Thread: I gotta know... what do ya'll think about these BDstore costumes? i can't decide...

If I love them or just think they are bizarre. Part of me is dying to order one, the other part is thinking they would look just awful on me. And I don't get why they are all so freaking long!!! 39 inches is reaaaaaally long--most of us wear between 36 and 38 I would guess.

Anyway, what do ya'll think? I mean, I keep looking at them over and over and over....

Belly Dance Costumes | Belly Dance Store.com: gallery

I'm in the same boat as you are. But being I wear my skirts between 32-35" I will never order

I love some of them...and hate some of them. They are all too long for me (34-36", depending on the skirt), and I think that the feet are impractical- I can't imagine how much wear that the stocking-like feet endure, and how fast that they would wear out. And I have short, chubby, sausage legs, so I don't think this would flatter me.

I do think that they (some of them) are beautiful, but these are ones that I look at online, but would never order for myself, for the reasons above.

Why skirts are so long is easy -- because it's supersimple to shorten them, usually, and impossible to lengthen them! Men's suits -- good ones -- are sold this way, with ridiculously long inseams so either you or your tailor can shorten them to your perfect length.


As far as the costumes themselves, I also have a love-hate relationship with them. It's a clever, creative, attractive design for sure (on the right body). Perfect for those who have a great basic shape but don't want to show skin for whatever reason (stretch marks, varicose veins, etc?)

Mostly, though, I don't think I'd reach for it very often because I'm afraid the GP would either be put off by how naked you look OR put off by the idea of a weird stocking thing covering you all over. Or both!

Sonja, IIRC bellydancestore has a return policy. If you're ready for a new costume, you could probably buy it and have them send it for a try-on, then either keep or exchage it. I'd confirm the policy with the store first. But I'll bet seeing it on your own body would instantly move you out of indecision, one way or the other!

I love them. I think they are beautiful!!!

Search the forums, there were a few threads with info and experience on the Venus designs including some detailed photos.

Mostly, though, I don't think I'd reach for it very often because I'm afraid the GP would either be put off by how naked you look OR put off by the idea of a weird stocking thing covering you all over. Or both!

this.

I think they are really interesting to look at- and clever- but I become more and more bothered with the appearance of more and more nudity- the clear bra straps- the nude mesh with strategically placed flourishes.

It fundamentally bothers me that somewhere someone is purposefully pushing a more nekkid look. We want the line of stripper and bellydancer to be clear- and people already muck it up- how is this trend helping?

I think the costume's are lovely. I think they are beautiful I appreciate the work of art that they are but I don't think I'd ever buy one.

I love them, some of them don't seem so naked, depending on the color. They look like a whole body tattoo.
If I had money laying around I buy one.

Originally Posted by phillyraqs

Search the forums, there were a few threads with info and experience on the Venus designs including some detailed photos.

Any idea which forum?

Originally Posted by Sonja2

If I love them or just think they are bizarre. Part of me is dying to order one, the other part is thinking they would look just awful on me. And I don't get why they are all so freaking long!!! 39 inches is reaaaaaally long--most of us wear between 36 and 38 I would guess.

Anyway, what do ya'll think? I mean, I keep looking at them over and over and over....

Belly Dance Costumes | Belly Dance Store.com: gallery

I love them, but got the wrong size and it looks horrible on me, so I returned it

the length is because it's MUCH easier to cut off the excess or hem than it is to add on.

And I'm 5"4" and 3/4 inches but I NEED 38ish skirts cause my legs are long.

It's certainly not a tred that has just come around, considering Jillina and Randa Kamal started wearing them oh, around 8ish years ago.

Originally Posted by Georgine

They look like a whole body tattoo.

That's a really good way to put it.

As for me, half of me loves how ingenious and creative they are, and half of me thinks they're kind of bizarre. I wouldn't buy one because even at the markdown price, that's way too much money for something I'm so unsure about. But if I were to acquire one somehow, I'd wear it at least once.

Originally Posted by Sonja2

Any idea which forum?

They are probably in the Beauty and Costuming section, try searching Venus in bhuz's search tool.

Here:

BD Store Venus Collection: Let's Talk

I think in concept they are cool. I also think that I'd want to try one on before dropping the change for one.

{{{HUGS}}}

Regarding the nude look mentioned by a few posters, to me it looks alot more conservative than many two-peice costumes because the actual skin shown is minimal. In particular, the pastel versions seem kind of innocent-looking, but that's just my humble opinion.

In my area, i do think that the g.p. Would be puzzled by it, though.

I love them!

Originally Posted by kina

It's certainly not a tred that has just come around, considering Jillina and Randa Kamal started wearing them oh, around 8ish years ago.

They also remind me of Lucy's one decorated leg costumes from back in the 80s. Hers weren't nude toned, but same general principle.

