Thread: Trumpet skirt on pear-shaped thighs -yay or nay?

I'm wondering if a trumpet skirt is flattering or not for pear-shaped figures?

I'm costuming a group of students, and want to order L-Rose trumpet skirts with a split, but two of the ladies are convinced they'll make their butts look bigger. They're convinced that anything that cups their butt will be bad news for pear-shaped thighs.

Before I railroad this through, do they have a point? I thought the trumpet would probably be flattering, maybe balance the shape out. But I don't have one for the girls to try on. Also, I thought the duluxe version with extra gore at back might be better because it won't skim so tight. But one of them thinks that'll just look like too much material emphasising the booty. We've at least agreed that smooth velvet would be more forgiving than clinging lycra.

And this is why I LOATHE costuming my students. Help!!! This is giving me insomnia ,m::

PS - Also please tell me that L-Rose will deliver all my costumes on time, they'll be wonderful, and I won't have some last-minute concert costuming disaster!

Here is Zari in a fitted skirt. I personally like it. You can see at 25 seconds into the video. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCnOfrd-Z0g]YouTube - San Francisco Bellydancer Zari[/ame]

I have a figure very similar to Zari's... I'm very VERY pear shaped... HUGE hips and bum!!

I find that the mermaid/trumpet skirts look really flattering on me if the gores are higher up on the leg... above the knee at the very least. If the gores are lower, then the skirts look really unflattering on me. It also looks better if the bottom of the skirt is very full. Lycra actually looks best on me... crushed velvet makes me look bigger. I haven't tried a regular velvet skirt, but I'm sure it would look fine too.

Note to bellydancers: showing off your butt curve is part of the whole THING.

I think mermaids flatter everyone provided the gores start at the right place.

I think the super deluxe trumpet skirt would look better.

I agree, trumpet skirts are the most flattering on most body types. Troupe costumes with trumpet skirts look more polished and professional than any other type I have observed. Lycra is my first choice. Laura (LRose), is awesome. When discussing your order be certain you mention your time-frame, she focuses on customer satisfaction. She will be honest regarding her work load. Be aware she often does costuming for Suhaila's Dance Co and other large groups. If memory serves she has a staff of 2 or 3 talented seamstresses but they tend to be busy.

I think the trumpet skirts can be flattering if they are not too tight across the thighs and if the material is not too thin. Velvet should work. You just want to avoid looking like the thighs are going to bust out of there any minute, you know what I mean?

Originally Posted by dunyah

I think the trumpet skirts can be flattering if they are not too tight across the thighs and if the material is not too thin. Velvet should work. You just want to avoid looking like the thighs are going to bust out of there any minute, you know what I mean?

Totally agree -- body skimming, not body hugging, trumpet skirt reduces the volume of the skirt around the butt and thighs and keeps the outfit from making you even bigger.

Full chiffon skirts are poofy and add more size to a pear shaped figure. A circle and a half satin skirt will REALLY make the lower half look big, because it's shiny.

Make your troupe read all the Costume Goddess tips over on Shira's site!

Total pear here (2 sizes bigger on the bottom than on the top). I have several trumpet skirts and find them extremely flattering.

A picture by EyeDance is worth a 1000 words, Laura!!

Same here...I am very much a pear shape - bottom heavy from the hips down (including the calves), so years back when my former instructor asked us all to get LRose trumpet skirts, I was like, "What?!?!" I relayed my concerns to her and she said that it would be fine and flattering and not to worry. She also helped get my measurements and off went the order. I did order the deluxe trumpet in the crushed velvet and it looks great with a bedlah! We did not order skirts with the slit and for me, that was a really good thing.

I'm a pear. The trumpet DOES emphasize the booty - but in my experience in only a gooooood way! ..l;,

It might take a bit of adjustment for ladies who are a little more paranoid about their booty region ad have been trying to minimalise for ages. But they feel good on, they look great - absolutely no complaints here!

Thanks for all your input. I haaate costuming large groups. If only my students understood just how soul-destroying it is for me to hear "But I'll look yuck in that! I don't want to wear that! Do I have to?" etc etc etc. When what I really want to hear is "Oh, you put days of research into this, drove all across town to investigate dressmakers and material suppliers, and came up with the best, reasonably priced solution to make us all look good together? Thank you!"

Gah.

Originally Posted by laura 2

Total pear here (2 sizes bigger on the bottom than on the top). I have several trumpet skirts and find them extremely flattering.

Wow.

Gorgeous pic Laua 2!!!

I agree with the others regarding pear shape, and trumpet skirts!!!
Looks good on pear shape; and most shapes!

Originally Posted by zumarrad

Note to bellydancers: showing off your butt curve is part of the whole THING.

