Thread: "WORKHORSE" what does that word mean to you?

I see this opening a can of worms… or not.

I’m pretty new to the forums…I’m just so used to video game ones, I’m a little shamed I didn’t discover this earlier!

BUT I’ve NEVER heard of the phrase “WORKHORSE” till I came to these forms! I asked my Uni’s club (about 2 dozen girls) and none of us had ever heard of this phrase: we’ve all had about 2 dozen teachers and have attended workshops/vendor sales/etc all up and down the east cost from our hometowns/ internships.

I was thinking it meant “low end bra/belt” or “heavy fringe” (love the “fringe monster phrase!”) BUT, I’ve also seen it attached to non-bra/belt/bedlah costumes that are going for 500 or 600 USD!

SO! Other costume enthusiasts:

1) WHAT does the word “workhorse” mean to you?
2) Examples? (photos of your own or for sale on vendor sites are appreciated)
3) Which ones do you suggest buying? or trying to make? ^_^

Thanks for your help!
A few girls went a semester abroad to the American Uni in Cairo/ visited out there and bought really nice sets, but most have none and don’t have a clue what to buy. Most do make our own costumes, since we’re low on cash… but you can only take so much beading when memorizing your Organic Chemistry Reactions! We were thinking, “If I get one costumes, it better be tough!”

Unless the definition is changing, a "workhorse" costume can be anywhere from low-end to high-end, but what it really must be is incredibly sturdy and able to stand up to the rigors of professional dancing - like restaurants and nightclubs.

The primary definition is:
work·horse (wûrkhôrs)n.1. Something, such as a machine, that performs dependably under heavy or prolonged use

Any costume that is well-made, sturdy, and non-specialty can be considered a workhorse. In practice, the phrase is usually used for bra/belt sets because they are extremely multi-functional, but it can also be used for any other sturdy, nice costume that is used for generalized work rather than specialty dance.

I associate it with any costume that takes a beating and doesn't come apart. Something that can be worn time and time again without losing luster or a lot of beads. This can be a bra belt set or a bra skirt set. Prices range depending on designer, amount of wear from previous owner etc.

I think of a "workhorse" costume as one that can take the rigors of frequent use without falling apart and is able to be mixed and matched with alot of different costuming elements like skirts. For most people, this is a two-piece bra/belt set in a "neutral" metallic such as gold or silver. For a few others, a workhorse bedlah might actually be a color, say red, because they have alot of skirts with red in them, and/or skirts that look good with red.

Deborah

I have similar definitions as the two above. To me, calling a costume a workhorse is one I wear all the time to a restaurant/night club gig. It can be high-end, but I try not to bring my high end costumes to restaurants so for my personal use of the word, workhorse means the "middle range costumes that take a beating and I'm not afraid to sweat in and get dirty".

Doesn't have to be fringy. I have a lycra costume I consider a workhorse.

To me, a workhorse costume has these features:
* modestly priced (not top-of-the-line, custom couture, but not student-grade either)
* well constructed (not made with impractically cheap materials or inferior workmanship)
* traditional design (not too trendy or so narrowly focused that it would only be useful for one type of song)

Basically, it's a costume that's meant to stand up to a lot of the sorts of performing situations that a working dancer might be in. Usually the term describes something like a nice-quality bra-and-belt set. When someone buys a costume like a Pharaonics Great Loops, at the $400-ish price range, they're not buying it to only wear it once, and they're not expecting jaws to drop over how stunningly unique it is. It's just a nice, solid costume, and they're expecting to get a lot of mileage out of wearing it.

To me, a workhorse is a sturdy, versatile costume I can get lots of wear out of...also tends to imply that it's on the cheaper side:Awink:
x
Athena

Yup, it's a costume that works its a$$ off for you.

So it's sturdy and dependable AND probably also versatile. A gold or silver bra/belt set that you could wear three times a week with different skirts, for instance. One sturdy enough that you can cram it in your bag, drop it on the floor, etc. This is the kind of costume you want for regular restaurant & club work, or nights you have 3 gigs and have to drive between them.

