Costuming

 
This page is designed to give you ideas and sources on how  to make your own costumes. Let your creativity run wild when you design your one of a kind costumes. New items will be added when I run across them.  Have fun and start sewing.

Articles
Books 
Bra Construction 
Choli
Costuming Websites 
eNewsletter
Headdresses
Makeup and Decoration 
Patterns
Veils

Articles  

The Art of Tassel Making - by Michelle

Belly Dance Costumes - by Salome from Orientaldancer.net

Belly Dancing Costumes - by Diaa Khalil

Blousy Dance Pants - by Salome from Orientaldancer.net

Cairo's Costume Disasters - by Leyla Lanty.  Tacky, bizarre and surprising costumes worn by Cairo's stars of oriental dance.  Plenty of photos. Article from the Gilded Serphant.

The Care and Feeding of Costumes - by Michelle

Choosing a Belly Dance Costume - by Lolaness

The Cleopatra Costume on Stage and Film - The following eight pages attempt to provide the researcher with an extensive look at how the character of Cleopatra has been visualized both on stage and in film. The paper began as a major project for The History of Theatrical Costumes at University of Illinois in 1967 and obviously continues to hold my attention.  Paper is by C. David Claudon.

Clone Yourself a Fitting Assistant - by David Page Coffin 
Every sewer needs a dress form. Here are four fast, cheap (and amusing!) ways to make your own.

The Costume - Description of American Nightclub, Tribal Fusion and Egyptian Raqs Sharqi costumes.  Great color photos showing the various costumes.  Tribal Fusion contains a section on makeup.  - from The Art of Middle Eastern Dance (by Shria)

Costume Care - Survey Conducted & Reported by Nadiyah.  Answers to the below questions:

1.  How do you store/pack your costumes?
2.  How do you clean your costumes?
3.  How do you prevent your costumes from molding?
4.  How do you remove odors from your costume?
5.  What is your favorite fabric to work with?
6.  What types of fabrics are the most difficult to maintain?
7.  What styles of costumes seem to be the most troublesome?

Costumes - This page is to be used as a reference for you to understand costumes for Middle Eastern Dance and maybe create your own or at least find a new way to use an existing piece of costuming. - from Middle Eastern Dance page

Costumes for Various Styles of Oriental Dance - from the paper, Origins of Oriental Dance, by Me'ira 

Costuming - all costumes created by Julia DiVerdi.  Note: links on this page will take you to pdf files.  Subjects you will find here are: Tapestry's Tribal Belly Dance Basic Costume Guide - Gored Skirts - Pantaloons - Turban Wraps - Tribal Makeup

Costuming and Makeup - costuming and makeup tips from Thia's website

Costuming Info - from Flying Skirt website.

Easy, Practical Costume Ideas for Students - from Celebrations Bellydance! website

General Costume Suggestions - This article is aimed primarily at the student and amateur dancer, and primarily for planning troupe costuming.  Article by Sedonia  

How to Avoid Costuming Catastrophes - article is by Jasmin Jahal

How to Sew Elastic in Your Zills - by Michelle

Making Belly Dance Costumes - by Relache

Making your Own Costumes - from Sevenveils website

The secret to getting a great fit "off the rack" - by Dahlal from OrientalDancer.net website

Some Help for Your First Costume - by Jilyan al-Shaheen

Stretch Sewing Techniques for Costume Making: tips & tricks by Kerry Stewart

Suggestions for Purchasing Fabric - Buying fabric can be a daunting task if you know nothing about fabrics. I hope that this article can help people get started making good fabric choices.  Article by Sedonia  

Tailoring an Off-The-Shelf Costume - by Michelle

Your First Belly Dance Costume - by Atea

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Books  

Bedlah, Baubles, and Beads
This book focuses exclusively on the "cabaret" style so common in the United States. It is about designing and crafting the elaborate bra and belt sets worn by these belly dancers. Contains hundreds of tips, hints, and directions for making contemporary belly dance costumes.
spiral-bound.

