Thread: Bellydance store designs..... hmmm

Maybe it's just me..... I have issues with bellydance fashion maybe....but it seems to go in waves, and more for BDS than Dahlal or Audrena. For a while, I like almost everything on the site- maybe not for me personally, but I like them. But right now, it's like DANG, What's up with all that stuff splotched onto ONE costume. For the most part, it's NOT the Sahars, abla family, eman's, some hanan's, some hassan's, but it seems there are an awful lot of costumes with lots of ideas that just don't look exactly right together.

Maybe it's just a cycle of fashion... putting crazy things together until you find something new that works, but wow...c::

I was just gonna write a crotchety blog about the recent trends in BD fashion. LOL

A lot of the stuff you see on BDStore looks more like something a cartoon character would wear than something you'd see on a belly dancer. All those wacky colors and big, splotchy design motifs. And a lot of the designs don't even look complete from a visual standpoint - a motif will start on the bra without following through to the belt.

Maybe I'm living under a rock. But are people really wearing this stuff? Traditional looks are still very much in vogue here in the Northeast and I definitely can't complain about that!

Some of the costumes have a weird almost futuristic feel while others are punk rock/animalistic combination that does not makes sense. I like maybe 2 Mamdoohs (although I would never buy one again - they all fall apart) I don't mind the Dina style bras but nice simple color combinations or solid colors would be nice. The weirdest I will get is maybe one animal print/leopard dress but that is far as I will go! The Madame Alba's are pretty. : )

They just look like they would elicit a total "WTF?" reaction from non-dancing audiences. I think they're perfectly acceptable for haflas and dance festivals, but people would ask "Where's the belly dancer?" if you showed up to a party or restaurant gig in any of those getups ..c::

ETA: And please, for the love of all things sparkly. I love to see the costumes on a human bod, instead of a mannequin. I really do. And I know these girls aren't professional models and they don't have all the free time in the world to subject each costume to a meticulously executed pro photo shoot. But if I see one more of BDStore's models groping their own abdomen with splayed fingers, I will go crazy. You see this in virtually every close-up photo. Can't they come up with a more attractive pose to show off these expensive designer costumes?

I love alot of the things there, and I really love just walking thru the store oogling everything, but there also some that make my eyes bleed.

My BF constantly sends me pics of cars he is looking at, so I return the favor by sending costume links. . . usually its for fab stuff, occasionally its just a trainwreck I need to share.

Recently, I sent him a pic of a Mumtaz from BDS that cracked me up and he replied with:

"Looks like after I spill my tackle box....
And "mumtaz" means "Outstanding"-----------NOT!"

Show us, show us! I want to see the ones provoking discussion - they are probably the ones I'm in love with, but hey different strokes etc etc ..l;,

Originally Posted by NazirahDances

Recently, I sent him a pic of a Mumtaz from BDS that cracked me up and he replied with:

"Looks like after I spill my tackle box....
And "mumtaz" means "Outstanding"-----------NOT!"

LOOOOOOOOOOOOL! He's pretty much right ..c::

Don't get me wrong. I could get into serious trouble ordering from BDStore if they carried more stuff in my size. But it IS fun to run the latest couture trainwrecks from Cairo by non-dancers and snicker at their commentary.

This one looks like several designs I've seen while perusing the drag queen stores in Provincetown. ETA: Poor Kitty does NOT look happy to be modeling this. ETA x 2: EWWWW. It has a rhinestone design right on the cooter!!!!!!

LOLLLL LOVE this one, have been eyeing it for ages, but the bra is too small and the hip too big. Don't have the venue to wear it in at the moment either. Reminds me of JLo's green slash front dress though.

Yikes! This one here made me do a WTF:

Originally Posted by Sarahamh

LOLLLL LOVE this one, have been eyeing it for ages, but the bra is too small and the hip too big. Don't have the venue to wear it in at the moment either. Reminds me of JLo's green clash front dress though.

Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahahaha! Different strokes, dude!

Maybe you could get one and dye your skin green to match. And do a Jolly Green Giant WTFusion act!

Deleted :)

Originally Posted by SatinWorship19

Maybe you could get one and dye your skin green to match. And do a Jolly Green Giant WTFusion act!

..l;,
What of my button my dear?

No, seriously though, if I had a regular Arabic club gig I's totally wear that ..g.:

The brown one...I HOPE that's a Melaya dress, right?

In all fairness, there is a good chance that the BDS costumes look a lot better in person. Even though the gals who model the costumes are gorgeous, the color balance/lighting/background are not always ideal. I bought a costume there that I would have never considered based on the photos.

I'm sorta thankful there are so many costumes out there that I wouldn't dare touch. If there were more basic, solid color, petite, minimum fringe type costumes out there with halter necks and bra cups that don't highlight my unfortunate lack of cleavage, I'd be in some serious trouble!!! Don't tell any of these designers how long I've coveted a simple well-made classy black bedlah, I need to pay my bills!

Seriously though, I always thought that people that have steady well-paying bellydance gigs can afford to experiment with some oddball costumes, but there are some costumes out there that just seem... I dunno... distracting?

