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Hello ladies,
I have been bellydancing for several years, tribal fusion and then pure ATS.
However, I have found an incredible teacher and I'm slowly falling in love with Egyptian, too!
I never, ever, EVER thought I would wear those sparkly two-piece sets and now I've purchased one! It's a very basic gold beginner set - not very expensive, but fine for me now.
My question is this: how can I further embellish (and personalize) this oh-so-basic set? It's one of those bra & belt sets covered in sequins, then fringe has been added over top. I'm thinking about adding some kind of crystals for a bit more bling. Can I simply glue them onto the set? Where can I find large ones? Or should I find flatback rhinestones and place them into settings? Also is there any such thing as quality sequins? This sequins on this set are already getting scratched up and looking bad.
My bedlah is solid gold and for now I'd like to keep it that way (easier for me to just switch skirts than to own several costumes at this point). Where do you buy your costuming supplies? especially the embellishments that really add the extra bling?
I'm so new to this style (and my teacher purchases all her costumes ready-to-wear, she doesn't have the info I need).
Thank you for your help!
I have been bellydancing for several years, tribal fusion and then pure ATS.
However, I have found an incredible teacher and I'm slowly falling in love with Egyptian, too!
I never, ever, EVER thought I would wear those sparkly two-piece sets and now I've purchased one! It's a very basic gold beginner set - not very expensive, but fine for me now.
My question is this: how can I further embellish (and personalize) this oh-so-basic set? It's one of those bra & belt sets covered in sequins, then fringe has been added over top. I'm thinking about adding some kind of crystals for a bit more bling. Can I simply glue them onto the set? Where can I find large ones? Or should I find flatback rhinestones and place them into settings? Also is there any such thing as quality sequins? This sequins on this set are already getting scratched up and looking bad.
My bedlah is solid gold and for now I'd like to keep it that way (easier for me to just switch skirts than to own several costumes at this point). Where do you buy your costuming supplies? especially the embellishments that really add the extra bling?
I'm so new to this style (and my teacher purchases all her costumes ready-to-wear, she doesn't have the info I need).
Thank you for your help!
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North Carolina
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Re: about a bedlah: costuming how-to question
Sat, June 6, 2009 - 1:55 PMIMHO, glue = bad. I always look for sew-on rhinestones. Sew-on rhinestones have pre-drilled holes in them for easy sewing. For vendors, try rhinestoneguy.com or dreamtimecreations.com. I personally prefer aurora borealis (AB) crystals. I like the flash of color they provide.
Another idea is to check out stores, garage sales, flea markets, etc. for rhinestone jewelry. I've used rhinestone brooches or large earrings (1) as a bra or belt center piece. You can also take rhinestone chain (either from a necklace or purchased by-the-yard from a rhinestone vendor) and use that to trim the edges and define lines.
One last idea is to consider faux pearls too. I recently purchased a used gold set that did have rhinestones on it but also had some pearls added to it. It makes for a nice contrast...flash from the stones/sequins vs. the more subtle glow of pearls. Niiiiiice!
Look through photo albums here on tribe... especially the tribes dedicated to the topic of BD costuming and let your imagination shimmy wildly! :o) -
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Re: about a bedlah: costuming how-to question
Sat, June 6, 2009 - 6:53 PMThere is also the "make your own bellydance costume" tribe to ask things like this.
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Re: about a bedlah: costuming how-to question
Mon, June 8, 2009 - 6:15 AMYou can also try appliques, more bling for less money. Or maybe I should say bling that covers a larger area. :) -
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Re: about a bedlah: costuming how-to question
Tue, June 30, 2009 - 7:28 AMIt's very difficult to find good large size sew-on Austrian crystals. I've had some success with gluing on but only when starting from scratch on a smooth surface and using liquid cement. The problem with glue-on is you can't recycle the crystals for future costumes. So I do prefer using sew-on Austrian crystals whenever possible. They just don't make them as big and in has many shapes and colors like they used to. AB crystals would look great with gold. As Zafira said, appliques might be good for covering up some of your bad sequins. It's a lot of work to recover a sequined bra. But you can buy sequins on a string. I'd stay away from rhinestones in metal cases. They tend to catch on your hair and veil.
Try FireMountain Gems: www.firemountaingems.com/search.asp
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Re: about a bedlah: costuming how-to question
Tue, June 30, 2009 - 7:45 AMDear Annie,
You can also go with something like larger crystal beads that you sew on. I do this quite often. Swarovski is one company that makes them, but there are probably others. Swarovski is just the En Vogue company at the moment, the "big name" on every costumer's lips, so to speak. Shipwreck Beads out of Washington State has a lovely catalog and a huge choice of sizes and colors for crystal beads, some very large. Personally, I think they catch the light in some really nice ways.
Regards,
A'isha
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Re: about a bedlah: costuming how-to question
Sat, July 4, 2009 - 9:20 AMglue is tricky because it gets stiff and yellows with age. you can get sew on stones thru fire mountain gems. They have lots of colors and if you get AB's then it will pick up what ever color you are wearing / to match the skirt!
