Thread: What costumes flatter my figure?

hey, something for more experienced costumers...
lately ive been super annoyed with my figure...ive got relatively chubby upper arms, a wide-ish ribcage, short torso, nearly no hips and a stupid tummy. it is not just slightly protruding, it is so massive that i don't have a proper visible waist :(
ok, so the problem is that i'm really into those classic cabaret costumes, with the bra and belt sets, and the skirts with the high slits. is it possible to alter/find a costume in the cabaret style that will somehow be flattering? i really don't want to wear a mesh body stocking!!
..c:: help?
xx
Athena

What about some lush v-shaped fringe at the center of the bra--or some that swags over the shape of the ribs? Maybe belts with a sweetheart shape? Chiffon arm drapes instead of bicep cuffs & gauntlets...
Do you have the book Costuming from the Hip? There are some great pics for how costume shapes can shape your figure. I think Shira has some similar info on her site as well.

I'll be interested in the responses. Sounds like we have similar body types, except that I also have no boobs.

Deleted.

All About Belly Dancing! Exploring The Art of Middle Eastern Dance! Learn About Belly Dance!

She has costume suggestions for everyone! There are other suggestions there as well, but here are the links for arms and hips.

Arms
Ask the Belly Dance Costume Goddess: Camouflage for Jiggly Arms

Small Hips
Ask the Belly Dance Costume Goddess: Costume Recommendations for Dancers with Small Hips

You could also make a tummy cover, if you don't want to wear a body stocking. Just scroll down a bit and they will be on the right side.

Ask the Belly Dance Costume Goddess: Flattering Costume Ideas for a Large Tummy

Didn't you say elsewhere that you're 14? If that's correct, why not take it a bit easy with the "hard-core" oriental-style costumes for a little while? You have the great luxury of playing the "I am really young" card - you can have great fun with it for a while ;-)

Originally Posted by steffib

Didn't you say elsewhere that you're 14? If that's correct, why not take it a bit easy with the "hard-core" oriental-style costumes for a little while? You have the great luxury of playing the "I am really young" card - you can have great fun with it for a while ;-)

Oh well here is another link that Shira has on the young dancer and modesty. See she has everything on her website.

Ask the Belly Dance Costume Goddess: Costume Designs for Young Dancers

I have a neckelmanns: Professional Belly Dance Costumes Manufacturer
Everywhere I go people tell me they love it.Good thing too because I've been wearing it for years! Right now I don't have such a curvy figure (I'm 22 and temporarily shaped like a rectangle so i understand having no defined belly line). They are relatively inexpensive and come in many shapes.

I agree with whoever said you should have something that covers the belly, some drape in front is always nice. Then you could possibly check out a skirt at : Belly Dance Store.com: gallery

Also, you could check out L.Rose : Welcome to L. Rose Designs
for a different type of skirt. I have one of their trumpet skirts (I call them mermaid skirts, but I'm under the impression that's the same thing) and you can order them to fit you and they are AMAZING!!!!! like a glove!

And in my opinion, don't worry about a body stocking. I don't feel that they are very necessary. I like to see the jiggle and see where your movement is coming from; sometimes with a body stocking you can't see that.

Devora,
I read your post before you deleted it & I thought you made some excellent points. You're right, at some point we have to be realistic about our bodies. We don't have to play "I whine that I'm fat so you'll tell me I'm not" game but we do have to make some hard choices about what we do and don't squeeze ourselves into. I wish you had kept your post up. It really got me thinking, and I didn't want to flame you at all.

I absolutely agree with Devora and Naya. Bellydance is about loving your body and music and being empowered by both. I am NOT a thin girl but I will go out there in a 2 piece costume. and when I'm out there, i'm not thinking about if people are looking at my belly. I'm thinking about making them watch me dance and making sure its enjoyable.

Although, there is something to be said for the psychological impact of gaining more weight and having to move your hooks :( like 4 inches worth of hook moving :( *sigh*.... i'll just get over them and move them soon.... i don't wanna!!!

But if i don't, I will look 50 times bigger than I already am.

I agree with going out there anyway, etc. And I think many "not thin" dancers look absolutely fabulous. I don't want to make this thread all about me, but generally those dancers are more in proportion than I am. I think they look wonderful.