Originally Posted by SidoniaOfNashville

Seriously though, I always thought that people that have steady well-paying bellydance gigs can afford to experiment with some oddball costumes, but there are some costumes out there that just seem... I dunno... distracting?

lol, speaking as someone who makes a living from belly dance.
The uh... more creative/newer designers in the under $500 range? Generally speaking do not have the design features, the fit nor the longevity I need. I like classic look for American audiences. For Arab and others I experiment with design, but I don't experiment with quality or fit.
Eman, Hoda, Pharaonics, Sahar and sometimes Mumtaz are my usuals. I also love Abla Fashions, Hanans and sometimes Raqias. There are some Aida Nours that I love- but her custom designs, not off the rack.
If a designer uses glue- they better do so with precision and quality. Sahar does this exceptionally well. Her bras also happen to be magical feats of engineering!
The green Mamdouh above- what's with the single butt cheek tassels? If someone could explain that to me I'd SO appreciate it!
A lot of the costumes that Nazirah's man "spilled his tackle box all over" are simply the work of low-end designers. To that I say 1) you get what you pay for and 2) there IS a market for everything. Truly.
The front page has been basically the same since the storm hit. Everyone here is snowbound and if they got out today... will be snowbound again with another 10-20 inches due tomorrow!
She has hundreds of pics of brand new Pharaonics! A Rings 2010 that is AMAZING! A costume called Delilah 2010 that's her lycra at the hips, chiffon skirt, cute diagonal waist strap design for this next year and more... more, more, more, more more!

...and yea, that brown/bronze is a Melaya Leff dress.

See I like that brown Meleya dress ;-) Too cute.

So Samira. . . the question is, are there any small green costumes in the Pharonix order? I think if I had something green my life would be complete! ;-)

Originally Posted by NazirahDances

See I like that brown Meleya dress ;-) Too cute.

Make no mistake- I like it too :)

I can't wait to see the new Pharonics.

i am not digging the boob apron/bib trend... ever time i see one, i want to rip it off!

Originally Posted by SamiraShuruk

The green Mamdouh above- what's with the single butt cheek tassels? If someone could explain that to me I'd SO appreciate it!

My guess is that these are intended for the benefit of dancers who have excellent glute isolations. They can make the butt tassels swirl like tassled pasties ;-)

When I was in Egypt in December, some of those low end vendors were at AwS Winter Intensive Course, so I saw a lot of those train wreck designs in person. Seriously, I was thinking about buying a white and gold one and taking off all the unnecessary junk because the fabric underneath was so beautiful.

The vendor started off at 200 usd, lowered it to 150 before 2 minutes were up. I don't know if it was hubby's name that did that, or if the vendor was really just trying to unload the costumes..... I could've probably gotten it for 100-125, but no way the bra would have fit me, and the vendor couldn't make me another bra because the fabric was no longer available. bummer.

I think the melaya is too cute! i'd love one in another color!

Originally Posted by NazirahDances

So Samira. . . the question is, are there any small green costumes in the Pharonix order? I think if I had something green my life would be complete! ;-)

I put a forest green (with iridescent) and a mango with orange on hold... I think there were more green. But if so just one or two. I think I remember a kelly green at least in "our" size. Some seasons green chiffon is difficult to find...and my brain is addled by the snow!

Originally Posted by steffib

My guess is that these are intended for the benefit of dancers who have excellent glute isolations. They can make the butt tassels swirl like tassled pasties ;-)

Ahhh. I now have a goal. jk

Originally Posted by xodinahox

When I was in Egypt in December, some of those low end vendors were at AwS Winter Intensive Course, so I saw a lot of those train wreck designs in person....
The vendor started off at 200 usd, lowered it to 150 before 2 minutes were up. I don't know if it was hubby's name that did that, or if the vendor was really just trying to unload the costumes.....

lol, they ALL bargain if you make it clear you know they bargain. ..g.:

Originally Posted by steffib

My guess is that these are intended for the benefit of dancers who have excellent glute isolations. They can make the butt tassels swirl like tassled pasties ;-)

Let's just hope they don't make one with a brown, lumpy butt tassel. I would almost HAVE to purchase it, if only to wear to my own inappropriate hafla.

Originally Posted by SatinWorship19

They just look like they would elicit a total "WTF?" reaction from non-dancing audiences. I think they're perfectly acceptable for haflas and dance festivals, but people would ask "Where's the belly dancer?" if you showed up to a party or restaurant gig in any of those getups ..c::

ETA: And please, for the love of all things sparkly. I love to see the costumes on a human bod, instead of a mannequin. I really do. And I know these girls aren't professional models and they don't have all the free time in the world to subject each costume to a meticulously executed pro photo shoot. But if I see one more of BDStore's models groping their own abdomen with splayed fingers, I will go crazy. You see this in virtually every close-up photo. Can't they come up with a more attractive pose to show off these expensive designer costumes?

..l;,..l;,..l;,..l;,..l;,..l;,..l;, I had to reply right away to this. I'll go read the rest of the posts in a minute. I thought the exact same thing!!!!!

Originally Posted by SamiraShuruk

The green Mamdouh above- what's with the single butt cheek tassels? If someone could explain that to me I'd SO appreciate it!

I believe that was a custom order for Suhailah's demonstration on TV a while back of the special power glute move done on the floor with back to the audience? Sadly, the costume wasn't ready in time for the show ..... (just kiddin' .....)

I don't know how to post a pic (a link, sure, but the actual pic...) Belly Dance Costumes | Belly Dance Store.com: gallery
And don't get me wrong... There's always something I like about every costume. but sometimes, just all together... WOAH.

Originally Posted by SatinWorship19

Let's just hope they don't make one with a brown, lumpy butt tassel. I would almost HAVE to purchase it, if only to wear to my own inappropriate hafla.

And your own special move shall forever be known as "Beaver Butt"!