Thread: Here's a challenge/Don't laugh at me...

but I'm looking for ideas for a modest belly dance costume. It can be form-fitting, but I'd like it to cover my belly, cleavage, shoulders, and thighs. It's for religious reasons, plus I kind of need to cover my stretch marks on my belly!

I've seen baladi dresses and the like, but honestly I'd prefer something two-piece. I've also seen the bra-and-belt types with flesh-colored material over the tummy, etc, but that's not my cup of tea. My friend suggested I just wear a leotard under a bra, but I want to look like I belong in my costume, not like I'm trying to pretend at wearing it. I'm looking for both:

*Something semi-traditional to wear with my class during parades, at Ren Fests, etc.

*Something more modern as I think I'll likely eventually get into more tribal stuff. Like where do you get pants like the gals are wearing at around 4:00 on this trailer? I could just wear those with a fitted tee.

I know this is a bit of strange request for advice, but I'd really appreciate all your ideas!

What about the L. Rose Shirt (L. Rose Designs - Online Catalog) with some funky sleeve option (chiffon drapes or something), paired with a circle skirt or mermaid skirt? You could add a funky hip scarf or belt to jazz it up, and some of their fancier stretch fabrics are pretty nifty as well. And there's always the option of blinging it all up with rhinestones or beads.

I have a full length ghwazi coat, full pantaloons in satin, and wear it with a sequinned bra.

Truthfully it is one of the costumes that I get the most compliments on.

I'll try to get a picture of me in it. I'm not sure I have one.

The only thing it doesn't cover that you ask for is the belly - it leaves an alluring glimpse. But you could probably either modify the cut, put in some kind of fringe or silk scarf or ....?? or wear a flesh colored body stocking for coverage - but the glimpse would be small enough it wouldn't look that out of place.

That's a tall order. If you don't want a folkloric dress, and you don't want a dress with flesh-colored mesh inserts, there's not a lot left. Occasionally, you'll see dresses with non-flesh-colored inserts, and if you look at old photos/videos of Souheir Zaki, she often wore costumes with brightly colored stomach covers, although usually with bare arms. You might be able to extend her style by wearing a bra and belt with a slit skirt over a catsuit or a full Sugar Petals unitard--this would give you the coverage you want, with more of a costume-y look to it. (You could hotfix some rhinestones or sequins to the leotard to tie it in with the bedlah and make it look more unified.) Otherwise, I think you're looking at pageant dresses or evening gowns and adding fringe and other embellishments yourself.

What style of Belly Dance are you studying? Is it Tribal/Tribal Fusion, or Egyptian/Cabaret?

I think the pants you are referring to are Melodias. Melodiadesigns.com or some Bhuzzers make similar pants and sell them here from time to time.

One idea is to have for example a green dress with inserts in green mesh and gold beading;
it would give you the cover you want,but give the impression of a bedlah set-how´s that?

Or you could wear a leotard or tank top with flutter sleeve bolero with flared pants...the benefit would be that you could use that outfit to class and then dress it up with a headdress+jewellery.

:)

I second L. Rose's shirt -- it's long enough that you won't have tummy peek. If you outline the neckline with beads/sequins it would be very glamorous.

Originally Posted by Anahit_Karyan

What about the L. Rose Shirt (L. Rose Designs - Online Catalog) with some funky sleeve option (chiffon drapes or something), paired with a circle skirt or mermaid skirt? You could add a funky hip scarf or belt to jazz it up, and some of their fancier stretch fabrics are pretty nifty as well. And there's always the option of blinging it all up with rhinestones or beads.

That shirt is really pretty and if paired with a matching straight skirt would give the impression of a beledi dress, with the versatility of separate pieces. A hip scarf would cover the line between the shirt and skirt. The top can be attached to trunks with snaps so that it stays down when you raise your arms.

Edited to add: You could have long chiffon sleeves made and have a matching chiffon skirt. Add harems or leggings underneath for full coverage. These could be some very pretty looks, I'm thinking.

Melodia Designs, The Original Source For Women's Belly Dance, Yoga & Everyday Wear for the pants.

And you might want to look into coordinating belly covers. This gives a very sleek look to a bedlah or two piece costume.

{{{HUGS}}}

Hi Alexadae,

Just piping in to say that I don't think that is too strange of a request! I consider myself conservative when it comes to costuming, so I can understand where you're coming from.

