“Are those coasters?”
So far that’s my favorite response from one of a number of onlookers watching me toil over a new belly dance outfit I’ve been making.
When I started taking belly dance lessons a year ago I had no idea of the potential this dance form held for a creative outlet.
But after 12 months of copious perusals of EBAY dance garb and rubbing elbows with more experienced, as well as awesomely decked-out dancers, I’ve found a new reason for living: Here’s my chance to finally use up the bazillion yards of fabric and buckets of craft supplies currently in storage in my garage.
Considering my past life as a serious fabric hound, I figure I have enough brocade, cotton, yarn, fake flowers, feathers and beads to keep me busy until I’m 90.
Of course, that’s the cool thing about the style of belly dance I’m learning. Just about anything goes in the costuming department. Our style has a heavy tribal influence that includes gypsy-esque gathered skirts that go on for miles, bras girded with Afghani coins and bells and Egyptian hip belts in every color of the rainbow.
I think it might also be an unspoken rule that every inch not covered by fabric must be dripping with some sort of turquoise, lapiz or silver jewelry.
That’s fine with me.
The hip belt and bikini-style top set I just finished is pretty groovy, if I do say so myself. For those of you interested in my construction techniques, the base is crocheted out of purple and black chenille. Next, I added gold bells and cowry shells.
To make focal points on the hip belt, I cut circles out of plastic grid then covered the circles in black fabric to use as the foundation for some cowry shell medallions. (These would be the aforementioned “coasters.”) I stitched on the shells, added peyote stitch beadwork around the outside and a round glass bead in the center.
I made four medallions, two large and two small, all placed strategically on my belt.
For a little more zip when I shimmy, I strung multi-colored wool from the front and back bottom of the hip belt. On the sides I added two lengths of a gold chain belt I cut apart. The third chain length hangs from the center bottom of the embellished top.
Aside from other comments that my outfit is “so gaudy”, observers have also remarked that my little creation looks tough to make, but it’s really pretty simple. You’ll find quite a few belly dancers sew like fiends in their spare time.
Constructing your own garments is a great way to get the outfit you want and save money. For instance, a 25-yard gathered cotton skirt, which is considered a fundamental part of your belly dancer wardrobe, goes for about $90.
Ouch.
I found fabric (on EBAY, of course) to make 2 skirts with fabric left over for other projects for $50 including shipping. I figure my new black skirt cost me about $20 to make.
My final ensemble is a purple, black and gold work of art that I’ll be wearing this Saturday and Sunday at the Great Plains Renaissance Festival at Sedgwick County Park in Wichita.
The day will feature a plethora (and I mean a lot) of belly dancers scattered throughout the festival. I’ll be hanging with the Sahara Wind and Prairie Fire dance troupes, taught by Mulvane’s Melody Street, just in case you were wondering.
So, if you think you can handle acres of costumes, loads of people speaking in quasi-celtic accents and bosoms that defy gravity, plan to attend. For more information, click here.
