Belly dance is a fascinating and captivating sight. But the way the dancer is dressed plays a huge role in his perception. The costumes amaze with the abundance of brilliant bright details, the lightness of the fabrics. An additional effect is created by the accessories ringing during the movements. Of course, you can purchase a costume created by professional craftswomen, but you can show a little imagination and skill and try to create a costume on your own that will make the oriental dance unforgettable.
Traditionally, the costume for oriental dance consists of a long skirt or loose trousers with a belt and an embroidered bodice. To make it, you will need a lightweight organza-type fabric, thick fabric for the belt and a ready-made bra. You can decorate the costume depending on your own preferences and imagination. Beads, sequins, coins with drilled holes, beads of various sizes and textures, thin chains and much more can be used.
Skirt making
As already mentioned, the suit can include loose harem pants, but the skirt is easier to sew. There are several traditional models of belly dancing skirts, the simplest of which is the sun skirt. Sewn from a light translucent fabric, it will drape beautifully and will not hinder your movements while dancing.
Better to make an ankle-length skirt. A floor-length skirt will interfere with dance moves, given that belly dancing is usually performed barefoot or in soft, flat shoes. A shorter skirt, of course, also has a right to exist, but it will not look so impressive.
Having cut out a sun skirt, it is enough to process the bottom edge and fasten the top with an elastic band. It is not scary that this does not seem very aesthetic - after all, the main decoration of the skirt is a wide belt, which is worn separately.
Belt making
The belt is made of dense fabric - it must keep its shape. You can cut it out of old jeans, and trim the top with shiny brocade, satin, or other smart opaque fabric. When making a belt, it must be borne in mind that it will be attached to the hips, not the waist. The belt should be quite wide (about 2 palms wide), any shape can be given to it: from the simplest to the pretentious, asymmetric, with beautiful curves.
The belt must be securely fastened to the hips, so a good fastening must be provided. The easiest way is to take the Velcro strap, so it will be easy to adjust the tightness of the belt to the body.
You can decorate the finished belt with sequins, beadwork, in any other way. The main thing is that the belt is bright and elegant. Remember that he is one of the central details that will attract attention during the dance. Various pendants look very impressive on the belt. It is even better if they will emit a slight ringing, therefore, for pendants it is good to use coins, chains, threads with beads or beads strung on them. The length of the pendants can be chosen at your own discretion, but such decorations with a length of 15 cm or more look the most advantageous.
Making a bodice
A ready-made bra as a base for the top of a suit will save you the hassle of putting it on. It will fit snugly and highlight your dignity. It is better to take a model from a dense (possibly satin) material, without lace and other decorations that give out underwear in this detail. Alternatively, it is a good idea to use sports underwear: it is quite dense, fits well and does not interfere with movement. If you can choose a bra to match the skirt, you can decorate it not so intensely, but if the color is significantly different, you will have to close it tightly with beaded embroidery or sequins so that the base fabric is not visible.
It is also fashionable to decorate the top of the suit with pendants, similar to the pendants on the skirt, along the bottom of the bra - this will add charm to the suit. Pendants can be either very short or reaching the waist.
Optional accessories
To make the costume complete, you can complement it with anklet and hand bracelets, light sleeves with elastic bands made of the same fabric as the skirt, jewelry or a light scarf on your head.