I would assume that the long skirts would mean long body suit legs. The OP probably knew she could cut the skirt, but you can't cut the legs down without ditching the weird feet (good idea) and changing some beading on the bottoms of the legs.

I love the idea, but also believe that this naked-look is not good for Middle Eastern dance.

It would be pretty easy to shorten these. Also, remember depending on your hip size length will be drawn up, if you are bootylicious, that will take up a lot of length.

I think they are really pretty. I do not love all of them but I think the idea is pretty great.

Definitely read the other threads on this design.

I personally find it kind of annoying that they assume everybody has the same "flesh" tone.

True, tigerb

Originally Posted by kina

It's certainly not a tred that has just come around, considering Jillina and Randa Kamal started wearing them oh, around 8ish years ago.

Yes, remember this awesome one from the first BDSS DVD? Jillina, Bellydance Superstar - YouTube

I love the 3D look (for lack of a better description) - it's more sophisticated that the ones on the website. There's alot to look at and it looks very intricate.

How do you keep those body suits clean? I mean...you know...crotch sweat.

Originally Posted by Sonja2

If I love them or just think they are bizarre. Part of me is dying to order one, the other part is thinking they would look just awful on me. And I don't get why they are all so freaking long!!! 39 inches is reaaaaaally long--most of us wear between 36 and 38 I would guess.

Anyway, what do ya'll think? I mean, I keep looking at them over and over and over....

Belly Dance Costumes | Belly Dance Store.com: gallery

re: length, I need at least a 39" long skirt, 40" would be even better. there are some of us that are tall with bigger lower hips so we need the extra length

I like these costumes and like that you can use the body suit with others, it's just a matter of deciding if the flesh tone would work for you...it's hard to see if it would be too dark or too light from buying online..that and the fact that they have a prominent accent color makes it hard to see if I can wear it with other costumes...

I think I liked them better when they first came out than I do now. The more I look at them, the more I don't really like all that fleshy fabric--it's simultaneously not naked enough (see every rant the Fug Girls have ever posted about illusion netting) and too bare to be respectable. There's also a lot of variation in the design and some of the newer ones work better than others, IMHO. I like the bras that have a lot of embellishment better than the ones that don't. Without more sequin coverage, it reminds me of pantyhose over underwear. I suppose that's a selling point in that it reinforces the idea that you're not really only wearing a few sequins glued onto your skin, but it's kind of, well, maybe not "ugly," but "aesthetically clumsy" when the mechanics of the costume are so conspicuous.

Tourbeau, I think you have hit it on the head with "aesthetically clumsy".

I posted one of these costumes to the Thought-provoking Belly Dance Costumes thread on tribe.net. I thought that the design needed balance on top, so I edited one of the photos (somewhat crudely, not a photoshop expert!) to show more color in the bra area. I would also like it if the skirt were fuller, more gathered, and more closed at the top of the slit. But there is something about the jeweled bodystocking idea that is very intriguing to me. Even marked down, they are out of my price range, though.

http://www.americanistan.com/jeweld_bodystocking_edited

[WIKI_IMAGE][/WIKI_IMAGE]

Originally Posted by BELLA_BELLA

Yes, remember this awesome one from the first BDSS DVD? Jillina, Bellydance Superstar - YouTube

I love the 3D look (for lack of a better description) - it's more sophisticated that the ones on the website. There's alot to look at and it looks very intricate.

I don't think they look anything alike- she looks clothed. I like her costume- assuming we are discussing the same costume.

The other ones just... don't.

I like the "asthetically clumsey" line. That's pretty appropriate.

And I don't mind the photoshopped one as much- it appears to have an actual bra- which I think really takes the edge off the OMG IS SHE JUST WEARING SEQUINSs shock factor.

I am not a fan of the nude look. If the nude mesh fabric was a different color I might have a different opinion but I have no desire to appear nude or semi-nude when performing. Since I began my journey with MED in the late 60s I feel so many of us fought hard for a long time to avoid being compared to the Eastern Onion Belly-Stripper Gram performers. It would be a step in the wrong direction for me.

Such costumes are often lovely on the right body-type but IMO not for MED performances. I prefer to have audience watch the dance - not spend time trying to determine if I am actually covered or exposed. (Off-topic but I do not like the clear straps on costumes, I find them distracting. Watching a floating bra distracts from the actual dance/dancer.)

I think these are the type of costume an Arab and maybe Turkish audience would LOVE. They love a fashion forward look... and remember the OLD Golden Age costumes, that were in many instances quite sheer. I've seen one on a dancer here and it went over QUITE well. But, I wouldn't think about wearing it for Americans.
The length of course is because one can hem but can't lengthen. In addition, remember that width will take up some length, especially on stretchy costumes. So, a curvier bottom half might require more "length" than a straighter person of the same hip height/leg length.
It's beautiful and striking in some colors. I wish I could wear it well.