Does anyone wear tights with costumes?

[Nia_AK]

Hi everyone,

This is my first post, but I've been lurking for awhile.

I have a question about costumes. I just bought some ballroom dance shoes to wear instead of hermes sandals finally. (I'll still be stuck with the old gladiator shoes for troupe and outdoor performances, but oh well. I hate them; the straps cut into my ankles.)

Anyway, the lady who sold me the ballroom shoes also sold me some capezio tights to wear with them. I tried to explain that bellydancers don't usually wear tights, but she said I should, because it makes a nicer line with the shoes. Then I was thinking, I would be more confident showing some of my legs if I was wearing tights, I could get a skirt with a side slit or something. I like the shape of my legs, just not the blue veins and everything else that's wrong with them.

Do you think it would look weird to wear dance tights with my costumes? I realize it doesn't matter too much, I mainly only perform at haflas and workshops and around town. And I also just wanted to finally post something and say hello!

Nia

[zumarrad]

I see no reason why not. You might have to roll them down at the hip is all.

[tamrahennatx]

I think you will perform your best if you wear what makes you feel comfortable (and beautiful!) I've noticed in some videos that it appears that some of the Lebanese dancers wear hose with their costumes. If you think the tights will help you feel more confident, by all means wear them!

[kamilia]

I hate my legs, so I wear fishnets. I don't even like pantyhose because they only make make my ham hocks shinier. Pantyhose are great when you don't have even color, need more color, or want some support. For me, I like total reshaping and binding so I go with those professional quality fishnets.

They also disguise mosquito bites and bruises fairly well

I agree that you should do whatever makes you more comfortable. I feel much more confident when my legs are bound by powerful elastics.

[Lauren_]

I can't think of a reason why not, if it makes you happy!

[kashmir]

I often wear pantyhose or fishnets with a costume. Why not? Providing you have suitable shoes.

[sabrinabellydancer]

if you look at some of the old 60's and 70's bd videos, you will notice a lot of the greats wore a full body stocking, including legs, under the high slit skirts [in some shows]

if you chose tights with bare feet, you can sew the bottom of the tights to pretty matching fabric/ fringe anklets.

imo, skin colored tights would look best. however, last weekend i saw a dancer in skin colored tights with tiny sparkles sprinkled all over the legs. it was beautiful and those are now on my want list as well :)

wear what ever you want and have a great time!

[lisamandin]

Can you get them to sit at your hips?? Usually tights go way up to do some tummy shaping action. I would hate to have nylon lurking up during your show.

[Bellydancingcaroline]

I saw a dancer in cairo wearing stirrup tights, there were sequins/rhinestones around the stirrup bit at the bottom. I thought about this, but then thought it would shorten my already short legs. Also the waist on the tights causes a double belly effect under the more shiny figure hugging customes.

[artemisia_danst]

i wear shiny goldish/flesh colour thighs with a white costume. i bought the tights cause there was a rip in the mesh covering the cutout. i hadnt had time to do the repairs, so for this one gig i put the tights on in stead (so the cutout on my but/thigh would be covered)... and i loved the look, felt much better showing my legs, etc... so i also just figured, why not!

problem for me is that they feel like they are always riding down, even when they are not...

Artemisia

[SamiraShuruk]

I think the nude fishnets are both classy and sexy at the same time. :)
In thinking about how to avoid such a big roll-over at the waist or the feeling of them riding down I remembered I've seen low-rise tights.
Lots of low-rise tights options came up with a google search...even http://www.lowrisetights.com/ !!

[sumayasaahir]

wow, lowrise tights, they think of everything, dont they!

[Souzan]

Oh, definitely wear them. I sometimes wear pantyhose. And I've seen dancers with full body tights, footless tights, and footed tights. Recently I found some really nice silvery sparkly hose to wear with a blue and silver dress that has high slits in the skirt.

I am really fair and every little imperfection shows up on my skin. So if I don't wear hose or sheer harem pants (when appropriate for the costume) I use spray-on "silk stockings." Lovely matt finish with even color. Doesn't rub off. Contains silk fibers and looks and feels like silk hose. I've also used it on my arms if I have mosquito bites or scratches.

Souzan

[dujah]

Hi! It is fishnet all the way for me. I especially like the complete net that has the legs, it is nice to wear under beautiful Bella costumes when they have many cutouts.

[Nisima]

No, I don't wear tights - too hot,hot, hot and not in good way!
And, I'd worry about "spray on pantihose" getting on fabric of costume.

Last year in April in Dallas, Lucy of Cairo wore footless jazz tights and body stocking underneath her yellow silk and black beledi dress for her cane performance. I was impressed - what with the long sleeves and long performance, she had to be toasty warm in all those close fitting layers of costuming. But whatever makes a dancer feel comfortable is fine, I just couldn't do it.
So, my solution is most of my costumes skirts do not have slits much above the kneee. Any that have high slits I either wear another lightweight skirt or semi-sheer harem pants - still cooler than tights, but that's me.

[Lauren_]

Originally Posted by Nisima

Lucy of Cairo wore footless jazz tights and body stocking underneath her yellow silk and black beledi dress for her cane performance. I was impressed - what with the long sleeves and long performance, she had to be toasty warm in all those close fitting layers of costuming.

When Andrea & I were in Cairo the temps got down to about 70 and all the Cairo natives were wearing heavy sweaters -- I even saw winter coats!

So maybe Lucy's heat tolerance is different than ours?

[Nisima]

Originally Posted by Lauren_

When Andrea & I were in Cairo the temps got down to about 70 and all the Cairo natives were wearing heavy sweaters -- I even saw winter coats!

So maybe Lucy's heat tolerance is different than ours?

Yeah, I was thinking that, too - Lucy told us that she dances five hours a day in her nightly shows and swims during the day (probably when temp. in Cairo hits 120 or something - in that case I'd be afraid to even venture outside an air-conditioned hotel. I was in Sacramento, California when it got to 115 and that felt like an oven to me.

Heat tolerance is a funny thing, my Hawaiian in-laws come here and find SF Bay Area "freezing" and they can't get warm enough and then the Chicagoans come in during our winter and consider us wimps for even bothering wearing a coat when it's 50 outside 'cuz in Chicago the temp is below zero and wind chill even worse.

But, summer winter fall, I could never abide wearing pantyhose let alone tights under my costume. Nope, can't do it.

[perizaad]

I've worn both Capezio and Bloch low-rise tights (although not for belly-dance). Both were very comfy and didn't roll down or anything. I don't think either make them in a fishnet though

[vilia]

Originally Posted by SamiraShuruk

I think the nude fishnets are both classy and sexy at the same time. :)
In thinking about how to avoid such a big roll-over at the waist or the feeling of them riding down I remembered I've seen low-rise tights.

Before the days of low-rise, some of us used to cut off the elastic band. It allowed them to sit lower down without the big lump or the muffin top effect. They stayed up 'cos they were pinned to the belt of the costume. In later years I stopped wearing them and just kept the legs more covered (so much more comfortable).

[MelanieLA]

I love fishnets, they're sexy and classy with shoes.

[Nia_AK]

Thanks for all the replies!! I didn't go to work yesterday so I couldn't check the thread. I think fishnet would look neat actually! I might try that. The only thing I don't like with hose or tights is the color difference it causes with my pale skin.

Nia

[elisagamal]

dahlia, current bellydancer of the universe, wears nude stirrup dance tights with her costumes. just to add one more dancer to the list. :)