PHOTO CREDIT: Above photo by John Rickman Photography, San Jose, California.

To create the illusion of larger hips, the belt is more important than the style of skirt. A small-hipped dancer could wear almost any style of skirt, keeping in mind that a fuller skirt will make your lower half appear shorter as well as wider. For this reason, a circle skirt or full harem pants would be best for a taller, small-hipped figure and a straight or slightly flared skirt or slim harem pants would flatter a shorter figure.

The belt is where you can build width using horizontal borders, thick cording, large jewels, short fringe, big beads, side tassels, and drapes. A drape is an extra veil or scarf that is tucked into the side of the belt as illustrated to create width and movement.

If you add tassels to the side of belt, sewing them to a large round bead on the belt will make them appear more prominent and dangle more freely.

Click on the image to the right to see the illustration in more detail.

• Ask The Costume Goddess: Thin Dancer. If you're slender all over, this may give you additional ideas on how best to flatter your figure.
• Ask The Costume Goddess: Hip Drape. How to make a hip drape like the one pictured in the "Do" diagram above.

• Making A Circle Skirt. Shira explains how to make a circle skirt like the kind suggested for a tall dancer with slim hips.
• The Costume Goddess Tells All: Flattering Costume for Bellydancers. Review of book by Dina Lydia.

Dina has been sewing for more than twenty-five years (yes, she started as a toddler!)

She's also an artist (Maryland Institute of Art) and perfected her sewing techniques apprenticed to various designers, freelancing for small theaters, restyling vintage garments, and altering wedding gowns.

Dina fell in love with belly dancing costumes upon her very first lesson. Now the pleasure of wearing her own designs, and seeing others wear them, offers as much pleasure as dancing. She's become expert as well in altering those troublesome ready-made Egyptian costumes, and modifying designs to flatter individual figures.

She holds workshops in Seattle to teach design and construction of cabaret costumes, and analysis of figure characteristics. She will also give private lessons, or resize or repair a secondhand costume. She's thus earned her Costume Goddess title.

The Costume Goddess Tells All Costuming Books

Dina has published six books of her own on belly dance costuming as well as writing nearly all the costuming section for The Belly Dance Book. For information on her series of books, The Costume Goddess Tells All, see her web site at www.costumegoddess.com. For reviews here on Shira.net of some of her books, see:

• Volume 1: Flattering Costume for Bellydancers. Advice on designing a belly dance costume that will look flattering for your figure type.
• Volume 2: Easy Costume for Bellydancers. Explains how to create easy-to-make costume items if you have very little sewing experience.
• Volume 3: Cabaret Belt and Bra for Bellydancers. Detailed instructions for making your own bra/belt set. Emphasis on the beaded/sequined look, but some coin information too.
• Volume 4: Arm Costume for Bellydancers. Creative ideas for sleeves, armbands, gauntlets, and drapes.
• Volume 5: Tribal Toppings for Bellydancers. Cholis, vests, and other tops suitable for U.S. Tribal costuming.
• Volume 6: Thrifty Chic for Bellydancers. Transforming thrift shop bargains into belly dance costume pieces.
• Volume 7: Headpieces for Bellydancers. Many simple, inexpensive ideas for costuming from the neck up.