I know we're not supposed to laugh at costumes any more....

[naiyahayal]

Originally Posted by Bellydancingcaroline

You know, I'd rather hear this stuff on a forum, than have people whispering at a hafla, if you know what people thing, you can still do exactly what you like, but have an insightful amount of irony & humour that you can pull out if required.

Also, sometimes people can pull things off in the moment, on the stage, with the music etc. Sort of like how Parisian women can wear cammo netting capri pants, and somehow make it look chic or like how abba looked great in their clothes and everyone else following that fashion looked awful. If i owned the canary yellow dress, I would wear it with yellow feathers in my hair, studded with diamontes :-)

You're right -- I can just see myself going out there and thinking I'm really hot stuff in that costume and not having a clue what all the snickering and whispering is about! -- at least now I have the benefit of some valuable input. So I'm thinking the yellow feathers and diamonte in my hair sounds just about right .....

[naiyahayal]

Originally Posted by ssipes

Hi Naiyahayal:

You are right, it was a coarse comment. I'm sorry that it hurt your feelings.

Sedonia

thanks -- 's okay, I took myself too seriously there ........ it's a Leo thing ...
....

....SOOOOOO if I promise to keep my sense of humor and drop the righteous indignation, can I come back and play? Huh? Huh? Please, please?

[Lauren_]

Originally Posted by naiyahayal

thanks -- 's okay, I took myself too seriously there ........ it's a Leo thing ...
....

....SOOOOOO if I promise to keep my sense of humor and drop the righteous indignation, can I come back and play? Huh? Huh? Please, please?

Oh, please do! Gotta love a Leo who can forgive & forget.

The costume will never be my favorite, but I HATE some of Dina's costumes, and Mona's, and Nadia Gamal's. It doesn't stop me from loving them or enjoying their dance.

[ouroboros]

Originally Posted by *maria*

I haven't seen anything that tops that snake one, except MAYBE the starfish merkin one.
Which is a close second.

The thing about the snake costume is DID THE DESIGNER NEVER HEAR OF SIGMUND FREUD?

I can just picture a Freudian psychiatrist overloading and <thump> hit the floor in a dead faint after seeing a dancer writhing around in that get-up...

[AngelaDiCaprio]

Originally Posted by wigglewhiz

And the ass-outs, which I hate hate hate, but I think everybody probably agrees they're a little much.

This everybody doesn't agree.... I like the ass-outs!!! So long as its not mine

Then again if I had the butt to pull it off, I would probably try...

Anyone remember the denim jeans ass outs of the 70's? You could wear them and get a tan the shape of the cut out.

[Gwoofer]

Originally Posted by naiyahayal

........ Sorry, but this kinda hurt......

Tanya - where are your convictions woman . You gotta be tougher than this. I wear bobbing fake canaries in my hair, where would I be if I minded friends having a hoot

Seriously, I have a friend who does a site of fuglies - every time she gets something up there that she thinks is a big stinker I think it's cute, really cute, as in I'd wear it in a nano second. She's embarrassed to be seen with me, which only inspires me more .

Just think of how you probably feel about half the weirdness that is on elite runways and WEAR IT WITH PRIDE !!

[Gwoofer]

Originally Posted by firefly5

Minge is pubic hair. Great word, I love it!

Bwa haahaahaahaaaaaaa haa haaa

[Shaunte]

Originally Posted by danidance

Yellow and black and can be interesting but it's a hard color combo.

And this bird motif? why? WTF? I think Eman needs to take a deep breath. Or rein in anyone who might have come on board to help her be more "creative" (not saying that's so but this is so odd).

It's hideous. But, what is Dahlal thinking putting it on their site?

