“What Writers Read”
Recommended Belly Dance Books

Over the past 6 weeks, I’ve been completely focused on the Bibliography of my next book. My current publishing project is a top-to-bottom rewrite and expansion of “Costuming from the Hip.” We are doing this rewrite to celebrate its 30-year anniversary.  30 years!  Wow!

Fanoos Magazine

When I heard the summer topic of Fanoos was writing about dance, I had to contribute! I decided to share some of my favorite resources from my current project. If you click through using this link, you can find a sampler from this bibliography. Want to know my essential belly dance reads for 2023?  Click through to my article, “What Writers Read” for more info.

Written By Dancers for Dancers

I have enjoyed reading and writing for the quarterly e-magazine Fanoos. Written by belly dancers for belly dancers, the curated content entertains, informs, and inspires.

Many of the top industry thought leaders, researchers, performers, and instructors contribute to Fanoos. I look forward to reading every issue. 

Fanoos is Free

The best part of Fanoos Magazine is that it’s free to subscribers. Quarterly newsletters arrive in your email.  Not a subscriber?  Click through and sign up to receive notification of their next issue of Fanoos!

Now, to make some tea and read the latest issue,
Happy Costuming & Dance,
~ Dawn Devine ~ Davina
June 2023

Costuming from the Hip: 30th Anniversary Edition is in progressing at a pretty steady clip!  Over the next two weeks, my prime goal is to finish updating and expanding the bibliography.

My mission for this project is to create a more complete, modernized, and, frankly, more useful book. To serve this mission, I’m crafting the bibliography to serve as the research tool I wish I had when I started. It will function as a jumping-off point for future costume designers, historians, and scholars of belly dance.  

Haven’t read “Costuming from the Hip”, the current edition is available on Amazon.com or on direct from me via my Etsy store.   

Can we get this revision and expansion done before the end of the year?  Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter.

Thanks for joining me on this
costuming and publishing adventure!
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
June 2023

Six Books that Inspired “Costuming From the Hip”

I am working on the 30th-anniversary rewrite of my classic 1993 book, “Costuming From the Hip.”  Wheee…  This project was on my agenda for 2022, but life got a little out of hand, and here we are in 2023 setting other projects on the back burner.  Our mission is to get this new edition done by the end of this year or in early ’24.

Part of this process involves working through my own archive and research collection.  In this video, I share the six books that directly inspired the creation of my book way back in 1992.  Costuming From the Hip grew from this inspiration with the help of my growing collection of class handouts and research notes.

I’m thrilled that editor Nancy Hay, and my co-author and photographer Alisha Westerfeld will join me on this adventure!  We’re working together to update, modernize, and expand on the information, illustrations, and photos of the original version.

Yes, you read that. The new edition of CFTH will feature photos of dancers in costumes!  

It’s an exciting time here in Studio Davina.
I look forward to sharing more progress reports in the coming weeks.

Dawn Devine ~ Davina
March, 2023

Margot Robbie wearing an assiut gown in Amsterdam

Amsterdam is a delightful period murder mystery set in the 1920s.  It was released in the fall of 2022 and starred Margot Robbie.  The costumes designed by J. R. Hawbaker perfectly capture the look and feel of how assiut was transformed into gowns during the 1920s. 

I’ve found a pair of videos that have clips of this gown in action.  Be sure to watch the film on your favorite movie streaming service and see the full scene with this luscious dress!  Wanna see more assiut garments?  Check out my Assiut Pinterest Board with thousands of images collected during my research for The Cloth of Egypt through to today.

Happy Costuming and Dance,
~ Dawn Devine ~ Davina
March 2023

Toroz – Modern Egyptian Design
Traditional Assiut Details

I recently discovered an amazing young designer Lobna Zogheib, founder of the label Toroz.  These lovely garments are modern and fashionable featuring accents of traditional embroidery from Sohag and Siwa oasis.  Lobna strives for her garments to be, “a gateway between cultural iconic craftsmanship and modern-day fashion style.”

Toroz is making an impact in the Egyptian fashion scene, with key figures collecting and wearing her pieces.  One of the most prestigious collectors of Toroz is the Egyptian Minister of Culture, Dr. Ines Abdeldaym.

If you’re interested in learning more about Toroz, or even picking up a piece for yourself, visit the company’s Instagram account follow, and DM them directly for more information.

Until The Next Post!

Dawn Devine ~ Davina
March 2023