Dear Costume Goddess,

Your figure tips are so helpful. Thank you, thank you for the costume design tips! I have a new figure problem for you to tackle, O Great One.

Due to genetics, love of pasta, and lack of concentrated exercises, the backs of my upper arms are flabby! As soon as I put my arms up, gravity does its work and I have two half-moons of flabby flesh flapping in the breeze. How can I keep the focus on my wiggling hips, not my jiggling jelly-arms?

Thanks so much for any help you can give.

--Waving 'Hi' in Western Ohio

Dear Waving,

It seems to me the bare upper arm is a source of concern for costumed bellydancers second only to the tummy. As with any body part that causes a dancer to be self-conscious, my advice is to cover it beautifully and gracefully. No more anxiety.

I'd first like to mention what NOT to do if you have large or soft upper arms. Don't wear snake armbands, fringed armbands, or any armbands because they tend to draw attention to the area rather than camouflaging the problem. Don't wear fitted gauntlets with tight elastic that cuts into the flesh, for the same reason. My solution for big arms is--big sleeves. The photo shows how pretty big sleeves can look on a cabaret costume. With my big sleeves on, my arm movements tend to be more flamboyant rather than subtle and snaky--an example of a costume part influencing one's dancing style.

To the left, I've illustrated several styles of sleeves that are good for big arms. Full blousy sleeves, bell-shaped sleeves or ruffled sleeves like mine cover everything, and have a dramatic gypsy flair. Choose a soft thin or semi-sheer fabric, perhaps with metallic threads or flecks. You might even cut the sleeves off another garment.

If your sleeves are gauntlets that are held up with elastic, try attaching the elastic to the sleeve edge only at two points--the seam and a point opposite the seam. This trick will hold up your gauntlets without revealing any indentation in the flesh, or bunching up the edge of the gauntlet. Another way is to actually tack the sleeve edge to the bra strap at front and back, leaving the shoulder bare. No elastic necessary.

Your sleeves may also be part of a tiny bolero or ghawazee jacket like mine, and this will provide some coverage across your back too, if a bare back feels too revealing. The back of the jacket or the bottom edge could be decorated with tassels, coins, or scalloped trim for an Arabic look and be very charming. You may want to cut out the under-arm area of the jacket in Arabic fashion for more freedom of movement and ventilation. (See column on adjusting a fitted sleeve).

Thank you for your generous compliments, Waving-No-More, I hope this solves your problem.

--The Costume Goddess

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

Ask The Costume Goddess: Adjusting Tight Sleeves. How to adjust fitted sleeves for greater comfort and ease of movement. Ask The Costume Goddess: Falling Gauntlets. Discusses how to prevent your gauntlets from falling down while you dance.

Ask The Costume Goddess: Sleeve Variations. Additional ideas for accessorizing the arms. Ask The Costume Goddess: Jiggly Arms. Suggests arm accessories for camouflaging flabby upper arms.

General: | Home | Shira's Classes | E-Mail Shira | About Shira | Shira's Photo Gallery | Shira's Performances | Troupe | Mailing List |

Belly Dancing Information & How-To's: | About Belly Dancing | How-To's | Middle Eastern Culture | Belly Dancing Fun & Frolic | Belly Dancing Poetry & Art | Reviews: Books, Music, Videos | Find Belly Dancing Teachers/Performers | Tech Talk | Links |

Shopping: | Mugs, Shirts, Mouse Pads | Videos | Toys | Books | Music |

Using This Site: | Table Of Contents (Site Map) | Search This Site | Survey | Behind The Screens |