I think mermaids flatter everyone provided the gores start at the right place.

this.
i think most of the time bigger thighs reads as bigger hips when you have a bedlah on, to that end trumpet skirts are very flattering. it's certainly more forgiving on the thighs than a Souheir type skirt! ^_~
and Lrose is amazing for quality and customer service. ^_^

Not all bottom-heavy figures are created equal. Some carry their weight more in the booty, and others have saddlebag thighs that may even be wider in silhouette than the hips. I think the first group has better luck than the second with narrow skirts, especially if they have a substantial bust to balance out the hourglass. If your students are carrying their weight more in their thighs than booty, then I'm inclined to agree with them. A trumpet skirt, particularly one that is very mermaid-y and narrow through the knees, turns an hourglass figure into a double hourglass. If the skirt is cut looser and flares out more gradually above the knees, I think it makes a better shape on that style body. Looking at the L. Rose models, I don't think it's a coincidence that the Super Deluxe Trumpet Skirt has a larger model than Classic Trumpet Skirt.

Has anybody got a photo of themselves in the Super Deluxe Trumpet skirt by L Rose? Very curious to see it in action!

Definately yay. Loose skirts like circle skirts will make your students look huge, while trumpet skirts nicely define the curves rather than hiding them and ending up looking like you're half in a potato sack ;)
xx
Athena

Does it matter where the upper hip sits?

I'm thinking that might affect how they look - maybe a longer overall line is better?

IE, a higher "waist" so to speak?

I think mermaids are flattering on most pears shapes. In fact, I think they are flattering on MOST people.

I am dire in them though -- I have a much smaller upper hip than I do lower hip and not much in the way of a bust to balance it out, and I also have a bit in the way of saddle bags. A line skirts look great, full skirts look great, jeans look great, bias cut skirts look great, lol. . . Then I got an L Rose to wear with my great loop. I put on the skirt and was thinking "not real sure about this", put the belt on with it and REALLY wasnt sure so showed my BF (who is quite honest in his assessment of clothes). He point blank asked me "are you really going to wear that skirt with that belt?" Understand that he thinks I look fab in the belt with my other skirts, but this combo actually made me look much, much wider than I am.) Pencil skirts also look bad on me as well.

I'm pear-shaped, though not a particularly large measurement -- not much of bum, tho. I look fantabulous in my L Rose standard trumpet skirt, if I do say so myself.

In line with many posters on this thread, I think the trumpet looks good on just about every body; of course there are exceptions and personal preferences.

I think the measurements you provide might be key in your student dancer situation, Jewel.
1) I gave my exact measurements when I ordered my crushed velvet skirts; they are quite close-fitting.
2) To make the skirts a bit less fitted, but still flattering, just add an inch or two to the various horizontal measurements.
3) CALL to place your order. They are extremely helpful and will be able to provide excellent guidance to help with any fit concerns. (They will also probably recommend to add 2-3 inches to each person's actual length measurement as some of the length will be taken up in the horizontal fit. Example: I usually wear a 36-37" skirt and was strongly advised to order a 39" skirt; I did it with some trepidation, and discovered that it was exactly perfect!)

Just to give you some idea of the versatility of fit with these skirts . . .
Me: 5'9, hips about 38"
Daughter: 5'3, hips about 30"
I wore the skirt in one competition category. A few hours later in the day, I rolled up the length of the skirt at the hip band, pinned it very securely (at least 10 safety pins) and put in on my daughter to wear in her competition category. Did the skirt fit her the same as it fit me? No, but it still looked good.

Deborah

disclaimer: although it sounds like I'm a walking advertisement for L Rose Designs, I'm just a really happy customer. Get a custom skirt for about $65? I'm all over it!

I have small hips and heavy thighs by comparison to my waist, and I'm a huge fan of trumpet skirts! I honestly think that they're flattering to almost anyone. I've seen women of all different shapes wearing them, and I've never thought, "Oh, that skirt shape doesn't suit her."

We used velvet mermaid skirts for this years troupe performances and they looked great on the very large hipped women but also with the flare at the bottom made a really thin dancer look shapely. Flattering all round and no complaints from anyone so far.

Another thing for the students to consider is bellydance fashion is kind of like wedding dress fashion: whatever rules you normally follow with your day-to-day life need to be thrown out the window. I'm big in the boobs and the booty, so I go for completely opposing cuts when I look at bellydance gear to what I would for work.

I think trumpet skirts flatter all body types, but I know several people who would disagree...

Specifically, I can think of a certain dancer who is very pear shaped. I saw her several times in bra/belt/circle skirts and did not think they were flattering. Then I saw her in a trumpet style skirt with a V'ed hipline that came up a bit higher on the sides and dipped down in the center and WOW! She looked terrific; the different between the two costume styles was amazing!