Ask The Costume Goddess:

Battle Of The Hip Bulge

By Dina

Dear Costume Goddess,

I have well-padded hips and rudimentary sewing skills. I am a dab hand at sewing simple skirts
and harem pants with elasticised waists, but zippers are way out of my league! Can you give me any tips about how to produce an elasticised waistband that doesn't push my generous hip padding up and over the top of the skirt, resulting in the "overflowing cappuccino" look? It can be quite attractive in a coffee cup but tends to detract from a performance costume!

---Generously Hipped

Dear Hipped,

Yes, tight elastic will cut into soft flesh, creating bulges where we don't want them. This is true at the hip, midriff, back and upper arm (see Flabby Arms column). If it's a problem, we have to find another way to fasten our costumes, or design them differently.

I can think of several alternatives. Making the skirt elastic looser might help, and if it feels like it might slip down, you might sew it or pin it to your hip belt or scarf.

Or avoid elastic altogether, and make a skirt closure as illustrated without a zipper. Make a casing as usual at skirt edge, but first leave an opening at seam long enough (three or four inches) for skirt to slip over hips. Use non-stretch ribbon instead of elastic in the casing, and pull it through to make your gathers, then stitch one end to casing. Try on skirt, pin opening shut, and adjust this ribbon until the skirt sits on your hips where you want it. Then stitch the other end to casing. Illustration Of Skirt Closure

Now you have an open seam in your skirt. Neatly narrow hem the opening by hand or machine by turning the edge under twice. Use hooks and eyes, or flat buttons and loops to close the slit. Your hip scarf or belt, and the folds of the skirt will cover this.

Diagram Of Do's And Dont's Ideally your hip scarf or cabaret belt will cover your hips at an angle as illustrated, with some kind of decoration at center, and this will minimize the appearance of hip bulge, if I may call it that.

--The Costume Goddess

Other articles on this web site that you may find helpful include:

Ask The Costume Goddess: Flabby Arms. How to minimize the appearance of soft or generously-sized upper arms.

Ask The Costume Goddess: A Pear-Shaped Figure. Advice on how to use artful costuming to disguise "saddlebags".

About The Costume Goddess

For more great advice from the Costume Goddess, access to a photo gallery featuring her wearing some of her own costumes, and to learn about her background, please visit the main menu for Ask The Costume Goddess.

Ask The Costume Goddess:

Battle Of The Hip Bulge

By Dina

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