As a long-time admirer and now vendor of Eman Zaki costumes, I thought I would chime in here. Eman is a couture fashion designer in the world of belly dance costumes and that's what sets her apart from the other top costume designers. In fact, she gets much of her inspiration from fashion magazines and couture runway shows-probably why I love her so much. I admire her ability and willingness to step completely out of the box and stand by her 100%. And I'm saying this not because I vend her costumes, it's actually because of this reason that I vend her costumes. I've only been vending for the last 2 months and I've been wearing her designs almost exclusively for the last 2 years. Now I love Bellas, Pharonics, and Sahars as much as the next dancer but Eman is a creative genius. You have to give it to her, she comes out with designs that weren't even a concept before. The gold pharonic from years ago is example of that.

When I received the bird-inspired costume, I presented it full-well knowing that it would elicit a very strong and mixed reaction and was fully prepared for it. I also knew that this costume would not be for every dancer. It's for the dancer that can for example rock a pair of Chanel sunglasses during a performance (Marcela ) and pull it off. It's also not the costume for the average hafla, festival, or even restaurant gig. This costume takes thought to pull off, the right dancer, music, venue, accessories (isis wings), etc. There's nothing wrong with that though. Why shouldn't we have costumes out there like that? It's not a vulgar costume, the fit is AMAZING, and it's bound to get people talking:) I actually ordered one for myself in a different color and have several other pending custom orders for this same design for other dancers.

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with discussing costumes and even criticizing them, when it's done in a constructive way. I wouldn't wear every costume that Eman has made, because I can't pull every one of them off and some just don't appeal to my own personal style. But when it gets to the point where dancers now feel intimidated or self-conscious about stepping out of the box because of fear of a thread that may be started in an online bellydance community or when there is discussion of reigning in someones creative process whether it's Eman or any other designer, I think that's wrong.

Shaunte

[Lauren_]

One of the things I love about couture is it's outrageousness. Most of the stuff on the runway isn't meant to be worn out to dinner at Applebee's. It's meant to provoke strong reactions, challenge the status quo, get people talking.

I'm sorry, but a costume with a boob-bird and random feathers begs to be talked about. It begs to be loved or hated. The biggest insult you could give such a costume is to ignore it or yawn in its face.

No way did Eman Zaki finish that costume and quietly set it aside on the pile expecting it to languish somewhere without comment. She probably chuckled and thought "Let's see what they have to say about THAT."

When I wore a outrageous costume and wound up on a UBDC thread on tribe, I laughed. Because I knew it was outrageous, that was kinda the point!

Sorry, I know I'm belaboring the point, but if you're going to design or wear something that outrageous, you do it with the intention of provoking a strong reaction. Hopefully you do it with a sense of humor, tongue in cheek, with yellow flowers or canaries in your hair because that makes it lovable and wacky and fun!

If you do it with a big ole chip on your shoulder, you're going to get hurt.

[Lauren_]

p.s. I want to add that those of us who commented on the costume DID apologize to the dancer whose feelings were hurt, and I really appreciate that she spoke up instead of just sulking or stomping off.

[Shaunte]

Originally Posted by Lauren_

One of the things I love about couture is it's outrageousness. Most of the stuff on the runway isn't meant to be worn out to dinner at Applebee's. It's meant to provoke strong reactions, challenge the status quo, get people talking.

I'm sorry, but a costume with a boob-bird and random feathers begs to be talked about. It begs to be loved or hated. The biggest insult you could give such a costume is to ignore it or yawn in its face.

No way did Eman Zaki finish that costume and quietly set it aside on the pile expecting it to languish somewhere without comment. She probably chuckled and thought "Let's see what they have to say about THAT."

When I wore a outrageous costume and wound up on a UBDC thread on tribe, I laughed. Because I knew it was outrageous, that was kinda the point!

Sorry, I know I'm belaboring the point, but if you're going to design or wear something that outrageous, you do it with the intention of provoking a strong reaction. Hopefully you do it with a sense of humor, tongue in cheek, with yellow flowers or canaries in your hair because that makes it lovable and wacky and fun!

If you do it with a big ole chip on your shoulder, you're going to get hurt.