I do agree with this suggestion:

Originally Posted by Tourbeau

pageant dresses or evening gowns and adding fringe and other embellishments yourself.

There are some very belly dance-looking gowns out there!

I'd do a ghawazee coat with a white cotton blouse underneath and very full harem pants.

I love L Rose and you can pair it with any color body stocking from

Flamenco Diva
Flamenco Diva Designs
She has lots of colors and some metallic fabrics that would look like part of your costume. Basic black is also good because it goes with everything. You can pair an L Rose half top with a trumpet skirt and the body stocking for full coverage. I get the tops with a half pinch to be more modest but you can maybe ask for a 1/4 pinch or no pinch for full coverage? I also prefer the banded style for the half top because it doesn't ride up on me. The trumpet skirts are really versatile and flattering and with out any slits over the leg they are full coverage.

L Rose site Welcome to L. Rose Designs

I really love the old school coloured coordinated belly covers, I'm sure there was a thread about them a while back, I shall go look....

This sort of thing, but with a skirt with no split:

Originally Posted by Kash13

This sort of thing, but with a skirt with no split:

I LOVE this!!!!! This is what I was thinking about as well. Great picture!

Oooooh, that's SO pretty, Kash13! Thanks so much for sharing! Actually, EVERYONE'S ideas were FABULOUS! Thanks so much for helping me! I'd love to hear more, too, so please keep chiming in!

Originally Posted by alexadae

but I'm looking for ideas for a modest belly dance costume. It can be form-fitting, but I'd like it to cover my belly, cleavage, shoulders, and thighs. It's for religious reasons, plus I kind of need to cover my stretch marks on my belly!

Nothing laughable about this request! I've heard it hundreds of times.

I can't tell you where to buy readymade pieces because I make all my costumes. But:

The easiest way to make a modest yet traditional bellydance costume (with no sewing and minimal cost) is to drape a matching veil on it, or even two veils in harmonious colors. Semi-sheer silk gauze drapes best, but a solid featherweight silk is more concealing.

A few suggestions are here on my Costume goddess site:

Tummy-concealing tips Several dozen drapes are pictured in my book Easy Costume for Bellydancers.

Another idea is a lightly coined or beaded tummy drape that covers just as much as you want - the front only, front and back, or all around.

Beautiful tops are popular, including tie-front styles. Many dancers are more comfortable with costume piece that's less revealing than a bra, with the bust on display and all that bare skin showing under the arms and in the back.

Lots of tops are shown in Easy Costume, Thrifty Chic, and Tribal Vibes for Bellydancers

Many styles of sleeve are in Arm Costume for Bellyancers. Some are fitted yet cover the skin; others are drapy and semi-sheer, requiring no fitting.

Excuse all the plugs! But I spent years writing these, and can't duplicate all the info in a post.

I've been reading Dina's costume columns for a couple of years now -- she has lots of good advice!

I recommend looking over Schachlo's website and her youtube channel for ideas on stunning, mostly modest costuming. She does belly dance and Central Asian-inspired dance with lots of layers and detail in her costumes. They could also work as the basis for more tribal styles.

L Rose also makes a high-neckling beledi dress and a Ghawazee dress that are lovely and provide a lot of coverage.

Good luck and have fun!

I got some photos of my ghwazee coat and pantaloons, but I also sometimes wear it with a purple skirt. I thought I got a picture with a scarf tucked into the bra, but it wasn't on the camera when I finished. :(

I like the pantaloons because I can move more without accidentally revealing something I didn't want to reveal.



It covers arms, legs, and if you did a bellydrape or a blingy blouse, even more.

Whoop - found it.

I have a coat similar to the one above, but I put lacing down the front, and then you can wear it with a leotard underneath the coat and bra, to cover cleavage and the bit of belly that peeks through the lacings.

I have also worn a skin colored garment over my belly, then worn a black mesh cover over that.

I might be a littl far out with this, but maybe you could start with an evening dress (there are some with no cleavage) and maybe sew some fringe on the hips or add a hip scarf with some glitter or even a mesh scarf with glitter?

I have issues with cut-outs on dresses because I am short-waisted. The one dress I bought off ebay was millimeters from being obscene because the torso was too long.

So, while stalking the Bellydance Store site I was surprised to come across a couple of dresses they had on there with no cut outs.

Belly Dance Costumes | Belly Dance Store.com: Designer Egyptian Costumes at Affordable Prices

There are some cute dresses here: http://bellydancestore.biz/images/t8016.jpg