Belly Dance Costume Making - by Vicki Corona

The Costume Goddess Tells All
by Dina has several books in the making and book one is available now.  Order direct from Dina's website

• Flattering Costume for Bellydancers
  This booklet will be spiral-bound with black plastic to lie flat for use while sewing, and contain about 70 pages with 20+thousand words, 95 illustrations, 20 black and white photos, and blank figures for sketching designs.
• Easy Costume for Bellydancers
  This booklet will be spiral-bound with black plastic to lie flat for use while sewing; about 40 pages, numerous illustrations, black and white photos, a measurement chart, and blank figures for sketching designs.
• The Cabaret Belt and Bra for Bellydancers
  This booklet will be spiral-bound with black plastic to lie flat for use while sewing, and contain about 40 pages, with numerous illustrations, black and white photos, and blank figures for sketching designs.
• The Choli and Skirt for Bellydancers
• Costume Sleeves for Bellydancers
  This booklet is 60 pages, including a 24 page Photo Gallery featuring 7 designers.
• Thrift Shop Costumes for Bellydancers
• Headpieces for Bellydancers
  Ten Headbands and Headpieces
  Patterns, Illustrations, and Instructions
  Suggestions on Styling & Accessorizing Hair

Costuming From the Hip
Costuming from the Hip is a comprehensive reference for anyone who works with Middle Eastern dancewear. Dancers, costume makers, designers, and historical re-enactors will like the many illustrations, historical patterns, construction techniques, and hundreds of hints and tips. This 120-page book will take you step-by-step through measuring your body, researching your costume, laying out the patterns, fitting it, and accessorizing your creation.
Spiral-bound - 120 pages (September 1, 1997)
Ibexa Press; ISBN: 0967817005


Embellished Bras: basic techniques, (workshop in a book)
by Dawn Devine Brown, with photography by Barry Brown
Not yet available (note, purchased my copy at Rakkasah, 2003)
Ibex Press, 64 pages, 2003
ISBN 0-9678170-6-4
$20.00

From Turban to Toe Ring
by Dawn Devine Brown, Barry Brown
From Turban to Toe Ring is a guide for designing and making tribal-fusion belly dance wear. This style, which originated in the San Francisco dance community and has spread world-wide, is fast becoming one of the most popular costuming options. Tribal-fusion costuming is an assemblage of design elements pulled from many different tribal, rural, and nomadic peoples from North Africa, across the Near and Middle East, and as far away as India. Surface design techniques, articles of clothing, and jewelry components are fused together to create a look that blends all of these items into an exciting and uniquely individual image for each dancer.
102 pages, spiral-bound
Publication date March 2000
Ibexa press, ISBN 0967817013


Oriental Costumes Their Designs and Colors
by Max Tilke 
This is an eBook with great photos and information on costumes.

The Style File
It is a pleasure to introduce my latest publication - The Style File. With more than 50 illustrations jammed into 40 pages, this little book provides the reader with a handy reference for identifying a wide variety of Middle Eastern dance costume styles. Unlike previous books, this booklet provides a vocabulary for dance costume through illustrations and text.
by Dawn Devine Brown
Ibex Press, 40 pages, 2002
Price $9.00

Search Amazon for more books on belly dance costuming

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Costuming Websites 

The Art of Middle Eastern Dance (by Shria) - Ask the Costume Goddess, (very in-depth page on costuming) 
Costume Construction - from Aziza Sa'id's web site
Costume Definitions - site defines period costumes
Costume Goddess - tips and tricks 
Costume Information - costume must haves for the new troupe performer
Costumer's Manifesto - ancient Egyptian costume links
Crochet for Bellydancers - Free Crochet patterns for handcovers, zill covers, bead and coin necklaces and more. - from Joyful Dancer Fiber Arts Gallery
Desert Moon Dance Academy - This is a place to acquire information and ideas from Middle Eastern folkloric and belly dance costuming. 
Hanezebs Costuming hints & help - this section of Hanezeb's site is dedicated to help beginners and advanced dancers in costuming.
History of Costume - Index - by Braun & Schneider - c.1861-1880

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eNewsletter

Costumer's Notes - This monthly eNewsletter features articles, links, reading lists, product reviews and more.  Edited by Dawn "Davina" Devine Brown, publisher of "From Turban to Toe Ring" and "Costuming from the Hip".

