Thread: Belly buldge and costumes

Hi! I've been lurking here for awhile, but I have kind of a silly question I hope someone can answer. I am a bit well, plump, and as I acquire more costumes I find they all set pretty low. So of course my belly tends to hang over. I really want to look the best I can while in costumes and I worry about the way this looks. Should I not worry about it or should I do what I can to cover it up?
Thanks

See seamless midriff cover thread ...it works for a small pookey comprised of less than taut older skin...a bigger voluptua may require a dress for you to feel totally comfy in. Remember...the idea is for "you" to disappear and the dancer to appear. If you feel self consious in a bedlah..just dont wear em. I am slowly going into dresses as I fall in love with them, not because I look wretched in bedlah...I can just feel more confident and it allows "me" to disappear.

I don't know how much belly you're dealing with, but speaking as a person who has worn costumes when I was 20lbs heavier than I am now and I think it helps to wear things that aren't too tight around the mid section--when your belt (or lycra skirt) is just right, and not too tight, it minimized the muffin top/gut overhang look.

I hate hate hate the overhang look, midriff covers help

to clarify, on myself, not anyone else!

French cut belts that have something just over the buldge under the navel is flattering,otherwise a midriff cover flattens out...
I love the Soheir Zaki look of wearing a belly net in color with the costume,rather than a skincolor(it seems as they are mostly made in Clearasil "skin color".)

I hate the overhang feeling--it just bugs me--on any of my clothes, including costumes!

A power-mesh body stocking works wonders on overhang, if you feel self-consious. I agree with Emma-bessa, matching your costume color looks super sharp!

There are several things you can do. The nets work nicely to smooth out lumps and bumps and kind of hold everything in. You can do them in flesh colors or in colors to match your costume. You can get them that attach to the bra or you can get ones that are made like a leotard that is cut out under the bust to display your costume bra. These leotard ones can look really nice in colored net and will give you a pulled together longer line when you match the color of your skirt.

Another thing I do is to use a filmy silk tunic overgarment. I wear it over my bedlah bra but put the belt on top of it. You can easily see the bra underneath and body movements but exactly how much of your belly might be overlapping is a mystery.

You can also play with the shape of your belt as well to see what is going to be most flattering.

Another alternative is the L Rose beledi dress from Welcome to L. Rose Designs. These are cut out under the bust so your bra shows. You put the belt over the dress at the hips. You can get them with straight skirts or with sweeping trumpet skirts. I have one in purple velvet with the full skirt that I wear with a peacock and purple bra and belt set.

Hope this helps to give you some ideas.

Souzan

I'm going out on a limb and saying I'd rather hang out than wear old-man-pants style belts hauled up right under my navel, which in my view makes me look fatter. I have a pooch - I have to be very thin indeed to have no belly at all - and when I wear my belt low, you can see that I have a round soft belly but you can also see the striations of my lower abs and the comparative leanness of that part of my frame. When I wear it high I just look like a fat woman. IMO.

Avoid thin elastic around the waist, or anything that digs in. I've seen some really clever loose looking bits draped around the top of a skirt that hides any bulge in that area. Also, have a waist bit on your costume that is rouched, or otherwise ornamentally bobbly, that way, no-one can tell if it's you or the costume. If you are into Turkish style, wear belty bits that sort of 'stand away' from the body, that way, you have a little bit if air between you and your belt rather than muffin bulge.

Caroline,
Do you have suggestions on how to add a rouched section on the top of the skirt? I have a white lycra, but I don't know what fabric to use - velvet or chiffon? Or something totally diff? My white cossie I just bought and it gives me only a small muffin top to deal with.

I also have a red lycra that I have been trying to sell because it gives me HUGE muffin top. Yuck! If I can't sell it, I need to modify it so I can feel comfortable wearing it.
Suggestions?
Hopefully anything anyone has to offer for suggestions will help catinhat72 as well so I didn't just highjack her thread. .w.:

Nothing is worse than feeling uncomfortable. Where do you buy the colored or nude mesh? What I want to know is what is the criteria for buldge? I think that knowing the best costume style could make all the difference. I go for V style belts because they are more slimming than straight on me. Maybe a different belt style could make all the difference.

Vahana, Sadly I cannot sew, so I have no idea. I would suggest that if you cannot match the white lycra exactly, go for a different fabric, and a fabric with it's own texture (as you were thinking) will also go some way towards hiding the any bulges.

You can purchase mesh in any color from Welcome to Spandex House Inc. Spandex House, One of the Largest Spandex Collection of The World.. Or you can purchase the mesh garments already made up. Two places to do that would be Sugar Petals Dance Accessories Home Page or Designs By Janie - home page.

