How to Make Costumes for Belly Dancing

A belly dancer costume can be easy to make.

A belly dancing outfit can be used as a Halloween costume or worn for a dance recital. This costume can be made at home and completed with just a few basic materials and tools using a bikini as a base. With a little know-how and a few sequins, even novice sewers can complete this project quickly.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape
• Tissue paper
• Silk chiffon or other sheer fabric
• Straight pins
• Scissors
• Sewing machine
• Thread
• Elastic
• Bikini
• Sequins
• Fabric glue
• Headband
• Hot glue gun

Instructions

1. Take down your measurements to make the pants. Measure the distance from your hips to your feet, the width of your waist and hips, and the distance from your crotch to your feet. These measurements will help you make a sewing pattern.

2. Make a sewing pattern. Draw the shape of a pair of pants on a piece of tissue designed for making sewing patterns. Make sure the measurements match those you took with the measuring tape--waist, hips and leg length. The ankles should be about 10 inches wide each. This will make the traditional bulb-shaped pants of a belly dancer costume.

3. Fold a piece of fabric lengthwise so you have a double layer of fabric. Attach the pattern to the fabric with straight pins and cut out the fabric. Leave an extra one-eighth inch of fabric around the edges for a seam allowance. You should now have two identical fabric panels.

4. Sew the two pant panels together on a sewing machine. Leave the waist open and the ankles open. Place a strip of elastic around the edge of each ankle. Fold the bottom hem of the ankles over the elastic and sew in place. Turn the pants inside out so the elastic and the rough edges of the seams are on the inside.

5. Place the bottom piece of a bikini inside the top of the pants. Fold over the top of the pant fabric on top of the bikini bottom and sew in place.

6. Attach sequins to the top piece of a bikini with fabric glue. Attach leftover sequins to the top of the pants with the glue for a cohesive look. Let dry.

7. Attach sequins to a wide headband using a hot glue gun. Attach any leftover fabric from the pants to the back of the headband with the hot glue gun, making a veil that falls down the back of the head when the headband is worn.

Tips & Warnings

• For added coverage attach a piece of fabric at the bottom of the bikini top.

• Make sure seams are sewn tightly to prevent tears.

References

• Belly Dance Costuming: Joy of Belly Dancing

Resources

• Read this Article in Portuguese