c0994 Glowing Evening Blue Professional Belly Dance Dress     $325
By Joharah International

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Like most of the costumes on this site, this was a one-of-a-kind piece hand crafted by an Egyptian artisan. THIS COSTUME CAN NOT BE ORDERED. Will there be more? Individual artisans will occasionally repeat designs, but never exactly and rarely in the same color. It's impossible to say if or when these will show up or in what size or color. YOU CAN'T ORDER THIS COSTUME. Thank you.

Made in Egypt. This dress is spectacular. The fabrics are amazing in color and texture, the lines are so flattering. Very elegant and proper, yet with the entirely mesh midriff hardly prudish! Completely professional level, beautifully tailored and beaded.

To be honest, when I first handled this I didn't like the main fabric, which is a lightweight stretch, all metallic GORGEOUS blue, a shade I'm not sure how to correctly describe. It's not Royal, which is a little lighter/brighter, but it's close. Has a little more depth. Almost want to call it an evening blue, but it doesn't come across as dark, certainly not navy. I didn't like it at first because it felt a little plastic-y -- but when I put it on for modelling (and naturally a little test-dancing), totally changed my mind. It of course doesn't float like chiffon, no stretch fabric would, but it moves well, not at all stiff, and did I mention it's GORGEOUS?

The soft mesh of the midriff is a coordinating, slightly darker blue, with blue metallic thread as part of the weave (subtle sparkle/glisten, but definitely there).

The mesh covers the bra and comes down to hips with V in front and back. Very fitted over torso and hips to a wide flare, four gored (sectioned) skirt hangs beautifully. No slit. It is long, so it's puddling a bit in the pictures (easily shortenable, see notes under "Sizing").

Lavishly beaded, but not particularly heavy in weight. Pattern outlines primarily in glass blue peacock seed beads, standard smooth silver mirrored bugle beads. The "outlines" actually make up the bulk of the beadwork, a scrolling, curving design with single line fills of sequins, all holographic, in silver, turquoise, deep blue. The silver mirrored bugle beads, especially, and the holographic sequins really give the dress sparkle, not to mention the fabrics themselves. Not overwhelming or gaudy.

Not a whole lot of crystal on this one, to be honest, but you won't miss it (or add some!). Fair amount of small rhinestone strings accenting hip beadwork, a couple on the bra, and a half dozen 1/4" round crystals (probably acrylic, very nice, clear, sharp) in hip beadwork and bra. Fairly ample fringe accenting in upper part of hip beadwork, beautiful beads: peacock seed beads, chunky tumbled (smooth) square cut silver bugle beads, long opalescent semi-precious look beads, with silver metallic rounds and faceted dark blue acrylic accents.

Standard costume bra integrated with mesh in front; back straps are separate from mesh back of dress. Halter neck strap.

Accessories: Matching beaded gauntlets (gloves) and fabric headband.

Age/Condition: New.

Sizing:
> Click For explanation of sizing, how to apply it to you, also some tips on altering. VERY HELPFUL

Bra (click here for important info on notations):
Should fit range including 34 C/D, 36 B/C+ (large C probably a squeeze but very do-able IMO). Underbust VERY approximately 29" - 32", the range is controlled by the stretch of the back of the dress, the bra back straps have plenty of length.

True Waist (at narrowest): Smallest body will reasonably fit, as is (can go smaller, see note) approximately = 29", largest body will reasonably fit approximately = 34". Easy-to-take-in princess seams (like big vertical darts), 2 in front and 2 in back, with no beading on them, will let you take in mesh smoothly to fit at least around 2" smaller (just run a parallel seam inside the existing one, trim off excess; mesh doesn't fray so no finisihing needed).

Hips at Widest: Smallest body will reasonably fit approximately = 34", largest body will reasonably fit approximately = 40".

Dress Length: (from top center of bra, approx. your breastbone, to hem): 50". As is, for a tall person, probably at least 5'9". But easily shortenable: Main beading pattern at closest is 4" away from hem at one point (you can still cut into it and tie off or glue off thread ends, won't be losing much); at least 5" away everywhere else. If you cut and hem you will loose the simple narrow bead trim along the bottom. Nobody will notice, I promise! Or, super easy to rebead but yes, takes time. You could also pinch hem.

Mesh/torso measurements

Although easy to shorten, if you are short waisted and/or less than 5'6", definitely check these measurements to make sure mesh won't extend too low. It's not too extreme (torso mesh isn't super long), so may not be a problem. And remember, these mesurements are taken with dress lying flat. The more the dress stretches around a body, the "shorter" it gets, including the mesh part. Conversely, if the dress is loose on you, the weight of the dress may pull it longer -- but you should really alter the dress to be form fitting if it isn't (easy, as described above, along princess seams).

I believe it would be completely possible and not too difficult to shorten mesh, I'd say easily up to an inch without doing any thing else. Probably could shorten more but just be aware that then you may also need to take in at princess seams depending on your size, and you'll be hitting more of that trailing piece of beadwork that goes down the front. Which is less of a deal than you might think, you may just be able to fold the beading right down and it will be plenty smooth enough from even a close audience perspective; or you could of course unstring some beads.

You'd do the shortening from the bottom by folding mesh down inside/behind the opaque hip fabric and hand stitching (you fold right at the top edge of the bead trim between the mesh and the fabric); essentially moving the hip fabric up. One tip, maybe two if you're shortening an entire inch, of bead pattern (narrow) will be in the fold, but.... no one will notice! I would totally do this (I HAVE done it on my costumes), you don't have to be a seamstress or super neat.

Measurements to the bottom (hip end) mesh/opaque fabric line:
(Please read notes above about ease of altering, interpreting measurments)

• Bra, front center, top edge, to the bottom of the front center dip in the mesh = about 12"
• Top of side of dress/bra (under arm) to high points on hips = about 10"
• Top of back of dress (mesh) to center dip = about 14" Note: back center zipper line quite nice as a security measure against chance appearance of a barely there, er, dancer's crack (ew!).