[bellydancerinfo]

Bottom line-
The costumes are cheeper FOR A REASON.

Labor is not treated as well as labor in the US. No health care, no retirement, no socail services, no unemployement, no medical leave, no holiday pay. It doesnt matter the age. in poor countries, any money is good money.

If you wish to purchase costumes from over seas you are not supporting your fellow artists in the US - you chose to pay less and therefor allow those workers to not be taken care of as well as if you paid a fair price for that designer/sewers care. I will never get into designing and selling because I can not get a price for my work that will pay for my well being-- because everyone would rather purchase over seas for less than the supplies cost me to make it.

So - buy where you like. Just know the reality of what it means.

I like to support locally as much as I can. the extra price tag comes with that. But I shop and purchase everywhere too. so we all contribute to this.