Thread: Suggest-a-Skirt

I have a show with a troupe coming up in March. The troupe director requests that we wear a full black skirt that can be tucked in on the sides to create poufs over the hips.

I don't have one already, so I'll need to buy something. However, I realize that this is a rather tribal look, and I don't typically dance tribal style- I'm usually an Egyptian style dancer (sharqi or beledi).

Any suggestions for a skirt that could fill either purpose? If I can't come up with something that works for both, I'll probably sell it after the show, but I'd rather not if I can avoid it.

I have a couple double layer chiffon circle and a half skirts that I pick up the top layer after I put my belt on and tuck it into the top of the belt. It gives that nice poof she probably wants but definitely is not tribal.

i have a black stole or long head wrap- I dunno- its severa inches wide and almost 4 feet long... I have tucked it on each side with it draped over my bum and the tailes hanging down- that can be layered over regular circle skirts...


ooooooor again over a regular circle skirt:

take two rectangular peices of black fabric. say 4 feet long by 3 feet wide.

pin them together on the long side 1/3 of the way down one side... put that on your hip... one goes in front- one goes in back and they met on the other hip- pin there.

You can now take the fabric and pull it up on each side in a floofy fashion.

easy peasy- I use one of those for regular class all the time- but I typically don't bunch it up....

but you can tuck at the sides or wrap to the back for a bustle look + mini skirt in the front- which looks great over melodias or any other flare pant.

Originally Posted by Basha

i have a black stole or long head wrap- I dunno- its severa inches wide and almost 4 feet long... I have tucked it on each side with it draped over my bum and the tailes hanging down- that can be layered over regular circle skirts...


ooooooor again over a regular circle skirt:

take two rectangular peices of black fabric. say 4 feet long by 3 feet wide.

pin them together on the long side 1/3 of the way down one side... put that on your hip... one goes in front- one goes in back and they met on the other hip- pin there.

You can now take the fabric and pull it up on each side in a floofy fashion.

easy peasy- I use one of those for regular class all the time- but I typically don't bunch it up....

but you can tuck at the sides or wrap to the back for a bustle look + mini skirt in the front- which looks great over melodias or any other flare pant.

I will try this out and see if it is floofy enough. :)

Originally Posted by rscramer

I have a couple double layer chiffon circle and a half skirts that I pick up the top layer after I put my belt on and tuck it into the top of the belt. It gives that nice poof she probably wants but definitely is not tribal.

Double chiffon skirts are inexpensive on ebay, so this is a good option, too. Probably have to wear something extra underneath though, right? Like another skirt or harem pants?

Originally Posted by Jungleflowers

Double chiffon skirts are inexpensive on ebay, so this is a good option, too. Probably have to wear something extra underneath though, right? Like another skirt or harem pants?

I wear matching chiffon harem pants with slits up the outside of the legs... that many layers, a little air movement is nice.

Originally Posted by Jungleflowers

I have a show with a troupe coming up in March. The troupe director requests that we wear a full black skirt that can be tucked in on the sides to create poufs over the hips.

I don't have one already, so I'll need to buy something. However, I realize that this is a rather tribal look, and I don't typically dance tribal style- I'm usually an Egyptian style dancer (sharqi or beledi).

Any suggestions for a skirt that could fill either purpose? If I can't come up with something that works for both, I'll probably sell it after the show, but I'd rather not if I can avoid it.

How about something like this? It's a 12 yd skirt in black (plenty to tuck into your belt to create flounce)---tribal-looking but still shiny satin (good for cab). $50 isn't bad for that much fabric:

Black skirt on Moondance

if they show isn't until March it'd be insanely easy to make yourself a circle skirt. get some coupons for the fabric (jo-anns has chiffon and lining fabric that actually works well for this, in the casa collection where all the prom dress fabrics are)

i use about 8 yards and im 5'3". i use a poodle skirt pattern that i moved the the waist down to the hip on and added length to the bottom (to do this, measure from you waist down to your hip, then cut that much off the inside circle of the pattern. then measure from where they have the hem to your instep/where you want your hem to be, make sure you've included the seam allowance, and add that much to the bottom, measuring perpendicular to the large bottom curve of the pattern.) OR, just use a big string to draw the circle, like a compass.

make 3 1/2 circles, sew two together for your back half, attach them to some elastic and hang it up until you need to it for dress rehearsal. i like to edge mine with matching sequins (black on black, red on red, etc. that way i can wear them with any bedlah, not just gold OR silver)

to address shearness i usually make myself a panel skirt out of matching lining fabric to wear underneath, with the slits matching what i put on the chiffon. the fabric is slippy enough that the chiffon still moves brilliantly, and it can be adjusted to add more or less fullness depending on what you want (make the panels like steep mountains for less fullness, wide ones for more flare. i use this pattern and lengthen it: http://www.simplicity.com/p-2230-costumes.aspx (this pattern isn't as bad as the cover looks, if you know how to modify them and use the right fabric)
there's pics of this in blue and in red on my site: www.FarhaBellydance.com

HOWEVER: since it might not work to tuck the sheer AND the lining up, in a color like black layering a full harem pant in the same fabric as the skirt will be near enough to opaque that matching dance trunks will blend in seamlessly and look like the skirt is providing full coverage.