I didn't see the original poster say she doesn't want to get out there, etc. She asked what would be more flattering to her body. That doesn't automatically mean she is filled with self-loathing, whining about being fat in order to fish for compliments, etc.

Why does it have to be such a loaded question? Are those who ask about costuming to flatter big (or small) boobs or a very slender frame, for instance, subjected to similar lectures?

Me, I know I have a big belly. From the front it doesn't look so bad. I merely look thick-waisted. From the side, I look about 6 or 7 months pregnant. My weight is almost all in my belly. But I'm an A cup on top, and I have a flat butt. I also have a very wide ribcage, meaning that many costumes that fit on the bottom half don't fit the upper half or are way too big in the cups.

I've never said that bellydancers shouldn't have bellies or show them or that we shouldn't love our bodies, etc. However, I still want to look my best, and costuming IS a challenge for me, and, I assumed, for the OP, because of our proportions. What's wrong with asking for ideas?

You're absolutely right, I just assumed. That was quite bad on my part.

I think that if we had a picture of the OP then helping with a specific style of costume might not be such a loaded question. Then we could say "you would want to go for something with straight fringe lines" or "go turkish style" or something actually constructive.

and sometimes you just gotta go try some stuff on. Some things that don't look flattering in a pile look AMAZING on.

Originally Posted by Shalimah

I didn't see the original poster say she doesn't want to get out there, etc. She asked what would be more flattering to her body. That doesn't automatically mean she is filled with self-loathing, whining about being fat in order to fish for compliments, etc.

Why does it have to be such a loaded question?

Threads often veer away from the question asked by the original poster and into more general [usually] related topics. I didn't see Devora's post, but Naya's response to it opened the door to a more general discussion about bodies. and I think Inspired was responding to THAT discussion in her second post. Her first post, in response to the OP, didn't lecture at all and gave the exact advice asked for.

Anyway, it *is* a loaded question because many of us grapple with issues related to bodies and costuming. A post about breast size, etc. might similarly veer off-topic and into related issues. This is a discussion board, not Dear Abbey. We rarely just answer the OPs question without veering off into more general discussion of the topic at hand.

In this case, though, I'd love to return to the fact that the OP is 14 years old. I found costuming my daughter (Inspired) at age 14 was much more complicated than just flattering her body.

I covered a sport bra with gathered material in the front (think peasant blouse) and helped her make a Turkish vest to wear over the sides and back. So it did show her belly, but covered her cleavage and left less skin exposed.

What about if you have a tummy?

I'm sure this advice has been posted on one of those links above, but I see it all the time and I think it is worth repeating.

Unless your arms are extremely skinny, snake upper arm bracelets and possibly even tight fitting gauntlets are extremely unflattering. They can give you a "bread dough baking around twine" look, even if you have just a little bit of arm fat.

My first costume was a wrap top and trumpet skirt from L.Rose. Maybe you could get one of their U-tops with drape-y sleeves, and one of their mermaid skirts. They also offer some fun dance bra and sports bra type tops in fun stuff like metallics and animal prints that would look nice under a U-top.
You just want to be careful at 14 (I am only four years older than you, and I probably don't look too much older than you) that you aren't showing too much cleavage or leg, not because it makes you uncomfortable, but because it could possibly make your audience uncomfortable to see someone so young showing so much skin.

Also, my figure is different from yours, but we share a short waist! Make sure your fringe doesn't get too long, and make sure it doesn't cover the sides of your waist. I have a defined waist and side fringe makes me look a bit blobby. It isn't really a good look for most people.

Try the L Rose Un-glove it has a slimming effect on the arm & a mermaid or trumpet style skirt in a stretch material w/o slits... aqlso on the L Rose website. Typically a trumpet or mermaid style skirt visually elongates your legs. Their U top with sleeves is also great too!

Don't know if this helps, but I'm a bigger girl, and my first costume was a bedlah set from Turkey, in classic Turkish style, which I wore with a floaty split chiffon skirt. Because the bra is dripping with fringe it covered most of my belly and I felt less paranoid, but still got to wear all the sparkles that I fell in love with!