I totally agree

[jessedan]

That snake costume used to be on Turkish Emporiums website, but theirs was gold with black slithering snakes. It must not have been a big seller because I see they've now removed it from their catalog, along with their red white and blue stars and stripes costume. I think Evel Kneivel would have appreciated that one.

Regards
Priscilla

Just because you are a big designer, who, by the way, has terrible customer service in my experience, doesn't mean we shouldn't comment or criticize.
After all, we are her customers.

[Shaunte]

Originally Posted by Lauren_

p.s. I want to add that those of us who commented on the costume DID apologize to the dancer whose feelings were hurt, and I really appreciate that she spoke up instead of just sulking or stomping off.

My comments about dancers feeling bad at the end of my post weren't in reference to this thread as I did read the apologies, but rather my feeling about constructively criticizing costumes in general.

any costume with giant cut outs along the sides that go on the as$ is vulgar to me.
Hate 'em.
(and I'm not a jealous hater, because I do have a nice, non-stretch marked, non-cellulite as$) does that mean I SHOULD wear it.

I see bellydance fashion victims in our future.

BTW: I was a victim of a bellydance costume disaster which I wore once, everyone HATED, and I sold it to the one dancer who loved it.
It was a green contraption with more sparkles and paillettes then you could believe.It was a definite UBDC.
Did I cry and have a fit and insulted because everyone thought it was horrendous.
No. I took a second look at it and said, well, I still like it, but you gotta please your audience, and I sold it.
To the ONE dancer who liked it.

[Shaunte]

Originally Posted by *maria*

Just because you are a big designer, who, by the way, has terrible customer service in my experience, doesn't mean we shouldn't comment or criticize.
After all, we are her customers.

I'm not sure if this is in reference to my post, but I never said you shouldn't comment or criticize. Actually I said there's nothing wrong with it as long as it's done in a constructive way as I always thought of BHUZ as being a supportive community for belly dance.

I also don't expect everyone to put full creative trust in Eman, that's just my own personal feelings for her.

Re. her cust. srvc, I can't really comment on that as I've always had great experience with her.

Putting creative trust in a designer - I really do think they need to design for their customers in mind. Yes, do a crazy over the top costume once in a while, but, what's wrong with having fun with it?
Let's look at the cutouts, shall we? The trend started slowly, now we have complete asses out there, thongs peeking through costumes, etc.

[Shaunte]

Originally Posted by *maria*

Putting creative trust in a designer - I really do think they need to design for their customers in mind. Yes, do a crazy over the top costume once in a while, but, what's wrong with having fun with it?
Let's look at the cutouts, shall we? The trend started slowly, now we have complete asses out there, thongs peeking through costumes, etc.

When I say creative trust, I mean that I am fully comfortable wiring Eman a lump sum of money and telling her to send me whatever she thinks I would like to have in my inventory or telling her to make me a costume in green that would fit my style.

Eman does design with dancers in mind, she's a retired dancer. She didn't produce a full collection of outrageuos bird costumes. Her latest line goes from very minimalist subdued pieces to the outrageous bird costume with everything in the middle.

[SummerSahar]

Originally Posted by *maria*

Putting creative trust in a designer - I really do think they need to design for their customers in mind. Yes, do a crazy over the top costume once in a while, but, what's wrong with having fun with it?

I don't blame the designers for coming out with over-the-top designs. They must get SO bored making "safe" designs for dancers that start to all want the same look. I've heard stories about a crazy Bella costume in the Istanbul shop where a sparkly spider sat and draped over the shoulder. I'm sure this is the type of thing designers do to crack themselves up to break free of the monotony of what their customers want. Honestly, if I could afford it, I'd LOVE to have a small collection of crazy costumes that make people talk. I'd love for patrons at my restaurants to come in excited to see what crazy sh*t I'm going to pull at my show that night (much like Dina). I love seeing whimsical costumes on dancers as much as I love seeing beautiful/safe ones. Nothing wrong with stirring things up every now and then!

[Shaunte]

Originally Posted by *maria*</