Thread: Flattering coin bra/bedlah styles for larger cups?

I'm thinking about making or ordering a coin bedlah, but I'm a bit unsure about which style. The thing that worries me is that they look like they may make the bust look even bigger.

Any advice on which styles to go for to flatter a larger bust?

Does anyone have info about this oval style? Does it sit better than the round coins?
Belly Dance Costumes | Belly Dance Store.com: gallery

How about the Pharaonics coin bedlah? Any bigger busted gals have one to report on? Like in this pic: Belly Dance Costumes | Belly Dance Store.com: gallery

ETA: I should have mentioned - I meant cabaret style coin bedlahs, rather than tribal in my case.

If you're trying to keep the bust appearance minimized, you might be better going with something where the coins hang flatter on the cups, not overlapping and fluffy like the examples linked. The old Costless styles might be more what you are looking for, e.g., Belly Dance Costumes.

Agreed. Also flat "fish scale" work done with a good costume coin works well.

For a larger chested dancer, a somewhat sparser top seems to be more flattering. To me, the overloaded coin bras tend to make one look like the lead valkyrie at the Bayreuth Wagner Festival. And, accordingly, I find that my Cost Less covers are a good choice - they look very coin-y, but do not overwhelm. I am not sure that either of the linked costumes is the best choice for bigger bra sizes, but the Pharaonics would be my pick among the two, the oval coin one looks messy.

There is a great thread on tribe.net about this topic, here is an excerpt:

Keep the decorations toward the top & the center (basically, keep it to the top two-thirds & the inner half to two-thirds). Agree with the "keep the under-fabric neutral" advice. Examples:

people.tribe.net/524bcd6f-...7e37a71f86
people.tribe.net/524bcd6f-...40035b3c82

If you go all the way across the bra, it ends up making your chest look very WIDE: people.tribe.net/524bcd6f-...a072461516 (learn from my mistake...LOL)

Here is a link to the thread:

tricks to making a BIG bra look less ... - DIY/ Bellydance on a Budget - tribe.net

I ordered a coin from Dancing Rahana and these costumes come w/coins ALL THE WAY around the side straps as well!!! It is so blocky. I have taken ALL the coins off from the side straps on mine. Hell I could cover another whole bra with the beads and coins I took off!!! I'm a D cup and I don't think all that coinage over the boobage looks good at all. I still need to thin the coverage over the cups way down before I cou;d even entertain wearing it. The saddest part about this is I had to special order cause they didn't have my size and it was 6 months before I got it

I have two vintage coin costumes. One is fish scale the other is Costless. Have to tell you, it doesn't make that much difference. Sparklies on boobs are still sparklies on boobs. If you want them to look less conspicuous, try an antiqued coin as opposed to a shiny one.

Although I also agree with Brokentiles, coins on the sides and back will add to the overall feeling of bulk. But it does that with smaller busted dancers as well. When I buy a beaded bedlah which has fringe all the way around, I take the fringe off the back of the bra as well.

{{{HUGS}}}

Thanks for the ideas, gals. Based on people's opinions I might stick with the Bella style of coins on fringing interspersed here and there rather than a more "solid" coin look.

following this thread..love coin costumes

in my profile photo I'm wearing a fish scale costume but they are actually paillettes and not coins..I think I bought it from Amartia who may be able to remind me where it came from..I've seen a similar design on the Topkapi costumes page but I've had trouble reaching them so not sure if they are still making costumes

Anyways it wasn't really coins but had a coin look and I LOVED it..felt like mermaid fish scales rippling..the belt as you can see was covered too and had fringe. I sold it only because I needed the money at the time to buy a condo but then got a boob job so I have no idea how they fit D cups. Back when I was a B I padded it and it fit great..probably one of the better fitting costumes I've had

here's a bigger image if that helps

Originally Posted by jesennia

here's a bigger image if that helps

Thanks! Gorgeous :)

Did you mean to flatter your bust line, like to make it look nice, or to flatten it? I read the OP as to have a nice appearance, but a lot of these posts sound like they are talking minimizing.

To me, Bella has the deepest bra cups and that is what works best for me. Most Pharaonics are too shallow and I end up having to add the headband to the top of the cups.

The good thing about a coin set like Cost Less of the one that Dahlal has is that you use your own bra base.

Originally Posted by brokentiles

I ordered a coin from Dancing Rahana and these costumes come w/coins ALL THE WAY around the side straps as well!!! It is so blocky. I have taken ALL the coins off from the side straps on mine. Hell I could cover another whole bra with the beads and coins I took off!!! I'm a D cup and I don't think all that coinage over the boobage looks good at all. I still need to thin the coverage over the cups way down before I cou;d even entertain wearing it. The saddest part about this is I had to special order cause they didn't have my size and it was 6 months before I got it

I think from your description that I have the same one; I got it in copper because I coveted it (I'm a rank amateur; it's not like I *needed* it. I'm also a D, and there's no doubt the look is "well, here is my big shiny bosom, and I'm dancing along with it." Personally, though, I like the effect (although it is kinda Wagnerian, as someone else mentioned: my daughter calls it "bellydance armor"). I think the effect is over-the-top, and that's not inherently a bad thing, depending on what you're going for. I wouldn't wear it if I were trying to look less bosomy, certainly, but sometimes you want a minimizing effect, and sometimes you don't.

Originally Posted by jesennia

here's a bigger image if that helps

Do you have any more photos of this stunning costume? I love this look.