Tomorrow I'll be performing at a fète north of Birmingham, which is a staple booking for my teacher and her students. According to one of the old hands, it has rained solidly on this event every June for the last ten years. I suspect that tomorrow will not see a change in this tradition.
We're booked in for a full half hour set, with all dancers remaining 'on stage' (actually an open air arena) for the full course of the show. I am frantically searching through my costumes to find something that is warm and waterproof, or at least won't show up the stain when my hairdye starts to run!
With galeforce misery outside, it's tempting to stay indoors rather than brave the elements, especially as I am well launched into a new project.
I think a silver bedlah is like the 'LBD' of belly dance costumes, goes with anything, can be dressed up or down, and never goes out of style. Unfortunately, they're not as findable in my size (and budget) as their streetwear equivalent, so a silver bra and belt has become my new project.
I'm aiming for a vintage, slightly Turkish feel, with very heavy embellishment and hardly any visible fabric. I therefore felt justified in buying some seriously cheap and nasty satin to cover the bra and belt, and instead splurged on some super tough buckram with which to reinforce everything. I may have overdone the reinforcing, in fact, as sewing on the large acrylic crystals involved a thimble and a pair of pliers!
The rhinestones will be outlined in seed beads and sequins, as seen on Shushanna's site, with rope beading along the top edge of the bra. I'll add rope beading along the edge of the bra, clumps of coin fringe on each boob, and non-coined fringe between the cups. I'm undecided how to decorate the rest of the bra- I have a big batch of silver paillettes in the post, or I could buy more rhinestone fringe and extend the pattern along the bra straps.
Or I could combine the two- the more bling the better!
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