How to Make a Cheap Belly Dance Costume Look Expensive

Dress up a cheap costume with great accessories.

Every beginning belly dancer has one: a cheap Turkish or Egyptian basic costume. These plain sequined bra and belt sets can sometimes come with arm cuffs and a head band or sometimes nothing at all. Their plain appearance makes these costumes pretty versatile, but they still look cheap compared with couture designer costumes. But if you don't have $1000 to buy an expensive costume, you can make your basic belly dance costume look much more expensive---and much more performance-worthy---by accessorizing yourself to the hilt.

Things You'll Need

• Bangle Bracelets
• Rhinestone rings
• Rhinestone or Chandelier Earrings
• Necklace
• Embellished skirt
• Headband or tiara
• Anklets
• Gloves or arm cuffs
• Embellished shoes

Instructions

1. 

   BANGLES. Bare arms look ... well, bare. So cover them up with bunches of sparkly bangles. Available at any Indian apparel store, cheap bangles will add sparkle and color to your costume. Since they are cheap costume jewelry, you want to a wear a lot of them. Buy enough bangles to cover your wrists from the palm to half-way up your forearm. Don't worry about overdoing it: less is NOT more when it comes to belly dance costumes. Start your bangle collection by buying the basics: a set of gold and a set of silver. When you get more money to invest in jewelry, buy colored bangles to match each of your costumes. The bangles not only dress up your outfit, they also catch the light beautifully when you dance.

2. 

   GLOVES. Another way to compliment your cheap costume and cover up bare arms is to invest in a pair of gloves. There are many styles of gloves available to belly dancers, and you can have them custom-made fairly cheaply. A typical pair of custom-made gloves only runs about $15. Considering that you could wear one basic pair of gloves with several costume, they are a really good investment. You can also find one-size-fits-all gloves on many belly dance costuming sites. If you don't want gloves, arm cuffs or sleeves are another option. In any case, covering your arms with some type of sparkly or flowing fabric will dress up your plain costume and emphasize your arm movements.

3. 

   EARRINGS. An abundance of fancy costume jewelry will make any costume look even more dazzling. Since your audience will be looking at your pretty smile often, it's important that you compliment your face with big or shiny earrings. Choose long chandelier earrings if appropriate or go with smaller rhinestone pieces. These earrings are just meant to catch the light, so they don't have to be expensive. You can find something suitable at Wal-Mart or the beauty supply store.

4. 

   NECKLACE. Sometimes a large pair of earrings will add enough sparkle to your face and neck. But if you still feel bare, add a necklace to your costume as well. Rhinestones and other large, fake jewels are always good choices. Remember that you can wear this necklace with many other costumes if you go with a basic rhinestone setting. Some rhinestone necklaces can get pricey, but you can find a cheap one for $10 to $20 at the beauty supply store or online. Fire up Google and do a search for cheap prom jewelry; you're sure to find something suitable that's within your budget.

5. 

   RINGS. Add even more sparkle to your arm and hand movements with shiny rings, especially if you aren't going to be dancing with any props that will distract from your bare fingers. Go with rhinestones, cubic zirconia diamonds, or even oversized gold and silver butterflies. Rings are another versatile, cheap costume piece that you can use with every costume.

6. 

   TIARAS AND HEADBANDS. Don't neglect the jewelry that's made for your head. Besides making you feel like a queen, a rhinestone tiara or jeweled headband will make your costume look richer. If your basic costume came with arm cuffs that you never wear, you can sometimes turn the cuffs into a headband. Just sew elastic to the ends of the arm cuff, and then cover up the elastic with your hair when you put on the headband. Rhinestone tiaras are another great option. They are affordable and readily available both online and in beauty supply stores. Remember to look for prom and costume jewelry and avoid fancy (overpriced) bridal tiaras. A great tiara will cost you only $10.

7. 

   SKIRT. Since you spent so little on your basic costume, it's best to splurge on your skirt. After all, it's a really big, noticeable part of your outfit. Look for skirts made from shiny lycra, sparkle velvet, or chiffon skirts embellished with sequins or rhinestones. A fancy skirt will go a long way in making your outfit look expensive. A custom-made skirt could be pricey, but you can find great options in online belly dance boutiques for between $40 and $65.

8. 

   SHOES AND ANKLETS. They say that a person's shoes make a big impression. So forgo the boring black heels from Wal-Mart or Target, and find a pair of prom-worthy shoes at a big chain shoe store. Look for shoes that have some sort of embellishment like rhinestones or big plastic jewels. Colored satin heels are a great option while clear plastic heels will also work. Either type of shoe should only cost you between $20 and $30, and the clear plastic heels will go with any costume. If you dance barefoot, you can still dress up your feet with anklets made either of rhinestones or coins.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't spend a lot on your costume jewelry. You need a lot of it, and you don't want to have a spend fortune.

• Less is NOT more when it comes to belly dance costume jewelry. Sure, you'd look crazy going out in public with all that jewelry on ... if it was an everyday occasion. But performances are not every day occasions. When you're the belly dancer, you are playing a fantasy role. And you have to look the part by accessorizing to the hilt.

• Don't buy shoes that are too tall to dance in! When you try on your heels, dance around in them a bit. You might be a bit embarrassed dancing around the store, but when your feet are killing you during your gig, you'll wish you'd tested out the heels.

Resources

• L. Rose Designs
• Moondance Bellydance
• Bellydance With K Boutique
• Belly Dance Jewelry on eBay
• Dahlal International
• Glam For Less