A tribal bra
Real life is getting in the way so it is taking me longer to do this than I had anticipated. I will be making the
tribal bra first and then the cabaret sometime in the next few weeks.
For ME (and only me - this is only my opinion (there are many others)) a belly dance bra is made up of 6 parts -
1 The bra itself
2 The covering of the bra (this means the fabric on the outside of the cup or any fabric you may cover it with).
Also includes any sequined appliqués.
3 Long dangly things (usually fringe or tassels)
4 Short dangly things (usually coins or short fringe)
5 Some kind of pretty trim to cover any icky parts
6 A special dangly piece or pieces (sometimes jewelry)
Most belly dance bras can be broken down to these components
For this tribal bra I will be using -
1. A black bra - cost somewhere between 5-7$ (probably Beall's outlet)
2. Black is good for tribal so I save myself HOURS of time by not having to cover it :)
3. 4inch black chainette fringe. On sale at Joanne's 3.50 yd? HINT: Don't forget to glue the ends
after cutting or the whole thing will unravel (I speak from experience :).
4. Coin fringe. Wal-Mart probably 3$ a yard or so. I will be doubling it so that it looks thicker.
5. A scrap of trim I bought at Wal-Mart - probably 1$
6. There are lots of possibilities for Tribal. I am going to use 1/2 of a pair of earrings I bought at a thrift
store. 2.98
Let's get started
Remove anything from the front of the bra that makes it look like a bra. That usually means the little bow thingy
between the cups. BE CAREFUL!!! Do NOT cut the bra while doing this (I speak from experience:)
Pin the fringe etc to the bra. See how it looks. Try it a bunch of different ways.
You can sew the different layers on together or separately. Together is usually faster but separately will last longer.
When you are finished sewing on the layers you can add the special pieces. Pay attention to how heavy they are and
where the bra will best support them.
You can always add more fringe, coins, mirrors and sparkly things later. HINT: There will probably be a lot
of knots in uncomfortable places on the inside of the bra. You can line it with material or use a shoulder pad
in each side.
I will be putting some links to costuming books and web sites on my links page soon. There are some great sites out
there!
Please do not hesitate to email me with any questions :)
