Belly Dance Costumes:
Making Your Own

• General Advice
• Costume Fabrics
• Online Patterns

• Fitting & Alterations
• How to Sew

• Belly Dance Costume Patterns. Guide to commercially-available patterns suitable for costumes.

• Tips & Tricks for Dyeing Costume Pieces. Contributed by many dancers on tribe.net. Added July 24, 2009.

• In Search of Authentic Middle Eastern Fabrics. Fabrics that provide a traditional look. By Arabella.
• Costume Fabric Choices. Picking fabrics that work well for belly dancing. By Dina Lydia, the Costume Goddess.

• Sewing With Glitter Dot Fabric. Tips for using this difficult-to-sew fabric. By Dina Lydia, the Costume Goddess.

By Arabella

• Easy-to-Make Baggy Pants: One Size Fits Most. Even if you are not good at sewing.
• Pharaonic Collar, Headband, Wristbands, & Dress

• Quick Salwar (Pantaloons). Make your own pattern - easily!
• Narrow Salwar (Pantaloons). Use only 1 1/3 yard of fabric.

By Shira

• How to Make a Rectangular Head Scarf
• How to Make a Cleopatra-Style Headdress. Added June 20, 2009.
• How to Make a Pair of Beaded Earrings
• How to Make a Circle Skirt

• How to Make a Semicircular Veil
• How to Make a Rectangular Veil

By Dina Lydia, the Costume Goddess

Skirts

• How To Make An 8-Point Skirt. Three different designs for a flattering skirt.
• Making a Handkerchief Skirt. Make a square handkerchief skirt.
• Making A Multi-Point Skirt. Details on how to make a multi-point skirt.
• Circle Skirt Hem Problems. Why the hem of your circle skirt is uneven.

Belts

• Make Your Own Belt Pattern. Additional clarification of some of the instructions that were provided in Fitting Belts.

Dresses

• Baladi Dress. Hide a scarred or large tummy. Or, pursue a more covered look.
• Baladi Dress With Veil. Is it okay to wear a baladi dress with veil work?

Pants

• Harem Pants. Make pantaloons, and vary the look.

Arm Decorations

• Making Gauntlets. Make gauntlets to match a costume.
• Making Armbands. Accessorize your costume with armbands.
• Sleeve Variations. Creative ideas for accessorizing arms.

Bras

• How To Cover A Bra. Choose a suitable bra, and cover it with costume fabric.
• Beads Connecting Bra. Could strands of beads connect a collar to a bra?
• What About Soft-Cup Bras? Can you use one to make a costume?

Blouses, Vests, & Cholis

• Support With A Choli. How to get the support you need when wearing a choli.
• Making A Ghawazee Vest Or Jacket Pattern. Adapt an existing vest or jacket pattern for making a Ghawazee garment?

Other Items

• How To Make A Veil. Make a belly dance veil.
• Hip Drape. Just what kind of hip drape was the Costume Goddess recommending in the article about the pear-shaped figure?
• Headdress Ideas. Don't step on stage with hair that looks like you just came from your office. These headdress ideas will make you look like a dancer from your head to your toes.

• Easy Shirt & Skirt. Especially nice for busty women.

By Dina Lydia, the Costume Goddess

• Falling Gauntlets. What to do about gauntlets that keep falling down as you dance?
• Battle Of The Hip Bulge. How to deal with "muffin top" just above the belt.
• Tight Sleeves. How do you handle the sleeves on a fitted midriff top so that your top doesn't ride up when you raise your arms?

• Fitting Belts. How do you make a belt fit the curves of your hipline?
• Altering A Belt. What to do about those too-big, ill-fitting Egyptian-made belts?
• Shopping for a Large-Sized Bra. What if you have trouble finding a bra to fit a large bustline?

By Shira

• Making A Narrow Hem. Ideal for curved edges such as circle skirts.
• Bead & Sequin Embellishment for Costumes. Technique used by Egyptian and Turkish costume makers.
• Dangling Paillette Trim for Costumes. Decorating the edge of a garment. Added May 24, 2009.

• Making A Hip Elastic Casing with Wide Bias Tape. Ideal for garments with curved top edges such as skirts.

By Dina Lydia, the Costume Goddess

• Machine-Sewing Sequins
• Making A Ruffled Hem on Sheer Fabric
• Attaching Coins, Beads, Bells

• Making Beaded Fringe
• Sewing With Glitter-Dot Fabric