[tahiradancer]

As someone who is a DD and relatively normal hip size (currently 38, usually 36 but working on it) I agree that it is more diffucult to get a costume which is the proper size but not impossible. Kinda like shopping for that bikini, sometimes it's simply easier to buy a one piece and have done! ;-)

Now that having been said, I agree with Viv that halters are more secure than over the shoulder BUT when you are large busted, this will also cause soem neck strain, so the answer is to add straps. If the costume is a halter, add shoulder straps. Many dancers find that a crossed back is the best compromise.

I personally would go with a bra where the cups are set a little closer together than apart. While not TOO close together. The reason for this being that, while yes you are cleavage-y, you are generally more secure and your breasts will not be moving (as long as the cup is big enough.)

As for the mesh or lattace work over the chest attached to a collar - this is tricky. Because, as you speculated, chances are you will have to adjust the individual straps inorder for it to lie properly. Costumes are measured for soem mythical dancer who soemtimes has odd measurements. Hence the sholder straps which measure 20 inces long EACH! Sometimes. So it is sometimes diffucult when not a 'standard' size to get a costume with these kinds of details which doesn't need serious work done on it.

As for the fringe question - If you get a bra with lots of fringe and you don't like it, feel free to take it off. I have done this on several which had fringe all around and it worked well. In my experience, being short waisted, fringe on the cups should be only barely longer then the cups themselves and belly drapes should not be very wide. but that is the aestectic which I feel looks best on me.

Belts can also be a challenge. As Vivi said, Turksih belts are great because they are two pieces and they are more easily adjusted. BUT because they have wiring, scollops, etc, they are also a little more fragile. Now the nice thing which is happening is that there are a few Egyptian designers who are adapting the two piece design. (I have found that this is also very old skool American Cab. I collect and wear vintage costumes. Several are built on the one piece to wrap around and a big center piece. this allows you to adjust your costume symetrically AND you have the great hug the butt feature.)

One note on Pyramid Import costumes - and this is my personal experience. I did not find the bedlahs to be very flexible. In otherwords, I found them to be very diffucult to adjust to my size. they were stiff, heavy and a little unweldy. And when I tried to tilt the cups. I lost about one square inch of beads, which should not have happened. It was an overall frustrating experience which lead to my three year search for the perfect gold costume. I now own 2.


{{{HUGS}}}}