PHOTO CREDIT: Above photo by John Rickman Photography, San Jose, California.

• About "Ask the Costume Goddess"
• Costume Designs that Flatter
• Making Your Own Pieces
• Fitting & Alterations

• Sewing Technique
• Other Costume Issues
• About the Costume Goddess

Figure Types

• Small Bust Size. What's the best way to pad a bra?
• Flattering A Pear-Shaped Figure. What kind of costuming looks best on a pear-shaped figure?
• A Tummy That Sticks Out. How do you make a protruding midsection look good in a belly dancing costume?
• Thin Dancer. How do you go from skinny to slinky?
• The Apple-Shaped Figure. Which costume styles are most flattering for an apple-shaped figure?
• Small Hips. Costume suggestions for petite dancers with small hips.
• Flabby Upper Arms. How to camouflage those jiggly upper arms with adroit costuming.
• Short Dancer. Costume tips for short dancers.

Dance Personality

• Look Like A Goddess. How to design a costume for portraying a goddess.
• What To Wear For Debke. What kind of costuming would be appropriate for performing debke?
• A Belly Dance Wedding Gown. For the bride who loves to belly dance!
• 1940's Style Costume. For elegance and glamor.
• For Young Dancers & Modest Dancers. What to wear if you're not ready to show yourself in public wearing a revealing bra/belt set.
• Coordinating Color. Ideas for choosing colors that work well together.

Skirts

• How To Make An 8-Point Skirt. Three different designs for a flattering skirt.
• Making a Handkerchief Skirt. Make a square handkerchief skirt.
• Making A Multi-Point Skirt. Details on how to make a multi-point skirt.
• Circle Skirt Hem Problems. Why the hem of your circle skirt is uneven.

Dresses

• Baladi Dress. Hide a scarred or large tummy. Or, pursue a more covered look.
• Baladi Dress With Veil. Is it okay to wear a baladi dress with veil work?

Pants

• Harem Pants. Make pantaloons, and vary the look.

Arm Decorations

• Making Gauntlets. Make gauntlets to match a costume.
• Making Armbands. Accessorize your costume with armbands.
• Sleeve Variations. Creative ideas for accessorizing arms.

Bras

• How To Cover A Bra. Choose a suitable bra, and cover it with costume fabric.
• Beads Connecting Bra. Could strands of beads connect a collar to a bra?
• What About Soft-Cup Bras? Can you use one to make a costume?

Blouses, Vests, & Cholis

• Support With A Choli. How to get the support you need when wearing a choli.
• Making A Ghawazee Vest Or Jacket Pattern. Adapt an existing vest or jacket pattern for making a Ghawazee garment?

Other Items

• How To Make A Veil. Make a belly dance veil.
• Hip Drape. Just what kind of hip drape was the Costume Goddess recommending in the article about the pear-shaped figure?
• Headdress Ideas. Don't step on stage with hair that looks like you just came from your office. These headdress ideas will make you look like a dancer from your head to your toes.

• Falling Gauntlets. What to do about gauntlets that keep falling down as you dance?
• Battle Of The Hip Bulge. What can you do about it when your hip elastic fits too tightly and makes your hips flow up over the top?
• Tight Sleeves. How do you handle the sleeves on a fitted midriff top so that your top doesn't ride up when you raise your arms?
• Shopping for a Large-Sized Bra. What if you have trouble finding a bra to fit a large bustline?

• Fitting Belts. How do you make a belt fit the curves of your hipline?
• Make Your Own Belt Pattern. Additional clarification of some of the instructions that were provided in Fitting Belts.
• Altering A Belt. What to do about those too-big, ill-fitting Egyptian-made belts?

• Machine-Sewing Sequins. How do you use a sewing machine to attach sequins to a costume item?
• Glitter Dot Fabric. This fabric with reflective dots fused to its surface looks beautiful in belly dance costumes, but presents challenges when sewing it. Here's some advice on how to work with it.
• Making Beaded Fringe. Use crochet techniques to make your own beaded fringe.

• Costume Fabric Choices. Tips on selecting fabrics that work well for belly dancing costumes.
• Attaching Coins, Beads, Bells. How to secure trims to the costume.
• Making A Ruffled Hem. How to make a ruffled hem on sheer fabric.

• Using A Chain Or Coin Bra/Belt Set. How to attach a bra cover to a bra, how to wear the matching belt.
• Buying Coins For A Costume. How to choose coins for matching costume items you already have.
• Tying A Hip Scarf. How to keep a beaded/coin hip scarf from sliding down over the hips.
• Gluing Rhinestones. How to glue rhinestones (and other items) directly to the skin.

• Hair Styles For Long Hair. Ideas for fixing your hair to look great on stage.
• Hair Styles For Short Hair. Stage-worthy styles for short-haired dancers.

Dina has been sewing for more than twenty-five years (yes, she started as a toddler!)

She's also an artist (Maryland Institute of Art) and perfected her sewing techniques apprenticed to various designers, freelancing for small theaters, restyling vintage garments, and altering wedding gowns.

Dina fell in love with belly dancing costumes upon her very first lesson. Now the pleasure of wearing her own designs, and seeing others wear them, offers as much pleasure as dancing. She's become expert as well in altering those troublesome ready-made Egyptian costumes, and modifying designs to flatter individual figures.

She holds workshops in Seattle to teach design and construction of cabaret costumes, and analysis of figure characteristics. She will also give private lessons, or resize or repair a secondhand costume. She's thus earned her Costume Goddess title.

Photos of Dina in many of her costumes appear in a two-part costume gallery here on this web site:

• Part 1: Traditional Belly Dance Costumes
• Part 2: Novelty Costumes

The Costume Goddess Tells All Costuming Books

Dina has published six books of her own on belly dance costuming as well as writing nearly all the costuming section for The Belly Dance Book. For information on her series of books, The Costume Goddess Tells All, see her web site at www.costumegoddess.com. For reviews here on Shira.net of some of her books, see:

• Volume 1: Flattering Costume for Bellydancers. Advice on designing a belly dance costume that will look flattering for your figure type.
• Volume 2: Easy Costume for Bellydancers. Explains how to create easy-to-make costume items if you have very little sewing experience.
• Volume 3: Cabaret Belt and Bra for Bellydancers. Detailed instructions for making your own bra/belt set. Emphasis on the beaded/sequined look, but some coin information too.
• Volume 4: Arm Costume for Bellydancers. Creative ideas for sleeves, armbands, gauntlets, and drapes.
• Volume 5: Tribal Toppings for Bellydancers. Cholis, vests, and other tops suitable for U.S. Tribal costuming.
• Volume 6: Thrifty Chic for Bellydancers. Transforming thrift shop bargains into belly dance costume pieces.
• Volume 7: Headpieces for Bellydancers. Many simple, inexpensive ideas for costuming from the neck up.