Belly Dance Mermaid Costume Redux
2024 was the year I closed my sewing business. As my hands have aged, I’ve had to acknowledge my capacity to hold and pull a needle is greatly reduced. I’ve become unreliable and as such, have stepped back from big projects.
When my good friend Shalimar arrived for the Fabulous Fall Festival, she brought a costume she purchased from a friend. She loves the color, the flow of the skirt, and the belly dance mermaid vibe.
However, the bra was a bit too small for comfortable support and coverage. In the two days leading up to the show, I made the necessary fitting adjustments and repairs and the costume made it onto stage.
Shalimar’s Belly Dance Wardrobe
Shalimar have collaborated on building a strong and versatile working wardrobe for her professional belly dance business in South Carolina. For a decade, she lived and worked near Silicon Valley, and long-time readers will recognize her from many past projects.
If this color looks familiar, I made a costume which we call “Blue Stripes.” You can read this article here. Fortunately, when we made that blue skirt, we saved all the fabric scraps and now I’m using them in this new ensemble.
I’m also shopping my stash for rhinestone and chain. I’ve got some bits and pieces left after making her the pink “Line and Dot” style ensemble with matching sleeves. Remember Shalimar’s “Pink Floral” costume?
Pro-Quality Bra – House-Made Belt
But the most striking problem was the mix between the old bra and the new belt. The pairing was a bit of a strange marriage. With a major design disconnect between the the bedlah pieces.
The color was reasonably harmonious. However there was very little embellishment added. From stage, the belt looked a bit home-made compared to the heavily rhinestoned and pearled professional quality bra. As you can see from the video clip, and photo the belt looked quite pale and plain.
Over the next three months, I’m going to bring the bra and belt of this “Blue Mermaid” to a more balanced level of design and embellishment for the coming 2025 spring season.
It’s going to be a slow project to accommodate my new sewing pace and schedule limitations. I’m looking forward to sharing this process!
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
December 2024
PS – Check out my Facebook Group for full project documentation, to ask questions, and join the conversation.