Vs. a racehorse -- a delicate gorgeous creation that must be handled with kid gloves and is so distinctive that people would recognize it if you wore it again the same month. Useful for stage shows, weddings and some high-end private parties.

Yup, same interpretation here:

1. Strong, sturdy, takes multiple wearings without shedding beads, popping fasteners, etc
2. Versatile - able to be worn in multiple environments from restaurants to private parties. May have multiple accessories or ways of wearing.

I tend to think of a workhorse costume as being mid range in terms of price to higher. If it's cheap, it's going to fail on the most fundamental part of being a workhorse - durability.

I have had good workhorse bedlahs which were not what I consider to be mid range and higher. But that is also a personal definition thing. I have had Turkish Emporium bedlahs which I could beat the tar out of which I bought for $150 new. As well as basic Egyptians sets for about the same amount. But I have also had upper level Pharaonics which retail at around $400, as previously pointed out.

I guess for a Professional level costume, I don't feel that $150 is mid range. Although I admit, it's also not low.

{{{HUGS}}}

workhorse = my gold bra/belt set that has withstood my 90lb dog (great dane/black lab mix) chewing on it... and still looks good ..g.:

Workmanship and materials are more representative of quality than the actual price. I have a Turkish set that I bought new for $135 a few years ago that is holding up fine--and if I wanted to buy the same set from the same vendor today, it would cost nearly double what I paid because the prices really jumped. Someone else might have bought a Pharaonics bedlah with plastic beads for $600 at the same time, only to find that it didn't hold up well because the finish wore off the fringe. And someone else might have an Abla set that cost $800 new 15 years ago, and it's still looking beautiful and going strong, four owners later.

If I had to guess a price range for "workhorse." I'd probably say $300-600, but you have to look at what you are getting for the money. Sometimes the lower-end costumes are better than you'd expect for what you're paying, and sometimes the higher-end ones don't maintain their value as long as it seems they should. Buying a costume is a balancing act between how badly you want it, how much you can afford, how much you plan to use it, and how much you care about resale value.

Oh!
That clarifies a lot!!
I thought "Workhorse" meant that it was a set that still needed some work done before it could be used (so you still had to do some 'work' on it).

LOL!

THANK YOU LADIES FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP!
So most ladies feel it's more of a "neutral" Gold/silver classic bra/belt, that's uber tough, and is mid-range in price (not really cheap, nor couture/racehorse).

Doesn't have to be gold/silver, doesn't have to be "mid-range" in price, BUT ALWAYS has to be tough. :)

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After digging through this forum, I started picking up names of popular costumes. Would you suggest something such as "Great Loops", "Desert Swirls", or "American Icon", or another that I missed (I can't figure out the name of the popular fringe monster)?

I don't own any of those styles... do you guys have a preference?

Great loops and Desert Swirls (which you might have some debate about whether they qualify as workhorses) can be found at www.bellydancestore.biz

American Icon and Beyond the Basics (which is a nice basic fringe monster.) can be found at www.Dahlal.com

www.turkish-emporium.com has Turkish basic costumes. For long term investment, I would be selective about their value range, but most of the rest is good.

{{{HUGS}}}

Sadly, the Great Loop no longer qualifies. Pharonics has been using a cheaper thread, mine loses several loops of fringe every time I wear it and a student of mine is having the same problem. Ridiculous for the price!

American Icon also drops coins mercilessly.

I wouldn't consider either of those a workhorse.

The Hannan bra/belt sets widely available through Dahlal and bellydancestore.com seem to qualify (though I dislike the way the unlooped fringe *always* gets tangled in the looped fringe!)

The beyond the basics (and similar sets at bellydancestore) are awesome.

Oh, and Yaz at www.kingofthenile.com has a good reputation for workhorses. The product line there is changing rapidly, but so far I've been delighted with the hip scarves I've gotten there and recently tried a bedlah which I'm LOVING.

Also www.egydance.com has lovely sturdy amazing bra/belt sets.

You guys are so helpful! I never heard of EGYDance, and my friends love the "knot" costumes! So luscious @_@

Now my friends and I just have to get over the fear of buying a costume over the web