Thread: Conservative costuming

I've been asked to wear a conservative costume for a performance that I am doing. When I asked if they meant no belly, no cleavage or both, the lady said no cleavage. This is about near impossible for me and I guess that means bedlah is out of the question. However, this is a belly gram, so they are expecting a "Belly Dancer!"

Does anyone have any suggestions of what I can wear? Even my most conservative outfits show a little bit of cleavage. I am afraid I have to wear a turtle neck! Oh and the gig is on the 15th so I have to come up with something fast! Let me know if you can help.

Thanks!

make a boob dam for an existing costume?

eta: what if you borrowed from tribal and wore your bra over a coordinating stretch velvet choli? it might look a bit different to "us" but gotta meet the needs of the client while still coordinating and looking glam. ita with zumarrad on covering the arms and back

Do you have a U-top or similar? Having the upper arms and back covered can make the whole look less bare to begin with. Then, for the actual cleavage issue, I would say find some suitable filmy fabric or a scarf, and use it to fashion a modesty panel that runs along the top of your cups.
It should follow the neckline, so not be a big lump of fabric in front, but obscure the breasts and cleavage line so they don't look like giant booooobs.

I think having upper arm and back cover is key to a more modest look as well. Otherwise you have a nudey BDer with a monstrous shelf of fabric on her massive bosom that just draws more attention to it.

Good advice - I did the same for a performance at a high school cultural festival - full skirts, belt, but with a wrap gypsy top tied over my bra. It covered more of my waist, my arms and back, and created a more "conservative look."

Maybe wear a bedlah over a more conservative beladi style dress? It'd be quick to make one out of stretch lycra if you don't have one.

i saw veil tucking a while back & for the life of me can't remember where i saw it on the internet. it was basically how to tuck your veil into your costume to suddenly make you more 'modest' or covered and showed pics of a dancer with cleavage covered & i want to say cleavage and belly, but don't remember. sounds like this might work for you - if i can find the darn thing that talks about it.

Ha! I was told no bellybuttons for an event I've got coming up. I'm wearing a dance leotard with my skirt and mirror/metal set over that. The other dancers are going to do tank tops or some other kind of shirt and wear their bedleh on top.

what about a leotard under the bedlah. You can even get one to match the costume. Or get some sparkly fabric and make a triangle to attach between the cups with a simple whip stitch. Then it can come out later.

another idea is, depending on the costume color. you could buy a pair of opaque tights and make a cover with those. Like the tribal girls do with fishnets. You cut the crotch out, then that goes over your head, your arms go in the legs, cut the feet off or cut two holes, thumb hole and hole for the fingers, the extra leg material goes across your cleavage for a more covered look but with exposed shoulders and covered arms. It's a great look. I've done it before. This is one I've made out of black pantyhose. Mahira - tribe.net

Originally Posted by TexasRuya

i saw veil tucking a while back & for the life of me can't remember where i saw it on the internet. it was basically how to tuck your veil into your costume to suddenly make you more 'modest' or covered and showed pics of a dancer with cleavage covered & i want to say cleavage and belly, but don't remember. sounds like this might work for you - if i can find the darn thing that talks about it.

was it this one of Aza?

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1ujfEZ0Cx0]YouTube - Aza Shariff[/ame]

or one of these two of Fifi?

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4IJ6js79O8]YouTube - The Glorious Fifi Abdou[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOpnSKa4C6E"]YouTube- Fifi Abdou[/ame]

"The Cowslip Turtle Neck"

Draw a veil through your bra straps from the front of your shoulders and pull/tug until it gives you a cowslip sort of neckline. If you use a sheer/chiffon veil you can still see the bra bling through the sheer. Then take the ends and criss cross across your back and tuck in to your belt. This looks very beautiful and it covers your boobs.


Otherwise, I'd say wear your bra over a choli..if ya got one somewhere.

Unless you have a folkloric gallabeyya where you could tack the opening shut (the kind with the slit neck or the men's style with the placket like Fifi sometimes wears), my only other suggestion would be to wear a regular costume with a big bib necklace that hung full enough and low enough to give you chest coverage. (As belly dancers, we're granted a certain amount of freedom to wear jewelry that's over the top.) You could make one in the chain style for probably under $20 if you're handy with a pliers; otherwise, Martha has an idea you could adapt in the glue-and-rhinestone style Sparkling Bib Necklace and more creative crafts projects, templates, tips, clip-art, patterns, and ideas on marthastewart.com.

Originally Posted by zumarrad

Do you have a U-top or similar? Having the upper arms and back covered can make the whole look less bare to begin with. Then, for the actual cleavage issue, I would say find some suitable filmy fabric or a scarf, and use it to fashion a modesty panel that runs along the top of your cups.
It should follow the neckline, so not be a big lump of fabric in front, but obscure the breasts and cleavage line so they don't look like giant booooobs.

I think having upper arm and back cover is key to a more modest look as well. Otherwise you have a nudey BDer with a monstrous shelf of fabric on her massive bosom that just draws more attention to it.

