Thread: Budget costume made from bathingsuit

I'm thinking of taking this bathingsuit, which I already purchased, dark teal color, and turning it into a costume:

Victoria's Secret - Ruched scoop bottom

The suit is already lined and the bra has little pads inside the cups, which are fully lined. It's a bathingsuit quality lycra.

It needs to look professional. Will this work? Please help! Any suggestions? Do I really need to cover the whole thing with fabric or can I use it as is with small adjustments?

Here's what I'm thinking so far:

-Put fasteners on the neck strap instead of the current tie version

-Add bra base straps underneath of doubled grosgrain ribbon

-Add more substantial bra cups to replace the existing ones (inside)

-Just under the horizonal rouching in bottoms, add lycra circular skirt with two slits in front. (Something with sweep/flow at the bottom.) Same color, or a darker or lighter teal, which I can then incorporate into the bra/belt. (The costume will have build in panties!)

-Add decor- Suggestions needed here!!!!

My friend, Elisa Gamal, suggested a material with a metallic thread in it for the skirt. For bling, maybe a scattering of small crystals next to the hardware and sun-raying out onto the pleats parts could be nice.

Thanks for your help! :)

Here's a picture of the skirt I'm thinking of for the costume, with two slits but without the big gaps at the waist line, as I won't have shorts underneath but panties.

Picture of Leila of Cairo: ::: Eman Zaki - Fashoin and Costume Designer :::

Maybe you'll want to replace the big, gold clasp on the back. You could take some of the extra fabric from the neck tie when you change it if you need to make the back band longer.

Thanks, that's a great idea. :)

I remember asking a similar question as a beginner, and the consensus at the time was that it would be a bad idea because the fabric would not support the sort of heavy beadwork that was popular then. I'm not sure people would feel the same now, with a market is dominated with minimalist Lycra costumes. There may be a point to reinforcing the fabric, though.

I hear you. I think that used to be the case. But nowadays, the the Sahars and Emans are made this very way. And they are often not even lined.

My friend, Elisa, also suggested that I insert bra cups that give it more of a "bowl cup" look. I'm going to experiment. :) Thanks.

Originally Posted by Mellilahbellydance

I hear you. I think that used to be the case. But nowadays, the the Sahars and Emans are made this very way. And they are often not even lined.

All my Eman and Hannan bras are *way* more sturdy than a bathing suit, even a reinforced bathing suit. They're practically solid, and they're all lined. They definitely *don't* make costumes the way you're planning on doing it!

I was thinking about this last night (hayfever makes for serious insomnia) and was wondering whether the bottoms would support the weight of a skirt, or whether gravity would take its toll!

Looking at the picture again, those pants sit awfully low! I think you might do better chopping out the crotch and turning the bottoms into a belt. That way if it does go walkies, you'll avoid raks beaver.

I have no new advice to share but boy i love this bathing suit!!!

Originally Posted by ValerieVengeance

I was thinking about this last night (hayfever makes for serious insomnia) and was wondering whether the bottoms would support the weight of a skirt, or whether gravity would take its toll!

Looking at the picture again, those pants sit awfully low! I think you might do better chopping out the crotch and turning the bottoms into a belt. That way if it does go walkies, you'll avoid raks beaver.

When I brought the subject up years ago, I thought you could use the bottoms as dance trunks. I was thinking of putting a whole skirt on top of them, not making them part of the skirt, though. You may be right about the weight of the skirt pulling it down, unless you used small, loincloth-y, lightweight panels. Maybe you could try to keep the skirt from going totally south with a waist strap that joined at those square details?

In my opinion it's not worth all the trouble. That bikini is nice - but if you think about it the fabric is really not all that great, it's just a solid color lycra.
You have to go through all the trouble of making that bra a bra: adding straps, reinforcing the cups, adding decorations. You have to go through just as much trouble for the belt, making it from bikini trunks.

You can buy lycra (even nicer ones) for the fraction of the price you would spend on the bathing suit. Then you can take the bathing suit as inspiration. I think it's easier to make something from scratch, then trying to alter something. Especially in this case. The fabric of the bra may not even be enough for belly dance bra.
I think if you do this, you will have a lot of problems - but if you decide, good luck! and let us know how it goes!

Thanks for your help! Now I'm confused. :~

I just went to the fabric shop, and, low and behold, the woman at the counter makes costumes, and she was super creative. She thought it could work. I ended up purchasing this bright aqua fabric w/ lycra for the skirt, gloves, headband, and detail on the bra/belt and planned the whole thing. The top edge of the skirt (bathingsuit part) will be edged (almost 1cm in width) w/ the aqua fabric. The bra will have the same aqua edge on the top and bottom. The aqua fabric will also be used as the skirt, attached to the rouched belt on the suit.

I still have to decide what to do with the bra to add support. I'm looking at the Emans I own and you're right, they do have more support. Now, that I'm in this, I'll have to find a way.

I just tried on my Sahar and it is actually lower than the bathingsuit bottom. Also, the bathingsuit bottom is pretty secure, nice and snug. My Sahar is flimsy without any waistband, just a tiny seam at that top and it manages to work. I hope this is a good sign.

I sure hope this isn't another crazy project that teaches me what not to do!! Urg.

I will take pics along the way and let you know. Wish me lots of luck.

Curious to see what you've got so far

B

Me too! How is the project coming?

Okay my bathing suit costume is complete and has been worn successfully a couple of times already! I have heard nothing but positive comments.

1st Pic

2nd Pic

I made the skirt by trying to trace an actual skirt that I already own, and then created a pattern for it. I used about $100 of sworvorsky crystals. The bathingsuit top has a bra sewn inside the cups. I ended up cutting off the panties of the bathingsuit bottom and just using the top of the bathingsuit bottom. My friend, Elisa made the short-shorts. :)

These pics are too small! I guess you could go to my webpage, click on the pics (right side last two pics) and then you'll get a large version! Click here to see pics: Hire a Belly Dancer Seattle ~ Mellilah

These pics are so small. I can't seem to find a way to upload/attach a pic. Urg... You can see larger sizes on my webpage. Just look on the right side, scroll down, last two pics. Click here: Hire a Belly Dancer Seattle ~ Mellilah (Read above post for details on the bathingsuit costume. :)

That turned out great!!!

That's a nice transformation.

Looks great!