume with purple embellishments (yeah I like red hat, so there) But she used a shade of purple that was almost blue. In fact very purple blue, not true purple. So the entire look of the costume with the red, silver and BLUE beading and the STRIPED(!!!) fringe in those three colors looked exactly like an American flag! In fact, when my mom opened the box and saw it (she saw it before me) she called and asked me "why did you order an American flag costume??" ,m::
Sadly it also could pass as the Costa Rican flag, the Panamanian flag, the British flag etc. So I am in the process of removing the bluish purple fringe and replacing it with just more silver fringe. Strand by strand. ..cr.:
I'll post pics when I'm done. Hopefully before I'm 80.

Regards
Priscilla

Originally Posted by jessedan

I'm working on a Paganini costume even as we speak. I was REALLY dissapointed with it (with the colors, the fit was perfect) because I had requested a red costume with purple embellishments (yeah I like red hat, so there) But she used a shade of purple that was almost blue. In fact very purple blue, not true purple. So the entire look of the costume with the red, silver and BLUE beading and the STRIPED(!!!) fringe in those three colors looked exactly like an American flag! In fact, when my mom opened the box and saw it (she saw it before me) she called and asked me "why did you order an American flag costume??" ,m::
Sadly it also could pass as the Costa Rican flag, the Panamanian flag, the British flag etc. So I am in the process of removing the bluish purple fringe and replacing it with just more silver fringe. Strand by strand. ..cr.:
I'll post pics when I'm done. Hopefully before I'm 80.

Regards
Priscilla

I would have sent it back if I was that unhappy with it.

I bought a gorgeous pink Sim bedlah from TanyaLV. The bra straps were open on the sides with this big cutout that just showed too much skin for my taste. I covered a piece of interfacing with nude lycra and nude mesh and inserted it into the cutout. I also added some sew on rhinestones on top of the newly inserted piece for extra bling. It suits me much better this way. It's also completely reversible in case the next person who owns this wants the cut out.

I thought of it. But shipping is a huge problem for me. When I buy things like costumes they have to be shipped to my mom's house in California, and then brought down to me by any family member or friend who happens to be coming down to Costa Rica. If I were to have it shipped directly here by courier, the import taxes would be about as much as the costume itself. To return a costume I'd have to go through the same hassle, Send it back to the seller (risking that it be lost or stolen in the mail here, which happens frequently) then have them send it again to my mom's (pay yet again for shipping) then wait for someone to bring it down. It's less of a headache to just replace the fringe. ..c::

Regards
Priscilla

Originally Posted by monsoondancer

I would have sent it back if I was that unhappy with it.

Well done, Zana & Shahla!!! In fact, all posters to this thread are very inspiring (now, if I could just get off my rear and finish my projects!:)). More pix, please, keep 'em coming!