Thread: Before, After, and Between Clothing

What do you wear to and from restaurant gigs, assuming you're not going in costume and cover up?

If you had two sets at the same place that had a length of time between, say an hour or so, would you just hang out in your cover up, or would you change into something else? Does this answer change if you know you're going to be chatting and maybe dancing with friends (not strangers).

If you would change, would you try to keep a ME/Belly dance vibe going?

Thanks!

I usually wear a dress with nice shoes but no stockings (regardless of the weather). I try to be on the dressy side of what the restaurant patrons would wear, which usually means my black knit wrap dress.

The most important thing is to avoid red marks on my belly, which I almost always get if I wear pants (especially jeans) or stockings.

I missed the second half of your question! If I have a wait between sets, I'll usually wear just my coverup (it's very opaque). I sweat a LOT, which usually continues for a while after the set, so I don't like to put my dress back on until it has stopped.

I would always recommend dressing professionally, no matter what your situation. Nice shirt and slacks, or even dressy jeans. Nice shoes. No workout outfits or casual clothes.

Like it or not, people judge your competence and quality by what you wear.

If you are going to be wearing something ethnic flavored, just be sure it's not cheesy or too frump.

I don't hesitate to wear my cover-up between sets, but I try to stay as out of site as possible while still making it easy for them to find me immediately after the show, if they want to talk or get my contact info. Wearing a cover-up between sets does help people to distinguish you from the patrons, which is good.

i also change into a nice dress or skirt and top in between restaurant and club gigs.

ita with being careful about clothing that might leave a mark.
imo its best to err on the side of being a little over dressed for the venue. remember they have just seen you in full "belly dance drag" so you can't go right to flip flops and t-shirts or you risk ruining the illusion for the patrons.

also think about what will be easy to put on and off without ruining your hair, catching on jewelry, etc.

Before gigs I wear an abaya (as cover up). Between shows I also wear a cover up. When I go home I also usually wear a cover up. It's just easier.
The only exception is at a place where I've worked for over three years. I have friends there and I usually stay after wards. There I change into nice clothes- usually a skirt and heels, occasionally pants (literally not for the first two years). Never anything too low cut. Never straps that show my bra straps (like a camisole top). Never a skirt that's above the knee.

Originally Posted by jmdruadh

I usually wear a dress with nice shoes but no stockings (regardless of the weather). I try to be on the dressy side of what the restaurant patrons would wear, which usually means my black knit wrap dress.

The most important thing is to avoid red marks on my belly, which I almost always get if I wear pants (especially jeans) or stockings.

Me exactly!

Well I guess I am in the minority as I usually wear jeans to and from my gigs. Sometimes with a dressy top or sweater and sometimes with a concert t on. It really depends on how lazy I am feeling. I don't hang out in a cover up between venues unless my show times are very close and there will be no time to change when I get there. I used to get all dressed up but now I can't be bothered unless there will be a live band, a big crowd or some other special circumstance. Nobody has ever said anything negative to me about it.

Originally Posted by stardancer

... It really depends on how lazy I am feeling....

Dark abaya as cover up for me = the ultimate in lazy ..g.: While still abiding what I first learned from Artemis Mourat:
Artie teaches to always maintain a bit of a "lady like" and professional image. We are professionals (an image we have to fight for often), and we do want people to treat us as lady like- especially important with some gp seeing us as akin to strippers and particularly important with ME crowds who know what else goes on in the dance business "over there".

Since the women who are also attending the parties I work on are dressed to the nines+super groomed,
I wear a nice dress or pant suit+heels.

Between sets I usually put on a glitzy coverup and smoke nargileh or read a book,
my big problem is reminding myself to have floss in my gig bag...

Otherwise I dance out of my dressing room with tabouleh stuck on my teeth:D

I bought a really nice cover u fromone of the bhuzzers a while agoe so I always wear that to and from gigis. f I stay or if I had time between sets I would just wear that.

If I was to wear regular clothing (I've done that for years) I always dressed nicely: nothing too fancy, but a nice skirt, slacks, maybe a dress, nice blouse or top, heels. Its always best to dress nicely, no matter what. You are at "work" even though your job is over, they still look at you from that angle.
It's ok to add a little ME flair, or Indian jewelry, or a top, but not too much.
It's best never to wear jeans / t-shirt, flip flops, tennish shoes, exercise clothing (I've seen it all). A nice pair of jeans with a blouse and heels / sandals is ok, depending on the restaurant. Overdresses is better than underdressed in this situation. Look you best!

