Author: Davina

Davina ~ Dawn Devine is a belly dance costume designer, dance instructor and author of more than a dozen publications on Middle Eastern dance.

Photo Style Concept: Vintage Assiut Shawl Worn as Head Scarf

Post author By Davina
Post date February 11, 2014

Getting ready for your next photo shoot? Have a vintage shawl and you’re looking for ideas for posing for pictures? Why not try this flapper favorite, the assiut shawl worn over the head. In both of these shots, the model is apparently topless, and draped artfully with a glittering assiut shawl.

The image on the top, of Ziegfeld girl and silent screen actress Nita Naldi features a demure pose paired with a direct gaze. Below, in Frank Eugene’s iconic image “Oriental Bride,” the modesty of the model is played up in the soft tilt of her head and downward gaze. A metal circlet keeps her shawl in place and gives her a royal demeanor.

In both of these images, the model takes center stage, elegantly seated and large in close-cropped vertical frame. This monumental pose and the soft drape of the assiut combine to create images that echo centuries of enthroned Madonna’s. These photos are at once period to the early 20th century and evocative of iconic religious imagery. Be daring or demure – or try both and experiment with how much you reveal and conceal, the direction of your gaze, and the extension through your torso.

Best of Luck and Enjoy!

Dawn Devine ~ Davina,
Feb 11, 2014.

Assiut/Assuit Publications

Photo Editing for the Cloth of Egypt: All About Assiut

Post author By Davina
Post date December 20, 2013

I’ve been working on the book furiously over the past weeks! This week, I’m prepping a large batch of photos for the book. Together with my principle photographer, Alisha Westerfeld, we’ve travelled throughout Northern California shooting dance events, performers, models, and collections. But sometimes, the pictures need a little “help.” So I thought I would share a before and after. This little shrug was designed and made by the noted costume designer Alnisa for dancer and assiut collector Sindaiya. Alisha and I were fortunate enough to shoot her collection. While this started as a really nice photo, I did a little photoshop magic to darken the background, remove the light stand leg, and adjust the contrast so the pattern pops just a wee bit more. I’ve got another 300+ photos to massage in preparation for the book. Photo editing is a delightful winter task!

Assiut/Assuit Design

Assiut in High Fashion: Etro Collection – Spring 2014

Post author By Davina
Post date December 12, 2013

Assiut makes a splash on the high-fashion runway in the Etro spring 2014 collection during fashion week in Milan. Designed by Veronica Etro and inspired by vintage photos from her family’s Bohemian past, her collection includes beautiful silk floral and paisley prints the Italian design house known for. These luxurious silk is paired with the drape and shine of modern assiut. Dresses, tanks, and fringed scarves made from densely embroidered assiut cloth add a vintage flavor to this lighter, brighter take on boho eclecticism. Want to see more? Be sure to watch the runway who’s to catch the back views of the assiut halter dress at center, and a gorgeous coat that moves with the weight and swing that only assiut can bring to a garment.

Watch the runway show on Fashiontv
See photos of the show over on Vogue
Photos below from Style.com

Assiut/Assuit Belly Dance Costuming DIY General

Belly Dance Costuming Supply Sources

Post author By Davina
Post date November 28, 2013

It’s Thanksgiving day 2013, and I find myself feeling thankful for living in a land of abundance. So today, I’m sharing my favorite online resources, the ones that I am most thankful for and go back to again and again. Each of these suppliers was instrumental in supplying materials for multiple projects in my upcoming book, Cloth of Egypt: All About Assiut. Happy Thanksgiving!

Velvet and Velvet Ribbon
Jo-Ann’s has great sales – so when they are rocking an amazing sale, I stock up on velvet ribbon. I love the contrast of texture between the matte cotton of the assiut and the depth and richness of the velvet pile. www.joann.com

Silk Dupioni
Practically the largest selection of colors. This company is local to me, so going over to their store is always a delightful selection. This is also a great source for white silk in a variety of weights in color and white ready to dye. www.thaisilks.com

Spandex Fabric
Make a comfortable, but stretchy dress to wear with your assiut bedlah – like the gorgeous dress designed by Poppy Maya and worn by international dance instructor, Sara Sharpnell. One of the biggest offerings of spandex are available via the internet from Spandex World. spandexworld.com

Rhinestones
Rhinestone Guy has a huge selection and fast service! If you work with rhinestones a lot, be sure to order one of their rhinestone sample cards so you can select the best colors and shapes for your products from the comfort of your home. www.rhinestoneguy.com

Rings
Interested in those sexy x-back tribal style bra closures? Here’s my favorite source for O-rings in four different finishes. Fast and accurate delivery. www.pursesupplydepot.com

Unusual Bra Sizes
If I have a customer who requires an unusual size, this is where I go. Their website allows you to conduct searches by size, saving time. Sign up for their mailing list – some of their sales are excellent. www.barenecessities.com

Tribal Bra Components
I love coins, chains, and all sorts of lovely tribal jewelry components. I find myself going back to Paul at Tribal Bazaar over and over again. This is my go-to source for coins, filets, kuchi jewelry, and more. www.tribalbazaar.com

(PS – special thanks to model Sara Sharpnell and costume designer Poppy Maya for this photo. Photograph by Alisha Westerfeld)

Assiut/Assuit

Assiut: Actresses and Dancing Ladies

Post author By Davina
Post date November 10, 2013

The bohemian life. In the 1910’s and 1920’s, excess and fun, decadence and pleasure, the quest for riches and fame sculpted the taste of the wealthy, powerful, and famous. During this era, actresses and dancing ladies posed for portraits, advertisements for plays, movies, fashion, and beauty products. They slunk across screen magazines, pouting languidly with the perfect seductive slink of their bodies, echoed in the glittering drape of assiut shawls. This shawl would send encoded messages that could easily read by a sophisticated consumer of cultural iconography. Assiut represented luxury, travel, and the bohemian lifestyle, inspiring the viewer to fantasize about the qualities sensual pleasure, feel the echoes of exotic locales, and above all, recognize the status and privilege. During this era, If a sitter was unprepared, many high-end professional photographers of the day would have an assiut shawl in their collection of props to pull out and artfully drape about the shoulders of their sitters. Here are photos of four working artists of this era, a small sampling of this type of image which often appeared in fan magazines, on trading or post cards, and as large posters for theater lobbies. Enjoy! ~ Davina