I have a gold long sleeved u-top from L Rose. I can't think of what kind of fabric I would use for the boob dam would be though. I guess I have to run to the fabric store.

I also have a long sleeved beledi dress with a u-top. I was thinking of wearing this, but came up short thinking of bra options. The one in this picture is very conservative, but it's a little fusion-y (and there is still cleavage when you look straight on).

Well, you look nice in that outfit, you could easily put some kind of modesty vest in the bra, maybe lace in the same blue or something?

Originally Posted by andalee-oriental

I have a gold long sleeved u-top from L Rose. I can't think of what kind of fabric I would use for the boob dam would be though. I guess I have to run to the fabric store.

I also have a long sleeved beledi dress with a u-top. I was thinking of wearing this, but came up short thinking of bra options. The one in this picture is very conservative, but it's a little fusion-y (and there is still cleavage when you look straight on).

Could you put something else like a tank top in between your lingerie bra and the pink garment? That would be fairly similar to the end result here http://www.bhuz.com/forum/belly-danc...on-update.html. (Ruya's solution starts at #27.)

How about on of those beaded shawls worn to the front?

I once had a really awful sunburn from my neck to hips and arms that was red and peeling before a restaurant performance that I couldn't cancel (hello, it was my birthday party with about 40 friends and family coming). Impractical to try and cover all that red, peeling skin with with makeup so I wore an L.Rose silver halo beledi dress that came up to just underunder a beaded bra, and then wore a large beaded bib necklace to cover red, peeling cleavage. The 3/4 sleeves hid my sunburned arms and no one even knew I had a problem; in fact since a lot of my family members were there, including my in-laws and grandson, they assumed I was being "modest" at a family type event, which was actually not a bad idea anyway!

I have also used a veil draped between bra straps in front and then criss-crossed in back and tucked into belt for a bit more coverage for an event at a school, or actually anything that is not "nightclub". And if skirt has high slits, I throw opaque harems on beneath.And, I like having lots and lots of "belly drapage" in terms of beaded drape from bra or coin all the way to top of belt for these kinds of events in the glare of daytime which 1) isn't all that flattering on my pale skin tones and 2) I figure when clients say "modest no cleavage" they will be happier if belly is *somewhat* covered and legs are not bare all the way up to hip.

Interesting that I've performed at restaurants recently that actually state that "costuming must be family friendly" and "no see-through skirts"; that's another thread, though about "standards" in costuming.

Did you look through Dahlal's "Dancer Designs"? Some of their ideas are a little far out for my taste, but they show a lot of ways to improvise with common costume items.

I like Nisima's advice. You can still offer a traditional belly dancer look with the veil wrapped around you, yet provide modesty without much trouble at all.

I love the way Aza Sharif's veil was draped. Andalee, that would look beautiful on you!

Originally Posted by anala

How about on of those beaded shawls worn to the front?

Oooh, I like this idea very much!

I like all of the ideas here, but in the interest of time, I think I will opt for the veil wrap. I'll try to get some pics so we can trouble shoot. Great ideas!

I wear a beaded dress over a regular costume sometimes for extra coverage. Or I will just wear an LRose top instead of a bra.
Veil drapes work really well too, obviously.

I used to dance at a restaurant that required a lot of modesty, so I got a lot of practice with this.

I tweeted this, but not sure you saw it. What about a mesh turtleneck bodystocking under your bedleh? Ideally with a sparkly choker & cuffs.

Here's an example (NOT WORK SAFE):
Bodystocking Avenue: Sheer Turtleneck Long Sleeved Bodystocking


I can't find an image of the costume I had in mind, but it's the same effect as:



Failing that, what about a super-sparkly choli with lots of jewelry?
Ex: https://www.dahlal.com/default.aspx?n=1&hs=akhet%20top

If you're quick with a crochet hook, you can crochet yourself a body stocking like Bashusha did here for the Ya Salaam show this past November (I don't think she'll mind me using this):
Content Not Found | Facebook

You could probably extend it up a little bit or sew a bit of the netting between the the girls.

Also, Banat al-Beled (bintbeled.com) (shameless plug for Latifa's troupe!) has some nice rather conservative costumes. They have a nice group picture of them at Rakkassah East in these long red sparkly tank dresses with a matching red coin scarf around the hips and long red gloves: Content Not Found | Facebook

Originally Posted by jmdruadh

I tweeted this, but not sure you saw it. What about a mesh turtleneck bodystocking under your bedleh? Ideally with a sparkly choker & cuffs.

Here's an example (NOT WORK SAFE):
Bodystocking Avenue: Sheer Turtleneck Long Sleeved Bodystocking


I can't find an image of the costume I had in mind, but it's the same effect as:



Failing that, what about a super-sparkly choli with lots of jewelry?
Ex: https://www.dahlal.com/default.aspx?n=1&hs=akhet%20top

I like that body stocking idea! I didn't see your tweet, but I haven't logged into Twitter since this morning.

I vote for a Tito impersonation. :)

I have a costume with a modesty panel between the bra cups. Black chiffon with swags of beads across it. . .

{{{HUGS}}}

Shems may I send heartfelt thanks for that clip of Azza.