Souzan

- Vahana - adding bits to tops of cossies is extremely difficult - I know cosI've done some for pals - you can try buying some flesh colored organza (or possibly chiffon) to add a layer of ruched up fabric above the belt - - but then you really have to add some to the bra top or it looks weird - can "keep you in " without making the whole costume look huge. you need a lot more fabric than you think. I'd recommend doing it so you draw the added bit down over 1 hip - this is more flattering. You might want to add a few sparkes to match the costume
Another trick to make this work is buy enough fabric for a veil as well - brings the whole lot together- Best of!!

Souzan...OMG...I found the fushia mettalic giraffe spandex print I have been looking for! Fashionable Novelty Spandex Style: FNS-372
Width: 60" Per Yard Price: $ 12.00
Description: Silver Metallic Foil on Fuchsia Laser Cut on Black Poly. Spandex

Originally Posted by anala

Souzan...OMG...I found the fushia mettalic giraffe spandex print I have been looking for! Fashionable Novelty Spandex Style: FNS-372
Width: 60" Per Yard Price: $ 12.00
Description: Silver Metallic Foil on Fuchsia Laser Cut on Black Poly. Spandex

What about FNS-068, tartan stretch lace? And I thought I saw on at Spandex House that was black lycra with dollar bills. Good for tips!

Souzan

I saw the tartan and flashed on the idea of a Corvus Corax Belly Dance Celtic wierdness for St. Patrick's Day...how bout it!!! I aint too old to fuse if the theme is right!

I have not tried this, I just stumbled on this web site, but here's advice on how to "put your organs in place": Flat Stomach Secrets by Teresa Tapp

Originally Posted by Souzan

Another thing I do is to use a filmy silk tunic overgarment. I wear it over my bedlah bra but put the belt on top of it. You can easily see the bra underneath and body movements but exactly how much of your belly might be overlapping is a mystery.

Souzan

Do you happen to have a picture of this? I am more visual and it would really help to see if it looks like something that I have been thinking about doing.

Originally Posted by *Shira*

I have not tried this, I just stumbled on this web site, but here's advice on how to "put your organs in place": Flat Stomach Secrets by Teresa Tapp

Well, that looks like a big fart waiting to happen. Can't hurt though!

Several options ... any of the above; loose weight; soft fold over tops,r:;

Originally Posted by Linnyg

Do you happen to have a picture of this? I am more visual and it would really help to see if it looks like something that I have been thinking about doing.

Here is a link to a page on the Costume Goddess's website. The first photo (upper left) is a sheer metallic loose beledi dress that you wear over your bedlah. That is where I got the idea. What I do is make it shorter than a dress--more long tunic length--and wear the bra underneath and the belt over it. Works nicely with layered circle skirts on the bottom.

Dina's Bellydance Costume Galleries

Souzan

Originally Posted by Souzan

Here is a link to a page on the Costume Goddess's website. The first photo (upper left) is a sheer metallic loose beledi dress that you wear over your bedlah. That is where I got the idea. What I do is make it shorter than a dress--more long tunic length--and wear the bra underneath and the belt over it. Works nicely with layered circle skirts on the bottom.

Dina's Bellydance Costume Galleries

Souzan

Do you think it would be appropriate to do it in say chiffon with no sleeves? Kind of like a drapey tank dress? I have no idea if that made any sense.

Originally Posted by Linnyg

Do you think it would be appropriate to do it in say chiffon with no sleeves? Kind of like a drapey tank dress? I have no idea if that made any sense.

I think for the proportion to be right you need the sleeves--totally bare arms would be too much contrast w/layered sheer-over-bedlah in my opinion.

~~Kimahri

It must be my juvenile sense of humour, but I can't get past the instructions to "tuck fanny slightly" and "Keep fanny tucked". On the fiddle with your organs website.

"Keeping knees apart and hands on rib cage, slowly lift the fanny off the floor aiming the knees towards the shoulders using the abdominal muscles (don't swing). " ..l;, ..l;, ..l;, ..cr.: ..l;, ..l;, ..l;, ..cr.: ..c:: ..l;, ..l;, ..cr.: ..l;, ..l;, ,r:;

Caroline - I need a laugh. Is it funny because fanny means something else in Scotland than in the US? I bookmarked the page but I'm a little skeptical about it doing me any good, having had three children.

Originally Posted by SusanLilia

Caroline - I need a laugh. Is it funny because fanny means something else in Scotland than in the US?

Oh yes, fanny certainly does mean something quite different in both the UK and Australia from what it means in the U.S.!

Here in the U.S., it's a polite way to say "rump", "buttocks", or "booty".

In the U.K., it refers to an orifice that women have but men don't, and it'snot a very polite word at that!