If you are around Middle Easterners always wear skirts that are longer than your knees, and nothing too sexy. This way you "might" have a chance to show them that while dance you dress sexy because it's your job (belly dance) but in normal life you are a respectable lady.

black trousers, black top. clothes that are fancy enough, but also "blend" in, dont stand out... i often do surprise gigs and you dont always now HOW fancy the party will be (gala dresses or coqtails dresses or causual... etc...), so i tend to wear clothes (and ask the same from my driver/accompanying students), that makes you blend in with either the guests, OR preferable the staff . yeah, i think i tend to try and look like upper level staff... (female maitre d/hotelmanager kinda look)

If I change out of costume (which is only if I'm staying after I've performed all my sets), then it's either into a dress or something very nice, or a "Sharifwear" type ensemble. Anyway, something that says I am still trying to look nice and professional.

I usually wear what I was wearing to work. Which is nicely professional. Or if it's a casual Friday, I try to wear something to work which is easily dressed up and then do so. Knit dresses work well for this. Dressing it up is kinda important because otherwise you have drag queen face with jeans. Doesn't work!

I just wear my cover up to and while waiting (I have issues with public bathrooms/changing areas). If I feel okay where I am, I will change into some nice jeans and a top.

This is all great advice. It was easy over the summer - I'd just wear a cute dress! But now that's it's getting chilly I need to strike a balance. I appreciate the feedback.

Originally Posted by LeylaFahada

But now that's it's getting chilly I need to strike a balance. I appreciate the feedback.

for the short time that i lived and danced in a place with cold weather, i found sweater dresses with wide necklines to be good for between sets. keeps you warm, but doesn't mess up your hair when changing into your next costume. and doesn't leave marks. sweater coats over dresses also worked. just watch out for fuzzy linties under the arms

I always enter with a cover up, wear a cover up between sets and leave in a cover up regardless of what I am wearing under it. Because of that I wear sweats, jeans, t-shirts, etc. I go to restaurant gigs straight from work in a biochemistry laboratory so if I wear nice clothes, they will get destroyed.

If I am meeting friends between sets, I also stay in my cover up. The management has asked that I not change into "regular" clothes between sets because they don't want the customers thinking I am leaving. Staying in my cover up reassures the customers that the belly dancer is in the house and will be dancing again.

Sweats + cover up = really warm and comfy:)

I usually drive home in my cover up and just hope I don't get pulled over! Sometimes if I go to the store/gas station afterwards, I remove it in the car to avoid weird situations.

I usually get pretty dressed up to go dance. The restaurant owner is a bit of a fashionista so she appreciates it but really my first teacher said the moment you walk through the door you're "on." I try to be glamorous without being slutty or garish. And to be honest, it's an opportunity to wear the fun stuff in my wardrobe. Between gigs I usually change back into regular clothes but it sort of depends on timing. If I know I'm going to being doing two sets, I wear something more comfortable and lightweight.

Mostly jeans with a smart top. I look to be not the smartest person in the place, but not the scruffy-est either, but definately 'off duty' so that people don't come and ask for another performance or a lesson while I'm eating, trousers definately helps.

If I'm at a wedding or posh doo I'll again look to be in the same category by wearing a nice dress, and making sure any man with me is wearing suit. There's less problem with 'off duty' performace / lesson requests at posh gigs.

In between sets, I would wear a coverup. I've seen a lot of other dancers do this too. I've seen some high profile dancers wear jeans too where they still looked nice. If an establishment is really dressy though I would lean more toward that dress code. But no matter what you wear, you should always look nice because you are always "on."

I mostly wear posh jeans and a nice shirt but have been thinking of wearing a cover up it's just I don't have any.

So now I'm curious to see what you in your cover up in between sets look like. Do you wear a 'regular' cotton galabya, a sheer khaleegi style one, is it embellished etc?

Pics of you girls in the actual cover up would be great!

B

I have the most obnoxious red satin mu-mu with gold embroidery down the front. It was fine for student nights when I was hanging out mostly in the back and maybe making a run to the restroom but now that I have a gig that I drive to in my coverup, I think I need to get something less ... visible from outerspace.

Originally Posted by rakkasah_barbara

I mostly wear posh jeans and a nice shirt but have been thinking of wearing a cover up it's just I don't have any.

So now I'm curious to see what you in your cover up in between sets look like. Do you wear a 'regular' cotton galabya, a sheer khaleegi style one, is it embellished etc?

Pics of you girls in the actual cover up would be great!

B

I have a pretty one that's gold and purple, but the threads snag like crazy on beads ad rives me up the wall. I recently bought a cotton one that has some heavy emroidery on the front, but it never snags. I'll see if I can find a pic.

Does anyone have any recommendations on where to find open-front cover ups? I have looked at Dahlal and wish that had one that was a little more elaborate... Moondance has velvet coats, but I have not really heard good things about their service. I have searched eBay. Is there someplace I haven't tried yet?

I bought a bunch in Egypt this summer, but when I've needed them before I did ebay searches for abayas and galabeyas. Some of the Saudi abayas open front and they come in a nice drapey crepe fabric with most of them in black or black with ornamentation. :)

I just bought a pretty Sari fabric and made one myself.