Bra Construction 

The Coin Bra - by Annabella

Constructing a 'Cabaret-Style' Costume Bra - from Anthea's website

Variations & Techniques - part 2 of The Coin Bra - by Annabella

Choli

The Choli - by Annabella

Choli Pattern - pattern and instructions on how to make a choli

Headdresses

Custom Headgear - FAQ's from Middle Eastern Dance Resource Guide.

Head-dresses and Turbans - from Institute of Draped Clothes

How Do I Tie My Scarf? - from Modest Clothing.com

Six Simple Steps to the Perfect Turban - by Sukara

Tribal Turban Wrapping Guide - from Desert Rain (note: this is a pdf file)

Tying the Turban - by Dawn Devine Brown and Barry Brown 

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Makeup and Decoration

Henna Tattooing (Mehndi) - FAQ's from Middle Eastern Dance Resource Guide.

Choosing the Right Foundation - by Makeda from OrientalDancer.net website

Customs of Middle Eastern Makeup and Decoration - FAQ's from Middle Eastern Dance Resource Guide.

Eyebrow Design - by Salome

Eyeshadow Techniques - by Makeda from OrientalDancer.net website

Navel Jewels - FAQ's from Middle Eastern Dance Resource Guide.

Stage Make up - three articles on stage make up, history parts 1 & 2 plus application of stage make up from Gypsy Trail Tribal Dance Co. page.

Stage Makeup - by Sedonia Sipes. The fundamental purpose of stage makeup is to correct the effects of distance and light that would otherwise make your face completely disappear. Stage makeup is important in a Middle Eastern dance performance because your facial expressions are an integral part of the dance; thus the audience must be able to see your face.

Your Make-up Kit: what tools to use - by Makeda from OrientalDancer.net website

Belly Dance Patterns
In this section are websites that contain directions and patterns on making Belly Dance costumes and websites that sell Belly Dance patterns.  Have fun creating your own costumes.

Costume patterns & Instruction

10 Yard Tiered Skirt - instruction and pattern from Annabella's site.

Basic Circular Skirt - in-depth instruction on making a circular skirt from Aziza Sa' id's page.  Includes patterns, instruction, how to figure out yardage and more.

Basic Harem Pants - in-depth instruction on making harem pants from Aziza Sa' id's page.  Includes patterns, instruction, how to figure out yardage and more.

Beaded tassels - instructions on how to make beaded tassels

Circle Skirts Made Easy - by Nadiyah

Costume Tips: harem & cabaret skirt - pattern and instructions on making harem pants and a circular skirt.

Costume Tips: Rafiqa's accent overskirt - pattern and instructions on making four point accent skirt from the Sheikhani Dance Troupe of Colorado Springs.

Ghawazee Coat - this site contains patterns and instructions on making a Ghawazee Coat, Shalwar (harem pants), Blouse and hip belt.

Simple Caftan - instructions & pattern on how to make a caftan.

Where to buy Belly Dance patterns

B.D. Patterns - patterns for skirts, tops, pants, dresses, coats and more.

Belly Dance Costume Pattern: where to get them - info from Shira's page.

Madame X Costumes - a few patterns listed

Pattern's by Atira Fashions -  These patterns can be ordered from Artemis

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Veils 

Costume Tips: full circle cape - costume Tips from the Sheikhani Dance Troupe of Colorado Springs.  Instructions on how to make a circle cape veil.

Making a Dance Veil - from Ruric-Amari website

Making a Semicircular Veil - instructions from Shira's website.