Shalimah - it sounds like we're built the same. I have a bit of curve from the front but from the side? I'm really thick, and my boobs are small (but my chest? Large) so I'm like a square. Too covered and I look squat, too bare and I look weird. And though I celebrate my body blahblahblah some days it's just annoying.

For the OP, I'd go with simple items and concentrate on colors, cuts and fabrics that are good quality and flatter you and not get into stuff that's too fussy or complicated. If you do like the classic vintage cab look, maybe make a sheer split front tunic with draped sleeves to wear underneath. Less fringe hanging from your top will make your torso look longer. I've seen pictures where dancers also tuck long scarves or veils around their torsos so it creates a peek a boo effect.

just to clarify, i don't have any self esteem issues and i DIDN'T say that i was planning to wear a vintage costume...i just wanted to give you an idea of my costuming taste :)

by the way, thanks for all the fab answers :D

I've been contemplating this thread off and on since my last post. Maybe a straight belly drape of fringe just in the center would be flattering, and glitter on both sides of your belly. Check out Neckelmann's bra & belt sets. they have nice stuff. Durable too :)

what about those u-shaped chains with coins on them (like you get on various coin costumes) attached at the bottom of the bra / top ?

Originally Posted by Athenaserpent

what about those u-shaped chains with coins on them (like you get on various coin costumes) attached at the bottom of the bra / top ?

That is a great idea! I think you could achieve this just by buying a looped coin belt and sewing it on to the bra!

Like these from Turkish Emporium:





ShimmyShimmy belly dance costumes, clothing, jewelry, accessories, and props sells them as well. I am sure there are more, but these are the stores I am familiar with that have decent prices.

Originally Posted by bdaddiction

That is a great idea! I think you could achieve this just by buying a looped coin belt and sewing it on to the bra!

My favorite way to make a costume on a budget is to buy one of these belts & get out the old jewelry/needle-nosed pliers. Get yourself a sturdy bra and cover it completely in fabric--for extra sparkle use a glitterdot, lurex, or metalskin fabric. Make sure you cover the back straps & shoudler straps or replace them with grossgrain ribbon. No unfinished bras allowed.
Divide the belt into 4 sections using the pliers to separate the belt at the rings. You will use two sections to sew across the top edge of a covered bra. One section for each cup. Viola! Coin fringe on your bra. Take the 3rd section to make a belly drape by either A) sewing either end of the section inside one of the cups so the rest dangles down in a nice swag or B)sewing little hooks on the inside of each cup & attaching belt using extra rings so that you have the option of wearing the drape or going w/out (like if you're wearing a ghawazee coat & won't see the drape or a tie top with dangly ties hanging down your tummy).
Section 4: a necklace! Attach a necklace closure and you're all set. If its a little snug, use some leather cord or a small section of jewelry chain to extend the section around the neck in the back so it fits.
I always save the end of the belt that has the chain already on it for the necklace & belly drape & use the center sections to sew on to the bra cups.

Originally Posted by nayastrance

My favorite way to make a costume on a budget is to buy one of these belts & get out the old jewelry/needle-nosed pliers. Get yourself a sturdy bra and cover it completely in fabric--for extra sparkle use a glitterdot, lurex, or metalskin fabric. Make sure you cover the back straps & shoudler straps or replace them with grossgrain ribbon. No unfinished bras allowed.
Divide the belt into 4 sections using the pliers to separate the belt at the rings. You will use two sections to sew across the top edge of a covered bra. One section for each cup. Viola! Coin fringe on your bra. Take the 3rd section to make a belly drape by either A) sewing either end of the section inside one of the cups so the rest dangles down in a nice swag or B)sewing little hooks on the inside of each cup & attaching belt using extra rings so that you have the option of wearing the drape or going w/out (like if you're wearing a ghawazee coat & won't see the drape or a tie top with dangly ties hanging down your tummy).
Section 4: a necklace! Attach a necklace closure and you're all set. If its a little snug, use some leather cord or a small section of jewelry chain to extend the section around the neck in the back so it fits.
I always save the end of the belt that has the chain already on it for the necklace & belly drape & use the center sections to sew on to the bra cups.

Love that idea too! I wish I would of thought of this along time ago! ..l;,