Help with this dress!

[Souzan]

This is my beautiful Abla Oriental Spice dress shown on Dahlal's website (third dress, black with copper and turquoise beading and sequins):

http://www.dahlal.com/default.aspx?n=1&c=1&s1=1155&s2=0

Bought it abouta year and a half ago and have never worn it because it is too BIG and too LOOOONG. Been procrastinating alterations. But I want to wear it to perform at the Festival on the Nile next weekend. So I gotta get moving on it.

I can take in the darts to fit the torso better, but what about the length? Thinking about taking it up about an inche from under the heavy hip fringe. Maybe making a seam all the way around under the fringe.

Have you ever done something like that before? Problems? Other suggestions. I don't want to cut into anything.

Souzan

[Michelle75]

Oh, I've been wanting that too.
I would take it to a taylor and have them fix it for me b/c I am not the fix it type of person.

Is it as pretty as it looks? Is it heavy?

[Souzan]

It is prettier than on the Dahlal website. Really shines! And way heavy!!!. The net sleeves and godets are beaded and sequined on the inside as well as on the outside so that regardless of which edge is turned out the glitz continues. The hip area under the fringe is also heavilly beaded and sequined so I think I may have to pull the skirt up an inch and sew it to the sequined area for extra support for the fabric.

Souzan

[bintbeled]

Souzan, another idea for shortening a dress is just put some ruching (loose gathering) along the side seams. One of my troupies just did this with a beled dress and it worked very well.

[Souzan]

Thanks, Latifa, thats a good idea. Ruching would probably do less damage to the fabric.

Made the decision this morning not to wear it next weekend afterall. Although it would look gorgeous on the videos. But it is just too darned heavy for hoppin' around doing Raks Assaya.

I love the dress you wore in your recent YouTube video. Did that come from the Belly Dance Store? If so, how true are they to the measurements she lists?

Souzan

[bintbeled]

Souzan, my troupe calls that black and silver dress I wore "the magic dress" because it fits almost everyone on our troupe! Yes, it came from the Bellydancestore. It's a "Habibi Habibi" dress.But I don't know how true the measurements are. Since the store itself is about 5 minutes away from me, I always go and try things on. Shahrzad knows my size and can point me towards the right styles.

Maybe you should start a thread and ask about buying from the store?

Or, another option, to get a dress that fits, contact Lucy Smith at Scherezade Imports and ask her to buy you something off the rack in Egypt. She'll be going to Egypt next month and I'm going with her! Yay!

[ChristinaRizkallah]

That's a pretty costume. I used to own some Ablas-and yes, they are very heavy. The best thing to do is to take it to a seamstress and have them alter if for you especially if you are concerned about cutting into the fabric yourself. Also, if you don't want the seamstress to cut into your fabric she can just fold the fabric down. When I take my costumes to my seamstress, I tell her never to cut the excess fabric, so she usually just folds it down for me.

[Souzan]

Hi Christina,

Great that you have a seamstress who understands what you want. I think I am going to use Latifa's suggestion of ruching at the seams. That way I can let it down a little when wearing heels and take it up a bit easily enough. As a plus sized dancer I think it is so funny that I found a costume that was too big!

Souzan

[Lauren_]

*jedi hand wave*

The best thing to do would be to box up the costume and send it to me. Then buy yourself a new one that fits better.

[bintbeled]

Souzan, if your Abla dress is as heavy as the one I have, be sure to use heavy-duty thread! I would use carpet thread if I were doing it. Good luck!

[yasmindiab]

Originally Posted by Lauren_

*jedi hand wave*

The best thing to do would be to box up the costume and send it to me. Then buy yourself a new one that fits better.

*snort*

Lauren you are too fabulous!