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powered by FreeFind       More about Yasmina Classes & Workshops Performance Schedule Shimmy Bliss Shimmy Bliss eBay Store Yasmina Spotlight Dancer/Troupe of the Month Dunyana Spotlight Link Near East Dance On-line Text Book What's New 2 Workshops with Yasmina July 26th DVD Review: Middle Eastern Percussion Instructional DVD Review by Mick Snookes Updates to: Articles Belly Dance in Motion   Amira  International Emissary of Dance Original Videos, Music & Clothing For Your Belly™. Highest Quality 5-Star Rated Free Bellydancing Music Downloads www.amirasbelly.com   Gypsy Chick Productions   is Proud to Presents…. Three Fabulous Instructors….  One Sizzling Summer of Belly Dance. Only in Sedona! Saturday, May 24 Emily from Oregon’s Circus Tribal  Isolate • drill • sassy combinations $50 workshop Old Town Center for the Arts Cottonwood, Az. 1:30-4:00pm • Dinner Show at the Rock Café! $40 6:30-8:30 ***************** Saturday, June 28 Kathryn Ferguson 1:00-3:30 $50 ($40 by June 1)  Internationally renowned dancer, teacher and choreographer will work with dancers on arm & head positions, performance posture and graceful combinations. Devi Yoga, Sedona • Dinner show at the Rock Café! $40 6:30-8:30pm  *************** Saturday, August 16 Yasmina Spicy, Playful, Fun Combos and More Need some new combinations to spice up your dance? Do you feel like you dance at the same speed all the time? In this workshop you will learn new combinations from the basic combo and adding layers to it to really spice up your dance. These combos are great for both cabaret and tribal dance styles. We will also work on slowing your dance down. Learn tips and techniques to add variety and spice to your performance. 1:00-3:30 Devi Yoga, Sedona $50 ($40 by Aug 1) • Evening Performance at the Rock Café $40 Together with The Gypsy Chicks! 6:30-8:30pm **************** For complete details please contact Holly: 928.300.4452 bodyandmindholly@esedona.net www.gypsychicksdance.com   Carrie Konyha of Sedona, AZ Bellydance performer, instructor, choreographer. Voted Best Teacher in Sedona, Kudos 2007 Readers choice award Weekly classes in Sedona (beginning - advance),  Dance retreats, Workshops & Performances NATIONWIDE Traditional Raqs Sharqi , Tribal & Gypsy Fusion www.gaiadance.net  carrie@gaiadance.net  (928) 282-1587   www.orientaldance.tv allow these beaded heavenly adornments to carry your imagination to a place of joy and spirituality as you experience the mystical language of dance Even if you don’t dance barefoot – consider our lovely foot jewelry as a finishing touch to your photography session while in full costume.   Many of our designs are made with genuine Swarovski crystals that sparkle like the sun.  You’ll look like a Goddess!  And if you’re planning a beach wedding, be sure to take a look at our Beach Bride Collection Seaside Aqua  This pair of handcrafted barefoot sandals combines a mixture of faceted ovals, tiny hearts, rondelles and pony beads in ocean-inspired shades of aqua.  The design is accented with gold Bali rings, ovals and rounds.   (Also available with silver accents instead of gold.) A mother of pearl shell medallion graces the top Handcrafted on durable,  elastic cord An array of designs and colors to match your costumes Available in Small,  Medium & Large Custom designs welcome Jewels by Jan http://www.jewels-by-jan.com   See-fit Body Stockings Your second skin   Designed to be worn under your costume,    in flesh, black or fishnet crystal Lycra. For more info please visit www.see-fit.com Dare to be Bare! Learn to  Belly Dance for fun!!     with Halyma's Belly Dance Lessons on DVD Great gift idea! Available online and in Ottawa Stores now! Clean and clear instructions for the basics of belly dance for any fitness level - no previous experience needed! www.bellydancingforfun.com Halyma@bellydancingforfun.com phone: 613.241.3397    http://thebellydancetrainer.com/     Aradia  of Las Vegas www.aradialv.com aradia11@aol.com (702)808-3430   Shimmy Bliss Costuming Co. Tribal Belly Dance Supplies We receive in new items weekly so please  Check out our websites    www.shimmybliss.com or visit us on  eBay Would you like to see your ad here??  Check out the Ad Page for more info.