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A long time ago, in a town far far away, before the turn of the century, a little baby belly dancer named Dawn learned a costuming trick. In order to keep a soft tie on style hip sash in place, use a belt! Now, back when I was just starting out as a performing belly dancer, this kind of belt was easy to find at any mall store. Without a doubt, it is not a popular style today! |
Available in Many Sizes and Colors
But due to the wonders of the internet and the glory of Amazon.com, you can still get one of these extremely useful and versatile belts in a size to fit you.
These elastic belts come in a variety of colors. There are also different widths and several different clasp configurations to choose from. I prefer a 2″ or 3″ belt with a two or three prong clasp like the one top left.
If I’m wearing a hip wrap in a shawl style that is made of lace or net, I will choose a more simple style clasp like the one to the right.
Decorative Buckles
If your hip sash is smaller than your hips, this belt technique can work as an excellent extension for your soft sash. Simply choose a belt style with a decorative buckle and tuck your hip sash around the elastic parts and let the buckle show.
I’ve got a stretchy belt similar to this one at right that I wear when I want to change up the look of my assiut costuming. You can find them on Amazon around $10 or less. This is a very affordable way to change up your look.
Choose the right size
Because I like to wear this belt at the fullest part of my hip, I use my hip size when referring to the size chart. Measure your hips, and select the size that best matches your needs. If you find you are at the edge between sizes, go one size down. These belts stretch approximately 8″ – 12″ and you want them to fit much tighter around your hips than would be comfortable for your natural waistline.
Practice your Drapes and Shimmies
Once you have your assiut hip sashes and your elastic waistbands, stand in front of a mirror and practice tucking and draping. When you have a style that you like, be sure to put it through a full dance set to make sure that it will stay in place no matter how vigorous your dancing gets. If you are doing floor work, this is especially important. If you are a floor-work master, you might require extra deep tucks in order to keep your sashes in place!
Want More Quick Costume Ideas?
Demo Video of the “Belt and Sash” Combo
If you are interested seeing how I put together my assiut “Double Triangle” hip treatment, check out the video above. I wish you luck in all of your costuming adventures! If you try this technique out, come and let us know over on my assiut FaceBook group.
Happy Spring!
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
March 28, 2018
