Black ab bellydance costume Part 1- starting the bra

Greetings! We are working on another costume for our troupe. Well actually let me rephrase that.... I have the prototype and my fellow troupe members loved my costume so much that they are making the matching costumes. I did not document my journey so much while I was making but I did find some pictures from my old camera phone, randomly while cleaning up my laptop. Additionally, I have started to prep the costumes and I am taking pictures while we go so you will beging to see how a bellydance costume is made!

First I like to keep the straps on my costume. There is a bra that I can actually wear without the need for having the bands stretch. It is wonderful! So we start out with a basic strapless bra. Why strapless? b/c the cups are usually fuller, and have better coverage, thus making it a good base. I always like to add felt to the backside of my straps too, so I begin by pinning the felt to the strap. I always cut larger than the actual strap.

Then simply baste the felt to the strap. Since we are heavily beading this costume those stitches will anchor the felt even more while you sew!

Next, cut away the felt with a pair of scissors.

Leave a part for an extension if needed. It is always easier to cut away rather than add to costume!!

Now I am going to hand the costume to Sonja who is going to cover the side straps with black cotton to cover the extensions. Then we will start blinging! yeah!

Here are some pictures from my journey, while making this costume. :) Remember they are from my old phone so they are not the best but better than nothing! :)

First I blinged the bra with vitrail medium 2-hole octagon beads.

I began to start filling in with some of the smaller beads I had. These were the rainbow crystal beads I got off ebay. I scattered them.

Fill, fill, fill!

LOL this picture is just funny but I wanted a perspective of how it would look.

I continued to fill in with beads but before finishing the final part, I edged it with this pre-strung sequins that had the vitrail medium rainbow sort of look.

Here is with the other cup being filled with beads.

I added the drapes and the main gem

Straps

End product (not on)

Here is the belt when it was done. No during pictures.

Keep in mind while we go through this process again for the other costumes we will have more pictures! :)

Lauren