Costume talk

[clevermanka]

On Tuesday...I think? Yeah, Tuesday I finished the new panel skirt for the second costume for Friday's performance. Tried everything on and danced in front of the mirror for about ten minutes, doing lots of leg-lifting and spinning to make sure I wasn't going to flash my panties. I'm going with a vintage 70s American Cabaret theme for my costuming for this and the costumes of that era were pretty fucking naked, y'all. No pants, no choli, and skirts split up to the bottom of the hip belt. Luckily, two of the bra/belt sets I made for Smoker were heavily inspired by 70s American Cabaret style so they were perfect. I added some additional sash chain to the newer one (which I wish I'd done a long time ago because dang it looks better now) and boom. Costumes that are sorta earthy-looking but still club-appropriate when teamed with liquid lamé skirts and not much else.

It's a good thing that all this weight-lifting has helped me feel more comfortable with my body right now. I might not look like some of those flat-bellied, slim-legged dancers of the 70s, but I'm starting to look like a Frank Frazetta woman and I'm okay with that (seriously, that image link there is pretty accurate, even down to the hair style).

True story about the first American Cabaret style bedlah: Like, five seconds after I finished it, I was so pleased I took it over to show redheadfae. She immediately recognized the inspiration and said I did an amazing job of capturing it. Then we both might have teared up a little. It was Just So. Perfect. And I feel great when I'm wearing it.

Cross your fingers that we don't have such a big turnout for Friday's show that I don't have room to do circular veil for my second number.

Comments

[sherwood21.livejournal.com]

That costume looks amazing, and you look amazing in it. :)

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Yeah, it's a great bedlah. I'm super proud of it. It just looks SO RICH and I think I did a good job of balancing the gold/silver mixed metal tones. The other one is just straight silver which still looks good but doesn't have that visual decadence.

[chalcedonygrey.livejournal.com]

GORGEOUS.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Whee! Thanks! I'm amazed at how different they both look with the sparkly skirts instead of the heavy stuff, pants, and additional scarves.

SO FANCY!

[1-rhiannon-1.livejournal.com]

Those costumes are amazing!! Fingers are crossed for you!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[miischelle.livejournal.com]

We will both be gorgeous and brilliant (because we both are gorgeous and brilliant) and there will be a huge turn out and everyone will have a smashing time and then we will all go to bed happy and have lovely dreams of Cumberbatch riding Unicorns.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

We will all go to bed happy and have lovely dreams of Cumberbatch riding Unicorns Tom Hiddleston.

Fixed that for you.

[miischelle.livejournal.com]

[gansje.livejournal.com]

Oh HEY! That's ME in that picture! Except my boobs would make me fall over on my back if I tried that pose.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Ha ha ha ha ha! YAY! Fleshy, muscled women UNITE!

WAIT, I just realized...

[gansje.livejournal.com]

I didn't look at your costume/picture before -- YOU ARE GORGEOUS. Good fucking lord, CM. Srsly. Oh, and the costume's pretty too. :D

Re: WAIT, I just realized...

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Aw, thank you!

[kazoogrrl.livejournal.com]

Live the costume talk, as that's why I first started reading your journal. Can't wait for the report back! I'm headed to DC Fri to see a show with Rachel Brice. I figure if she's so close I should get off my butt and go!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Oh, what fun! Hope the show is fantastic!

[kazoogrrl.livejournal.com]

I need some seriously dance-inspiration so I hope this helps.

[seascribe.livejournal.com]

Will there be costume/dance pictures? The costuming sounds awesome.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

mckitterick is bringing the camera, so I hope to have pictures, yes!

[chronovore.livejournal.com]

**fans self**

Ain't NOTHIN' wrong with a Frazetta Woman.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Ha! NOPE!

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

Yes! Well.. they weren't all flat-bellied slim-legged.. I mean, DIANE WEBER

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

JESUS H CHRIST

[kazoogrrl.livejournal.com]

She is UH-MAY-ZING! Look up pics of her, warning some are NSFW because she was a Playmate (and a nudist). What a beautiful woman, in so many ways. One of her students has some of her costumes (I think including the one in the pic above) and has posted pics of them to the 1970s Bellydance FB group.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I want to know how that bra stayed on. Double-sided tape?

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

Nah, It's a 70's padding secret. There was a HUGE discussion on it in the 1970s Belly Dance group.
Her breasts are padded heavily from underneath so that the tissue is held into the bra by her skin. I mean when you really look, they are practically up into her neck.
Like when you cup your breasts from under the sides and push them up and in.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I have one of those plunge U bras--one of the plastic sliders for the straps broke, though, and I've been wondering what to do with it. Maybe I'll try to make a costume bra with it.

If I don't die of embarrassment at tonight's performance.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

I'm sure it was fabulous.. you could walk out there and lift one hip and an eyebrow and rock their world.

I'd love to see what you come up with for the bra.

Back to Diane Weber... those hips, that belly! Luscious.

[siro-gravity.livejournal.com]

I like those skimpy costumes! and you look awesome in that photo you linked to.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I like the skimpy costumes, too. I like all that 70s belly dance stuff--costumes, dance style, music...

[aprilstarchild.livejournal.com]

That Frank Frazetta art is hot as fuck, god DAMN.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I love Frazetta's stuff. His women are actually sorta believable as opposed to Boris Vallejo's fantasy art.