Quote:
Originally Posted by Nat242
How long should a melaya be?
I'm not performing a melaya leff, just need one to wear to my dance teacher's fancy dress party. It's a middle eastern/egyptian/greek themed party, and I don't really want to go in full bedlah, so I figured, party dress and melaya. I'm a cheat. 
Anyway, I don't think I can buy one by Saturday so I thought I'd make one. Of course I don't have a sewing machine so I don't yet know how I'm going to hem it. 
How long should I buy the chiffon? How wide should it be? Are there specifications or am I asking how long is a piece of string?  It must be black though, is that right?
I'd love some help.
Also - on the off chance any Aussie dancers that could express post me one they're willing to part with, I'd love just to buy it!!! |
The "traditional" meleya is made of a heavy satin NOT chiffon and it is trimmed with pailettes and crochet trim . It's longer than the normal veil as it envelopes the dancer. I would say 4-5 yards. Mine is black but they come in all colours and they're are not cheap.
I'd say if you can get hold of 4 yards of cheap but reasonably heavy satin type material either black or bright red, you're on the right track.You can hand hem the edges if they'd fray. If you've time sew a few pailettes on the narrower edges or even just on a corner.
A melaya dress doesn't have to be an Alexandrian one, it can be the Cairene version more like a tight straight high-necked dress with a mandarin collar ( though you open it of course to look just that little bit..) Any tighter fitting and pretty evening dress long or shorter length should do but make sure ir shows off your curves so with..... lycra!?